THE GREEK AND LATIN BIBLES IN THE BOOKS OF DANIEL AND ESTHER CONTAIN NARRATIVES AND POEMS MISSING FROM THE HEBREW BIBLE; IN THE MODERN EDITIONS OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE ARE TAKEN OUT OF THEIR CONTACTS AND PRINTED AMONG THE APOCRYPHA. THE ADDITIONS TO DANIEL HAVE COME DOWN TO US IN TWO QUITE DIFFERENT GREEK RECENSIONS: THE SO CALLED "SEPTUAGINT" (LXX) TEXT HAS SURVIVED IN A SINGLE MANUSCRIPT OF THE NINTH CENTURY. NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING UNTO ALL PEOPLE, NATIONS, LANGUAGES, THAT DWELL IN ALL THE EARTH.:
PEACE BE MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU. I THOUGHT IT GOOD TO SHOW THE SIGNS AND WONDERS THAT THE HIGH GOD HATH WROUGHT TOWARDS ME. HOW GREAT ARE HIS SIGNS! AND HOW MIGHTY HIS WONDERS! HIS KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND HIS DOMINION IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
I NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS AT REST IN MINE HOUSE AND FLOURISHING IN MY PALACE. I SAW A DREAM WHICH MADE ME AFRAID, AND THE THOUGHTS UPON MY BED AND THE VISIONS IN MY HEAD TROUBLED ME. THEREFORE I MADE A DECREE TO BRING IN ALL THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON BEFORE ME, THAT THEY MIGHT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM. THEN CAME IN THE MAGICIANS, THE ASTROLOGERS, THE CHALDEANS, AND SOOTHSAYERS: AND I TOLD THE DREAM BEFORE THEM; BUT THEY DID NOT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF.
BUT AT LAST DANIEL CAME IN BEFORE ME, WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR , ACCORDING TO THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND IN WHOM IS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods: AND BEFORE HIM AND I TOLD THE DREAM, SAYING: O BELTESHAZZAR, A ACCORDING TO THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND IN WHOM IS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GODS: AND BEFORE HIM I TOLD THE DREAM., SAYING, O BELTESHAZZAR, MASTER OF THE MAGICIANS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods IS IN THEE, AND, AND NO SECRET TROUBLES THEE, TELL ME THE VISIONS OF MY DREAM THAT I HAVE SEEN, AND THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF. THUS WERE THE VISIONS OF MY HEAD IN MY BED: I SAW, AND BEHELD A TREE IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEIGHT THEREOF WAS GREAT. THE TREE GREW, AND WAS STRONG, AND THE HEIGHT THEREOF REACHED INTO HEAVEN , AND THE SIGHT THEREOF TO THE END OF ALL THE EARTH. THE LEAVES THEREOF WERE FAIR, AND THE FRUIT THEREOF MUCH, AND IN IT WAS MEAT FOR ALL: THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD HAD SHADOW UNDER IT., AND THE FOWLS OF HEAVEN DWELT IN THE BOUGHS THEREOF, AND ALL FLESH WAS FED OF IT. I SAW THE VISIONS IN MY HEAD UPON MY BED,
AND , BEHOLD, A WATCHER AND A HOLY ONE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. HE CRIED ALOUD, AND SAID THUS, '"HEW DOWN THE TREE, CUT OFF HIS BRANCHES,
SHAKE OFF HIS LEAVES, AND SCATTER HIS FRUIT: LET THE BEASTS GET AWAY FROM UNDER IT. AND THE FOWLS FROM HIS BRANCHES: NEVERTHELESS LEAVE THE STUMP OF HIS ROOTS IN THE EARTH., EVEN WITH A BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, IN THE TENDER GRASS OF THE FIELD AND LET IT BE WET WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND LET HIS PORTION BE WITH THE BEASTS IN THE GREEN OF THE EARTH: LET HIS HEART BE CHANGED FROM MAN'S. AND LET A BEAST'S HEART BE GIVEN UNTO HIM;
LET SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM. THIS MATTER I BY THE DECREE OF THE WATCHERS AND THE DEMAND OF OF THE HOLY ONES: TO THE INTENT THAT THE LIVING MAY KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL, AND SETTETH UP OVER IT THE BASEST OF MEN. THIS DREAM I KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAVE SEEN NOW THOU, O BELTESHAZZAR, DECLARE THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, FORASMUCH AS ALL THE WISE MEN OF MINE KINGDOM ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION: BUT THOU ARE ART ABLE; FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods IS IN THEE."
THEN DANIEL, WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR, WAS ASTONISHED FOR ONE HOUR, AND HIS THOUGHTS TROUBLED HIM. THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID, BELTESHAZZAR LET NOT THE DREAM, OR THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, TROUBLE THEE. BELTESHAZZAR ANSWERED AND SAID, " MY LORD, THE DREAM BE TO THEM THAT HATE THEE, AND THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF TO THINE ENEMIES. THE TREE THOU SAWEST, WHICH GREW, AND WAS STRONG, WHOSE HEIGHT REACHED UNTO THE HEAVEN, AND THE SIGHT THEREOF TO ALL THE EARTH, WHOSE LEAVES WERE FAIR, AND THE FIRST FRUIT THEREOF MUCH, AND IN WAS MEAT FOR ALL.; UNDER WHICH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND UPON WHOSE BRANCHES THE FOWLS OF THE HEAVEN HAD THEIR HABITATION: IT IS THOU O KING, THOU ART GROWN AND BECOME STRONG: FOR THY GREATNESS IS GROWN, AND REACHETH INTO HEAVEN AND THY DOMINION TO THE END OF THY EARTH. AND WHEREAS THE KING SAW A WATCHER AND A HOLY ONE COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND SAYING, 'HEW THE TREE DOWN, AND DESTROY IT; YET LEAVE THE STUMP OF THE ROOTS THEREOF IN THE EARTH, EVEN WITH A BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, IN THE TENDER GRASS OF THE FIELD; AND LET IT BE WET WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND LET HIS PORTION BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, TILL SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM.': THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION, O : KING AND THIS IS THE DECREE OF THE MOST HIGH, WHICH IS COME UPON MY LORD THE KING: THAT THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN, AND THY DWELLING SHALL BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THEY SHALL MAKE THEE TO EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND THEY SHALL WET THEE WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND SEVEN TIMES SHALL PASS OVER THEE, TILL THOU KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, GIVETH IT TO MEN TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL. AND WHEREAS THEY COMMANDED TO LEAVE THE STUMP OF THE TREE ROOTS; THY KINGDOM SHALL BE SURE UNTO THEE, AFTER THAT THOU SHALL HAVE KNOWN THAT THE HEAVENS DO RULE. WHEREFORE, O KING, LET MY COUNSEL BE ACCEPTABLE UNTO THEE, AND BREAK OFF THY SINS BY RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THINE INIQUITIES BY SHOWING MERCY TO THE POOR, IF IT MAY BE A LENGTHENING OF THY TRANQUILLITY." ALL THIS CAME UPON THE KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR. AT THE END OF TWELVE MONTHS HE WALKED IN THE PALACE OF THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON. THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID, " IS NOT THIS GREAT BABYLON, THAT I HAVE BUILT FOR THE HOUSE OF THE KINGDOM BY THE MIGHT OF MY POWER, AND FOR THE HONOR OF MY MAJESTY? " WHILE THE WORD WAS IN THE KING'S MOUTH, THERE FELL A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, 'O KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR TO THEE IT IS SPOKEN: " THE KINGDOM IS DEPARTED FROM THEE AND THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN, AND THY DWELLING SHALL BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD: THEY SHALL MAKE THEE TO EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND SEVEN TIMES SHALL PASS OVER THEE, UNTIL THOU KNOW THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL."
THE SAME HOUR WAS THE THING FULFILLED UPON NEBUCHADNEZZAR: AND HE WAS DRIVEN FROM MEN AND DID EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND HIS BODY WAS WET WITH THE DEW FROM HEAVEN, TILL HIS HAIRS WERE GROWN LIKE EAGLES FEATHERS, AND HIS NAILS LIKE BIRDS CLAWS. AT THE END OF THE DAYS I NEBUCHADNEZZAR LIFTED P MY EYES UNTO HEAVEN, MINE UNDERSTANDING RETURNED TO ME, AND I BLESSED THE MOST HIGH, AND I PRAISED AND HONOURED HIM THAT LIVETH FOR EVER, WHOSE DOMINION IS AN EVERLASTING DOMINION, AND HIS KINGDOM IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. BELSHAZZAR THE KING MADE A GREAT FEAST TO A THOUSAND OF HIS LORDS, AND DRANK WINE BEFORE THE THOUSAND. BELSHAZZAR, WHILE HE TASTED THE WINE, COMMANDED TO BRING THE GOLDEN AND SILVER VESSELS WHICH HIS FATHER NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD TAKEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE WHICH WAS IN JERUSALEM; THAT THE KING,AND HIS PRINCES, HIS WIVES, AND HIS CONCUBINES, AND PRAISED THE GODS OF GOLD AND SILVER, OF BRASS, OF IRON, OF WOOD, AND OF STONE, BIG MISTAKE!
IN THE SAME HOUR CAME FORTH FINGERS OF A MAN'S HAND, AND WROTE OVER AGAINST THE CANDLE STICK UPON THE PLASTER OF THE WALL OF THE KING'S PALACE: AND THE KING SAW THE PART OF THE HAND THAT WROTE. THEN THE KING'S COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED, AND IS THOUGHTS TROUBLED HIM, SO THAT THE JOINTS OF HIS LOINS WERE LOOSED, AND HIS KNEES SMOTE ONE AGAINST ANOTHER. THE KING CRIED ALOUD TO BRING ASTROLOGERS, THE CHALDEANS, AND THE SOOTHSAYERS. AND THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID TO THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON, " WHOSOEVER SHALL READ THIS WRITING, AND SHOW ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, SHALL BE CLOTHED WITH SCARLET, AND HAVE A GOLD CHAIN ABOUT HIS NECK, AND SHALL BE THE THIRD RULER IN THE KINGDOM. NO ONE WAS FOUND TO READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL NOR MAKE KNOWN TO THE KING THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF. HIS COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED IN HIM. AND HIS LORDS WERE ASTONISHED. NOW THE QUEEN BY REASON OF THE KINGS WORDS, SPOKE " O LORD LIVE FOREVER; AND LET THY THOUGHTS NOT TROUBLE THEE, NOR LET THY COUNTENANCE BE CHANGED. THERE IS A MAN IN THE KINGDOM, IN WHOM THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods; IN YOUR FATHER'S TIME GAVE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING FOUND IN DANIEL.DANIEL WAS BROUGHT FORTH TO THE KING WHO SAID :" ART THOU THAT DANIEL, WHICH ART OF THE CHILDREN OF THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH. NOW THE WISE MEN , ASTROLOGERS, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO ME COULD NOT SHOW THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS THING AND DANIEL IF YOU CAN, YOU SHALL BE CLOTHED IN SCARLET, HAVE A CHAIN OF GOLD ABOUT THY NECK AND SHALL BE THE THIRD RULER. THE WRITING!
" AND THOU HIS SON, O BELSHAZZAR, HAS NOT HUMBLED THINE HEART, THOUGH THOU KNOWEST ALL THIS HAS BROUGHT THE VESSELS OF HIS HOUSE BEFORE THEE, AND THOU, AND THY LORDS, THY WIVES, AND THY CONCUBINES,, HAVE DRUNK WINE IN THEM, AND THOU HAS PRAISED THE gods OF SILVER, AND GOLD, OF BRASS, IRON, WOOD, AND STONE, WHICH SEE NOT, NOR HEAR, NOR KNOW; AND THE GOD IN WHOSE HAND THY BREATH IS, AND WHOSE ARE ALL THY WAYS, HAST THOU NOT GLORIFIED: " THEN WAS THE PART OF THE HAND SENT FROM HIM AND THIS WRITING WAS WRITTEN. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL,, UPHARSIN. THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION OF THE THING: "MENE": GOD HAS NUMBERED THY KINGDOM, AND FINISHED IT. "TEKEL" THOU ART WEIGHTED IN BALANCES, AND ART FOUND WANTING. "PERES": THY KINGDOM IS DIVIDED, AND GIVEN TO THE MEDES AND PERSIANS, BELSHAZZAR CLOTHED DANIEL IN SCARLET, AND PUT A CHAIN OF GOLD AROUND HIS NECK AND MADE A PROCLAMATION CONCERNING HIM, THAT HE SHOULD BE THE THIRD RULER. BELSHAZZAR IN THAT NIGHT WAS SLAIN, AND DARIUS THE MEDIAN TOOK THE KINGDOM, BEING ABOUT THREE-SCORE AND TWO YEARS OLD.
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