Study Desk

Ten days later, Daniel and his friends looked healthier and better than the young men who had been served food from the royal palace.

At the end of the three-year period set by King Nebuchadnezzar, his chief palace official brought all the young men to him.

From then on, whenever the king asked for advice, he found their wisdom was ten times better than that of any of his other advisors and magicians.

So he called in his counselors, advisors, magicians, and wise men,

His advisors explained, "Your Majesty, you are demanding the impossible! No king, not even the most famous and powerful, has ever ordered his advisors, magicians, or wise men to do such a thing.

This made the king so angry that he gave orders for every wise man in Babylonia to be put to death, including Daniel and his three friends.

Arioch was the king's official in charge of putting the wise men to death. He was on his way to have it done, when Daniel very wisely went to him

Daniel returned home and told his three friends.

Daniel went back to Arioch, the official in charge of executing the wise men. Daniel said, "Don't kill those men! Take me to the king, and I will explain the meaning of his dream."

and he commanded his governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, and his other officials to come from everywhere in his kingdom to the dedication of the statue.

Next, he commanded some of his strongest soldiers to tie up the men and throw them into the flaming furnace.

King Nebuchadnezzar said: Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue his servants! They trusted their God and refused to obey my commands. Yes, they chose to die rather than to worship or serve any god except their own.

His miracles are mighty and marvelous. He will rule forever, and his kingdom will never end.

Finally, I prayed to God in heaven, and my mind was healed. Then I said: "I praise and honor God Most High. He lives forever, and his kingdom will never end.

One evening, King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his highest officials, and he drank wine with them.

He got drunk and ordered his servants to bring in the gold and silver cups his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Belshazzar wanted the cups, so that he and all his wives and officials could drink from them.

He was so frightened that his face turned pale, his knees started shaking, and his legs became weak.

The king called in his advisors, who claimed they could talk with the spirits of the dead and understand the meanings found in the stars. He told them, "The man who can read this writing and tell me what it means will become the third most powerful man in my kingdom. He will wear robes of royal purple and a gold chain around his neck."

and they were completely puzzled. Now the king was more afraid than ever before, and his face turned white as a ghost.

When the queen heard the king and his officials talking, she came in and said: Your Majesty, I hope you live forever! Don't be afraid or look so pale.