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Daniel: Bel
1. Daniel: Bel
The "
Bel" part of the Apocryphal book "
Bel and the dragon" is about how Daniel skillfully and tactfully demonstrates convincingly to his superior, the King, that he is being deceived by the religious elite who are using the required sacrifices to their own benefit.
Discuss:
Has this happened at other times through history?
Does this ever happen today?
Is Jesus and God tired of the Bar-B-Que?
Daniel sprinkled dust on the floor so that the footprints of deception became obvious in the morning. Has Jesus sprinkled dust with what he said such that the footprints of the deception become obvious at a later time?
2. Apocrypha
Many Apocryphal books of the
OT (Old Testament) were removed by the Protestant church.
Some books were removed to save space or not deemed important.
Some books removed supported the often heard claim of the "
silent years".
Some books removed show Daniel using his skill in engineering, science, reasoning, etc., to show others, such as the King, that they were being deceived.
The Apocryphal book of "
Bel and the dragon" is one such book. Here we look at the "
Bel" part of "
Bel and the dragon".
3. Bel and the Dragon 1:1
KJV: From a prophecy of Hambakoum the son of Iesous of the tribe of Levi.
Greek: κ προφητεας Αμβακουμ υο Ἰησο ἐκ τς φυλς Λευι.
4. Daniel
Daniel had risen to a high position of power in Babylon and had in his youth been put in charge of the power groups in Babylon, including the Magi.
5. Herodotus
Herodotus in his "Histories",stories from which the word "history" originates, reported that the Magi were a hereditary power group in Babylon skilled in things such as dream interpretation.
6. Lions den
That group, including the Magi, had tried to have Daniel's friends put in the fiery furnace and would later scheme to have Daniel put in the lion's den, but only after forty some years and a new empire and king took over.
Daniel retained his position of power.
7. The idol Bel
One popular idol in
OT times was "
Bel" in "
Babylon" which is related to "
Baal" and "
Babel". Other common idols in Babylon included "
Nebo".
The name "
Bel" is from the Akkadian and means "
lord" or "
master" as a title. The Latin and Greek name for "
Bel" is "
Belus".
In Babylon, Bel became associated with the Babylonian god "
Marduk" (unrelated to Marmaduke the cartoon dog). The Akkadian "
Belit" usually refers to the spouse of "
Bel" called "
Sarpanit".
8. Bel and the Dragon 1:3
KJV: And there was an idol, Bel, which the Babylonians would revere. Now, every day they were squandering on it twelve bushels of choice flour and four sheep and six measures of oil.
Greek: κα ἦν εδωλον, Βηλ, ὃ ἐσβοντο ο Βαβυλνιοι· ἀνηλσκετο δ ατ καθ’ ἑκστην ἡμραν σεμιδλεως ἀρτβαι δκα δο κα πρβατα τσσαρα κα ἐλαου μετρητα ἕξ.
9. Daniel
Daniel, growing old, still worshiped the Lord.
10. Bel and the Dragon 1:4
KJV: And the king would revere him, and the king would go every day and would do obeisance to him. But Daniel would pray to the Lord. And the king said to Daniel, Why do you not do obeisance to Bel?
Greek: κα ὁ βασιλες ἐσβετο ατν, κα ἐπορεετο ὁ βασιλες καθ’ ἑκστην ἡμραν κα προσεκνει ατ· Δανιηλ δ προσηχετο πρς κριον.
11. Bel and the Dragon 1:5
KJV: And Daniel said to the king, I revere no one except the Lord God, who created heaven and earth.
Greek: κα επεν ὁ βασιλες τ Δανιηλ Δι τ ο προσκυνες τ Βηλ; κα επε Δανιηλ πρς τν βασιλα Οδνα σβομαι ἐγ ε μ κριον τν θεν τν κτσαντα τν ορανν κα τν γν κα ἔχοντα πσης σαρκς κυρ[ι]εαν.
12. Bel and the Dragon 1:6
KJV: So the king said to him, Is this one, then, not a god? Do you not see how much is spent for him every day?
Greek: επεν δ ὁ βασιλες ατ Οτος ον οκ ἔστι θες; οχ ὁρς ὅσα ες ατν δαπανται καθ’ ἑκστην ἡμραν;
13. Truth
Daniel always spoke the truth.
He would, however, set traps for others who told not the truth to entrap themselves.
14. Mistakes
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Napoleon Bonaparte (French Emperor and military leader)
Napoleon did this again and again as his prey fell into his traps.
Austerlitz is an excellent example.
15. Bel and the Dragon 1:7
KJV: And Daniel said to him, Not at all! Do not let anyone mislead you, for this one is only of clay inside and bronze outside. Moreover, I swear to you by the Lord God of the gods that this one has never eaten anything.
Greek: κα επεν ατ Δανιηλ Μηδαμς· μηδες σε παραλογιζσθω· οτος γρ ἔσωθεν μν πλινς ἐστιν, ἔξωθεν δ χαλκος· ὀμνω δ σοι κριον τν θεν τν θεν, ὅτι οθν ββρωκε πποτε οτος.
16. Belief
The King appears to believe Daniel as Daniel has never told him anything but the truth. The King decides to investigate.
17. Bel and the Dragon 1:8
KJV: And angered, the king called the leaders of the temple and said to them, Produce the one who eats the things prepared for Bel. But if not, you shall die,
Greek: κα θυμωθες ὁ βασιλες ἐκλεσε τος προεστηκτας το ἱερο κα επεν ατος Παραδεξατε τν ἐσθοντα τ παρασκευαζμενα τ Βηλ· ε δ μ γε, ἀποθανεσθε ἢ Δανιηλ ὁ φσκων μ ἐσθεσθαι ατ ὑπ’ ατο. ο δ επαν Ατς ὁ Βηλ ἐστν ὁ κατεσθων ατ.
18. Proof
Daniel puts all on the line, calling the bluff of the false priests.
19. Bel and the Dragon 1:9
KJV: or Daniel, who says they are not being eaten by him. But they said, It is Bel himself who eats them. Then Daniel said to the king, Let it be so. Unless I prove that Bel is not eating them, I shall die, and all those with me.
Greek: επε δ Δανιηλ πρς τν βασιλα Γινσθω οτως· ἐὰν μ παραδεξω ὅτι οκ ἔστιν ὁ Βηλ ὁ κατεσθων τατα, ἀποθανομαι κα πντες ο παρ’ ἐμο. ἦσαν δ τ Βηλ ἱερες ἑβδομκοντα χωρς γυναικν κα τκνων.
20. Bel and the Dragon 1:10
KJV: Now there were seventy priests of Bel, not counting wives and children. So he brought the king into the idol’s temple.
Greek: ἤγαγον δ τν βασιλα ες τ εδλιον.
21. Bel and the Dragon 1:11
KJV: And the food was set out in the presence of the king and Daniel, and the mixed wine was brought in and set out before Bel. And Daniel said, You, yourself, see, O king, that these things are set down. You, then, seal the bolts of the shrine when it is closed. Now the word pleased the king.
Greek: κα παρετθη τ βρματα ἐνπιον το βασιλως κα το Δανιηλ, κα ονος κερασθες εσηνχθη κα παρετθη τ Βηλ. κα επεν Δανιηλ Σ ατς ὁρς ὅτι κεται τατα, βασιλε· σ ον ἐπισφργισαι τς κλεδας το ναο, ἐπν κλεισθ.
22. To be continued
How would you handle the situation? Your credibility and your life are at risk.
23. Bel and the Dragon 1:14
KJV: Now Daniel commanded those with him, after everyone departed from the temple, to strew the whole shrine with ashes, though no one else except him knew. And then, as he sealed the shrine, he commanded that it be sealed with the king’s signet and with the signets of certain illustrious priests. And so it happened.
Greek: ὁ δ Δανιηλ ἐκλευσε τος παρ’ ατο ἐκβαλντας πντας ἐκ το ναο κατασσαι ὅλον τν ναν σποδ οθενς τν ἐκτς ατο εδτος. κα ττε τν ναν ἐκλευσε σφραγσαι τ το βασιλως δακτυλῳ κα τος δακτυλοις τινν ἐνδξων ἱερων· κα ἐγνετο οτως.
24. Bel and the Dragon 1:17
KJV: And it happened on the next day that they went to the place. (But the priests of Bel, after entering through false doors, had eaten everything laid out for Bel and had drunk the wine.) And Daniel said, men, priests, examine your seals, whether they remain. And you also, O king, observe carefully lest anything be out of order to you. And they found the seal as it was, and they broke the seal.
Greek: κα ἐγνετο τ ἐπαριον παρεγνοντο ἐπ τν τπον· ο δ ἱερες το Βηλ δι ψευδοθυρδων εσελθντες κατεφγοσαν πντα τ παρακεμενα τ Βηλ κα ἐξπιον τν ονον. κα επεν Δανιηλ Ἐπδετε τς σφραγδας ὑμν ε μνουσιν, ἄνδρες ἱερες· κα σ δ, βασιλε, σκψαι μ τ σοι ἀσμφωνον γεγνηται. κα ερον, ὡς ἦν ἡ σφραγς, κα ἀπβαλον τν σφραγδα.
25. Bel and the Dragon 1:18
KJV: And when they opened the doors, they saw everything that had been set out consumed and the tables empty. And the king was thrilled and said to Daniel, Bel is great, and there is no deceit in him!
Greek: κα ἀνοξαντες τς θρας εδοσαν δεδαπανημνα πντα τ παρατεθντα κα τς τραπζας κενς· κα ἐχρη ὁ βασιλες κα επεν πρς τν Δανιηλ Μγας ἐστν ὁ Βηλ, κα οκ ἔστι παρ’ ατ δλος.
26. Bel and the Dragon 1:19
KJV: And Daniel laughed exceedingly and said to the king, Come, see the deceit of the priests. And Daniel said, O king, these footprints, whose are they?
Greek: κα ἐγλασε Δανιηλ σφδρα κα επεν τ βασιλε Δερο ἰδ τν δλον τν ἱερων. κα επεν Δανιηλ Βασιλε, τατα τ ἴχνη τνος ἐστ;
27. Bel and the Dragon 1:20
KJV: And the king said, Of men and women and children.
Greek: κα επεν ὁ βασιλες Ἀνδρν κα γυναικν κα παιδων.
28. Bel and the Dragon 1:21
KJV: And he went to the house where the priests were staying, and they found Bel’s food and the wine. And Daniel showed the king the false doors through which the priests would enter and consume what was set out for Bel.
Greek: κα ἐπλθεν ἐπ τν οκον, ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν ο ἱερες καταγινμενοι, κα ερε τ βρματα το Βηλ κα τν ονον· κα ἐπδειξε Δανιηλ τ βασιλε τ ψευδοθρια, δι’ ὧν εσπορευμενοι ο ἱερες ἐδαπνων τ παρατιθμενα τ Βηλ.
29. Bel and the Dragon 1:22
KJV: And the king brought them out of Bel’s temple and handed them over to Daniel. And he gave the provision that was for him to Daniel, but he destroyed Bel.
Greek: κα ἐξγαγεν ατος ὁ βασιλες ἐκ το Βηλου κα παρδωκεν ατος τ Δανιηλ· κα τν δαπνην τν ες ατν ἔδωκε τ Δανιηλ, τν δ Βηλ κατστρεψε.
30. End of page
