\NormalFont\ShortTitle{DANIEL, BEL, AND THE SNAKE}

{\MT DANIEL, BEL, AND THE SNAKE



\par }\OneChap {\PP \VerseOne{1}And king Astyages was put to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia took
{\ADD{[or received]}} his realm.


\par }{\PP \VS{2}Forsooth Daniel ate with the king, and was honoured above all the friends of him.


\par }{\PP \VS{3}Also an idol, Bel by name, was at Babylon, and twelve measures of clean flour, of which
{\EM{measures}} each contained three bushels, and forty sheep, and six measures of wine,
{\EM{that be called amphoras}}, were spended in it
{\SLS{(or were spent upon it)}} each day.


\par }{\PP \VS{4}And the king worshipped that
{\EM{Bel}}, and went each day to honour him; certainly Daniel worshipped his God. And the king said to him, Why worshippest thou not Bel?


\par }{\PP \VS{5}Which answered, and said to him, For I worship not idols made by hand, but God living
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(the)}} living God]}}, that made
{\SLS{(out)}} of nought heaven and earth, and hath power of
{\SLS{(or over)}} each flesh.


\par }{\PP \VS{6}And the king said to him, Whether it seemeth not to thee, that Bel is a living god? whether thou seest not, how great things he eateth and drinketh each day?


\par }{\PP \VS{7}And Daniel said laughing, King, err thou not; for why this
{\EM{Bel}} is
{\SLS{(made)}} of clay within, and of brass withoutforth, and eateth not,
{\ADD{[neither drinketh]}}, any time.


\par }{\PP \VS{8}And the king was wroth, and called the priests thereof
{\ADD{[or the priests of him]}}, and said to them, If ye say not to me, who it is that eateth these costs,
{\EM{either expenses}}, ye shall die.


\par }{\PP \VS{9}Forsooth if ye show that Bel eateth these things, Daniel shall die, for he blasphemed Bel. And Daniel said to the king, Be it done by
{\ADD{[or after]}} thy word.


\par }{\PP \VS{10}Forsooth the priests of Bel were seventy, besides
{\SLS{(their)}} wives, and little children,
{\EM{either servants}}, and sons. And the king came with Daniel into the temple of Bel.


\par }{\PP \VS{11}And the priests of Bel said, Lo! We shall go out, and thou, king, set
{\SLS{(forth the)}} meats, and meddle
{\SLS{(or mix the)}} wine, and close thou the door, and aseal
{\EM{it}} with thy ring.


\par }{\PP \VS{12}And when thou comest
{\ADD{[in]}} early, if thou findest not all things eaten of
{\SLS{(or by)}} Bel, we shall die by death, either
{\ADD{[or]}} Daniel
{\EM{shall die}}, that lied against us.


\par }{\PP \VS{13}Soothly they trusted, for they had made a privy
{\ADD{[or an hid]}} entering under the board
{\SLS{(or they had made a secret entrance under the table)}}, and by it they entered ever{\ADD{[more]}}{\SLS{(or repeatedly)}}, and devoured those things.


\par }{\PP \VS{14}Forsooth it was done, after that they went out, and the king setted
{\SLS{(forth the)}} meats before Bel, Daniel commanded to his children
{\SLS{(or his servants)}}, and they brought ashes, and he riddled
{\SLS{(them)}} through{\SLS{(out)}} all the temple, before the king
{\SLS{(alone)}}. And
{\SLS{(then)}} they went out, and closed the door, and asealed
{\SLS{(it)}} with the ring of the king, and went forth
{\ADD{[or away]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{15}But the priests entered in the night, by their custom, and the wives, and
{\SLS{(the)}} children of them, and ate and drank all things.


\par }{\PP \VS{16}Forsooth the king rose most early, and Daniel with him.


\par }{\PP \VS{17}And the king said, Daniel, whether the seals be safe? And he answered, King,
{\EM{those
{\SLS{(or they)}} be}} safe.


\par }{\PP \VS{18}And anon when they had opened the door, the king beheld the board
{\SLS{(or at the table)}}, and he cried on high with a great
{\SLS{(or a loud)}} voice, Bel, thou art great, and no guile is at
{\SLS{(or with)}} thee.


\par }{\PP \VS{19}And Daniel laughed, and he held the king,
{\SLS{(so)}} that he entered not with-in. And
{\EM{Daniel}} said, Lo! the pavement, perceive thou whose steps these be.


\par }{\PP \VS{20}And the king said, I see
{\SLS{(the)}} steps of men, and of women, and of young children. And the king was wroth.


\par }{\PP \VS{21}Then the king took
{\SLS{(hold of)}} the priests, and the wives, and
{\SLS{(the)}} children of them; and they showed to him
{\SLS{(the)}} little privy
{\SLS{(or secret)}} doors, by which they entered, and wasted those things that were on the board
{\SLS{(or consumed those things that were on the table)}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{22}Therefore the king killed them, and betook Bel into the power of Daniel, which destroyed that
{\EM{Bel}}, and his temple.


\par }{\PP \VS{23}And a great dragon
{\SLS{(or a large snake)}} was
{\SLS{(also)}} in that place, and
{\SLS{(the)}} Babylonians worshipped it.


\par }{\PP \VS{24}And the king said to Daniel, Lo! now thou mayest not say, that this is not a quick
{\ADD{[or a living]}} god; therefore worship thou him.


\par }{\PP \VS{25}And Daniel said to the king, I worship my Lord God, for he is God living
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(the)}} living God]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{26}But thou, king, give power to me, and I shall slay the dragon
{\SLS{(or I will kill the snake)}}, without sword or staff. And the king said, I give
{\SLS{(leave)}} to thee.


\par }{\PP \VS{27}Therefore Daniel took pitch, and tallow
{\ADD{[or fatness]}}, and hairs, and seethed
{\SLS{(or boiled them)}} together; and he made gobbets
{\SLS{(or lumps)}}, and gave
{\SLS{(them)}} into the mouth of the dragon
{\SLS{(or and put it into the mouth of the snake)}}, and the dragon was all-broken
{\ADD{[or burst]}}. And Daniel said, Lo! whom ye worship.


\par }{\PP \VS{28}And when
{\SLS{(the)}} Babylonians had heard this thing, they had indignation greatly; and they were gathered
{\SLS{(together)}} against the king, and said, The king is made a Jew; he destroyed Bel, and killed the dragon
{\SLS{(or the snake)}}, and slew
{\ADD{[or killed]}} the priests.


\par }{\PP \VS{29}And they said, when they were come to the king, Betake thou
{\ADD{[or Give]}} to us Daniel, that destroyed Bel, and killed
{\ADD{[or slew]}} the dragon
{\SLS{(or the snake)}};
{\SLS{(or)}} else we shall slay thee, and thine house.


\par }{\PP \VS{30}Therefore the king saw, that they fell in on him greatly; and he was compelled by need, and he betook
{\ADD{[or gave]}} Daniel to them.


\par }{\PP \VS{31}Which sent him into the pit of lions
{\ADD{[or into the lake of lions]}}, and he was there
{\SLS{(for)}} seven days.


\par }{\PP \VS{32}Certainly seven lions were in the pit, and two bodies and two sheep were given to them each day. And then those were not given to them,
{\SLS{(so)}} that they should devour Daniel.


\par }{\PP \VS{33}Forsooth Habakkuk, the prophet, was in Judea
{\ADD{[or Habakkuk was a prophet in Judea]}}, and he had sodden pottage, and had set in
{\SLS{(or put some)}} loaves in a little pannier
{\ADD{[or vessel]}},
{\SLS{(or basket or bowl)}}; and he went into the field, to bear
{\SLS{(it)}} to
{\SLS{(the)}} reapers.


\par }{\PP \VS{34}And the angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, Bear thou the meat
{\SLS{(or Take the meal)}}, which thou hast, into Babylon, to Daniel, which is in the pit of
{\SLS{(the)}} lions.


\par }{\PP \VS{35}And Habakkuk said, Lord, I saw not Babylon, and I knew not
{\ADD{[or know not]}}{\SLS{(where)}} the pit
{\SLS{(is)}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{36}And the angel of the Lord took him by his top, and bare him by the hair of his head; and set him
{\SLS{(down)}}{\ADD{[or put him
{\SLS{(down)}}]}} in Babylon, on
{\SLS{(or above)}} the pit, in the fierceness of his spirit.


\par }{\PP \VS{37}And Habakkuk cried, and said, Daniel, the servant of God, take thou the meat
{\SLS{(or the meal)}}, that God hath sent to thee.


\par }{\PP \VS{38}And Daniel said, Lord God, thou hast mind on me, and hast not forsaken them that love thee.


\par }{\PP \VS{39}And Daniel rose, and ate; certainly the angel of the Lord restored Habak-kuk anon in{\SLS{(to)}} his
{\SLS{(own)}} place
{\SLS{(again)}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{40}Therefore the king came in
{\SLS{(or on)}} the seventh day to bewail Daniel; and he came to the pit, and looked in, and lo! Daniel
{\SLS{(was)}} sitting in the midst of
{\SLS{(the)}} lions.


\par }{\PP \VS{41}{\SLS{(And)}} The king cried on high with
{\SLS{(a)}} great
{\SLS{(or a loud)}} voice, and said, Lord God of Daniel, thou art great;


\par }{\PP \VS{42}and
{\EM{the king}} drew him out of the pit. Certainly he sent into the pit them, that were
{\SLS{(the)}} cause of his perdition, and they were devoured in a moment before him.


\par }{\PP \VS{43}Then the king said, They that dwell in all the earth, dread the God of Daniel, for he is God living into worlds
{\SLS{(or the living God forevermore)}}; he is
{\SLS{(the)}} deliverer, and
{\SLS{(the)}} Saviour, doing miracles and marvels in heaven and in
{\SLS{(or on the)}} earth, that delivered Daniel from the pit of
{\SLS{(the)}} lions.


\par }