PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

37. THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY:-1 Co. xii. 21-.4.

1 CORINTHIANS XII. Now concerning spiritual 2 gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these 3 dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed [or, anathema]: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the 4 Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but 5 the same Spirit. And there are differences of adminis6 trations [or, ministries], but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same 7 God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the 10 gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: H but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, 12 dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: 13 so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles [Gr. Greeks], whether we be bond or free; and have 14 been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body 15 is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is 16 it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it 17 therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hear18 ing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath 19 pleased him. And if they were all one member, where 20 were the body? But now are they many members, yet 21 but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand,

I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, 22 I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are 23 necessary and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow [or, put on] more abundant honour; and our uncomely 24 parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour 25 to that part which lacked: that there should be no schism [or, division] in the body; but that the mem26 bers should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the mem27 bers rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, 28 and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities [or, kinds] of 29 tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers [or, powers] of miracles? 30 have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with 31 tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts and yet shew I unto you a more excellent

way.

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

SALEM:-Ge. xxxiii. 18-see next paragraph, 'SHECHEM-Ps. lxxvi. 2, In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.'

1 CHRONICLES XXIX. Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but 2 for the LORD God. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in 3 abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have

4 prepared for the holy house, even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of 5 the houses withal: the gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate [Heb. to fill his hand] his service this day unto the LORD?

6 Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered 7 willingly, and gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand 8 talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

10

15

Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD 11 God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give 13 strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank 14 thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able [Heb. retain, or, obtain strength] to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own [Heb. of thine hand] have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and 16 there is none abiding [Heb. expectation]. O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, 17 and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer 18 willingly unto thee. O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, 19 and prepare [or, stablish] their heart unto thee: and give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

20

21

And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king. And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all 22 Israel and did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, 23 and Zadok to be priest. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, 24 and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king [Heb. gave the hand under Solomon]. 25 And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

26

Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty 28 and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And he died in a gold old age, full of days, riches, and ho29 nour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of 30 Gad the seer, with all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

ISAIAH XL. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, 2 saith your God. Speak ye comfortably [Heb. to the heart] to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare [or, appointed time] is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the 4 desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight [or, a straight place], and the rough places plain [or, a plain 5 place and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the 6 LORD hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the 7 goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is 8 grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

9 O Zion [or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion], that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem [or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem], that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; 10 say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GoD will come with strong hand [or, against the strong], and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before 11 him [or, recompence for his work]. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young [or, that give suck].

12

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in 13 a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor [Heb. man of his coun14 sel] hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him [Heb. made him understand], and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of under15 standing? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little 16 thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the 17 beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness 19 will ye compare unto him? The workman melteth a

graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over 20 with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be 21 moved. Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spread23 eth them out as a tent to dwell in that bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth 24 as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them. 25 away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken me, or 26 shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for 27 that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Why say

est thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? 29 there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he 30 increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and 31 be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

ISAIAH LVIII. Cry aloud [Heb. with the throat], spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew

my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob 2 their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

3

Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours [or, things 4 wherewith ye grieve others]. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice 5 to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul [or, to af fict his soul for a day]? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day 6 to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens [Heb. the bundles of the yoke], and to let the oppressed [Heb. broken] go free, and that ye break 7 every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out [or, afflicted] to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

8

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward [Heb. shall gather thee 9 up]. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the 10 putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in ob11 scurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: and the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of 12 water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

13

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14 then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

ISAIAH LIX. Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that 2 it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [or, have made him hide] his face from you, that he will 3 not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, 4 your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and 5 bring forth iniquity. They hatch cockatrice' [or, adders' Jeggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper [or, that which is sprinkled is as if 6 there brake out a viper]. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and 7 the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and 8 destruction [Heb. breaking] are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment [or, right] in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

9

10

Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the 11 night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

We

roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, 12 but it is far off from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our in[Continued-see next page.]

Gerizim; in the end the people proved treacherous to the usurper, and he destroyed the city, Ju. ix.

At Shechem all Israel came together to make Rehoboam king: "And Rehoboam went to Shechem : for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king," I Ki. xii. 1. Here the ten tribes rebelled, and the city became for a time the royal residence of Jeroboam: " Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel," ver. 25.

"We hear nothing more of it before the exile; during which it seems still to have been inhabited: "There came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD," Je. xli. 5. After the exile, Shechem is mainly known as the chief seat of the people who thenceforth bore the name of

Samaritans.

Sichem, at the foot of Gerizim, became the metropolis of the Samaritans, and was inhabited by Gentiles, mixed with apostate Jews.

The modern history of "Shechem," "Sichem," now Nabulus, and the surrounding region, is one of wars and rebellion. These districts were formerly regarded as among the most dangerous in Palestine.

If of old the "Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans," the latter at the present day reciprocate the feeling; and neither eat, nor drink, nor marry, nor associate with the Jews; but only trade with them.'-Robinson's Res., Vol. III. pp. 114-.36.

Sychar is nearly concealed by the thick olive groves of the valley, till you are within a few hundred yards of its walls, when it breaks upon the view-a charming object, with its graceful minarets embosomed in the richest foliage. Almonds, pomegranates, vines, figs, mulberries, apples, and orange trees, grow with the greatest luxuriance; while the cultivation of melons, cucumbers, &c., is abundant, and the produce carried as far as Jerusalem. The melons of Sychar are much esteemed. The garden hedges are for the most part formed of the prickly pear, (which is of the cactus fam.,) and often interlaced with the luxuriant vine.

Sychar should be always viewed from without. The charm is lost when you enter into its miserable streets and offensive bazaars. Of its inhabitants, some were seated in groups, amidst piles of melons, cucumbers, and other fruits; some were engaged in cutting and preparing for sale large supplies of tobacco; others were carrying to and from the fountains water-bottles made of the untanned skins of sheep and goats; while veiled women were shuffling about in their yellow morocco boots, thrust into loose slippers, which gave them an awkward gait. In many of the houses and bazaars were extensive manufactures of cotton, in various stages; some were carding, others were spinning, and not a few weaving. There was a general appearance of activity, though in most streets were to be found large parties of those lovers of ease, whose day is spent reclining in the shade, and inhaling the fumes of Latakia.'-A Pastor's Memorial, &c., pp. 342-..4. The following particulars, from Robinson's Researches,' will perhaps be interesting. 'Travelling from Jerusalem to Nabulus, and after passing the village of Lubban, the ancient Lebonah, and proceeding some distance beyond it, we made,' Dr. Robinson writes, a very considerable descent along a steep, narrow Wady; and very soon reached the bottom of a large and very stony valley, running towards the W.S.W.... We could not learn the name of the valley. . . From this valley we had rather a steep ascent to the summit of the high ridge on the north. We reached the top... having just before passed the foundations of a ruined tower. Here we had our first view of the great plain of Mukhna, which stretches along for several hours on the east of the mountains among which Nabulus is situated. Those mountains were now before us in all their beauty; mount Gerizim, crowned by a Wely on its highest point, bearing north; just

beyond it the entrance of the valley of Nabulus ... further north, the rugged heights of mount Ebal; and then the fine plain extending still beyond towards the N.N.E., skirted on its eastern side, in its whole length, by tracts of picturesque, though lower hills.... We could perceive our road forming a waving line along the foot of the high western hills, and under mount Gerizim, until it entered the valley of Nabulus, still two hours distant.

'A steep descent brought us in 20 m. to the southern extremity of the plain, near a cistern; in this part, indeed, the plain comes almost to a point. (after a while,) the plain spreads out to a greater width, the eastern hills retiring somewhat more. On that side they are quite irregular and rocky, and often jut out into the plain; while, on the western side, the base of the slopes departs much less from a right line. The broad plain presented a beautiful appearance; it is everywhere cultivated, and was now covered with the rich green of millet, mingled with the yellow of the ripe grain, which the peasants were harvesting. * Instead of keeping along at the foot of the mountain quite to the entrance of the valley of Nabulus, the road ascends and winds around the N. E. corner of mount Gerizim. We turned this point... and entered the narrow valley running up N. W. between mounts Gerizim and Ebal; thus leaving behind us the plain, which extends still further north. Below us, on the right, and just on the edge of the plain, are the ruins of a little hamlet, called Belat; (see p. 98, of Jacob's well;') nearer at hand, and about in the middle of the mouth of the narrow valley, stands a small white building, a wely, called Joseph's tomb; while still nearer to the foot of Gerizim is the ancient well, known as that of Jacob. Directly opposite to the mouth of the valley, among the eastern hills, a beautiful smaller plain runs up eastward from the larger one; and on the low hills, near its entrance on the north, are seen... three villages, one of which is named Salim.-See Ge. xxxiii. 18-20.-See p. 96. 'After turning the point of the mountain, our path descended very little; yet so great is here the ascent of the narrow valley, that in a quarter of an hour we came out upon its bottom, near a fine copious fountain in its middle, furnished with a reservoir. At about halfpast one o'clock, we were opposite the eastern end of the long narrow town, which we did not now enter. Keeping the road along its northern side, we passed some high mounds, apparently of rubbish; where, all at once, the ground sinks down to a valley running towards the west, with a soil of rich black vegetable mould. Here a scene of luxuriant and almost unparalleled verdure burst upon our view. whole valley was filled with gardens of vegetables and orchards of all kinds of fruit, watered by several fountains, which burst forth in various parts, and flow westward in refreshing streams... We saw nothing to compare with it in all Palestine. Here, beneath the shade of an immense mulberry-tree, by the side of a purling rill, we pitched our tent for the remainder of the day and night.

The

ing close along the N.E. base of mount Gerizim, in The city of Nabulus is long and narrow, stretchthis small deep valley, half an hour distant from the great eastern plain. It has two long narrow streets running through the centre of the valley, intersected by several smaller, and contains about 10,000 inhabitants, chiefly Moslems; the houses high, and in general well-built, all of stone, with domes upon the roofs, as at Jerusalem. The valley itself, from the foot of Gerizim to that of Ebal, is here not more than some 500 yards wide, extending from S.E. to N.W. The city lies directly upon a water-summit in this valley, the waters in the eastern part... flowing off east into the plain, and so to the Jordan; while the fine fountains on the western side send off a pretty brook down the valley, N. W., towards the Mediterranean . . . Mounts Gerizim and Ebal rise in steep rocky precipices immediately from the valley (which runs nearly due east and west) on each side, apparently some 800 feet in height. Mount Ebal, or the mount of cursing, rises on the north side of the valley; and mount Gerizim, or the mount of blessing, on the south side of the valley. The sides

[97

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God 21 for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his and he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know under22 standing: he revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.

16

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor : therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it 17 sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for 18 clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. According to their deeds [Heb. recompences], accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his 19 enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him [or, put him to flight].

20

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the 21 LORD. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

DANIEL II. And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake 2 from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So 3 they came and stood before the king. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my 4 spirit was troubled to know the dream. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew 5 the interpretation. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your 6 houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpreta8 tion of it. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain [Chald. buy] the time, 9 because ye see the thing is gone from me. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or as11 trologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is 12 not with flesh. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the 13 wise men of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

14

Then Daniel answered [Chald. returned] with coun sel and wisdom to Arioch the captain [or, chief marshal. Chald. chief of the executioners, or, slaughtermen] of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay 15 the wise men of Babylon: he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known 16 to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would 17 shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, 18 Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: that they would desire mercies of the God [Chald. from before God] of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

24

Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I 25 will shew unto the king the interpretation. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him. I have found a man of the captives of Judah [Chald. children of the captivity of Ju dah], that will make known unto the king the interpre26 tation. The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the inter27 pretation thereof? Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the 28 magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known [Chald. hath made known] to the king Nebuchadnezzer what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are 29 these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind [Chald. came up] upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets 30 maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king [or, but for the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king], and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

31

Thou, O king, sawest [Chald. was seeing], and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was 32 terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs [or, 33 sides] of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron 34 and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands [or, which was not in hands, as ver. 45], which smote the image upon his feet that 35 were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

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This is the dream; and we will tell the interpreta37 tion thereof before the king. Thon, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a king38 dom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou 39 art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the 40 earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, 41 shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou 42 sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken [or, 43 brittle.] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even 44 as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the [Chald. their days] days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom [Chald. kingdom thereof] shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands [or, which was not in hand], and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter [Chald. after this]: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

[Continued-see next page.]