The Babylonian Exile

The king said to them, "I had a dream which will keep troubling my spirit until I know what it means."

The astrologers spoke to the king in Aramaic: "May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

The king answered the astrologers, "Here is what I have decided: if you don't tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses reduced to rubble.

But if you do state the dream and its interpretation, I will give you presents, rewards and great honor. Just tell me the dream and its interpretation."

A second time they said, "Let his majesty tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

The king replied, "I see you're only trying to gain time, because you see that I've decided

that if you don't tell me the dream, there is only one sentence passed on all of you. So you've conspired to mislead me with lies in the hope that time will change things. Now, just tell me the dream! That will convince me that you will also be able to give me its correct interpretation."

The astrologers answered the king, "Your majesty, nobody in the world can do this! Never has a king, no matter how great and powerful, asked such a thing of any magician or exorcist or astrologer.

The king is asking a difficult thing; nobody but the gods could tell this to your majesty, and they don't live with mere mortals."

At this the king flew into a rage and ordered all the sages of Bavel put to death.

When the decree was published that the sages were to be slain, they sought Dani'el and his companions in order to have them put to death.

Then, choosing his words carefully, Dani'el consulted Aryokh, captain of the royal guard, who had already gone out to kill the sages of Bavel.

He said to Aryokh, "Since you are the king's official, let me ask: why has the king issued such a harsh decree?"Aryokh explained the matter to Dani'el.

Then Dani'el went in and asked the king to give him time to tell the king the interpretation.

Dani'el went home and made the matter known to Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah, his companions;

so that they could ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this secret, and thus save Dani'el and his companions from dying along with the other sages of Bavel.

Then the secret was revealed to Dani'el in a vision at night, and Dani'el blessed the God of heaven

in these words: "Blessed be the name of God from eternity past to eternity future! For wisdom and power are his alone;

he brings the changes of seasons and times; he installs and deposes kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those with discernment.

He reveals deep and secret things; he knows what lies in the darkness; and light dwells with him.

I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for giving me wisdom and power, and revealing to me what we wanted from you, for giving us the answer for the king."

So Dani'el went to see Aryokh, whom the king had charged with destroying the sages of Bavel, and said to him, "Don't destroy the sages of Bavel! Bring me before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation."

Quickly Aryokh brought Dani'el before the king and told him, "I have found one of the exiles of Y'hudah who will reveal the interpretation to his majesty."

The king said to Dani'el (who had been renamed Belt'shatzar), "Can you tell me what I dreamt and what it means?"

Dani'el answered the king, "No sage, exorcist, magician or astrologer can tell his majesty the secret he has asked about.