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Apoteichisis

The Old Testament

Daniel 13

ΔΑΝΙΗΛ · 13

Brenton 13:1

And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia received his kingdom.

Brenton 13:2

And Daniel conversed with the king, and was honoured above all his friends.

Brenton 13:3

Now the Babylonians had an idol, called Bel, and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine.

Brenton 13:4

And the king worshipped it, and went daily to adore it: but Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said unto him, Why dost not thou worship Bel?

Brenton 13:5

Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh.

Brenton 13:6

Then said the king unto him, Thinkest thou not that Bel is a living god? seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day?

Brenton 13:7

Then Daniel smiled, and said, O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or drink any thing.

Brenton 13:8

So the king was wroth, and called for his priests, and said unto them, If ye tell me not who this is that devoureth these expences, ye shall die.

Brenton 13:9

But if ye can certify me that Bel devoureth them, then Daniel shall die: for he hath spoken blasphemy against Bel. And Daniel said unto the king, Let it be according to thy word.

Brenton 13:10

Now the priests of Bel were threescore and ten, beside their wives and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.

Brenton 13:11

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;

Brenton 13:12

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.

Brenton 13:13

And they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those things.

Brenton 13:14

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.

Brenton 13:15

Now in the night came the priests with their wives and children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drink up all.

Brenton 13:16

In the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him.

Brenton 13:17

And the king said, Daniel, are the seals whole? And he said, Yea, O king, they be whole.

Brenton 13:18

And as soon as he had opened the door, 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.

Brenton 13:19

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.

Brenton 13:20

And the king said, I see the footsteps of men, women, and children. And then the king was angry,

Brenton 13:21

and took the priests with their wives and children, who shewed him the private doors, where they came in, and consumed such things as were upon the table.

Brenton 13:22

Therefore the king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel's power, who destroyed him and his temple.

Brenton 13:23

And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped.

Brenton 13:24

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.

Brenton 13:25

Then said Daniel unto the king, I will worship the Lord my God: for he is the living God.

Brenton 13:26

But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without sword or staff. The king said, I give thee leave.

Brenton 13:27

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.

Brenton 13:28

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.

Brenton 13:29

So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thine house.

Brenton 13:30

Now when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them;

Brenton 13:31

who cast him into the lions' den: where he was six days.

Brenton 13:32

And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given them every day two carcases, and two sheep: which then were not given to them, to the intent they might devour Daniel.

Brenton 13:33

Now there was in Jewry a prophet, called Habbacuc, who had made pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl, and was going into the field, for to bring it to the reapers.

Brenton 13:34

But the angel of the Lord said unto Habbacuc, Go, carry the dinner that thou hast into Babylon unto Daniel, who is in the lions' den.

Brenton 13:35

And Habbacuc said, Lord, I never saw Babylon; neither do I know where the den is.

Brenton 13:36

Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown, and bare him by the hair of his head, and through the vehemency of his spirit set him in Babylon over the den.

Brenton 13:37

And Habbacuc cried, saying, O Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner which God hath sent thee.

Brenton 13:38

And Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God: neither hast thou forsaken them that seek thee and love thee.

Brenton 13:39

So Daniel arose, and did eat: and the angel of the Lord set Habbacuc in his own place again immediately.

Brenton 13:40

Upon the seventh day the king went to bewail Daniel: and when he came to the den, he looked in, and, behold, Daniel was sitting.

Brenton 13:41

Then cried the king with a loud voice, saying, Great art thou, O Lord God of Daniel, and there is none other beside thee.

Brenton 13:42

And he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of his destruction into the den: and they were devoured in a moment before his face.

Brenton supplied wording, small capitals, translation notes, Greek wording, and edition-specific verse identifiers are retained. Parallel passages keep each edition's own references. Editions and sources.