2001 Translation

1

DaniEl Arrives in Babylon

¹During King JehoIakim of Judah’s 3^rd year, King NebuChadnezzar of Babylon came to JeruSalem and laid siege to it.

²Well, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” let him capture it, as well as King JehoIakim of Judea, and also some of the Lord’s sacred objects from the temple, which he hauled off to Babylon and placed in his own god’s shrine in the land of Shinar. [2 Chronicles 36:5-7]

³Then King NebuChadnezzar ordered his head eunuch, AbiEsdri, to recruit young men from IsraEl’s leading families, the royal bloodline, the top-tier candidates. ⁴He wanted young men who were:

• Without any flaws,
• Good-looking,
• Knowledgeable in all wisdom,
• Literate,
• Sharp-minded,
• Wise enough to serve in the king’s palace.

They’d get [a] crash-course in Babylonian language and literature.

⁵The king’s household would cover their daily expenses, including meals from the king’s own food and wine. This training program would last three years, after which they’d stand before the king for evaluation.

⁶Among those chosen from Judah’s royal IsraElite families were:

• DaniEl,
• HananiAh,
• MishaEl,
• AzariAh.

⁷The chief eunuch gave them new Babylonian names:

• DaniEl became BelTeshazzar,
• HananiAh became Sedrach,
• MishaEl became Misach,
• AzariAh became AbedNego.

⁸But DaniEl thought about this and decided that he wouldn’t become ritually unclean by eating the king’s food or drinking his wine. So, he boldly asked the chief eunuch to exempt him so that he wouldn’t be defiled in this way. ⁹So [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” made the chief eunuch respect and favor DaniEl.

¹⁰However, the chief eunuch warned DaniEl:

‘I’m anxiously aware that my lord the king has decided what you’ll eat and drink. If he sees you looking worse than the other young men – those foreigners you’re training with – I’ll be risking my own neck!’

¹¹But DaniEl pressed AbiEsdri – the chief eunuch assigned to manage DaniEl, HananiAh, MishaEl, and AzariAh – saying:

¹²‘Here’s [an] idea: Put us to the test for ten days. Just give us lentils from the ground to eat and water to drink.

¹³‘If our faces start looking drawn compared to the other young men eating the king’s food, then do whatever you want with us!’

¹⁴So he agreed to their plan and put them to the test for ten days.

¹⁵Well, ten days later, their complexions looked healthier and their bodies were in better shape than all the other young men eating the king’s food! ¹⁶So AbiEsdri continued to take away their royal meals and wine, substituting them with lentils.

¹⁷The Lord gave these young men:

• Knowledge
• Insight
• Wisdom

…in all kinds of learning.

But to DaniEl, he gave special gifts:

• Understanding every vision
• Interpreting dreams
• Excelling in all wisdom

¹⁸After this time, the king ordered their presentation, so the chief eunuch brought DaniEl, HananiAh, MishaEl, and AzariAh before King NebuChadnezzar.

¹⁹The king spoke with them, and none of the wise men could compare to DaniEl, HananiAh, MishaEl, and AzariAh! So they stayed on as advisors to the king.

²⁰Whenever the king tested them on wisdom, insight, or education, they proved ten times smarter than all the magicians and philosophers in his empire!

So [eventually] the king:

• Honored them
• Made them governors
• Promoted them as top advisors

They became known as the wisest men for handling affairs across his entire kingdom. ²¹DaniEl kept his position right up until King Cyrus of Persia’s first year.

2

The Vision of the Statue

¹In the second year of King NebuChadnezzar’s reign [over Judah], he started having visions and dreams that disturbed him. Then his sleep left him entirely.

²So the king ordered his officials to bring in the enchanters, magicians, sorcerers of the Babylonians to explain his dreams.

Then they came and stood before the king.

³The king told them:

‘I had [a] dream that’s left me deeply disturbed… So I want to understand what it means.’

⁴Then the Babylonians replied to the king (in Aramaic), saying:

‘Lord King, may you live forever! Please tell your servants the dream, and we’ll explain its meaning.’

⁵But the king snapped back:

‘I’ve said what I want! If you don’t tell me both the dream and its true meaning, you’ll be made [an] example of – and your houses will be seized for the royal treasury!’

⁶‘But if you explain the dream and its meaning, you’ll receive all kinds of gifts and be honored by me. Now tell me the dream – and interpret it!’

⁷They answered again:

‘Your Majesty, first tell us the dream – then your servants will explain its meaning.’

⁸But the king snapped back:

‘I know what you’re doing – you’re just trying to buy time! You’ve discerned that I can’t remember the dream! Well, my decree still stands…

⁹‘If you don’t tell me the truth and the don’t give me the interpretation, you’ll be executed!

‘You’ve clearly agreed to feed me lies until this blows over! Now prove your honesty – tell me the dream first, then I’ll know your interpretation isn’t made-up nonsense!’

¹⁰The Babylonians answered the king:

‘Your Majesty, there’s no one on earth who can do what you’re asking! No king or ruler — no matter how great — has ever demanded such [a] request from any wise man, magician, or Babylonian.’

¹¹‘What you’re asking is both serious and astonishing; no one can explain these things to the king… except maybe [an angelic] messenger — but those don’t live among physical beings. So, what you’re asking can’t be done — it’s simply not possible.’

¹²Then the king became furious and deeply upset, and ordered all the wise men of Babylon to be arrested, ¹³and then decreed that they all be executed! They subsequently came looking for DaniEl and his companions – so they could be executed too.

¹⁴Then DaniEl spoke up with tact and wisdom to AriOch, the king’s chief executioner (who was in charge of killing Babylon’s wise men).

¹⁵DaniEl asked him directly:

‘Why did the king issue such [a] harsh decree?’

Then AriOch explained the king’s command to DaniEl.

¹⁶DaniEl hurried in to see the king and asked for some time to be able to explain everything to him. ¹⁷Then DaniEl went home and told his friends HananiAh, MishaEl, and AzariAh everything.

¹⁸He urged them to fast, pray, and ask the Lord Most High for help with this mystery. They needed divine help so they wouldn’t be executed along with Babylon’s other wise men.

¹⁹Well, that night, [a] vision clearly revealed the king’s mystery to DaniEl.

Then DaniEl praised the Lord Most High, declaring aloud:

²⁰‘May the Great Lord’s Name be blest into the age
Because of his wisdom and greatness.

²¹‘For he changes seasons and eras;
He removes kings and appoints new ones;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And insight to those with understanding.

²²‘He uncovers deep, hidden truths –
Knowing what lies in darkness
While dwelling in radiant light!

²³‘To you, Lord of my fathers,
I thank and praise you!
You’ve given me wisdom and insight,
And now You’ve shown me all that I asked…
So I can explain these things to the king!’

²⁴Then DaniEl went to AriOch (the king’s appointed executioner) and said:

‘Don’t kill Babylon’s wise men! Take me to the king, and I’ll explain everything to him.’

²⁵Then AriOch rushed DaniEl to the king and announced:

‘Your Majesty, I’ve found [a] wise man among the Judean exiles who can explain everything to you!’

²⁶The king turned to DaniEl (who was called BelTeshazzar in Babylonian) and asked:

‘Can you really tell me what this vision I saw means?’

²⁷So DaniEl spoke up and said:

‘The mystery you saw isn’t something that wise men, magicians, sorcerers, or diviners can explain!’

²⁸‘But there is [a] God in heaven who uncovers mysteries! He’s shown King NebuChadnezzar what must happen in the final days.

²⁹‘By revealing these secrets, he’s made clear to you what’s coming next.

³⁰‘Now, this wasn’t revealed to me because I’m wiser than everyone else… No! It’s so you, Your Majesty, can understand what’s been weighing on your mind.’

³¹Then DaniEl continued:

‘Your Majesty, you saw {Look!} [a] single statue – enormous and awe-inspiring! It stood right in front of you, terrifying to behold.

• ³²Its head was made of fine gold
• Its chest and arms of silver
• Its belly and thighs of bronze
• ³³Legs of iron,
• And the feet partly iron and partly clay.

³⁴‘Then you looked at it until [a] stone was cut from [a] mountain, but not by hand. It smashed the statue’s feet (made of iron and clay), shattering them completely…’

³⁵‘Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold all turned to dust—like husks on [a] threshing floor. The wind swept them away, leaving nothing behind. But the stone that struck the statue grew into [a] huge mountain, and it violently struck the entire earth!’

³⁶‘So, that’s the vision… Now, we’ll explain its meaning to you, O King.’

³⁷[So DaniEl continued:]

‘Your Majesty, you’re the king of kings! The Lord of heaven has given you authority, the kingdom, power, honor, and glory!

³⁸‘He’s put the entire inhabited world under your control—every human, wild animal, bird of the sky, and fish of the sea! Yes, you’re the golden head!

³⁹‘And after you, another kingdom will rise—weaker than yours. Then [a] third kingdom will emerge, made of bronze, that’ll rule over the whole earth.

⁴⁰‘Then comes [a] fourth kingdom — as strong as iron! Just as iron subdues everything, and just as iron can cut down every tree, the whole earth will be shaken!

⁴¹‘You saw how the statue’s feet and toes were partly iron and partly clay pottery… Well, that means this kingdom will be two-fold, just like the iron mixed with clay pottery you saw. ⁴²And the toes of the feet are indeed partly iron and partly clay, so some parts of the kingdom will be strong and others will be crushed.

⁴³‘Just like you saw iron mixed with clay pottery – they’ll be mixed with different peoples, but they won’t be in harmony or friendly with each other, just as iron and clay simply can’t stick together.’

⁴⁴‘But during those kings’ reigns, The God of heaven will establish another kingdom – one that’ll last into the ages and will never be destroyed… It won’t allow another kingdom to exist, it’ll attack and destroy these other kingdoms… and it will stand forever! ⁴⁵Yes, just like how you saw [a] stone cut from [a] mountain without hands, and it crushed the pottery, iron, copper, silver, and gold!

‘The Great God has shown the king what’s coming in the final days – this vision is accurate, and its interpretation can be trusted!’

⁴⁶Well, then King NebuChadnezzar fell face down and bowed low before DaniEl. He then ordered [a] sacrifice and [a] drink offering to be made on his behalf.

⁴⁷Then the king declared to DaniEl:

‘Your God truly is The God of gods and Lord of kings — the only One who reveals deep mysteries! For you have uncovered this secret!’

⁴⁸After this, King NebuChadnezzar promoted DaniEl, lavished him with many gifts and put him in charge of all Babylon’s affairs. He even appointed him as ruler and chief administrator over all Babylon’s wise men.

⁴⁹DaniEl then requested that the king to put Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego in charge of Babylon’s affairs. DaniEl himself stayed in the royal court.

3

The Fiery Furnace

¹In the 18^th year of King NebuChadnezzar’s reign — while he ruled cities, nations, and everyone on earth from India to Ethiopia — he made [a] gold image. It stood 60 cubits tall [~97.5 feet / ~29.7m] and 6 cubits wide [~9.75 feet / ~3m]. He set it up on [a] plain in the Babylonian province.

²Then NebuChadnezzar — king of kings and ruler of the whole world — sent out orders to gather:

• Every nation, tribe, and language,
• Satraps,
• Generals,
• Regional governors,
• Supreme officials,
• Administrators,
• Regional authorities,
• And everyone living in the empire.

They were all commanded to attend the dedication ceremony for the gold statue King NebuChadnezzar had set up.

³So all the high-ranking officials gathered:

• Satraps,
• Generals,
• Regional governors,
• Supreme officials,
• Powerful rulers with authority,
• Every local leader from the provinces.

These listed ones all stood before the statue King NebuChadnezzar had set up.

⁴Then the herald announced to the crowds:

‘People of all nations, regions, peoples, and languages! Here’s the king’s command for you:

⁵‘When you hear the sound of:

• Trumpet,
• Flute,
• Lyre,
• Sambuca,
• Psaltery,
• The symphony and every other instrument…

‘You’ll immediately drop to the ground and bow to this gold statue King NebuChadnezzar set up!

⁶‘If anyone refuses to drop down and bow to [the] gold statue, they’ll be thrown into the blazing furnace!

⁷Well, here’s what happened. As soon as people heard:

• The trumpet,
• Flute,
• Lyre,
• Sambuca,
• Psaltery,
• And all other instruments…

Everyone dropped to the ground — people from every nation, tribe, and language — and bowed before NebuChadnezzar’s gold statue.

⁸But right then, some Babylonian men came forward and accused the Judeans… ⁹They took it upon themselves to say to King NebuChadnezzar:

‘Lord King, Long live the king!

¹⁰‘You issued [a] decree that everyone, when they hear the sound of…

• Trumpet,
• Flute,
• Lyre,
• Sambuca,
• Psaltery,
• And all other instruments…

‘Must immediately drop to the ground and bow to your gold statue, ¹¹and that anyone who refuses to bow down will be thrown straight into the blazing furnace.

¹²‘But there are some Judean men — Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego — whom you appointed over the region of Babylon, who have ignored your order! They don’t serve your idol nor have they bowed down to the gold statue you set up!’

¹³Burning with anger, NebuChadnezzar ordered Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego to be brought to him, so the men were dragged before the king.

¹⁴When NebuChadnezzar saw them, he demanded:

‘Sedrach! Misach! AbedNego! Why don’t you serve my gods or bow down to the gold statue I set up?’

¹⁵‘So—are you ready? When you hear:

• The trumpet,
• Flute,
• Lyre,
• Sambuca,
• Psaltery,
• And all other instruments…

Will you drop down and bow to my gold statue? If you don’t bow to it, you’ll be thrown straight into the blazing furnace! And what god would save you from my hands?’

¹⁶But Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego answered King NebuChadnezzar:

‘Your Majesty, we don’t need to defend ourselves to you.

¹⁷‘There’s [a] God in heaven — the one Lord we revere — who can rescue us from the blazing furnace… And he will rescue us from your hands!’

¹⁸‘You’ll soon see for yourself that we don’t serve your idol nor will we bow down to that gold statue you set up!’

¹⁹This made NebuChadnezzar furious, his face twisted as he glared at Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego. Then he barked orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than necessary! ²⁰Next, he ordered his strongest soldiers to tie up Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego and throw them into the roaring furnace!

²¹So those men were tied up — still wearing their sandals, turbans, and robes — and thrown into the blazing furnace!

²²Well since the king’s order was urgent and the furnace had been cranked up seven times hotter than normal, the soldiers who’d bound them dragged them over and hurled them into the flames… ²³But then, on the one hand, flames shot out from the furnace and instantly burned to death the soldiers who’d tied up AzariAh and his friends, but on the other hand, AzariAh’s group were completely unharmed!

²⁴So HananiAh, AzariAh, and MishaEl prayed and sang to the Lord — at this time when the king had ordered them thrown into the furnace. ²⁵AzariAh stood up and prayed like this… He opened his mouth and praised the Lord — alongside his friends in the fire’s heart — while the Babylonians kept stoking the furnace to blazing extremes. Then they declared:

²⁶‘You are blest, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, The God of our fathers!
Your name stands praised,
Your fame shines glorified…
From age to age!

²⁷‘You’re right in everything You’ve done to us;
Your actions are real,
Your ‘roads’ straight,
And all Your judgments are true!

²⁸‘You’ve made honest rulings for all You’ve sent our way—
Even against Your holy city, JeruSalem (our ancestors’ home).
Because in truth and justice,
You’ve done all this because of our own sins!

²⁹‘Yes, because we sinned in all things,
We wickedly rebelled against You
And we have sinned in every way.

³⁰‘We didn’t obey Your Law’s commands, nor follow them closely
We didn’t do what You told us to,
Even though You promised it would go well for us.

³¹‘So now, everything You’ve brought on us,
All You’ve done to us,
You’ve done with true justice.

³²‘You handed us over to our lawless enemies,
Those hateful apostates,
And to [a] king who is unjust,
The worst tyrant on earth!

³³‘Now we can’t even open our mouths…
Shame and disgrace have fallen on Your servants,
On all who respect You!

³⁴‘Don’t hand us over completely,
For the sake of Your name!
Don’t abandon Your Sacred Agreement with us!

³⁵‘Don’t withhold Your mercy from us,
Because of Abraham, Your loved one,
Isaac, Your servant,
And IsraEl, Your holy one!

³⁶‘You told them to multiply their offspring,
Like the stars in the sky,
And as countless as the sand on the seashore.

³⁷‘Yet now, Master,
We’ve become smaller than all nations,
We’re humbled throughout the earth today
Because of our sins!

³⁸‘Now we have no ruler, no prophet, no leader,
Nor whole burnt offerings or sacrifices,
Nor offerings or incense,
Nor even place left to make offerings before You…
Or find mercy!

³⁹‘But with our lives crushed and our inner person humbled, may we be accepted.

⁴⁰‘Let our sacrifice today be like [a] whole burnt offering,
Of rams and bulls,
Or like ten thousand fat lambs!

‘May it please You…
Then make things right for us,
Because no one who trusts in You is ever put to shame!

‘And may we follow You completely,
⁴¹Now we’re following You with all our hearts—
We respect You deeply,
And we’re seeking Your face.

⁴²‘Don’t let us be put to shame…
Deal mercifully with us,
According to Your kindness
And the abundance of Your mercy!

⁴³‘Rescue us by Your marvelous acts
And bring glory to Your name, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”!

⁴⁴‘Let all who bring harm to Your servants be put to shame;
Disgraced by every power!
May their strength be shattered!

⁴⁵‘Let everyone know You alone are [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, The God…
Glorious over the whole world!

⁴⁶Well, the king’s servants kept hurling fuel into the furnace without stopping — they were determined to make it burn hotter! When they threw all three men in at once, the furnace had been heated seven times beyond its normal temperature.

You see, the ones throwing them in stayed above the furnace, while others underneath kept feeding the fire with tar, flax stalks, tree sap, and vine twigs. ⁴⁷So the flames shot up 49 cubits [~80 feet / ~24m] above the furnace!

⁴⁸Then the fire surged through and burned up anyone standing near the Babylonian’s furnace!

⁴⁹Then, [Jehovah’s] spirit messenger descended into the furnace alongside AzariAh and his friends. With [a] mighty sweep, he hurled the flames away from the furnace’s heart! ⁵⁰He made the furnace’s core feel like [a] gentle wind whispering through morning dew. The fire didn’t singe them, didn’t hurt them… It didn’t even make them sweat!

⁵¹Then the three men began singing hymns together, glorifying, blessing, and exalting God inside the furnace.

They declared:

⁵²‘You are praised, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, The God of our ancestors—
Praiseworthy and exalted into the ages!
Your glorious and holy name is praised—
Exalted and praised
And lifted high through every age!’

⁵³‘You are praised in Your holy glory’s temple…
Praised beyond all songs,
Exalted in splendor to the ages!’

⁵⁴‘You’re praised, enthroned in glory’s splendor—
Reigning over Your kingdom’s might,
Praised and lifted high for all time!

⁵⁵‘You’re praised, who sees the deepest things…
Seated over cherubim,
Honored, glorified for all time!

⁵⁶‘You’re praised throughout the entire firmament of the sky…
Praised and glorified for all time!

⁵⁷Praise him, all you works of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, the Lord!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁵⁸Praise him, all you messengers of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, the Lord!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁵⁹Heavens, Praise the Lord!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶⁰Praise the Lord, waters and all that’s above the heavens!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶¹Praise the Lord, all you powers of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶²Praise the Lord, sun and moon!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶³Praise the Lord, stars of the sky!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶⁴Praise the Lord, all rain and dew!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶⁵Praise the Lord, all winds!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶⁶Praise the Lord, fire and burning heat!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶⁷Praise the Lord, icy cold and frosts!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶⁸Praise the Lord, dews and falling snow!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁶⁹Praise the Lord, icy cold and frosts!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!
[spurious scribal repetition error of verse 67]

⁷⁰Praise the Lord, frosts and snowfalls!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷¹Praise the Lord, nights and days!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷²Praise the Lord, light and darkness!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷³Praise the Lord, lightning bolts and clouds!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷⁴Let the earth Praise the Lord!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷⁵Praise the Lord, mountains and hills!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷⁶Praise the Lord, every plant that grows on earth!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷⁷Praise the Lord, rain showers and springs!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷⁸Praise the Lord, seas and rivers!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁷⁹Praise the Lord, sea creatures and all that swim in the waters!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸⁰Praise the Lord, all you birds of the sky!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸¹Praise the Lord, four-footed and wild animals of the earth!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸²Praise the Lord, all you people of the world!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸³Praise the Lord, O IsraEl!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸⁴Praise the Lord, you priests!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸⁵Praise the Lord, you servants!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸⁶Praise the Lord, breaths and lives of the righteous!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸⁷Praise the Lord, you holy and humble-minded!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!

⁸⁸Praise the Lord, HananiAh, AzariAh, and MishaEl!
Sing praises to him and lift him high for all time!
Because he pulled us out of the place of the dead,
Saved us from death’s grip,
Rescued us from blazing flames,
And rescued us from the fire!

⁸⁹Acknowledge [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, for he’s good—
His mercy lasts in to the age!

⁹⁰Praise the God of gods, all you who bow down to the Lord,
Sing his praises and express your thanks!
For his mercy never ends…
No—it lasts through endless ages!

⁹¹⁽²⁴⁾ When King NebuChadnezzar heard them singing — and saw them alive, standing there — he was astonished! He quickly turned to his advisors, asking:

‘Wait—didn’t we throw three bound men into the fire?’

They replied:

‘Absolutely, Your Majesty!’

⁹²⁽²⁵⁾ The king exclaimed:

‘I can see four unbound men walking around in the fire! And no harm has come to them! And that fourth one… He looks like [a] messenger of God!’

⁹³⁽²⁶⁾ Then the king approached the door of the blazing furnace and called out by name:

‘Sedrach! Misach! AbedNego! Servants of The God of gods, the Most High—come out of the fire!’

So they came out from the middle of the flames.

⁹⁴⁽²⁷⁾ Then the high officials, governors, chief counselors, and the king’s advisors all crowded around to inspect these men. They saw that the fire hadn’t touched their bodies—not [a] single hair was singed! Their robes showed no damage, and there wasn’t even [a] smell of smoke on them.

⁹⁵⁽²⁸⁾ NebuChadnezzar declared:

‘O blest Lord of Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego who sent his spirit messenger to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and would rather allow their bodies to be burned than to bow down or serve any god except their own God!’

⁹⁶⁽²⁹⁾ ‘So now I hereby decree:

If any nation, tribe, or language-group speaks against the Lord, The God of Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego, they’ll be dismembered and their homes confiscated!

Why? Because there’s no other god who can rescue like this!’

⁹⁷⁽³⁰⁾ Right after this, the king promoted Sedrach, Misach, and AbedNego, giving them authority over the entire Babylonian Empire, appointing them as governors.

Seven Years of Madness

^98(4:1) ‘NebuChadnezzar the King,

‘To every nation, tribe, and language-group living anywhere on earth, may you all enjoy abundant peace!’

^99(4:2) ‘The God Most High’s signs and wonders, the ones he performed with me, well, I’m pleased to declare them to you!

^100(4:3) ‘How great and mighty!
His kingdom is for the ages,
His authority spans every generation.’

4

¹Now in the 18^th year of King NebuChadnezzar’s reign, he said:[spurious?]

‘I was relaxing in my palace,
Enjoying peace and prosperity on my throne…

²‘I had [a] nightmare that terrified me; fear suddenly overwhelmed me!

⁷‘I was asleep in my bed when there was suddenly [a] massive tree growing there… Its size was astonishing, and nothing else compared to it!

⁸‘Its top reached toward the sky, and its bulk stretched up to the clouds! It filled everything beneath the heavens. Even the sun and moon lived within it, shining light on the whole earth!

⁹‘Its branches must have stretched about 30 stadia [~2.8 miles / ~4.5km]… And under its shade, all earth’s wild animals rested, and birds were nesting in it. Its fruit was abundant and good, enough to feed every living thing.

¹⁰‘As I watched in my sleep, [a spirit] messenger descended from heaven with great power, and ¹¹he shouted out, saying:

‘Cut it down! Destroy it!
For the Most High has ordered it—
Uproot it and strip it bare!’

¹²‘And then he said:

‘But leave one root in the ground,
So he can graze on grass with the earth’s wild animals,
Just like [a] bull.

¹³‘His body will be transformed by the dew from heaven,
And seven years will pass,
As he’s fed along with them.

¹⁴‘This will last until he realizes that the Lord of heaven,
Holds power over all in heaven and on earth—
And he does whatever he wants with them!’

^14.1‘Then, right before me, the tree was chopped down in [a] single day… Its destruction came in just one hour! Its branches were tossed to every wind, then it was pulled down and overthrown! Then it started eating the grass of the earth, and it was handed over to be imprisoned… Bound with bronze shackles and chains.

‘Well, I was absolutely terrified by all this… My sleep left me completely!

¹⁵‘So, having woken up early from all this, I called for DaniEl, the chief of my advisors and the man in charge of everyone who interprets dreams. I told him about my vision, and he explained its full meaning to me!

¹⁶‘DaniEl was deeply disturbed – like something urgent troubled his thoughts. {Look!} He became visibly shaken; his face went pale as he bowed his head. After [a] long silence, he finally answered in [a] gentle voice:

‘Your Majesty… May this dream fall on your enemies! Let its meaning strike those who hate you!’

¹⁷‘That impressive towering tree rooted in the earth… Your Majesty, it’s you…

¹⁸‘And all those birds in the sky that were nesting in it? They mean the might of earth’s nations and languages, all of whom serve you all the way to the ends of the earth…

¹⁹‘But that tree growing skyward with its top brushing the clouds in the sky… Yes, Your Majesty, that is you!

‘You’ve been raised higher than every other man on the face of the earth… Your heart’s grown proud and bold towards The Holy One and his messengers.

‘Your actions were noticed because it was you who desolated the living God’s temple due to the holy people’s sins.

²⁰‘And the vision you saw – when that powerful messenger sent from the Lord said to chop down the tree?

‘This means that The God’s great judgment will come for you! ²¹The Most High and his messengers are closing in on you… ²²They’ll haul you off to prison and send you to the wilderness.’

²³‘But as for the tree’s root that was left behind because it wasn’t completely uprooted, well that means your throne’s place will be kept safe for [a] time and [an] hour.

‘Look out! They’re making the preparations for you… They’ll whip you and carry out the sentence against you!

‘[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” lives in heaven, and his authority covers the entire earth, ²⁴so pray to him for your sins… Use acts of mercy to make amends! Then mercy will be shown to you, you’ll remain on your kingdom’s throne and avoid destruction!

‘Take these words to heart… They’re true, and your time has run out!’

²⁵‘When NebuChadnezzar heard this judgment from the vision, he kept these words in mind.

²⁶‘A year later, the king was walking along the city walls, flanked by all his royal splendor, and strolled atop its towers, basking in his glory. Then he said:

²⁷‘This great Babylon – I built it!
My royal palace stands by my own strength and power –
All to honor my glorious reputation!’

²⁸‘While the king was saying all this, the moment he stopped talking, [a] voice suddenly boomed from heaven:

‘NebuChadnezzar! King of Babylon –
They’re stripping your kingdom away!
It’ll be handed to [a] nobody –
Some lowly man from your own court!

‘I’m putting him in charge of your throne…
He’ll take your power, your splendor, your luxury!
All this to prove that The God of heaven
Rules over every human kingdom –
He gives them to whoever he chooses!

‘This new king will move into your palace before sunrise,
He’ll seize your glory, your strength, your power!’
²⁹And messengers will persecute you for seven years!
You’ll vanish – no one will see you or hear your voice!
They’ll feed you grass like [an] ox…
You’ll graze on field weeds like livestock!

‘Take notice! Instead of your royal robes,
They’ll tie you up!
Your luxury palace and kingdom?
Someone else will take them over!

³⁰‘By morning, everything will have happened to you, NebuChadnezzar, king of Babylon – every single word!’

^30.1‘Well, I, NebuChadnezzar, was afflicted for seven years. They fed me grass like [an] ox – I ate field plants like livestock!

‘After those seven years, I turned my inner person to prayer… I begged [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the God of heaven to forgive my sins; I prayed to the God of gods about all my ignorant actions!

^30.2‘My hair had grown like eagle’s feathers, and my nails had grown like lion’s claws! My body had changed – I walked naked among wild animals. Nightmares haunted me… Panic gripped me! My sleep fled! I was entirely exhausted.

^30.3‘Then, when the seven years ended, the time of my redemption came. All my sins and ignorant actions stood fully exposed before The God of heaven. I pleaded with The God of gods, the Great One… Then suddenly [a] spirit messenger called out to me from heaven:

‘NebuChadnezzar! Serve the holy God of heaven! Honor the Most High!

‘Your kingdom will be returned to you!’

³³‘Well, at that very time, my kingdom was restored to me – my glory was given back!

³⁴‘I acknowledge and praise the Most High –
The Maker of heaven and earth,
Seas, rivers, and all they hold —
I acknowledge and praise!

‘Because he’s the God of gods,
Lord of lords,
King of kings!

‘Because he gives signs and wonders –
Shifts times and seasons –
Takes kingdoms from kings
And gives to others instead!

^34.1‘From now on, I will serve him!
His fear shakes my bones!
I honor all his holy ones –

‘For other gods can’t transfer power between kings…
Can’t kill or spare lives,
Or perform great signs and wonders
That are as great and terrifying,
That change such incredible things,
Like the enormous changes the God of heaven made for me!

‘Every day of my reign,
Concering my life,
I’ll offer sacrifices to the Most High –
As pleasing odours to the Lord,
Both I and my people
And the lands under my rule
Will do what’s right before him.

‘Anyone insulting the God of heaven will die!’

^34.2So King NebuChadnezzar wrote to all nations, lands, language groups, everyone everywhere, peoples upon peoples, saying:

‘Praise [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the God of heaven!
Bring him glorious offerings!
I, king of kings, declare in glory:
Because he restored my throne, power, and kingdom!
I once again siezed my nation!

^34.3‘King NebuChadnezzar, to all nations and all lands and everyone living in them:

‘May you have peace now and always!

‘Now I’ll show you his mighty acts –
Proving he’s real to your wise men!

‘His kingdom lasts forever –
His rule spans generations!’

So he sent letters everywhere about what God did in his reign.

5

BelShazzar’s Feast

¹King BelShazzar threw [a] huge banquet to celebrate the dedication of the kingdom, inviting 2,000 people. Well, on that day – while drunk on wine and boasting loudly – he started praising all the molded and carved idols of foreign nations. But he didn’t give any praise to The Most High God.

Well, that night, fingers that looked like [a] man’s appeared and wrote on the palace wall’s plaster opposite [a] lamp:

‘Mene, Phares, Thekel.’

Here’s what these words mean:

• Mene: Has been numbered.
• Phares: Has been plundered.
• Thekel: Has been weighed.

Now, King BelShazzar had put on [an] enormous banquet for his supporters ²and he kept drinking until he became arrogant. So he ordered that the gold and silver cups which his [grand]father NebuChadnezzar had looted from The God’s house in JeruSalem be brought in, and that wine should be served in them for his companions.

³So it was done, and they were drinking from the cups, ⁴and they kept praising their handmade idols, yet they didn’t honor The God of the age… The One who holds authority over their very breath!

⁵Well, that’s when the fingers like those on [a] man’s hand appeared and started writing on the palace wall – right on the plaster by the light where the king could see.

BelShazzar watched as the hand kept writing… ⁶His face went pale, fear and panic rushed through him.

He shot up to his feet and looked at the writing, meanwhile, his drunken companions were still boasting.

⁷Then the king shouted at the top of his lungs to summon the sorcerers, magicians, astrologers, and fortune tellers to explain the writing’s meaning. They all rushed in to examine the message… But none could make sense of it for the king.

Frustrated, BelShazzar announced:

‘Anyone who explains this writing will be dressed in royal purple, wear [a] gold chain, and rule over [a] third of my kingdom!’

⁸Well, the sorcerers, magicians, and fortune tellers came back in… But still, not one of them could crack the code… ⁹Then BelShazzar called for the queen to discuss the mysterious sign. He showed her how serious it was, admitting:

‘Not [a] single person in my kingdom can explain this writing!’

¹⁰Then the queen remembered DaniEl from the Judean exiles, ¹¹so she told the king:

‘There’s that expert who is very wise – actually, he outshines all Babylon’s so-called wise-men! ¹²What’s more, he’s filled with holy breath! Back when your father NebuChadnezzar ruled, DaniEl solved mind-blowing mysteries!’

¹³So DaniEl was brought before the king, and BelShazzar said to him:

¹⁶‘DaniEl! Can you explain the meaning of this writing? If you do, I’ll dress you in royal purple, put [a] gold chain around your neck, and you’ll rule over [a] third of my kingdom!’

¹⁷So DaniEl stepped up to examine the writing, read it, then he turned to the king and said:

‘The writing says, ‘Has been numbered’, ‘Has been weighed’, and ‘Has been plundered’, and the hand stopped writing there.

‘Here’s what it all means:

²³‘King, you arranged [a] banquet for your friends and drank wine, then you had them bring in the sacred vessels from The God’s temple… Then you and all your nobles drank from them! What’s more, while doing this, you were all praising those handmade idols!

‘You didn’t even honor The God who holds your breath in his hand and gave you this kingdom! You didn’t bless him, you didn’t praise him.

²⁶‘The interpretation of the writing is this: your kingdom’s time has been calculated, and your kingdom is ending. ²⁷It’s over; finished. ²⁸Your kingdom is being given to the Medes and to the Persians.’

²⁹Then BelShazzar ordered DaniEl to be dressed in royal purple, placed [a] gold chain around his neck, and gave him authority over [a] third of his kingdom.

³⁰Well, the prediction really happened to King Belshazzar, and the kingdom was taken from the Babylonians and handed over to the Medes and Persians… ³¹ArtaXerxes of the Medes took control of the kingdom.

6

DaniEl in the Lion’s Den

¹Now, Darius was advanced in years and highly respected in old age. He appointed 120 governors (satraps) over his entire kingdom, ²and over these governors, he placed three chief administrators — and DaniEl was one of them, ³having great authority over the entire kingdom.

DaniEl really stood out, wearing [a] purple robe and carrying great authority before King Darius. This was because he was really incredible, very knowledgeable and wise; the holy breath was in him, and he excelled in all of the king’s tasks. So the king decided to put DaniEl in charge of his entire kingdom and the other two chief administrators, overseeing all 127 satraps.

⁴But when the king announced DaniEl’s promotion, the two other administrators, both young men, got together and schemed, discussing how they could bring formal charges against DaniEl to the king, since they couldn’t find any evidence of mistakes or incompetence.

⁵Then they said:

‘Let’s pass our own law… That for 30 days, nobody can pray to any god or ask for favors from anyone except King Darius! Anyone who disobeys, dies!’

This was so they’d defeat DaniEl in they king’s eyes and so that he’d be thrown into the lions’ den. You see, they knew that DaniEl prayed to Jehovah three times each day.

⁶So these men approached the king and said:

⁷‘We’ve passed [a] law that for 30 days, no one can pray to any god or ask for favors from anyone except King Darius. Anyone who disobeys gets thrown into the lions’ den.’

⁹So King Darius established the law and made it official.

¹⁰Now, upon learning about the law targeting him, DaniEl went up to his rooftop room, opened the windows facing JeruSalem… And kneeled down three times that day, just as he always had, praying.

¹¹Well, they kept their eyes on DaniEl and caught him praying three times that day – just like he had every day.

¹²So, they went to King Darius and said:

‘O king Darius,

‘Didn’t you sign [a] law banning prayers or requesting favors from anyone for 30 days, except from you, Your Majesty? And that disobedience means the lions’ den?’

The king nodded:

‘Yes, the decree stands.’

^12.1So they said to him:

‘We put you under oath that, by Median and Persian law, you can’t revoke this decree… You can’t even reconsider it or water down its words… And you must punish the man who doesn’t obey it!’

The king said:

‘Yes, I agree with what you say; as far as I’m concerned, it stands.’

¹³Then they declared:

‘Well… We caught your friend DaniEl praying and begging before his God three times [a] day!’

¹⁴Feeling torn, the king confirmed that DaniEl will have to be thrown into the lions’ den, in obedience of the law he himself had signed… But his heart broke over this decision! He was trying to rescue DaniEl from the satraps’ hands before the day ended, ¹⁵but he just couldn’t free him from them.

¹⁶Then King Darius cried out to DaniEl:

‘Your God – the One you serve faithfully three times [a] day – he will rescue you from the lions’ claws!’

Then he added:

‘So hang in there until morning!’

¹⁷Then they threw DaniEl into the lions’ den and rolled [a] stone over the opening. Then the king sealed it with his own signet ring and those of his nobles – so no one (not even the king) could rescue DaniEl from the den! ¹⁸Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting and being grieved over DaniEl.

But at that time, DaniEl’s God was watching over him. He shut the lions’ jaws, so they didn’t harm DaniEl at all!

¹⁹Then King Darius rose early and went to the lions’ den with his satraps. Upon arrival, they stood right at the edge of the pit.

²⁰Weeping, the king shouted down into the den:

‘O DaniEl! Has your God – the One you serve day after day – saved you from the lions? Did they hurt you?’

²¹So DaniEl heard the shouting and called back:

²²‘Your Majesty, I’m still alive!

‘The God rescued me from these lions because he found me righteous in his presence. And now before you too, Your Majesty – I’ve not been incompetent, comitted no crime! But you heard those men who trick kings… So you threw me into this lions’ den to die!’

²³Then all the powerful men gathered at the spot and saw that DaniEl was unharmed by the lions. ²⁴So they dragged out the two men who accused DaniEl – along with their wives and children – and threw them into the lions’ den! The lions pounced and shattered their bones!

²⁵Then King Darius wrote to all of his nations, language groups, and regions throughout the earth, saying:

²⁶‘All the people living in my kingdom, may they bow down and serve DaniEl’s god! For he’s the living God who remains through generations and generations without end!

²⁷‘I, Darius, will bow before him and serve him all my days… For handmade idols can’t save anyone, like DaniEl’s God did for DaniEl!’

²⁸Later, King Darius was buried with his ancestors, so DaniEl was appointed to manage Darius’ kingdom until Cyrus the Persian took over.

7

The Four Wild Beasts

¹During the first year that BelShazzar ruled the region of Babylon [as regent], DaniEl had [a] vision while lying in his bed. He immediately wrote down [a] summary of this vision he saw.

²One night, I was in my bed having dreams…

And suddenly four strong winds from the sky began churning up the Mediterranean Sea… ³And four wild animals began emerging from the sea, each one different from the others.

⁴The first looked like [a] lioness, but it had wings like [an] eagle! I watched until its wings were torn off. Then it was lifted from the ground, was stood on two feet like [a] human, and it was given [a] human heart.

⁵Then along with it another wild animal — this looked like [a] bear. It stood on one side, with three ribs clamped in its mouth between its teeth. Then it was said:

‘Get up and eat all the flesh you want!’

⁶Then after this I was watching and there was another wild animal, it looked like [a] leopard, with four wings extending out above it, and it had four heads!

⁷Well, after these, in the dream I saw [a] terrifying fourth wild animal, far scarier than the others, having teeth of strong iron… It was eating and crushing trampling on everything in its path! It behaved very differently compared to the wild animals before it.

It had ten horns, ⁸and had many plans in its horns.

Well, suddenly [an] extra horn sprouted up in the middle of them… [A] small one compared to the other horns… And then three of the original horns were withered away by it.

And, notice this… The horn had eyes like human eyes, and it boasted arrogantly… And it even waged war against the holy ones.

⁹I was watching until suddenly thrones were set down, and the Ancient of Days took his seat, wearing clothing as white as snow, and his hair was like pure white lamb’s wool.

The throne blazed with flames, and its wheels were burning fire… ¹⁰[A] river of fire flowed out before him, yes, [a] river of fire… And millions were serving him, and hundreds of millions stood ready.

Well, the court convened, and books were opened…

¹¹I kept watching – listening to that horn’s arrogant boasts…

Then, while I was looking, the beast was beaten to death! And it’s body was obliterated, and it was fed to the burning flames!

¹²Then he removed the authority of the others, but they were allowed to live for [a] limited time, until [a] time and season.

¹³Still watching these night visions, notice this: I saw what seemed like [a] human being arriving upon clouds of the sky! He was present just like one of ancient days, and the attendants came to him.

¹⁴Then he was given Royal glory and authority, and all the nations and groups of people on the earth bowed down to give him praise… And his authority is [an] eternal authority that will never be removed, and his kingdom will never be destroyed.

¹⁵I, DaniEl, was completely exhausted by these night visions, my thoughts were disturbing me.

¹⁶So I approached one of the attendants and sought [an] explanation for all of this.

He answered and told and explained to me the meaning of the words:

¹⁷‘These four great wild animals mean four kingdoms that will perish on the earth.

¹⁸‘The holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and hold onto it for all time.’

¹⁹Then I wanted to know more about the fourth beast – the one that destroyed everything and was terrifying. Notice that its teeth are made of iron and its claws of bronze – devouring everything around it and walking around on its feet.

²⁰Yes, about those ten horns on its head, and that other little horn that sprouted up, which caused three of the original ones to be deposed… Yes, the horn had eyes and [a] mouth that kept bragging – even its appearance was more intimidating than the rest… ²¹I was watching that horn which kept waging war against the holy ones and defeating them ²²until the Ancient of Days arrived… He handed down judgment in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came when the holy ones took control of the kingdom.

²³Then he explained the fourth beast to me:

‘This fourth kingdom will be on the earth, but it’ll be different from all others… It will devour the whole earth, overthrowing and crushing it!’

²⁴Then he explained:

‘As for those ten horns, they represent ten kings of that kingdom who will stand… And that other king who came after those will also stand, but he will be worse than the others, and he’ll humble three of the other kings.

²⁵‘To the Most High he’ll speak words, and he’ll crush the Most High’s holy ones. He will intend to change seasons and [a?] law. It will all be given over to him for [a] time, times, and half [a] time.

²⁶‘Then the court will convene, and they’ll utterly destroy its authority, and plan to defile and destroy him permanently.

²⁷‘Then, the kingdom, authority, and majesty, the source of all kingdoms under heaven, the Most High then gives to the holy people… Yes, to rule the eternal kingdom, and all authorities will be subject to him and will obey him. until the end of the matter.'

²⁸[And this is the end of the matter.][see note]

Well, after all this, I – DaniEl – was completely overwhelmed. My face must have shown it! But I kept the matter in mind.

8

The Vision of the Ram and the Goat

¹This is the vision that I, DaniEl, saw in King BelShazzar’s third year of reign, after the first one I’d seen.

²In this vision (in [a] dream), I found myself in the city of Susa, in the Elam region. In this vision I could see myself standing near the Elam Gate.

³Then, looking up, I saw [a] massive ram standing right in front of the gate! It had horns, and these horns were very tall, with one longer than the other… And the taller one was growing!

⁴Next, I watched this ram charge wildly – east, north, west, and south! No other wild animal could stand behind it, and no one could save them from its power. It did whatever it wanted, and it was superior.

⁵Then, while I was considering all this, take note of this: [a] male goat came charging across the face of the earth from the west… He had [a] single prominent horn right between his eyes.

⁶Then he charged straight at the two-horned ram I’d seen earlier standing in front of the gate. The goat rushed at him in furious rage! ⁷And I saw him charging at the ram in anger… He hit the ram and shattered both his horns, leaving him powerless to fight back against the goat! Then he tore him apart and crushed him! No one came to rescue the ram from the goat.

⁸Well, the goat became extremely powerful. But just as he reached his strongest point, that huge horn of his broke! Then four new horns sprouted after it – one pointing toward each of the four winds of heaven…

⁹Then from one of these horns, another powerful horn emerged… It grew stronger and stronger, and attacked the south, the east, and the north!

¹⁰This horn even rose up to the stars in the sky, and from the stars [they were] hurled down and [were] trampled underfoot by [him] ¹¹until the commander-in-chief will rescue the captives.

Yes, because of him, ancient mountains were cracked apart, and their place and sacrifice were removed; he laid it down on the ground, and it smelled good… And the holy [place] will be abandoned.

¹²Then they came to the sins sacrifce, and righteousness was thrown to the ground. He acted… And it smelled good.

¹³Then I heard another holy one speaking. He asked such-and-such who was talking:

‘How long will this vision last?
[For how long will] the sacrifice have been removed?
[For how long will] the sin causing abandonment be given?
And [for how long] will holy be destroyed underfoot?’

¹⁴He answered him:

‘Until – evening and morning – days, 2,300…
And [the] holy will be cleansed.’

¹⁵While watching this vision, I, DaniEl, was trying to understand it. And suddenly [a] man-like figure suddenly stood before me! ¹⁶Then I heard [a] human voice calling from the Ulai river, he said:

‘Gabriel! Explain the vision to this man!’

The man-like figure said:

‘The vision is about the decree [just given].’

¹⁷As Gabriel approached me, he stood right beside me, but when he came closer, I panicked and fell down on my face!

Then he said to me:

‘Understand, human, that this vision is for [a] future time.’

¹⁸While he was speaking, I passed out face-down on the ground. But he grabbed me and pulled me back to my feet.

¹⁹Then he told me:

‘Pay attention! I’m revealing what will happen to your people’s descendants when the wrath is over. It’s for [a] future time of fulfillment.

²⁰‘The ram you saw, the one with the horns, that’s the king of the Medes and Persians.

²¹‘And the billy goat is the king of the Greeks! That huge horn between its eyes, that’s the first king.

²²‘And as for the four horns that sprouted after broken one, they are four kings from his nation who’ll arise, but they won’t have his strength.

²³‘Then, at the end of their kingdom – when their sins are complete – [a] shameless and highly intelligent king will rise to power… ²⁴His strength will grow mighty, but his power won’t come from his own strength. And he will destroy in [an] astonishing way… Yes, he will prosper and act. And he will defeat powerful ones and the people of the holy ones. ²⁵Yes, he’ll target the holy ones, and his deception will succeed.

‘His heart will swell with pride as he uses trickery to destroy many. He’ll stand up to destroy men and he’ll form [a] hand-picked group to carry out his plans!

²⁶‘The vision about the evenings and mornings is absolutely true… But now it’s been sealed up, because it points to [a] time far off in the future.’

²⁷Well, I, DaniEl, was completely drained for days after this. When I finally got back to handling royal affairs, I still felt wrecked by the vision… And nobody else could make sense of it.

9

The 70 Weeks Prophecy

¹It was year one of Darius of Xerxes (from the family of Medes who reigned over the Babylonian kingdom).

²In the first year of his reign, I, DaniEl, was studying in the scrolls the number of years that prophet JeremiAh had set out for the land and to bring JeruSalem’s reproach to [an] end: it was 70 years. [Jeremiah 25:11-12]

³So I turned my attention to [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” The God, to seek out prayer and compassion through fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

⁴So I prayed to [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, The God, acknowledging:

‘You are The God –
Great and mighty, awe-inspiring,
Keeping the sacred agreement,
And showing mercy to those loving You
And following Your commands.

⁵‘We sinned, we did wrong;
We acted wickedly, we rebelled;
We disobeyed Your laws and judgments.

⁶‘We didn’t listen to Your servants –
The prophets… Who spoke in Your name,
To our kings, leaders, ancestors,
And everyone upon the land!

⁷‘But to You, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, belongs righteousness,
But to us, belongs shame…
Yes, today for Judeans and JeruSalemites,
All IsraElites, near and far,
Everywhere You’ve scattered them,
Because of their unfaithfulness to You.

⁸‘O Master,
The shame on our faces!
And on our kings, rulers, and ancestors!
Because we’ve sinned against you!

⁹‘To the Lord, righteousness and mercy belong,
Because we left You.

¹⁰‘We didn’t listen to [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” our God’s voice—
To follow your Law,
Which you gave in front of us and Moses,
Through your servants, the prophets.

¹¹‘All IsraEl abandoned your Law
And turned away from listening to your voice.

‘So the curses and oaths written in Moses’ Law,
The God's servant,
Have poured over us…
Because we sinned against him!

¹²‘He set up his decrees for us…
Everything he warned would happen to us,
And to our judges,
Everything You decided to bring upon us,
Disasters, never seen before,
Happened in JeruSalem!

¹³‘Just as Moses’ Sacred Agreement warned,
All this evil has found us!

‘Yet we didn’t urgently seek out
And approach [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” our God…
We didn’t turn away from our sins,
Or consider your justice, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”!’

¹⁴‘[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” monitored the evils he brought upon us,
Because [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” our God is righteous in everything he does,
And we didn’t listen to him.

¹⁵‘And now, Master [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” our God,
Who brought Your people out of Egypt with Your mighty arm,
And made [a] name for Yourself right up to this very day…
We’ve sinned… We were ignorant.

¹⁶‘O Master,
In all Your righteous acts,
Please turn Your anger and wrath away
From Your city JeruSalem, Your holy mountain!

‘Because of our sins
And our ancestors’ ignorance,
JeruSalem and Your people, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”,
Have become [a] disgrace to everyone around us.’

¹⁷‘And now, listen, O Master,
To Your servant’s prayer and my pleas!
For the sake of Your servants, O Master,
Let Your face turn to Your desolate holy mountain.

¹⁸‘Turn Your ear, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, and listen to me!
‘Open Your eyes and see
Our ruin and that of Your city,
Which is called by Your name!

We don’t present our pleas before You
Based on our own righteousness,
But because of Your great mercy,
Lord, be merciful!

¹⁹‘Lord, listen and act!
Don’t delay, O Master, for Your own sake!
Because Your city, Zion, and Your people IsraEl
Are called by Your name.’

²⁰So I continued speaking, praying… Confessing my sins and my people IsraEl’s wrongs. I kept begging before [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” my God for his holy mountain’s sake. ²¹Well, while I was still praying, the messenger I’d seen in my earlier vision, GabriEl, came towards me at great speed! This was at the time of the evening sacrifice.

²²He came and spoke with me, saying:

‘DaniEl, I’ve come now to explain everything to you.

²³‘As soon as you started praying, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” issued [a] command. I came to report it to you, because you’re [worthy of] compassion…

‘So understand this command… ²⁴70 weeks are marked out for your people, and for the city of Zion…

‘To fulfill sin,
To end injustice,
To wipe away injustices,
To understand the vision,
To be given righteousness in the age,
To fulfill the visions and prophet,
To make the holy of holies happy!

²⁵‘You’ll know and understand,
You’ll rejoice and respond to commands
You’ll rebuild the city of JeruSalem for [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”!

²⁶‘And after 7 and 70 and 62,
The anointing will be removed and cease to be.
Then [a] kingdom of nations,
Will destroy the city and the holy place,
Together with the Anointed One.

‘Its end will come with wrath,
And until the period of the end,
War will be waged against it.

²⁷‘And the sacred agreement will rule many.
And it will again return and be rebuilt,
To its width and length,
Down to the era’s completion.

‘And after 7 and 70 [or 77, or 7x70] time periods and 62 years,
Until the time of the war’s end,
The desolation will be removed,
To strengthen the sacred agreement for many weeks.

‘And at the end of the week,
The sacrifice and drink offering will be taken away,
And the abomination of desolations
Will be upon the temple until its done…
And the desolation will be complete.’

10

The Man in Linen

¹In the first year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, [a] decree was shown to DaniEl (also called BelTeshazzar)… The vision and the decree are true… And [spiritually] strong ones will think over the decree… And in the vision, I too pondered it.

²During those days, I, DaniEl, mourned for three full weeks… ³I didn’t want to eat any bread… No meat nor wine entered my mouth… No oil touched my skin until the entire three weeks were over.

⁴Then on the 24^th day of the 1^st month, I found myself standing by the banks of the large river, that is, the Tigris. ⁵I looked up to see and, notice this… [A] man dressed in linen clothes, with [a] linen belt wrapped around his waist, and he was glowing!

⁶His [body] was [blue] like the sea, his face looked like lightning, his eyes looked like firey torches, his arms and feet looked like shining bronze, and his voice sounded like [a] crowd of people!

⁷I, DaniEl, saw this overwhelming vision, but the men with me didn’t see anything! Still, they were suddenly hit with [a] strong feeling of fear, so they quickly ran off! ⁸So there I was – completely alone – after seeing this overwhelming vision. All my strength drained away… And note this, I felt my life slipping away, I couldn’t hold myself together! ⁹I couldn’t even hear him speak clearly… I had fallen down and was lying facedown on the ground!

¹⁰But then [a] hand touched me and helped me up on my knees, then to my feet.

And he said to me:

¹¹‘DaniEl, you’re [a] man to be shown compassion… Think carefully about the decrees I tell you, and stand up where you are – I’ve been sent to you!’

As he spoke these words, I stood, trembling!

¹²He continued:

‘Don’t be afraid, DaniEl! Because, from the very first day you decided to understand and humble yourself before [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” your God, your words were heard, and your plea brought me here!’

¹³‘Persia’s royal commander opposed me for 21 days. Then, note this, Michael – one of the highest-ranking princes – came to help me. I left him there to deal with Persia’s royal commander.’

¹⁴Then he told me:

‘I came to show you what will happen to your people in the final days… For days yet to come.’

¹⁵As he spoke these decrees to me, I just looked down and stayed silent… ¹⁶Then suddenly, [a] hand that looked human touched my lips! I opened my mouth and spoke to the one standing before me:

‘Lord!’

It was like the vision overwhelmed me and my hips, and I had no strength left!

¹⁷‘How can [a] servant like me speak with my lord? I’m so weak… There’s no strength left in me – not even [a] breath remains!’

¹⁸Then the one who looked like [a] man touched me again, and he made me feel stronger.

¹⁹He said to me:

‘You’re [a] man who should be shown compassion! Don’t be afraid, be strong in health… Be courageous and strong!’

As he spoke, strength surged through me, and I said:

‘Go ahead, my lord – speak! You’ve given me strength.’

²⁰Then he asked me:

‘Do you understand why I came to you? Well, now I’m heading back to fight Persia’s royal commander! But upon leaving, hear this: Greece’s commander was coming out too!

²¹‘I’ll show you — vividly — the most important things in the true record… And nobody helped me with these things, except for the messenger, Michael.’

11

The Kings of the North and South

¹In the first year of King Cyrus’ reign, [the messenger] told me:

‘Be strong! Be courageous!’

²‘Now I’ve come to reveal the truth to you…

‘Take note!

‘Three kings [will stand up in] Persia, and then [a] fourth will be richer than everyone else. In his rise to power (thanks to his wealth), he’ll challenge every king of the Greeks.

³‘And [a] mighty king will arise, he will rise to great power, doing whatever he wants…⁴But while he’s still growing strong, his kingdom will be shattered and split toward the four winds of heaven! It won’t be as strong as him, nor will it have the same dominion as under his rule, because his kingdom will be torn away and [will be given to others].

⁵‘He will strengthen the kingdom of Egypt, but one of the rulers will overpower him, and he’ll rule his dominion with great power!

⁶‘After some years, he will lead them, and the king of Egypt will enter into [an] alliance with the kingdom of the North, but he won’t prevail, because his ‘arm’ won’t be strong enough. Both his ‘arm’ and those going with him will be paralyzed. He’ll remain for some hours.

⁷‘Then [a] sprout from his roots will rise up alone. He’ll march against the Northern king’s forces… stir up chaos and prevail! ⁸He’ll overthrow their gods along with their metal idols, and haul off their crowds [of followers] with all their precious silver and gold… Dragging them as plunder to Egypt (and there will be [a] year [of restbit] for the Northern king). ⁹So for some days, the king of Egypt will invade, and then he will return to his own land.

¹⁰‘Then [the Northern king’s] son will be provoked and gather [a] massive army, and invade her catastrophically… He’ll pass through her, then return [home]. Yes, he’ll be provoked against many!

¹¹‘Then Egypt’s king will fly into [a] rage; he’ll march out to fight the Northern king and raise [a] huge army. Before long, he’ll capture their entire fighting force! ¹²After seizing control of the army, he’ll grow arrogant—stirring up chaos everywhere without fear. He won’t back down!

¹³‘Then the Northern king will return… He’ll gather the city’s forces, [a] gathering even larger than the first. When the time comes, he’ll invade with [an] overwhelming army and vast wealth. ¹⁴In those days, plans will be formed against Egypt’s king. He’ll try to rebuild your nation’s broken walls and claim he’s fulfilling prophecy… But they’ll fail!

¹⁵‘Then the Northern king will arrive and will turn his spears and capture the fortified city. The arms of Egypt will stand with his best warriors – but there’ll be no strength to resist! ¹⁶Yes, the invader will do whatever he wants – nobody will have resisted him. He’ll establish himself in the land, and everything he does will work.

¹⁷‘He’ll set his sights on advancing his agenda by force. Then he’ll make agreements with him, giving him [a] young woman in order to ruin her, but she will refuse to obey, so it won’t work.

¹⁸‘Next, he’ll look towards the sea, and he will conquer many. He will turn their insults and rage back on them, swearing [an] oath [to do so], paying them back equally!

¹⁹‘Finally, he’ll retreat to his homeland to strengthen his land. But he’ll trip up, fall from grace, and vanish without [a] trace.

²⁰‘From his root, [a] shoot of kingship will rise to power… [A] man [imposing an oppressor on the glorious kingdom]. But in his final days, he’ll be broken—not in rage, nor in battle. ²¹Then, someone contemptible will take his place, but royal honor won’t be granted to him. He’ll arrive suddenly, [a] king who’ll take over [through scheming], ²²and he will crush the shattered forces before him[, as he will the leader of the sacred agreement].

²³And after the treaty [is made], he’ll team up with [a] crowd [of followers] and against [a] strong people he’ll use [a] small group of people… ²⁴He’ll suddenly devastate [a] city and do things his ancestors never dared – looting treasures, spoils, and wealth to bribe his allies. And he’ll plot against the [fortresses, but only for a short time].

²⁵‘Then he’ll muster his strength and mind against Egypt’s king with [a] massive army! Egypt’s ruler will retaliate fiercely with his own strong forces… But he won’t hold his ground, because he will devise [a] plan against him ²⁶and his own worries will consume and undermine him; they will pass by, he will drag [people] away, and many will fall, wounded.

²⁷‘Two kings will sit down to eat together at the same table; they’ll eat and they’ll lie, and they won’t succeed; the time hasn’t yet arrived.

²⁸‘He’ll return to his own land with loads of wealth… But his mind is against the holy sacred agreement. He’ll take action and return to his land.

²⁹‘At the time, he’ll head back to Egypt… But this time, things won’t go like before — not like the first time or the last! ³⁰The Romans will come and they’ll drive him back — they’ll harshly rebuke him!

‘So he’ll retreat, and [he will] be furious about the holy one’s sacred agreement. He will act and return and scheme against them, so they’ll end up abandoning the holy one’s sacred agreement. ³¹His military forces will rise up; they’ll defile the revered holy place, stop the daily offerings, and will deliver [a] disgusting [thing] of desolation!

³²‘Through sins against the sacred agreement, they’ll corrupt [a] stubborn people… But those who knows these things will stand strong and take action. ³³Those with understanding among the people will guide many – though some will fall by the sword and be worn out by it, face captivity, and be tainted by [a] time of plunder. ³⁴When they’re broken, they’ll muster up [a] little strength, but many will be gathered against them and [the] city, and many [through deceit].

³⁵‘Some of those with understanding will think to purify themselves, to be selected and clean until it’s over… But the time isn’t here yet.

³⁶‘Then the king will do whatever he wants… He’ll be enraged and lifted up above every god, he’ll even speak against the God of Gods! He’ll succeed until the anger is finished, because his end will come!

³⁷‘He won’t care about his ancestor’s gods, nor for his wife’s desire. No, because he’ll be lifted up in every way, and mighty nations will be subjected to him. [see note]

³⁸‘He will move from his position and will honor [a] god his ancestors didn’t know, with gold, silver, gems, and treasures. ³⁹With [this] foreign god, he’ll act [against] cities and enter [a] strong fortress. Those who recognize him? He’ll give them honors and control over much, yes, he’ll divide up [conquered] land as gifts!

⁴⁰‘But when the time of fulfillment arrives, Egypt’s king will lock horns with him. Then the Northern king will be enraged at him, and invade Egypt with many chariots, cavalry, and many ships! ⁴¹Then he’ll come into my land, and many will be stumbled!

‘But these regions will escape his grasp:

• Edom
• Moab
• The leading men of Ammon

⁴²‘He’ll reach into other lands like [a] grasping hand, and in Egypt, nobody will be spared.

⁴³‘He’ll seize control of:

• Gold mines
• Silver vaults
• All Egypt’s treasures

‘And the Libyans and Ethiopians will be in his crowd.

⁴⁴‘But then he’ll be troubled by news from the East and North… So he’ll head out in [a] furious rage and [with a] sword, to destroy and kill many. ⁴⁵Then he’ll pitch his tent right between the seas – at the holy mountain of desire.

‘But when his final hour comes, nobody will be there to help him.’

12

¹‘And MichaEl, the great messenger, will pass through the land, the [one] standing over your people’s sons… That [will be an] unprecedented day of distress, incomparable to anything that’s happened since they came into being!

‘On that day, whoever might be found written in the book will be exalted, ²and many of those sleeping in the breadth of the land will awaken… Some to eternal life, but others to disgrace and others to scattering and permanent shame.

³‘And those who understand will shine like lights in the sky… And those supporting my words will be like the stars of the sky, forever and ever!

⁴‘As for you, DaniEl, hide these decrees, and lock up the writing until the time of fulfillment, until many people go mad and the land is filled with wrongdoing.’

⁵Then I, DaniEl, looked up and saw two others standing there – one on this side of the river, and one on the other. ⁶Then I asked the man wearing linen garments who was above:

‘When will these amazing things you’ve told me about finally happen? When will this cleansing come?’

⁷Then I heard the linen-clad man (above the river water):

‘Not until the time of fulfillment.’

He then raised his right and left hands to the sky and swore by The God who lives forever:

‘The completion of the release of the holy people’s power will be for [a] time, times, and [a] half [a] time… And then all these things will be fulfilled.’

⁸Well, I heard this, but I still didn’t understand the timing.

So I asked:

‘Lord, what does all this mean? And what are these riddles really about?’

⁹But he told me:

‘Off you go, DaniEl!

‘These decrees have been hidden and locked up until the time comes when many may be tested and may be purified… ¹⁰The wicked may indeed keep doing wrong, and they may never understand; but those who understand it will take heed.

¹¹‘From the moment they stop the continuous sacrifice and get ready to set up that disgusting thing of desolation, [there will be] 1,290 days… ¹²The one who [makes it to] 1,335 days will be happy!

¹³‘Well, go live – rest up!

‘There’s still many more days and seasons ahead before everything wraps up… You will rest and you will arise in your glory at the end of days.’

13

Susanna

¹There was [a] man living in Babylon named JoAchim. ²He married [a] woman named Susanna (daughter of HilkiAh), who was extremely beautiful and revered the Lord. ³Her parents were decent people who had brought their daughter up in complete accord with the Law of Moses.

⁴Now, JoAchim was [a] very wealthy man with [a] garden next to his house. So the Judeans often came to him because he was the most respected among them.

⁵Now, that same year, two elders from the people were appointed as judges. The Lord spoke about these ones, saying that injustice will come from Babylon, from the very older men (judges) who are supposed to govern the people. ⁶Legal cases from other cities were brought to them.

⁷Well, one evening, these two elders noticed [a] beautiful woman from among their IsraElite brothers walking in her husband’s garden… Susanna, daughter of HilkiAh and wife of JoAchim.

⁸They lusted after her, ⁹they warped their thinking… They no longer looked towards heaven, nor kept in mind how righteous people judge. ¹⁰Both men were obsessed with her, but neither of them admitted to the other one their evil [thoughts]. The woman had no idea this was going on.

¹²As dawn broke, they were both rushing to speak to her, trying to beat each other to get there first! ¹³As was her custom, she was walking around when one of the elders arrived, but then the other one arrived too! One asked the other:

‘Why did you leave so early without taking me?’

¹⁴Then they admitted to each other the lust burning inside them.

¹⁹One said to the other:

‘We should both go to her.’

So, having agreed, they approached her and they pressured her [to sleep with them]…

²²But the Judean [woman] said:

‘I know if I do this, it means death for me…

‘And if I don’t do it, you’ll come after me.

²³‘So it’s better for me to fall into your hands than to sin in front of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”!’

²⁸In response, the lawless men stormed off, muttering threats and plotting to kill her!

Upon arriving at their home city’s synagogue, they assembled all the IsraElites there. ²⁹Then the two elders and judges stood up and said:

‘Dispatch [men] to Susanna, daughter of HilkiAh, wife of JoAchim!’

So they sent for her immediately.

³⁰Accordingly, the woman arrived with her father, mother, children, and her maidservants. In total, 500 came! Susanna had four children, ³¹but she was extremely delicate.

³²Then the lawless men ordered that she be revealed, so they’d feast their eyes on her beauty… ³³Everyone around her and all who knew her were weeping.

³⁴Then the elders and judges stood up and placed their hands on her head… ³⁵But in her thoughts, she trusted in [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, her God.

She looked up and said:

^35.1‘[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, the eternal God,
You know everything before it happens…
You know I didn’t do the wicked things
These lawless men accuse me of!’

And [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” heard her prayer.

³⁶Then the two elders testified:

‘We were taking [a] walk through her husband’s garden, ³⁷and while walking around the path, we spotted her lying down with [a] man! So we stopped and watched them talking together… ³⁸They didn’t even notice we were standing there!

‘So we said to each other:

‘Let’s find out who these people are!’

³⁹‘When we approached her, we recognized her! But the young man covered [his face] and ran off! ⁴⁰So we grabbed hold of her and asker her who the man was, ⁴¹but she refused to tell us!

‘We swear to all these things!’

And the entire congregation believed them – after all, they were respected elders and judges of the people.

⁴⁴Then suddenly, as she was being led away for execution, [Jehovah’s] [spirit] messenger gave this young man DaniEl [a] spirit of intelligence – exactly as he’d been commanded to do.

⁴⁸So DaniEl pushed through the crowd and stood in the middle of them and shouted:

‘Sons of IsraEl,

‘You fools!

‘Without any examination and without establing the facts, you’ve killed [a] daughter of IsraEl!’

⁵¹‘Now, separate these two far apart from each other for me… so I can test them.’

^51.1After they were divided, DaniEl said to the congregation:

‘You shouldn’t just see that they’re elders and say, Oh, they wouldn’t lie!

‘On the contrary! I’ll pose my own questions to them.’

⁵²Then DaniEl called for one of them, and they brought the elder to the young man, and DaniEl said to him:

‘Listen up, you old man worn out by wicked days! Your sins have finally caught up with you!

⁵³‘You were trusted to hear and judge cases that could bring death… Yet you’ve condemned the innocent while letting the guilty walk free, [directly against] [Jehovah’s] saying that you must not kill the innocent and righteous! [Exodus 23:7]

⁵⁴‘Now then… Tell me, under what tree, and in which part of the garden did you spot them together?’

The godless elder replied:

‘Under [a] mastic tree.’

⁵⁵Then the young man [DaniEl] correctly replied:

‘You’ve just lied to yourself!

‘For the Lord’s messenger will cut your life short today!’

⁵⁶After dismissing this one, he [DaniEl] said to bring in the other one.

He said to him:

‘Why is your family line so twisted, like Sidon’s rather than Judah’s?

‘Did her beauty trick you? [A] little… Desire?

⁵⁷‘Is this how you’ve treated IsraEl’s daughters? Using fear to make them play along? But not [this] daughter of Judah! She refused to carry your sickness and to bear the injustice!

⁵⁸‘Now then… Tell me, under what tree, and in which part of the garden did you find them talking together?’

And he answered:

‘Under [an] oak tree.’

⁵⁹To which, DaniEl said:

‘You sinner! Now [Jehovah’s] messenger stands ready with [a] sword, waiting until the people destroy you, so that he’ll cut you in half!’

⁶⁰The whole congregation erupted against the younger [elder], as they had both revealed themselves to be false witnesses, from their own mouths! So, as the law commands, they meted out the same punishment to them as they had plotted to give to their sister…

They silenced them, and having led them out [of the building], they thew them into [a] ravine! Then, [Jehovah’s] messenger blew fire through them!

That day, innocent blood was saved.

^60.1This is why Jacob’s youth are cherished – for their integrity.

^60.2Let us raise strong young men, more devout than the previous ones, so there’ll always be [a] spirit of knowledge and understanding within them.

14

Bel and the Dragon

¹From the prophecy of Habakkuk, son of JeSou, of the tribe of Levi.

²There was [a] man, [a] priest, named DaniEl, son of ABal, companion to Babylon’s king.

³Now the Babylonians worshipped [a] [Marduk] idol… Every day, they’d spend on it:

• 12 artabae of flour [~85 US gallons / ~325 liters]
• 4 sheep
• 6 measures of olive oil [~10 US gallons / ~46 liters]

⁴The king revered [Marduk] and would go there every day to bow down to him. But DaniEl prayed to [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”.

Then the king asked DaniEl:

‘Why don’t you bow down to [Marduk]?’

⁵And DaniEl answered the King:

‘I don’t bow down to anyone except [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, The God, [the one who] made the sky and the land, the One who rules over all living things!’

⁶The king shot back:

‘So [Marduk] is not [a] god?! Don’t you see how much we spend on him every day?’

⁷DaniEl answered:

‘Nobody should be deceiving you… Inside it’s just clay, and outside it’s just bronze. I swear to [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the God of gods that this thing has never eaten [a] single bite!’

⁸This made the king furious! He called the priests overseeing [Marduk’s] temple and said to them:

‘Show me who is eating the offerings for [Marduk]! If not, either you’ll all die, ⁹or DaniEl, who asserts they’re not eaten by him, will.’

But they replied:

‘The Lord himself devours it all!’

But DaniEl told the king:

‘Let’s settle this… If I fail to demonstrate that the Lord is not eating these offerings, I and everybody with me can die.’

¹⁰Well, there were 70 priests serving [Marduk], not counting the women and children. Then they brought the king into the idol’s temple… ¹¹Food was laid out before the king and DaniEl, and mixed wine was brought and placed before [Marduk].

Then DaniEl said:

‘Your Majesty, you can see how this is all laid out… Well, after the doors are shut, [put your wax] seal on the temple’s keys.’

The king liked this idea.

¹⁴But, after clearing everybody out, DaniEl ordered his servants to throw ashes all over the temple floor, and nobody outside knew about it. Then he had them seal the temple with the king’s signet ring and rings from some prominent priests.

And so it was done.

¹⁵The next morning, they all returned to the temple.

But, [overnight,] [Marduk’s] priests had secretly entered through hidden doors, eaten everything set out for [Marduk], and had drunk all the wine.

Now DaniEl said:

‘Check your seals first, priests! And you also, Your Majesty, see if anything’s been tampered with.’

They found the seals [on the keys] intact… So they broke them open.

¹⁸When they opened the doors, they saw all the food that was set out had been consumed, and all the tables were empty! The king cheered and told DaniEl:

‘The Lord is truly great! No trickery here!’

Then DaniEl burst out laughing and said to the king:

‘Come closer, Your Majesty… Can you see the priests’ trick?’

Then he asked:

‘Your Majesty, whose footprints are these?’

¹⁹The king replied:

²⁰‘Men’s… women’s… children’s…’

²¹Then DaniEl led him to the house where the priests were living, and there he found [Marduk’s] untouched food and wine! And DaniEl showed the king the hidden doors the priests used in order to enter and consume the offerings to [Marduk].

²²So [the king] hauled out [Marduk’s] priests and handed them over to DaniEl, then he gave DaniEl all the funding that used to go to it, and finally, he destroyed [the idol of] [Marduk].

²³Now, in the same place, there was [a] dragon that the Babylonians bowed down to.

²⁴So the king told DaniEl:

‘You won’t say that this one’s made of bronze too, will you? Look — he’s alive! He eats and drinks… Now bow down to him!’

²⁶DaniEl answered:

‘Your Majesty, grant me authority, and I’ll take down this dragon without using iron or [a] spear.’

The king agreed and told him:

‘It’s yours.’

²⁷So DaniEl took 30 minas [~37.5 lbs / ~17kg] of pitch, fat, and hair, mixed them together into [a] cake, and threw it into the dragon’s mouth. When it ate this, it burst open!

Then DaniEl showed the king and said:

‘Your Majesty, you don’t worship this, do you?’

²⁸Soon, people from across the entire region gathered against DaniEl and shouted:

‘Has [a] Jew become king? He overthrew [Marduk], and now he’s killed the dragon!’

³⁰When the king saw that the whole region was rising against him, he called his close advisors and declared:

‘Fine – I’m handing DaniEl over to be destroyed!’

³¹Well, there was [a] pit where seven lions were kept (plotters [against] the king usually got thrown there). Each day, they’d feed the lions two bodies of executed prisoners. So the crowd threw DaniEl into that pit… Hoping he’d be eaten up and not even receive [a] proper burial. But DaniEl stayed there for six days!

³³On the sixth day, Habakkuk was heading out to the fields to bring the harvesters some torn-up bread in [a] bowl of stew, plus [a] jar of mixed wine. ³⁴Suddenly, [Jehovah’s] messenger appeared to Habakkuk and said:

‘[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” says this to you:

‘Take that meal you’re holding to DaniEl in the lions’ pit at Babylon.’

³⁵Habakkuk replied:

‘[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, The God!

‘I’ve never even seen Babylon – I don’t know where the pit is!’

³⁶Then [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”'s messenger grabbed Habakkuk by his hair and set him down right over the lion’s pit in Babylon!

³⁷Habakkuk called out to DaniEl, who stood up:

‘Get up and eat the meal [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” The God sent you!’

³⁸DaniEl replied:

‘[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” The God remembered me! He never abandons those who love him.’

³⁹Then DaniEl ate [the food].

Meanwhile, the Lord’s messenger returned Habakkuk to where he’d been taken from. And yes – The God had indeed remembered DaniEl!

⁴⁰Later, the king came to mourn for DaniEl. But when he peered into the lions’ pit… There he could see him, sitting down!

⁴¹Then the king shouted:

‘How great is [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, The God! There’s nobody like him!’

⁴²So the king ordered DaniEl to be pulled from the lions’ pit. Then he threw the guilty ones [who had plotted his] destruction into that same pit, right in front of DaniEl! And they were devoured.