Thematic Bible: Courage and fidelity of


Thematic Bible



Wherefore, O king, my counsel shall be pleasant to thee, and break off thy sins by justice, and thine iniquities in compassionating the poor; if it shall be a lengthening to thy peace.

At that time Daniel answered and said before the king, Thy gifts to be to thyself, and give thy presents to another; but I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. Thou, O king, God most high gave a kingdom and greatness and honor and splendor to Nebuchadnezzar thy father: And from the greatness that he gave to him, all peoples, nations and tongues, were trembling and fearing from before him: whom he was willing he killed; and whom he was willing, he was saving alive; and whom be was willing, he was setting up; and whom he willed he was humbling. read more.
And when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was strong for pride, he was brought down from the throne of his kingdom, and they took away his honor from him. And he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made level with the beasts, and with wild asses his dwelling: they will feed him with the green herb as oxen, and from the dew of the heavens his body will be wet; till that he knew that God the Most High ruled in the kingdom of men, and to whom he will, he will set up over it. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, didst not humble thy heart because that thou knewest all this; And against the Lord of the heavens thou didst lift up thyself; and for the vessels of his house they brought before thee, and thou and thy nobles, and thy wives, and thy concubines, drinking wine in them; and to the gods of silver and gold, brass, iron, wood, and stone, who see not, and hear not, and know not, thou didst praise: and to the God whom thy breath in his hand, and all thy ways to him, thou didst not honor.

And Daniel as soon as he knew that the writing was signed, went up into his house; and the windows being opened to him in his upper chambers before Jerusalem, three times in the day he kneeled upon his knees, and praying and praising before his God, for the cause that he did from before this Then these men ran together with tumult and found Daniel seeking and making supplication before his God. At that time they drew near, and saying before the king concerning the interdict of the king, Didst thou not sign an interdict that every man that shall seek from any God and man even for thirty days, except from thee, O King, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The word is certain, according to the law of Media and Persia, that shall not pass away. read more.
At that time they answered, and saying before the king, That Daniel that is from the sons of the captivity of Judah set not up an account to thee, O king, and to the interdict that thou didst sign; and three times in the day he sought his requests. Then the king as soon as he heard the word, was greatly displeased with himself, and upon Daniel he set the heart to set him free: and even to the going down of the sun he was exerting himself to deliver him. At that time these men ran together with tumult to the king, and saying to the king, Know, O king, that the law to Media and Persia is, that every interdict and statute that the king shall set up is not to be changed. At that time the king said, and they brought Daniel and cast into the den of the lions; the king answered and said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest to him continually, he will set thee free. And one stone was brought and set upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet ring, and with the signet ring of his nobles, that the will shall not be changed upon Daniel. Then the king departed to his temple and passed the night fasting: and he brought not his concubines before him, and his sleep fled from him. At that time the king will rise in the dawn in the morning, and in haste he departed to the lion's den. And in his drawing near to the den he cried to Daniel with a strong voice, the king answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God whom thou servest to him continually, is he able to set thee free from the lion's den? Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever. My God sent his messenger and shut the mouth of the lions, and they hurt me not, for the cause that innocence was found to me; and also before thee, O king, I did no hurt. At that time the king rejoiced greatly for him, and to Daniel he said to be taken up from the den. And Daniel was taken up from the den, and any hurt was not found upon him, for he trusted in his God.