1. After King Astyages was gathered to his ancestors, Cyrus the Persian succeeded to his kingdom.
2. Daniel was a companion of the king and was held in higher honor than any of the Friends of the King.
3. The Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and every day they provided for it six bushels of fine flour, forty sheep, and six measures of wine.
4. The king revered it and went every day to worship it; but Daniel worshiped only his God.
5. When the king asked him, “Why do you not worship Bel?” Daniel replied, “Because I do not revere idols made with hands, but only the living God who made heaven and earth and has dominion over all flesh.”
6. Then the king continued, “You do not think Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?”
7. Daniel began to laugh. “Do not be deceived, O king,” he said; “it is only clay inside and bronze outside; it has never eaten or drunk anything.”
8. Enraged, the king called his priests and said to them, “Unless you tell me who it is that consumes these provisions, you shall die. But if you can show that Bel consumes them, Daniel shall die for blaspheming Bel.”
9. Daniel said to the king, “Let it be as you say!”There were seventy priests of Bel, besides their wives and children.
10. When the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel,
11. the priests of Bel said, “See, we are going to leave. You, O king, set out the food and prepare the wine; then shut the door and seal it with your ring.
12. If you do not find that Bel has eaten it all when you return in the morning, we are to die; otherwise Daniel shall die for his lies against us.”
13. They were not perturbed, because under the table they had made a secret entrance through which they always came in to consume the food.
14. After they departed the king set the food before Bel, while Daniel ordered his servants to bring some ashes, which they scattered through the whole temple; the king alone was present. Then they went outside, sealed the closed door with the king’s ring, and departed.
15. The priests entered that night as usual, with their wives and children, and they ate and drank everything.
16. Early the next morning, the king came with Daniel.