26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make u Is.47.13, 14. known unto me the dream which ' v Ge.40.8. I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 41.16. 27 Daniel answered in the pre-10 hath made. sence of the king, and said, The 11 came up. secret which the king hath demanded cannot u the wise men the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; 28 But v there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and 10 maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts 11 came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter and w he that revealeth se crets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. w Am.4.13, x Ac. 3. 12. 12 or, the intent that the interpretation may be made known. 13 wast seeing. 14 or, sides. 15 or, which was not in hands. y Zech.4.6. Jno. 1.13. Ho.13.3. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom x that I have more than any living, but for 12 their sakes that shall z Ps. 1.4. make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 31 T Thou, O king, 13 sawest, and behold, a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee, and the form thereof was terrible. a Ps.37.36. b Is.2.2,3. c 1Co. 15.25. d Ezr.7.12. Is.47.5. Eze.26.7. Hos.8.10. 32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of e Ezr. 1.2.. silver, his belly and his 14 thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. ƒ Je.27.6. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone g ch.5.28. was cut 15 without y hands, which | h ch.7.7,23. smote the image upon his feet that | 16 brittle. were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the z chaff of the suminer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no a place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, b and filled c the whole earth. 36 T This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 17 this with this. 18 their. i Mi.4.7. Lu. 1.32,33. 19 kingdom thereof. k Ps.2.9. 20 which was not in hands. 21 after this. I ver. 6. 37 Thou, O king, art a king d of kings fore the God of heaven m ch.4.9. hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 5.11. the kings' dream. 38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath made thee ruler over them hath he given ƒ into thine hand, and all. Thou art this head of gold. 39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferiorg to thee, and another third kingdom of bruss, whichh shall bear rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest 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 16 broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave 17 one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44 And in 18 the days of these kings shall the God i of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the 19 kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break k in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain 20 without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass 21 hereafter; and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 46 T Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the m governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and n he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the af-n fairs of the province of Babylon : but Daniel sat o in the gate of the king. CHAPTER III. Nebuchadnezzar setteth up a golden image. EBUCHADNEZZAR the king made a an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. ch.3.12. o Es.2.19. 3.2. Shadrach, &c. accused. | and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast setf over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, (CHAP. 3.) | Meshach, and Abed-nego; these a 2Ki. 19.17, men, O king, have 4 not regarded y thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 18. Ps.115.4, &c. 1 with might, ch.4.14. mand. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, 2 they comthe judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all b ch.4.1. the rulers of the provinces, to come 6.25. to the dedication of the image a symphony, which Nebuchadnezzar the king or, singing. had set up. 3 ch.2.4. 6.21. Ro. 13.7. 3 Then the princes, the governors, c Re. 13.15. and captains, the judges, the trea-d Je.29.22. surers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, e ver.4,5. and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud, To you 2 it is commanded, Ob people, nations, and languages, f ch.2.49. h ver. 19. 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, 3 dulcimer, and 5 or, of purall kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set i Lu.4.7,8. pose, as k Ex.32.32. Lu. 13.9. 1 Ex.5.2. 2 Ki. 18.35. m Mat. 10. 19. n Ps. 121.5.7. Ac.27,23, 25. 7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the lan-o Job 13.15. guages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 8 T Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. Ac.4.19. p Ex.20.3-5. 9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live e forr Le. 19.4. 8 Lu. 12.4,5. 21.24. or, mantles. or, turbans. 10 word. 769 13 T Then Nebuchadnezzar in his h rage and fury, commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. these men before the king. Then they brought 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it 5 true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall downi and worship the image which I have made; well: k but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful m to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom n we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, o be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not servep thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set and Abed-nego. 11 or, spark. He relateth his dream. 3 How great are his signs! d and how mighty are his wonders! e his kingdom is an everlasting ƒ kingdom, and his dominion g is from 23 And these three men, Sha-s ch.6.24. nors. 4TINebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the 13 there is no my palace : king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his 12 counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking t in the midst of the fire, and 13 they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son u of God. hurt in v Ga. 1.10. He. 11.34. a 26 T Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the 14 mouth of the burn-z ing fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, yev servants of the most high w God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 15 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the intepretation of the dream. 7 Then h came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the ch.6.22,23. dream before them; but they did Je. 17.7. is a decree is 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsel-c lors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. me. 16 error. 17 made. not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, (whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the b ch.6.26,27.name of my god, and in whom is the spirit k of the holy gods:) and before him I told the dream, saying, 9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 18 made to prosper. (CHAP. 4.) a ch.3.4. 6.25.27. b Pe. 1.2. It was 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, y and delivered his servants that trusted z in him, and have changed d De.4.34. the king's word, and yielded their a bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their e Ps.72.18. own God. g Ps. 105.27. Is.25.1. Re. 11.15. Job 25.2. 29 Therefore 15 I make a decree,bfch.2.44. That every people, nation, and language, which speak any 16 thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be h ch.2.1,2. 17 cut in pieces, c and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no god that can deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king 18 promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. CHAPTER IV. Daniel heareth Nebuchadnezzar's dream, and interpreteth it. EBUCHADNEZZAR the king, NEBUCHADNEZZAR languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace b be multiplied unto 10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I 2 saw, and behold, am tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. 12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts n of the field had shadow o under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher p and an holy o̟ one came down from heaven; 14 He cried 3 aloud, and said thus, Hewr down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, n Eze. 17.23.and scatter his fruit; let the beasts o La.4.20. get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches. P ver. 17,23. 21I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high Cs God hath wrought toward me. Re. 14.10. r Mat.3.10. ΑΥΤΟ 15 Nevertheless leave the stump s of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, 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: The dream interpreted. DANIEL, IV. 16 Let his heart be changed t from B. C. 580. man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times u pass over him. t Is.6.10. 17 This matter is by the decree vu ch.12.7. in the kingdom of men, and giveth xver.25,32,35. men. 18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch a as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. y Ps.75.6,7. z Ex.9.16. 2Ki.21.6, The story of the event. as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High k ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens / do rule. 27 Wherefore, O king, let my 1Ki.21.25. Counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break offm thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by 2Ch.28.22. showing mercy to the poor; if n it may be 4 a lengthening of thy tranquillity. a ver.8. b ver.9. &c. c 2Sa.18.32. Je.29.7. 19 T Then Daniel, (whose name was Belteshazzar,) was astonied d ver. 10-12. for one hour, and his thoughts troubled b him. The king spake e ch.2.38. and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation there- f Je.27.6-8. of, trouble thee. Belteshazzar an-g ver. 13, 14. swered and said, My lord, the h ver.33. dream be to them c that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to i Ps. 106.20. thine enemies. 20 The tree d that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose k Ps.83.18. height reached unto the heaven, Mat.5.34. and the sight thereof to all the earth; Lu. 15.18,21. 21 Whose leaves were fair, and m Is.55.7. the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which then Ps.41.1,2. beasts of the field dwelt, and upon 4 or, an healwhose branches the fowls of the ing of thine heaven had their habitation: error. Re.4.10. 22 It is thou, e O king, that art s or, upon. grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth o Lu. 12.19,20. unto heaven, and thy dominion f top 1Th.5.3. the end of the earth. 23 And whereas g the king saw a q ver.25,26. watcher and an holy one coming r ch. 12.7. down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it;s ch.2.44. yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, 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 this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25 That they shall driveh thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass i 7.14. u Is.40.15,17. v Ps.115.3. 135.6. w Is.43.13. x Job 9.12. Is.45.9. Ro.9.20. 1 28 T All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he walked 5 in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The king spake o and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty ? 31 Whilep the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee: 32 And q they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33 The same hour was the thing and he was driven from men, and fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar : did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. 31 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me; and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured him r that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlastings dominion, and his kingdom is from generation t to generation: 35 And u all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he v doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay w his hand, or say unto him, What a doest thou. Belshazzar's feast, &c. 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added y unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works z are truth, and his ways judgment: and The king reproved. 10 T Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet-house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11 There i is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy 9 father, light and understanding, and wisdom, like the wisdom of the those that walk in pride a he is (CHAP. 5.) gods, was found in him; whom the 1 Belshazzar's impious feast. 5 A hand-writing on the wall. ELSHAZZAR the king made a great feast a to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. BE a Es. 1.3. b ch.1.2. Je.52.19. 1 or, grandfather, as ver. 11,18, Je.27.7. 2 brought 2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels b which his father Nebuchadnezzar had c Re.9.20. 2 taken out of the temple which d ch.4.31. was in Jerusalem; that the king, e Is.21.2-4. and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, c_ and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5 In the same hour d came forth fingers of a man's hand, and 3 bright nesses, changed it. or, knots; or, girdles, Is.5.27. ƒ Na.2.10. swith might. g ch.2.2. Is.47.13. king Nebuchadnezzar thy 9 father, the king, I say, thy 9 father, made 1 master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12 Forasmuch as an excellent k spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, 10 interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and 11 dissolving of 12 doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. 13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, | whom the king my 9 father brought out of Jewry? 14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15 And now the wise men, the as trologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto they could not show the interpretation of the thing; wrote over against the candlestick or, purple. me the interpretation thereof: but upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then e the king's 3 countenance 4 was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the 5 joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees ƒ smote one against another. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, g the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with 7 scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third h ruler in the kingdom. 8 Then came in all the king's wise men but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9Then was king Belshazzar great h ch.6.2. 8 bright i 9 nesses, ver.6. ch.4.8,9. or, grand k ch.6.3. dissolver. 13 interpret. ch. 2.6. m Ps. 119.46. 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst 13 make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17 T Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let 7 thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy 14 rewards to another; yet I will read the writing m unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 0 thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all n people, nations, and ly troubled, and his 8 countenance n ch.4.22,&c. languages, trembled and feared be was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. |