Chapter 1
1 The Choice Young Men
In the third 7969 year 8141 of the reign 4438 of Jehoiakim 3079 king 4428 of Judah 3063, Nebuchadnezzar 5019 king 4428 of Babylon 894 came 935 to Jerusalem 3389 and besieged it.
2 The Lord 136 gave 5414 Jehoiakim 3079 king 4428 of Judah 3063 into his hand 3027, along with some of the vessels 3627 of the house 1004 of God 430; and he brought 935 them to the land 776 of Shinar 8152, to the house 1004 of his god 430, and he brought 935 the vessels 3627 into the treasury of his god 430.
3 ¶ Then the king 4428 ordered 559 Ashpenaz 828, the chief 7227 of his officials 5631, to bring 935 in some 4480 of the sons 1121 of Israel 3478, including some 4480 of the royal 4410 family 2233 and of the nobles 6579,
4 youths 3206 in whom 834 was no defect 3971, who were good-looking, showing 7919 intelligence 7919 in every 3605 {branch of} wisdom 2451, endowed 3045 with understanding 995 and discerning 995 knowledge 4093, and who 834 had ability 3851 for serving 5975 in the king's 4428 court 1964; and {he ordered him} to teach 3925 them the literature 5612 and language 3956 of the Chaldeans 3778.
5 The king 4428 appointed 4487 for them a daily 3117 ration 1697 from the king's 4428 choice 6598 food 6598 and from the wine 3196 which 4960 he drank 4960, and {appointed} that they should be educated 1431 three 7969 years 8141, at the end 7117 of which they were to enter 5975 the king's 4428 personal 6440 service.
6 Now among them from the sons 1121 of Judah 3063 were Daniel 1840, Hananiah 2608, Mishael 4332 and Azariah 5838.
7 Then the commander 8269 of the officials 5631 assigned 7760 {new} names 8034 to them; and to Daniel 1840 he assigned 7760 {the name} Belteshazzar 1095, to Hananiah 2608 Shadrach 7714, to Mishael 4332 Meshach 4335 and to Azariah 5838 Abed-nego 5664.
8 Daniel's Resolve
¶ But Daniel 1840 made 7760 up his mind 3820 that he would not defile 1351 himself with the king's 4428 choice 6598 food 6598 or with the wine 3196 which 4960 he drank 4960; so he sought 1245 {permission} from the commander 8269 of the officials 5631 that he might not defile 1351 himself.
9 Now God 430 granted 5414 Daniel 1840 favor 2617 and compassion 7356 in the sight 6440 of the commander 8269 of the officials 5631,
10 and the commander 8269 of the officials 5631 said 559 to Daniel 1840, "I am afraid 3372 of my lord 113 the king 4428, who 834 has appointed 4487 your food 3978 and your drink 4960; for why 4100 should he see 7200 your faces 6440 looking 2196 more 4480 haggard 2196 than 4480 the youths 3206 who 834 are your own age 1524? Then you would make me forfeit 2325 my head 7218 to the king 4428."
11 But Daniel 1840 said 559 to the overseer 4453 whom 834 the commander 8269 of the officials 5631 had appointed 4487 over 5921 Daniel 1840, Hananiah 2608, Mishael 4332 and Azariah 5838,
12 "Please 4994 test 5254 your servants 5650 for ten 6235 days 3117, and let us be given 5414 some 4480 vegetables 2235 to eat 398 and water 4325 to drink 8354.
13 "Then let our appearance 4758 be observed 7200 in your presence 6440 and the appearance 4758 of the youths 3206 who 834 are eating 398 the king's 4428 choice 6598 food 6598; and deal 6213 with your servants 5650 according to what 3512 you see 7200."
14 ¶ So he listened 8085 to them in this 2088 matter 1697 and tested 5254 them for ten 6235 days 3117.
15 At the end 7117 of ten 6235 days 3117 their appearance 4758 seemed 7200 better 2896 and they were fatter than 4480 all 3605 the youths 3206 who 834 had been eating 398 the king's 4428 choice 6598 food 6598.
16 So the overseer 4453 continued 1961 to withhold 5375 their choice 6598 food 6598 and the wine 3196 they were to drink 4960, and kept 5414 giving 5414 them vegetables 2235.
17 ¶ As for these 428 four 702 youths 3206, God 430 gave 5414 them knowledge 4093 and intelligence 7919 in every 3605 {branch of} literature 5612 and wisdom 2451; Daniel 1840 even understood 995 all 3605 {kinds of} visions 2377 and dreams 2472.
18 ¶ Then at the end 7117 of the days 3117 which 834 the king 4428 had specified 559 for presenting 935 them, the commander 8269 of the officials 5631 presented 935 them before 6440 Nebuchadnezzar 5019.
19 The king 4428 talked 1696 with them, and out of them all 3605 not one was found 4672 like Daniel 1840, Hananiah 2608, Mishael 4332 and Azariah 5838; so they entered 5975 the king's 4428 personal 6440 service.
20 As for every 3605 matter 1697 of wisdom 2451 and understanding 998 about which 834 the king 4428 consulted 1245 them, he found 4672 them ten 6235 times 3027 better 5921 than 5921 all 3605 the magicians 2748 {and} conjurers 825 who 834 {were} in all 3605 his realm 4438.
21 And Daniel 1840 continued 1961 until 5704 the first 259 year 8141 of Cyrus 3566 the king 4428.
Chapter 2
1 The King's Forgotten Dream
Now in the second 8147 year 8141 of the reign 4438 of Nebuchadnezzar 5019, Nebuchadnezzar 5019 had 2492 dreams 2472; and his spirit 7307 was troubled 6470 and his sleep 8142 left 1961 him.
2 Then the king 4428 gave 559 orders 559 to call 7121 in the magicians 2748, the conjurers 825, the sorcerers 3784 and the Chaldeans 3778 to tell 5046 the king 4428 his dreams 2472. So they came 935 in and stood 5975 before 6440 the king 4428.
3 The king 4428 said 559 to them, "I had 2492 a dream 2472 and my spirit 7307 is anxious 6470 to understand 3045 the dream 2472."
4 ¶ Then the Chaldeans 3778 spoke 1696 to the king 4428 in Aramaic 762: "O king 4430, live 2418 forever 5957! Tell 560 the dream 2493 to your servants 5649, and we will declare 2331 the interpretation 6591."
5 The king 4430 replied 6032 to the Chaldeans 3779, "The command 4406 from me is firm 230: if 2006 you do not make 3046 known 3046 to me the dream 2493 and its interpretation 6591, you will be torn 5648 limb 1917 from limb and your houses 1005 will be made 7761 a rubbish 5122 heap 5122.
6 "But if 2006 you declare 2331 the dream 2493 and its interpretation 6591, you will receive 6902 from me gifts 4978 and a reward 5023 and great 7690 honor 3367; therefore 3861 declare 2331 to me the dream 2493 and its interpretation 6591."
7 They answered 6032 a second 8579 time 8579 and said 560, "Let the king 4430 tell 560 the dream 2493 to his servants 5649, and we will declare 2331 the interpretation 6591."
8 The king 4430 replied 6032, "I know 3046 for certain 3330 that you are bargaining 2084 for time 5732, inasmuch as you have seen 2370 that the command 4406 from me is firm 230,
9 that if 2006 you do not make 3046 the dream 2493 known 3046 to me, there is only one 2298 decree 1882 for you. For you have agreed 2164 together 2164 to speak 560 lying 3538 and corrupt 7844 words 4406 before 6925 me until the situation 5732 is changed 8133; therefore 3861 tell 560 me the dream 2493, that I may know 3046 that you can declare 2331 to me its interpretation 6591."
10 The Chaldeans 3779 answered 6032 the king 4430 and said 560, "There 383 is not a man 606 on earth 3007 who 1768 could 3202 declare 2331 the matter 4406 for the king 4430, inasmuch as no great 7229 king 4430 or ruler 7990 has {ever} asked 7593 anything 4406 like this 1836 of any 3606 magician 2749, conjurer 826 or Chaldean 3779.
11 "Moreover, the thing 4406 which 1768 the king 4430 demands 7593 is difficult 3358, and there 383 is no 3809 one 321 else 321 who 1768 could declare 2331 it to the king 4430 except 3861 gods 426, whose 1768 dwelling 4070 place 4094 is not with {mortal} flesh 1321."
12 ¶ Because of this 1836 the king 4430 became 1149 indignant 1149 and very 7690 furious 7108 and gave 560 orders 560 to destroy 7 all 3606 the wise 2445 men 2445 of Babylon 895.
13 So the decree 1882 went 5312 forth 5312 that the wise 2445 men 2445 should be slain 6992; and they looked 1156 for Daniel 1841 and his friends 2269 to kill 6992 {them.}
14 ¶ Then 116 Daniel 1841 replied 8421 with discretion 5843 and discernment 2942 to Arioch 746, the captain 7229 of the king's 4430 bodyguard 2877, who 1768 had gone 5312 forth 5312 to slay 6992 the wise 2445 men 2445 of Babylon 895;
15 he said 560 to Arioch 746, the king's 4430 commander 7990, "For what 4101 reason is the decree 1882 from the king 4430 {so} urgent 2685?" Then 116 Arioch 746 informed 3046 Daniel 1841 about the matter 4406.
16 So Daniel 1841 went 5954 in and requested 1156 of the king 4430 that he would give 5415 him time 2166, in order that he might declare 2331 the interpretation 6591 to the king 4430.
17 ¶ Then 116 Daniel 1841 went 236 to his house 1005 and informed 3046 his friends 2269, Hananiah 2608, Mishael 4331 and Azariah 5839, about the matter 4406,
18 so that they might request 1156 compassion 7359 from the God 426 of heaven 8065 concerning 5922 this 1836 mystery 7328, so 1768 that Daniel 1841 and his friends 2269 would not be destroyed 7 with the rest 7606 of the wise 2445 men 2445 of Babylon 895.
19 The Secret Is Revealed to Daniel
Then 116 the mystery 7328 was revealed 1541 to Daniel 1841 in a night 3916 vision 2376. Then 116 Daniel 1841 blessed 1289 the God 426 of heaven 8065;
20 Daniel 1841 said 560, "Let the name 8036 of God 426 be blessed 1289 forever 5957 and ever 5957, For wisdom 2452 and power 1370 belong to Him.
21 "It is He who changes 8133 the times 5732 and the epochs 2166; He removes 5709 kings 4430 and establishes 6966 kings 4430; He gives 3052 wisdom 2452 to wise 2445 men 2445 And knowledge 4486 to men of understanding 999.
22 "It is He who reveals 1541 the profound 5994 and hidden 5642 things 5642; He knows 3046 what 4101 is in the darkness 2816, And the light 5094 dwells 8271 with Him.
23 "To You, O God 426 of my fathers 2, I give 3029 thanks 3029 and praise 7624, For You have given 3052 me wisdom 2452 and power 1370; Even now 3705 You have made 3046 known 3046 to me what 1768 we requested 1156 of You, For You have made 3046 known 3046 to us the king's 4430 matter 4406."
24 ¶ Therefore, Daniel 1841 went 5954 in to Arioch 746, whom 1768 the king 4430 had appointed 4483 to destroy 7 the wise 2445 men 2445 of Babylon 895; he went 236 and spoke 560 to him as follows 3652: "Do not destroy 7 the wise 2445 men 2445 of Babylon 895! Take 5954 me into the king's 4430 presence 6925, and I will declare 2331 the interpretation 6591 to the king 4430."
25 ¶ Then 116 Arioch 746 hurriedly 927 brought 5954 Daniel 1841 into the king's 4430 presence 6925 and spoke 560 to him as follows 3652: "I have found 7912 a man 1400 among the exiles from Judah 3061 who 1768 can make 3046 the interpretation 6591 known 3046 to the king 4430!"
26 The king 4430 said 560 to Daniel 1841, whose 1768 name 8036 was Belteshazzar 1096, "Are you able 3546 to make 3046 known 3046 to me the dream 2493 which 1768 I have seen 2370 and its interpretation 6591?"
27 Daniel 1841 answered 6032 before 6925 the king 4430 and said 560, "As for the mystery 7328 about which 1768 the king 4430 has inquired 7593, neither 3809 wise 2445 men 2445, conjurers 826, magicians 2749 {nor} diviners 1505 are able 3202 to declare 2331 {it} to the king 4430.
28 "However 1297, there 383 is a God 426 in heaven 8065 who 1768 reveals 1541 mysteries 7328, and He has made 3046 known 3046 to King 4430 Nebuchadnezzar 5020 what 4101 will take 1934 place 1934 in the latter 320 days 3118. This 1836 was your dream 2493 and the visions 2376 in your mind 7217 {while} on your bed 4903.
29 "As for you, O king 4430, {while} on your bed 4903 your thoughts 7476 turned 5559 to what 4101 would take 1934 place 1934 in the future 311; and He who reveals 1541 mysteries 7328 has made 3046 known 3046 to you what 4101 will take 1934 place 1934.
30 "But as for me, this 1836 mystery 7328 has 383 not been revealed 1541 to me for any wisdom 2452 residing 383 in me more 4481 than 4481 {in} any 3606 {other} living 2417 man 2417, but for the purpose 1701 of making 3046 the interpretation 6591 known 3046 to the king 4430, and that you may understand 3046 the thoughts 7476 of your mind 3825.
31 The King's Dream
¶ "You, O king 4430, were looking 2370 and behold 431, there was a single 2298 great 7690 statue 6755; that statue 6755, which was large 7229 and of extraordinary 3493 splendor 2122, was standing 6966 in front 6903 of you, and its appearance 7299 was awesome 1763.
32 "The head 7217 of that statue 6755 {was made} of fine 2869 gold 1722, its breast 2306 and its arms 1872 of silver 3702, its belly 4577 and its thighs 3410 of bronze 5174,
33 its legs 8243 of iron 6523, its feet 7271 partly 4481 of iron 6523 and partly 4481 of clay 2635.
34 "You continued 1934 looking 2370 until a stone 69 was cut 1505 out without 3809 hands 3028, and it struck 4223 the statue 6755 on its feet 7271 of iron 6523 and clay 2635 and crushed 1855 them.
35 "Then 116 the iron 6523, the clay 2635, the bronze 5174, the silver 3702 and the gold 1722 were crushed 1855 all 3606 at the same 2298 time 2298 and became 1934 like chaff 5784 from the summer 7007 threshing 147 floors 147; and the wind 7308 carried 5376 them away so that not a trace 870 of them was found 7912. But the stone 69 that struck 4223 the statue 6755 became 1934 a great 7229 mountain 2906 and filled 4391 the whole 3606 earth 772.
36 The Interpretation--Babylon the First Kingdom
¶ "This 1836 {was} the dream 2493; now we will tell 560 its interpretation 6591 before 6925 the king 4430.
37 "You, O king 4430, are the king 4430 of kings 4430, to whom 1768 the God 426 of heaven 8065 has given 3052 the kingdom 4437, the power 2632, the strength 8632 and the glory 3367;
38 and wherever the sons 1123 of men 606 dwell 1753, {or} the beasts 2423 of the field 1251, or the birds 5776 of the sky 8065, He has given 3052 {them} into your hand 3028 and has caused you to rule 7981 over them all 3606. You are the head 7217 of gold 1722.
39 Medo-Persia and Greece
"After 870 you there will arise 6966 another 321 kingdom 4437 inferior 772 to you, then another 321 third 8523 kingdom 4437 of bronze 5174, which 1768 will rule 7981 over all 3606 the earth 772.
40
Rome
"Then there will be a fourth 7244 kingdom 4437 as strong 8624 as iron 6523; inasmuch as iron 6523 crushes 1855 and shatters 2827 all 3606 things 3606, so, like iron 6523 that breaks 7490 in pieces 7490, it will crush 1855 and break 7490 all 3606 these 459 in pieces 7490.
41 "In that you saw 2370 the feet 7271 and toes 677, partly 4481 of potter's 6353 clay 2635 and partly 4481 of iron 6523, it will be a divided 6386 kingdom 4437; but it will have 1934 in it the toughness 5326 of iron 6523, inasmuch as you saw 2370 the iron 6523 mixed 6151 with common 2917 clay 2635.
42 "{As} the toes 677 of the feet 7271 {were} partly 4481 of iron 6523 and partly 4481 of pottery 2635, {so} some of the kingdom 4437 will be strong 8624 and part 4481 of it will be brittle 8406.
43 "And in that you saw 2370 the iron 6523 mixed 6151 with common 2917 clay 2635, they will combine 6151 with one another in the seed 2234 of men 606; but they will not adhere 1693 to one another, even 1888 as iron 6523 does not combine 6151 with pottery 2635.
44 The Divine Kingdom
"In the days 3118 of those 581 kings 4430 the God 426 of heaven 8065 will set 6966 up a kingdom 4437 which 1768 will never be destroyed 2255, and {that} kingdom 4437 will not be left 7662 for another 312 people 5972; it will crush 1855 and put 5487 an end 5487 to all 3606 these 459 kingdoms 4437, but it will itself 1932 endure 6966 forever 5957.
45 "Inasmuch as you saw 2370 that a stone 69 was cut 1505 out of the mountain 2906 without 3809 hands 3028 and that it crushed 1855 the iron 6523, the bronze 5174, the clay 2635, the silver 3702 and the gold 1722, the great 7229 God 426 has made 3046 known 3046 to the king 4430 what 4101 will take 1934 place 1934 in the future 311; so the dream 2493 is true 3330 and its interpretation 6591 is trustworthy 540."
46 Daniel Promoted
¶ Then 116 King 4430 Nebuchadnezzar 5020 fell 5308 on his face 600 and did 5457 homage 5457 to Daniel 1841, and gave 560 orders 560 to present 5260 to him an offering 4504 and fragrant 5208 incense 5208.
47 The king 4430 answered 6032 Daniel 1841 and said 560, "Surely your God 426 is a God 426 of gods 426 and a Lord 4756 of kings 4430 and a revealer 1541 of mysteries 7328, since 1768 you have been 3202 able 3202 to reveal 1541 this 1836 mystery 7328."
48 Then 116 the king 4430 promoted 7236 Daniel 1841 and gave 3052 him many 7690 great 7229 gifts 4978, and he made 7981 him ruler 7981 over 5922 the whole 3606 province 4083 of Babylon 895 and chief 7229 prefect 5460 over 5922 all 3606 the wise 2445 men 2445 of Babylon 895.
49 And Daniel 1841 made 1156 request 1156 of the king 4430, and he appointed 4483 Shadrach 7715, Meshach 4336 and Abed-nego 5665 over 5922 the administration 5673 of the province 4083 of Babylon 895, while Daniel 1841 {was} at the king's 4430 court 8651.
Chapter 3
1 The King's Golden Image
Nebuchadnezzar 5020 the king 4430 made 5648 an image 6755 of gold 1722, the height 7314 of which {was} sixty 8361 cubits 521 {and} its width 6613 six 8353 cubits 521; he set 6966 it up on the plain 1236 of Dura 1757 in the province 4083 of Babylon 895.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar 5020 the king 4430 sent 7972 {word} to assemble 3673 the satraps 324, the prefects 5460 and the governors 6347, the counselors 148, the treasurers 1411, the judges 1884, the magistrates 8614 and all 3606 the rulers 7984 of the provinces 4083 to come 858 to the dedication 2597 of the image 6755 that Nebuchadnezzar 5020 the king 4430 had set 6966 up.
3 Then 116 the satraps 324, the prefects 5460 and the governors 6347, the counselors 148, the treasurers 1411, the judges 1884, the magistrates 8614 and all 3606 the rulers 7984 of the provinces 4083 were assembled 3673 for the dedication 2597 of the image 6755 that Nebuchadnezzar 5020 the king 4430 had set 6966 up; and they stood 6966 before 6903 the image 6755 that Nebuchadnezzar 5020 had set 6966 up.
4 Then the herald 3744 loudly 2429 proclaimed 7123: "To you the command 560 is given 560, O peoples 5972, nations 524 and {men of every} language 3961,
5 that at the moment 5732 you hear 8086 the sound 7032 of the horn 7162, flute 4953, lyre 7030, trigon 5443, psaltery 6460, bagpipe 5481 and all 3606 kinds 2178 of music 2170, you are to fall 5308 down 5308 and worship 5457 the golden 1722 image 6755 that Nebuchadnezzar 5020 the king 4430 has set 6966 up.
6 "But whoever 4479 does not fall 5308 down 5308 and worship 5457 shall immediately 8160 be cast 7412 into the midst 1459 of a furnace 861 of blazing 3345 fire 5135."
7 Therefore at that time 2166, when 1768 all 3606 the peoples 5972 heard 8086 the sound 7032 of the horn 7162, flute 4953, lyre 7030, trigon 5443, psaltery 6460, bagpipe 5481 and all 3606 kinds 2178 of music 2170, all 3606 the peoples 5972, nations 524 and {men of every} language 3961 fell 5308 down 5308 {and} worshiped 5457 the golden 1722 image 6755 that Nebuchadnezzar 5020 the king 4430 had set 6966 up.
8 Worship of the Image Refused
¶ For this 1836 reason at that time 2166 certain 1400 Chaldeans 3779 came 7127 forward 7127 and brought 399 charges 7170 against 1768 the Jews 3062.
9 They responded 6032 and said 560 to Nebuchadnezzar 5020 the king 4430: "O king 4430, live 2418 forever 5957!
10 "You, O king 4430, have made 7761 a decree 2942 that every 3606 man 606 who 1768 hears 8086 the sound 7032 of the horn 7162, flute 4953, lyre 7030, trigon 5443, psaltery 6460, and bagpipe 5481 and all 3606 kinds 2178 of music 2170, is to fall 5308 down 5308 and worship 5457 the golden 1722 image 6755.
11 "But whoever 4479 does not fall 5308 down 5308 and worship 5457 shall be cast 7412 into the midst 1459 of a furnace 861 of blazing 3345 fire 5135.
12 "There 383 are certain 1400 Jews 3062 whom 1768 you have appointed 4483 over 5922 the administration 5673 of the province 4083 of Babylon 895, {namely} Shadrach 7715, Meshach 4336 and Abed-nego 5665. These 479 men 1400, O king 4430, have disregarded you; they do not serve 6399 your gods 426 or worship 5457 the golden 1722 image 6755 which 1768 you have set 6966 up."
13 ¶ Then 116 Nebuchadnezzar 5020 in rage 7266 and anger 2528 gave 560 orders 560 to bring 858 Shadrach 7715, Meshach 4336 and Abed-nego 5665; then 116 these 479 men 1400 were brought 858 before 6925 the king 4430.
14 Nebuchadnezzar 5020 responded 6032 and said 560 to them, "Is it true 6656, Shadrach 7715, Meshach 4336 and Abed-nego 5665, that you do 383 not serve 6399 my gods 426 or worship 5457 the golden 1722 image 6755 that I have set 6966 up?