Daniel 14

1From the prophecy of Habakkuk, son of Jesus, from the tribe of Levi. 2There was a man, a priest, named Daniel, son of Abal, a confidant of the king of Babylon. 3And there was an idol called Bel, which the Babylonians worshipped. Every day, twelve measures of fine wheat flour, four sheep, and six measures of oil were consumed for it. 4The king also worshipped it and went daily to bow before it. But Daniel prayed to the Lord. And the king said to Daniel, "Why do you not bow down before Bel?" 5And Daniel said to the king, "I worship no one but the Lord, the God who created heaven and earth." 6But the king said to him, "Is this not a god? Do you not see how much is offered to him daily?" 7And Daniel said to him, "Not at all! Let no one deceive you! For it is made of clay inside and bronze outside. But I swear to you by the Lord, the God of gods, that it has never eaten anything." 8And in anger, the king summoned the temple officials and said to them, "Prove who eats the offerings prepared for Bel! Otherwise, you will die, 9or Daniel, who claims that it is not eaten by him, will die." They said, "It is Bel himself who consumes it." But Daniel said to the king, "Let it be so! If I do not prove that it is not Bel who consumes this, I will die along with all who are with me." 10Bel had seventy priests, not counting women and children. He led the king to the temple of the idol. 11And the food was set before the eyes of the king and Daniel, and mixed wine was brought in and set before Bel. And Daniel said, "You see for yourself, O king, that these are laid here. Now seal the temple doors once it is closed, additionally." This pleased the king. 12But Daniel ordered those with him to throw everyone out of the temple and to sprinkle the entire temple with ashes without anyone outside knowing. Then, after sealing the temple, he ordered it to be sealed further with the king’s ring and the rings of some prominent priests. And so it was done. 13And it happened the next day that they came to the place. But the priests of Bel had entered through secret doors and consumed everything that was set for Bel and drank the wine. And Daniel said, "Men, priests, check if your seals are still intact. And you, O king, see if anything suspicious has happened." And they found the seal as it had been and removed it. 14And they opened the doors and saw that everything laid out was consumed and the tables were empty. And the king rejoiced and said to Daniel, "Great is Bel, and there is no deceit with him." 15But Daniel laughed greatly and said to the king, "Come, see the deception of the priests!" And Daniel said, "O king, whose footprints are these?" 16And the king said, "They are of men, women, and children." 17And he went to the house where the priests resided and found the food of Bel and the wine. And Daniel showed the king the secret doors through which the priests would come in and consume what was set for Bel. 18And the king led them out of the sanctuary of Bel and handed them over to Daniel. And he gave the offerings to Daniel, and he destroyed Bel. 19And there was a serpent at that place, and the Babylonians worshipped it. 20And the king said to Daniel, "Will you also say that this is made of bronze? Behold, it lives, eats, and drinks. Bow before it!" 21And Daniel said, "O king, grant me permission, and I will slay the dragon without sword or staff." 22And the king allowed it and said, "It is given to you." 23And Daniel took thirty minas of pitch, fat, and hair, boiled them together, made a matzo, and threw it into the mouth of the dragon. And when it had eaten, it burst apart. And he showed it to the king and said, "Is this not what you worship, O king?" 24And all the people of the land conspired against Daniel and said, "The king has become a Jew; he has destroyed Bel and slain the dragon." 25And when the king saw that the people of the land had conspired against him, he called his confidants and said, "I deliver Daniel to destruction." 26Now there was a pit in which seven lions were kept, and those who conspired against the king were thrown into it. Every day, two bodies of the condemned were provided for them. And the people threw Daniel into that pit so that he would be devoured and would not even receive a burial. And Daniel was in the pit for six days. 27And it came to pass on the sixth day, Habakkuk was on his way with bread, which he had broken into a dish with a warm meal, and with a jug of mixed wine for the harvest workers in the field. 28And the angel of the Lord spoke to Habakkuk, saying, "This is what God commands: Bring the meal that you have to Daniel, the son of Baltasar, in the lion's pit in Babylon." 29And Habakkuk said, "Lord God, I have never seen Babylon, nor do I know the pit or where it is." 30And the angel of the Lord took hold of Habakkuk by the hair of his head and set him above the pit in Babylon. 31And Habakkuk said to Daniel, "Arise and eat the meal that God has sent you." 32And Daniel said, "God, the Lord, who does not forsake those who love Him, has remembered me." 33And Daniel ate. But the angel of the Lord set Habakkuk back where he had been taken from that same day. [And God, the Lord, remembered Daniel.] 34Afterward, the king came out mourning for Daniel, and when he leaned over the pit, he saw him sitting there. 35And the king cried out and said, "Great is God, the Lord, and there is no other besides Him!" 36And the king brought Daniel out of the pit. And those who had been the cause of his destruction, he threw into the pit before Daniel's eyes, and they were devoured.