Daniel 14:1–9
Bel and the Dragon
1King Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian received his kingdom.↗
2Daniel lived with the king, and was honored above all his friends.↗
3Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and every day twelve great measures of fine flour, forty sheep, and six firkins of wine were spent on it.↗
4The king honored it and went daily to worship it; but Daniel worshiped his own God. The king said to him, “Why don’t you worship Bel?”↗
5He said, “Because I may not honor idols made with hands, but only the living God, who has created the sky and the earth, and has sovereignty over all flesh.”↗
6Then the king said to him, “Don’t you think that Bel is a living god? Don’t you see how much he eats and drinks every day?”↗
7Then Daniel laughed, and said, “O king, don’t be deceived; for this is just clay inside, and brass outside, and never ate or drank anything.”↗
8So the king was angry, and called for his priests, and said to them, “If you don’t tell me who this is who devours these expenses, you shall die.↗
9But if you can show me that Bel devours them, then Daniel shall die; for he has spoken blasphemy against Bel.” Daniel said to the king, “Let it be according to your word.”↗
Source: World English Bible (Catholic), public domain. Text is taken directly from the source. Headings are editorial, not biblical verses.
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