Daniel

"I herewith issue a decree that everywhere in my kingdom, people are to tremble and be in awe of the God of Dani'el. "For he is the living God; he endures forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed; his rulership will last till the end.

He saves, rescues, does signs and wonders both in heaven and on earth. He delivered Dani'el from the power of the lions."

So this Dani'el prospered during the reign of Daryavesh, and also during the reign of Koresh the Persian.

In the first year of Belshatzar king of Bavel, Dani'el had a dream and visions in his head, as he was lying on his bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is his account:

"I had a vision at night; I saw there before me the four winds of the sky breaking out over the great sea,

"As for me, Dani'el, my spirit deep within me was troubled; the visions in my head frightened me.

This is the end of the account. As for me, Dani'el, my thoughts frightened me so much that I turned pale; but I kept the matter to myself.

After that first vision, it was in the third year of the reign of King Belshatzar that another vision appeared to me, Dani'el.

After I, Dani'el, had seen the vision and was trying to understand it, suddenly there stood in front of me someone who appeared to be a man.

I, Dani'el, grew weak and was ill for some days. Then I got up and took care of the king's affairs; but I was appalled at the vision and still couldn't understand it.

in the first year of his reign, I, Dani'el, was reading the Scriptures and thinking about the number of years which ADONAI had told Yirmeyah the prophet would be the period of Yerushalayim's desolation, seventy years.

and explained things to me. He said, "I have come now, Dani'el, to enable you to understand this vision clearly.

In the third year of Koresh king of Persia, a word was revealed to Dani'el, also called Belt'shatzar. The word was certain: a great war. He understood the word, having gained understanding in the vision.

At that time I, Dani'el, had been mourning for three whole weeks.

Only I, Dani'el, saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see the vision; however, a great trembling fell over them; so that they rushed to hide themselves.

He said to me, "Dani'el, you are a greatly loved man. Now pay attention to the words I am saying to you, and stand upright; for it is to you that I have been sent now."After he had said this to me, I stood up, trembling.

Then he said to me, "Don't be afraid, Dani'el; because since the first day that you determined to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard; and I have come because of what you said.

"But you, Dani'el, keep these words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there as knowledge increases."

Then I, Dani'el, looked; and I saw in front of me two others, one on this bank of the river and the other on its other bank.

But he said, "Go your way, Dani'el; for these words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end.

"So when you see the abomination that causes devastation spoken about through the prophet Dani'el standing in the Holy Place" (let the reader understand the allusion),

"Now when you see the abomination that causes devastation standing where it ought not to be" (let the reader understand the allusion), "that will be the time for those in Y'hudah to escape to the hills.