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Daniel 1
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And Yahweh gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of Elohim; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his mighty one: and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his mighty one. 3 And the king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in certain of the children of Israel, even of the seed royal and of the nobles; 4 youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and endued with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at the end of it they should stand before the king. 6 Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 And the prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now Elohim made Daniel to find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my sovereign the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths that are of your own age? So would you endanger my head with the king. 11 Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12 Prove your servants, I plead you, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our faces be looked upon before you, and the face of the youths that eat of the king’s dainties; and as you see, deal with your servants.
14 So he listened to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their faces appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths that ate of the king’s dainties. 16 So the steward took away their dainties, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 Now as for these four youths, Elohim gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 And at the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel 2
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him. 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream. 4 Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in the Aramaic language, O king, live forever: tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing has gone from me: if you make not known to me the dream and the interpretation of it, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6 But if you show the dream and the interpretation of it, you shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor: therefore show me the dream and the interpretation of it. 7 They answered the second time and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. 8 The king answered and said, I know of a certainty that you would gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me. 9 But if you do not make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me the interpretation of it. 10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter, because no king, captain, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. 11 And it is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other that can show it before the king, except the elohim, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be killed.
14 Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so urgent from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 that they would desire mercies of the Elah of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the Elah of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of Elah forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his. 21 And he changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding; 22 he reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 I thank you, and praise you, O you Elah of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter. 24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus to him: Destroy not the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him, I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, that will make known to the king the interpretation. 26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation of it? 27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show to the king; 28 but there is an Elah in heaven that reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, are these: 29 as for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind upon your bed, what should come to pass after this; and he that reveals secrets has made known to you what shall come to pass. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31 You, O king, saw, and, behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and the appearance of it was terrible. 32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay. 34 You saw till that a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them: and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the Elah of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens has he given into your hand, and has made you to rule over them all: you are the head of gold. 39 And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you; and another third kingdom of bronze, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, shall it break in pieces and crush. 41 And whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cling one to another, even as iron does not mingle with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings shall the Elah of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty of it be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great Elah has made known to the king what shall come to pass after this: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation of it sure.
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors to him. 47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, Of a truth your Elah is the Elah of elohim, and the King of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you have been able to reveal this secret. 48 Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel was in the gate of the king.
Daniel 3
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and the width of it six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 4 Then the herald Cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. 7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews. 9 They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever. 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship, shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded you: they serve not your elohim, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, Is it of purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you serve not my mighty one, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if you be ready that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if you worship not, you shall be cast the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that Elah that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If it be so, our Elah whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your elohim, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other garments, and were cast in to the middle of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace very hot, the flame of the fire killed those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said to his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into the middle of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the Elah. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace: he spoke and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, you servants of the Most High Elah, come forth, and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth out of the middle of the fire. 27 And the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their mantles changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the Elah of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any Elah, except their own Elah. 29 Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the Elah of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other Elah that is able to deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.
Daniel 4
Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High Elah has worked toward me. 3 How great are his signs! And how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions Of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation of it. 8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my Elah, and in whom is the spirit of your holy elohim: and I told the dream before him, saying, 9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy elohim is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation of it. 10 In this manner were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and the height of it was great. 11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height Of it reached to heaven, and the sight of it to the end of all the earth. 12 The leaves of it were fair, and the fruit of it much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches of it, and all flesh was fed from it. 13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud, and said thus, hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 16 let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men. 18 This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen, and you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, Since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able; for the spirit of the holy elohim is in you.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was struck dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation of it, trouble you. Belteshazzar answered and said, My sovereign, the dream is to them that hate you, and the interpretation of it to your adversaries. 20 The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to heaven, and the sight of it to all the earth; 21 whose leaves were fair, and the fruit of it much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation: 22 it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots of it in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven; and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my sovereign the king: 25 that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you; till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be sure to you, after that you shall have known that the heavens do rule. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of your tranquillity.
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? 31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you: 32 and you shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; you shall be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. 33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation; 35 and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can stay his hand, or say to him, What are you doing? 36 At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me; and my counselors and my rulers sought to me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heavens; and all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to humble.
