Daniel 2:13–16

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

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

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

²⁰And in all matters of ^†wisedome and vnderstanding that the king enquired of them, hee found them ten times better then all the Magicians and Astrologers that were in all his Realme.

⁹Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

¹⁰¶ Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

¹¹Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

¹²Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

¹³Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

¹⁴Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

¹⁵Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

⁹Wherefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.

¹⁰¶ ^**Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, hee went into his house, and his windowes being open in his chamber toward Ierusalem, hee kneeled vpon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gaue thankes before his God, as hee did afore time.

¹¹Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying, and making supplication before his God.

¹²Then they came neere, and spake before the king concerning the kings decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that euery man that shall aske a petition of any God or man, within thirty dayes, saue of thee, O king, shalbe cast into the denne of Lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

¹³Then answered they and said before the king; That Daniel which is of the captiuity of the children of Iudah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

¹⁴Then the king, when hee heard these wordes, was sore displeased with himselfe, and set his heart on Daniel to deliuer him: and he laboured till the going downe of the sunne, to deliuer him.

¹⁵Then these men assembled vnto the king, and said vnto the king, Know O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree nor statute which the king establisheth, may bee changed.

¹²Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.

¹³And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

¹⁴The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

¹⁵The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

¹²Then were the kings ^‖scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first moneth, and there was written, according to all that Haman had commanded, vnto the kings Lieutenants, and to the gouernours, that were ouer euery prouince, and to the rulers of euery people of euery prouince, according to the writing thereof, and to euery people, after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the kings ring.

¹³And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings prouinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Iewes, both yong and olde, litle children and women, in one day, euen vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth (which is the moneth Adar) and to take the spoile of them for a pray.

¹⁴The copie of the writing for a commandement to bee giuen in euery prouince, was published vnto all people, that they should bee ready against that day.

¹⁵The postes went out, being hastened by the kings commandement, and the decree was giuen in Shushan the palace: and the king and Haman sate downe to drinke, but the citie Shushan was perplexed.

¹WOE unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;

¹¶ ^‖Woe vnto them that decree vnrighteous decrees, and that write grieuousnesse which they haue prescribed:

¹⁵As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

¹⁶The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

¹⁷A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

¹⁵ As a roaring lyon and a ranging beare: so is a wicked ruler ouer the poore people.

¹⁶The prince that wanteth vnderstanding, is also a great oppressour: but he that hateth couetousnesse, shall prolong his dayes.

^17*A man that doth violence to the blood of any person, shall flie to the pit, let no man stay him.

²⁰Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

²⁰Shal the throne of iniquitie haue fellowship with thee: which frameth mischiefe by a lawe?

²⁴¶ Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

²⁴¶ Therefore Daniel went in vnto Arioch whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus vnto him, Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew vnto the king the interpretation.

¹⁶¶ Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

¹⁷And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

¹⁸Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

¹⁹I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?

²⁰And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

²¹The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

²²Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

¹⁶¶ Then cried a wise woman out of the citie, Heare, heare; say, I pray you, vnto Ioab, Come neere hither, that I may speake with thee.

¹⁷And when he was come neere vnto her, the woman said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, I am he: Then shee said vnto him, Heare the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I doe heare.

¹⁸Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speake in old time, saying, ^‖They shall surely aske counsell at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

¹⁹I am one of them that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a citie, and a mother in Israel: Why wilt thou swallow vp the inheritance of the LORD?

²⁰And Ioab answered and saide, Farre be it, farre be it from me, that I should swallow vp or destroy.

²¹The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim (Sheba the sonne of Bichri ^†by name) hath lift vp his hand against the king, euen against Dauid: deliuer him onely, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said vnto Ioab, Behold, his head shall be throwen to thee ouer the wall.

²²Then the woman went vnto all the people in her wisedome, and they cut off the head of Sheba the sonne of Bichri, and cast it out to Ioab: and hee blew a trumpet, and they ^†retired from the citie, euery man to his tent: & Ioab returned to Ierusalem vnto the king.

¹³¶ This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

¹⁴There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

¹⁵Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

¹⁶Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

¹⁷The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

¹⁸Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

¹³¶ This wisedome haue I seene also vnder the Sunne, and it seemed great vnto me:

¹⁴ There was a little citie, and few men within it; and there came a great King against it, and besieged it, & built great bulwarks against it:

¹⁵Now there was found in it a poore wise man, and hee by his wisedome deliuered the citie; yet no man remembred that same poore man.

^16*Then said I, Wisedome is better then strength: neuerthelesse, the poore mans wisedome is despised, and his words are not heard.

¹⁷The words of wise men are heard in quiet, more then the cry of him that ruleth among fooles.

¹⁸Wisedome is better then weapons of warre: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

³⁶And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

³⁶And the Medanites sold him into Egypt vnto Potiphar, an ^†officer of Pharaohs, and ^†‖captaine of the guard.

⁹Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

^9*Then Nebuzaradan the captaine of the guard caried away captiue into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the citie, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

¹²¶ Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,

¹²¶ ^‖†Now in the fifth moneth, in the tenth day of the moneth (which was the nineteenth yeere of Nebuchad-rezzar king of Babylon) came Nebuzaradan captaine of the guard, which serued the king of Babylon, into Ierusalem;

¹⁴And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

¹⁴And all the armie of the Caldeans that were with the captaine of the guard, brake downe all the walles of Ierusalem round about.

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

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

¹⁸Now at the end of the dayes that the King had said he should bring them in, then the Prince of the Eunuches brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

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

⁹But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

¹⁰¶ The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

¹¹And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

⁹But if yee will not make knowen vnto me the dreame, there is but one decree for you: for ye haue prepared lying, and corrupt words to speake before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dreame, and I shall know that yee can shewe mee the interpretation thereof.

¹⁰¶ The Caldeans answered before the King, and said, There is not a man vpon the earth that can shew the kings matter: therefore there is no King, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any Magician, or Astrologer, or Caldean.

¹¹And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the King, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.