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2 And the LORD gave Jehoiakim into his Hand, with part of the Veffels of the Houfe of GOD, which he carried into the Land of Shinar to the Houfe of his GOD, and he brought the Veffels into the Treasure.

3 And the King fpake unto Afhpenaz the Mafter of his Eunuchs, that he fhould bring certain of the Children of Ifrael, and of the King's Seed, and of the Princes;

4 Children in whom was no Blemish, but well favoured, and fkilful in all Wifdom, and understanding Science, and whom they might teach the Learning, and the Tongue of the Chaldeans.

5 And the King appointed them a daily Provifion of the King's Meat, and of the Wine which he drank.

6 Now among these were of the Children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mifhael and Azariah:

7 Unto whom the Prince of the Eunuchs gave Names: unto Daniel the Name of Beltefhazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mifhael, of Mefhach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.

8 But Daniel purpofed in his Heart, that he would not defile himself with the King's Meat, nor Wine: therefore he requested of the Prince of the Eunuchs, that he might not defile himself.

9 Now GOD had brought Daniel into Favour and tender Love with the Prince of the Eunuchs.

10 And who faid unto Daniel, I fear my LORD the King, who hath appointed your Meat and Drink: for why fhould he fee your Faces, worfe liking than the Children which are of your Sort? then fhall ye make me endanger my Head to the King.

it Then faid Daniel to Melzar, whom the Prince of the Eunuchs had fet over Daniel, Hananiah, Mihael, and Azariah,

12 Prove thy Servants, I befeech thee, ten Days, and let them give us Pulfe to eat, and Water to drink.

14 So he confented to them in this Matter, and proved them ten Days.

15 And at the End of ten Days, their Countenances appeared fairer, and fatter in Flefh, than all the Children which did eat the Portion of the King's Meat.

17 As for thefe four Children, GoD gave them Knowledge and Skill in all Learning and Wifdom: and Daniel had Understanding in all Vifions and Dreams.

18 Now at the End of the Days that the King had faid he fhould bring them in, then the Prince of the Eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 And the King communed with them, and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah: therefore ftood they before the King.

20 And in all Matters of Wisdom and Understanding that the King enquired of them, he found them ten Times. better than all the Magicians and Aftrologers that were in all his Realm.

21 And continued even unto the first Year of King Cyrus.

CHA P. II.

1 Nebuchadnezzar forgetting his Dream, requireth it of the Chaldeans, by Promises and Threatnings. 10 They acknowledge their Inability, are judged to die. 14 Daniel obtaining fome Refpite, findeth the Dream. 19 He bleffeth God. 24 He Staying the Decree, is brought to the King. 31 The Dream. 36 The Interpretation. 46 Daniel's Advancement.

Ver. 1

ND in the fecond Year of his Reign, Nebuchad

was troubled, and his Sleep brake from him.

2 Then the King commanded to call the Magicians, Aftrologers, Sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to fhew the King his Dreams:

3 And the King faid unto them, I have dreamed a Dream, and my Spirit was troubled to know the Dream.

4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the King in Syriack, O King, live for ever: tell thy Servants the Dream, and we will fhew the Interpretation.

5 The King anfwered and faid to the Chaldeans, the THING IS GONE from me: if ye will not make known unto me the Dream, with the Interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in Pieces, and your Houses fhall be made a Dunghil.

6 But if ye fhew the Dream, and the Interpretation thereof, ye fhall receive of me Gifts and Rewards, and great Honour:

7 They answered again and faid, Let the King tell his Servants the Dream, and we will fhew the Interpretation of it.

8 The King answered and faid, I know of Certainty that ye would gain the Time, because ye fee the Thing is GONE from ME.

Iiii

9 But

9 But if ye will not make known unto me the Dream, there is but one Decree for you: for ye have prepared lying, and corrupt Words to speak before me, till the Time be changed: therefore tell me the Dream, and I fhall know that ye can fhew me the Interpretation thereof.

10 The Chaldeans answered before the King, and faid, There is not a Man upon the Earth that can fhew the King's Matter: therefore there is no King, that afked fuch Things at any Magician, or Aftrologer, or Chaldean.

II And it is a rare Thing that the King requireth, and there is none other that can fhew it before the King, except the Gods, whofe Dwelling is not with Flefh.

12 For this Caufe the King was angry and very furious, and commanded to deftroy all the wife Men of Babylon. 13 And the Decree went forth, and they fought Daniel and his Fellows to be flain.

14 Then Daniel anfwered with Counsel and Wisdom to Arioch Captain of the King's Guard, which was gone forth to flay the wife Men of Babylon.

15 He answered and faid to Arioch, Why is the Decree fo hafty from the King? then Arioch made the Thing known to Daniel.

16 Then Daniel went in, and defired of the King, that he would give him Time, and that he would fhew the King the Interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his Houfe, and made the Thing known to Hananiah, Mifhael and Azariah his Companions.

18 That they would DESIRE MERCIES of the GOD of Heaven concerning this SECRET; that Daniel and his Fellows fhould not perifh with the rest of the wife Men of Babylon.

19 Then was the SECRET revealed unto Daniel in a NIGHT VISION: then Daniel bleffed the GOD of Heaven.

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Job xii 17 He leadeth Counfellors away fpoiled, and maketh the Judges Fools.

20 Daniel answered and faid, Bleffed be the Name of GOD for ever and ever: for Wifdom and Might are his. 21 And he changeth the TIMES and the Seafons: he REMOVETH KINGS, and SETTETH up Kings: he giveth Wisdom unto the Wife, and Knowledge to them that know Understanding.

22 He revealeth the deep and fecret Things, he knowe.h what is in the Darkness,

18 He loofeth the Bond of Kings, and girdeth their Loyns with a Gir

die.

19 He leadeth Princes away fpoiled, and overthroweth the Mighty.

21 He poureth Contempt upon Princes, and weakneth the Strength of the Mighty.

and

and the Light dwelleth with him.

22 He difcovereth deep Things out of Darkness, and bringeth out to Light the Shadow of Death.

23 He encreaseth the Nations, and

deftroyerh them: he enlargeth the Nations, and ftraitneth them again.

I thank thee and praise 23 thee, O thou GOD of my Fathers, who haft given me Wisdom and Might, and haft made known unto me now what we desired of thee.

24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, and said unto him, Destroy not the wife Men of Babylon: bring me in before the King, and I will fhew unto the King the Interpretation.

25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the King in Hafte, and faid thus unto him, I have found a Man of thé Captives of Judah, that will make known unto the King the Interpretation.

26 The King faid to Daniel, Art thou able to make known unto me the Dream which I have seen, and the Interpretation thereof?

27 Daniel answered in the Prefence of the King, and faid, The SECRET which the King hath demanded, cannot the wife Men, the Aftrologers, the Magicians, the Soothfayers fhew unto the King;

28 But there is a GOD in HEAVEN that revealeth SECRETS, and maketh known to the King Nebuchadnezzar, what fhall be in the LATER DAYS. Thy Dream, and the Vifions of thy Head upon thy Bed, are these;

29 As for thee, O King, thy Thoughts came into thy Mind, upon thy Bed, what should come to pafs hereafter: and he that REVEALETH SECRETS maketh KNOWN unto thee, what fhall COME TO PASS.

30 But as for me, this Secret is not revealed to me, for any Wisdom that I have more than any Living, but for their Sakes that shall make known the Interpretation to the King, and that thou mightest know the Thoughts of thy Heart.

31 Thou, O King, sawest, and behold, a great Image: this great Image whofe Brightnefs was excellent, ftood before thee, and the Form thereof was TERRIBLE.

32 This Image's HEAD was of fine GOLD, his BREAST and his Arms of SILVER, his Belly and his THIGHS of BRASS.

33 HiS LEGS of IRON, his FEET part of IRON and part of CLAY.

34 Thou faweft till that a STONE was cut out without

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Hands, which SMOTE the IMAGE upon his FEET that were of Iron and Clay, and break them to Pieces.

35 Then was the IRON, the CLAY, the BRASS, the SILVER and the GOLD broken to Pieces together, and became like the CHAFF of the Summer-threshing Floors, and the Wind carried them

a

way, that no Place was found for them and the STONE that smote the Image became a great Mountain, and FILLED the whole EARTH.

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36 This is the Dream, and we will tell the Interpretation thereof before the King.

37 Thou, O King, art a King of Kings: for the GoD of HEAVEN hath given thee a Kingdom, Power, and Strength, and Glory.

38 And wherefoever the Children of Men dwell, the Beafts of the Field, and the Fowls of the Heaven hath he given into thine Hand, and hath made thee Ruler over them all, thou art this HEAD of GOLD.

39 And after thee fhall arife another KINGDOM inferiour to thee, and another THIRD Kingdom of BRASS, which fhall bear Rule over the Earth.

40 And the FOURTH Kingdom fhall be STRONG as IRON : forafmuch as Iron breaketh in Pieces, and fubdueth all Things: and as Iron that breaketh all thefe, fhall it break in Pieces and bruise.

41 And whereas thou faweft the FEET and TOES part of Potters CLAY, and part of IRON: the Kingdom fhall be divided, but there fhall be in it of the STRENGTH of the IRON, forafmuch as thou fawest the IRON MIXED with miry CLAY.

42 And as the TOES of the Feet were part of IRON, and part of CLAY; fo the Kingdom fhall be partly STRONG, and partly BROKEN.

43 And whereas thou faweft IRON mixed with miry CLAY, they fhall MINGLE themselves with the Seed of Men: but they fhall not CLEAVE one to another, even as Iron is not mixed with Clay.

44 And in the Days of thefe Kings fhall the GoD of

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