Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

B. C. 603.

u Gen. 40, 8. & 41. 16. ver. 18, 47. Am. 4. 13.

+ Chald, hath made known. x Gen. 49. 1.

Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;

28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and 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 t came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: y ver. 22, & 28. and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

+ Chald. came up.

z So Gen. 41. 16. Acts 3. 12.

Or, but for the intent that ation may be

the interpret.

made known to the king. a ver. 47.

+ Chald. wast seeing.

b See ver. 38, &c.

Or, sides.

Or, which was not in hands: as ver. 45. e ch. 8. 25. Zech. 4. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Heb. 9. 24.

d Ps. 1. 4. Hos. 13. 3.

e Ps. 57. 10, 36.

f Is. 2. 2, 3. Ps. 80. 9.

b Ezra 7. 12. Is. 47. 5. Jer.

30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

a

31 ¶ Thou, O king, †sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

b

32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that 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 chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, 5 and filled the whole earth.

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

37 Thou, O king, art a king of 27.6, 7. Ez. kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

The interpretation thereof.

m

39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom "inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

B. C. 603.

m ch. 5. 28, 31.

n ver. 32.

ch. 7. 7, 23.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the † kingdom shall not + Chald. kingdom thereof. be left to other people, but it shall r ch. 4. 3, 34. break in pieces and consume all & 6, 26. & 7. 14, 27. Mic. these kingdoms, and it shall stand 4. 7. Luke for ever. 1. 32, 33. Ps. 2. 9. Is. 60. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 24.

45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain 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 thereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 46 Then the king Nebuchadnez- u See Acts 10. zar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet x Ezra 6. 10. odours unto him.

this.

A golden image is set up.

B. C. about 580.

+ Chald. with might.

+ Chald. they command.

a ch. 4. 1. & 6. 25.

CHAPTER III. Nebuchadnezzar dedicateth a golden image, 4 and commandeth all to worship it. 8 Shadrach, Me

cast into the fiery furnace. 24 Their miraculous

The conduct of three Jews.

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men,

B. C. about 580.

⚫ ch. 2. 49.

eth the God of Israel.

EBUCHADNEZZAR the king made 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.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, 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 princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, 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.

a

4 Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, "O people, nations, and languages,

5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackOr, singing. but, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

Chald. symphony.

b Jer. 29. 22. Rev. 13. 15.

c ch. 6. 12.

d ch. 2. 4. & 5. 10. & 6. 6, 21.

6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

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 languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for

ever.

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 down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye fas Ex. 32. 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, 1 we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar +full of fury, and the form of his vis- †Chald_Alled age was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burn

nace.

22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down

+ Chald. mighty of strength.

Or, mantles. Or, turbans.

+Chald. word. Or, spark.

The decree of the king.

B. C.

about 580.

Or, govern

ors.

i Is. 43. 2.

bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his "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 in the midst +Chald. there of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like *+ the son of God.

is no hurt in them. + Chald. a son of the gods.

k Job 1. 6. & 38. 7. Ps. 34. 7. ver. 28.

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came +Chald. door, near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

I Heb. 11. 34.

a ch. 6. 26. + Chald, a decree is made by me.

+Chald.error.

o Ch. 2. 5.

+ Chald. made pieces.

p ch. 6. 27.

+ Chald. made to prosper.

about 570.

a ch. 3. 4. & 6. 25.

+ Chald. It was seemly before me. b ch. 3. 26.

c ch. 6. 27.

d ver. 34. ch. 2. 44. & 6. 26.

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall bet cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

30 Then the king † promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

CHAPTER IV. Nebuchadnezzar proclaimeth God's dominion. 4 His dream, which the magicians could not interpret. 8 Its recital to Daniel, 19 and his interpretation thereof. 28 The fulfilment of the dream.

He relateth his dream.

7 Then came in the magicians, the 8 ch. 2. 2. astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belte-h ch. 1. 7. h shazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the Is. 63. 11. holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

ver. 18. ch. 2. 11. & 5. 11, 14.

5. 11.

9 O Belteshazzar, master of the ch. 2. 48. & 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.

10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; † I saw, and behold+Chald. I was a 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 of the field had shadow 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 and a holy one came down from heaven;

seeing.

1 Ez. 31. 3, &c. ver. 20.

m Ez. 17. 23. & 31. 6. See Lam. 4. 20.

n Ps. 103. 20. ver. 17, 23.

o Deut. 33. 2. ch. 8. 13. Zech. 14. 5. Jude 14.

+ Chald. with might.

p Matt. S. 10.

14 He cried aloud, and said thus, P Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts 9 Ez. 31. 12 get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches :

15 Nevertheless, leave the stump 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:

16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be

The feast of Belshazzar.

B. C. about 563.

© Job 42. 12. Prov. 22. 4. Matt. 6. 33. d Ps. 33. 4. Rev. 15. 3. & 16. 7.

e Ex. 18. 11. ch. 5. 20.

about 538.

a Esth. 1. 3.

b ch. 1. 2. Jer. 52. 19. Or, grandfather; as Jer. 27. 7. 2 Sam. 9. 7. 2 Chr. 15. lũ. ver. 11, 13. + Chald. brought forth.

c Rev. 9. 20.

d ch. 4. 31.

+ Chald. brightnesses, ver. 9. † Chald. changed it. Or, girdles. Chald. bindings, or, kots. 18. 5. n.

+ Chald. with might.

e Nah. 2. 10.

ELSHAZZAR the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

b

2 Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king 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, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's countenance + was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the "joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of fch, 2. 2. & 4. Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, hand shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Is. 47. 13.

|| Or, purple. h ch. 6. 2.

i ch. 2. 27. & 4. 7.

k ch. 2. 1. + Chald.

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.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly * troubled, and his countenance was brightnesses, changed in him, and his lords were astonished.

ver. 6.

10 T Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house and

He sendeth for Daniel.

B. C.

the queen spake and said, 'O king, live for ever let not thy thoughts about 538. trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

m

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made "master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

1 ch. 2. 4. & 3. 9.

m ch. 2. 48. & 4. 8, 9, 18.

Or, grandfather, ver. 2.

12° Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, ch. 6. 3. and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of † doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be call-p ch. 1. 7. ed, and he will shew the interpretation.

Chald.

knots.

16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and Chald. interdissolve 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 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to Or, fee, as another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.