1 Nowe when King Astyages was laide with his fathers, Cyrus the Persian receiued his kingdome.
2 And Daniel did eat at the kings table, and was honoured aboue all his friendes.
3 Nowe the Babylonians had an idole, called Bel, and there were spent vpon him euery day, twelue [Note: Called Artaba whereof enemy one conteyned somewhat more then nine gallons, which make in all an hundreth and eight gallons at least. ] great measures of fine floure, and fourtie sheepe, and sixe great [Note: Called Metreta, and euery one of these measures conteined about ten gallons, which in all make three score. ] pots of wine.
4 And the king worshipped it, and went dayly to honor it: But Daniel worshipped his owne God. And the king saide vnto him, Why doest not thou worship Bel?
5 Who answered, and sayde, Because I may not worshippe idoles made with handes, but the liuing God, which hath created the heauen and the earth, and hath power vpon all flesh.
6 Then saide the king vnto him, Thinkest thou not that Bel is a liuing God? seest thou not howe much he eateth and drinketh euery day?
7 Then Daniel smiled and sayde, O king, be not deceiued: for this is but clay within, and brasse without, and did neuer eate any thing.
8 So the king was wroth, and called for his Priestes, and sayde vnto them, If yee tell me not, who this is that eateth vp these expences, ye shall die:
9 But if ye can certifie me that Bel eateth them, then Daniel shal die: for he hath spoken blasphemy against Bel. And Daniel sayde vnto the king, Let it be according to thy word.
10 (Nowe the Priestes of Bel were threescore and ten, beside their wiues and children:) and the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.
11 So Bels Priests saide, Behold, we will go out, and set thou the meate there, O king, and let the wine be filled: then shut the doore fast, and seale it with thine owne signet:
12 And to morowe when thou commest in, if thou findest not that Bel hath eaten vp all, we will suffer death, or els Daniel that hath lied vpon vs.
13 Nowe they thought themselues sure inough: for vnder ye table they had made a priuy entrance, [Page] and there went they in euer, and tooke away the things.
14 So when they were gone forth, the king set meates before Bel. Nowe Daniel had commaunded his seruants to bring ashes, and these they strowed throughout all the Temple, in the presence of the king alone: then went they out, and shut the doore, and sealed it with the kings signet, and so departed.
15 Nowe in the night came ye Priests, with their wiues and children, (as they were wont to do) and did eate and drinke vp all.
16 In the morning betimes, the king arose and Daniel with him.
17 And the king said, Daniel, are ye seales whole? Who answered, Yea, O king, they be whole.
18 And assoone as hee had opened the doore, the king looked vpon the table, and cryed with a loude voyce, Great art thou, O Bel, and with thee is no deceite.
19 Then laughed Daniel, and helde the king that he shoulde not goe in, and sayd, Beholde nowe the pauement, and marke well whose footesteppes are these.
20 And the king sayde, I see the footesteppes of men, women, and children: therefore the king was angrie,
21 And tooke the Priests, with their wiues, and children, and they shewed him the priuie doores, where they came in, and consumed such things as were vpon the table.
22 Therefore the king slewe them, and deliuered Bel into Daniels power, who destroied him and his temple.
23 ¶ Moreouer in that same place there was a great Dragon, which the Babylonians worshipped.
24 And the king said vnto Daniel, Sayest thou, that this is of brasse also? loe, he liueth and eateth and drinketh, so that thou canst not say, that hee is no liuing god: therefore worship him.
25 Then saide Daniel vnto the king, I will worship the Lord my God: for he is the liuing God.
26 But giue me leaue, O king, and I wil slay this Dragon without sword or staffe. And the king said, I giue thee leaue.
27 Then Daniel tooke pitch, and fat, and heare, and did seethe the together, and made lumps thereof: this hee put in the Dragons mouth, and so the Dragon burst in sunder. And Daniel sayd, Beholde, whom ye worship.
28 When the Babylonians heard it, they were wonderfull wroth, and gathered them together against the king, saying, The king is become a Iewe for he hath destroyed Bel, and hath slayne the Dragon, and put the Priests to death.
29 So they came to the king, and sayde, Deliuer vs Daniel, or else wee will destroy thee and thine house.
30 Nowe when the king sawe, that they preassed sore vpon him, and that necessitie constreined him, he deliuered Daniel vnto them:
31 Who cast him into the Lyons denne, where he was sixe dayes.
32 In the denne there were seuen Lyons, and they had giuen them euery day two bodies and two sheepe, which then were not giuen them, to the intent that they might deuoure Daniel.
33 ¶ Now there was in Iewrie a Prophet called Abbacuc, which had made pottage, and broken bread into a bowle, and was going into the fielde for to bring it to the reapers.
34 But the Angel of the Lord saide vnto Abbacuc, Goe, cary the meate that thou hast, into Babylon vnto Daniel, which is in the Lyons denne.
35 And Abbacuc said, Lord, I neuer sawe Babylon, neither doe I knowe where the denne is.
36 Then the Angel tooke him by the crowne of the head, and bare him by the heare of the head, and through a mightie winde set him in Babylon vpon the denne.
37 And Abbacuc cried, saying, O Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner that God hath sent thee.
38 Then said Daniel, O God, thou hast thought vpon mee, and thou neuer failest them that seeke thee and loue thee.
39 So Daniel arose, and did eate, and the Angel of the Lorde set Abbacuc in his owne place againe immediatly.
40 Vpon the seuenth day, the king went to bewaile Daniel: and when hee came to the denne, he looked in, and beholde, Daniel sate in the middes of the Lyons.
41 Then cried the king with a loude voyce, saying, Great art thou, O Lorde God of Daniel, and there is none other besides thee.
42 And he drew him out of the denne, and cast them that were the cause of his destruction into the denne, & they were deuoured in a moment before his face.