Daniel 5 Cross References - LEB

¹ Belshazzar the king made a great festival for a thousand of his lords,* and _⌊in the presence of_⌋* the thousand lords he was drinking wine.* ² _⌊When he tasted the wine_⌋,* Belshazzar commanded that they bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his _⌊predecessor_⌋* had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords,* his wives and his concubines may drink from them. ³ Then they brought in the vessels of gold that they took from the temple, the house of God that was in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords,* his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.* ⁵ _⌊Immediately_⌋* _⌊human fingers_⌋* appeared and they wrote _⌊opposite_⌋* the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, and the king was watching* the palm of the hand that was writing. ⁶ Then his face changed and his thoughts terrified him, and _⌊his hip joints gave way_⌋* and _⌊his knees knocked together_⌋.* ⁷ The king cried _⌊aloud_⌋* to bring in the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners; the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed in purple and will have a necklace of gold hung around his neck and he will rule as third in authority in the kingdom." ⁸ Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.* ⁹ Then the king, Belshazzar, became greatly terrified, and _⌊his facial features_⌋* changed upon him, and his lords* were perplexed. ¹⁰ Because of the words of the king and his lords,* the queen came into _⌊the banqueting hall_⌋* and the queen _⌊spoke up_⌋* and said, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋,* and let not your thoughts terrify you and do not let your facial expressions _⌊grow pale_⌋.* ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom _⌊who has the spirit of the holy gods in him_⌋.* And in the days of your _⌊predecessor_⌋,* enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋* appointed him as chief of the magicians,* the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* and the diviners. Your _⌊predecessor_⌋* the king did this ¹² _⌊because_⌋* there was found in him an excellent spirit and understanding and insight for interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving riddles; that is, in Daniel _⌊whom the king named_⌋* Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called and he will tell the explanation."* ¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to Daniel, "You are Daniel _⌊who are one of the exiles_⌋* of Judah* whom my _⌊predecessor_⌋,* the king, brought from Judah.* ¹⁴ And I have heard that a spirit of the gods is in you and enlightenment and insight and excellent wisdom was found in you. ¹⁵ And now the wise men and the conjurers* were brought in before me so that they could read this writing in order to make its explanation* known to me, but they were not able to disclose the explanation* of the matter. ¹⁶ But I have heard concerning you that you are able _⌊to produce interpretations_⌋* and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation* to me, you will be clothed in purple and a necklace of gold will be placed around your neck and you will rule as third in command in the kingdom." ¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself or your rewards give to another; nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and I will make known to him the explanation.* ¹⁸ _⌊O king_⌋,* the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋.* ¹⁹ And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all the peoples, the nations and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wanted he killed, and whomever he wanted he let live, and whomever he wanted he honored, and whomever he wanted he humbled. ²⁰ But _⌊when_⌋* his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard so as to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the* glory _⌊was taken away from him_⌋.* ²¹ And he was driven away _⌊from human society_⌋* and his mind was made like the animals* and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and _⌊he was given_⌋* grass like oxen to eat, and with* the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and _⌊whoever_⌋* he wants he sets over it. ²² "But you his _⌊successor_⌋,* Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart _⌊even though_⌋* you knew all this. ²³ And now you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords,* your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from* them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone* that do not see and do not hear and do not know, but the God _⌊who holds your life in his hand_⌋* and all of your ways _⌊come from him_⌋,* you have not honored. ²⁴ So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed. ²⁵ "Now this was the writing that was inscribed: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.' ²⁶ "This is the explanation of the matter:* 'Mene'—God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end to it. ²⁷ " 'Tekel'—you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting.* ²⁸ " 'Peres'—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.'" ²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom. ³⁰ _⌊That same night_⌋* Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. ³¹ * And Darius the Mede received the kingdom _⌊when he was about sixty-two years old_⌋.*

²⁰ And it happened that on the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants.

³ he gave a banquet in the third year of his reign for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and officials of the provinces were in his presence

⁴ My _⌊mind_⌋* staggers; fear terrifies me; the twilight _⌊I desired_⌋* _⌊brought_⌋* me fear. ⁵ Set out the table in order! Spread out the rugs!* Eat! drink! Rise up, commanders; smear* the shield!

¹² And the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, called on that day
for weeping and mourning, and for baldness and girding _⌊with_⌋* sackcloth.

¹⁴ And it was revealed in my ears by Yahweh of hosts:
"Surely this sin will not be atoned for you until you die!" says the Lord, Yahweh of hosts.

³⁹ At their becoming hot I will set their banquets, and I will make them drunk, so that they will fall into a swoon, and they will sleep _⌊an everlasting sleep_⌋,* and they will not wake up," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

⁵⁷ "And I will make drunk her officials, and her wise men, her governors, and her officials, and her warriors, and they will sleep _⌊an everlasting sleep_⌋,* and they will not wake up," _⌊declares_⌋* the King, Yahweh of hosts is his name.

¹⁰ For like entangled thorns, and like their drink which is drunk, they will be consumed like fully dry chaff.

²¹ And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent men of Galilee. ²² And when* the daughter of Herodias herself* came in and danced and pleased* Herod and _⌊his dinner guests_⌋,* the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it* to you."

⁷ Then David said to him, "Don't be afraid, for _⌊I will certainly show_⌋* loyal love to you for the sake of Jonathan your father, and I will restore to you all the lands of Saul your father. And you shall always eat food at my table."

²⁵ In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Joram became king of Judah. ²⁶ Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Athaliah daughter of Omri, king of Israel. ²⁷ He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, as the house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

¹³ Then he took from there all of the treasures of the temple of Yahweh and the treasures of the palace of the king. He cut up all of the vessels of gold which Solomon the king of Israel had made in the temple of Yahweh, as Yahweh had foretold.

¹⁵ The firepans and the basins, whatever was gold, the commander of the imperial guard took for the gold and whatever was silver, for the silver.

²⁰ And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

¹⁶ And also Maacah, the mother of Asa, the king removed her from being queen, because she had made a repulsive image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her repulsive image, and he crushed and burned it at the Wadi* Kidron.

¹⁰ And at the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with objects of the treasure of the house of Yahweh. And he made Zedekiah his brother king in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁸ And all the vessels of the house of God, the great and the small, the storehouses of the house of Yahweh, and the storehouses of the king and his princes, these all he brought to Babylon.

⁷ And Cyrus the king brought out the objects of the house of Yahweh that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. ⁸ Cyrus the king of Persia let them go out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. ⁹ Now these were the inventories: thirty gold metal dishes, one thousand silver metal dishes, twenty-nine vessels, ¹⁰ thirty bowls of gold, four hundred and ten matching silver metal bowls, and one thousand other objects. ¹¹ All of the objects of gold and silver metal were five thousand four hundred. All this Sheshbazzar brought up along with the exiles from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

⁷ And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and _⌊his grandson_⌋,* until the coming of the time of _⌊his own_⌋* land. Then many nations and great kings will let him work.

¹⁶ Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, _⌊saying_⌋,* "Thus says Yahweh, 'You must not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, _⌊saying_⌋,* "Look, the vessels of the house of Yahweh are about to be quickly brought back from Babylon", for they are prophesying a lie to you. ¹⁷ And you must not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a site of ruins? ¹⁸ But if they are prophets, and if there is with them the word of Yahweh, let them please plead with Yahweh of hosts, that the vessels that are left over in the _⌊temple_⌋* of Yahweh, and the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, must not go to Babylon.' ¹⁹ For thus says Yahweh of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the stands, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, ²⁰ which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, did not take when he deported Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, _⌊along with_⌋* all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. ²¹ For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of Yahweh, and in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: ²² 'They will be brought to Babylon, and there they will stay until the day of my attending to them,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. 'Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.'"

¹⁹ And the captain of the guard* took the bowls, and the firepans, and the sprinkling bowls, and the pots, and the lampstands, and the pans, and the libation bowls, _⌊those made of solid gold_⌋* and _⌊those made of solid silver_⌋.*

² And the Lord gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah into his hand and _⌊some of_⌋* of the utensils of the temple of God,* and he brought them to the land of Shinar to the temple of his gods, and he brought the utensils to _⌊the treasury_⌋* of his gods.

⁴ They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.*

¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom _⌊who has the spirit of the holy gods in him_⌋.* And in the days of your _⌊predecessor_⌋,* enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋* appointed him as chief of the magicians,* the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* and the diviners. Your _⌊predecessor_⌋* the king did this

¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to Daniel, "You are Daniel _⌊who are one of the exiles_⌋* of Judah* whom my _⌊predecessor_⌋,* the king, brought from Judah.*

¹⁸ _⌊O king_⌋,* the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋.*

²³ And now you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords,* your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from* them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone* that do not see and do not hear and do not know, but the God _⌊who holds your life in his hand_⌋* and all of your ways _⌊come from him_⌋,* you have not honored.

²³ The rulers of the Philistines had gathered to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice. And they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand." ²⁴ And the people saw him, and they praised their god, for they said, "Our god has given into our hand those who hate us, devastate our land, and have _⌊killed many of us_⌋."*

⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. ⁵ They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; ⁶ they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ⁷ they have their hands, but they cannot feel, their feet, but they cannot walk; they cannot utter a sound in their throats. ⁸ Those who make them become like them, as does everyone who trusts in them.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of the hands of humankind. ¹⁶ They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; ¹⁷ they have ears, but cannot hear; there is not even breath in their mouths. ¹⁸ Those who make them become like them, as does everyone who trusts in them.

¹⁹ A craftsman pours out the idol, and a _⌊goldsmith_⌋* overlays it with gold, and he smelts chains of silver. ²⁰ The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over.

⁸ I am Yahweh; that is my name,
and I do not give my glory to another, nor* my praise to the idols.

¹⁷ They shall turn back; they shall be _⌊greatly ashamed_⌋,* those who trust in an image, who say to a cast image, "You are our gods."

⁶ Those who lavish gold from the purse and weigh out silver in the balance scales; hire _⌊a goldsmith_⌋* and he makes him a god; they bow down, indeed they bow in worship. ⁷ They carry it on their shoulder; they support it and they set it in its place, and it stands in position. It cannot be removed from its place; even when he cries out to it, it does not answer. It does not save him from his trouble.

⁴ He decorates it with silver and gold, they strengthen it with nails and hammers, so that it does not stagger. ⁵ They are like scarecrows* in a cucumber field, they cannot speak. Indeed, they must be carried, for they cannot march. You must not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil; furthermore, to do good is not in them." ⁶ There is none like you, O Yahweh, you are great and your name is great in might. ⁷ Who would not revere you, O king of the nations? For you it is fitting. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms,* there is none like you. ⁸ _⌊At the same time_⌋* they are stupid and foolish, in the instruction of idols, it is wood. ⁹ Silver beaten from Tarshish is brought, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and the hands of the goldsmith. Blue and purple are their clothing, all of them are the work of skillful people.

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king made a statue of gold. Its height was sixty cubits and its width was six cubits; he set it up in the valley of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent directions to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all of the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ³ Then the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the province were assembled for the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up, and were standing _⌊before_⌋* the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ Then the herald proclaimed _⌊aloud_⌋,* "To you _⌊it is commanded_⌋,* O peoples, _⌊nations and people of all languages_⌋,* ⁵ that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. ⁶ And _⌊whoever_⌋* does not fall down and worship will be thrown _⌊immediately_⌋* into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire." ⁷ _⌊Therefore_⌋,* _⌊at that time_⌋,* _⌊as soon as_⌋* all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, _⌊the nations and people of all languages_⌋* were falling down and were worshiping the statue of gold* that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ⁸ _⌊Therefore_⌋* _⌊at this time_⌋* some _⌊astrologers_⌋* came forward and _⌊they denounced the Jews_⌋.* ⁹ _⌊They responded and said_⌋* to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may you live _⌊forever_⌋!* ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that _⌊everyone_⌋* who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, he shall fall down and shall worship the statue of gold.* ¹¹ _⌊And whoever_⌋* _⌊does not fall down_⌋* and worship shall be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. ¹² However there are Judean men whom you have appointed* over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—these men, O king, _⌊pay you no heed_⌋* and were not serving your god, and the statue of gold* that you set up they are not worshiping." ¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you are not serving my god, and you are not worshiping the statue of gold* that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready so that _⌊when_⌋* you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, _⌊immediately_⌋* you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and _⌊who is the god_⌋* who* will rescue you from my hands?" ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, "We have no need on this matter _⌊to present a defense to you_⌋.* ¹⁷ _⌊If it is so_⌋,* our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us. ¹⁸ And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that _⌊we will not serve your gods_⌋,* and the statue of gold* that you have set up we will not worship."

³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the king of heaven, for all his works are truth,* and his ways are justice and that he is able to humble those who walk in pride."

⁸ But she did not know that it was I who gave her grain, new wine, and oil, and who gave her silver in abundance, and gold which they made into a Baal. ⁹ Therefore I will take again my grain in its time, and my wine in its season; and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness. ¹⁰ And now I will uncover her nakedness before the eyes of her lovers, and no one will rescue her from my hand. ¹¹ And I will put an end to all her mirth, her festivals,* her new moons,* and her Sabbaths,* and all her appointed festivals;* ¹² and I will lay waste to her vines* and her fig trees,* of which she said, "They are my payment for prostitution, which my lovers gave to me." I will make them a forest, and the wild animals* of the field will devour them. ¹³ _⌊I will punish her_⌋* for the days of the Baals, to whom she burns incense, and she decked herself with her ornamental ring and jewelry, and she went after her lovers, and forgot me —a declaration of Yahweh.

¹⁹ Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Wake up!' And to a lifeless stone, 'Arise!' Can he teach? Look, it is covered with gold and silver, and there is no breath within it.

²⁹ Therefore, because we* are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.

²⁴ For someone _⌊named_⌋* Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver replicas of the temple of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen. ²⁵ _⌊These_⌋* he gathered together, and the workers occupied with such things, and* said, "Men, you know that from this business _⌊we get our prosperity_⌋,* ²⁶ and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia* this man Paul has persuaded and* turned away a large crowd by* saying that the gods made by hands are not gods. ²⁷ So not only is there a danger this line of business of ours will come into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing—and she is about to be brought down even from her grandeur, she whom the whole of Asia* and the entire world worship!" ²⁸ And when they* heard this* and became full of rage, they began to shout,* saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

²⁰ And the rest of humanity who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, _⌊in order not to worship_⌋* the demons and the gold and silver and bronze and stone and wooden idols, which are able neither to see nor to hear nor to walk, ²¹ and they did not repent of their murders or of their magic spells or of their sexual immorality or of their thefts.

⁵ that the rejoicing of the wicked is _⌊short_⌋,* and the joy of the godless _⌊lasts only a moment_⌋?*

³⁰ They had not yet turned aside from their craving, while their food was still in their mouth, ³¹ the anger of God rose against them, and he killed some of the stoutest of them, even the young men of Israel he caused to bow down in death.

¹ A man who is reproved, being stubborn of neck— suddenly he will be broken, and there will not be healing.

³¹ While the words were still in the mouth of the king, a voice from heaven came, saying, 'To you, King Nebuchadnezzar, it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you,

³³ _⌊Immediately_⌋* the word was fulfilled _⌊concerning_⌋* Nebuchadnezzar, and he was expelled from _⌊human society_⌋* and he ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven until his hair was like the hair of an eagle and his nails grew like a bird's claws.

⁸ Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.*

¹⁵ And now the wise men and the conjurers* were brought in before me so that they could read this writing in order to make its explanation* known to me, but they were not able to disclose the explanation* of the matter.

²⁴ So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed. ²⁵ "Now this was the writing that was inscribed: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.' ²⁶ "This is the explanation of the matter:* 'Mene'—God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end to it. ²⁷ " 'Tekel'—you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting.* ²⁸ " 'Peres'—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.'"

¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many possessions stored up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, celebrate!" ' ²⁰ But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your life* is demanded from you, and the things which you have prepared—whose will they be?'

¹⁴ having destroyed the certificate of indebtedness in ordinances against us, which was hostile to us, and removed it out of the way by* nailing it to the cross.

² for you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the same way as a thief in the night. ³ Whenever they say "Peace and security," then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of _⌊a pregnant woman_⌋*, and they will not possibly escape.

¹² And I saw the dead—the great and the small—standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and each one was judged according to their deeds. ¹⁴ And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. ¹⁵ And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

²⁰ "All of the wicked one's days he is writhing, even* through the number of years that are laid up for the tyrant. ²¹ Sounds of terror are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come against him. ²² _⌊He cannot trust that he will return_⌋* from darkness, and he himself* is destined for the sword. ²³ "He is wandering for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready _⌊at hand_⌋.* ²⁴ Anguish and distress terrify him; they* overpower him like a king ready for the battle. ²⁵ Because he stretched out his hand against God, and he was arrogant to Shaddai; ²⁶ he _⌊stubbornly_⌋* runs against him _⌊with his thick-bossed shield_⌋.* ²⁷ "Because he has covered his face with his fat and has gathered fat upon his loins,

¹⁹ for he has oppressed; he has abandoned the poor; he has seized a house but* did not build it. ²⁰ Because he has not known satisfaction in his stomach, _⌊he lets nothing escape that he desires_⌋.* ²¹ _⌊There is nothing left after he has eaten_⌋;* therefore his prosperity will not endure. ²² In the fullness of his excess _⌊he will be in distress_⌋;* all of misery's power will come upon him. ²³ _⌊When his stomach fills up_⌋,* God will send _⌊his burning anger_⌋* upon him, and he will let it rain down upon him* as his food. ²⁴ "He will flee from an iron weapon, but an arrow of bronze will pierce him. ²⁵ He draws it forth, and it comes out from his body, and the glittering point comes from his gall-bladder; terrors come upon him. ²⁶ _⌊Total darkness_⌋* is hidden for his treasures;* _⌊an unfanned fire_⌋* will devour him; the remnant* _⌊will be consumed_⌋* in his tent. ²⁷ The heavens will reveal his guilt, and the earth will rise up against him.

²³ Let their eyes be dark so they cannot see, and make their loins continually tremble.

¹⁸ Surely you set them on slippery places. You cause them to fall onto ruin.* ¹⁹ How they become a desolation in a moment! They come to a complete end by terrors. ²⁰ Like a dream upon awakening, when you wake up, O Lord, you will despise their fleeting form.*

²⁷ None is weary, and none among him stumbles; none slumbers and none sleeps. And no loincloth on his waist is opened, and no thong of his sandals is drawn away.

⁷ Therefore all hands will grow slack, and every human heart will melt, ⁸ and they will be dismayed. Pangs and labor pains will seize them; they will tremble like a woman giving birth. _⌊They will stare at one another_⌋,* _⌊their faces flushing_⌋.*

² A hard revelation is told to me;
the treacherous deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; lay siege, Media!
I put an end to all of her sighing. ³ Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman giving birth. I am _⌊too bent to hear_⌋,* I am _⌊too dismayed to see_⌋.* ⁴ My _⌊mind_⌋* staggers; fear terrifies me; the twilight _⌊I desired_⌋* _⌊brought_⌋* me fear.

³ Strengthen the weak hands and make the staggering knees firm.

¹⁷ All of the hands will hang limp, and all of _⌊the knees will be wet with urine_⌋.*

⁷ _⌊And then_⌋* when they say to you, 'On account of what are you groaning?' then you must say, 'On account of the report, for it is coming, and every heart will be weak and all hands will hang limp and every spirit will be disheartened, and all knees will go like water.' Look! It is coming, and it will happen!" _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh.

¹ Now* in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger and the image of his face was changed _⌊toward_⌋* Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, so he _⌊ordered and said_⌋* to heat up the one furnace seven times what was usual to heat it up.

⁵ And I saw a dream and a revelation on my bed and it frightened me, and the visions of my head terrified me.

¹⁹ "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was distressed _⌊for some time_⌋,* and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, 'Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.' Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My lord, may the dream and its explanation be for those who hate you and for your enemies.

⁹ Then the king, Belshazzar, became greatly terrified, and _⌊his facial features_⌋* changed upon him, and his lords* were perplexed. ¹⁰ Because of the words of the king and his lords,* the queen came into _⌊the banqueting hall_⌋* and the queen _⌊spoke up_⌋* and said, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋,* and let not your thoughts terrify you and do not let your facial expressions _⌊grow pale_⌋.*

²⁸ _⌊This is the end of the account_⌋.* _⌊As for me, Daniel_⌋*—my thoughts terrified me greatly and my face changed over me, but I kept the matter in my heart."*

¹⁰ Emptiness and plundering and devastation! Their hearts faint and their knees tremble,* _⌊All their loins shake_⌋* and all their faces _⌊turn_⌋* pale.

¹² Therefore strengthen your slackened hands and your weakened knees,

⁸ And it happened that in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called all of the magicians* of Egypt, and all its wise men, and Pharaoh told his dream to them. But _⌊they had no interpretation_⌋* for Pharaoh.

⁴² Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his finger and put it on the finger of Joseph. And he clothed him with garments of fine linen, and he put a chain of gold around his neck. ⁴³ And he had him ride in his second chariot. And they cried out before him, "Kneel!" And Pharaoh set him over all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁴ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your consent no one will lift his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt."

⁷ So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with a fee for divination in their hand; they came to Balaam and spoke the words of Balak to him.

¹⁷ because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.'"

¹¹ _⌊Flee_⌋* to your place now. I said I would richly honor you, but look, Yahweh has withheld honor from you."

²⁵ And the men of Israel said, "Did you see this man who has come up? For he is going up to defy Israel! It will be that the man who defeats him, the king will make him* very rich with great wealth and will give him his daughter in marriage and will make his father's house free in Israel."*

¹ After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and he exalted him and set _⌊his position_⌋* above all the officials who were with him.

² All the work of his authority and his _⌊powerful deeds_⌋,* and the full accounting of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written on the scroll of the _⌊chronicles_⌋* of the kings of Media and Persia? ³ For Mordecai the Jew was second-in-command to King Ahasuerus. He was great for the Jews and popular with many of his brothers, for he sought good for his people, _⌊interceding for the welfare of all his descendants_⌋.*

⁹ for they are a garland of favor for your head, and pendants for your neck. ¹⁰ Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.

²⁵ who frustrates* the signs of oracle priests and makes a fool of diviners, who drives the wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, ²⁶ who keeps* the word of his servant and carries out the plan of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,' and of the cities of Judah, 'They shall be rebuilt, and I will restore its ruins';

¹³ You struggle with your many consultations;* let them stand, now, and save you— those who see the stars, divide the _⌊celestial sphere_⌋,* who inform by new moons— from those things that are coming upon you.

¹¹ And I adorned you with ornaments,* and I put a bracelet on your arms and a necklace on your neck.

² So the king said to call the magicians* and the conjurers* and the sorcerers and the _⌊astrologers_⌋* to tell to the king his dreams. And they came in and they stood _⌊before_⌋* the king.

⁶ But if you tell me the dream and its explanation, you will receive gifts and rewards* and great honor from me. Therefore, tell me the dream and its explanation."*

⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

⁶ And a decree was _⌊sent out_⌋,* ordering that all the wise men of Babylon were to be brought in before me so that they may make known to me the explanation of the dream. ⁷ Then the magicians,* the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its explanation.*

¹⁴ He cried _⌊aloud_⌋* and so he said:
"Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

¹⁶ But I have heard concerning you that you are able _⌊to produce interpretations_⌋* and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation* to me, you will be clothed in purple and a necklace of gold will be placed around your neck and you will rule as third in command in the kingdom."

²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom.

² and over them were three administrators, of whom Daniel was one, so that these satraps were giving account to them, and the king would not be suffering loss. ³ Then Daniel _⌊began distinguishing himself_⌋* above the administrators and the satraps _⌊because_⌋* an exceptional spirit was in him, and so the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.

⁹ And these two shall come to you in a moment, in one day: the loss of children and widowhood shall come on you _⌊completely_⌋,* in spite of your many sorceries, in spite of the power of your great enchantments.

¹² Stand, now, in your enchantments, and in your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth. Perhaps you may be able to benefit; perhaps you may _⌊scare away_⌋.* ¹³ You struggle with your many consultations;* let them stand, now, and save you— those who see the stars, divide the _⌊celestial sphere_⌋,* who inform by new moons— from those things that are coming upon you. ¹⁴ Look! They are like stubble; the fire burns them completely. They cannot deliver _⌊themselves_⌋* from the _⌊power_⌋* of the flame; there is no coal _⌊for warming oneself_⌋,* no fire before which to sit. ¹⁵ So are to you those with whom you have labored, your traders from your youth. They wander, each to his side; there is no one who can save you.

²⁷ Daniel answered the king and said, "The mystery that the king asks, no wise men, conjurers,* magicians,* or diviners are able to make known to the king.

⁷ Then the magicians,* the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its explanation.*

¹¹ "Sudden terrors terrify him all around, and they chase him at his heels. ¹² His wealth will become hunger, and disaster is ready for his stumbling. ¹³ It consumes parts of his skin; the firstborn of death consumes his limbs. ¹⁴ He is torn from his tent _⌊in which he trusted_⌋,* and it brought him to the king of terrors.

¹⁴ And he shot his arrows and scattered them,* and many lightning bolts and routed them.

⁶ Trembling seized them there— pain as of a woman in labor.

⁶ Wail, for the day of Yahweh is near; it will come like destruction from Shaddai!*

²⁴ We have heard news of it, our hands grow slack, anxiety has grasped us, pain as a woman who gives birth.

⁶ Ask please and see whether a male can bear a child. Why do I see every strong man with his hands on his loins like a woman giving birth? And why are all their faces changed to paleness?

⁶ Then his face changed and his thoughts terrified him, and _⌊his hip joints gave way_⌋* and _⌊his knees knocked together_⌋.*

⁸ And I myself, Daniel, alone saw this great vision, and as a result _⌊no strength was left in me_⌋* and _⌊my complexion grew deathly pale_⌋,* and I did not retain any strength.

³ And when* King Herod heard it,* he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him,

¹⁵ And the kings of the earth, and the most important people, and the military leaders, and the rich, and the powerful, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,

¹⁷ And _⌊when her labor was the most difficult_⌋* the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid _⌊for you have another son_⌋."* ¹⁸ And it happened that when her life was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-Oni.* But his father called him Benjamin.*

²⁰ Just before the time of her death, those _⌊attending her_⌋* said, "Do not fear, for you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer, or _⌊pay any attention_⌋.* ²¹ She called the boy Ichabod,* saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," referring to the capture of the ark of God and concerning her father-in-law and husband. ²² And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God was captured."*

³¹ Then Bathsheba knelt with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and she said, "May my lord, King David, live forever."

⁴ "But* you* _⌊whitewash with lies_⌋;* all of you* are _⌊worthless healers_⌋.*

³⁴ So* how will you comfort me with emptiness, when* fraud is left in your answers?"

⁴ And the _⌊astrologers_⌋* said to the king in Aramaic,* "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation."

⁹ _⌊They responded and said_⌋* to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may you live _⌊forever_⌋!*

⁶ So the administrators and the satraps conspired _⌊with respect to_⌋* the king and so they said to him, "Darius, O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!*

²¹ Then Daniel spoke to* the king, "O king, live _⌊forever_⌋!*

¹¹ And we dreamed a dream one night, I and he, _⌊each with a dream that had a meaning_⌋.* ¹² And there with us was a young man, a Hebrew servant of the chief of the guard, and we told him the dream, and he interpreted our dreams for us, each according to his dream he interpreted. ¹³ And it happened just as he interpreted to us, so it was. He* restored me to my office, and him* he* hanged." ¹⁴ Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him quickly from the prison. And he shaved and changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. ¹⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I dreamed a dream, but there is none to interpret it. Now, I have heard concerning you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

¹⁷ Your servant also thought, 'May the word of my lord the king _⌊bring rest_⌋,* for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, _⌊to sense what is good and what is bad_⌋.'* May Yahweh your God be with you."

¹¹ And the thing that the king is asking is too difficult and _⌊there is no one who_⌋* can reveal it to the king except the gods _⌊whose dwelling is not with mortals_⌋."*

⁴⁷ The king answered Daniel and said, "_⌊Truly_⌋* your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings, and he reveals mysteries, for you are able to reveal this mystery." ⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

⁸ Then _⌊at last_⌋* Daniel came before me _⌊whose name was_⌋* Belteshazzar, _⌊according to_⌋* the name of my god, and _⌊in whom was the spirit of the holy gods_⌋,* _⌊and I related the dream to him_⌋.* ⁹ " 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,* I myself know that the spirit* of the holy gods is in you, and _⌊no mystery is too difficult_⌋* for you. Now tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.*

¹⁸ " 'This is the dream that I, Nebuchadnezzar the king, saw. Now* you, Belteshazzar, declare its explanation, _⌊for_⌋* all of the wise men of my kingdom were not able to make the explanation known to me, but you are able because the spirit of holy gods is in you.'

¹⁴ And I have heard that a spirit of the gods is in you and enlightenment and insight and excellent wisdom was found in you.

²² But the people began to call out loudly,* "The voice of a god and not of a man!"

¹¹ And when* the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have become like men and* have come down to us!"

¹⁶ And it happened that as* we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination* met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners by* fortune-telling.

⁹ Behold, I am causing those of the synagogue of Satan, the ones who call themselves Jews and are not, but are lying—behold, I will make them _⌊come_⌋* and kneel down before your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

¹ Now the queen of Sheba had heard of the fame of Solomon regarding the name of Yahweh, and she came to test him with hard questions. ² So she came to Jerusalem with very great wealth; with camels carrying spices, very much gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon, and she spoke to him all that was on her heart. ³ _⌊Solomon answered all of her questions_⌋;* there was not a thing hidden from the king which he could not explain to her.

¹ Now the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, and she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, with much wealth and camels, bearing spices and much gold and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and told him all that was _⌊on her mind_⌋.* ² And Solomon _⌊answered all her questions_⌋.* Not a word was hidden from Solomon that he did not answer for her.

³ With regard to the saints who are in the land, they are the noble ones in whom is all my desire.

²⁶ A righteous person will seek out his neighbor, but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.

²⁷ He who spares his sayings knows knowledge, and a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

⁷ And the commander of the court officials gave them names, and he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego.

⁸ Then _⌊at last_⌋* Daniel came before me _⌊whose name was_⌋* Belteshazzar, _⌊according to_⌋* the name of my god, and _⌊in whom was the spirit of the holy gods_⌋,* _⌊and I related the dream to him_⌋.*

³ Then Daniel _⌊began distinguishing himself_⌋* above the administrators and the satraps _⌊because_⌋* an exceptional spirit was in him, and so the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.

²⁹ for which purpose also I labor, striving according to his working which is at work powerfully in me.

¹ Now the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the _⌊returned exiles_⌋* were building a temple for Yahweh the God of Israel.

¹⁶ And the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the _⌊returned exiles_⌋* celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

¹⁹ On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles observed the Passover feast. ²⁰ For the priests and Levites together had consecrated themselves; all of them were clean. And they slaughtered the Passover sacrifice for all of the returned exiles, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.

⁷ And they sent a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to all the _⌊returned exiles_⌋* to assemble in Jerusalem.

¹⁶ The _⌊returned exiles_⌋* did so. Ezra the priest selected men, the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* according to the house of their fathers, all of them by name. They sat down to examine the matter on the first day of the tenth month.

²¹ And Daniel was there until the first year of Cyrus the king.

²⁵ Then Arioch _⌊quickly_⌋* brought Daniel in before the king and thus he said to him: "I have found a man among _⌊the exiles_⌋* of Judah* who _⌊can relate_⌋* the explanation* to the king.

² _⌊When he tasted the wine_⌋,* Belshazzar commanded that they bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his _⌊predecessor_⌋* had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords,* his wives and his concubines may drink from them.

¹³ Then _⌊they responded_⌋* and said before the king, "Daniel, who is from _⌊the exiles_⌋* of Judah,* _⌊is not paying any attention_⌋* to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, _⌊and three times daily_⌋* he says his prayer."

¹ In the third year of the kingdom of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared _⌊to me, Daniel_⌋,* after the one that appeared to me _⌊previously_⌋.*

²⁷ And I, Daniel, was overcome, and I became ill for some days, and I _⌊performed_⌋* the business of the king, and I was dismayed over the vision and _⌊I did not understand it_⌋.*

¹ And after these things Jesus was going about in Galilee. For he did not want to go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.

³ So his brothers said to him, "Depart from here and go to Judea, so that your disciples also can see your works that you are doing.

¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom _⌊who has the spirit of the holy gods in him_⌋.* And in the days of your _⌊predecessor_⌋,* enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your _⌊predecessor_⌋* appointed him as chief of the magicians,* the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* and the diviners. Your _⌊predecessor_⌋* the king did this ¹² _⌊because_⌋* there was found in him an excellent spirit and understanding and insight for interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving riddles; that is, in Daniel _⌊whom the king named_⌋* Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called and he will tell the explanation."*

¹⁰ For Yahweh has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and he has shut your eyes, the prophets, and he has covered your heads, the seers. ¹¹ And the vision of all this has become for you like the words of a sealed document. When they give it to one who knows the* document, saying, "_⌊Read_⌋* this now!" He says, "I am not able, for it is sealed." ¹² And if the document is given to one who does not _⌊know how to read_⌋,* saying, "_⌊Read_⌋* this now!" he says, "I do not _⌊know how to read_⌋."*

¹² Stand, now, in your enchantments, and in your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth. Perhaps you may be able to benefit; perhaps you may _⌊scare away_⌋.*

³ And the king said to them, "_⌊I have had a dream_⌋* and my spirit is anxious to know the dream." ⁴ And the _⌊astrologers_⌋* said to the king in Aramaic,* "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation." ⁵ The king answered and said to the _⌊astrologers_⌋,* "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its explanation,* then you will be broken into pieces and your houses will be laid in ruins. ⁶ But if you tell me the dream and its explanation, you will receive gifts and rewards* and great honor from me. Therefore, tell me the dream and its explanation."* ⁷ They answered once more and said, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants and we will make the explanation known." ⁸ The king answered and said, "_⌊Certainly_⌋* I know that _⌊you are trying to gain time_⌋* _⌊because_⌋* you have seen _⌊that this matter is firmly decreed by me_⌋,* ⁹ for if you do not make the dream known to me, _⌊your verdict is fixed_⌋,* and you have conspired to say a lying and deceitful word to me until the _⌊circumstances_⌋* will change. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can tell me its explanation." ¹⁰ The _⌊astrologers_⌋* answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth that is able to reveal the word of the king; _⌊in fact_⌋,* no great and powerful king has ever asked a thing like this of any magician* or conjurer* or _⌊astrologer_⌋.* ¹¹ And the thing that the king is asking is too difficult and _⌊there is no one who_⌋* can reveal it to the king except the gods _⌊whose dwelling is not with mortals_⌋."*

⁷ The king cried _⌊aloud_⌋* to bring in the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners; the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed in purple and will have a necklace of gold hung around his neck and he will rule as third in authority in the kingdom." ⁸ Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.*

⁸ And they said to him, "We each dreamed a dream, but there is no one to interpret it." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."

⁷ The king cried _⌊aloud_⌋* to bring in the conjurers,* the _⌊astrologers_⌋* and the diviners; the king _⌊spoke_⌋* and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed in purple and will have a necklace of gold hung around his neck and he will rule as third in authority in the kingdom."

¹⁸ Now Simon, when he* saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money,

²³ _⌊that neither a thread nor_⌋* a thong of a sandal would I take from all that belongs to you, that you might not say, 'I made Abram rich.'

¹³ Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "_⌊What do we have in common_⌋?* Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother." Then the king of Israel said to him, "No, for Yahweh has called for these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab."

¹⁶ And he said, "_⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋,* before whom I stand, I surely will not take it." Still he urged him to take it, but he refused.

²⁶ Then he said to him, "Did not my heart go with you as the man turned from on his chariot to meet you? Is it time to take silver, clothes, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, oxen, male slaves, and female slaves?

⁴⁶ And I will speak of your testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed.

²⁰ But Peter said to him, "May your silver _⌊be destroyed along with you_⌋,* because you thought _⌊you could acquire_⌋* the gift of God by means of money!

⁸ _⌊When the Most High apportioned_⌋* the nations, at his dividing up of the sons of humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the children of Israel.*

¹⁷ I will thank Yahweh according to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of Yahweh, the Most High.

² I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing the praise of your name, O Most High.

² For Yahweh Most High is awesome,* a great king over all the earth.

⁸ But you are on high forever, O Yahweh.

³⁵ _⌊to deprive one of justice_⌋* before the face of the Most High;

³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that disaster and good will come?

³⁷ You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power and the might and the glory, ³⁸ and also _⌊human beings wherever they dwell_⌋,* the animals of the field and the birds* of heaven*—he has given into your hand and made you ruler over all of them—you are the head of gold.

² It is pleasing to me to recount the signs and wonders that the Most High God worked for me.

¹⁷ The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the decision by the command of the holy ones, _⌊in order that_⌋* the living will know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and _⌊to whomever_⌋* he wills he gives it, and he even sets the humblest of men over it."

²² —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven* and your sovereignty to the end of the earth. ²³ And inasmuch that the king saw the watcher, a holy one coming down from heaven* and he said, "Cut down the tree and destroy it, but the stump of its root in the earth leave with a band of iron and bronze in the grass of the field, and let it be watered with the dew of heaven and let his lot be with the animals of the field _⌊until seven times have passed over him_⌋."* ²⁴ This is the explanation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵ you will be driven away _⌊from human society_⌋* and _⌊you will dwell_⌋* with the animals* of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen _⌊yourself_⌋,* and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and _⌊to whom he wills_⌋* he gives it.

³² and you will be driven away from _⌊human society_⌋* and your dwelling will be with the animals* of the field and they will cause you to graze the grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind and that he gives it to whom he wills.'

²² My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not* hurt me, _⌊because_⌋* before him _⌊I was found_⌋* blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done any wrong."

⁴⁸ But the Most High does not live in houses* made by human hands, just as the prophet says,

¹³ In the middle of the day along the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me.

¹⁹ "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

¹⁴ The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but one who is wise will appease* it.

⁹ look, I am going to send and take all the clans* of the north,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, 'and I will send* to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations all around, and I will destroy them, and I will make them a horror, and an object of hissing, and _⌊everlasting ruins_⌋.* ¹⁰ And I will exterminate from them the sound of jubilation, and the sound of joy, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. ¹¹ And all this land will become a site of ruins, a desolation, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.* ¹² _⌊And then_⌋* when the seventy years* are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, 'for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and I will make it _⌊an everlasting waste_⌋.* ¹³ And I will bring upon that land all my words that I have spoken against it, everything that is written in this scroll which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. ¹⁴ For many nations and great kings will let them work, even them, and I will repay them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.'"

⁵ "I have made the earth with humankind and animals* that are on the face of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and I give it to whomever is right in my eyes. ⁶ And now I myself have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and also the animals* of the field I have given to him to serve him. ⁷ And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and _⌊his grandson_⌋,* until the coming of the time of _⌊his own_⌋* land. Then many nations and great kings will let him work.

¹² Because of this the king became angry, and he became very much enraged, and he said that all the wise men of Babylon are to be destroyed. ¹³ And the decree was issued, and the wise men _⌊were on the verge of being executed_⌋,* and they searched for Daniel and his companions to be executed.

⁴ Then the herald proclaimed _⌊aloud_⌋,* "To you _⌊it is commanded_⌋,* O peoples, _⌊nations and people of all languages_⌋,*

⁶ And _⌊whoever_⌋* does not fall down and worship will be thrown _⌊immediately_⌋* into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire."

²⁰ And he commanded _⌊the strongest men of the guards_⌋* who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹ Then these men were bound with their garments, their trousers and their turbans and their other clothing, and they were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

²⁹ And from me _⌊is set forth_⌋* a decree that any people, nation, or language that may utter criticism against their God—the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—will be broken into pieces and their* house will be made like ruins. _⌊For_⌋* there is not another God who is able to rescue like this God."

²² —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven* and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.

⁵ _⌊How much less_⌋* the defiant;* the arrogant, treacherous man? He who broadens his throat like Sheol, and who, like death, is not satisfied, and who gathers to himself all the nations, and harvested for himself all the peoples, will not succeed.

¹¹ Jesus replied to him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has greater sin."

¹ Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God.

¹⁷ Still you are behaving haughtily to my people by not releasing them.

¹¹ Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, _⌊even in the matter where they the Egyptians dealt arrogantly against the Israelites_⌋."*

⁶ Why should you harden your hearts like the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? Is it not just like when he dealt with them wantonly so that they sent them away and they left?

¹⁴ But they did not listen and they stiffened their necks, like the necks of their ancestors* who did not believe in Yahweh their God.

¹³ And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

¹¹ Pour out the overflowing of your anger, and look at all the proud, and humble them. ¹² Look at all the proud, humble them, and tread down the wicked _⌊where they stand_⌋.*

⁵ An abomination of Yahweh are all who are arrogant of heart;* _⌊rest assured_⌋,* he will not go unpunished.

¹⁸ Before destruction comes pride, and before a fall, a haughty spirit.*

¹² How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of dawn! You are cut down to the ground, conqueror of nations! ¹³ And you yourself said in your heart,
'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise up my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit on the mountain of assembly on the summit of Zaphon;* ¹⁴ I will ascend to the high places of the clouds,* I will make myself like the Most High.' ¹⁵ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. ¹⁶ Those who see you will stare at you, they will look closely at you: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who caused kingdoms to shake, ¹⁷ who made the world like the desert and destroyed its cities, who would not let his prisoners go home?'

¹ Come down and sit on the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon! Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of Chaldea! For _⌊they shall no longer call_⌋* you tender and delicate.

¹⁸ "Say to the king and to the queen mother, '_⌊Take a lower seat_⌋,* for _⌊your beautiful crown_⌋* has come down from your head.'*

¹⁵ "Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Look, I am about to bring to this city and upon all its towns all the disaster that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their neck to not hear my words.'"

¹⁸ Come down from glory and sit on the parched ground, O inhabitant, daughter of Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come up against you, he has destroyed your fortifications.

⁶ Thus says Yahweh:
"And the supporters of Egypt will fall, and the majesty of its strength will go down from Migdol to Syene; by the sword they will fall in it," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh.

³⁰ And the king answered and said, "Is this not the great Babylon which I have built as a royal palace by the strength of my own power, and for the glory of my own majesty?" ³¹ While the words were still in the mouth of the king, a voice from heaven came, saying, 'To you, King Nebuchadnezzar, it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you, ³² and you will be driven away from _⌊human society_⌋* and your dwelling will be with the animals* of the field and they will cause you to graze the grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind and that he gives it to whom he wills.' ³³ _⌊Immediately_⌋* the word was fulfilled _⌊concerning_⌋* Nebuchadnezzar, and he was expelled from _⌊human society_⌋* and he ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven until his hair was like the hair of an eagle and his nails grew like a bird's claws.

⁵¹ He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has dispersed the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. ⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than that one! For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

¹³ But encourage one another _⌊day by day_⌋*, as long as it is called "today," so that _⌊none of you become hardened_⌋* by the deception of sin.

¹⁴ For at this time I am sending all of my plagues _⌊to you personally_⌋* and among your servants and among your people so that you will know that there is no one like me in all the earth. ¹⁵ For now I could have stretched out my hand, and I could have struck you and your people with the plague, and you would have perished from the earth. ¹⁶ But for the sake of this I have caused you to stand—for the sake of showing you my strength and in order to proclaim my name in all the earth.

³ Through want and through barren hunger they are gnawing in the dry region in the darkness of desolation and waste. ⁴ They are picking salt herbs, the leaves of bushes, and the roots of broom trees to warm themselves. ⁵ They were driven out from fellow people; they shout at them as at a* thief, ⁶ _⌊so that they dwell_⌋* in holes of the ground and in the rocks. ⁷ They bray among the bushes; they are gathered under the nettles.

¹⁷ Let them be ashamed and terrified forever, and let them be humiliated and perish ¹⁸ that they may know that you, whose name is Yahweh, you alone, are the Most High over the whole earth.

²⁴ And all of the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, I will bring low a high tree, and I will exalt a low, fresh tree, and I will make a dry tree flourish. I, Yahweh, I have spoken, and I will do it.'"

²⁵ you will be driven away _⌊from human society_⌋* and _⌊you will dwell_⌋* with the animals* of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen _⌊yourself_⌋,* and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and _⌊to whom he wills_⌋* he gives it.

³⁵ And all the dwellers of the earth are regarded as nothing, and he does _⌊according to_⌋* his desire in the host of heaven and among the dwellers of earth, and there is not one who can hold back his hand, or _⌊ask him_⌋,* 'What are you doing?'

³ And Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and they said to him, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, 'Until when will you refuse to submit before me? Release my people so that they may serve me.

²³ And he did not humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father humbled himself, but Amon himself multiplied his guilt.

¹² And he did evil in the eyes of Yahweh his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet _⌊who spoke for_⌋* Yahweh.

¹⁰ Though the wicked person is shown compassion, he does not learn righteousness;
he acts unjustly in the land of uprightness, and he does not see the majesty of Yahweh.

⁴ because John had been saying to him, "It is not permitted for you to have her."

³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did believe him. And when* you saw it,* you did not even change your minds later so as to believe in him.

⁴⁷ And that slave who knew the will of his master and did not prepare or do according to his will _⌊will be given a severe beating_⌋.*

¹⁷ If you understand these things, you are blessed if you do them.

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹ if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a sick man—by what means* this man was healed— ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man stands before you healthy! ¹¹ This one* is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.* ¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among people by which we must be saved." ¹³ Now when they* saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were astonished, and recognized them, that they had been with Jesus.

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered and* said, "It is necessary to obey God rather than men! ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by* hanging him* on a tree. ³¹ This one God has exalted to his right hand as Leader and Savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witnesses of these things, and so is* the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him." ³³ Now when* they heard this,* they were infuriated, and were wanting to execute them.

⁶ But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says,
"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."*

¹⁷ Therefore, to the one who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

⁵ In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. ⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the right time,

⁷ when* Yahweh God formed the man* of dust from the ground, and he blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

¹⁹ And he blessed him and said,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth.

²³ The rulers of the Philistines had gathered to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice. And they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."

¹ Now the Philistines had captured* the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ² Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the temple of Dagon and placed it beside Dagon. ³ When the Ashdodites got up early the next morning, _⌊there was_⌋* Dagon fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh! So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. ⁴ When they got up early in the morning the next day, _⌊there was_⌋* Dagon fallen again with his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh! The head of Dagon and the palms of his two hands were cut off, lying at* the threshold; only the body* of Dagon was left. ⁵ (Therefore the priests of Dagon and all who come into the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod until this very day.) ⁶ Now the hand of Yahweh was heavy against the Ashdodites and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors,* both in Ashdod and its territories. ⁷ The men of Ashdod saw that it was so, and they said, "The ark of the God of Israel should not remain with us, because his hand is harsh on us and on Dagon our god!" ⁸ So they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines to them, and they asked, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" And they said, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around toward Gath." So they moved the ark of the God of Israel to Gath. ⁹ After they moved it, the hand of Yahweh was against the city, causing a very great confusion, and he struck the men of the city _⌊from the youngest to the oldest_⌋,* causing tumors* to break out on them.

¹⁰ You have indeed defeated Edom and your heart is lifted up; enjoy the honor and stay home. Why should you provoke trouble so that you fall and Judah with you?"

¹⁰ In whose hand is the life of all living things and _⌊the breath of every human being_⌋?*

⁴ Does he not see my ways and count all my steps?

¹⁴ If he should set his heart to it, and he should gather his spirit and his breath to himself, ¹⁵ all flesh would perish together, and humankind would return to dust.

²⁹ You hide your face, they are terrified. You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

¹⁶ The heavens are Yahweh's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of humankind.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of the hands of humankind. ¹⁶ They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; ¹⁷ they have ears, but cannot hear; there is not even breath in their mouths.

³ You search out* my wandering and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

⁴ His breath departs; he returns to his plot;* on that day his plans perish.

²⁴ Away from Yahweh are the steps of a strong man, and how will humankind understand his ways?

¹² For there is a day for Yahweh of hosts against all of the proud and the lofty and against all that is lifted up and humble,*

¹⁰ "Now I will arise," says Yahweh. "Now I will lift myself up proudly; now I will raise myself.

¹⁹ to _⌊set_⌋* their gods in the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of human hands, wood and stone, and they destroyed them.

²³ Whom have you taunted and blasphemed, and against whom have you raised up your voice and lifted your eyes upward?
To the holy one of Israel!

⁵ Thus says the God, Yahweh, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it.

²³ I know, O Yahweh, that to the human is not his own way, nor to a person is the walking and the directing of his own step.

²⁹ Summon archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp all around her, there must not be for her an escape. Take revenge on her according to her deeds. According to all that she has done, so do to her. For against Yahweh she has behaved insolently, against the Holy One of Israel.

² "Son of man,* say to the leader of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh:
"Because your heart was haughty, and you said, 'I am a god; I sit in the seat of the gods, I sit in the heart of the seas!' But* you are a human, not a god, and you gave your heart to be like the heart of a god.

⁵ By the abundance of your wisdom in your trading you have increased your wealth and your heart was proud in* your wealth." '"

¹⁷ Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you ruined your wisdom because of your splendor. I threw you on the ground _⌊before_⌋* kings; I have exposed you _⌊for viewing_⌋.*

¹⁰ Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "_⌊Because_⌋* it was tall in height and it set its treetop between* thick clouds, and _⌊he took pride in his tallness_⌋,*

² _⌊When he tasted the wine_⌋,* Belshazzar commanded that they bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his _⌊predecessor_⌋* had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords,* his wives and his concubines may drink from them. ³ Then they brought in the vessels of gold that they took from the temple, the house of God that was in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords,* his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.*

⁴ Look! His spirit within him is puffed up; it is not upright. But the righteous shall live by his faithfulness.

¹⁸ What value is an idol when its carver has fashioned it, a molten idol, a teacher of lies? For he who fashioned his creation trusts in it, though making mute idols! ¹⁹ Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Wake up!' And to a lifeless stone, 'Arise!' Can he teach? Look, it is covered with gold and silver, and there is no breath within it.

²⁵ nor is he served by human hands as if he* needed anything, because* he himself gives to everyone life and breath and everything.

²⁸ for in him we live and move and exist,* as even some of _⌊your own_⌋* poets have said: 'For we also are _⌊his_⌋* offspring.'* ²⁹ Therefore, because we* are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.

²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles.

⁴ Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that "an idol is nothing in the world" and that "there is no God except one."*

⁶ not newly converted, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

¹³ And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom _⌊we must give our account_⌋*.

⁵ And a mouth was given to him speaking great things and blasphemies, and authority to act was given to him for forty-two months. ⁶ And he opened his mouth for blasphemies toward God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling, those who live in heaven.

⁵ _⌊Immediately_⌋* _⌊human fingers_⌋* appeared and they wrote _⌊opposite_⌋* the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, and the king was watching* the palm of the hand that was writing.

¹⁴ If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my compulsory service I will wait, until the coming of my relief.

¹ The oracle of Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw: ² Raise a signal on a bare hill, lift up your voice to them; wave the hand and may they enter the gateways of the noblemen. ³ I myself I have commanded my consecrated ones, I have also summoned my mighty warriors concerning my anger, the _⌊ones who exalt over_⌋* my majesty. ⁴ A sound, a noise is on the mountains, the likeness of many people! A sound of the roar of the kingdoms, of nations gathering! Yahweh of hosts is mustering an army for battle. ⁵ They are coming from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, Yahweh and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy _⌊the whole earth_⌋.* ⁶ Wail, for the day of Yahweh is near; it will come like destruction from Shaddai!* ⁷ Therefore all hands will grow slack, and every human heart will melt, ⁸ and they will be dismayed. Pangs and labor pains will seize them; they will tremble like a woman giving birth. _⌊They will stare at one another_⌋,* _⌊their faces flushing_⌋.* ⁹ Look! The day of Yahweh is coming, cruel and wrath and the burning of anger, to make the earth a desolation, and he will destroy its sinners from it. ¹⁰ For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will keep back when it comes out, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. ¹¹ And I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. And I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and I will bring the haughtiness of tyrants low. ¹² I will make humanity more rare than gold and humankind more than the gold of Ophir. ¹³ Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will quake from its place because of the wrath of Yahweh of hosts, and in the day his anger burns. ¹⁴ And this shall happen:
like a hunted gazelle or sheep _⌊with none to gather them_⌋,* they will each turn to his own people, and they will each flee to his own land.

¹ The oracle of the wilderness of the sea:
As storm winds passing over in the Negev,
_⌊it comes_⌋* from the desert, from a frightful land. ² A hard revelation is told to me;
the treacherous deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; lay siege, Media!
I put an end to all of her sighing. ³ Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman giving birth. I am _⌊too bent to hear_⌋,* I am _⌊too dismayed to see_⌋.* ⁴ My _⌊mind_⌋* staggers; fear terrifies me; the twilight _⌊I desired_⌋* _⌊brought_⌋* me fear. ⁵ Set out the table in order! Spread out the rugs!* Eat! drink! Rise up, commanders; smear* the shield! ⁶ For the Lord said this to me:
"Go, set a watchman in position. He must announce what he sees. ⁷ When* he sees riders,* a pair of horsemen, riders* of donkeys,* riders* of camels,* _⌊then_⌋* he must listen attentively, paying attention, paying _⌊special_⌋* attention." ⁸ Then* the _⌊watchman_⌋* called,
"Lord, I am standing on the watchtower continually by day, and I am standing at my post _⌊throughout_⌋* the night. ⁹ And look at this! A man's a chariot is coming, a pair of horsemen!"
Then* he responded and said,
"It has fallen! Babylon has fallen! And all the images of her gods are* smashed on the ground!" ¹⁰ My downtrodden people and the son of my threshing floor,
I will announce to you what I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel.

¹ Come down and sit on the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon! Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of Chaldea! For _⌊they shall no longer call_⌋* you tender and delicate. ² Take the pair of mill stones and grind flour! Uncover your veil, strip off your skirt, uncover your thigh, pass through the rivers! ³ Your nakedness shall be exposed; indeed, your shame shall become visible. I will take vengeance and I will not _⌊spare_⌋* a person. ⁴ Our redeemer, Yahweh of hosts is his name, the holy one of Israel. ⁵ Sit silently and go into the darkness, daughter of Chaldea, for _⌊they shall no longer call_⌋* you mistress of kingdoms. ⁶ I was angry with my people; I profaned my inheritance, and I gave them into your hand. You did not _⌊give_⌋* them mercy; on the aged you made your yoke very heavy. ⁷ And you said, "I shall be an eternal mistress forever!" You did not set these things upon your heart; you did not remember its end. ⁸ Therefore now hear this, luxuriant one who sits* in security, who says* in her heart, "I am, and besides me there is no one. I shall not sit as a widow, and I shall not know the loss of children." ⁹ And these two shall come to you in a moment, in one day: the loss of children and widowhood shall come on you _⌊completely_⌋,* in spite of your many sorceries, in spite of the power of your great enchantments. ¹⁰ And you felt secure in your wickedness; you said, "_⌊No one_⌋* sees* me." Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, "I am, and besides me there is no one." ¹¹ And evil shall come upon you, you will not know; it will be on the lookout for her. And disaster shall fall upon you; you will not be able to _⌊avert_⌋* it. And ruin shall come on you suddenly; you do not know.

¹¹ And all this land will become a site of ruins, a desolation, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.* ¹² _⌊And then_⌋* when the seventy years* are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, 'for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and I will make it _⌊an everlasting waste_⌋.*

¹ The word that Yahweh spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet: ² "Declare among the nations and proclaim, and lift up a banner. Proclaim, you must not conceal it. Say, 'Babylon is captured, Bel is ashamed, Merodach is filled with terror, her idols are ashamed, her idols are filled with terror. ³ For a nation will come up against her from the north. It will make her land as a horror, and an inhabitant will not be in her. From humans* to animals* they all will wander off. They will go away. ⁴ In those days and in that time,'" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "the people* of Israel will come, they and the people* of Judah together. _⌊Weeping as they go_⌋,* they will go, and Yahweh their God they will seek. ⁵ They will ask the way to Zion, turning their faces there. They will come and join themselves to Yahweh by _⌊an everlasting covenant_⌋* that will not be forgotten. ⁶ My people have become lost sheep, their shepherds have caused them to go astray. They led them away to the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone, they have forgotten their resting place. ⁷ All those who found them have devoured them. And their foes have said, 'We are not guilty, _⌊because_⌋* they have sinned against Yahweh, the _⌊true pasture_⌋,* even Yahweh, the hope of their ancestors.'* ⁸ Flee from the midst of Babylon, and from the land of the Chaldeans. Go out and be like he-goats _⌊before_⌋* the flock. ⁹ For look, I am going to stir up, and I am going to bring against Babylon a contingent of great nations from the land of the north. And they will draw up a battle formation against her, from there she will be captured. Their arrows are like a warrior who has achieved success, he does not return without success. ¹⁰ And Chaldea will be as booty, all those who plunder her will be satisfied," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ¹¹ "Though you rejoice, though you exult, O plunderers of my inheritance, though you frisk about like a heifer on the grass, and you neigh like the powerful stallions, ¹² your mother will be very ashamed. She who gave birth to you will be humiliated.* Look, she will be the least of the nations, a desert,* dry land, and wilderness.* ¹³ Because of the anger of Yahweh she will not be inhabited, but she will be a wasteland, all of her. Everyone who passes by Babylon will be appalled and will hiss because of all her wounds. ¹⁴ Draw up a battle formation at Babylon all around, all those who bend the bow, shoot at her. You must not spare arrows,* for she has sinned against Yahweh. ¹⁵ Raise a war cry against her on all sides. _⌊She has surrendered_⌋.* Her towers have fallen, her walls are ruined. For this is the vengeance of Yahweh. Take revenge on her. As she has done to others, so do to her. ¹⁶ Cut off the sower from Babylon, and the one who uses the sickle in the time of harvest. _⌊Because of_⌋* the sword of the oppressor each one will turn to their people, and each one will flee to their land. ¹⁷ Israel is a sheep scattered, lions drove them away. The first who devoured it was the king of Assyria, and now at the end Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, gnawed its bones." ¹⁸ _⌊Therefore_⌋* thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel,
"Look, I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria. ¹⁹ And I will restore Israel to its pasture, and it will feed on Carmel, and in Bashan, and on the hills* of Ephraim, and in Gilead its hunger will be satisfied. ²⁰ In those days and at that time," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "the guilt of Israel will be sought, but there is none, and the sins of Judah, but they will not be found, for I will forgive those I left behind. ²¹ To the land of Merathaim, go up against her, and against the inhabitants of Pekod, massacre and destroy them," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "and do according to all that I have commanded you. ²² The sound of battle is in the land, and great destruction. ²³ How the blacksmith's hammer of all the earth is cut down and broken! How Babylon has become as a horror among the nations! ²⁴ I laid a bird snare for you, and you were caught, O Babylon. But you yourself did not know. You were discovered and seized, because with Yahweh you measured yourself. ²⁵ Yahweh has opened his armory, and he has brought out the weapons of his wrath, for it is a word for my Lord Yahweh of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. ²⁶ Come against her from the end, open her granaries. Pile her up like heaps and destroy her. Let there be no remnant for her. ²⁷ Massacre all her bulls, let them go down to the slaughtering. Woe to them, for their day has come, the time of their punishment. ²⁸ There is the sound of fugitives and survivors from the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of Yahweh our God, the vengeance for his temple. ²⁹ Summon archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp all around her, there must not be for her an escape. Take revenge on her according to her deeds. According to all that she has done, so do to her. For against Yahweh she has behaved insolently, against the Holy One of Israel. ³⁰ _⌊Therefore_⌋* her young men will fall in her public squares, and all _⌊her soldiers_⌋* will perish on that day," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ³¹ "Look, I am against you, O arrogant one," _⌊declares_⌋* Lord Yahweh of hosts, "for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. ³² And the arrogant one will stumble and fall, and there is no one who raises him up. And I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour everything around him." ³³ Thus says Yahweh of hosts:
"The people* of Israel are oppressed, and the people* of Judah likewise, _⌊for_⌋* all their captors have seized them, they refuse to let them go free. ³⁴ Their redeemer is strong, his name is Yahweh of hosts. Surely he will plead their case, in order to make peace for the earth, but to cause unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon. ³⁵ A sword against the Chaldeans," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "and against the inhabitants of Babylon, and against her officials, and against her wise men. ³⁶ A sword against the oracle priests, and they will become foolish. A sword against her warriors, and they will be filled with terror. ³⁷ A sword against his horses, and against his chariots,* and against all the foreign troops who are in the midst of her, so that they may become as women. A sword against her treasures, so that they may be plundered. ³⁸ A drought will come against her waters, and they will dry up, for it is a land of images, and because of the frightful objects, they act like madmen. ³⁹ _⌊Therefore_⌋* desert creatures will live there* with jackals, and daughters of ostriches* will inhabit her. And she will not be inhabited again _⌊forever_⌋,* and she will not be dwelt in _⌊for all generations_⌋.* ⁴⁰ As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "no one will live there, and the son of humankind will not dwell as an alien in her. ⁴¹ Look, a people is about to come from the north, and a great nation and many kings are woken up from the remotest part of the earth. ⁴² They keep hold of bow and short sword. They are cruel and they have no mercy. Their sound is like the sea, it roars, and upon horses they ride. Drawn up for battle as a man for the battle, against you, O daughter of Babylon. ⁴³ The king of Babylon heard their report and his hands grew slack. Anxiety has seized him, fear and pain like the woman who gives birth. ⁴⁴ Look, like a lion he comes up from the thickets* of the Jordan against _⌊a pastureland by a constantly flowing stream_⌋,* so _⌊I will chase them away quickly_⌋* from her, and I will appoint whoever is chosen over her. For who is like me, and who can summon me, and who is this shepherd who can stand _⌊before me_⌋?* ⁴⁵ _⌊Therefore_⌋* hear the plan of Yahweh that he has planned against Babylon, and his plans that he has planned against the land of the Chaldeans. _⌊Surely_⌋* they will drag them away, the little ones of the flock. _⌊Surely_⌋* he will cause their grazing place to be desolate over them. ⁴⁶ At the sound, 'Babylon has been captured,' the earth will quake, and a cry for help among the nations will be heard."

² in the first year of his kingship I, Daniel, observed in the scrolls the number of the years that it was that were to be fulfilled according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet for the devastation of Jerusalem—seventy years.

¹⁸ known from of old.'*

⁶ let him weigh me in the balance of justice, and let God know my blamelessness.

⁹ Only a vapor* are men of low degree, a deception are men of high degree. _⌊Weighed_⌋* in a balance, together they are lighter than a vapor.

³⁰ _⌊They are called_⌋* rejected silver, For Yahweh has rejected them."

¹⁸ "Son of man,* the house of Israel has become as silver dross to me; all of them are as bronze and tin and iron and lead in the midst of a furnace, even as silver dross, silver dross they became! ¹⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: 'Because all of you have become as silver dross, therefore look! I am gathering you to the midst of Jerusalem, ²⁰ like the gathering of silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin to the middle of a furnace to blow fire on it for melting. Thus I will gather in my anger and in my rage, and I will _⌊deposit_⌋* you, and I will melt you.

¹¹ But when* the king came in to see the _⌊dinner guests_⌋,* he saw a man there not dressed in wedding clothes. ¹² And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here, not having wedding clothes?' But _⌊he could say nothing_⌋.*

¹³ the work of each one will become evident. For the day will reveal it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the work of each one, of what sort it is.

¹⁷ Look! I am stirring the Medes up against them, who do not value silver and do not delight in gold.

² A hard revelation is told to me;
the treacherous deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; lay siege, Media!
I put an end to all of her sighing.

¹ Thus says Yahweh to his anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subjugate nations before him, and I uncover* the loins of kings to open doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut: ² "I myself will go before you, and I will level the _⌊mountains_⌋.* I will break the doors of bronze and cut throughthe bars of iron.

³¹ * And Darius the Mede received the kingdom _⌊when he was about sixty-two years old_⌋.*

²⁸ So this Daniel prospered during the kingdom of Darius and during the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.

³ And I lifted up my eyes and I saw, and look! A ram* standing _⌊before_⌋* the stream, and _⌊it had_⌋* two horns, and the horns were long, but the one was longer than the second, and the longer one came up _⌊after the other one_⌋.* ⁴ I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward, and _⌊none of the beasts stood before it_⌋,* and there was no rescuing from _⌊its power_⌋,* and it did _⌊what it wanted_⌋* and it became strong.*

²⁰ "The ram that you saw _⌊who had two horns_⌋* represents the kings of Media and Persia.

¹ In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus,* from the offspring of the Medes, who became king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—

⁴ My _⌊mind_⌋* staggers; fear terrifies me; the twilight _⌊I desired_⌋* _⌊brought_⌋* me fear. ⁵ Set out the table in order! Spread out the rugs!* Eat! drink! Rise up, commanders; smear* the shield! ⁶ For the Lord said this to me:
"Go, set a watchman in position. He must announce what he sees. ⁷ When* he sees riders,* a pair of horsemen, riders* of donkeys,* riders* of camels,* _⌊then_⌋* he must listen attentively, paying attention, paying _⌊special_⌋* attention." ⁸ Then* the _⌊watchman_⌋* called,
"Lord, I am standing on the watchtower continually by day, and I am standing at my post _⌊throughout_⌋* the night. ⁹ And look at this! A man's a chariot is coming, a pair of horsemen!"
Then* he responded and said,
"It has fallen! Babylon has fallen! And all the images of her gods are* smashed on the ground!"

¹¹ Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! Yahweh has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. Because his plan concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of Yahweh, the vengeance for his temple.

³¹ one runner runs to meet another runner, and one messenger to meet another messenger, to tell the king of Babylon that his city has been captured, _⌊from end to end_⌋.*

¹ Belshazzar the king made a great festival for a thousand of his lords,* and _⌊in the presence of_⌋* the thousand lords he was drinking wine.* ² _⌊When he tasted the wine_⌋,* Belshazzar commanded that they bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his _⌊predecessor_⌋* had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords,* his wives and his concubines may drink from them.

¹ _⌊It pleased Darius_⌋,* and he set up one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, that they were _⌊throughout the whole kingdom_⌋,*