The Babylonian Exile

At the beginning of thy supplications the commandement came foorth, and I am come to shewe thee, for thou art greatly beloued: therefore vnderstande the matter and consider the vision.

Seuentie weekes are determined vpon thy people and vpon thine holy citie, to finish the wickednes, and to seale vp the sinnes, and to reconcile the inquitie, and to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse, and to seale vp the vision and prophecie, and to anoynt the most Holy.

Knowe therefore and vnderstande, that from the going foorth of the commandement to bring againe the people, and to builde Ierusalem, vnto Messiah the prince, shall be seuen weekes and threescore and two weekes, and the streete shalbe built againe, and the wall euen in a troublous time.

And after threescore and two weekes, shall Messiah be slaine, and shall haue nothing,, and the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the citie and the Sanctuarie, and the end thereof shalbe with a flood: and vnto the end of the battell it shalbe destroyed by desolations.

And he shall confirme the couenant with many for one weeke: and in the middes of the weeke he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the ouerspreading of the abominations, he shall make it desolate, euen vntill the consummation determined shalbe powred vpon the desolate.

In the third yeere of Cyrus King of Persia, a thing was reueiled vnto Daniel (whose name was called Belteshazzar) and the worde was true, but the time appointed was long, and he vnderstood the thing, and had vnderstanding of the vision.

At the same time I Daniel was in heauines for three weekes of dayes.

I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint my selfe at all, till three weekes of dayes were fulfilled.

And in the foure and twentieth day of the first moneth, as I was by the side of that great riuer, euen Hiddekel,

And I lift vp mine eyes, and looked, and beholde, there was a man clothed in linnen, whose loynes were girded with fine golde of Vphaz.

His body also was like the Chrysolite, and his face (to looke vpon) like the lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his armes and his feete were like in colour to polished brasse, and the voyce of his wordes was like the voyce of a multitude.

And I Daniel alone sawe the vision: for the men that were with me, sawe not the vision: but a great feare fell vpon them, so that they fled away and hid themselues.

Therefore I was left alone, and sawe this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my strength was turned in me into corruption, and I reteined no power.

Yet heard I the voyce of his wordes: and when I heard the voyce of his wordes, I slept on my face: and my face was toward the ground.

And behold, an hand touched me, which set me vp vpon my knees and vpon the palmes of mine hands.

And he sayde vnto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloued, vnderstand the wordes that I speake vnto thee, and stand in thy place: for vnto thee am I nowe sent. And when hee had sayde this worde vnto me, I stood trembling.

Then sayd he vnto me, Feare not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou diddest set thine heart to vnderstand, and to humble thy selfe before thy God, thy wordes were heard, and I am come for thy wordes.

But the prince of the kingdome of Persia withstoode me one and twentie dayes: but loe, Michael one of the chiefe princes, came to helpe me, and I remained there by the Kings of Persia.

Nowe I am come to shewe thee what shall come to thy people in the latter dayes: for yet the vision is for many dayes.

And when he spake these wordes vnto me, I set my face towarde the grounde, and helde my tongue.

And beholde, one like the similitude of the sonnes of man touched my lippes: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said vnto him that stoode before me, O my Lord, by the vision my sorowes are returned vpon me, and I haue reteined no strength.

For howe can the seruant of this my Lord talke with my Lord being such one? for as for me, straight way there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

Then there came againe, and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,

And said, O man, greatly beloued, feare not: peace be vnto thee: be strong and of good courage. And when he had spoken vnto me, I was strengthened, and saide, Let my Lord speake: for thou hast strengthened me.

Then saide he, Knowest thou wherefore I am come vnto thee? but nowe will I returne to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, loe, the prince of Grecia shall come.