Then spake Nebuchadnezzar, and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: which hath sent his angel, and defended his servants that put their trust in him: that have altered the king's commandment, and jeopardized their bodies thereupon, rather than they would serve or worship any other god except their own God only.

Then sent I out a commission, that all they which were of wisdom at Babylon should be brought before me, to tell me the interpretation of the dream.

So there came the soothsayers, charmers, Chaldeans and conjurers of devils: to whom I told the dream. But what it betokened, they could not show me:

in comparison of whom, all they that dwell upon the earth are to be reputed as nothing. He handleth according to his will, among the powers of heaven and among the inhabiters of the earth - and there is none that may resist his hand, or say, 'What doest thou?'

So they brought the golden vessel, that was taken out of the temple of the LORD's house at Jerusalem. Then the king and his lords with his queen and concubines drunk out of them.

They drunk wine, and praised their Idols of gold, silver, copper, iron, wood and stone.

Wherefore the king cried mightily, that they should bring him the charmers, Chaldeans, and the conjurers of devils. The king spake also to the wise men of Babylon, and said, "Whoso can read this writing, and show me the plain meaning thereof: shall be clothed with purple, have a chain of gold about his neck, and rule the third part of my kingdom."

Upon this, came all the king's wise men: but they could neither read the writing, nor show the king what it signified.

Now have there been brought me, wise and conjuring charmers, to read this writing, and to show me the meaning thereof: but they could not tell me, what this matter signified.

Wherefore the princes and lords sought to pick out in Daniel some quarrel against the kingdom: yet could they find none occasion nor fault upon him. For why? He was so faithful, that there was no blame nor dishonesty found in him.

So they came to the king, and spake before him concerning his commandment, saying, "O king, hast thou not subscribed the statute, that within thirty days whoso requireth his petition of any god or man, but only of thyself, O king, he shall be cast into the den of the lions?" The king answered, and said, "It is true. It must be as a law of the Medes and Persians, that may not be broken."

Then answered they, and said unto the king, "Daniel one of the prisoners of Judah, O king, regardeth neither thee nor thy statute that thou hast made, but maketh his petition three times a day."

My God hath sent his angel, which hath shut the lions' mouths, so that they might not hurt me. For why? Mine unguiltiness is found out before him. And as for thee, O king, I never offended thee."

And as for those men which had accused Daniel, the king commanded to bring them, and to cast them in the Lions' den: them, their children, and their wives. So the Lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones asunder, before they came at the ground.

I saw in a vision by night, and behold, there came one in the clouds of heaven like the Son of Man - which went unto the Ancient of Days, before whom they brought him.

He shall subdue three kings, and shall speak words against the highest of all: he shall destroy the saints of the most highest, and think that he may change times and laws. They shall be given under his power, until a time, two times, and a half a time.

O LORD righteousness belongeth unto thee; unto us pertaineth nothing but open shame: as it is come to pass this day unto every man of Judah, and to them that dwell at Jerusalem. Yea, unto all Israel, whether they be far or nigh, throughout all lands wherein thou hast strawed them, because of the offenses that they had done against thee.

Yea, all Israel have transgressed, and gone back from thy law, so that they have not hearkened unto thy voice. Wherefore the curse and oath, that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, against whom we have offended, is poured upon us.

After these sixty two weeks, shall Christ be slain, and they shall have no pleasure in him. Then shall there come a people with the prince, and destroy the city and the Sanctuary: and his end shall come as the water flood. But the desolation shall continue till the end of the battle.

I, Daniel, alone saw this vision. The men that were with me, saw it not: but a great fearfulness fell upon them, so that they fled away, and hid themselves.

and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland.

And as soon as his kingdom cometh up, it shall be destroyed, and divided toward the four winds of the heaven. They that come after him shall not have such power and dominion as he: but his kingdom shall be scattered: yea, even among others than those.

But after certain years they shall be joined together; and the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the North for to make friendship. But she shall not obtain the power of that arm, neither shall she be able to endure through his might: but she, and such as brought her - yea, and he that begat her, and comforted her for his time - shall be delivered up.

and so with craftiness to get him to the fattest place of the land, and to deal otherwise than either his fathers or grandfathers did. For he shall destroy the thing that they had robbed and spoiled, yea and all their substance: imagining thoughts against the strongholds, and that for a time.

His power and heat shall be stirred up with a great army against the king of the south: wherethrough the king of the south shall be moved then unto battle, with a great mighty host also. Nevertheless, he shall not be able to stand, for they shall conspire against him.

Yea, they that eat of his meat, shall hurt him: so that his host shall fall, and many be slain down.

These two kings shall be minded to do mischief, and talk of deceit at one table: but they shall not prosper. For why? The end shall not come yet, unto the time appointed.

Those also that have understanding among the people shall inform the multitude: and for a long season, they shall be persecuted with sword, with fire, with captivity and with the taking away of their goods.

Now when they fall, they shall be set up with a little help: but many shall cleave unto them fainedly.

Yea, some of those which have understanding shall be persecuted also: that they may be tried, purified, and cleansed, till the time be out. For there is yet another time appointed.

and many shall be purified, cleansed and tried. But the ungodly shall live wickedly, and those wicked, as many as they be, shall have no understanding. As for such as have understanding, they shall regard it.

And though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, which can neither be measured nor told: yet in the place where it is said unto them, 'Ye be not my people': even there shall it be thus reported of them, 'They be the children of the living God.'

Tell your brethren, that they are my people; and your sistren, that they have obtained mercy.

I shall have no pity also upon her children, for they be the children of fornication.

And she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold: which they bestowed upon Baal.

and the earth shall help the corn, wine, and oil, and they shall help Jezreel.

Then said the LORD to me, "Go yet thy way and vow an adulterous woman, whom thy neighbour loveth as the LORD doth the children of Israel: howbeit, they have respect to strange gods, and love the wine cans."

But afterward shall the children of Israel convert, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king: and in the latter days they shall worship the LORD, and his loving-kindness.

Therefore shall the land be in a miserable cause, and all they that dwell therein, shall mourn. The beasts in the field, the fowls in the air, and the fishes in the sea shall die.

My people perish, because they have no knowledge. Seeing then that thou hast refused understanding, therefore will I refuse thee also: so that thou shalt no more be my priest. And forsomuch as thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

The more they increased in multitude, the more they sinned against me, therefore will I change their honour into shame.

They eat up the sins of my people, and courage them in their wickedness.

They shall eat, and not have enough: they have used whoredom, therefore shall they not prosper: and why? They have forsaken the LORD, and not regarded him.

My people ask counsel at their stocks, their staff must tell them. For a whorish mind hath deceived them, so that they commit fornication against their God.

They make sacrifices upon the high mountains, and burn their incense upon the hills, yea among the oaks, groves and bushes, for there are good shadows. Therefore your daughters are become harlots, and your spouses have broken their wedlock.

Their drunkenness hath put them back, and brought them to whoredom. Their rulers love rewards; "Bring," say they, to their own shame.

A wind shall take hold of their feathers, and they shall be confounded in their offerings.

They kill sacrifices by heaps, to beguile the people therewith: therefore will I punish them all.

They are not minded to turn unto their God, for they have an whorish heart, so that they cannot know the LORD.

They shall come with their sheep and bullocks to seek the LORD, but they shall not find him, for he is gone from them.

As for the LORD, they have refused him, and brought up bastard children: a month therefore shall devour them with their portions.

Ephraim is oppressed, and can have no right of the law. For why? They follow the doctrines of men.

I will go, and return to my place, till they wax faint, and seek me.

In their adversity they shall seek me, and say, "Come, let us turn again to the LORD: for he hath smitten us, and he shall heal us;

But even like as Adam did, so have they broken my covenant, and set me at naught.

The multitude of the priests is like a heap of thieves, murderers and bloodthirsty: for they have wrought abomination.

When I undertake to make Israel whole, then the ungraciousness of Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria cometh to light: then go they about with lies. At home, they be thieves: and without they fall to robbing.

They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. They go about with their own inventions, but I see them well enough.

They make the king and the princes, to have pleasure in their wickedness and lies.

Even so goeth it this day with our kings and princes, for they begin to be wood drunken through wine: they use familiarity with such as deceive them.

They with the imagination of their heart are like an oven, their sleep is all night like the sleep of a baker, in the morning is he as hot as the flame of fire:

they are altogether as hot as an oven. They have devoured their own judges, all their kings are fallen: yet is there none of them that calleth upon me.

And the pride of Israel is cast down before their face, yet will they not turn to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

Ephraim is like a dove, that is beguiled, and hath no heart. Now call they upon the Egyptians, now go they to the Assyrians:

but while they be going here and there, I shall spread my net over them, and draw them down as the fowls of the air. And according as they have been warned, so will I punish them.

Woe be unto them, for they have forsaken me. They must be destroyed, for they have set me at naught. I am he that have redeemed them, and yet they dissemble with me.

They call not upon me with their hearts, but lie howling upon their beds. Whereas they come together, it is but for meat and drink, and me will they not obey.

I have taught them, and defended their army, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

They turn themselves, but not aright, and are become as a broken bow. Their princes shall be slain with the sword for the malice of their tongues, such blasphemies have they learned in the land of Egypt.

Set the horn to thy mouth, and blow: get thee swiftly as an Eagle into the house of the LORD: for they have broken my covenant, and transgressed my law.

They have ordained kings, but not through me: they have made princes, and I must not know of it. Of their silver and gold have they made them images, to bring themselves to destruction.

Thy calf, O Samaria, shall be taken away, for my wrathful indignation is gone forth against thee. How long will it be, before they can be cleansed?

They have sown wind, therefore shall they reap a whirlwind. Their seed shall bear no corn, there shall no meal be made of their increase: though they reap, yet shall strangers devour it up.

Since they went up to the Assyrians, they are become like a wild ass in the desert. Ephraim giveth rewards to get lovers.

Therefore are they scattered among the Heathen; There will I gather them up. They shall soon be weary of the burden of king and princes.

Though I show them my law never so much, they count it but strange doctrine.

Whereas they do sacrifice, offering the flesh and eating it, the LORD will have no pleasure therein: but will remember their wickedness, and punish their sins. Israel turneth again into Egypt:

they have forgotten him that made them, they build churches, and Judah maketh many strong cities: therefore will I send a fire into their cities, and it shall consume their places.

Therefore shall they no more enjoy the corn floors and winepresses, and their sweet wine shall fail them.

They will not dwell in the LORD's land, but Ephraim turneth again into Egypt, and eateth unclean things among the Assyrians.

They pour out no wine for a drink offering unto the LORD, neither give they him their slain offerings: but they be unto them as mourner's meats, wherein all they that eat them are defiled. For the bread that they have such lust unto, shall not come into the house of the LORD.

Lo, they shall get them away for the destruction. Egypt shall receive them, and Memphis shall bury them. The nettles shall overgrow their pleasant goods, and burrs shall be in their tabernacles.

They be gone too far, and have destroyed themselves, like as they did afore time at Gibeah. Therefore their wickedness shall be remembered, and their sins punished.

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, and saw their fathers as the first figs in the top of the fig tree. But they are gone to Baalpeor, and run away from me to that shameful Idol, and are become as abominable as their lovers.

Ephraim flyeth like a bird, so shall their glory also: Insomuch that they shall neither beget, conceive nor bear children.

And though they bring up any, yet will I make them childless among men. Yea, woe shall come to them, when I depart from them.

Ephraim is hewn down, their root is dried up, so that they shall bring no more fruit: yea and though they bring forth any, yet will I slay even the best beloved fruit of their body.

My God shall cast them away, for they have not been obedient unto him, therefore shall they go astray among the Heathen.

Israel was a goodly vine, but he hath brought forth unprofitable fruit: yea, the more fruit he had the more altars he made; the more good I did to their land, the more friendship showed they to their Images.

Their heart is divided, therefore will they be destroyed. The LORD shall break down their Images, he shall destroy their altars.

Then shall they say, "We have no king. For why? We have not feared the LORD. And what shall then the king do to us?"

They commune together, and swear vain oaths: they be confederate together, therefore groweth their punishment, as the weeds in the furrows of the land.

They that dwell in Samaria have worshiped the calf of Bethaven: therefore shall the people mourn over them, yea and the priests also, that in their wealthiness rejoiced with them. And why? It shall pass away from them.

The high places of Aven, where Israel do sin, shall be cast down: thistles and thorns shall grow upon their altars. Then shall they say to the mountains, "Cover us," and to the hills, "Fall upon us."

O Israel, thou hast sinned as Gibeah did afore time, where they remained: should not the battle then come upon the wicked children, as well as upon the Gibeonites?

that they might sow unto righteousness, and reap the fruits of well doing: that they might plow up their fresh land and seek the LORD, till he came, and learned them righteousness.

But now they have plowed them wickedness, therefore shall they reap sin, and eat the fruit of lies. Seeing thou puttest thy confidence in thine own ways, and leanest to the multitude of thy worthies:

But the more they were called, the more they went back, offering unto Idols, and censing Images.

I learned Ephraim to go, and bare them in mine arms, but they regarded not me that would have helped them.

that they should not go again into Egypt. And now is Assyria their king: for they would not turn unto me.