1 And Sovereign Astuages was gathered to his fathers, and Koresh of Paras received his reign.
2 And Dani’ĕl spoke with the sovereign, and was esteemed above all his friends.
3 Now the Baḇelians had an idol, called Bĕl, and every day there was spent upon it: twelve large measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine.
4 And the sovereign revered it and went daily to worship it, but Dani’ĕl worshipped his own Elohim. And the sovereign said to him, “Why do you not worship Bĕl?”
5 Who answered and said, “Because I do not worship idols made with hands, but the living Elohim, who has created the shamayim and the earth, and reigns over all flesh.”
6 Then the sovereign said to him, “Do you not think that Bĕl is a living mighty one? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?”
7 Then Dani’ĕl smiled, and said, “O sovereign, do not be deceived; for this is but clay within, and bronze without, and never ate or drank any.”
8 So the sovereign was wroth, and called for his priests, and said to them, “If you do not tell me who this is that devours these expenses, you shall die!
9 “But if you shall prove that Bĕl devours them, then Dani’ĕl shall die; for he has spoken blasphemy against Bĕl.” And Dani’ĕl said to the sovereign, “Let it be according to your word.”
10 Now there were seventy priests of Bĕl, besides their wives and children. And the sovereign went with Dani’ĕl into the temple of Bĕl.
11 So the priests of Bĕl said, “See, we shall go out, but you, O sovereign, place the meat, and prepare the wine, and shut the door firmly and seal it with your own signet.
12 “And tomorrow when you come in, if you do not find that all has been eaten up, we shall suffer death, or else Dani’ĕl, who speaks falsely against us.”
13 But they gave little regard, for under the table they had made a secret entrance, by which they entered in continually, and ate these.
14 So when they had gone out, the sovereign placed food before Bĕl. Now Dani’ĕl had commanded his servants to bring ashes, and they scattered them throughout the whole temple in the presence of the sovereign alone; then they went out, and shut the door, and sealed it with the sovereign’s signet, and so departed.
15 Now in the night, the priests came with their wives and children, as was their habit, and ate and drank all.
16 And it came to be in the morning, the sovereign arose, and Dani’ĕl with him.
17 And the sovereign said, “Dani’ĕl, are the seals whole?” And he said, “Yes, O sovereign, they are whole.”
18 And as soon as he had opened the door, the sovereign looked upon the table, and cried with a loud voice, “You are great, O Bĕl, and in you is no deceit at all!”
19 Then Dani’ĕl laughed, and held the sovereign that he should not go in, and said, “See now the pavement, and note well whose footsteps are there.”
20 And the sovereign said, “I see the footsteps of men, women, and children.” And then the sovereign was wroth,
21 and took the priests, with their wives and children, who showed him the secret doors, where they came in, and ate that which was on the table.
22 Therefore the sovereign slew them, and gave Bĕl over to Dani’ĕl’s authority, who destroyed it and its temple.
23 And in that same place there was a great dragon, which those of Baḇel worshipped.
24 And the sovereign said to Dani’ĕl, “Shall you also say that this is of bronze? See, he lives, he eats and drinks. You cannot say that he is no living mighty one; therefore worship him.”
25 Then Dani’ĕl said to the sovereign, “I worship 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 my Elohim; for He is the living Elohim.
26 “But allow me, O sovereign, and I shall slay this dragon without sword or staff.” And the sovereign said, “I allow you.”
27 Then Dani’ĕl took pitch and fat and hair, and boiled them together, and made lumps from it. This he put in the dragon’s mouth, and so the dragon burst open. And Dani’ĕl said, “See, these are the mighty ones you worship.”
28 When those of Baḇel heard this, they were greatly enraged, and conspired against the sovereign, saying, “The sovereign has become a Yahuḏi, and he has destroyed Bĕl. He has slain the dragon, and put the priests to death.”
29 So they came to the sovereign, and said, “Give us Dani’ĕl, or else we shall destroy you and your house!”
30 Now when the sovereign saw that they pressed him greatly, being compelled, he handed Dani’ĕl over to them,
31 who threw him into the lions’ den, where he was six days.
32 And in the den there were seven lions, and every day they had given them two carcasses of two sheep; which then were not given to them, with the intent they would devour Dani’ĕl.
33 Now there was among the Yahuḏim, a naḇi called Ḥaḇaqquq, who had made stew, and had broken bread in a bowl, and was going to the field, to take it to the reapers.
34 But the messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to Ḥaḇaqquq, “Go, carry the dinner that you have into Baḇel to Dani’ĕl, who is in the lions’ den.”
35 But Ḥaḇaqquq said, “Master, I never saw Baḇel; neither do I know where the den is.”
36 Then the messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 took him by the head, and carried him by the hair of his head, and through the power of His Ruaḥ placed him in Baḇel over the den.
37 And Ḥaḇaqquq cried, saying, “O Dani’ĕl, Dani’ĕl! Take the meal which Elohim has sent you.”
38 And Dani’ĕl said, “You have remembered me, O Elohim, neither have You forsaken those who seek You and love You.”
39 So Dani’ĕl arose, and ate, and the messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 immediately placed Ḥaḇaqquq in his own place again.
40 On the seventh day the sovereign went to mourn for Dani’ĕl, but when he came to the den, he looked in, and see, Dani’ĕl was sitting!
41 Then the sovereign cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Great is 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, Elohim of Dani’ĕl, and there is none other besides Him!”
42 And he pulled him out, and threw those who were the cause of his destruction into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before his face.