The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed. And beholde, I sawe a tree in the middes of the earth and the height thereof was great:

A great tree and strong, and the height thereof reached vnto heauen, and the sight thereof to the endes of all the earth.

The boughes thereof were faire and the fruite thereof much, and in it was meate for all: it made a shadow vnder it for the beastes of the fielde, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof, and all flesh fedde of it.

I sawe in the visions of mine head vpon my bed, and beholde, a watchman and an holy one came downe from heauen,

And cried aloude, and said thus, Hew downe the tree, and breake off his branches: shake off his leaues, and scatter his fruite, that the beastes may flee from vnder it, and the foules from his branches.

Neuerthelesse leaue the stumpe of his rootes in the earth, and with a band of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wet with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes among the grasse of the fielde.

Let his heart be changed from mans nature, and let a beasts heart be giuen vnto him, and let seuen times be passed ouer him.

The sentence is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones: the demaunde was answered, to the intent that liuing men may knowe, that the most High hath power ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will, and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men.

This is the dreame, that I King Nebuchad-nezzar haue seene: therefore thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof: for all the wisemen of my kingdome are not able to shewe mee the interpretation: but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) held his peace by the space of one houre, and his thoughts troubled him, and the King spake and said, Belteshazzar, let neither the dreame, nor the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and saide, My lord, the dreame be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

The tree that thou sawest, which was great and mightie, whose height reached vnto the heauen, and the sight thereof through all the world,

Whose leaues were faire and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meate for all, vnder the which the beastes of the fielde dwelt, and vpon whose branches the foules of the heauen did sit,

It is thou, O King, that art great and mightie: for thy greatnesse is growen, and reacheth vnto heauen, and thy dominion to the endes of the earth.

Where as the King sawe a watchman, and an holy one, that came downe from heauen, and said, Hew downe the tree and destroy it, yet leaue the stumpe of the rootes thereof in the earth, and with a bande of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wette with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes of the fielde, till seuen times passe ouer him,

This is the interpretation, O King, and it is the decree of the most High, which is come vpon my lord the King,

That they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shalbe with the beasts of the fielde: they shall make thee to eate grasse as the oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dewe of heauen: and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, till thou knowe, that the most High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whom so euer he will.

Where as they sayd, that one should leaue the stumpe of the tree rootes, thy kingdome shall remaine vnto thee: after that, thou shalt knowe, that the heauens haue the rule.

Wherefore, O King, let my counsell be acceptable vnto thee, and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes, and thine iniquities by mercy toward the poore: lo, let there be an healing of thine errour.

All these things shall come vpon the King Nebuchad-nezzar.

At the end of twelue moneths, he walked in the royall palace of Babel.

And the King spake and sayde, Is not this great Babel, that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maiestie?

While the worde was in the Kings mouth, a voyce came downe from heauen, saying, O King Nebuchad-nezzar, to thee be it spoken, Thy kingdome is departed from thee,

And they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shalbe with the beastes of the fielde: they shall make thee to eate grasse, as the oxen, and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, vntill thou knowest, that the most High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it vnto whomsoeuer he will.

The very same houre was this thing fulfilled vpon Nebuchad-nezzar, and hee was driuen from men, and did eate grasse as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dewe of heauen, till his heares were growen as eagles feathers, and his nailes like birds clawes.

And at the ende of these dayes I Nebuchad-nezzar lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen, and mine vnderstanding was restored vnto me, and I gaue thankes vnto the most High, and I praysed and honoured him that liueth for euer, whose power is an euerlasting power, and his kingdome is from generation to generation.

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and according to his will he worketh in the armie of heauen, and in the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, nor say vnto him, What doest thou?

At the same time was mine vnderstanding restored vnto me, and I returned to the honour of my kingdome: my glory and my beautie was restored vnto me, and my counsellours and my princes sought vnto me, and I was established in my kingdome, and my glory was augmented toward me.

Now therefore I Nebuchad-nezzar prayse and extoll and magnifie the King of heauen, whose workes are all trueth, and his wayes iudgement, and those that walke in pride, he is able to abase.

King Belshazzar made a great feast to a thousand of his princes, and dranke wine before the thousand.

And Belshazzar whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring him the golden and siluer vessels, which his father Nebuchad-nezzar had brought from the Temple in Ierusalem, that the King and his princes, his wiues, and his concubines might drinke therein.

Then were brought the golden vessels, that were taken out of the Temple of the Lords house at Ierusalem, and the King and his princes, his wiues and his concubines dranke in them.

They drunke wine and praysed the gods of golde, and of siluer, of brasse, of yron, of wood and of stone.

At the same houre appeared fingers of a mans hand, which wrote ouer against the candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall of ye Kings palace, and the King sawe the palme of the hand that wrote.

Then the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughtes troubled him, so that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other.

Wherefore the King cryed loude, that they should bring the astrologians, the Caldeans and the soothsayers. And the King spake, and sayd to the wise men of Babel, Whosoeuer can reade this writing, and declare me the interpretation thereof, shalbe clothed with purple, and shall haue a chaine of golde about his necke, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdome.

Then came all the Kings wise men, but they could neither reade the writing, nor shewe the King the interpretation.

Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonied.

Now the Queene by reason of the talke of the King, and his princes came into the banket house, and the Queene spake, and sayd, O King, liue for euer: let not thy thoughtes trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.

There is a man in thy kingdome, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, and in the dayes of thy father light and vnderstanding and wisdome like the wisdome of the gods, was found in him: whom the King Nebuchad-nezzar thy father, the King, I say, thy father, made chiefe of the enchanters, astrologians, Caldeans, and soothsayers,

Because a more excellent spirit, and knowledge, and vnderstanding (for hee did expound dreames, and declare hard sentences, and dissolued doubtes) were founde in him, euen in Daniel, whome the King named Belteshazzar: nowe let Daniel be called, and hee will declare the interpretation.

Then was Daniel brought before the King, and the King spake and sayd vnto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captiuitie of Iudah, whom my father the King brought out of Iewrie?

Now I haue heard of thee, that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and that light and vnderstanding and excellent wisdome is found in thee.

Now therefore, wisemen and astrologians haue bene brought before me, that they should reade this writing, and shewe me the interpretation thereof: but they could not declare the interpretation of the thing.

Then heard I of thee, that thou couldest shewe interpretations, and dissolue doutes: nowe if thou canst reade the writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and shalt haue a chaine of golde about thy necke, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdome.

Then Daniel answered, and sayd before the King, Keepe thy rewards to thy selfe, and giue thy giftes to another: yet I will reade the writing vnto the King, and shew him the interpretation.

O King, heare thou, The most high God gaue vnto Nebuchad-nezzar thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and honour and glory.

And for the maiestie that he gaue him, all people, nations, and languages trembled, and feared before him: he put to death whom he would: he smote whome he would: whome he would he set vp, and whome he would he put downe.

But when his heart was puft vp, and his minde hardened in pride, hee was deposed from his kingly throne, and they tooke his honour from him.

And hee was driuen from the sonnes of men, and his heart was made like the beastes, and his dwelling was with the wilde asses: they fed him with grasse like oxen, and his body was wet with the dewe of the heauen, till he knewe, that the most high God bare rule ouer the kingdome of men, and that he appointeth ouer it, whomsoeuer he pleaseth.

And thou his sonne, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all these things,

But hast lift thy selfe vp against the Lord of heauen, and they haue brought the vessels of his House before thee, and thou and thy princes, thy wiues and thy concubines haue drunke wine in them, and thou hast praysed the gods of siluer and golde, of brasse, yron, wood and stone, which neither see, neither heare, nor vnderstand: and the God in whose hand thy breath is and all thy wayes, him hast thou not glorified.

Then was the palme of the hand sent from him, and hath written this writing.

And this is the writing that he hath written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN.

This is the interpretation of the thing, MENE, God hath nombred thy kingdome, and hath finished it.

TEKEL, thou art wayed in the balance, and art found too light.

PERES, thy kingdome is deuided, and giuen to the Medes and Persians.

Then at the commandement of Belshazzar they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chaine of golde about his necke, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdome.

The same night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans slaine.

And Darius of the Medes tooke the kingdome, being threescore and two yeere olde.

It pleased Darius to set ouer the kingdome an hundreth and twentie gouernours, which should be ouer the whole kingdome,

And ouer these, three rulers (of whome Daniel was one) that the gouernours might giue accompts vnto them, and the King should haue no domage.

Now this Daniel was preferred aboue the rulers and gouernours, because the spirit was excellent in him, and the King thought to set him ouer the whole realme.

Wherefore the rulers and gouernours sought an occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdome: but they could finde none occasion nor fault: for he was so faithfull that there was no blame nor fault found in him.

Then sayd these men, We shall not finde an occasion against this Daniel, except we finde it against him concerning the Law of his God.

Therefore the rulers and these gouernours went together to the King, and sayde thus vnto him, King Darius, liue for euer.

All the rulers of thy kingdome, the officers and gouernours, the counsellers, and dukes haue consulted together to make a decree for the King and to establish a statute, that whosoeuer shall aske a petition of any god or man for thirtie dayes saue of thee, O King, he shalbe cast into the denne of lyons.

Nowe, O King, confirme the decree, and seale the writing, that it be not changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

Wherefore King Darius sealed the writing and the decree.

Now when Daniel vnderstood that he had sealed the writing, hee went into his house, and his window being open in his chamber toward Ierusalem, he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day, and prayed and praysed his God, as he did aforetime.

Then these men assembled, and founde Daniel praying, and making supplication vnto his God.

So they came and, spake vnto the King concerning the Kings decree, Hast thou not sealed the decree, that euery man that shall make a request to any god or man within thirtie dayes, saue to thee, O King, shall be cast into the denne of lyons? The King answered, and sayd, The thing is true, according to the Lawe of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

Then answered they, and sayd vnto the King, This Daniel which is of the children of the captiuitie of Iudah, regardeth not thee, O King, nor the decree, that thou hast sealed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

When the King heard these wordes, hee was sore displeased with himselfe, and set his heart on Daniel, to deliuer him: and he laboured till the sunne went downe, to deliuer him.

Then these men assembled vnto the King, and sayde vnto ye King, Vnderstand, O King, that the lawe of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree nor statute which the King confirmeth, may be altered.

Then the King commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the denne of lyons: now the King spake, and said vnto Daniel, Thy God, whome thou alway seruest, euen he will deliuer thee.

And a stone was brought, and layed vpon the mouth of the denne, and the King sealed it with his owne signet, and with the signet of his princes, that the purpose might not be changed, concerning Daniel.

Then the King went vnto his palace, and remained fasting, neither were the instruments of musike brought before him, and his sleepe went from him.

Then the King arose early in the morning, and went in all haste vnto the denne of lyons.

And when he came to the denne, he cryed with a lamentable voyce vnto Daniel: and the King spake, and saide to Daniel, O Daniel, the seruant of ye liuing God, is not thy God (whom thou alway seruest) able to deliuer thee from the lyons?

Then saide Daniel vnto the King, O King, liue for euer.

My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the lyons mouthes, that they haue not hurt mee: for my iustice was founde out before him: and vnto thee, O King, I haue done no hurt.

Then was the King exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel out of the denne: so Daniel was brought out of the denne, and no maner of hurt was found vpon him, because he beleeued in his God.

And by the commandement of the King these me which had accused Daniel, were brought, and were cast into the denne of lions, euen they, their children, and their wiues: and the lyons had the mastry of them, and brake all their bones a pieces, or euer they came at the groud of the denne.

Afterwarde King Darius wrote, Vnto all people, nations and languages, that dwel in all the world: Peace be multiplied vnto you.

I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdome, men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel: for he is the liuing God, and remayneth for euer: and his kingdome shall not perish, and his dominion shalbe euerlasting.

Hee rescueth and deliuereth, and hee worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth, who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the lyons.

So this Daniel prospered in the reigne of Darius and in the reigne of Cyrus of Persia.

In the first yeere of Belshazzar King of Babel, Daniel sawe a dreame, and there were visions in his head, vpon his bed: then he wrote the dreame, and declared the summe of the matter.

Daniel spake and saide, I sawe in my vision by night, and behold, the foure windes of the heauen stroue vpon the great sea:

And foure great beastes came vp from the sea one diuers from another.

The first was as a lyon, and had eagles wings: I beheld, til the wings thereof were pluckt of, and it was lifted vp from the earth, and set vpon his feete as a man, and a mans heart was giuen him.

And beholde, another beast which was the second, was like a beare and stood vpon the one side: and hee had three ribbes in his mouth betweene his teeth, and they saide thus vnto him, Arise and deuoure much flesh.

After this I behelde, and loe, there was an other like a leopard, which had vpon his backe foure wings of a foule: the beast had also foure heads, and dominion was giuen him.

After this I saw in the visions by night, and beholde, the fourth beast was fearefull and terrible and very strong. It had great yron teeth: it deuoured and brake in pieces and stamped the residue vnder his feete: and it was vnlike to the beasts that were before it: for it had ten hornes.

As I considered the hornes, beholde, there came vp among them another litle horne, before whome there were three of the first hornes pluckt away: and behold, in this horne were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.

I behelde, till the thrones were set vp, and the Ancient of dayes did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the heare of his head like the pure wooll: his throne was like the fierie flame, and his wheeles as burning fire.

A fierie streame yssued, and came foorth from before him: thousand thousandes ministred vnto him, and tenne thousand thousands stoode before him: the iudgement was set, and the bookes opened.

Then I behelde, because of the voyce of the presumptuous wordes, which the horne spake: I behelde, euen till the beast was slaine, and his body destroyed, and giuen to the burning fire.

As concerning the other beastes, they had taken away their dominion: yet their liues were prolonged for a certaine time and season.

As I behelde in visions by night, behold, one like the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen, and approched vnto the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him before him.