5. And he said, Because I may not do honor to idols made with hands, but to the living God, who has created the heaven and the earth, and has sovereignty over all flesh.
6. Then said the king to him, Thinkest you not that Bel is a living god? or see you not how much he eats and drinks every day?
7. Then Daniel laughed, and said, O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or drink anything.
8. So the king was angry, and called for his priests, and said to them, If you⌃ tell me not who this is that devours these expenses, you⌃ shall die.
9. But if you⌃ can show me that Bel devours them, then Daniel shall die: for he has spoken blasphemy against Bel. And Daniel said to the king, Let it be according to your word.
10. Now the priests of Bel were threescore and ten, beside their wives and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.
11. So Bel’s priests said, Behold, we will get us out: but you, O king, set on the meat, and mingle the wine and set it forth, and shut the door fast, and seal it with your own signet;
12. and when you come in the morning, if you find not that Bel has eaten up all, we will suffer death: or else Daniel, that speaks falsely against us.
13. And they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those things.
14. And it came to pass, when they were gone forth, the king set the meat before Bel. Now Daniel had commanded his servants to bring ashes, and they strewed all the temple with them in the presence of the king alone: then they went out, and shut the door, and sealed it with the king’s signet, and so departed.
15. Now in the night came the priests with their wives and children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drink up all.
16. In the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him.
17. And the king said, Daniel, are the seals whole? And he said, Yes, O king, they be whole.
18. And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the table, and cried with a loud voice, Great are you, O Bel, and with you is no deceit at all.
19. Then laughed Daniel, and held the king that he should not go in, and said, Behold now the pavement, and mark well whose footsteps are these.