1:11 So Bel’s priests said, Lo, we go out: but thou, O king, set on the
meat, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast and seal it with
thine own signet;
1:12 And to morrow when thou comest in, if thou findest not that Bel
hath eaten up all, we will suffer death: or else Daniel, that speaketh
falsely against us.
1:13 And they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a
privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those
things.
1:14 So when they were gone forth, the king set meats before Bel. Now
Daniel had commanded his servants to bring ashes, and those they
strewed throughout all the temple in the presence of the king alone:
then went they out, and shut the door, and sealed it with the king’s
signet, and so departed.
1:15 Now in the night came the priests with their wives and children,
as they were wont to do, and did eat and drinck up all.
1:16 In the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him.
1:17 And the king said, Daniel, are the seals whole? And he said, Yea,
O king, they be whole.
1:18 And as soon as he had opened the dour, the king looked upon the
table, and cried with a loud voice, Great art thou, O Bel, and with
thee is no deceit at all.
1:19 Then laughed Daniel, and held the king that he should not go in,
and said, Behold now the pavement, and mark well whose footsteps are
these.
1:20 And the king said, I see the footsteps of men, women, and
children. And then the king was angry,
1:21 And took the priests with their wives and children, who shewed him
the privy doors, where they came in, and consumed such things as were
upon the table.
1:22 Therefore the king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel’s
power, who destroyed him and his temple.
1:23 And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of
Babylon worshipped.
1:24 And the king said unto Daniel, Wilt thou also say that this is of
brass? lo, he liveth, he eateth and drinketh; thou canst not say that
he is no living god: therefore worship him.
1:25 Then said Daniel unto the king, I will worship the Lord my God:
for he is the living God.
1:26 But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without
sword or staff. The king said, I give thee leave.
1:27 Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and did seethe them
together, and made lumps thereof: this he put in the dragon’s mouth,
and so the dragon burst in sunder: and Daniel said, Lo, these are the
gods ye worship.
1:28 When they of Babylon heard that, they took great indignation, and
conspired against the king, saying, The king is become a Jew, and he
hath destroyed Bel, he hath slain the dragon, and put the priests to
death.
1:29 So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we
will destroy thee and thine house.
1:30 Now when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being
constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them:
1:31 Who cast him into the lions’ den: where he was six days.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account