Daniel 1

¹ In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

¹ And they walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord.

² And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

² Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,

³ And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

³ Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:

⁴ Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

⁴ For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth.

⁵ And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

⁵ In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.

⁶ Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

⁶ For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee.

⁷ Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.

⁷ In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us.

⁸ Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment.

⁸ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

⁹ And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.

⁹ Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

¹⁰ And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants; and to them that worship thee.

¹⁰ And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

¹¹ Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name's sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant:

¹¹ Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

¹² Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

¹² And cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham's sake, for thy servant Issac's sake, and for thy holy Israel's sake;

¹³ To whom thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the seashore.

¹³ Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

¹⁴ So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

¹⁴ For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.

¹⁵ And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

¹⁵ Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.

¹⁶ Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

¹⁶ Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.

¹⁷ As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

¹⁷ Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after thee: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.

¹⁸ Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁸ And now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face.

¹⁹ And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

¹⁹ Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy lovingkindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.

²⁰ And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

²⁰ Deliver us also according to thy marvellous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord: and let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed;

²¹ And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

²¹ And let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken;

²² And let them know that thou art God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.

²³ And the king's servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood;

²⁴ So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits.

²⁵ And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.

²⁶ But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven;

²⁷ And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.

²⁸ Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying,

²⁹ Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

³⁰ And blessed is thy glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

³¹ Blessed art thou in the temple of thine holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.

³² Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

³³ Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.

³⁴ Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above ail to be praised and glorified for ever.

³⁵ O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise and exalt him above all for ever,

³⁶ O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord : praise and exalt him above all for ever.

³⁷ O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

³⁸ O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

³⁹ O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴⁰ O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴¹ O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴² O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴³ O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,

⁴⁴ O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴⁵ O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴⁶ 0 ye dews and storms of snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴⁷ O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: bless and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴⁸ O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁴⁹ O ye ice and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁰ O ye frost and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵¹ O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵² O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵³ O ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁴ O all ye things that grow in the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁵ O ye mountains, bless ye the Lord: Praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁶ O ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁷ O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁸ O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁹ O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁰ O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶¹ O Israel, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶² O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶³ O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁴ O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁵ O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁶ O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever: far he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the midst of the fire hath he delivered us.

⁶⁷ O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁶⁸ O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endureth for ever.