Daniel praying and supplicating before his God.

And they came and spake unto the king of the king’s commandment: O king, hast thou not signed a commandment, that whosoever shall ask anything of any god or man within thirty days, without from thee, O king, alone, shall be cast into the den of lions? And the king answered and said, It is true; and the law of the Medes and Persians shall no man transgress.

And they answered and said before the king: Daniel, one of the captives of Judah, regardeth not thee, nor thy commandment which thou hast written: for he prayeth three times a day.

And when the king heard these things, he was sore distressed, and did great diligence to deliver Daniel, and laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

But the men came often unto the king, and said unto him, Thou knowest, O king, that it is lawful for the Medes and Persians, that all the commandments and all the statutes which the king hath ordained should remain unchanged.

And the king commanded that Daniel should be brought, and they cast him into the den with the lions. And the king said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest without ceasing, help thee.

And they brought a stone, and laid it before the door of the trench; and the king sealed it with his own ring, and with the ring of his mighty men, that none else might do evil against Daniel.

And the king went away into his castle, and remained uneaten, and had no meat set before him, neither could he sleep.

And it came to pass in the morning, when it was daybreak, that the king arose, and went in haste unto the trench where the lions were.

And when he was come to the trench, he called Daniel with a lamentable voice. And the king said unto Daniel, Daniel, thou servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou servest without ceasing, delivered thee from the lions?

And Daniel spake unto the king: O king, God grant thee long life!

My God hath sent his angel, which hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they should not hurt me.
For before him I am found innocent, and have done nothing against thee, O king.

And the king was very glad, and brought Daniel out of the ditch. And they drew Daniel out of the trench, and there was no hurt in him: for he had trusted in his God.

And the king commanded the men that had accused Daniel to be brought, and to be cast into the lions’ den, with their children and their wives. And before they came down to the ground, the lions took them, and brake their bones in pieces.

Then Darius the king wrote unto all nations, people, and tongues: God grant you much peace!

This is my commandment, that in all the dominion of my kingdom the God of Daniel should be feared and reverenced. For he is the living God, who abideth for ever: and his kingdom is everlasting, and his dominion is without end.

He is a deliverer and a giver of salvation, and doeth signs and wonders both in heaven and in earth. He delivered Daniel from the lions.

And Daniel was mighty in the kingdom of Darius, and also in the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.
(Daniel)
Chapter 7
Of four monarchies and Christ’s everlasting kingdom.

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream, and his face was upon his bed: and he wrote the dream, and wrote it thus:

I Daniel saw a vision in the night, and, behold, the four winds which are under heaven tempest one against another upon the great sea.

And four great beasts came up out of the sea, every one different from the other.

The first was like a lion, and had wings like an eagle. And I watched until his wings were plucked out: and he was taken from the earth, and stood upon his feet as a man, and was given a human heart.

And, behold, the second beast after him was like a bear, and stood on one side, and had in his mouth under his teeth three great long teeth. And they said unto him, Arise, and eat much flesh.

And after these things I looked, and, behold, another beast like a leopard, having four wings like a bird upon his back: and the same beast had four heads, and power was given unto him.

After these things I looked in this vision by night, and, behold, the fourth beast was hideous and terrible, and very strong, and had great iron teeth, and devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet: he was also much different from the beasts that were before, and had ten horns.

And when I saw the horns, behold, there came out from among them another little horn, before whom were plucked up three of the first horns: and, behold, that horn had eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

I saw these things until the chairs were set: and the old man sat down, whose raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head was as the pure wool: his chair was as the flames of fire, and the wheels thereof burned with fire.

And out of the same went forth a long fiery ray. A thousand times a thousand ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was held, and the books were opened.

I watched because of the great words which the horn spake; I watched until the beast was slain, and his body was consumed, and cast into the fire,

And the power of the other beasts was ended: for the time and the hour were determined for them, how long they should continue.

I saw in this vision by night, and, behold, there came one in the clouds of heaven as the son of man unto the old man, and was brought before him.

Who gave him power, and glory, and kingdom, that all nations, and people, and tongues, should serve him. His power is everlasting, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom shall have no end.

I, Daniel, was astonished at it, and such a face terrified me.

And I went to one of them that sat there, and besought him that he would give me a certain report of all this. And he talked with me, and shewed me what it meant.

These four great beasts are four kingdoms which shall come upon the earth.

But the saints of the Most High shall possess the kingdom, and shall possess it for ever and ever.

After these things I would gladly have known a certain report of the fourth beast, which was very different from all the rest, very horrible, having iron teeth and brass claws, which devoured and brake in pieces, and trodden down the rest with his feet, 20. And of the ten horns that were upon his head, and of the other which came forth, before which three fell off, and of the same horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, and was greater than they that were by him.

And I saw the same horn fight against the saints, and prevail against them, 22. Till the Ancient of days came and held judgment for the saints of the Most High; and the time came for the saints to take the kingdom.

And he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be mightier than all kingdoms; it shall devour all the earth, and tread it down, and break it in pieces.

The ten horns are ten kings, which shall arise out of the same kingdom. And after them shall arise another, mightier than the first, and shall humble three kings.

He shall blaspheme the Most High, and shall disturb the saints of the Most High, and shall presume to change the time and the law. And they shall be given into his hand for a time, and for several times, and for half a time.

After this shall be the judgment: then shall his power be taken away, and he shall perish, and be put to death.

But the kingdom, and the power, and the authority under the whole heaven, shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, whose kingdom is eternal; and all authority shall serve and obey him.

And that was the end of the speech. But I, Daniel, was greatly distressed in my thoughts, and my form fell; yet I kept the speech in my heart.
(Daniel)
Chapter 8
End of the second and beginning of the third monarchy.

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar there appeared unto me, even unto Daniel, a vision like unto that which appeared unto me at the first.

And I was, when I saw such a vision, in Shushan the palace, in the land of Elam, by the river Ulai.

And I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, a ram stood before the river, having two high horns, but the one higher than the other, and the highest growing last.

And I saw the ram thrusting with his horns toward the west, and toward the north, and toward the south: and there was no beast that could stand before him, nor be delivered out of his hand: but he did according to his will, and waxed great.

And when I perceived thereupon, behold, a he goat came from the west over all the earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a goodly horn between his eyes.

And he came unto the ram that had