The Babylonian Exile

And the King sayde vnto them, I haue dreamed a dreame, and my spirite was troubled to knowe the dreame.

Then spake the Caldeans to the King in the Aramites language, O King, liue for euer: shewe thy seruants thy dreame, and wee shall shewe the interpretation.

And the King answered and sayd to the Caldeans, The thing is gone from me. If ye will not make me vnderstande the dreame with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be drawen in pieces, and your houses shall be made a iakes.

But if yee declare the dreame and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receyue of me gifts and rewardes, and great honour: therefore shewe me the dreame and the interpretation of it.

They answered againe, and sayde, Let the King shewe his seruantes the dreame, and wee will declare the interpretation thereof.

Then the King answered, and sayd, I knowe certeinly that ye would gaine the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

But if ye will not declare mee the dreame, there is but one iudgement for you: for ye haue prepared lying and corrupt wordes, to speake before me till the time bee changed: therefore tell me the dreame, that I may knowe, if yee can declare me the interpretation thereof.

Then the Caldeans answered before the King, and sayde, There is no man vpon earth that can declare the Kings matter: yea, there is neither king nor prince nor lorde that asked such things at an inchanter or astrologian or Caldean.

For it is a rare thing that the King requireth, and there is none other that can declare it before the King, except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh.

For this cause the king was angrie and in great furie, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babel.

And when sentence was giuen, the wise men were slayne: and they sought Daniel and his fellowes to be put to death.

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisedome to Arioch the Kings chiefe stewarde, which was gone foorth to put to death the wise men of Babel.

Yea, he answered and sayde vnto Arioch the kings captaine, Why is the sentence so hastie from the king? Then Arioch declared the thing to Daniel.

So Daniel went and desired the king that he woulde giue him leasure and that he woulde shewe the king the interpretation thereof.

The Daniel went to his house and shewed the matter to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah his companions,

That they should beseech the God of heauen for grace in this secrete, that Daniel and his fellowes should not perish with the rest of ye wise men of Babel.

Then was the secret reueiled vnto Daniel in a vision by night: therefore Daniel praysed the God of heauen.

And Daniel answered and sayde, The Name of God be praysed for euer and euer: for wisedome and strength are his,

And hee changeth the times and seasons: he taketh away kings: he setteth vp kings: he giueth wisedome vnto the wise, and vnderstanding to those that vnderstand.

Hee discouereth the deepe and secrete things: he knoweth what is in darkenes, and the light dwelleth with him.

I thanke thee and prayse thee, O thou God of my fathers, that thou hast giuen mee wisedome and strength, and hast shewed me nowe the thing that wee desired of thee: for thou hast declared vnto vs the kings matter.

Therefore Daniel went vnto Arioch, whome the King had ordeyned to destroy the wise men of Babel: he went and sayde thus vnto him, Destroy not the wise men of Babel, but bring me before the King, and I will declare vnto the King the interpretation.

Then Arioch brought Daniel before the King in all haste, and sayd thus vnto him, I haue found a man of the children of Iudah that were brought captiues, that will declare vnto the King the interpretation.

Then answered the King, and sayde vnto Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to shew me the dreame, which I haue seene, and the interpretation thereof?

Daniel answered in the presence of the King, and sayd, The secret which the King hath demanded, can neither the wise, the astrologians, the inchanters, nor the southsayers declare vnto the King.