1
When King Astyages was laid to rest with his ancestors, Cyrus the Persian succeeded to his kingdom.
2
Daniel was a companion of the king, and was the most honored of all his Friends.
3
Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and every day they provided for it twelve bushels of choice flour and forty sheep and six measures of wine.
4
The king revered it and went every day to worship it. But Daniel worshiped his own God. So the king said to him, "Why do you not worship Bel?"
5
He answered, "Because I do not revere idols made with hands, but the living God, who created heaven and earth and has dominion over all living creatures."
6
The king said to him, "Do you not think that Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?"
7
And Daniel laughed, and said, "Do not be deceived, O king, for this thing is only clay inside and bronze outside, and it never ate or drank anything."
8
Then the king was angry and called the priests of Bel and said to them, "If you do not tell me who is eating these provisions, you shall die.
9
But if you prove that Bel is eating them, Daniel shall die, because he has spoken blasphemy against Bel." Daniel said to the king, "Let it be done as you have said."