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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/8332-0.txt b/8332-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..681b4ae --- /dev/null +++ b/8332-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2368 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 8332 *** + + + + +THE HOLY BIBLE + + + + +Translated from the Latin Vulgate + + +Diligently Compared with the Hebrew, Greek, +and Other Editions in Divers Languages + + +THE OLD TESTAMENT +First Published by the English College at Douay +A.D. 1609 & 1610 + +and + +THE NEW TESTAMENT +First Published by the English College at Rheims +A.D. 1582 + + +With Annotations + + +The Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with +the Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner +A.D. 1749-1752 + + + + + +THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL + +DANIEL, whose name signifies THE JUDGMENT OF GOD, was of the royal blood +of the kings of Juda: and one of those that were first of all carried +away into captivity. He was so renowned for wisdom and knowledge, that +it became a proverb among the Babylonians, AS WISE AS DANIEL (Ezech. +28.3). And his holiness was so great from his very childhood, that at +the time when he was as yet but a young man, he is joined by the SPIRIT +of GOD with NOE and JOB, as three persons most eminent for virtue and +sanctity, Ezech. 14. He is not commonly numbered by the Hebrews among +THE PROPHETS: because he lived at court, and in high station in the +world: but if we consider his many clear predictions of things to come, +we shall find that no one better deserves the name and title of A +PROPHET: which also has been given him by the SON of GOD himself, Matt. +24, Mark 13., Luke 21. + + +Daniel Chapter 1 + +Daniel and his companions are taken into the palace of the king of +Babylon: they abstain from his meat and wine, and succeed better with +pulse and water. Their excellence and wisdom. + +1:1. In the third year of the reign of Joakim, king of Juda, +Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, and beseiged it. + +1:2. And the Lord delivered into his hands Joakim, the king of Juda, and +part of the vessels of the house of God: and he carried them away into +the land of Sennaar, to the house of his god, and the vessels he brought +into the treasure house of his god. + +His god... Bel or Belus, the principal idol of the Chaldeans. + +1:3. And the king spoke to Asphenez, the master of the eunuchs, that he +should bring in some of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, +and of the princes, + +1:4. Children in whom there was no blemish, well favoured, and skilful +in all wisdom, acute in knowledge, and instructed in science, and such +as might stand in the king's palace, that he might teach them the +learning, and tongue of the Chaldeans. + +1:5. And the king appointed them a daily provision, of his own meat, and +of the wine of which he drank himself, that being nourished three years, +afterwards they might stand before the king. + +1:6. Now there was among them of the children of Juda, Daniel, Ananias, +Misael, and Azarias. + +1:7. And the master of the eunuchs gave them names: to Daniel, +Baltassar: to Ananias, Sidrach: to Misael, Misach: and to Azarias, +Abdenago. + +1:8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled with +the king's table, nor with the wine which he drank: and he requested the +master of the eunuchs that he might not be defiled. + +Be defiled, etc... Viz., either by eating meat forbidden by the law, or +which had before been offered to idols. + +1:9. And God gave to Daniel grace and mercy in the sight of the prince +of the eunuchs. + +1:10. And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel: I fear my lord, the +king, who hath appointed you meat and drink: who if he should see your +faces leaner than those of the other youths, your equals, you shall +endanger my head to the king. + +1:11. And Daniel said to Malasar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had +appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: + +1:12. Try, I beseech thee, thy servants for ten days, and let pulse be +given us to eat, and water to drink: + +Pulse... That is, pease, beans, and such like. + +1:13. And look upon our faces, and the faces of the children that eat of +the king's meat: and as thou shalt see, deal with thy servants. + +1:14. And when he had heard these words, he tried them for ten days. + +1:15. And after ten days, their faces appeared fairer and fatter than +all the children that ate of the king's meat. + +1:16. So Malasar took their portions, and the wine that they should +drink: and he gave them pulse. + +1:17. And to these children God gave knowledge, and understanding in +every book, and wisdom: but to Daniel the understanding also of all +visions and dreams. + +1:18. And when the days were ended, after which the king had ordered +they should be brought in: the prince of the eunuchs brought them in +before Nabuchodonosor. + +1:19. And when the king had spoken to them, there were not found among +them all such as Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: and they stood in +the king's presence. + +1:20. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king +enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the diviners, +and wise men, that were in all his kingdom. + +1:21. And Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus. + +Daniel Chapter 2 + +Daniel, by divine revelation, declares the dream of Nabuchodonosor, and +the interpretation of it. He is highly honoured by the king. + +2:1. In the second year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, Nabuchodonosor +had a dream, and his spirit was terrified, and his dream went out of his +mind. + +The second year... Viz., from the death of his father Nabopolassar; for +he had reigned before as partner with his father in the empire. + +2:2. Then the king commanded to call together the diviners and the wise +men, and the magicians, and the Chaldeans: to declare to the king his +dreams: so they came and stood before the king. + +The Chaldeeans... That is, the astrologers, that pretended to divine by +stars. + +2:3. And the king said to them: I saw a dream: and being troubled in +mind I know not what I saw. + +2:4. And the Chaldeans answered the king in Syriac: O king, live for +ever: tell to thy servants thy dream, and we will declare the +interpretation thereof. + +2:5. And the king, answering, said to the Chaldeans: The thing is gone +out of my mind: unless you tell me the dream, and the meaning thereof, +you shall be put to death, and your houses shall be confiscated. + +2:6. but if you tell the dream, and the meaning of it, you shall receive +of me rewards, and gifts, and great honour: therefore, tell me the +dream, and the interpretation thereof. + +2:7. They answered again and said: Let the king tell his servants the +dream, and we will declare the interpretation of it. + +2:8. The king answered and said: I know for certain, that you seek to +gain time, since you know that the thing is gone from me. + +2:9. If, therefore, you tell me not the dream, there is one sentence +concerning you, that you have also framed a lying interpretation, and +full of deceit, to speak before me till the time pass away. Tell me, +therefore, the dream, that I may know that you also give a true +interpretation thereof. + +2:10. Then the Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: There is no +man upon earth, that can accomplish thy word, O king; neither doth any +king, though great and mighty, ask such a thing of any diviner, or wise +man, or Chaldean. + +2:11. For the thing that thou asketh, O king, is difficult: nor can any +one be found that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose +conversation is not with men. + +2:12. Upon hearing this, the king in fury, and in great wrath, commanded +that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death. + +2:13. And the decree being gone forth, the wise men were slain: and +Daniel and his companions were sought for, to be put to death. + +2:14. Then Daniel inquired concerning the law and the sentence, of +Arioch, the general of the king's army, who was gone forth to kill the +wise men of Babylon. + +2:15. And he asked him that had received the orders of the king, why so +cruel a sentence was gone forth from the face of the king. And when +Arioch had told the matter to Daniel, + +2:16. Daniel went in, and desired of the king, that he would give him +time to resolve the question, and declare it to the king. + +2:17. And he went into his house, and told the matter to Ananias, and +Misael, and Azarias, his companions: + +2:18. To the end that they should ask mercy at the face of the God of +heaven, concerning this secret, and that Daniel and his companions might +not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. + +2:19. Then was the mystery revealed to Daniel by a vision in the night: +and Daniel blessed the God of heaven, + +2:20. And speaking, he said: Blessed be the name of the Lord from +eternity and for evermore: for wisdom and fortitude are his. + +2:21. And he changeth times and ages: taketh away kingdoms, and +establisheth them: giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that +have understanding: + +2:22. He revealeth deep and hidden things, and knoweth what is in +darkness: and light is with him. + +2:23. To thee, O God of our fathers, I give thanks, and I praise thee: +because thou hast given me wisdom and strength: and now thou hast shewn +me what we desired of thee, for thou hast made known to us the king's +discourse. + +2:24. After this Daniel went in to Arioch, to whom the king had given +orders to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and he spoke thus to him: +Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I +will tell the solution to the king. + +2:25. Then Arioch in haste brought in Daniel to the king, and said to +him: I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Juda, that +will resolve the question to the king. + +2:26. The king answered, and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltassar: +Thinkest thou indeed that thou canst tell me the dream that I saw, and +the interpretation thereof? + +2:27. And Daniel made answer before the king, and said: The secret that +the king desireth to know, none of the wise men, or the philosophers, or +the diviners, or the soothsayers, can declare to the king. + +2:28. But there is a God in heaven that revealeth mysteries, who hath +shewn to thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, what is to come to pass in the +latter times. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are +these: + +2:29. Thou, O king, didst begin to think in thy bed, what should come to +pass hereafter: and he that revealeth mysteries shewed thee what shall +come to pass. + +2:30. To me also this secret is revealed, not by any wisdom that I have +more than all men alive: but that the interpretation might be made +manifest to the king, and thou mightest know the thought of thy mind. + +2:31. Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great +statue: this statue, which was great and high, tall of stature, stood +before thee, and the look thereof was terrible. + +2:32. The head of this statue was of fine gold, but the breast and the +arms of silver, and the belly and the thighs of brass. + +2:33. And the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay. + +2:34. Thus thou sawest, till a stone was cut out of a mountain without +hands: and it struck the statue upon the feet thereof that were of iron +and clay, and broke them in pieces. + +2:35. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold +broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of a summer's +threshing floor, and they were carried away by the wind: and there was +no place found for them: but the stone that struck the statue became a +great mountain, and filled the whole earth. + +2:36. This is the dream: we will also tell the interpretation thereof +before thee, O king. + +2:37. Thou art a king of kings: and the God of heaven hath given thee a +kingdom, and strength, and power, and glory: + +2:38. And all places wherein the children of men, and the beasts of the +field do dwell: he hath also given the birds of the air into thy hand, +and hath put all things under thy power: thou, therefore, art the head +of gold. + +2:39. And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of +silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all +the world. + +Another kingdom... Viz., that of the Medes and Persians. Ibid. Third +kingdom... Viz., that of Alexander the Great. + +2:40. And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into +pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break, and destroy all +these. + +The fourth kingdom, etc... Some understand this of the successors of +Alexander, the kings of Syria and Egypt, others of the Roman empire, and +its civil wars. + +2:41. And whereas thou sawest the feet, and the toes, part of potter's +clay, and part of iron: the kingdom shall be divided, but yet it shall +take its origin from the iron, according as thou sawest the iron mixed +with the miry clay. + +2:42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay: +the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. + +2:43. And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall +be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not +stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay. + +2:44. But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will set up a +kingdom that shall never by destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be +delivered up to another people: and it shall break in pieces, and shall +consume all these kingdoms: and itself shall stand for ever. + +A kingdom... Viz., the kingdom of Christ in the Catholic Church which +cannot be destroyed. + +2:45. According as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the +mountain without hands, and broke in pieces the clay and the iron, and +the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God hath shewn the +king what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is true, and the +interpretation thereof is faithful. + +2:46. Then king Nabuchodonosor fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, +and commanded that they should offer in sacrifice to him victims and +incense. + +2:47. And the king spoke to Daniel, and said: Verily, your God is the +God of gods, and Lord of kings, and a revealer of hidden things: seeing +thou couldst discover this secret. + +2:48. Then the king advanced Daniel to a high station, and gave him many +and great gifts: and he made him governor over all the provinces of +Babylon: and chief of the magistrates over all the wise men of Babylon. + +2:49. And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Sidrach, +Misach, and Abdenago, over the works of the province of Babylon: but +Daniel himself was in the king's palace. + +Daniel Chapter 3 + +Nabuchodonosor set up a golden statue; which he commands all to adore: +the three children for refusing to do it are cast into the fiery +furnace; but are not hurt by the flames. Their prayer and canticle of +praise. + +3:1. King Nabuchodonosor made a statue of gold, of sixty cubits high, +and six cubits broad, and he set it up in the plain of Dura, of the +province of Babylon. + +3:2. Then Nabuchodonosor, the king, sent to call together the nobles, +the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, the rulers, and +governors, and all the chief men of the provinces, to come to the +dedication of the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. + +3:3. Then the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, and +rulers, and the great men that were placed in authority, and all the +princes of the provinces, were gathered together to come to the +dedication of the statue, which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. And they +stood before the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. + +3:4. Then a herald cried with a strong voice: To you it is commanded, O +nations, tribes and languages: + +3:5. That in the hour that you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and +of the flute, and of the harp, of the sackbut, and of the psaltery, and +of the symphony, and of all kind of music, ye fall down and adore the +golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor hath set up. + +3:6. But if any man shall not fall down and adore, he shall the same +hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire. + +3:7. Upon this, therefore, at the time when all the people heard the +sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the +psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, all the nations, +tribes, and languages fell down and adored the golden statue which king +Nabuchodonosor had set up. + +3:8. And presently at that very time some Chaldeans came and accused the +Jews, + +3:9. And said to king Nabuchodonosor: O king, live for ever: + +3:10. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear +the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and +the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, shall prostrate +himself, and adore the golden statue: + +3:11. And that if any man shall not fall down and adore, he should be +cast into a furnace of burning fire. + +3:12. Now there are certain Jews, whom thou hast set over the works of +the province of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: these men, O +king, have slighted thy decree: they worship not thy gods, nor do they +adore the golden statue which thou hast set up. + +3:13. Then Nabuchodonosor in fury, and in wrath, commanded that Sidrach, +Misach, ad Abdenago should be brought: who immediately were brought +before the king. + +3:14. And Nabuchodonosor, the king, spoke to them, and said: Is it true, +O Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you do not worship my gods, nor +adore the golden statue that I have set up? + +3:15. Now, therefore, if you be ready, at what hour soever, you shall +hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and +symphony, and of all kind of music, prostrate yourselves, and adore the +statue which I have made: but if you do not adore, you shall be cast the +same hour into the furnace of burning fire: and who is the God that +shall deliver you out of my hand? + +3:16. Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, answered, and said to king +Nabuchodonosor: We have no occasion to answer thee concerning this +matter. + +3:17. For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to save us from the +furnace of burning fire, and to deliver us out of thy hands, O king. + +3:18. But if he will not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not +worship thy gods, nor adore the golden statue which thou hast set up. + +3:19. Then was Nabuchodonosor filled with fury: and the countenance of +his face was changed against Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and he +commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times more than it had +been accustomed to be heated. + +3:20. And he commanded the strongest men that were in his army, to bind +the feet of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the +furnace of burning fire. + +3:21. And immediately these men were bound, and were cast into the +furnace of burning fire, with their coats, and their caps, and their +shoes, and their garments. + +3:22. For the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace was heated +exceedingly. And the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in +Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago. + +3:23. But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell +down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire. + +3:24. And they walked in the midst of the flame, praising God, and +blessing the Lord. + +And they walked, etc... Here St. Jerome takes notice, that from this +verse, to ver. 91, was not in the Hebrew in his time. But as it was in +all the Greek Bibles, (which were originally translated from the +Hebrew,) it is more than probable that it had been formerly in the +Hebrew or rather in the Chaldaic, in which the book of Daniel was +written. But this is certain: that it is, and has been of old, received +by the church, and read as canonical scripture in her liturgy, and +divine offices. + +3:25. Then Azarias standing up, prayed in this manner, and opening his +mouth in the midst of the fire, he said: + +3:26. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and thy name is +worthy of praise, and glorious for ever: + +3:27. For thou art just in all that thou hast done to us, and all thy +works are true, and thy ways right, and all thy judgments true. + +3:28. For thou hast executed true judgments in all the things that thou +hast brought upon us, and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers: +for according to truth and judgment, thou hast brought all these things +upon us for our sins. + +3:29. For we have sinned, and committed iniquity, departing from thee: +and we have trespassed in all things: + +3:30. And we have not hearkened to thy commandments, nor have we +observed nor done as thou hadst commanded us, that it might go well with +us. + +3:31. Wherefore, all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing +that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment: + +3:32. And thou hast delivered us into the hands of our enemies that are +unjust, and most wicked, and prevaricators, and to a king unjust, and +most wicked beyond all that are upon the earth. + +3:33. And now we cannot open our mouths: we are become a shame, and a +reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee. + +3:34. Deliver us not up for ever, we beseech thee, for thy name's sake, +and abolish not thy covenant. + +3:35. And take not away thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, thy +beloved, and Isaac, thy servant, and Israel, thy holy one: + +3:36. To whom thou hast spoken, promising that thou wouldst multiply +their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the sea +shore. + +3:37. For we, O Lord, are diminished more than any nation, and are +brought low in all the earth this day for our sins. + +3:38. Neither is there at this time prince, or leader, or prophet, or +holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of first +fruits before thee, + +3:39. That we may find thy mercy: nevertheless, in a contrite heart and +humble spirit let us be accepted. + +3:40. As in holocausts of rams, and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat +lambs: so let our sacrifice be made in thy sight this day, that it may +please thee: for there is no confusion to them that trust in thee. + +3:41. And now we follow thee with all our heart, and we fear thee, and +seek thy face. + +3:42. Put us not to confusion, but deal with us according to thy +meekness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies. + +3:43. And deliver us, according to thy wonderful works, and give glory +to thy name, O Lord: + +3:44. And let all them be confounded that shew evils to thy servants, +let them be confounded in all thy might, and let their strength be +broken: + +3:45. And let them know that thou art the Lord, the only God, and +glorious over all the world. + +3:46. Now the king's servants that had cast them in, ceased not to heat +the furnace with brimstone and tow, and pitch, and dry sticks, + +3:47. And the flame mounted up above the furnace nine and forty cubits: + +3:48. And it broke forth, and burnt such of the Chaldeans as it found +near the furnace. + +3:49. But the angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his +companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of +the furnace, + +3:50. And made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind +bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, +nor did them any harm. + +3:51. Then these three, as with one mouth, praised and glorified and +blessed God, in the furnace, saying: + +3:52. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers; and worthy to be +praised, and glorified, and exalted above all for ever: and blessed is +the holy name of thy glory: and worthy to be praised and exalted above +all, in all ages. + +3:53. Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory: and exceedingly +to be praised and exalted above all for ever. + +3:55. Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the +cherubims: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all for ever. + +3:56. Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, +and glorious for ever. + +3:57. All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:58. O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:59. O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for +ever. + +3:60. O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: praise +and exalt him above all for ever. + +3:61. O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:62. O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:63. O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:64. O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:65. O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:66. O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:67. O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:68. O ye dews and hoar frost, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:69. O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:70. O ye ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:71. O ye nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:72. O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:73. O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:74. O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:76. O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord: +praise and exalt him above all for ever. + +3:77. O ye fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for +ever. + +3:78. O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:79. O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: +praise and exalt him above all for ever. + +3:80. O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:81. O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:82. O ye sons of men, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:83. O let Israel bless the Lord: let them praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:84. O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:85. O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:86. O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and +exalt him above all for ever. + +3:87. O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt +him above all for ever. + +3:88. O Ananias, Azarias, Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt +him above all for ever. For he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us +out of the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the +burning flame, and saved us out of the midst of the fire. + +3:89. O give thanks to the Lord, because he is good: because his mercy +endureth for ever and ever. + +3:90. O all ye religious, bless the Lord, the God of gods: praise him, +and give him thanks, because his mercy endureth for ever and ever. + +3:91. Then Nabuchodonosor, the king, was astonished, and rose up in +haste, and said to his nobles: Did we not cast three men bound into the +midst of the fire? They answered the king, and said: True, O king. + +3:92. He answered, and said: Behold, I see four men loose, and walking +in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt in them, and the form of +the fourth is like the son of God. + +3:93. Then Nabuchodonosor came to the door of the burning fiery furnace, +and said: Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high +God, go ye forth, and come. And immediately Sidrach, Misach, and +Abdenago, went out from the midst of the fire. + +3:94. And the nobles, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the great +men of the king, being gathered together, considered these men, that the +fire had no power on their bodies, and that not a hair of their head had +been singed, nor their garments altered, nor the smell of the fire had +passed on them. + +3:95. Then Nabuchodonosor breaking forth, said: Blessed be the God of +them, to wit, of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who hath sent his angel, +and delivered his servants that believed in him: and they changed the +king's word, and delivered up their bodies, that they might not serve +nor adore any god except their own God. + +3:96. By me, therefore, this decree is made: That every people, tribe, +and tongue, which shall speak blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, +Misach, and Abdenago, shall be destroyed, and their houses laid waste: +for there is no other God that can save in this manner. + +3:97. Then the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the +province of Babylon. + +3:98. Nabuchodonosor, the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, +that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you. + +Nabuchodonosor, etc... These last three verses are a kind of preface to +the following chapter, which is written in the style of an epistle from +the king. + +3:99. The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders towards me. It +hath seemed good to me, therefore, to publish + +3:100. His signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they +are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to +all generations. + +Daniel Chapter 4 + +Nabuchodonosor's dream, by which the judgments of God are denounced +against him for his pride, is interpreted by Daniel, and verified by the +event. + +4:1. I, Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my +palace: + +4:2. I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and +the visions of my head, troubled me. + +4:3. Then I set forth a decree, that all the wise men of Babylon should +be brought in before me, and that they should shew me the interpretation +of the dream. + +4:4. Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the +soothsayers, and I told the dream before them: but they did not shew me +the interpretation thereof. + +4:5. Till their colleague, Daniel, came in before me, whose name is +Baltassar, according to the name of my god, who hath in him the spirit +of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him. + +Baltassar, according to the name of my god... He says this, because the +name of Baltassar, or Belteshazzar, is derived from the name of Bel, the +chief god of the Babylonians. + +4:6. Baltassar, prince of the diviners, because I know that thou hast in +thee the spirit of the holy gods, and that no secret is impossible to +thee, tell me the visions of my dreams that I have seen, and the +interpretation of them? + +4:7. This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree +in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was exceeding great. + +4:8. The tree was great and strong, and the height thereof reached unto +heaven: the sight thereof was even to the ends of all the earth. + +4:9. Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much: and +in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle and beasts, and in the +branches thereof the fowls of the air had their abode: and all flesh did +eat of it. + +4:10. I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, +and a holy one came down from heaven. + +A watcher... A vigilant angel, perhaps the guardian of Israel. + +4:11. He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and chop off the +branches thereof: shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruits: let the +beasts fly away that are under it, and the birds from its branches. + +4:12. Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let +it be tied with a band of iron and of brass, among the grass, that is +without, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion +be with the wild beasts in the grass of the earth. + +4:13. Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be +given him: and let seven times pass over him. + +Let his heart be changed, etc... It does not appear by scripture that +Nabuchodonosor was changed from human shape; much less that he was +changed into an ox; but only that he lost his reason, and became mad; +and in this condition remained abroad in the company of beasts, eating +grass like an ox, till his hair grew in such manner as to resemble the +feathers of eagles, and his nails to be like birds' claws. + +4:14. This is the decree by the sentence of the watchers, and the word +and demand of the holy ones: till the living know, that the most High +ruleth in the kingdom of men: and he will give it to whomsoever it shall +please him, and he will appoint the basest man over it. + +4:15. I, king Nabuchodonosor, saw this dream: thou, therefore, O +Baltassar, tell me quickly the interpretation: for all the wise men of +my kingdom are not able to declare the meaning of it to me: but thou art +able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. + +4:16. Then Daniel, whose name was Baltassar, began silently to think +within himself for about one hour: and his thought troubled him. But the +king answering, said: Baltassar, let not the dream and the +interpretation thereof trouble thee. Baltassar answered, and said: My +lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation +thereof to thy enemies. + +4:17. The tree which thou sawest, which was high and strong, whose +height reached to the skies, and the sight thereof into all the earth: + +4:18. And the branches thereof were most beautiful, and its fruit +exceeding much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of +the field dwelt, and the birds of the air had their abode in its +branches. + +4:19. It is thou, O king, who art grown great, and become mighty: for +thy greatness hath grown, and hath reached to heaven, and thy power unto +the ends of the earth. + +4:20. And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come down from +heaven, and say: Cut down the tree, and destroy it, but leave the stump +of the roots thereof in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and +brass, among the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of +heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, till seven times +pass over him. + +4:21. This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which +is come upon my lord, the king. + +4:22. They shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be +with cattle, and with wild beasts, and thou shalt eat grass, as an ox, +and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over +thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, +and giveth it to whomsoever he will. + +4:23. But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, +that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom shall remain to thee, +after thou shalt have known that power is from heaven. + +4:24. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and +redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy +to the poor: perhaps he will forgive thy offences. + +4:25. All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor. + +4:26. At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of +Babylon. + +4:27. And the king answered, and said: Is not this the great Babylon, +which I have built, to be the seat of the kingdom, by the strength of my +power, and in the glory of my excellence? + +4:28. And while the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice came down +from heaven: To thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, it is said: Thy kingdom +shall pass from thee. + +4:29. And they shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling +shall be with cattle and wild beasts: thou shalt eat grass like an ox, +and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High +ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. + +4:30. The same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor, and he +was driven away from among men, and did eat grass, like an ox, and his +body was wet with the dew of heaven: till his hairs grew like the +feathers of eagles, and his nails like birds' claws. + +4:31. Now at the end of the days, I, Nabuchodonosor, lifted up my eyes +to heaven, and my sense was restored to me: and I blessed the most High, +and I praised and glorified him that liveth for ever: for his power is +an everlasting power, and his kingdom is to all generations. + +4:32. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing before +him: for he doth according to his will, as well with the powers of +heaven, as among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none that +can resist his hand, and say to him: Why hast thou done it? + +4:33. At the same time my sense returned to me, and I came to the honour +and glory of my kingdom: and my shape returned to me: and my nobles, and +my magistrates, sought for me, and I was restored to my kingdom: and +greater majesty was added to me. + +4:34. Therefore I, Nabuchodonosor, do now praise, and magnify, and +glorify the King of heaven: because all his works are true, and his ways +judgments, and them that walk in pride he is able to abase. + +I, Nabuchodonosor, do now, etc... From this place some commentators +infer that this king became a true convert, and dying not long after, +was probably saved. + +Daniel Chapter 5 + +Baltasar's profane banquet: his sentence is denounced by a handwriting +on the wall, which Daniel reads and interprets. + +5:1. Baltasar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his +nobles: and every one drank according to his age. + +Baltasar... He is believed to be the same as Nabonydus, the last of the +Chaldean kings, grandson to Nabuchodonosor. He is called his son, ver. +2, 11, etc., according to the style of the scriptures, because he was a +descendant from him. + +5:2. And being now drunk, he commanded that they should bring the +vessels of gold and silver, which Nabuchodonosor, his father, had +brought away out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, that the king and +his nobles, and his wives, and his concubines, might drink in them. + +5:3. Then were the golden and silver vessels brought, which he had +brought away out of the temple that was in Jeursalem: and the king and +his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. + +5:4. They drank wine, and praised their gods of gold, and of silver, of +brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone. + +5:5. In the same hour there appeared fingers, as it were of the hand of +a man, writing over against the candlestick, upon the surface of the +wall of the king's palace: and the king beheld the joints of the hand +that wrote. + +5:6. Then was the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled +him: and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one +against the other. + +5:7. And the king cried out aloud to bring in the wise men, the +Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise +men of Babylon: Whosoever shall read this writing, and shall make known +to me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and +shall have a golden chain on his neck, and shall be the third man in my +kingdom. + +5:8. Then came in all the king's wise men, but they could neither read +the writing, nor declare the interpretation to the king. + +5:9. Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was +changed: and his nobles also were troubled. + +5:10. Then the queen, on occasion of what had happened to the king, and +his nobles, came into the banquet-house: and she spoke, and said: O +king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, neither let thy +countenance be changed. + +The queen... Not the wife, but the mother of the king. + +5:11. There is a man in thy kingdom that hath the spirit of the holy +gods in him: and in the days of thy father knowledge and wisdom were +found in him: for king Nabuchodonosor, thy father, appointed him prince +of the wise men, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, thy father, I +say, O king: + +5:12. Because a greater spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, and +interpretation of dreams, and shewing of secrets, and resolving of +difficult things, were found in him, that is, in Daniel: whom the king +named Baltassar. Now, therefore, let Daniel be called for, and he will +tell the interpretation. + +5:13. Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke, +and said to him: Art thou Daniel, of the children of the captivity of +Juda, whom my father, the king, brought out of Judea? + +5:14. I have heard of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the gods, and +excellent knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom are found in thee. + +5:15. And now the wise men, the magicians, have come in before me, to +read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof; and they +could not declare to me the meaning of this writing. + +5:16. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst interpret obscure +things, and resolve difficult things: now if thou art able to read the +writing, and to shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be +clothed with purple, and shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck, and +shalt be the third prince in my kingdom. + +5:17. To which Daniel made answer, and said before the king: thy rewards +be to thyself, and the gifts of thy house give to another: but the +writing I will read to thee, O king, and shew thee the interpretation +thereof. + +5:18. O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor, thy father, a +kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour. + +5:19. And for the greatness that he gave to him, all people, tribes, and +languages trembled, and were afraid of him: whom he would, he slew: and +whom he would, he destroyed: and whom he would, he set up: and whom he +would, he brought down. + +5:20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened unto +pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory was +taken away. + +5:21. And he was driven out from the the sons of men, and his heart was +made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses, and he +did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: +till he knew that the most High ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he +will set over it whomsoever it shall please him. + +5:22. Thou also, his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thy heart, +whereas thou knewest all these things: + +5:23. But hast lifted thyself up against the Lord of heaven: and the +vessels of his house have been brought before thee: and thou, and thy +nobles, and thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them: and +thou hast praised the gods of silver, and of gold, and of brass, of +iron, and of wood, and of stone, that neither see, nor hear, nor feel: +but the God who hath thy breath in his hand, and all thy ways, thou hast +not glorified. + +5:24. Wherefore, he hath sent the part of the hand which hath written +this that is set down. + +5:25. And this is the writing that is written: MANE, THECEL, PHARES. + +5:26. And this is the interpretation of the word. MANE: God hath +numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it. + +5:27. THECEL: thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting. + +5:28. PHARES: thy kingdom is divided, and is given to the Medes and +Persians. + +5:29. Then by the king's command, Daniel was clothed with purple, and a +chain of gold was put about his neck: and it was proclaimed of him that +he had power as the third man in the kingdom. + +5:30. The same night Baltasar, the Chaldean king, was slain. + +5:31. And Darius, the Mede, succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore +and two years old. + +Darius... He is called Cyaxares by the historians; and was the son of +Astyages, and uncle to Cyrus. + +Daniel Chapter 6 + +Daniel is promoted by Darius: his enemies procure a law forbidding +prayer; for the transgression of this law Daniel is cast into the lions' +den: but miraculously delivered. + +6:1. It seemed good to Darius, and he appointed over the kingdom a +hundred and twenty governors, to be over his whole kingdom. + +6:2. And three princes over them of whom Daniel was one: that the +governors might give an account to them, and the king might have no +trouble. + +6:3. And Daniel excelled all the princes, and governors: because a +greater spirit of God was in him. + +6:4. And the king thought to set him over all the kingdom; whereupon the +princes, and the governors, sought to find occasion against Daniel, with +regard to the king: and they could find no cause, nor suspicion, because +he was faithful, and no fault, nor suspicion was found in him. + +6:5. Then these men said: We shall not find any occasion against this +Daniel, unless perhaps concerning the law of his God. + +6:6. Then the princes, and the governors, craftily suggested to the +king, and spoke thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever: + +6:7. All the princes of the kingdom, the magistrates, and governors, the +senators, and judges, have consulted together, that an imperial decree, +and an edict be published: That whosoever shall ask any petition of any +god, or man, for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be cast into +the den of the lions. + +6:8. Now, therefore, O king, confirm the sentence, and sign the decree: +that what is decreed by the Medes and Persians may not be altered, nor +any man be allowed to transgress it. + +6:9. So king Darius set forth the decree, and established it. + +6:10. Now, when Daniel knew this, that is to say, that the law was made, +he went into his house: and opening the windows in his upper chamber +towards Jerusalem, he knelt down three times a day, and adored and gave +thanks before his God, as he had been accustomed to do before. + +6:11. Wherefore those men carefully watching him, found Daniel praying +and making supplication to his God. + +6:12. And they came and spoke to the king concerning the edict: O king, +hast thou not decreed, that every man that should make a request to any +of the gods, or men, for thirty days, but to thyself, O king, should be +cast into the den of the lions? And the king answered them, saying: The +word is true, according to the decree of the Medes and Persians, which +it is not lawful to violate. + +6:13. Then they answered, and said before the king: Daniel, who is of +the children of the captivity of Juda, hath not regarded thy law, nor +the decree that thou hast made: but three times a day he maketh his +prayer. + +6:14. Now when the king had heard these words, he was very much grieved, +and in behalf of Daniel he set his heart to deliver him, and even till +sunset he laboured to save him. + +6:15. But those men perceiving the king's design, said to him: Know +thou, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree +which the king hath made, may be altered. + +6:16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him +into the den of the lions. And the king said to Daniel: Thy God, whom +thou always servest, he will deliver thee. + +6:17. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den: which +the king sealed with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, that +nothing should be done against Daniel. + +6:18. And the king went away to his house, and laid himself down without +taking supper, and meat was not set before him, and even sleep departed +from him. + +6:19. Then the king rising very early in the morning, went in haste to +the lions' den: + +6:20. And coming near to the den, cried with a lamentable voice to +Daniel, and said to him: Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy +God, whom thou servest always, been able, thinkest thou, to deliver thee +from the lions? + +6:21. And Daniel answering the king, said: O king, live for ever: + +6:22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut up the mouths of the +lions, and they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him justice hath +been found in me: yea, and before thee, O king, I have done no offence. + +6:23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and he commanded that +Daniel should be taken out of the den: and Daniel was taken out of the +den, and no hurt was found in him, because he believed in his God. + +6:24. And by the king's commandment, those men were brought that had +accused Daniel: and they were cast into the lions' den, they and their +children, and their wives: and they did not reach the bottom of the den, +before the lions caught them, and broke all their bones in pieces. + +6:25. Then king Darius wrote to all people, tribes, and languages, +dwelling in the whole earth: PEACE be multiplied unto you. + +6:26. It is decreed by me, that in all my empire and my kingdom, all men +dread and fear the God of Daniel. For he is the living and eternal God +for ever: and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his power shall be +for ever. + +6:27. He is the deliverer, and saviour, doing signs and wonders in +heaven, and in earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den. + +6:28. Now Daniel continued unto the reign of Darius, and the reign of +Cyrus, the Persian. + +Daniel Chapter 7 + +Daniel's vision of the four beasts, signifying four kingdoms: of God +sitting on his throne: and of the opposite kingdoms of Christ and +Antichrist. + +7:1. In the first year of Baltasar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream: +and the vision of his head was upon his bed: and writing the dream, he +comprehended it in a few words: and relating the sum of it in short, he +said: + +7:2. I saw in my vision by night, and behold the four winds of the +heavens strove upon the great sea. + +7:3. And four great beasts, different one from another, came up out of +the sea. + +Four great beasts... Viz., the Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, and Roman +empires. But some rather choose to understand the fourth beast of the +successors of Alexander the Great, more especially of them that reigned +in Asia and Syria. + +7:4. The first was like a lioness, and had the wings of an eagle: I +beheld till her wings were plucked off, and she was lifted up from the +earth, and stood upon her feet as a man, and the heart of a man was +given to her. + +7:5. And behold another beast, like a bear, stood up on one side: and +there were three rows in the mouth thereof, and in the teeth thereof, +and thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh. + +7:6. After this I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, and it had +upon it four wings, as of a fowl, and the beast had four heads, and +power was given to it. + +7:7. After this I beheld in the vision of the night, and lo, a fourth +beast, terrible and wonderful, and exceeding strong, it had great iron +teeth, eating and breaking in pieces, and treading down the rest with +his feet: and it was unlike to the other beasts which I had seen before +it, and had ten horns. + +Ten horns... That is, ten kingdoms, (as Apoc. 17.12,) among which the +empire of the fourth beast shall be parcelled. Or ten kings of the +number of the successors of Alexander; as figures of such as shall be +about the time of Antichrist. + +7:8. I considered the horns, and behold another little horn sprung out +of the midst of them: and three of the first horns were plucked up at +the presence thereof: and behold eyes like the eyes of a man were in +this horn, and a mouth speaking great things. + +Another little horn... This is commonly understood of Antichrist. It may +also be applied to that great persecutor Antiochus Epiphanes, as a +figure of Antichrist. + +7:9. I beheld till thrones were placed, and the ancient of days sat: his +garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool: his +throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire. + +7:10. A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of +thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand +stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened. + +7:11. I beheld, because of the voice of the great words which that horn +spoke: and I saw that the beast was slain, and the body thereof was +destroyed, and given to the fire to be burnt: + +7:12. And that the power of the other beasts was taken away: and that +times of life were appointed them for a time, and a time. + +7:13. I beheld, therefore, in the vision of the night, and lo, one like +the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the +ancient of days: and they presented him before him. + +7:14. And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom: and all peoples, +tribes, and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power +that shall not be taken away: and his kingdom that shall not be +destroyed. + +7:15. My spirit trembled; I, Daniel, was affrighted at these things, and +the visions of my head troubled me. + +7:16. I went near to one of them that stood by, and asked the truth of +him concerning all these things, and he told me the interpretation of +the words, and instructed me: + +7:17. These four great beasts, are four kingdoms, which shall arise out +of the earth. + +7:18. But the saints of the most high God shall take the kingdom: and +they shall possess the kingdom for ever and ever. + +7:19. After this I would diligently learn concerning the fourth beast, +which was very different from all, and exceeding terrible: his teeth and +claws were of iron: he devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest he +stamped upon with his feet: + +7:20. And concerning the ten horns that he had on his head: and +concerning the other that came up, before which three horns fell: and of +that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and was +greater than the rest. + +7:21. I beheld, and lo, that horn made war against the saints, and +prevailed over them, + +7:22. Till the ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of +the most High, and the time came, and the saints obtained the kingdom. + +7:23. And thus he said: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom +upon earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms, and shall +devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. + +7:24. And the ten horns of the same kingdom, shall be ten kings: and +another shall rise up after them, and he shall be mightier than the +former, and he shall bring down three kings. + +7:25. And he shall speak words against the High One, and shall crush the +saints of the most High: and he shall think himself able to change times +and laws, and they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and +times, and half a time. + +A time, and times, and half a time... That is, three years and a half; +which is supposed to be the length of the duration of the persecution of +Antichrist. + +7:26. And a judgment shall sit, that his power may be taken away, and be +broken in pieces, and perish even to the end. + +7:27. And that the kingdom, and power, and the greatness of the kingdom, +under the whole heaven, may be given to the people of the saints of the +most High: whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings shall +serve him, and shall obey him. + +7:28. Hitherto is the end of the word. I, Daniel, was much troubled with +my thoughts, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the word +in my heart. + +Daniel Chapter 8 + +Daniel's vision of the ram and the he goat interpreted by the angel +Gabriel. + +8:1. In the third year of the reign of king Baltasar, a vision appeared +to me. I, Daniel, after what I had seen in the beginning, + +8:2. Saw in my vision when I was in the castle of Susa, which is in the +province of Elam: and I saw in the vision that I was over the gate of +Ulai. + +8:3. And I lifted up my eyes, and saw: and behold a ram stood before the +water, having two high horns, and one higher than the other, and growing +up. Afterward + +A ram... The empire of the Medes and Persians. + +8:4. I saw the ram pushing with his horns against the west, and against +the north, and against the south: and no beasts could withstand him, nor +be delivered out of his hand: and he did according to his own will, and +became great. + +8:5. And I understood: and behold a he goat came from the west on the +face of the whole earth, and he touched not the ground, and the he goat +had a notable horn between his eyes. + +A he goat... The empire of the Greeks, or Macedonians. Ibid. He touched +not the ground... He conquered all before him, with so much rapidity, +that he seemed rather to fly, than to walk upon the earth.-Ibid. A +notable horn... Alexander the Great. + +8:6. And he went up to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen +standing before the gate, and he ran towards him in the force of his +strength. + +8:7. And when he was come near the ram, he was enraged against him, and +struck the ram: and broke his two horns, and the ram could not withstand +him: and when he had cast him down on the ground, he stamped upon him, +and none could deliver the ram out of his hand. + +8:8. And the he goat became exceeding great: and when he was grown, the +great horn was broken, and there came up four horns under it towards the +four winds of heaven. + +Four horns... Seleucus, Antigonus, Philip, and Ptolemeus, the successors +of Alexander, who divided his empire among them. + +8:9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn: and it became +great against the south, and against the east, and against the strength. + +A little horn... Antiochus Epiphanes, a descendant of Seleucus. He grew +against the south, and the east, by his victories over the kings of +Egypt and Armenia: and against the strength, that is, against Jerusalem +and the people of God. + +8:10. And it was magnified even unto the strength of heaven: and it +threw down of the strength, and of the stars, and trod upon them. + +Unto the strength of heaven... or, against the strength of heaven. So +are here called the army of the Jews, the people of God. + +8:11. And it was magnified even to the prince of the strength: and it +took away from him the continual sacrifice, and cast down the place of +his sanctuary. + +8:12. And strength was given him against the continual sacrifice, +because of sins: and truth shall be cast down on the ground, and he +shall do and shall prosper. + +8:13. And I heard one of the saints speaking, and one saint said to +another I know not to whom, that was speaking: How long shall be the +vision, concerning the continual sacrifice, and the sin of the +desolation that is made: and the sanctuary, and the strength be trodden +under foot? + +8:14. And he said to him: Unto evening and morning two thousand three +hundred days: and the sanctuary shall be cleansed. + +Unto evening and morning two thousand three hundred days... That is, six +years and almost four months: which was the whole time from the +beginning of the persecution of Antiochus till his death. + +8:15. And it came to pass when I, Daniel, saw the vision, and sought the +meaning, that behold there stood before me as it were the appearance of +a man. + +8:16. And I heard the voice of a man between Ulai: and he called, and +said: Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. + +8:17. And he came, and stood near where I stood: and when he was come, I +fell on my face, trembling, and he said to me: Understand, O son of man, +for in the time of the end the vision shall be fulfilled. + +8:18. And when he spoke to me, I fell flat on the ground: and he touched +me, and set me upright. + +8:19. And he said to me: I will shew thee what things are to come to +pass in the end of the malediction: for the time hath its end. + +8:20. The ram, which thou sawest with horns, is the king of the Medes +and Persians. + +8:21. And the he goat, is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn +that was between his eyes, the same is the first king. + +8:22. But whereas when that was borken, there arose up four for it, four +kings shall rise up of his nation, but not with his strength. + +8:23. And after their reign, when iniquities shall be grown up, there +shall arise a king of a shameless face, and understanding dark +sentences. + +8:24. And his power shall be strengthened, but not by his own force: and +he shall lay all things waste, and shall prosper, and do more than can +be believed. And he shall destroy the mighty, and the people of the +saints, + +8:25. According to his will, and craft shall be successful in his hand: +and his heart shall be puffed up, and in the abundance of all things he +shall kill many: and he shall rise up aginst the prince of princes, and +shall be broken without hand. + +8:26. And the vision of the evening and the morning, which was told, is +true: thou, therefore, seal up the vision, because it shall come to pass +after many days. + +8:27. And I, Daniel, languished, and was sick for some days: and when I +was risen up, I did the king's business, and I was astonished at the +vision, and there was none that could interpret it. + +Daniel Chapter 9 + +Daniel's confession and prayer: Gabriel informs him concerning the +seventy weeks to the coming of Christ. + +9:1. In the first year of Darius, the son of Assuerus, of the seed of +the Medes, who reigned over the kingdom of the Chaldeans: + +9:2. The first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by books the +number of the years, concerning which the word of the Lord came to +Jeremias, the prophet, that seventy years should be accomplished of the +desolation of Jerusalem. + +9:3. And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to pray and make +supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. + +9:4. And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I made my confession, and +said: I beseech thee, O Lord God, great and terrible, who keepest the +covenant, and mercy to them that love thee, and keep thy commandments. + +9:5. We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly, +and have revolted: and we have gone aside from thy commandments, and thy +judgments. + +9:6. We have not hearkened to thy servants, the prophets, that have +spoken in thy name to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, and to +all the people of the land. + +9:7. To thee, O Lord, justice: but to us confusion of face, as at this +day to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all +Israel, to them that are near, and to them that are far off, in all the +countries whither thou hast driven them, for their iniquities, by which +they have sinned against thee. + +9:8. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our princes, and to +our fathers, that have sinned. + +9:9. But to thee, the Lord our God, mercy and forgiveness, for we have +departed from thee: + +9:10. And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord, our God, to +walk in his law, which he set before us by his servants, the prophets. + +9:11. And all Israel have transgressed thy law, and have turned away +from hearing thy voice, and the malediction, and the curse, which is +written in the book of Moses, the servant of God, is fallen upon us, +because we have sinned against him. + +9:12. And he hath confirmed his words which he spoke against us, and +against our princes that judged us, that he would bring in upon us a +great evil, such as never was under all the heaven, according to that +which hath been done in Jerusalem. + +9:13. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon +us: and we entreated not thy face, O Lord our God, that we might turn +from our iniquities, and think on thy truth. + +9:14. And the Lord hath watched upon the evil, and hath brought it upon +us: the Lord, our God, is just in all his works which he hath done: for +we have not hearkened to his voice. + +9:15. And now, O Lord, our God, who hast brought forth thy people out of +the land of Egypt, with a strong hand, and hast made thee a name as at +this day: we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, + +9:16. O Lord, against all thy justice: let thy wrath and thy indignation +be turned away, I beseech thee, from thy city, Jerusalem, and from thy +holy mountain. For by reason of our sins, and the iniquities of our +fathers, Jerusalem, and thy people, are a reproach to all that are round +about us. + +9:17. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the supplication of thy servant, +and his prayers: and shew thy face upon thy sanctuary, which is +desolate, for thy own sake. + +9:18. Incline, O my God, thy ear, and hear: open thy eyes, and see our +desolation, and the city upon which thy name is called: for it is not +for our justifications that we present our prayers before thy face, but +for the multitude of thy tender mercies. + +9:19. O Lord, hear: O Lord, be appeased: hearken, and do: delay not, for +thy own sake, O my God: because thy name is invocated upon thy city, and +upon thy people. + +9:20. Now while I was yet speaking, and praying, and confessing my sins, +and the sins of my people of Israel, and presenting my supplications in +the sight of my God, for the holy mountain of my God: + +9:21. As I was yet speaking in prayer, behold the man, Gabriel, whom I +had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly, touched me at +the time of the evening sacrifice. + +The man Gabriel... The angel Gabriel in the shape of a man. + +9:22. And he instructed me, and spoke to me, and said: O Daniel, I am +now come forth to teach thee, and that thou mightest understand. + +9:23. From the beginning of thy prayers the word came forth: and I am +come to shew it to thee, because thou art a man of desires: therefore, +do thou mark the word, and understand the vision. + +Man of desires... that is, ardently praying for the Jews then in +captivity. + +9:24. Seventy weeks are shortened upon thy people, and upon thy holy +city, that transgression may be finished, and sin may have an end, and +iniquity may be abolished; and everlasting justice may be brought; and +vision and prophecy may be fulfilled; and the Saint of saints may be +anointed. + +Seventy weeks... Viz., of years, (or seventy times seven, that is, 490 +years,) are shortened; that is, fixed and determined, so that the time +shall be no longer. + +9:25. Know thou, therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth +of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ, the prince, there +shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built +again, and the walls, in straitness of times. + +From the going forth of the word, etc... That is, from the twentieth +year of king Artaxerxes, when by his commandment Nehemias rebuilt the +walls of Jerusalem, 2 Esd. 2. From which time, according to the best +chronology, there were just sixty-nine weeks of years, that is, 483 +years to the baptism of Christ, when he first began to preach and +execute the office of Messias.-Ibid. In straitness of times... angustia +temporum: which may allude both to the difficulties and opposition they +met with in building: and to the shortness of the time in which they +finished the wall, viz., fifty-two days. + +9:26. And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people +that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people, with their leader, +that shall come, shall destroy the city, and the sanctuary: and the end +thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed +desolation. + +A people with their leader... The Romans under Titus. + +9:27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many, in one week: and in +the half of the week the victim and the sacrifice shall fail: and there +shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and the desolation +shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end. + +In the half of the week... or, in the middle of the week, etc. Because +Christ preached three years and a half: and then by his sacrifice upon +the cross abolished all the sacrifices of the law.-Ibid. The abomination +of desolation... Some understand this of the profanation of the temple +by the crimes of the Jews, and by the bloody faction of the zealots. +Others of the bringing in thither the ensigns and standard of the pagan +Romans. Others, in fine, distinguish three different times of +desolation: viz., that under Antiochus; that when the temple was +destroyed by the Romans; and the last near the end of the world under +Antichrist. To all which, as they suppose, this prophecy may have a +relation. + +Daniel Chapter 10 + +Daniel having humbled himself by fasting and penance seeth a vision, +with which he is much terrified; but he is comforted by an angel. + +10:1. In the third year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, a word was +revealed to Daniel, surnamed Baltassar, and a true word, and great +strength: and he understood the word: for there is need of understanding +in a vision. + +10:2. In those days I, Daniel, mourned the days of three weeks. + +10:3. I ate no desirable bread, and neither flesh, nor wine, entered +into my mouth, neither was I anointed with ointment: till the days of +three weeks were accomplished. + +10:4. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, I was by the +great river, which is the Tigris. + +10:5. And I lifted up my eyes, and I saw: and behold a man clothed in +linen, and his loins were girded with the finest gold: + +10:6. And his body was like the chrysolite, and his face as the +appearance of lightning, and his eyes as a burning lamp: and his arms, +and all downward even to the feet, like in appearance to glittering +brass: and the voice of his word like the voice of a multitude. + +10:7. And I, Daniel alone, saw the vision: for the men that were with me +saw it not: but an exceeding great terror fell upon them, and they fled +away, and hid themselves. + +10:8. And I, being left alone, saw this great vision: and there remained +no strength in me, and the appearance of my countenance was changed in +me, and I fainted away, and retained no strength. + +10:9. And I heard the voice of his words: and when I heard I lay in a +consternation upon my face, and my face was close to the ground. + +10:10. And behold a hand touched me, and lifted me up upon my knees, and +upon the joints of my hands. + +10:11. And he said to me: Daniel, thou man of desires, understand the +words that I speak to thee, and stand upright: for I am sent now to +thee. And when he had said this word to me, I stood trembling. + +10:12. And he said to me: Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that +thou didst set thy heart to understand, to afflict thyself in the sight +of thy God, thy words have been heard: and I am come for thy words. + +10:13. But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and +twenty days: and behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help +me, and I remained there by the king of the Persians. + +The prince, etc... That is, the angel guardian of Persia: who according +to his office, seeking the spiritual good of the Persians was desirous +that many of the Jews should remain among them. + +10:14. But I am come to teach thee what things shall befall thy people +in the latter days, for as yet the vision is for days. + +10:15. And when he was speaking such words to me, I cast down my +countenance to the ground, and held my peace. + +10:16. And behold as it were the likeness of a son of man touched my +lips: then I opened my mouth and spoke, and said to him that stood +before me: O my lord, at the sight of thee my joints are loosed, and no +strength hath remained in me. + +10:17. And how can the servant of my lord speak with my lord? for no +strength remaineth in me; moreover, my breath is stopped. + +10:18. Therefore, he that looked like a man, touched me again, and +strengthened me. + +10:19. And he said: Fear not, O man of desires, peace be to thee: take +courage, and be strong. And when he spoke to me, I grew strong, and I +said: Speak, O my lord, for thou hast strengthened me. + +10:20. And he said: Dost thou know wherefore I am come to thee? And now +I will return, to fight against the prince of the Persians. When I went +forth, there appeared the prince of the Greeks coming. + +10:21. But I will tell thee what is set down in the scripture of truth: +and none is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince. + +Michael your prince... The guardian general of the church of God. + +Daniel Chapter 11 + +The angel declares to Daniel many things to come, with regard to the +Persian and Grecian kings: more especially with regard to Antiochus as a +figure of Antichrist. + +11:1. And from the first year of Darius, the Mede, I stood up, that he +might be strengthened, and confirmed. + +11:2. And now I will shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand yet +three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be enriched exceedingly +above them all: and when he shall be grown mighty by his riches, he +shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. + +Three kings... Viz., Cambyses, Smerdes Magus, and Darius, the son of +Hystaspes.-Ibid. The fourth... Xerxes. + +11:3. But there shall rise up a strong king, and shall rule with great +power: and he shall do what he pleaseth. + +A strong king... Alexander. + +11:4. And when he shall come to his height, his kingdom shall be broken, +and it shall be divided towards the four winds of the heaven: but not to +his posterity, nor according to his power with which he ruled. For his +kingdom shall be rent in pieces, even for strangers, besides these. + +11:5. And the king of the south shall be strengthened, and one of his +princes shall prevail over him, and he shall rule with great power: for +his dominions shall be great. + +The king of the south... Ptolemeus the son of Lagus, king of Egypt, +which lies south of Jerusalem.-Ibid. One of his princes... that is, one +of Alexander's princes, shall prevail over him: that is, shall be +stronger than the king of Egypt. He speaks of Seleucus Nicator, king of +Asia and Syria, whose successors are here called the kings of the north, +because their dominions lay to the north in respect to Jerusalem. + +11:6. And after the end of years they shall be in league together: and +the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the +north to make friendship, but she shall not obtain the strength of the +arm, neither shall her seed stand: and she shall be given up, and her +young men that brought her, and they that strengthened her in these +times. + +The daughter of the king of the south... Viz., Berenice, daughter of +Ptolemeus Philadelphus, given in marriage to Antiochus Theos, grandson +of Seleucus. + +11:7. And a plant of the bud of her roots shall stand up: and he shall +come with an army, and shall enter into the province of the king of the +north: and he shall abuse them, and shall prevail. + +A plant, etc... Ptolemeus Evergetes, the son of Philadelphus. + +11:8. And he shall also carry away captive into Egypt their gods, and +their graven things, and their precious vessels of gold and silver: he +shall prevail aginst the king of the north. + +The king of the north... Seleucus Callinicus. + +11:9. And the king of the south shall enter into the kingdom, and shall +return to his own land. + +11:10. And his sons shall be provoked, and they shall assemble a +multitude of great forces: and he shall come with haste like a flood: +and he shall return, and be stirred up, and he shall join battle with +his force. + +His sons... Seleucus Ceraunius, and Antiochus the Great, the sons of +Callinicus.-Ibid. He shall come... Viz., Antiochus the Great. + +11:11. And the king of the south being provoked, shall go forth, and +shall fight against the king of the north, and shall prepare an +exceeding great multitude, and a multitude shall be given into his +hands. + +The king of the south... Ptolemeus Philopator, son of Evergetes. + +11:12. And he shall take a multitude, and his heart shall be lifted up, +and he shall cast down many thousands: but he shall not prevail. + +11:13. For the king of the north shall return, and shall prepare a +multitude much greater than before: and in the end of times, and years, +he shall come in haste with a great army, and much riches. + +11:14. And in those times many shall rise up against the king of the +south, and the children of prevaricators of thy people shall lift up +themselves to fulfil the vision, and they shall fall. + +11:15. And the king of the north shall come, and shall cast up a mount, +and shall take the best fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall +not withstand, and his chosen ones shall rise up to resist, and they +shall not have strength. + +11:16. And he shall come upon him, and do according to his pleasure, and +there shall be none to stand against his face: and he shall stand in the +glorious land, and it shall be consumed by his hand. + +He shall come upon him... Viz., Antiochus shall come upon the king of +the south.-Ibid. The glorious land... Judea. + +11:17. And he shall set his face to come to possess all his kingdom, and +he shall make upright conditions with him: and he shall give him a +daughter of women, to overthrow it: and she shall not stand, neither +shall she be for him. + +All his kingdom... Viz., all the kingdom of Ptolemeus Epiphanes, son of +Philopator.-Ibid. A daughter of women... That is, a most beautiful +woman, viz., his daughter Cleopatra.-Ibid. To overthrow it... Viz., the +kingdom of Epiphanes: but his policy shall not succeed; for Cleopatra +shall take more to heart the interest of her husband, than that of her +father. + +11:18. And he shall turn his face to the islands, and shall take many: +and he shall cause the prince of his reproach to cease, and his reproach +shall be turned upon him. + +The prince of his reproach... Seipio the Roman general, called the +prince of his reproach, because he overthrew Antiochus, and obliged him +to submit to very dishonourable terms, before he would cease from the +war. + +11:19. And he shall turn his face to the empire of his own land, and he +shall stumble, and fall, ans shall not be found. + +11:20. And there shall stand up in his place one most vile, and unworthy +of kingly honour: and in a few days he shall be destroyed, not in rage +nor in battle. + +One most vile... Seleucus Philopator, who sent Heliodorus to plunder the +temple: and was shortly after slain by the same Heliodorus. + +11:21. And there shall stand up in his place one despised, and the +kingly honour shall not be given him: and he shall come privately, and +shall obtain the kingdom by fraud. + +One despised... Viz., Antiochus Epiphanes, who at first was despised and +not received for king. What is here said of this prince, is accommodated +by St. Jerome and others to Antichrist; of whom this Antiochus was a +figure. + +11:22. And the arms of the fighter shall be overcome before his face, +and shall be broken: yea, also the prince of the covenant. + +Of the fighter... That is, of them that shall oppose him, and shall +fight against him.-Ibid. The prince of the covenant... or, of the +league. The chief of them that conspired against him: or the king of +Egypt his most powerful adversary. + +11:23. And after friendships, he will deal deceitfully with him: and he +shall go up, and shall overcome with a small people. + +11:24. And he shall enter into rich and plentiful cities: and he shall +do that which his fathers never did, nor his fathers' fathers: he shall +scatter their spoils, and their prey, and their riches, and shall +forecast devices against the best fenced places: and this until a time. + +11:25. And his strength, and his heart, shall be stirred up aginst the +king of the south, with a great army: and the king of the south shall be +stirred up to battle with many and very strong succours: and they shall +not stand, for they shall form designs against him. + +The king... Ptolemeus Philometor. + +11:26. And they that eat bread with him, shall destroy him, and his army +shall be overthrown: and many shall fall down slain. + +11:27. And the heart of the two kings shall be to do evil, and they +shall speak lies at one table, and they shall not prosper: because as +yet the end is unto another time. + +11:28. And he shall return into his land with much riches: and his heart +shall be aginst the holy covenant, and he shall succeed, and shall +return into his own land. + +11:29. At the time appointed he shall return, and he shall come to the +south, but the latter time shall not be like the former. + +11:30. And the galleys and the Romans shall come upon him, and he shall +be struck, and shall return, and shall have indignation against +the covenant of the sanctuary, and he shall succeed: and he shall +return, and shall devise against them that have forsaken the covenant +of the sanctuary. + +The galleys and the Romans... Popilius, and the other Roman ambassadors, +who came in galleys, and obliged him to depart from Egypt. + +11:31. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall defile the +sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice: and +they shall place there the abomination unto desolation. + +They shall place there the abomination, etc... The idol of Jupiter +Olympius, which Antiochus ordered to be set up in the sanctuary of the +temple: which is here called the sanctuary of strength, from the +Almighty that was worshipped there. + +11:32. And such as deal wickedly against the covenant shall deceitfully +dissemble: but the people that know their God shall prevail and succeed. + +11:33. And they that are learned among the people shall teach many: and +they shall fall by the sword, and by fire, and by captivity, and by +spoil for many days. + +11:34. And when they shall have fallen, they shall be relieved with a +small help: and many shall be joined to them deceitfully. + +11:35. And some of the learned shall fall, that they may be tried, and +may be chosen, and made white, even to the appointed time: because yet +there shall be another time. + +11:36. And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall be +lifted up, and shall magnify himself against every god: and he shall +speak great things against the God of gods, and shall prosper, till the +wrath be accomplished. For the determination is made. + +11:37. And he shall make no account of the God of his fathers: and he +shall follow the lust of women, and he shall not regard any gods: for he +shall rise up against all things. + +11:38. But he shall worship the god Maozim, in his place: and a god whom +his fathers knew not, he shall worship with gold, and silver, and +precious stones, and things of great price. + +The god Maozim... That is, the god of forces or strong holds. + +11:39. And he shall do this to fortify Maozim with a strange god, whom +he hath acknowledged, and he shall increase glory, and shall give them +power over many, and shall divide the land gratis. + +And he shall increase glory, etc... He shall bestow honours, riches and +lands, upon them that shall worship his god. + +11:40. And at the time prefixed the king of the south shall fight +against him, and the king of the north shall come against him like a +tempest, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a great navy, and he +shall enter into the countries, and shall destroy, and pass through. + +11:41. And he shall enter into the glorious land, and many shall fall: +and these only shall be saved out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the +principality of the children of Ammon. + +11:42. And he shall lay his hand upon the lands: and the land of Egypt +shall not escape. + +11:43. And he shall have power over the treasures of gold, and of +silver, and all the precious things of Egypt: and he shall pass through +Lybia, and Ethiopia. + +11:44. And tidings out of the east, and out of the north, shall trouble +him: and he shall come with a great multitude to destroy and slay many. + +11:45. And he shall fix his tabernacle, Apadno, between the seas, upon a +glorious and holy mountain: and he shall come even to the top thereof, +and none shall help him. + +Apadno... Some take it for the proper name of a place: others, from the +Hebrew, translate it his palace. + +Daniel Chapter 12 + +Michael shall stand up for the people of God: with other things relating +to Antichrist, and the end of the world. + +12:1. But at that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince, who +standeth for the children of thy people: and a time shall come, such as +never was from the time that nations began, even until that time. And at +that time shall thy people be saved, every one that shall be found +written in the book. + +12:2. And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall +awake: some unto life everlasting, and others unto reproach, to see it +always. + +12:3. But they that are learned, shall shine as the brightness of the +firmament: and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all +eternity. + +Learned... Viz., in the law of God and true wisdom, which consists in +knowing and loving God. + +12:4. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to +the time appointed: many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be +manifold. + +12:5. And I, Daniel, looked, and behold as it were two others stood: one +on this side upon the bank of the river, and another on that side, on +the other bank of the river. + +12:6. And I said to the man that was clothed in linen, that stood upon +the waters of the river: How long shall it be to the end of these +wonders? + +12:7. And I heard the man that was clothed in linen, that stood upon the +waters of the river, when he had lifted up his right hand, and his left +hand to heaven, and had sworn by him that liveth for ever, that it +should be unto a time, and times, and half a time. And when the +scattering of the band of the holy people shall be accomplished, all +these things shall be finished. + +12:8. And I heard, and understood not. And I said: O my lord, what shall +be after these things? + +12:9. And he said: Go, Daniel, because the words are shut up, and sealed +until the appointed time. + +12:10. Many shall be chosen, and made white, and shall be tried as fire: +and the wicked shall deal wickedly, and none of the wicked shall +understand, but the learned shall understand. + +12:11. And from the time when the continual sacrifice shall be taken +away, and the abomination unto desolation shall be set up, there shall +be a thousand two hundred ninety days. + +12:12. Blessed is he that waitesth, and cometh unto a thousand three +hundred thirty-five days. + +12:13. But go thou thy ways until the time appointed: and thou shalt +rest, and stand in thy lot unto the end of the days. + +Daniel Chapter 13 + +The history of Susanna and the two elders. + +This history of Susanna, in all the ancient Greek and Latin Bibles, was +placed in the beginning of the book of Daniel: till St. Jerome, in his +translation, detached it from thence; because he did not find it in the +Hebrew: which is also the case of the history of Bel and the Dragon. But +both the one and the other are received by the Catholic Church: and were +from the very beginning a part of the Christian Bible. + +13:1. Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was +Joakim: + +13:2. And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of +Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God. + +13:3. For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter +according to the law of Moses. + +13:4. Now Joakim was very rich, and had an orchard near his house: and +the Jews resorted to him, because he was the most honourable of them +all. + +13:5. And there were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges +that year, of whom the Lord said: That iniquity came out from Babylon, +from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people. + +13:6. These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that hand any +matters of judgment came to them. + +13:7. And when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and +walked in her husband's orchard. + +13:8. And the old men saw her going in every day, and walking: and they +were inflamed with lust towards her: + +13:9. And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, +that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments. + +13:10. So they were both wounded with the love of her, yet they did not +make known their grief one to the other. + +13:11. For they were ashamed to declare to one another their lust, being +desirous to have to do with her: + +13:12. And they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to +the other: + +13:13. Let us now go home, for it is dinner time. So going out, they +departed one from another. + +13:14. And turning back again, they came both to the same place: and +asking one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: and then +they agreed together upon a time, when they might find her alone. + +13:15. And it fell out, as they watched a fit day, she went in on a +time, as yesterday and the day before, with two maids only, and was +desirous to wash herself in the orchard: for it was hot weather. + +13:16. And there was nobody there, but the two old men that had hid +themselves, and were beholding her. + +13:17. So she said to the maids: Bring me oil, and washing balls, and +shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me. + +13:18. And they did as she bade them: and they shut the doors of the +orchard, and went out by a back door to fetch what she had commanded +them, and they knew not that the elders were hid within. + +13:19. Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and ran +to her, and said: + +13:20. Behold the doors of the orchard are shut, and nobody seeth us, +and we are in love with thee: wherefore consent to us, and lie with us. + +13:21. But if thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a +young man was with thee, and therefore thou didst send away thy maids +from thee. + +13:22. Susanna sighed, and said: I am straitened on every side: for if I +do this thing, it is death to me: and if I do it not, I shall not escape +your hands. + +13:23. But it is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, +than to sin in the sight of the Lord. + +13:24. With that Susanna cried out with a loud voice: and the elders +also cried out against her. + +13:25. And one of them ran to the door of the orchard, and opened it. + +13:26. So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the orchard, +they rushed in by the back door, to see what was the matter. + +13:27. But after the old men had spoken, the servants were greatly +ashamed: for never had there been any such word said of Susanna. And on +the next day, + +13:28. When the people were come to Joakim, her husband, the two elders +also came full of wicked device against Susanna, to put her to death. + +13:29. And they said before the people: Send to Susanna, daughter of +Helcias, the wife of Joakim. And presently they sent. + +13:30. And she came with her parents, and children and all her kindred. + +13:31. Now Susanna was exceeding delicate, and beautiful to behold. + +13:32. But those wicked men commanded that her face should be uncovered, +(for she was covered) that so at least they might be satisfied with her +beauty. + +13:33. Therefore her friends, and all her acquaintance wept. + +13:34. But the two elders rising up in the midst of the people, laid +their hands upon her head. + +13:35. And she weeping, looked up to heaven, for her heart had +confidence in the Lord. + +13:36. And the elders said: As we walked in the orchard alone, this +woman came in with two maids, and shut the doors of the orchard, and +sent away the maids from her. + +13:37. Then a young man that was there hid came to her, and lay with +her. + +13:38. But we that were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this +wickedness, ran up to them, and we saw them lie together. + +13:39. And him indeed we could not take, because he was stronger than +us, and opening the doors, he leaped out: + +13:40. But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but +she would not tell us: of this thing we are witnesses. + +13:41. The multitude believed them, as being the elders, and the judges +of the people, and they condemned her to death. + +13:42. Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said: O eternal +God, who knowest hidden things, who knowest all things before they come +to pass, + +13:43. Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me: and +behold I must die, whereas I have done none of these things, which these +men have maliciously forged against me. + +13:44. And the Lord heard her voice. + +13:45. And when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the +holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel: + +13:46. And he cried out with a loud voice: I am clear from the blood of +this woman. + +13:47. Then all the people turning themselves towards him, said: What +meaneth this word that thou hast spoken? + +13:48. But he standing in the midst of them, said: Are ye so foolish, ye +children of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth, +you have condemned a daughter of Israel? + +13:49. Return to judgment, for they have borne false witness against +her. + +13:50. So all the people turned again in haste, and the old men said to +him: Come, and sit thou down among us, and shew it us: seeing God hath +given thee the honour of old age. + +13:51. And Daniel said to the people: Separate these two far from one +another, and I will examine them. + +13:52. So when they were put asunder one from the other, he called one +of them, and said to him: O thou that art grown old in evil days, now +are thy sins come out, which thou hast committed before: + +13:53. In judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and letting +the guilty to go free, whereas the Lord saith: The innocent and the just +thou shalt not kill. + +13:54. Now then if thou sawest her, tell me under what tree thou sawest +them conversing together: He said: Under a mastic tree. + +13:55. And Daniel said: Well hast thou lied against thy own head: for +behold the angel of God having received the sentence of him, shall cut +thee in two. + +13:56. And having put him aside, he commanded that the other should +come, and he said to him: O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, +beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thy heart: + +13:57. Thus did you do to the daughters of Israel, and they for fear +conversed with you: but a daughter of Juda would not abide your +wickedness. + +13:58. Now, therefore, tell me, under what tree didst thou take them +conversing together. And he answered: Under a holm tree. + +13:59. And Daniel said to him: Well hast thou also lied against thy own +head: for the angel of the Lord waiteth with a sword to cut thee in two, +and to destroy you. + +13:60. With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and they +blessed God, who saveth them that trust in him. + +13:61. And they rose up against the two elders, (for Daniel had +convicted them of false witness by their own mouth) and they did to them +as they had maliciously dealt against their neighbour, + +13:62. To fulfil the law of Moses: and they put them to death, and +innocent blood was saved in that day. + +13:63. But Helcias, and his wife, praised God, for their daughter, +Susanna, with Joakim, her husband, and all her kindred, because there +was no dishonesty found in her. + +13:64. And Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, +and thence forward. + +13:65. And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers; and Cyrus, the +Persian, received his kingdom. + +Daniel Chapter 14 + +The history of Bel, and of the great serpent worshipped by the +Babylonians. + +14:1. And Daniel was the king's guest, and was honoured above all his +friends. + +The king's guest... It seems most probable, that the king here spoken of +was Evilmerodach, the son and successor of Nabuchodonosor, and a great +favourer of the Jews. + +14:2. Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel: and there was spent +upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, +and six vessels of wine. + +14:3. The king also worshipped him, and went every day to adore him: but +Daniel adored his God. And the king said to him: Why dost thou not adore +Bel? + +14:4. And he answered, and said to him: Because I do not worship idols +made with hands, but the living God, that created heaven and earth, and +hath power over all flesh. + +14:5. And the king said to him: Doth not Bel seem to thee to be a living +god? Seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day? + +14:6. Then Daniel smiled, and said: O king, be not deceived: for this is +but clay within, and brass without, neither hath he eaten at any time. + +14:7. And the king being angry, called for his priests, and said to +them: If you tell me not who it is that eateth up these expenses, you +shall die. + +14:8. But if you can shew that Bel eateth these things, Daniel shall +die, because he hath blasphemed against Bel. And Daniel said to the +king: Be it done according to thy word. + +14:9. Now the priests of Bel were seventy, beside their wives, and +little ones, and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple +of Bel. + +14:10. And the priests of Bel said: Behold, we go out: and do thou, O +king, set on the meats, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast, +and seal it with thy own ring: + +14:11. And when thou comest in the morning, if thou findest not that Bel +hath eaten up all, we will suffer death, or else Daniel, that hath lied +against us. + +14:12. And they little regarded it, because they had made under the +table a secret entrance, and they always came in by it, and consumed +those things. + +14:13. So it came to pass after they were gone out, the king set the +meats before Bel: and Daniel commanded his servants, and they brought +ashes, and he sifted them all over the temple before the king: and going +forth, they shut the door, and having sealed it with the king's ring, +they departed. + +14:14. But the priests went in by night, according to their custom, with +their wives, and their children: and they eat and drank up all. + +14:15. And the king arose early in the morning, and Daniel with him. + +14:16. And the king said: Are the seals whole, Daniel? And he answered: +They are whole, O king. + +14:17. And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the +table, and cried out with a loud voice: Great art thou, O Bel, and there +is not any deceit with thee. + +14:18. And Daniel laughed: and he held the king, that he should not go +in: and he said: Behold the pavement, mark whose footsteps these are. + +14:19. And the king said: I see the footsteps of men, and women, and +children. And the king was angry. + +14:20. Then he took the priests, and their wives, and their children: +and they shewed him the private doors by which they came in, and +consumed the things that were on the table. + +14:21. The king, therefore, put them to death, and delivered Bel into +the power of Daniel: who destroyed him and his temple. + +14:22. And there was a great dragon in that place, and the Babylonians +worshipped him. + +14:23. And the king said to Daniel: Behold, thou canst not say now, that +this is not a living god: adore him, therefore. + +14:24. And Daniel said: I adore the Lord, my God: for he is the living +God: but that is no living god. + +14:25. But give me leave, O king, and I will kill this dragon without +sword or club. And the king said, I give thee leave. + +14:26. Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and boiled them +together: and he made lumps, and put them into the dragon's mouth, and +the dragon burst asunder. And he said: Behold him whom you worship. + +14:27. And when the Babylonians had heard this, they took great +indignation: and being gathered together against the king, they said: +The king is become a Jew. He hath destroyed Bel, he hath killed the +dragon, and he hath put the priests to death. + +14:28. And they came to the king, and said: Deliver us Daniel, or else +we will destroy thee and thy house. + +14:29. And the king saw that they pressed upon him violently: and being +constrained by necessity: he delivered Daniel to them. + +14:30. And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there six +days. + +The den of lions... Daniel was twice cast into the den of lions; one +under Darius the Mede, because he had transgressed the king's edict, by +praying three times a day: and another time under Evilmerodach by a +sedition of the people. This time he remained six days in the lions' +den; the other time only one night. + +14:31. And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them +two carcasses every day, and two sheep: but then they were not given +unto them, that they might devour Daniel. + +14:32. Now there was in Judea a prophet called Habacuc, and he had +boiled pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl: and was going into the +field, to carry it to the reapers. + +Habacuc... The same, as some think whose prophecy is found among the +lesser prophets but others believe him to be different. + +14:33. And the angel of the Lord said to Habacuc: Carry the dinner which +thou hast into Babylon, to Daniel, who is in the lions' den. + +14:34. And Habacuc said: Lord, I never saw Babylon, nor do I know the +den. + +14:35. And the angel of the Lord took him by the top of his head, and +carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon, over the +den, in the force of his spirit. + +14:36. And Habacuc cried, saying: O Daniel, thou servant of God, take +the dinner that God hath sent thee. + +14:37. And Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God, and thou hast +not forsaken them that love thee. + +14:38. And Daniel arose, and eat. And the angel of the Lord presently +set Habacuc again in his own place. + +14:39. And upon the seventh day the king came to bewail Daniel: and he +came to the den, and looked in, and behold Daniel was sitting in the +midst of the lions. + +14:40. And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying: Great art thou, +O Lord, the God of Daniel. And he drew him out of the lions' den. + +14:41. But those that had been the cause of his destruction, he cast +into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before him. + +14:42. Then the king said: Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth +fear the God of Daniel: for he is the Saviour, working signs, and +wonders in the earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den. + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 8332 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..01f074c --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #8332 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8332) diff --git a/old/8332.txt b/old/8332.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..08bfe16 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/8332.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2737 @@ +Project Gutenberg EBook The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 32: Daniel + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers***** + + + +Title: The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 32: Daniel + The Challoner Revision + +Release Date: June, 2005 [EBook #8332] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 4, 2003] +[Last updated: January 12, 2016] + + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + + + + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE BIBLE, DOUAY-RHEIMS, BOOK 32*** + + + + +This eBook was produced by David Widger +from etext #1581 prepared by Dennis McCarthy, Atlanta, Georgia +and Tad Book, student, Pontifical North American College, Rome. + + + + + +THE HOLY BIBLE + + + + +Translated from the Latin Vulgate + + +Diligently Compared with the Hebrew, Greek, +and Other Editions in Divers Languages + + +THE OLD TESTAMENT +First Published by the English College at Douay +A.D. 1609 & 1610 + +and + +THE NEW TESTAMENT +First Published by the English College at Rheims +A.D. 1582 + + +With Annotations + + +The Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with +the Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner +A.D. 1749-1752 + + + + + +THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL + +DANIEL, whose name signifies THE JUDGMENT OF GOD, was of the royal blood +of the kings of Juda: and one of those that were first of all carried +away into captivity. He was so renowned for wisdom and knowledge, that +it became a proverb among the Babylonians, AS WISE AS DANIEL (Ezech. +28.3). And his holiness was so great from his very childhood, that at +the time when he was as yet but a young man, he is joined by the SPIRIT +of GOD with NOE and JOB, as three persons most eminent for virtue and +sanctity, Ezech. 14. He is not commonly numbered by the Hebrews among +THE PROPHETS: because he lived at court, and in high station in the +world: but if we consider his many clear predictions of things to come, +we shall find that no one better deserves the name and title of A +PROPHET: which also has been given him by the SON of GOD himself, Matt. +24, Mark 13., Luke 21. + + +Daniel Chapter 1 + +Daniel and his companions are taken into the palace of the king of +Babylon: they abstain from his meat and wine, and succeed better with +pulse and water. Their excellence and wisdom. + +1:1. In the third year of the reign of Joakim, king of Juda, +Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, and beseiged it. + +1:2. And the Lord delivered into his hands Joakim, the king of Juda, and +part of the vessels of the house of God: and he carried them away into +the land of Sennaar, to the house of his god, and the vessels he brought +into the treasure house of his god. + +His god... Bel or Belus, the principal idol of the Chaldeans. + +1:3. And the king spoke to Asphenez, the master of the eunuchs, that he +should bring in some of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, +and of the princes, + +1:4. Children in whom there was no blemish, well favoured, and skilful +in all wisdom, acute in knowledge, and instructed in science, and such +as might stand in the king's palace, that he might teach them the +learning, and tongue of the Chaldeans. + +1:5. And the king appointed them a daily provision, of his own meat, and +of the wine of which he drank himself, that being nourished three years, +afterwards they might stand before the king. + +1:6. Now there was among them of the children of Juda, Daniel, Ananias, +Misael, and Azarias. + +1:7. And the master of the eunuchs gave them names: to Daniel, +Baltassar: to Ananias, Sidrach: to Misael, Misach: and to Azarias, +Abdenago. + +1:8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled with +the king's table, nor with the wine which he drank: and he requested the +master of the eunuchs that he might not be defiled. + +Be defiled, etc... Viz., either by eating meat forbidden by the law, or +which had before been offered to idols. + +1:9. And God gave to Daniel grace and mercy in the sight of the prince +of the eunuchs. + +1:10. And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel: I fear my lord, the +king, who hath appointed you meat and drink: who if he should see your +faces leaner than those of the other youths, your equals, you shall +endanger my head to the king. + +1:11. And Daniel said to Malasar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had +appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: + +1:12. Try, I beseech thee, thy servants for ten days, and let pulse be +given us to eat, and water to drink: + +Pulse... That is, pease, beans, and such like. + +1:13. And look upon our faces, and the faces of the children that eat of +the king's meat: and as thou shalt see, deal with thy servants. + +1:14. And when he had heard these words, he tried them for ten days. + +1:15. And after ten days, their faces appeared fairer and fatter than +all the children that ate of the king's meat. + +1:16. So Malasar took their portions, and the wine that they should +drink: and he gave them pulse. + +1:17. And to these children God gave knowledge, and understanding in +every book, and wisdom: but to Daniel the understanding also of all +visions and dreams. + +1:18. And when the days were ended, after which the king had ordered +they should be brought in: the prince of the eunuchs brought them in +before Nabuchodonosor. + +1:19. And when the king had spoken to them, there were not found among +them all such as Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: and they stood in +the king's presence. + +1:20. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king +enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the diviners, +and wise men, that were in all his kingdom. + +1:21. And Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus. + +Daniel Chapter 2 + +Daniel, by divine revelation, declares the dream of Nabuchodonosor, and +the interpretation of it. He is highly honoured by the king. + +2:1. In the second year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, Nabuchodonosor +had a dream, and his spirit was terrified, and his dream went out of his +mind. + +The second year... Viz., from the death of his father Nabopolassar; for +he had reigned before as partner with his father in the empire. + +2:2. Then the king commanded to call together the diviners and the wise +men, and the magicians, and the Chaldeans: to declare to the king his +dreams: so they came and stood before the king. + +The Chaldeeans... That is, the astrologers, that pretended to divine by +stars. + +2:3. And the king said to them: I saw a dream: and being troubled in +mind I know not what I saw. + +2:4. And the Chaldeans answered the king in Syriac: O king, live for +ever: tell to thy servants thy dream, and we will declare the +interpretation thereof. + +2:5. And the king, answering, said to the Chaldeans: The thing is gone +out of my mind: unless you tell me the dream, and the meaning thereof, +you shall be put to death, and your houses shall be confiscated. + +2:6. but if you tell the dream, and the meaning of it, you shall receive +of me rewards, and gifts, and great honour: therefore, tell me the +dream, and the interpretation thereof. + +2:7. They answered again and said: Let the king tell his servants the +dream, and we will declare the interpretation of it. + +2:8. The king answered and said: I know for certain, that you seek to +gain time, since you know that the thing is gone from me. + +2:9. If, therefore, you tell me not the dream, there is one sentence +concerning you, that you have also framed a lying interpretation, and +full of deceit, to speak before me till the time pass away. Tell me, +therefore, the dream, that I may know that you also give a true +interpretation thereof. + +2:10. Then the Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: There is no +man upon earth, that can accomplish thy word, O king; neither doth any +king, though great and mighty, ask such a thing of any diviner, or wise +man, or Chaldean. + +2:11. For the thing that thou asketh, O king, is difficult: nor can any +one be found that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose +conversation is not with men. + +2:12. Upon hearing this, the king in fury, and in great wrath, commanded +that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death. + +2:13. And the decree being gone forth, the wise men were slain: and +Daniel and his companions were sought for, to be put to death. + +2:14. Then Daniel inquired concerning the law and the sentence, of +Arioch, the general of the king's army, who was gone forth to kill the +wise men of Babylon. + +2:15. And he asked him that had received the orders of the king, why so +cruel a sentence was gone forth from the face of the king. And when +Arioch had told the matter to Daniel, + +2:16. Daniel went in, and desired of the king, that he would give him +time to resolve the question, and declare it to the king. + +2:17. And he went into his house, and told the matter to Ananias, and +Misael, and Azarias, his companions: + +2:18. To the end that they should ask mercy at the face of the God of +heaven, concerning this secret, and that Daniel and his companions might +not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. + +2:19. Then was the mystery revealed to Daniel by a vision in the night: +and Daniel blessed the God of heaven, + +2:20. And speaking, he said: Blessed be the name of the Lord from +eternity and for evermore: for wisdom and fortitude are his. + +2:21. And he changeth times and ages: taketh away kingdoms, and +establisheth them: giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that +have understanding: + +2:22. He revealeth deep and hidden things, and knoweth what is in +darkness: and light is with him. + +2:23. To thee, O God of our fathers, I give thanks, and I praise thee: +because thou hast given me wisdom and strength: and now thou hast shewn +me what we desired of thee, for thou hast made known to us the king's +discourse. + +2:24. After this Daniel went in to Arioch, to whom the king had given +orders to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and he spoke thus to him: +Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I +will tell the solution to the king. + +2:25. Then Arioch in haste brought in Daniel to the king, and said to +him: I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Juda, that +will resolve the question to the king. + +2:26. The king answered, and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltassar: +Thinkest thou indeed that thou canst tell me the dream that I saw, and +the interpretation thereof? + +2:27. And Daniel made answer before the king, and said: The secret that +the king desireth to know, none of the wise men, or the philosophers, or +the diviners, or the soothsayers, can declare to the king. + +2:28. But there is a God in heaven that revealeth mysteries, who hath +shewn to thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, what is to come to pass in the +latter times. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are +these: + +2:29. Thou, O king, didst begin to think in thy bed, what should come to +pass hereafter: and he that revealeth mysteries shewed thee what shall +come to pass. + +2:30. To me also this secret is revealed, not by any wisdom that I have +more than all men alive: but that the interpretation might be made +manifest to the king, and thou mightest know the thought of thy mind. + +2:31. Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great +statue: this statue, which was great and high, tall of stature, stood +before thee, and the look thereof was terrible. + +2:32. The head of this statue was of fine gold, but the breast and the +arms of silver, and the belly and the thighs of brass. + +2:33. And the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay. + +2:34. Thus thou sawest, till a stone was cut out of a mountain without +hands: and it struck the statue upon the feet thereof that were of iron +and clay, and broke them in pieces. + +2:35. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold +broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of a summer's +threshing floor, and they were carried away by the wind: and there was +no place found for them: but the stone that struck the statue became a +great mountain, and filled the whole earth. + +2:36. This is the dream: we will also tell the interpretation thereof +before thee, O king. + +2:37. Thou art a king of kings: and the God of heaven hath given thee a +kingdom, and strength, and power, and glory: + +2:38. And all places wherein the children of men, and the beasts of the +field do dwell: he hath also given the birds of the air into thy hand, +and hath put all things under thy power: thou, therefore, art the head +of gold. + +2:39. And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of +silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all +the world. + +Another kingdom... Viz., that of the Medes and Persians. Ibid. Third +kingdom... Viz., that of Alexander the Great. + +2:40. And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into +pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break, and destroy all +these. + +The fourth kingdom, etc... Some understand this of the successors of +Alexander, the kings of Syria and Egypt, others of the Roman empire, and +its civil wars. + +2:41. And whereas thou sawest the feet, and the toes, part of potter's +clay, and part of iron: the kingdom shall be divided, but yet it shall +take its origin from the iron, according as thou sawest the iron mixed +with the miry clay. + +2:42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay: +the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. + +2:43. And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall +be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not +stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay. + +2:44. But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will set up a +kingdom that shall never by destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be +delivered up to another people: and it shall break in pieces, and shall +consume all these kingdoms: and itself shall stand for ever. + +A kingdom... Viz., the kingdom of Christ in the Catholic Church which +cannot be destroyed. + +2:45. According as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the +mountain without hands, and broke in pieces the clay and the iron, and +the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God hath shewn the +king what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is true, and the +interpretation thereof is faithful. + +2:46. Then king Nabuchodonosor fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, +and commanded that they should offer in sacrifice to him victims and +incense. + +2:47. And the king spoke to Daniel, and said: Verily, your God is the +God of gods, and Lord of kings, and a revealer of hidden things: seeing +thou couldst discover this secret. + +2:48. Then the king advanced Daniel to a high station, and gave him many +and great gifts: and he made him governor over all the provinces of +Babylon: and chief of the magistrates over all the wise men of Babylon. + +2:49. And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Sidrach, +Misach, and Abdenago, over the works of the province of Babylon: but +Daniel himself was in the king's palace. + +Daniel Chapter 3 + +Nabuchodonosor set up a golden statue; which he commands all to adore: +the three children for refusing to do it are cast into the fiery +furnace; but are not hurt by the flames. Their prayer and canticle of +praise. + +3:1. King Nabuchodonosor made a statue of gold, of sixty cubits high, +and six cubits broad, and he set it up in the plain of Dura, of the +province of Babylon. + +3:2. Then Nabuchodonosor, the king, sent to call together the nobles, +the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, the rulers, and +governors, and all the chief men of the provinces, to come to the +dedication of the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. + +3:3. Then the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, and +rulers, and the great men that were placed in authority, and all the +princes of the provinces, were gathered together to come to the +dedication of the statue, which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. And they +stood before the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. + +3:4. Then a herald cried with a strong voice: To you it is commanded, O +nations, tribes and languages: + +3:5. That in the hour that you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and +of the flute, and of the harp, of the sackbut, and of the psaltery, and +of the symphony, and of all kind of music, ye fall down and adore the +golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor hath set up. + +3:6. But if any man shall not fall down and adore, he shall the same +hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire. + +3:7. Upon this, therefore, at the time when all the people heard the +sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the +psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, all the nations, +tribes, and languages fell down and adored the golden statue which king +Nabuchodonosor had set up. + +3:8. And presently at that very time some Chaldeans came and accused the +Jews, + +3:9. And said to king Nabuchodonosor: O king, live for ever: + +3:10. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear +the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and +the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, shall prostrate +himself, and adore the golden statue: + +3:11. And that if any man shall not fall down and adore, he should be +cast into a furnace of burning fire. + +3:12. Now there are certain Jews, whom thou hast set over the works of +the province of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: these men, O +king, have slighted thy decree: they worship not thy gods, nor do they +adore the golden statue which thou hast set up. + +3:13. Then Nabuchodonosor in fury, and in wrath, commanded that Sidrach, +Misach, ad Abdenago should be brought: who immediately were brought +before the king. + +3:14. And Nabuchodonosor, the king, spoke to them, and said: Is it true, +O Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you do not worship my gods, nor +adore the golden statue that I have set up? + +3:15. Now, therefore, if you be ready, at what hour soever, you shall +hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and +symphony, and of all kind of music, prostrate yourselves, and adore the +statue which I have made: but if you do not adore, you shall be cast the +same hour into the furnace of burning fire: and who is the God that +shall deliver you out of my hand? + +3:16. Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, answered, and said to king +Nabuchodonosor: We have no occasion to answer thee concerning this +matter. + +3:17. For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to save us from the +furnace of burning fire, and to deliver us out of thy hands, O king. + +3:18. But if he will not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not +worship thy gods, nor adore the golden statue which thou hast set up. + +3:19. Then was Nabuchodonosor filled with fury: and the countenance of +his face was changed against Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and he +commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times more than it had +been accustomed to be heated. + +3:20. And he commanded the strongest men that were in his army, to bind +the feet of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the +furnace of burning fire. + +3:21. And immediately these men were bound, and were cast into the +furnace of burning fire, with their coats, and their caps, and their +shoes, and their garments. + +3:22. For the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace was heated +exceedingly. And the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in +Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago. + +3:23. But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell +down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire. + +3:24. And they walked in the midst of the flame, praising God, and +blessing the Lord. + +And they walked, etc... Here St. Jerome takes notice, that from this +verse, to ver. 91, was not in the Hebrew in his time. But as it was in +all the Greek Bibles, (which were originally translated from the +Hebrew,) it is more than probable that it had been formerly in the +Hebrew or rather in the Chaldaic, in which the book of Daniel was +written. But this is certain: that it is, and has been of old, received +by the church, and read as canonical scripture in her liturgy, and +divine offices. + +3:25. Then Azarias standing up, prayed in this manner, and opening his +mouth in the midst of the fire, he said: + +3:26. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and thy name is +worthy of praise, and glorious for ever: + +3:27. For thou art just in all that thou hast done to us, and all thy +works are true, and thy ways right, and all thy judgments true. + +3:28. For thou hast executed true judgments in all the things that thou +hast brought upon us, and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers: +for according to truth and judgment, thou hast brought all these things +upon us for our sins. + +3:29. For we have sinned, and committed iniquity, departing from thee: +and we have trespassed in all things: + +3:30. And we have not hearkened to thy commandments, nor have we +observed nor done as thou hadst commanded us, that it might go well with +us. + +3:31. Wherefore, all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing +that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment: + +3:32. And thou hast delivered us into the hands of our enemies that are +unjust, and most wicked, and prevaricators, and to a king unjust, and +most wicked beyond all that are upon the earth. + +3:33. And now we cannot open our mouths: we are become a shame, and a +reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee. + +3:34. Deliver us not up for ever, we beseech thee, for thy name's sake, +and abolish not thy covenant. + +3:35. And take not away thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, thy +beloved, and Isaac, thy servant, and Israel, thy holy one: + +3:36. To whom thou hast spoken, promising that thou wouldst multiply +their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the sea +shore. + +3:37. For we, O Lord, are diminished more than any nation, and are +brought low in all the earth this day for our sins. + +3:38. Neither is there at this time prince, or leader, or prophet, or +holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of first +fruits before thee, + +3:39. That we may find thy mercy: nevertheless, in a contrite heart and +humble spirit let us be accepted. + +3:40. As in holocausts of rams, and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat +lambs: so let our sacrifice be made in thy sight this day, that it may +please thee: for there is no confusion to them that trust in thee. + +3:41. And now we follow thee with all our heart, and we fear thee, and +seek thy face. + +3:42. Put us not to confusion, but deal with us according to thy +meekness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies. + +3:43. And deliver us, according to thy wonderful works, and give glory +to thy name, O Lord: + +3:44. And let all them be confounded that shew evils to thy servants, +let them be confounded in all thy might, and let their strength be +broken: + +3:45. And let them know that thou art the Lord, the only God, and +glorious over all the world. + +3:46. Now the king's servants that had cast them in, ceased not to heat +the furnace with brimstone and tow, and pitch, and dry sticks, + +3:47. And the flame mounted up above the furnace nine and forty cubits: + +3:48. And it broke forth, and burnt such of the Chaldeans as it found +near the furnace. + +3:49. But the angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his +companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of +the furnace, + +3:50. And made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind +bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, +nor did them any harm. + +3:51. Then these three, as with one mouth, praised and glorified and +blessed God, in the furnace, saying: + +3:52. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers; and worthy to be +praised, and glorified, and exalted above all for ever: and blessed is +the holy name of thy glory: and worthy to be praised and exalted above +all, in all ages. + +3:53. Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory: and exceedingly +to be praised and exalted above all for ever. + +3:55. Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the +cherubims: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all for ever. + +3:56. Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, +and glorious for ever. + +3:57. All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:58. O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:59. O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for +ever. + +3:60. O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: praise +and exalt him above all for ever. + +3:61. O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:62. O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:63. O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:64. O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:65. O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:66. O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:67. O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:68. O ye dews and hoar frost, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:69. O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:70. O ye ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:71. O ye nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:72. O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:73. O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:74. O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:76. O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord: +praise and exalt him above all for ever. + +3:77. O ye fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for +ever. + +3:78. O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:79. O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: +praise and exalt him above all for ever. + +3:80. O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:81. O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:82. O ye sons of men, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all +for ever. + +3:83. O let Israel bless the Lord: let them praise and exalt him above +all for ever. + +3:84. O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:85. O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him +above all for ever. + +3:86. O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and +exalt him above all for ever. + +3:87. O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt +him above all for ever. + +3:88. O Ananias, Azarias, Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt +him above all for ever. For he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us +out of the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the +burning flame, and saved us out of the midst of the fire. + +3:89. O give thanks to the Lord, because he is good: because his mercy +endureth for ever and ever. + +3:90. O all ye religious, bless the Lord, the God of gods: praise him, +and give him thanks, because his mercy endureth for ever and ever. + +3:91. Then Nabuchodonosor, the king, was astonished, and rose up in +haste, and said to his nobles: Did we not cast three men bound into the +midst of the fire? They answered the king, and said: True, O king. + +3:92. He answered, and said: Behold, I see four men loose, and walking +in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt in them, and the form of +the fourth is like the son of God. + +3:93. Then Nabuchodonosor came to the door of the burning fiery furnace, +and said: Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high +God, go ye forth, and come. And immediately Sidrach, Misach, and +Abdenago, went out from the midst of the fire. + +3:94. And the nobles, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the great +men of the king, being gathered together, considered these men, that the +fire had no power on their bodies, and that not a hair of their head had +been singed, nor their garments altered, nor the smell of the fire had +passed on them. + +3:95. Then Nabuchodonosor breaking forth, said: Blessed be the God of +them, to wit, of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who hath sent his angel, +and delivered his servants that believed in him: and they changed the +king's word, and delivered up their bodies, that they might not serve +nor adore any god except their own God. + +3:96. By me, therefore, this decree is made: That every people, tribe, +and tongue, which shall speak blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, +Misach, and Abdenago, shall be destroyed, and their houses laid waste: +for there is no other God that can save in this manner. + +3:97. Then the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the +province of Babylon. + +3:98. Nabuchodonosor, the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, +that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you. + +Nabuchodonosor, etc... These last three verses are a kind of preface to +the following chapter, which is written in the style of an epistle from +the king. + +3:99. The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders towards me. It +hath seemed good to me, therefore, to publish + +3:100. His signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they +are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to +all generations. + +Daniel Chapter 4 + +Nabuchodonosor's dream, by which the judgments of God are denounced +against him for his pride, is interpreted by Daniel, and verified by the +event. + +4:1. I, Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my +palace: + +4:2. I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and +the visions of my head, troubled me. + +4:3. Then I set forth a decree, that all the wise men of Babylon should +be brought in before me, and that they should shew me the interpretation +of the dream. + +4:4. Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the +soothsayers, and I told the dream before them: but they did not shew me +the interpretation thereof. + +4:5. Till their colleague, Daniel, came in before me, whose name is +Baltassar, according to the name of my god, who hath in him the spirit +of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him. + +Baltassar, according to the name of my god... He says this, because the +name of Baltassar, or Belteshazzar, is derived from the name of Bel, the +chief god of the Babylonians. + +4:6. Baltassar, prince of the diviners, because I know that thou hast in +thee the spirit of the holy gods, and that no secret is impossible to +thee, tell me the visions of my dreams that I have seen, and the +interpretation of them? + +4:7. This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree +in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was exceeding great. + +4:8. The tree was great and strong, and the height thereof reached unto +heaven: the sight thereof was even to the ends of all the earth. + +4:9. Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much: and +in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle and beasts, and in the +branches thereof the fowls of the air had their abode: and all flesh did +eat of it. + +4:10. I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, +and a holy one came down from heaven. + +A watcher... A vigilant angel, perhaps the guardian of Israel. + +4:11. He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and chop off the +branches thereof: shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruits: let the +beasts fly away that are under it, and the birds from its branches. + +4:12. Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let +it be tied with a band of iron and of brass, among the grass, that is +without, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion +be with the wild beasts in the grass of the earth. + +4:13. Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be +given him: and let seven times pass over him. + +Let his heart be changed, etc... It does not appear by scripture that +Nabuchodonosor was changed from human shape; much less that he was +changed into an ox; but only that he lost his reason, and became mad; +and in this condition remained abroad in the company of beasts, eating +grass like an ox, till his hair grew in such manner as to resemble the +feathers of eagles, and his nails to be like birds' claws. + +4:14. This is the decree by the sentence of the watchers, and the word +and demand of the holy ones: till the living know, that the most High +ruleth in the kingdom of men: and he will give it to whomsoever it shall +please him, and he will appoint the basest man over it. + +4:15. I, king Nabuchodonosor, saw this dream: thou, therefore, O +Baltassar, tell me quickly the interpretation: for all the wise men of +my kingdom are not able to declare the meaning of it to me: but thou art +able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. + +4:16. Then Daniel, whose name was Baltassar, began silently to think +within himself for about one hour: and his thought troubled him. But the +king answering, said: Baltassar, let not the dream and the +interpretation thereof trouble thee. Baltassar answered, and said: My +lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation +thereof to thy enemies. + +4:17. The tree which thou sawest, which was high and strong, whose +height reached to the skies, and the sight thereof into all the earth: + +4:18. And the branches thereof were most beautiful, and its fruit +exceeding much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of +the field dwelt, and the birds of the air had their abode in its +branches. + +4:19. It is thou, O king, who art grown great, and become mighty: for +thy greatness hath grown, and hath reached to heaven, and thy power unto +the ends of the earth. + +4:20. And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come down from +heaven, and say: Cut down the tree, and destroy it, but leave the stump +of the roots thereof in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and +brass, among the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of +heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, till seven times +pass over him. + +4:21. This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which +is come upon my lord, the king. + +4:22. They shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be +with cattle, and with wild beasts, and thou shalt eat grass, as an ox, +and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over +thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, +and giveth it to whomsoever he will. + +4:23. But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, +that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom shall remain to thee, +after thou shalt have known that power is from heaven. + +4:24. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and +redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy +to the poor: perhaps he will forgive thy offences. + +4:25. All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor. + +4:26. At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of +Babylon. + +4:27. And the king answered, and said: Is not this the great Babylon, +which I have built, to be the seat of the kingdom, by the strength of my +power, and in the glory of my excellence? + +4:28. And while the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice came down +from heaven: To thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, it is said: Thy kingdom +shall pass from thee. + +4:29. And they shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling +shall be with cattle and wild beasts: thou shalt eat grass like an ox, +and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High +ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. + +4:30. The same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor, and he +was driven away from among men, and did eat grass, like an ox, and his +body was wet with the dew of heaven: till his hairs grew like the +feathers of eagles, and his nails like birds' claws. + +4:31. Now at the end of the days, I, Nabuchodonosor, lifted up my eyes +to heaven, and my sense was restored to me: and I blessed the most High, +and I praised and glorified him that liveth for ever: for his power is +an everlasting power, and his kingdom is to all generations. + +4:32. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing before +him: for he doth according to his will, as well with the powers of +heaven, as among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none that +can resist his hand, and say to him: Why hast thou done it? + +4:33. At the same time my sense returned to me, and I came to the honour +and glory of my kingdom: and my shape returned to me: and my nobles, and +my magistrates, sought for me, and I was restored to my kingdom: and +greater majesty was added to me. + +4:34. Therefore I, Nabuchodonosor, do now praise, and magnify, and +glorify the King of heaven: because all his works are true, and his ways +judgments, and them that walk in pride he is able to abase. + +I, Nabuchodonosor, do now, etc... From this place some commentators +infer that this king became a true convert, and dying not long after, +was probably saved. + +Daniel Chapter 5 + +Baltasar's profane banquet: his sentence is denounced by a handwriting +on the wall, which Daniel reads and interprets. + +5:1. Baltasar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his +nobles: and every one drank according to his age. + +Baltasar... He is believed to be the same as Nabonydus, the last of the +Chaldean kings, grandson to Nabuchodonosor. He is called his son, ver. +2, 11, etc., according to the style of the scriptures, because he was a +descendant from him. + +5:2. And being now drunk, he commanded that they should bring the +vessels of gold and silver, which Nabuchodonosor, his father, had +brought away out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, that the king and +his nobles, and his wives, and his concubines, might drink in them. + +5:3. Then were the golden and silver vessels brought, which he had +brought away out of the temple that was in Jeursalem: and the king and +his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. + +5:4. They drank wine, and praised their gods of gold, and of silver, of +brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone. + +5:5. In the same hour there appeared fingers, as it were of the hand of +a man, writing over against the candlestick, upon the surface of the +wall of the king's palace: and the king beheld the joints of the hand +that wrote. + +5:6. Then was the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled +him: and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one +against the other. + +5:7. And the king cried out aloud to bring in the wise men, the +Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise +men of Babylon: Whosoever shall read this writing, and shall make known +to me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and +shall have a golden chain on his neck, and shall be the third man in my +kingdom. + +5:8. Then came in all the king's wise men, but they could neither read +the writing, nor declare the interpretation to the king. + +5:9. Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was +changed: and his nobles also were troubled. + +5:10. Then the queen, on occasion of what had happened to the king, and +his nobles, came into the banquet-house: and she spoke, and said: O +king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, neither let thy +countenance be changed. + +The queen... Not the wife, but the mother of the king. + +5:11. There is a man in thy kingdom that hath the spirit of the holy +gods in him: and in the days of thy father knowledge and wisdom were +found in him: for king Nabuchodonosor, thy father, appointed him prince +of the wise men, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, thy father, I +say, O king: + +5:12. Because a greater spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, and +interpretation of dreams, and shewing of secrets, and resolving of +difficult things, were found in him, that is, in Daniel: whom the king +named Baltassar. Now, therefore, let Daniel be called for, and he will +tell the interpretation. + +5:13. Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke, +and said to him: Art thou Daniel, of the children of the captivity of +Juda, whom my father, the king, brought out of Judea? + +5:14. I have heard of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the gods, and +excellent knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom are found in thee. + +5:15. And now the wise men, the magicians, have come in before me, to +read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof; and they +could not declare to me the meaning of this writing. + +5:16. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst interpret obscure +things, and resolve difficult things: now if thou art able to read the +writing, and to shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be +clothed with purple, and shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck, and +shalt be the third prince in my kingdom. + +5:17. To which Daniel made answer, and said before the king: thy rewards +be to thyself, and the gifts of thy house give to another: but the +writing I will read to thee, O king, and shew thee the interpretation +thereof. + +5:18. O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor, thy father, a +kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour. + +5:19. And for the greatness that he gave to him, all people, tribes, and +languages trembled, and were afraid of him: whom he would, he slew: and +whom he would, he destroyed: and whom he would, he set up: and whom he +would, he brought down. + +5:20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened unto +pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory was +taken away. + +5:21. And he was driven out from the the sons of men, and his heart was +made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses, and he +did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: +till he knew that the most High ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he +will set over it whomsoever it shall please him. + +5:22. Thou also, his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thy heart, +whereas thou knewest all these things: + +5:23. But hast lifted thyself up against the Lord of heaven: and the +vessels of his house have been brought before thee: and thou, and thy +nobles, and thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them: and +thou hast praised the gods of silver, and of gold, and of brass, of +iron, and of wood, and of stone, that neither see, nor hear, nor feel: +but the God who hath thy breath in his hand, and all thy ways, thou hast +not glorified. + +5:24. Wherefore, he hath sent the part of the hand which hath written +this that is set down. + +5:25. And this is the writing that is written: MANE, THECEL, PHARES. + +5:26. And this is the interpretation of the word. MANE: God hath +numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it. + +5:27. THECEL: thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting. + +5:28. PHARES: thy kingdom is divided, and is given to the Medes and +Persians. + +5:29. Then by the king's command, Daniel was clothed with purple, and a +chain of gold was put about his neck: and it was proclaimed of him that +he had power as the third man in the kingdom. + +5:30. The same night Baltasar, the Chaldean king, was slain. + +5:31. And Darius, the Mede, succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore +and two years old. + +Darius... He is called Cyaxares by the historians; and was the son of +Astyages, and uncle to Cyrus. + +Daniel Chapter 6 + +Daniel is promoted by Darius: his enemies procure a law forbidding +prayer; for the transgression of this law Daniel is cast into the lions' +den: but miraculously delivered. + +6:1. It seemed good to Darius, and he appointed over the kingdom a +hundred and twenty governors, to be over his whole kingdom. + +6:2. And three princes over them of whom Daniel was one: that the +governors might give an account to them, and the king might have no +trouble. + +6:3. And Daniel excelled all the princes, and governors: because a +greater spirit of God was in him. + +6:4. And the king thought to set him over all the kingdom; whereupon the +princes, and the governors, sought to find occasion against Daniel, with +regard to the king: and they could find no cause, nor suspicion, because +he was faithful, and no fault, nor suspicion was found in him. + +6:5. Then these men said: We shall not find any occasion against this +Daniel, unless perhaps concerning the law of his God. + +6:6. Then the princes, and the governors, craftily suggested to the +king, and spoke thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever: + +6:7. All the princes of the kingdom, the magistrates, and governors, the +senators, and judges, have consulted together, that an imperial decree, +and an edict be published: That whosoever shall ask any petition of any +god, or man, for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be cast into +the den of the lions. + +6:8. Now, therefore, O king, confirm the sentence, and sign the decree: +that what is decreed by the Medes and Persians may not be altered, nor +any man be allowed to transgress it. + +6:9. So king Darius set forth the decree, and established it. + +6:10. Now, when Daniel knew this, that is to say, that the law was made, +he went into his house: and opening the windows in his upper chamber +towards Jerusalem, he knelt down three times a day, and adored and gave +thanks before his God, as he had been accustomed to do before. + +6:11. Wherefore those men carefully watching him, found Daniel praying +and making supplication to his God. + +6:12. And they came and spoke to the king concerning the edict: O king, +hast thou not decreed, that every man that should make a request to any +of the gods, or men, for thirty days, but to thyself, O king, should be +cast into the den of the lions? And the king answered them, saying: The +word is true, according to the decree of the Medes and Persians, which +it is not lawful to violate. + +6:13. Then they answered, and said before the king: Daniel, who is of +the children of the captivity of Juda, hath not regarded thy law, nor +the decree that thou hast made: but three times a day he maketh his +prayer. + +6:14. Now when the king had heard these words, he was very much grieved, +and in behalf of Daniel he set his heart to deliver him, and even till +sunset he laboured to save him. + +6:15. But those men perceiving the king's design, said to him: Know +thou, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree +which the king hath made, may be altered. + +6:16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him +into the den of the lions. And the king said to Daniel: Thy God, whom +thou always servest, he will deliver thee. + +6:17. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den: which +the king sealed with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, that +nothing should be done against Daniel. + +6:18. And the king went away to his house, and laid himself down without +taking supper, and meat was not set before him, and even sleep departed +from him. + +6:19. Then the king rising very early in the morning, went in haste to +the lions' den: + +6:20. And coming near to the den, cried with a lamentable voice to +Daniel, and said to him: Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy +God, whom thou servest always, been able, thinkest thou, to deliver thee +from the lions? + +6:21. And Daniel answering the king, said: O king, live for ever: + +6:22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut up the mouths of the +lions, and they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him justice hath +been found in me: yea, and before thee, O king, I have done no offence. + +6:23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and he commanded that +Daniel should be taken out of the den: and Daniel was taken out of the +den, and no hurt was found in him, because he believed in his God. + +6:24. And by the king's commandment, those men were brought that had +accused Daniel: and they were cast into the lions' den, they and their +children, and their wives: and they did not reach the bottom of the den, +before the lions caught them, and broke all their bones in pieces. + +6:25. Then king Darius wrote to all people, tribes, and languages, +dwelling in the whole earth: PEACE be multiplied unto you. + +6:26. It is decreed by me, that in all my empire and my kingdom, all men +dread and fear the God of Daniel. For he is the living and eternal God +for ever: and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his power shall be +for ever. + +6:27. He is the deliverer, and saviour, doing signs and wonders in +heaven, and in earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den. + +6:28. Now Daniel continued unto the reign of Darius, and the reign of +Cyrus, the Persian. + +Daniel Chapter 7 + +Daniel's vision of the four beasts, signifying four kingdoms: of God +sitting on his throne: and of the opposite kingdoms of Christ and +Antichrist. + +7:1. In the first year of Baltasar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream: +and the vision of his head was upon his bed: and writing the dream, he +comprehended it in a few words: and relating the sum of it in short, he +said: + +7:2. I saw in my vision by night, and behold the four winds of the +heavens strove upon the great sea. + +7:3. And four great beasts, different one from another, came up out of +the sea. + +Four great beasts... Viz., the Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, and Roman +empires. But some rather choose to understand the fourth beast of the +successors of Alexander the Great, more especially of them that reigned +in Asia and Syria. + +7:4. The first was like a lioness, and had the wings of an eagle: I +beheld till her wings were plucked off, and she was lifted up from the +earth, and stood upon her feet as a man, and the heart of a man was +given to her. + +7:5. And behold another beast, like a bear, stood up on one side: and +there were three rows in the mouth thereof, and in the teeth thereof, +and thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh. + +7:6. After this I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, and it had +upon it four wings, as of a fowl, and the beast had four heads, and +power was given to it. + +7:7. After this I beheld in the vision of the night, and lo, a fourth +beast, terrible and wonderful, and exceeding strong, it had great iron +teeth, eating and breaking in pieces, and treading down the rest with +his feet: and it was unlike to the other beasts which I had seen before +it, and had ten horns. + +Ten horns... That is, ten kingdoms, (as Apoc. 17.12,) among which the +empire of the fourth beast shall be parcelled. Or ten kings of the +number of the successors of Alexander; as figures of such as shall be +about the time of Antichrist. + +7:8. I considered the horns, and behold another little horn sprung out +of the midst of them: and three of the first horns were plucked up at +the presence thereof: and behold eyes like the eyes of a man were in +this horn, and a mouth speaking great things. + +Another little horn... This is commonly understood of Antichrist. It may +also be applied to that great persecutor Antiochus Epiphanes, as a +figure of Antichrist. + +7:9. I beheld till thrones were placed, and the ancient of days sat: his +garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool: his +throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire. + +7:10. A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of +thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand +stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened. + +7:11. I beheld, because of the voice of the great words which that horn +spoke: and I saw that the beast was slain, and the body thereof was +destroyed, and given to the fire to be burnt: + +7:12. And that the power of the other beasts was taken away: and that +times of life were appointed them for a time, and a time. + +7:13. I beheld, therefore, in the vision of the night, and lo, one like +the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the +ancient of days: and they presented him before him. + +7:14. And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom: and all peoples, +tribes, and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power +that shall not be taken away: and his kingdom that shall not be +destroyed. + +7:15. My spirit trembled; I, Daniel, was affrighted at these things, and +the visions of my head troubled me. + +7:16. I went near to one of them that stood by, and asked the truth of +him concerning all these things, and he told me the interpretation of +the words, and instructed me: + +7:17. These four great beasts, are four kingdoms, which shall arise out +of the earth. + +7:18. But the saints of the most high God shall take the kingdom: and +they shall possess the kingdom for ever and ever. + +7:19. After this I would diligently learn concerning the fourth beast, +which was very different from all, and exceeding terrible: his teeth and +claws were of iron: he devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest he +stamped upon with his feet: + +7:20. And concerning the ten horns that he had on his head: and +concerning the other that came up, before which three horns fell: and of +that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and was +greater than the rest. + +7:21. I beheld, and lo, that horn made war against the saints, and +prevailed over them, + +7:22. Till the ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of +the most High, and the time came, and the saints obtained the kingdom. + +7:23. And thus he said: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom +upon earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms, and shall +devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. + +7:24. And the ten horns of the same kingdom, shall be ten kings: and +another shall rise up after them, and he shall be mightier than the +former, and he shall bring down three kings. + +7:25. And he shall speak words against the High One, and shall crush the +saints of the most High: and he shall think himself able to change times +and laws, and they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and +times, and half a time. + +A time, and times, and half a time... That is, three years and a half; +which is supposed to be the length of the duration of the persecution of +Antichrist. + +7:26. And a judgment shall sit, that his power may be taken away, and be +broken in pieces, and perish even to the end. + +7:27. And that the kingdom, and power, and the greatness of the kingdom, +under the whole heaven, may be given to the people of the saints of the +most High: whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings shall +serve him, and shall obey him. + +7:28. Hitherto is the end of the word. I, Daniel, was much troubled with +my thoughts, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the word +in my heart. + +Daniel Chapter 8 + +Daniel's vision of the ram and the he goat interpreted by the angel +Gabriel. + +8:1. In the third year of the reign of king Baltasar, a vision appeared +to me. I, Daniel, after what I had seen in the beginning, + +8:2. Saw in my vision when I was in the castle of Susa, which is in the +province of Elam: and I saw in the vision that I was over the gate of +Ulai. + +8:3. And I lifted up my eyes, and saw: and behold a ram stood before the +water, having two high horns, and one higher than the other, and growing +up. Afterward + +A ram... The empire of the Medes and Persians. + +8:4. I saw the ram pushing with his horns against the west, and against +the north, and against the south: and no beasts could withstand him, nor +be delivered out of his hand: and he did according to his own will, and +became great. + +8:5. And I understood: and behold a he goat came from the west on the +face of the whole earth, and he touched not the ground, and the he goat +had a notable horn between his eyes. + +A he goat... The empire of the Greeks, or Macedonians. Ibid. He touched +not the ground... He conquered all before him, with so much rapidity, +that he seemed rather to fly, than to walk upon the earth.-Ibid. A +notable horn... Alexander the Great. + +8:6. And he went up to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen +standing before the gate, and he ran towards him in the force of his +strength. + +8:7. And when he was come near the ram, he was enraged against him, and +struck the ram: and broke his two horns, and the ram could not withstand +him: and when he had cast him down on the ground, he stamped upon him, +and none could deliver the ram out of his hand. + +8:8. And the he goat became exceeding great: and when he was grown, the +great horn was broken, and there came up four horns under it towards the +four winds of heaven. + +Four horns... Seleucus, Antigonus, Philip, and Ptolemeus, the successors +of Alexander, who divided his empire among them. + +8:9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn: and it became +great against the south, and against the east, and against the strength. + +A little horn... Antiochus Epiphanes, a descendant of Seleucus. He grew +against the south, and the east, by his victories over the kings of +Egypt and Armenia: and against the strength, that is, against Jerusalem +and the people of God. + +8:10. And it was magnified even unto the strength of heaven: and it +threw down of the strength, and of the stars, and trod upon them. + +Unto the strength of heaven... or, against the strength of heaven. So +are here called the army of the Jews, the people of God. + +8:11. And it was magnified even to the prince of the strength: and it +took away from him the continual sacrifice, and cast down the place of +his sanctuary. + +8:12. And strength was given him against the continual sacrifice, +because of sins: and truth shall be cast down on the ground, and he +shall do and shall prosper. + +8:13. And I heard one of the saints speaking, and one saint said to +another I know not to whom, that was speaking: How long shall be the +vision, concerning the continual sacrifice, and the sin of the +desolation that is made: and the sanctuary, and the strength be trodden +under foot? + +8:14. And he said to him: Unto evening and morning two thousand three +hundred days: and the sanctuary shall be cleansed. + +Unto evening and morning two thousand three hundred days... That is, six +years and almost four months: which was the whole time from the +beginning of the persecution of Antiochus till his death. + +8:15. And it came to pass when I, Daniel, saw the vision, and sought the +meaning, that behold there stood before me as it were the appearance of +a man. + +8:16. And I heard the voice of a man between Ulai: and he called, and +said: Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. + +8:17. And he came, and stood near where I stood: and when he was come, I +fell on my face, trembling, and he said to me: Understand, O son of man, +for in the time of the end the vision shall be fulfilled. + +8:18. And when he spoke to me, I fell flat on the ground: and he touched +me, and set me upright. + +8:19. And he said to me: I will shew thee what things are to come to +pass in the end of the malediction: for the time hath its end. + +8:20. The ram, which thou sawest with horns, is the king of the Medes +and Persians. + +8:21. And the he goat, is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn +that was between his eyes, the same is the first king. + +8:22. But whereas when that was borken, there arose up four for it, four +kings shall rise up of his nation, but not with his strength. + +8:23. And after their reign, when iniquities shall be grown up, there +shall arise a king of a shameless face, and understanding dark +sentences. + +8:24. And his power shall be strengthened, but not by his own force: and +he shall lay all things waste, and shall prosper, and do more than can +be believed. And he shall destroy the mighty, and the people of the +saints, + +8:25. According to his will, and craft shall be successful in his hand: +and his heart shall be puffed up, and in the abundance of all things he +shall kill many: and he shall rise up aginst the prince of princes, and +shall be broken without hand. + +8:26. And the vision of the evening and the morning, which was told, is +true: thou, therefore, seal up the vision, because it shall come to pass +after many days. + +8:27. And I, Daniel, languished, and was sick for some days: and when I +was risen up, I did the king's business, and I was astonished at the +vision, and there was none that could interpret it. + +Daniel Chapter 9 + +Daniel's confession and prayer: Gabriel informs him concerning the +seventy weeks to the coming of Christ. + +9:1. In the first year of Darius, the son of Assuerus, of the seed of +the Medes, who reigned over the kingdom of the Chaldeans: + +9:2. The first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by books the +number of the years, concerning which the word of the Lord came to +Jeremias, the prophet, that seventy years should be accomplished of the +desolation of Jerusalem. + +9:3. And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to pray and make +supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. + +9:4. And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I made my confession, and +said: I beseech thee, O Lord God, great and terrible, who keepest the +covenant, and mercy to them that love thee, and keep thy commandments. + +9:5. We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly, +and have revolted: and we have gone aside from thy commandments, and thy +judgments. + +9:6. We have not hearkened to thy servants, the prophets, that have +spoken in thy name to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, and to +all the people of the land. + +9:7. To thee, O Lord, justice: but to us confusion of face, as at this +day to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all +Israel, to them that are near, and to them that are far off, in all the +countries whither thou hast driven them, for their iniquities, by which +they have sinned against thee. + +9:8. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our princes, and to +our fathers, that have sinned. + +9:9. But to thee, the Lord our God, mercy and forgiveness, for we have +departed from thee: + +9:10. And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord, our God, to +walk in his law, which he set before us by his servants, the prophets. + +9:11. And all Israel have transgressed thy law, and have turned away +from hearing thy voice, and the malediction, and the curse, which is +written in the book of Moses, the servant of God, is fallen upon us, +because we have sinned against him. + +9:12. And he hath confirmed his words which he spoke against us, and +against our princes that judged us, that he would bring in upon us a +great evil, such as never was under all the heaven, according to that +which hath been done in Jerusalem. + +9:13. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon +us: and we entreated not thy face, O Lord our God, that we might turn +from our iniquities, and think on thy truth. + +9:14. And the Lord hath watched upon the evil, and hath brought it upon +us: the Lord, our God, is just in all his works which he hath done: for +we have not hearkened to his voice. + +9:15. And now, O Lord, our God, who hast brought forth thy people out of +the land of Egypt, with a strong hand, and hast made thee a name as at +this day: we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, + +9:16. O Lord, against all thy justice: let thy wrath and thy indignation +be turned away, I beseech thee, from thy city, Jerusalem, and from thy +holy mountain. For by reason of our sins, and the iniquities of our +fathers, Jerusalem, and thy people, are a reproach to all that are round +about us. + +9:17. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the supplication of thy servant, +and his prayers: and shew thy face upon thy sanctuary, which is +desolate, for thy own sake. + +9:18. Incline, O my God, thy ear, and hear: open thy eyes, and see our +desolation, and the city upon which thy name is called: for it is not +for our justifications that we present our prayers before thy face, but +for the multitude of thy tender mercies. + +9:19. O Lord, hear: O Lord, be appeased: hearken, and do: delay not, for +thy own sake, O my God: because thy name is invocated upon thy city, and +upon thy people. + +9:20. Now while I was yet speaking, and praying, and confessing my sins, +and the sins of my people of Israel, and presenting my supplications in +the sight of my God, for the holy mountain of my God: + +9:21. As I was yet speaking in prayer, behold the man, Gabriel, whom I +had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly, touched me at +the time of the evening sacrifice. + +The man Gabriel... The angel Gabriel in the shape of a man. + +9:22. And he instructed me, and spoke to me, and said: O Daniel, I am +now come forth to teach thee, and that thou mightest understand. + +9:23. From the beginning of thy prayers the word came forth: and I am +come to shew it to thee, because thou art a man of desires: therefore, +do thou mark the word, and understand the vision. + +Man of desires... that is, ardently praying for the Jews then in +captivity. + +9:24. Seventy weeks are shortened upon thy people, and upon thy holy +city, that transgression may be finished, and sin may have an end, and +iniquity may be abolished; and everlasting justice may be brought; and +vision and prophecy may be fulfilled; and the Saint of saints may be +anointed. + +Seventy weeks... Viz., of years, (or seventy times seven, that is, 490 +years,) are shortened; that is, fixed and determined, so that the time +shall be no longer. + +9:25. Know thou, therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth +of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ, the prince, there +shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built +again, and the walls, in straitness of times. + +From the going forth of the word, etc... That is, from the twentieth +year of king Artaxerxes, when by his commandment Nehemias rebuilt the +walls of Jerusalem, 2 Esd. 2. From which time, according to the best +chronology, there were just sixty-nine weeks of years, that is, 483 +years to the baptism of Christ, when he first began to preach and +execute the office of Messias.-Ibid. In straitness of times... angustia +temporum: which may allude both to the difficulties and opposition they +met with in building: and to the shortness of the time in which they +finished the wall, viz., fifty-two days. + +9:26. And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people +that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people, with their leader, +that shall come, shall destroy the city, and the sanctuary: and the end +thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed +desolation. + +A people with their leader... The Romans under Titus. + +9:27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many, in one week: and in +the half of the week the victim and the sacrifice shall fail: and there +shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and the desolation +shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end. + +In the half of the week... or, in the middle of the week, etc. Because +Christ preached three years and a half: and then by his sacrifice upon +the cross abolished all the sacrifices of the law.-Ibid. The abomination +of desolation... Some understand this of the profanation of the temple +by the crimes of the Jews, and by the bloody faction of the zealots. +Others of the bringing in thither the ensigns and standard of the pagan +Romans. Others, in fine, distinguish three different times of +desolation: viz., that under Antiochus; that when the temple was +destroyed by the Romans; and the last near the end of the world under +Antichrist. To all which, as they suppose, this prophecy may have a +relation. + +Daniel Chapter 10 + +Daniel having humbled himself by fasting and penance seeth a vision, +with which he is much terrified; but he is comforted by an angel. + +10:1. In the third year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, a word was +revealed to Daniel, surnamed Baltassar, and a true word, and great +strength: and he understood the word: for there is need of understanding +in a vision. + +10:2. In those days I, Daniel, mourned the days of three weeks. + +10:3. I ate no desirable bread, and neither flesh, nor wine, entered +into my mouth, neither was I anointed with ointment: till the days of +three weeks were accomplished. + +10:4. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, I was by the +great river, which is the Tigris. + +10:5. And I lifted up my eyes, and I saw: and behold a man clothed in +linen, and his loins were girded with the finest gold: + +10:6. And his body was like the chrysolite, and his face as the +appearance of lightning, and his eyes as a burning lamp: and his arms, +and all downward even to the feet, like in appearance to glittering +brass: and the voice of his word like the voice of a multitude. + +10:7. And I, Daniel alone, saw the vision: for the men that were with me +saw it not: but an exceeding great terror fell upon them, and they fled +away, and hid themselves. + +10:8. And I, being left alone, saw this great vision: and there remained +no strength in me, and the appearance of my countenance was changed in +me, and I fainted away, and retained no strength. + +10:9. And I heard the voice of his words: and when I heard I lay in a +consternation upon my face, and my face was close to the ground. + +10:10. And behold a hand touched me, and lifted me up upon my knees, and +upon the joints of my hands. + +10:11. And he said to me: Daniel, thou man of desires, understand the +words that I speak to thee, and stand upright: for I am sent now to +thee. And when he had said this word to me, I stood trembling. + +10:12. And he said to me: Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that +thou didst set thy heart to understand, to afflict thyself in the sight +of thy God, thy words have been heard: and I am come for thy words. + +10:13. But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and +twenty days: and behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help +me, and I remained there by the king of the Persians. + +The prince, etc... That is, the angel guardian of Persia: who according +to his office, seeking the spiritual good of the Persians was desirous +that many of the Jews should remain among them. + +10:14. But I am come to teach thee what things shall befall thy people +in the latter days, for as yet the vision is for days. + +10:15. And when he was speaking such words to me, I cast down my +countenance to the ground, and held my peace. + +10:16. And behold as it were the likeness of a son of man touched my +lips: then I opened my mouth and spoke, and said to him that stood +before me: O my lord, at the sight of thee my joints are loosed, and no +strength hath remained in me. + +10:17. And how can the servant of my lord speak with my lord? for no +strength remaineth in me; moreover, my breath is stopped. + +10:18. Therefore, he that looked like a man, touched me again, and +strengthened me. + +10:19. And he said: Fear not, O man of desires, peace be to thee: take +courage, and be strong. And when he spoke to me, I grew strong, and I +said: Speak, O my lord, for thou hast strengthened me. + +10:20. And he said: Dost thou know wherefore I am come to thee? And now +I will return, to fight against the prince of the Persians. When I went +forth, there appeared the prince of the Greeks coming. + +10:21. But I will tell thee what is set down in the scripture of truth: +and none is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince. + +Michael your prince... The guardian general of the church of God. + +Daniel Chapter 11 + +The angel declares to Daniel many things to come, with regard to the +Persian and Grecian kings: more especially with regard to Antiochus as a +figure of Antichrist. + +11:1. And from the first year of Darius, the Mede, I stood up, that he +might be strengthened, and confirmed. + +11:2. And now I will shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand yet +three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be enriched exceedingly +above them all: and when he shall be grown mighty by his riches, he +shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. + +Three kings... Viz., Cambyses, Smerdes Magus, and Darius, the son of +Hystaspes.-Ibid. The fourth... Xerxes. + +11:3. But there shall rise up a strong king, and shall rule with great +power: and he shall do what he pleaseth. + +A strong king... Alexander. + +11:4. And when he shall come to his height, his kingdom shall be broken, +and it shall be divided towards the four winds of the heaven: but not to +his posterity, nor according to his power with which he ruled. For his +kingdom shall be rent in pieces, even for strangers, besides these. + +11:5. And the king of the south shall be strengthened, and one of his +princes shall prevail over him, and he shall rule with great power: for +his dominions shall be great. + +The king of the south... Ptolemeus the son of Lagus, king of Egypt, +which lies south of Jerusalem.-Ibid. One of his princes... that is, one +of Alexander's princes, shall prevail over him: that is, shall be +stronger than the king of Egypt. He speaks of Seleucus Nicator, king of +Asia and Syria, whose successors are here called the kings of the north, +because their dominions lay to the north in respect to Jerusalem. + +11:6. And after the end of years they shall be in league together: and +the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the +north to make friendship, but she shall not obtain the strength of the +arm, neither shall her seed stand: and she shall be given up, and her +young men that brought her, and they that strengthened her in these +times. + +The daughter of the king of the south... Viz., Berenice, daughter of +Ptolemeus Philadelphus, given in marriage to Antiochus Theos, grandson +of Seleucus. + +11:7. And a plant of the bud of her roots shall stand up: and he shall +come with an army, and shall enter into the province of the king of the +north: and he shall abuse them, and shall prevail. + +A plant, etc... Ptolemeus Evergetes, the son of Philadelphus. + +11:8. And he shall also carry away captive into Egypt their gods, and +their graven things, and their precious vessels of gold and silver: he +shall prevail aginst the king of the north. + +The king of the north... Seleucus Callinicus. + +11:9. And the king of the south shall enter into the kingdom, and shall +return to his own land. + +11:10. And his sons shall be provoked, and they shall assemble a +multitude of great forces: and he shall come with haste like a flood: +and he shall return, and be stirred up, and he shall join battle with +his force. + +His sons... Seleucus Ceraunius, and Antiochus the Great, the sons of +Callinicus.-Ibid. He shall come... Viz., Antiochus the Great. + +11:11. And the king of the south being provoked, shall go forth, and +shall fight against the king of the north, and shall prepare an +exceeding great multitude, and a multitude shall be given into his +hands. + +The king of the south... Ptolemeus Philopator, son of Evergetes. + +11:12. And he shall take a multitude, and his heart shall be lifted up, +and he shall cast down many thousands: but he shall not prevail. + +11:13. For the king of the north shall return, and shall prepare a +multitude much greater than before: and in the end of times, and years, +he shall come in haste with a great army, and much riches. + +11:14. And in those times many shall rise up against the king of the +south, and the children of prevaricators of thy people shall lift up +themselves to fulfil the vision, and they shall fall. + +11:15. And the king of the north shall come, and shall cast up a mount, +and shall take the best fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall +not withstand, and his chosen ones shall rise up to resist, and they +shall not have strength. + +11:16. And he shall come upon him, and do according to his pleasure, and +there shall be none to stand against his face: and he shall stand in the +glorious land, and it shall be consumed by his hand. + +He shall come upon him... Viz., Antiochus shall come upon the king of +the south.-Ibid. The glorious land... Judea. + +11:17. And he shall set his face to come to possess all his kingdom, and +he shall make upright conditions with him: and he shall give him a +daughter of women, to overthrow it: and she shall not stand, neither +shall she be for him. + +All his kingdom... Viz., all the kingdom of Ptolemeus Epiphanes, son of +Philopator.-Ibid. A daughter of women... That is, a most beautiful +woman, viz., his daughter Cleopatra.-Ibid. To overthrow it... Viz., the +kingdom of Epiphanes: but his policy shall not succeed; for Cleopatra +shall take more to heart the interest of her husband, than that of her +father. + +11:18. And he shall turn his face to the islands, and shall take many: +and he shall cause the prince of his reproach to cease, and his reproach +shall be turned upon him. + +The prince of his reproach... Seipio the Roman general, called the +prince of his reproach, because he overthrew Antiochus, and obliged him +to submit to very dishonourable terms, before he would cease from the +war. + +11:19. And he shall turn his face to the empire of his own land, and he +shall stumble, and fall, ans shall not be found. + +11:20. And there shall stand up in his place one most vile, and unworthy +of kingly honour: and in a few days he shall be destroyed, not in rage +nor in battle. + +One most vile... Seleucus Philopator, who sent Heliodorus to plunder the +temple: and was shortly after slain by the same Heliodorus. + +11:21. And there shall stand up in his place one despised, and the +kingly honour shall not be given him: and he shall come privately, and +shall obtain the kingdom by fraud. + +One despised... Viz., Antiochus Epiphanes, who at first was despised and +not received for king. What is here said of this prince, is accommodated +by St. Jerome and others to Antichrist; of whom this Antiochus was a +figure. + +11:22. And the arms of the fighter shall be overcome before his face, +and shall be broken: yea, also the prince of the covenant. + +Of the fighter... That is, of them that shall oppose him, and shall +fight against him.-Ibid. The prince of the covenant... or, of the +league. The chief of them that conspired against him: or the king of +Egypt his most powerful adversary. + +11:23. And after friendships, he will deal deceitfully with him: and he +shall go up, and shall overcome with a small people. + +11:24. And he shall enter into rich and plentiful cities: and he shall +do that which his fathers never did, nor his fathers' fathers: he shall +scatter their spoils, and their prey, and their riches, and shall +forecast devices against the best fenced places: and this until a time. + +11:25. And his strength, and his heart, shall be stirred up aginst the +king of the south, with a great army: and the king of the south shall be +stirred up to battle with many and very strong succours: and they shall +not stand, for they shall form designs against him. + +The king... Ptolemeus Philometor. + +11:26. And they that eat bread with him, shall destroy him, and his army +shall be overthrown: and many shall fall down slain. + +11:27. And the heart of the two kings shall be to do evil, and they +shall speak lies at one table, and they shall not prosper: because as +yet the end is unto another time. + +11:28. And he shall return into his land with much riches: and his heart +shall be aginst the holy covenant, and he shall succeed, and shall +return into his own land. + +11:29. At the time appointed he shall return, and he shall come to the +south, but the latter time shall not be like the former. + +11:30. And the galleys and the Romans shall come upon him, and he shall +be struck, and shall return, and shall have indignation against +the covenant of the sanctuary, and he shall succeed: and he shall +return, and shall devise against them that have forsaken the covenant +of the sanctuary. + +The galleys and the Romans... Popilius, and the other Roman ambassadors, +who came in galleys, and obliged him to depart from Egypt. + +11:31. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall defile the +sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice: and +they shall place there the abomination unto desolation. + +They shall place there the abomination, etc... The idol of Jupiter +Olympius, which Antiochus ordered to be set up in the sanctuary of the +temple: which is here called the sanctuary of strength, from the +Almighty that was worshipped there. + +11:32. And such as deal wickedly against the covenant shall deceitfully +dissemble: but the people that know their God shall prevail and succeed. + +11:33. And they that are learned among the people shall teach many: and +they shall fall by the sword, and by fire, and by captivity, and by +spoil for many days. + +11:34. And when they shall have fallen, they shall be relieved with a +small help: and many shall be joined to them deceitfully. + +11:35. And some of the learned shall fall, that they may be tried, and +may be chosen, and made white, even to the appointed time: because yet +there shall be another time. + +11:36. And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall be +lifted up, and shall magnify himself against every god: and he shall +speak great things against the God of gods, and shall prosper, till the +wrath be accomplished. For the determination is made. + +11:37. And he shall make no account of the God of his fathers: and he +shall follow the lust of women, and he shall not regard any gods: for he +shall rise up against all things. + +11:38. But he shall worship the god Maozim, in his place: and a god whom +his fathers knew not, he shall worship with gold, and silver, and +precious stones, and things of great price. + +The god Maozim... That is, the god of forces or strong holds. + +11:39. And he shall do this to fortify Maozim with a strange god, whom +he hath acknowledged, and he shall increase glory, and shall give them +power over many, and shall divide the land gratis. + +And he shall increase glory, etc... He shall bestow honours, riches and +lands, upon them that shall worship his god. + +11:40. And at the time prefixed the king of the south shall fight +against him, and the king of the north shall come against him like a +tempest, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a great navy, and he +shall enter into the countries, and shall destroy, and pass through. + +11:41. And he shall enter into the glorious land, and many shall fall: +and these only shall be saved out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the +principality of the children of Ammon. + +11:42. And he shall lay his hand upon the lands: and the land of Egypt +shall not escape. + +11:43. And he shall have power over the treasures of gold, and of +silver, and all the precious things of Egypt: and he shall pass through +Lybia, and Ethiopia. + +11:44. And tidings out of the east, and out of the north, shall trouble +him: and he shall come with a great multitude to destroy and slay many. + +11:45. And he shall fix his tabernacle, Apadno, between the seas, upon a +glorious and holy mountain: and he shall come even to the top thereof, +and none shall help him. + +Apadno... Some take it for the proper name of a place: others, from the +Hebrew, translate it his palace. + +Daniel Chapter 12 + +Michael shall stand up for the people of God: with other things relating +to Antichrist, and the end of the world. + +12:1. But at that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince, who +standeth for the children of thy people: and a time shall come, such as +never was from the time that nations began, even until that time. And at +that time shall thy people be saved, every one that shall be found +written in the book. + +12:2. And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall +awake: some unto life everlasting, and others unto reproach, to see it +always. + +12:3. But they that are learned, shall shine as the brightness of the +firmament: and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all +eternity. + +Learned... Viz., in the law of God and true wisdom, which consists in +knowing and loving God. + +12:4. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to +the time appointed: many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be +manifold. + +12:5. And I, Daniel, looked, and behold as it were two others stood: one +on this side upon the bank of the river, and another on that side, on +the other bank of the river. + +12:6. And I said to the man that was clothed in linen, that stood upon +the waters of the river: How long shall it be to the end of these +wonders? + +12:7. And I heard the man that was clothed in linen, that stood upon the +waters of the river, when he had lifted up his right hand, and his left +hand to heaven, and had sworn by him that liveth for ever, that it +should be unto a time, and times, and half a time. And when the +scattering of the band of the holy people shall be accomplished, all +these things shall be finished. + +12:8. And I heard, and understood not. And I said: O my lord, what shall +be after these things? + +12:9. And he said: Go, Daniel, because the words are shut up, and sealed +until the appointed time. + +12:10. Many shall be chosen, and made white, and shall be tried as fire: +and the wicked shall deal wickedly, and none of the wicked shall +understand, but the learned shall understand. + +12:11. And from the time when the continual sacrifice shall be taken +away, and the abomination unto desolation shall be set up, there shall +be a thousand two hundred ninety days. + +12:12. Blessed is he that waitesth, and cometh unto a thousand three +hundred thirty-five days. + +12:13. But go thou thy ways until the time appointed: and thou shalt +rest, and stand in thy lot unto the end of the days. + +Daniel Chapter 13 + +The history of Susanna and the two elders. + +This history of Susanna, in all the ancient Greek and Latin Bibles, was +placed in the beginning of the book of Daniel: till St. Jerome, in his +translation, detached it from thence; because he did not find it in the +Hebrew: which is also the case of the history of Bel and the Dragon. But +both the one and the other are received by the Catholic Church: and were +from the very beginning a part of the Christian Bible. + +13:1. Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was +Joakim: + +13:2. And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of +Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God. + +13:3. For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter +according to the law of Moses. + +13:4. Now Joakim was very rich, and had an orchard near his house: and +the Jews resorted to him, because he was the most honourable of them +all. + +13:5. And there were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges +that year, of whom the Lord said: That iniquity came out from Babylon, +from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people. + +13:6. These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that hand any +matters of judgment came to them. + +13:7. And when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and +walked in her husband's orchard. + +13:8. And the old men saw her going in every day, and walking: and they +were inflamed with lust towards her: + +13:9. And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, +that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments. + +13:10. So they were both wounded with the love of her, yet they did not +make known their grief one to the other. + +13:11. For they were ashamed to declare to one another their lust, being +desirous to have to do with her: + +13:12. And they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to +the other: + +13:13. Let us now go home, for it is dinner time. So going out, they +departed one from another. + +13:14. And turning back again, they came both to the same place: and +asking one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: and then +they agreed together upon a time, when they might find her alone. + +13:15. And it fell out, as they watched a fit day, she went in on a +time, as yesterday and the day before, with two maids only, and was +desirous to wash herself in the orchard: for it was hot weather. + +13:16. And there was nobody there, but the two old men that had hid +themselves, and were beholding her. + +13:17. So she said to the maids: Bring me oil, and washing balls, and +shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me. + +13:18. And they did as she bade them: and they shut the doors of the +orchard, and went out by a back door to fetch what she had commanded +them, and they knew not that the elders were hid within. + +13:19. Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and ran +to her, and said: + +13:20. Behold the doors of the orchard are shut, and nobody seeth us, +and we are in love with thee: wherefore consent to us, and lie with us. + +13:21. But if thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a +young man was with thee, and therefore thou didst send away thy maids +form thee. + +13:22. Susanna sighed, and said: I am straitened on every side: for if I +do this thing, it is death to me: and if I do it not, I shall not escape +your hands. + +13:23. But it is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, +than to sin in the sight of the Lord. + +13:24. With that Susanna cried out with a loud voice: and the elders +also cried out against her. + +13:25. And one of them ran to the door of the orchard, and opened it. + +13:26. So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the orchard, +they rushed in by the back door, to see what was the matter. + +13:27. But after the old men had spoken, the servants were greatly +ashamed: for never had there been any such word said of Susanna. And on +the next day, + +13:28. When the people were come to Joakim, her husband, the two elders +also came full of wicked device against Susanna, to put her to death. + +13:29. And they said before the people: Send to Susanna, daughter of +Helcias, the wife of Joakim. And presently they sent. + +13:30. And she came with her parents, and children and all her kindred. + +13:31. Now Susanna was exceeding delicate, and beautiful to behold. + +13:32. But those wicked men commanded that her face should be uncovered, +(for she was covered) that so at least they might be satisfied with her +beauty. + +13:33. Therefore her friends, and all her acquaintance wept. + +13:34. But the two elders rising up in the midst of the people, laid +their hands upon her head. + +13:35. And she weeping, looked up to heaven, for her heart had +confidence in the Lord. + +13:36. And the elders said: As we walked in the orchard alone, this +woman came in with two maids, and shut the doors of the orchard, and +sent away the maids from her. + +13:37. Then a young man that was there hid came to her, and lay with +her. + +13:38. But we that were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this +wickedness, ran up to them, and we saw them lie together. + +13:39. And him indeed we could not take, because he was stronger than +us, and opening the doors, he leaped out: + +13:40. But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but +she would not tell us: of this thing we are witnesses. + +13:41. The multitude believed them, as being the elders, and the judges +of the people, and they condemned her to death. + +13:42. Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said: O eternal +God, who knowest hidden things, who knowest all things before they come +to pass, + +13:43. Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me: and +behold I must die, whereas I have done none of these things, which these +men have maliciously forged against me. + +13:44. And the Lord heard her voice. + +13:45. And when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the +holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel: + +13:46. And he cried out with a loud voice: I am clear from the blood of +this woman. + +13:47. Then all the people turning themselves towards him, said: What +meaneth this word that thou hast spoken? + +13:48. But he standing in the midst of them, said: Are ye so foolish, ye +children of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth, +you have condemned a daughter of Israel? + +13:49. Return to judgment, for they have borne false witness against +her. + +13:50. So all the people turned again in haste, and the old men said to +him: Come, and sit thou down among us, and shew it us: seeing God hath +given thee the honour of old age. + +13:51. And Daniel said to the people: Separate these two far from one +another, and I will examine them. + +13:52. So when they were put asunder one from the other, he called one +of them, and said to him: O thou that art grown old in evil days, now +are thy sins come out, which thou hast committed before: + +13:53. In judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and letting +the guilty to go free, whereas the Lord saith: The innocent and the just +thou shalt not kill. + +13:54. Now then if thou sawest her, tell me under what tree thou sawest +them conversing together: He said: Under a mastic tree. + +13:55. And Daniel said: Well hast thou lied against thy own head: for +behold the angel of God having received the sentence of him, shall cut +thee in two. + +13:56. And having put him aside, he commanded that the other should +come, and he said to him: O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, +beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thy heart: + +13:57. Thus did you do to the daughters of Israel, and they for fear +conversed with you: but a daughter of Juda would not abide your +wickedness. + +13:58. Now, therefore, tell me, under what tree didst thou take them +conversing together. And he answered: Under a holm tree. + +13:59. And Daniel said to him: Well hast thou also lied against thy own +head: for the angel of the Lord waiteth with a sword to cut thee in two, +and to destroy you. + +13:60. With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and they +blessed God, who saveth them that trust in him. + +13:61. And they rose up against the two elders, (for Daniel had +convicted them of false witness by their own mouth) and they did to them +as they had maliciously dealt against their neighbour, + +13:62. To fulfil the law of Moses: and they put them to death, and +innocent blood was saved in that day. + +13:63. But Helcias, and his wife, praised God, for their daughter, +Susanna, with Joakim, her husband, and all her kindred, because there +was no dishonesty found in her. + +13:64. And Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, +and thence forward. + +13:65. And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers; and Cyrus, the +Persian, received his kingdom. + +Daniel Chapter 14 + +The history of Bel, and of the great serpent worshipped by the +Babylonians. + +14:1. And Daniel was the king's guest, and was honoured above all his +friends. + +The king's guest... It seems most probable, that the king here spoken of +was Evilmerodach, the son and successor of Nabuchodonosor, and a great +favourer of the Jews. + +14:2. Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel: and there was spent +upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, +and six vessels of wine. + +14:3. The king also worshipped him, and went every day to adore him: but +Daniel adored his God. And the king said to him: Why dost thou not adore +Bel? + +14:4. And he answered, and said to him: Because I do not worship idols +made with hands, but the living God, that created heaven and earth, and +hath power over all flesh. + +14:5. And the king said to him: Doth not Bel seem to thee to be a living +god? Seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day? + +14:6. Then Daniel smiled, and said: O king, be not deceived: for this is +but clay within, and brass without, neither hath he eaten at any time. + +14:7. And the king being angry, called for his priests, and said to +them: If you tell me not who it is that eateth up these expenses, you +shall die. + +14:8. But if you can shew that Bel eateth these things, Daniel shall +die, because he hath blasphemed against Bel. And Daniel said to the +king: Be it done according to thy word. + +14:9. Now the priests of Bel were seventy, beside their wives, and +little ones, and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple +of Bel. + +14:10. And the priests of Bel said: Behold, we go out: and do thou, O +king, set on the meats, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast, +and seal it with thy own ring: + +14:11. And when thou comest in the morning, if thou findest not that Bel +hath eaten up all, we will suffer death, or else Daniel, that hath lied +against us. + +14:12. And they little regarded it, because they had made under the +table a secret entrance, and they always came in by it, and consumed +those things. + +14:13. So it came to pass after they were gone out, the king set the +meats before Bel: and Daniel commanded his servants, and they brought +ashes, and he sifted them all over the temple before the king: and going +forth, they shut the door, and having sealed it with the king's ring, +they departed. + +14:14. But the priests went in by night, according to their custom, with +their wives, and their children: and they eat and drank up all. + +14:15. And the king arose early in the morning, and Daniel with him. + +14:16. And the king said: Are the seals whole, Daniel? And he answered: +They are whole, O king. + +14:17. And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the +table, and cried out with a loud voice: Great art thou, O Bel, and there +is not any deceit with thee. + +14:18. And Daniel laughed: and he held the king, that he should not go +in: and he said: Behold the pavement, mark whose footsteps these are. + +14:19. And the king said: I see the footsteps of men, and women, and +children. And the king was angry. + +14:20. Then he took the priests, and their wives, and their children: +and they shewed him the private doors by which they came in, and +consumed the things that were on the table. + +14:21. The king, therefore, put them to death, and delivered Bel into +the power of Daniel: who destroyed him and his temple. + +14:22. And there was a great dragon in that place, and the Babylonians +worshipped him. + +14:23. And the king said to Daniel: Behold, thou canst not say now, that +this is not a living god: adore him, therefore. + +14:24. And Daniel said: I adore the Lord, my God: for he is the living +God: but that is no living god. + +14:25. But give me leave, O king, and I will kill this dragon without +sword or club. And the king said, I give thee leave. + +14:26. Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and boiled them +together: and he made lumps, and put them into the dragon's mouth, and +the dragon burst asunder. And he said: Behold him whom you worship. + +14:27. And when the Babylonians had heard this, they took great +indignation: and being gathered together against the king, they said: +The king is become a Jew. He hath destroyed Bel, he hath killed the +dragon, and he hath put the priests to death. + +14:28. And they came to the king, and said: Deliver us Daniel, or else +we will destroy thee and thy house. + +14:29. And the king saw that they pressed upon him violently: and being +constrained by necessity: he delivered Daniel to them. + +14:30. And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there six +days. + +The den of lions... Daniel was twice cast into the den of lions; one +under Darius the Mede, because he had transgressed the king's edict, by +praying three times a day: and another time under Evilmerodach by a +sedition of the people. This time he remained six days in the lions' +den; the other time only one night. + +14:31. And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them +two carcasses every day, and two sheep: but then they were not given +unto them, that they might devour Daniel. + +14:32. Now there was in Judea a prophet called Habacuc, and he had +boiled pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl: and was going into the +field, to carry it to the reapers. + +Habacuc... The same, as some think whose prophecy is found among the +lesser prophets but others believe him to be different. + +14:33. And the angel of the Lord said to Habacuc: Carry the dinner which +thou hast into Babylon, to Daniel, who is in the lions' den. + +14:34. And Habacuc said: Lord, I never saw Babylon, nor do I know the +den. + +14:35. And the angel of the Lord took him by the top of his head, and +carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon, over the +den, in the force of his spirit. + +14:36. And Habacuc cried, saying: O Daniel, thou servant of God, take +the dinner that God hath sent thee. + +14:37. And Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God, and thou hast +not forsaken them that love thee. + +14:38. And Daniel arose, and eat. And the angel of the Lord presently +set Habacuc again in his own place. + +14:39. And upon the seventh day the king came to bewail Daniel: and he +came to the den, and looked in, and behold Daniel was sitting in the +midst of the lions. + +14:40. And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying: Great art thou, +O Lord, the God of Daniel. And he drew him out of the lions' den. + +14:41. But those that had been the cause of his destruction, he cast +into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before him. + +14:42. Then the king said: Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth +fear the God of Daniel: for he is the Saviour, working signs, and +wonders in the earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den. + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE BIBLE, DOUAY-RHEIMS, BOOK 32 *** + +*********** This file should be named 8332.txt or 8332.zip *********** + +Produced by David Widger + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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