Daniel 14

1 King Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian succeeded to his kingdom. 2 Daniel was a companion of the king and was held in greater honor than all the king’s friends. 3 The Babylonians had an idol named Bel. Every day they spent about 18 bushels of fine flour, forty sheep, and about 36 gallons of wine on it. [a] 4 The king revered Bel and went every day to bow down to it, but Daniel bowed down to his own God. 5 The king asked Daniel, “Why do you not bow down to Bel?” Daniel answered, “Because I do not revere handmade idols. I revere the living God, who created heaven and earth and has sovereignty over every living being.” † 6 The king asked him, “Do you not think Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?” 7 Daniel laughed and said, “Do not be deceived, king. This thing is clay inside and bronze outside. It has never eaten or drunk anything.” 8 The king became angry, summoned Bel’s priests, and told them, “If you do not tell me who is consuming this food, you will die. But if you show that Bel consumes it, Daniel will die, because he has spoken blasphemy against Bel.” 9 Daniel told the king, “Let it be according to your word.” Bel had seventy priests, besides their wives and children. 10 The king went with Daniel into Bel’s temple. 11 Bel’s priests said, “Look, we are going out. King, set out the food, mix and set out the wine, shut the door, and seal it with your signet. When you come in the morning, if you do not find that Bel has eaten everything, we will die—or Daniel will, because he has spoken falsely against us.” 12 They were unconcerned, because under the table they had made a hidden entrance through which they regularly entered and consumed the offerings. 13 After they went out, the king set the food before Bel. 14 Daniel ordered his servants to bring ashes, and they spread them throughout the temple while only the king watched. Then they went out, shut the door, sealed it with the king’s signet, and left. 15 During the night, the priests came with their wives and children as usual, and they ate and drank everything. 16 The king rose early in the morning, and Daniel came with him. 17 The king asked, “Daniel, are the seals intact?” Daniel answered, “They are intact, king.” 18 As soon as the doors were opened, the king looked at the table and cried out, “You are great, Bel! There is no deceit in you at all.” 19 Daniel laughed, kept the king from going inside, and said, “Look at the floor and recognize whose footprints these are.” 20 The king said, “I see the footprints of men, women, and children.” 21 Then the king became angry and seized the priests along with their wives and children. They showed him the hidden doors through which they entered and consumed what was on the table. 22 The king killed them and handed Bel over to Daniel, who destroyed the idol and its temple.

23 There was also a great dragon, and the Babylonians revered it. 24 The king told Daniel, “You cannot say this is not a living god. Bow down to it.” 25 Daniel said, “I will bow down to the Lord my God, because he is the living God. But give me authority, king, and I will kill the dragon without sword or staff.” 26 The king said, “I give it to you.” 27 Daniel took pitch, fat, and hair, boiled them together, and made cakes. He put them into the dragon’s mouth, and when the dragon ate them, it burst open. Daniel said, “Look at the things you revere!”

28 When the Babylonians heard, they became furious and conspired against the king. They said, “The king has become a Jew! He destroyed Bel, killed the dragon, and slaughtered the priests.” 29 They came to the king and said, “Hand Daniel over to us, or we will kill you and your household.” 30 The king saw that they were putting him under severe pressure, and under compulsion he handed Daniel over to them. 31 They threw Daniel into the lions’ den, where he remained for six days. 32 There were seven lions in the den. Each day they were given two carcasses and two sheep, but now these were withheld so that the lions would devour Daniel. 33 Now in Judea there was the prophet Habakkuk. He had made a stew and broken bread into a bowl, and he was on his way to take it to the reapers in the field. 34 A messenger of the Lord told Habakkuk, “Take the meal you have to Daniel in the lions’ den in Babylon.” [b] 35 Habakkuk said, “Lord, I have never seen Babylon, and I do not know where the den is.” 36 The messenger of the Lord took hold of the crown of his head and carried him by his hair. With the rushing force of his spirit, the messenger set him down in Babylon above the den. 37 Habakkuk cried out, “Daniel! Daniel! Take the meal God has sent you.” 38 Daniel said, “You have remembered me, God, and you have not abandoned those who love you.” 39 Daniel got up and ate. The messenger of God immediately returned Habakkuk to his own place. 40 On the seventh day, the king went to mourn Daniel. When he reached the den and looked in, he saw Daniel sitting there. 41 The king cried out, “Great are you, Lord God of Daniel! There is no other besides you.” 42 He drew Daniel out and threw those responsible for his destruction into the den. They were devoured immediately before him.