Lifelight: Time Between the Testaments Session 5 Readings - Abridged. Day 1. Old Greek Esther 11:2-13:18

Transcription

1 Lifelight: Time Between the Testaments Session 5 Readings - Abridged Day 1 Old Greek Esther 11:2-13:18 11:2 In the second year of the reign of Artexerxes the great, in the first day of the month Nisan, Mardocheus the son of Jairus, the son of Semei, the son of Cisai, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream; 3 Who was a Jew, and dwelt in the city of Susa, a great man, being a servitor in the king's court. 4 He was also one of the captives, which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon carried from Jerusalem with Jechonias king of Judea; and this was his dream: 5 Behold a noise of a tumult, with thunder, and earthquakes, and uproar in the land: 6 And, behold, two great dragons came forth ready to fight, and their cry was great. 7 And at their cry all nations were prepared to battle, that they might fight against the righteous people. 8 And lo a day of darkness and obscurity, tribulation and anguish, affliction and great uproar, upon earth. 9 And the whole righteous nation was troubled, fearing their own evils, and were ready to perish. 10 Then they cried unto God, and upon their cry, as it were from a little fountain, was made a great flood, even much water. 11 The light and the sun rose up, and the lowly were exalted, and devoured the glorious. 12 Now when Mardocheus, who had seen this dream, and what God had determined to do, was awake, he bare this dream in mind, and until night by all means was desirous to know it. 12:1 And Mardocheus took his rest in the court with Gabatha and Tharra, the two eunuchs of the king, and keepers of the palace. 2 And he heard their devices, and searched out their purposes, and learned that they were about to lay hands upon Artexerxes the king; and so he certified the king of them. 3 Then the king examined the two eunuchs, and after that they had confessed it, they were strangled. 4 And the king made a record of these things, and Mardocheus also wrote thereof. 5 So the king commanded, Mardocheus to serve in the court, and for this he rewarded him. 6 Howbeit Aman the son of Amadathus the Agagite, who was in great honour with the king, sought to molest Mardocheus and his people because of the two eunuchs of the king. 13:1 The copy of the letters was this: The great king Artexerxes writeth these things to the princes and governours that are under him from India unto Ethiopia in an hundred and seven and twenty provinces. 2 After that I became lord over many nations and had dominion over the whole world, not lifted up with presumption of my authority, but carrying myself always with equity and mildness, I purposed to settle my subjects continually in a quiet life, and making my kingdom peaceable, and open for passage to the utmost coasts, to renew peace, which is desired of all men. 1

2 3 Now when I asked my counsellors how this might be brought to pass, Aman, that excelled in wisdom among us, and was approved for his constant good will and steadfast fidelity, and had the honour of the second place in the kingdom, 4 Declared unto us, that in all nations throughout the world there was scattered a certain malicious people, that had laws contrary to ail nations, and continually despised the commandments of kings, so as the uniting of our kingdoms, honourably intended by us cannot go forward. 5 Seeing then we understand that this people alone is continually in opposition unto all men, differing in the strange manner of their laws, and evil affected to our state, working all the mischief they can that our kingdom may not be firmly established: 6 Therefore have we commanded, that all they that are signified in writing unto you by Aman, who is ordained over the affairs, and is next unto us, shall all, with their wives and children, be utterly destroyed by the sword of their enemies, without all mercy and pity, the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year: 7 That they, who of old and now also are malicious, may in one day with violence go into the grave, and so ever hereafter cause our affairs to be well settled, and without trouble. 8 Then Mardocheus thought upon all the works of the Lord, and made his prayer unto him, 9 Saying, O Lord, Lord, the King Almighty: for the whole world is in thy power, and if thou hast appointed to save Israel, there is no man that can gainsay thee: 10 For thou hast made heaven and earth, and all the wondrous things under the heaven. 11 Thou art Lord of all things, and and there is no man that can resist thee, which art the Lord. 12 Thou knowest all things, and thou knowest, Lord, that it was neither in contempt nor pride, nor for any desire of glory, that I did not bow down to proud Aman. 13 For I could have been content with good will for the salvation of Israel to kiss the soles of his feet. 14 But I did this, that I might not prefer the glory of man above the glory of God: neither will I worship any but thee, O God, neither will I do it in pride. 15 And now, O Lord God and King, spare thy people: for their eyes are upon us to bring us to nought; yea, they desire to destroy the inheritance, that hath been thine from the beginning. 16 Despise not the portion, which thou hast delivered out of Egypt for thine own self. 17 Hear my prayer, and be merciful unto thine inheritance: turn our sorrow into joy, that we may live, O Lord, and praise thy name: and destroy not the mouths of them that praise thee, O Lord. 18 All Israel in like manner cried most earnestly unto the Lord, because their death was before their eyes. Day 2 Old Greek Esther :1 Queen Esther also, being in fear of death, resorted unto the Lord: 2 And laid away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments of anguish and mourning: and instead of precious ointments, she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she humbled her body greatly, and all the places of her joy she filled with her torn hair. 3 And she prayed unto the Lord God of Israel, saying, O my Lord, thou only art our King: help me, desolate woman, which have no helper but thee: 4 For my danger is in mine hand. 2

3 5 From my youth up I have heard in the tribe of my family that thou, O Lord, tookest Israel from among all people, and our fathers from all their predecessors, for a perpetual inheritance, and thou hast performed whatsoever thou didst promise them. 6 And now we have sinned before thee: therefore hast thou given us into the hands of our enemies, 7 Because we worshipped their gods: O Lord, thou art righteous. 8 Nevertheless it satisfieth them not, that we are in bitter captivity: but they have stricken hands with their idols, 9 That they will abolish the thing that thou with thy mouth hast ordained, and destroy thine inheritance, and stop the mouth of them that praise thee, and quench the glory of thy house, and of thine altar, 10 And open the mouths of the heathen to set forth the praises of the idols, and to magnify a fleshly king for ever. 11 O Lord, give not thy sceptre unto them that be nothing, and let them not laugh at our fall; but turn their device upon themselves, and make him an example, that hath begun this against us. 12 Remember, O Lord, make thyself known in time of our affliction, and give me boldness, O King of the nations, and Lord of all power. 13 Give me eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion: turn his heart to hate him that fighteth against us, that there may be an end of him, and of all that are likeminded to him: 14 But deliver us with thine hand, and help me that am desolate, and which have no other help but thee. 15 Thou knowest all things, O Lord; thou knowest that I hate the glory of the unrighteous, and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised, and of all the heathen. 16 Thou knowest my necessity: for I abhor the sign of my high estate, which is upon mine head in the days wherein I shew myself, and that I abhor it as a menstruous rag, and that I wear it not when I am private by myself. 17 And that thine handmaid hath not eaten at Aman's table, and that I have not greatly esteemed the king's feast, nor drunk the wine of the drink offerings. 18 Neither had thine handmaid any joy since the day that I was brought hither to this present, but in thee, O Lord God of Abraham. 19 O thou mighty God above all, hear the voice of the forlorn and deliver us out of the hands of the mischievous, and deliver me out of my fear. 15:1 And upon the third day, when she had ended her prayers, she laid away her mourning garments, and put on her glorious apparel. 2 And being gloriously adorned, after she had called upon God, who is the beholder and saviour of all things, she took two maids with her: 3 And upon the one she leaned, as carrying herself daintily; 4 And the other followed, bearing up her train. 5 And she was ruddy through the perfection of her beauty, and her countenance was cheerful and very amiable: but her heart was in anguish for fear. 6 Then having passed through all the doors, she stood before the king, who sat upon his royal throne, and was clothed with all his robes of majesty, all glittering with gold and precious stones; and he was very dreadful. 3

4 7 Then lifting up his countenance that shone with majesty, he looked very fiercely upon her: and the queen fell down, and was pale, and fainted, and bowed herself upon the head of the maid that went before her. 8 Then God changed the spirit of the king into mildness, who in a fear leaped from his throne, and took her in his arms, till she came to herself again, and comforted her with loving words and said unto her, 9 Esther, what is the matter? I am thy brother, be of good cheer: 10 Thou shalt not die, though our our commandment be general: come near. 11 And so be held up his golden sceptre, and laid it upon her neck, 12 And embraced her, and said, Speak unto me. 13 Then said she unto him, I saw thee, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of thy majesty. 14 For wonderful art thou, lord, and thy countenance is full of grace. 15 And as she was speaking, she fell down for faintness. 16 Then the king was troubled, and ail his servants comforted her. 16:1 The great king Artexerxes unto the princes and governors of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces from India unto Ethiopia, and unto all our faithful subjects, greeting. 2 Many, the more often they are honoured with the great bounty of their gracious princes, the more proud they are waxen, 3 And endeavour to hurt not our subjects only, but not being able to bear abundance, do take in hand to practise also against those that do them good: 4 And take not only thankfulness away from among men, but also lifted up with the glorious words of lewd persons, that were never good, they think to escape the justice of God, that seeth all things and hateth evil. 5 Oftentimes also fair speech of those, that are put in trust to manage their friends' affairs, hath caused many that are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remediless calamities: 6 Beguiling with the falsehood and deceit of their lewd disposition the innocency and goodness of princes. 7 Now ye may see this, as we have declared, not so much by ancient histories, as ye may, if ye search what hath been wickedly done of late through the pestilent behaviour of them that are unworthily placed in authority. 8 And we must take care for the time to come, that our kingdom may be quiet and peaceable for all men, 9 Both by changing our purposes, and always judging things that are evident with more equal proceeding. 10 For Aman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadatha, being indeed a stranger from the Persian blood, and far distant from our goodness, and as a stranger received of us, 11 Had so far forth obtained the favour that we shew toward every nation, as that he was called our father, and was continually honoured of all the next person unto the king. 12 But he, not bearing his great dignity, went about to deprive us of our kingdom and life: 13 Having by manifold and cunning deceits sought of us the destruction, as well of Mardocheus, who saved our life, and continually procured our good, as also of blameless Esther, partaker of our kingdom, with their whole nation. 4

5 14 For by these means he thought, finding us destitute of friends to have translated the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians. 15 But we find that the Jews, whom this wicked wretch hath delivered to utter destruction, are no evildoers, but live by most just laws: 16 And that they be children of the most high and most mighty, living God, who hath ordered the kingdom both unto us and to our progenitors in the most excellent manner. 17 Wherefore ye shall do well not to put in execution the letters sent unto you by Aman the son of Amadatha. 18 For he that was the worker of these things, is hanged at the gates of Susa with all his family: God, who ruleth all things, speedily rendering vengeance to him according to his deserts. 19 Therefore ye shall publish the copy of this letter in all places, that the Jews may freely live after their own laws. 20 And ye shall aid them, that even the same day, being the thirteenth day of the twelfth month Adar, they may be avenged on them, who in the time of their affliction shall set upon them. 21 For Almighty God hath turned to joy unto them the day, wherein the chosen people should have perished. 22 Ye shall therefore among your solemn feasts keep it an high day with all feasting: 23 That both now and hereafter there may be safety to us and the well affected Persians; but to those which do conspire against us a memorial of destruction. 24 Therefore every city and country whatsoever, which shall not do according to these things, shall be destroyed without mercy with fire and sword, and shall be made not only unpassable for men, but also most hateful to wild beasts and fowls for ever. Old Greek Esther 11:1 11:1 In the fourth year of the reign of Ptol emy and Cleopatra, Dosith eus, who said that he was a priest and a Levite, and Ptol emy his son brought to Egypt the preceeding Letter of Purim, which they said was genuine and had been translated by Lysim achus the son of Ptol emy, one of the residents of Jerusalem. Prayer of Manasseh 1 O Lord Almighty, God of our ancestors, of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and of their righteous offspring; 2 you who made heaven and earth with all their order; 3 who shackled the sea by your word of command, who confined the deep and sealed it with your terrible and glorious name; 4 at whom all things shudder, and tremble before your power, 5 for your glorious splendor cannot be borne, and the wrath of your threat to sinners is unendurable; 6 yet immeasurable and unsearchable is your promised mercy, 7 for you are the Lord Most High, of great compassion, long-suffering, and very merciful, and you relent at human suffering. O Lord, according to your great goodness you have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against you, and in the multitude of your mercies you have appointed repentance for sinners, so that they may be saved. 5

6 8 Therefore you, O Lord, God of the righteous, have not appointed repentance for the righteous, for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who did not sin against you, but you have appointed repentance for me, who am a sinner. 9 For the sins I have committed are more in number than the sand of the sea; my transgressions are multiplied, O Lord, they are multiplied! I am not worthy to look up and see the height of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquities. 10 I am weighted down with many an iron fetter, so that I am rejected because of my sins, and I have no relief; for I have provoked your wrath and have done what is evil in your sight, setting up abominations and multiplying offenses. 11 And now I bend the knee of my heart, imploring you for your kindness. 12 I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge my transgressions. 13 I earnestly implore you, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me! Do not destroy me with my transgressions! Do not be angry with me forever or store up evil for me; do not condemn me to the depths of the earth. For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, 14 and in me you will manifest your goodness; for, unworthy as I am, you will save me according to your great mercy, 15 and I will praise you continually all the days of my life. For all the host of heaven sings your praise, and yours is the glory forever. Amen. 2 Chronicles 33:12-13; And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, behold, they are in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 19 And his prayer, and how God was moved by his entreaty, and all his sin and his faithlessness, and the sites on which he built high places and set up the Asherim and the images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the Chronicles of the Seers. Day 3 Daniel 3: Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?" 6

7 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Prayer of Azariah 1 And they walked about in the midst of the flames, singing hymns to God and blessing the Lord. 2 Then Azariah stood and offered this prayer; in the midst of the fire he opened his mouth and said: 3 "Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, and worthy of praise; and thy name is glorified for ever. 4 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 are truth. 5 Thou hast executed true judgments in all that thou hast brought upon us and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers, for in truth and justice thou hast brought all this upon us because of our sins. 6 For we have sinfully and lawlessly departed from thee, and have sinned in all things and have not obeyed thy commandments; 7 we have not observed them or done them, as thou hast commanded us that it might go well with us. 8 So all that thou hast brought upon us, and all that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment. 9 Thou hast given us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world. 10 And now we cannot open our mouths; shame and disgrace have befallen thy servants and worshipers. 11 For thy name's sake do not give us up utterly, and do not break thy covenant, 12 and do not withdraw thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham thy beloved and for the sake of Isaac thy servant and Israel thy holy one, 13 to whom thou didst promise to make their descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the shore of the sea. 7

8 14 For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins. 15 And at this time there is no prince, or prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, no place to make an offering before thee or to find mercy. 16 Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted, as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls, and with tens of thousands of fat lambs; 17 such may our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and may we wholly follow thee, for there will be no shame for those who trust in thee. 18 And now with all our heart we follow thee, we fear thee and seek thy face. 19 Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in thy forbearance and in thy abundant mercy. 20 Deliver us in accordance with thy marvelous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord! Let all who do harm to thy servants be put to shame; 21 let them be disgraced and deprived of all power and dominion, and let their strength be broken. 22 Let them know that thou art the Lord, the only God, glorious over the whole world." Matthew 28: And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Day 4 Song of the Three Holy Children 23 Now the king's servants who threw them in did not cease feeding the furnace fires with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brush. 24 And the flame streamed out above the furnace forty-nine cubits, 25 and it broke through and burned those of the Chaldeans whom it caught about the furnace. 26 But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace to be with Azariah and his companions, and drove the fiery flame out of the furnace, 27 and made the midst of the furnace like a moist whistling wind, so that the fire did not touch them at all or hurt or trouble them. 28 Then the three, as with one mouth, praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace, saying: 29 "Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, and to be praised and highly exalted for ever; 30 And blessed is thy glorious, holy name and to be highly praised and highly exalted for ever; 31 Blessed art thou in the temple of thy holy glory and to be extolled and highly glorified for ever. 32 Blessed art thou, who sittest upon cherubim and lookest upon the deeps, and to be praised and highly exalted for ever. 33 Blessed art thou upon the throne of thy kingdom and to be extolled and highly exalted for ever. 8

9 34 Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven and to be sung and glorified for ever. 35 "Bless the Lord, all works of the Lord, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 36 Bless the Lord, you heavens, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 37 Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 38 Bless the Lord, all waters above the heaven, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 39 Bless the Lord, all powers, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 40 Bless the Lord, sun and moon, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 41 Bless the Lord, stars of heaven, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 42 Bless the Lord, all rain and dew, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 43 Bless the Lord, all winds, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 44 Bless the Lord, fire and heat, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 45 Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 46 Bless the Lord, dews and snows, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 47 Bless the Lord, nights and days, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 48 Bless the Lord, light and darkness, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 49 Bless the Lord, ice and cold, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 50 Bless the Lord, frosts and snows, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 51 Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 52 Let the earth bless the Lord; let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 53 Bless the Lord, mountains and hills, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 54 Bless the Lord, all things that grow on the earth, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 55 Bless the Lord, you springs, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 56 Bless the Lord, seas and rivers, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 57 Bless the Lord, you whales and all creatures that move in the waters, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 58 Bless the Lord, all birds of the air, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 59 Bless the Lord, all beasts and cattle, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 60 Bless the Lord, you sons of men, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 61 Bless the Lord, O Israel, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 62 Bless the Lord, you priests of the Lord, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 63 Bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 64 Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 65 Bless the Lord, you who are holy and humble in heart, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 66 Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever; for he has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace; from the midst of the fire he has delivered us. 67 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever. 68 Bless him, all who worship the Lord, the God of gods, sing praise to him and give thanks to him, for his mercy endures for ever." 9

10 Day 5 Bel and the Dragon 1 When King Astyages was laid with his fathers, Cyrus the Persian received his kingdom. 2 And Daniel was a companion of the king, and was the most honored of his friends. 3 Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and every day they spent on it twelve bushels of fine flour and forty sheep and fifty gallons of wine. 4 The king revered it and went every day to worship it. But Daniel worshiped his own God. 5 And the king said to him, "Why do you not worship Bel?" He answered, "Because I do not revere man-made idols, but the living God, who created heaven and earth and has dominion over all flesh." 6 The king said to him, "Do you not think that Bel is a living God? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?" 7 Then Daniel laughed, and said, "Do not be deceived, O king; for this is but clay inside and brass outside, and it never ate or drank anything." 8 Then the king was angry, and he called his priests and said to them, "If you do not tell me who is eating these provisions, you shall die. 9 But if you prove that Bel is eating them, Daniel shall die, because he blasphemed against Bel." And Daniel said to the king, "Let it be done as you have said." 10 Now there were seventy priests of Bel, besides their wives and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel. 11 And the priests of Bel said, "Behold, we are going outside; you yourself, O king, shall set forth the food and mix and place the wine, and shut the door and seal it with your signet. 12 And when you return in the morning, if you do not find that Bel has eaten it all, we will die; or else Daniel will, who is telling lies about us." 13 They were unconcerned, for beneath the table they had made a hidden entrance, through which they used to go in regularly and consume the provisions. 14 When they had gone out, the king set forth the food for Bel. Then Daniel ordered his servants to bring ashes and they sifted them throughout the whole temple in the presence of the king alone. Then they went out, shut the door and sealed it with the king's signet, and departed. 15 In the night the priests came with their wives and children, as they were accustomed to do, and ate and drank everything. 16 Early in the morning the king rose and came, and Daniel with him. 17 And the king said, "Are the seals unbroken, Daniel?" He answered, "They are unbroken, O king." 18 As soon as the doors were opened, the king looked at the table, and shouted in a loud voice, "You are great, O Bel; and with you there is no deceit, none at all." 19 Then Daniel laughed, and restrained the king from going in, and said, "Look at the floor, and notice whose footsteps these are." 20 The king said, "I see the footsteps of men and women and children." 21 Then the king was enraged, and he seized the priests and their wives and children; and they showed him the secret doors through which they were accustomed to enter and devour what was on the table. 22 Therefore the king put them to death, and gave Bel over to Daniel, who destroyed it and its temple. 10

11 23 There was also a great dragon, which the Babylonians revered. 24 And the king said to Daniel, "You cannot deny that this is a living god; so worship him." 25 Daniel said, "I will worship the Lord my God, for he is the living God. 26 But if you, O king, will give me permission, I will slay the dragon without sword or club." The king said, "I give you permission." 27 Then Daniel took pitch, fat, and hair, and boiled them together and made cakes, which he fed to the dragon. The dragon ate them, and burst open. And Daniel said, "See what you have been worshiping!" 28 When the Babylonians heard it, they were very indignant and conspired against the king, saying, "The king has become a Jew; he has destroyed Bel, and slain the dragon, and slaughtered the priests." 29 Going to the king, they said, "Hand Daniel over to us, or else we will kill you and your household." 30 The king saw that they were pressing him hard, and under compulsion he handed Daniel over to them. 31 They threw Daniel into the lions' den, and he was there for six days. 32 There were seven lions in the den, and every day they had been given two human bodies and two sheep; but these were not given to them now, so that they might devour Daniel. 33 Now the prophet Habakkuk was in Judea. He had boiled pottage and had broken bread into a bowl, and was going into the field to take it to the reapers. 34 But the angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, "Take the dinner which you have to Babylon, to Daniel, in the lions' den." 35 Habakkuk said, "Sir, I have never seen Babylon, and I know nothing about the den." 36 Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown of his head, and lifted him by his hair and set him down in Babylon, right over the den, with the rushing sound of the wind itself. 37 Then Habakkuk shouted, "Daniel, Daniel! Take the dinner which God has sent you." 38 And Daniel said, "Thou hast remembered me, O God, and hast not forsaken those who love thee." 39 So Daniel arose and ate. And the angel of God immediately returned Habakkuk to his own place. 40 On the seventh day the king came to mourn for Daniel. When he came to the den he looked in, and there sat Daniel. 41 And the king shouted with a loud voice, "Thou art great, O Lord God of Daniel, and there is no other besides thee." 42 And he pulled Daniel out, and threw into the den the men who had attempted his destruction, and they were devoured immediately before his eyes. 11