Study Desk

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

And the king spoke to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs that he should bring some of the sons of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the nobles,

And the king set to them the portion of a day in its day, from the king's food, and the wine of his drinking, even to rear them three years, so that at their end they may stand before the king.

And Daniel laid on his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine of his drinking. So he asked of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

And in any matter of wisdom and understanding that the king asked from them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and the conjurers who were in all his kingdom.

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar was dreaming dreams, and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep was finished on him.

And the king said to call to the magicians, and to the conjurers, and to the sorcerers and to the Chaldeans, to declare to the king his dreams. And they came and stood before the king.

They again replied and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will reveal its meaning.

And the law went out that the wise men should be killed. And they looked for Daniel and his companions, to be killed.

Then Daniel went to his house and declared the thing to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,

that they might pray for the mercies of God in Heaven about this secret, that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel. And he commanded an offering, even to offer incense to him.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and the form of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke and commanded to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usual to heat it.

And he commanded mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the burning, fiery furnace.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed. And he rose up in haste; he spoke and said to his royal officials, Did we not throw three men bound into the middle of the fire? They replied and said to the king, True, O king.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel and has delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and have changed the king'swords, and have given their bodies that theymight not serve nor worship any god except their own God.

And a decree is set out by me, that every people, nation, and language who speak anything amiss about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, he will be made into mere members and his house shall be made an outhouse. Because thereis no other God who is able to deliver like this.

How great are His signs! And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation to generation.

But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a fetter of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of the heavens, and his lot be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.