686 Jehoiakim's captivity:

:

DANIEL. Daniel,&c. refuse the king's meat.

and five hundred measures and three gate of Gad, one gate of Ather, one gate
gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of of Naphtali.
Iffachar, one gate of Zebulun.

Si At the weft fide four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one

85 It was round about eighteen thoufand meajures: and the name of the city from thai day fball be, The LORD is there.

THE BOOK OF DANIEL.
CHAP. I.

1 Jeboiakim's captivity. 8 Daniel, Ha-
naniab, Mifbael, and Azariah, refuf.
ing the king's portion, do profper with
pulfe and water.

IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerufalem, and befieged it.

2 Ånd the LORD gave Jehoiakim king| of Judah into his hand, with part of the veffels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the houfe of his god; and he brought the veffels into the treasure houfe of his god.

3 And the king fpake unto Afhpenaz the mafter of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Ifrael, and of the king's feed, and of the princes;

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy fervants, I beseech thee,
ten days; and let them give us pulfe to
eat, and water to drink.

13 Then let our countenances be looked
upon before thee, and the countenance of
the children that eat of the portion of the
king's meat and as thou feest, deal with
thy fervants.

14 So he confented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days

15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

17 As for thefe four children, God gave 4 Children in whom was no blemish, them knowledge and skill in all learning but well favoured, and skilful in all wif- and wildom: and Daniel had understanddom, and cunning in knowledge, and un-ing in all visions and dreams. derstanding fcience, and fuch as bad abilty in them to ftand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

5 And the king appointed them a daily provifion of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: fo nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might ftand before the king.

18 Now at the end of the days that the king had faid he bould bring them in, then 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, Mihael, and Azariah: therefore flood they before the king.

20 And in ali matters of wisdom and

6 Now among thefe were of the chil-understanding, that the king inquired of dren of Judah. Daniel, Hananiah, Mi-them, he found them ten times better fhael, and Azariah: than all the magicians and aftrologers that were in all his realm.

21 And Daniel continued even unto

CHAP. II.

7 Unto whom the prince of the eu
nuclis gave names: for he gave unto Dan-
iel the name of Beltehazzar; and to Han-the first year of king Cyrus.
aniah of Shadrach ; and to Mihael, of
Methech; and to Azariah, of Abednego.1
8 But Daniel purpofed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the
portion of the king's meat nor with the
wine which he drank therefore he re-
quefted of the prince of the eunuchs that
he might not defile himself.

Nebuchadnezzar forgetteth bis dream;
14 Daniel findeth it. 31 The dream,
So and interpretation.

9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of

the eunuchs.

10 And the prince of the eunuchs faid unto Daniel, fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink for, Why thould he fee your faces worfe liking than the children which are of your fort? Then fhall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

AND in the fecond year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his fpirit was troubled, and his fleep brake from him.

2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the aftrologers, and the forcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to thew the king his dreams. So they came and ftood before the king.

S And the king faid unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

4 Then fpake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell 11 Then faid Daniel to Melzar, whom thy fervants the dream, and we will hew the prince of the cunuchs had fet over the interpretation.

Nebuchadnezzar forgets his dream. Chap. ii.

5 The king anfwered and faid to the Chaldeans, the thing is gone from me : if ye will not make known unto me the dream with the interpretation thereof, ye fhall be cut in pieces, and your houfes thall be made a dunghill.

Daniel findeth it. 687 21 And he changeth the times and the feafons: he removeth kings, and fetteth up kings: he giveth wifdom unto the wife, and knowledge to them that know understanding.

22 He revealeth the deep and fecret things: he knoweth what is in the darknefs, and the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and praife thee, O

6 But if ye fhew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour : therefore thew me the dream, and the in-thou God of my fathers, who haft given terpretation thereof.

They anfwered again and faid, Let the king tell his fervants the dream, and we will hew the interpretation of it.

Ime wifdom and might, and haft made known unto me now what we defired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.

and faid thus unto him, Destroy not the wife men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will fhew unto the king the interpretation.

3 The king anfwered and faid, I know 26 Therefore Daniel went in unto Ariof certainty that ye would gain the time, och, whom the king had ordained to debecaufe ye fee the thing is gone from meftroy the wife men of Babylon: he went 9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to fpeak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream and I shall know that ye can fhew me the interpretation thereof.

25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in hafte, and faid thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

10 The Chaldeans anfwered before the king, and faid, There is not a man upon the earth that can hew the king's mat- 20 The king answered and said to Danter therefore there is no king, lord, noriel, whofe name was Belteshazzar, Art ruler, that asked fuch things at any ma-thou able to make known unto me the gician, or aftrologer, or Chaldean. dream which I have feen, and the interpretation thereof?

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can fhew it before the king, except the gods, whofe dwelling is not with flesh.

27 Daniel anfwered in the prefence of the king, and faid, The fecret which the king hath demanded, cannot the wife men, 12 For this caufe the king was angry the aftrologers, the magicians, the foothand very furious, and commanded to de-fayers, fhew unto the king; troy all the wife men of Babylon.

28 But there is a God in heaven that 13 And the decree went forth that the revealeth fecrets, and maketh known to wife men fhould be flain; and they fought the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be Daniel and his fellows to be flain. in the latter days. Thy dream, and the 14 ¶ Then Daniel anfwered with coun-vifions of thy head upon thy bed, are fel and wifdom to Arioch the captain of these : the king's guard, which was gone forth to flay the wife men of Babylon :

15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree fo hafty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what thould come to pafs hereafter; and he that revealeth fecrets maketh known to thee what fhall come to pafs.

50 But as for me, this fecret is not re16 Then Daniel went in, and defired vealed to me for any wifdom that I have of the king that he would give him time, more than any living, but for their fakes and that he would thew the king the in-that hall make known the interpretation terpretation. to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

17 Then Daniel went to his houfe, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mifhael, and Azariah, his companions:

18 That they would defire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this fecret: that Daniel and his fellows thould not perish with the reft of the wife men of Babylon.

19 Then was the fecret revealed unto Daniel in a night vifion. The Daniel bleffed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel anfwered and faid, Bleffed be the name of God for ever and ever for wifdom and night are his :

31 Thou, O king, faweft, and behold, a great image. This great image, whofe brightnefs was excellent, flood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of filver, his belly and his thighs of brafs.

35 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 Thou faweft till that a stone was cut out without hands, which fmote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brafs, the filver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the fummer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that fnote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

The golden image fet up.

man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wife men of Babylon.

56 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 1

87 Thou. O king, art a king of kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and ftrength, and glory.. 58 And wherefoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

59 And after thee fhall arife another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brafs, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he fet Shadrach, Meshach,and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon but Daniel far in the gate of the king.

CHAP. III. Nebuchadnezzar dedicateth a golden image in Dura. 8 Shadrach, M-jbach and Abednego, are accused, 19 delivered. NEBUCHADNEZZARthe king made an image of gold, whofe height was three core cubits, and the breadth thereof fix cubits he fet it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king fent to gather together the princes, the gov ernors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counfellors, the theriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be the dedication of the image which Nebuftrong as iron: forafmuch as iron break-chadnezzar the king had fet up. eth in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, fhall it break in pieces and bruise.

3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counfellors, the theriff's, and all the rulers 41 And whereas thou faweft the feet of the provinces, were gathered together and toes, part of potter's clay, and part of unto the dedication of the image that Nebiron, the kingdom thall be divided: butuchadnezzar the king had fet up; and there fhall be in it of the ftrength of the they stood before the image that Nebuiron, forafmuch as thou fawet the iron chadnezzar had set up. mixed with miry clay.

Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom thall be partly strong, and partly broken. 5 That at what time ye hear the found 43 And whereas thou faweft iron mixed of the corner, flute, harp, fackbut, pfalwith miry clay, they shall mingle them-tery, dulcimer, and all kinds of mufick, felves with the feed of men: but they ye fall down and worthip the golden imthall not cleave one to another, even as age that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath iron is not mixed with clay. fet up:

44 And in the days of thefe kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which fhall never be destroyed: and the kingdom fhall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and confume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

6 And whofo falleth not down and worshippeth, shall the fame hour be call into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the found of the cornet, fute, harp, fackbut,pfattery, and all kinds of mufick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had fet up.

45 Forafmuch as thou faweft that the itone was cut out of the mountain with out hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron,the brafs, the clay, the filver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to 8 Wherefore at that time certain Chalthe king what fhall come to pafs hereaf-deans came near, and accufed the Jews. ter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof fure.

40 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they thould offer an obJation and sweet odours unto him.

47 The king anfwered unto Daniel, and faid, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of fecrets, feeing thou couldeft reveal this fecret.

48 Then the king made Daniel a great

9 They fpake and faid to the king Neb uchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.

10 Thou, O king, haft made a decree. that every man that fhall hear the found of the cornet, flute, harp, fackbut, pfaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of mu sick, fhall fall down and worship the golden image:

11 And whofo falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be caft into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

12 There are certain Jews whom thon

hart

Shadrach, &c.caft in the furnace.

Chap. iv.

Nebuchadnezzar's dream. 689

haft fet over the affairs of the province of 25 He anfwered and faid, Lo, I fee four Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-men loofe, walking in the midst of the fire,

nego; thefe men, O king, have not regarded thee: they ferve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou haft fet up.

and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and 1pake, and faid, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye fervants of the most high God, come forth, and come bither. Then Shadrach, Methach, and Abedne

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in bis rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Methach, and Abednego. Then they brought these inen before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar fpake and faid un-go, came forth of the midst of the fire. to them, I true, O Shadrach, Methach, and Abednego, do not ye ferve my gods, nor worship the golden image which have fet up?

27 And the princes, governors, and captains. and the kings counsellors, being gathered together, faw thefe men, upon whole bodies the fire had no power, nor 15 Now if ye be ready that at what was an hair of their head finged, neither time ye hear the found of the cornet, were their coats changed, nor the fmell flute, harp, fackbut, pfaltery, and dulci-of fire had paffed on them. mer, and all kinds of mufick, ye fall down and worship the image which faid, Bleffed be the God of Shadrach, have made, well; but if ye worship not, ye thall be caft the fame hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and, Who is that God that hall deliver you out of my hands?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, anfwered and faid to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be fe, our God whom we ferve, 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, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not ferve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou haft fet up.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they fhould heat the furnace one (even times more than it was wont to be heated.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar fpake, and

Meshach, and Abednego, who hath fent his angel, and delivered his fervants that trufted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not ferve nor worship any god, except their own God.

9 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language which fpeak any thing amifs against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houfes shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other god that can deliver after this fort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Methach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

CHAP. IV.

1 Nebuchadnezzar's dream. 19 Daniel interpreteth it. 28 The flory of the

event.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR the king unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

20 And he commanded the moft mighty! I thought it good to fhew the figns men that were in his army to bind Sha-and wonders that the high God hath drach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to wrought toward me. caft them into the burning fiery furnace. 5 How great are his figus! and how 21 Then thefe men were bound in their mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is coats, their hofen, and their hats, and an everlafting kingdom, and his dominion their orber garments, and were caft into is trom generation to generation. the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at reft in mine houfe, and flourishing in my palace :

22 Therefore, because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnice 5 I faw a dream which made me afraid, exceeding hot, the flame of the fire flew and the thoughts upon my bed and the thofe men that took up Shadrach, Me-vifions of my head troubled me. bach, and Abednego. 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Me.in all the wife men of Babylon before me, hach, and Abednego, fell down bond that they might make known unto me into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. the interpretation of the dream.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar theking was 7 Then came in the magicians, the afaftonied, and rofe up in hafte, and ipake,trologers, the Chaldeans, and the foothand faid unto his counfellors. Did not we fayers and I told the dream before caft three men bound into the midft of them; but they did not make known unthe fire? They anfwered and faid unto to me the interpretation thereof. the king, True, O king. 8 But at the laft Daniel came in before ine,

AP

DANIEL.

me, whose name was Beltefhazzar, ac-ed unto the heaven, and the fight thereof cording to the name of my God, and in to all the earth; whom is the fpirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, faying,

33 The fame hour was the thing fulfill20 The tree that thou faweft, which led upon Nebuchadnezzar and he was grew, and was strong, whofe height reach-driven from men, and did eat grafs as