rsv Daniel:2:1-23 SEEK
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In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnez '
zar ,
Nebuchadnez '
zar had dreams ;
and his spirit was troubled ,
and his sleep left him .
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Then the king commanded that the magicians ,
the enchanters ,
the sorcerers ,
and the Chalde '
ans be summoned ,
to tell the king his dreams .
So they came in and stood before the king .
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And the king said to them , "
I had a dream ,
and my spirit is troubled to know the dream ."
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Then the Chalde '
ans said to the king , "
O king ,
live for ever !
Tell your servants the dream ,
and we will show the interpretation ."
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The king answered the Chalde '
ans , "
The word from me is sure :
if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation ,
you shall be torn limb from limb ,
and your houses shall be laid in ruins .
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But if you show the dream and its interpretation ,
you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor .
Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation ."
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They answered a second time , "
Let the king tell his servants the dream ,
and we will show its interpretation ."
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The king answered , "
I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time ,
because you see that the word from me is sure
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that if you do not make the dream known to me ,
there is but one sentence for you .
You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change .
Therefore tell me the dream ,
and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation ."
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The Chalde '
ans answered the king , "
There is not a man on earth who can meet the king '
s demand ;
for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chalde '
an .
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The thing that the king asks is difficult ,
and none can show it to the king except the gods ,
whose dwelling is not with flesh ."
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Because of this the king was angry and very furious ,
and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed .
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So the decree went forth that the wise men were to be slain ,
and they sought Daniel and his companions ,
to slay them .
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Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Ar '
i-och ,
the captain of the king '
s guard ,
who had gone out to slay the wise men of Babylon ;
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he said to Ar '
i-och ,
the king '
s captain , "
Why is the decree of the king so severe ?"
Then Ar '
i-och made the matter known to Daniel .
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And Daniel went in and besought the king to appoint him a time ,
that he might show to the king the interpretation .
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Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hanani '
ah ,
Mish '
a-el ,
and Azari '
ah ,
his companions ,
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and told them to seek mercy of the God of heaven concerning this mystery ,
so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon .
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Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night .
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven .
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Daniel said : "
Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever .
to whom belong wisdom and might .
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He changes times and seasons ;
he removes kings and sets up kings ;
he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding ;
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he reveals deep and mysterious things ;
he knows what is in the darkness ,
and the light dwells with him .
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To thee ,
O God of my fathers ,
I give thanks and praise ,
for thou hast given me wisdom and strength ,
and hast now made known to me what we asked of thee ,
for thou hast made known to us the king '
s matter ."