LXX Concordance for βασιλεῖ

After this, the king of Egypt's cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.

The king of Egypt's cupbearer and baker, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

“Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go from his land.”

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said, “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.”

Woe to you, Moab!

You have been destroyed, people of Chemosh!

He gave up his sons as refugees,

and his daughters into captivity

to Sihon the Amorite king.

But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have handed him over to you along with his whole army and his land. Do to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”

“But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have handed him over to you along with his whole army and his land. Do to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.'

“his signs and the works he did in Egypt to Pharaoh king of Egypt and all his land;

The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.”

“and all that he did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan ​— ​King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth.

On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed it[fn] and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. So he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho.

The LORD also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, and left no survivors in it. He treated Libnah's king as he had the king of Jericho.

He captured it ​— ​its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king.

And Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah,[fn] which had been given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

The Israelites served King Eglon of Moab eighteen years.

and brought the tribute to King Eglon of Moab, who was an extremely fat man.

Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king's son-in-law.' ”

When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,

Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house.

That day Achish gave Ziklag to him, and it still belongs to the kings of Judah today.

They brought Ish-bosheth's head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here's the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the LORD has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

It was reported to King David, “The LORD has blessed Obed-edom's family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom's house to the city of David with rejoicing.

When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men.

He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. The LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

Joab sent someone to report to David all the details of the battle.

Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain.[fn]

The king asked, “Did Joab put you up to[fn] all this? ”

The woman answered. “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from all my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave orders to me; he told your servant exactly what to say.[fn]

But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, “As the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there! ”

Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city.

After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”

Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has vindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”

Joab then said to a Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

He called out and told the king.

The king said, “If he's alone, he bears good news.”

As the first runner came closer,

Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well,” and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king.”

Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: The LORD has vindicated you today by freeing you from all who rise against you! ”

“For my grandfather's entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king? ”

The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, so we have a greater claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren't we the first to speak of restoring our king? ” But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.

So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king.

Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, so he went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground.

“Your Majesty, Araunah gives everything here to the king.” Then he said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.”

So his servants said to him, “Let us[fn] search for a young virgin for my lord the king. She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.”

So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.

and it was announced to the king, “The prophet Nathan is here.” He came into the king's presence and paid homage to him with his face to the ground.

Bathsheba knelt low with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever! ”

“Amen,” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it.

So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”

“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”

So Benaiah went to the tabernacle and said to Joab, “This is what the king says: ‘Come out! ' ”

But Joab said, “No, for I will die here.”

So Benaiah took a message back to the king, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”

Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.

Solomon had twelve deputies for all Israel. They provided food for the king and his household; each one made provision for one month out of the year.

Each of those deputies for a month in turn provided food for King Solomon and for everyone who came to King Solomon's table. They neglected nothing.

Then Hiram made the basins, the shovels, and the sprinkling basins.

So Hiram finished all the work that he was doing for King Solomon on the LORD's temple:

and the pots, shovels, and sprinkling basins. All the utensils that Hiram made for King Solomon at the LORD's temple were made of burnished bronze.

They went to Ophir and acquired gold there ​— ​sixteen tons[fn] ​— ​and delivered it to Solomon.

Then she gave the king four and a half tons[fn] of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

for the king had ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram's fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[fn]

At that time, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abhorrent idol of Moab, and for Milcom,[fn] the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites, on the hill across from Jerusalem.

“For they have abandoned me; they have bowed down to Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh, the god of Moab, and to Milcom, the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in my ways to do what is right in my sight and to carry out my statutes and my judgments as his father David did.

When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered him:

What portion do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

Israel, return to your tents;

David, now look after your own house!

So Israel went to their tents,

“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to the whole house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,

Now a certain old prophet was living in Bethel. His son[fn] came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. His sons also told their father the words that he had spoken to the king.

Israel's King Baasha went to war against Judah. He built Ramah in order to keep anyone from leaving or coming to King Asa of Judah.

A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am the LORD.' ”

The young men of the provincial leaders marched out first. Then Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, saying, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”

Then the man of God approached and said to the king of Israel, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over all this whole huge army to you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' ”

So they dressed with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.' ”

So he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

Then the prophet went and waited for the king on the road. He disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.

Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned over Israel two years.

Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned twelve years.

King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams,

The king of Aram was enraged because of this matter, and he called his servants and demanded of them, “Tell me, which one of us is for the king of Israel? ”

So they followed them as far as the Jordan. They saw that the whole way was littered with clothes and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king.

While he was telling the king how Elisha restored the dead son to life, the woman whose son he had restored to life came to appeal to the king for her house and field. So Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman and this is the son Elisha restored to life.”

In the fifth year of Israel's King Joram son of Ahab, Jehoram[fn] son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah, replacing his father.[fn]

In the twelfth year of Israel's King Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah.

But by the twenty-third year of the reign of King Joash, the priests had not repaired the damage[fn] to the temple.

So King Joash of Judah took all the items consecrated by himself and by his ancestors ​— ​Judah's kings Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah ​— ​as well as all the gold found in the treasuries of the LORD's temple and in the king's palace, and he sent them to King Hazael of Aram. Then Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.

In the twenty-third year of Judah's King Joash son of Ahaziah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years.

In the thirty-seventh year of Judah's King Joash, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years.

Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Grasp the bow.” So the king grasped it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.

Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows! ” So he took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground! ” So he struck the ground three times and stopped.

In the second year of Israel's King Jehoash[fn] son of Jehoahaz,[fn] Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah.

In the twenty-seventh year of Israel's King Jeroboam, Azariah[fn] son of Amaziah became king of Judah.

In the thirty-eighth year of Judah's King Azariah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria for six months.

In the thirty-ninth year of Judah's King Uzziah,[fn] Shallum son of Jabesh became king; he reigned in Samaria a full month.

In the thirty-ninth year of Judah's King Azariah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria.

Then Menahem exacted twenty ounces[fn] of silver from each of the prominent men of Israel to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and did not stay there in the land.

Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the LORD's temple and in the treasuries of the king's palace and sent them to the king of Assyria as a bribe.

King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria. When he saw the altar that was in Damascus, King Ahaz sent a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction to the priest Uriah.

In the twelfth year of Judah's King Ahaz, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years.

But the king of Assyria caught Hoshea in a conspiracy: He had sent envoys to So king of Egypt and had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years.[fn] Therefore the king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison.

The settlers said to the king of Assyria, “The nations that you have deported and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them that are killing them because the people don't know the requirements of the god of the land.”

In the third year of Israel's King Hoshea son of Elah, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah.

The LORD was with him, and wherever he went he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.

In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Israel's King Hoshea son of Elah, Assyria's King Shalmaneser marched against Samaria and besieged it.

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Assyria's King Sennacherib attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.

At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the LORD's sanctuary and from the doorposts he had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria.

“So now, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria. I'll give you two thousand horses if you're able to supply riders for them!

In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent the court secretary Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the LORD's temple, saying,

Then the court secretary Shaphan went to the king and reported,[fn] “Your servants have emptied out the silver that was found in the temple and have given it to those doing the work ​— ​those who oversee the LORD's temple.”

“‘Therefore, I will indeed gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place.' ”

Then they reported[fn] to the king.

Because of the LORD's anger, it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he finally banished them from his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

On the seventh day of the fifth month ​— ​which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon ​— ​Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.

Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Don't be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.”

When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men.

All these sons of Heman, the king's seer, were given by the promises of God to exalt him,[fn] for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

Then David said to the whole assembly, “Blessed be the LORD your God.” So the whole assembly praised the LORD God of their ancestors. They knelt low and paid homage to the LORD and the king.

Hiram also said:

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He gave King David a wise son with insight and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

Then Huram[fn] made the pots, the shovels, and the bowls.

So Huram finished doing the work that he was doing for King Solomon in God's temple:

the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all their utensils ​— ​Huram-abi[fn] made them for King Solomon for the LORD's temple. All these were made of polished bronze.

Then she gave the king four and a half tons[fn] of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There never were such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she asked ​— ​far more than she had brought the king. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.

besides what was brought by the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

for the king's ships kept going to Tarshish with Hiram's servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[fn]

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa, Israel's King Baasha went to war against Judah. He built Ramah in order to keep anyone from leaving or coming to King Asa of Judah.

These were the ones who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

At the turn of the year, an Aramean army attacked Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus.

Under their authority was an army of 307,500 equipped for combat, a powerful force to help the king against the enemy.

Although Ahaz plundered the LORD's temple and the palace of the king and of the rulers and gave the plunder to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the LORD's temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king's seer, and the prophet Nathan. For the command was from the LORD through his prophets.

Many were bringing an offering to the LORD to Jerusalem and valuable gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah, and he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations after that.

Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported, “Your servants are doing all that was placed in their hands.

Then the court secretary Shaphan told the king, “The priest Hilkiah gave me a book,” and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

“‘I will indeed gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants.' ”

Then they reported to the king.

Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:

Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations.

We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.

This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.

Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants accompanied him to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.”

Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who delight to revere your name. Give your servant success today, and grant him compassion in the presence of this man.[fn]

At the time, I was the king's cupbearer.

During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,

and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I[fn] not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire? ”

and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried,[fn] so that I may rebuild it.”

I also said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah.

and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf, “There is a king in Judah.” These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let's confer together.

The most trusted ones[fn] were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom.

“For the queen's action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.'

The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan's advice.

The king's personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.

“Then the young woman who pleases the king will become queen instead of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai's behalf.

Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, keeping themselves separate. Their laws are different from everyone else's and they do not obey the king's laws. It is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them.

Mordecai told him everything that had happened as well as the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay the royal treasury for the slaughter of the Jews.

“If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for them.”

His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows seventy-five feet[fn] tall. Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.

They found the written report of how Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the entrance, when they planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

The king asked, “Who is in the court? ” Now Haman was just entering the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.

The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, so she got up and stood before the king.

On that day the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa was reported to the king.

Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews who are in Susa also have tomorrow to carry out today's law, and may the bodies of Haman's ten sons be hung on the gallows.”

who says to a king, “Worthless man! ”

and to nobles, “Wicked men! ”?

My heart is moved by a noble theme

as I recite my verses to the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

In colorful garments she is led to the king;

after her, the virgins, her companions, are brought to you.

Sing praise to God, sing praise;

sing praise to our King, sing praise!

God, give your justice to the king

and your righteousness to the king's son.

Let Israel celebrate its Maker;

let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.

A king favors a prudent servant,

but his anger falls on a disgraceful one.

Wicked behavior is detestable to kings,

since a throne is established through righteousness.

Loyalty and faithfulness guard a king;

through loyalty he maintains his throne.

for destruction will come suddenly from them;

who knows what distress these two can bring?

Go out, young women of Zion,

and gaze at King Solomon,

wearing the crown his mother placed on him

on the day of his wedding —

the day of his heart's rejoicing.

The princes of Zoan are complete fools;

Pharaoh's wisest advisers give stupid advice!

How can you say to Pharaoh,

“I am one[fn] of the wise,

a student of eastern[fn] kings”?

“Now make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I'll give you two thousand horses if you're able to supply riders for them!

“Say this to King Hezekiah of Judah: ‘Don't let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you by promising that Jerusalem won't be handed over to the king of Assyria.

Say to the king and the queen mother:

Take a humble seat,

for your glorious crowns

have fallen from your heads.

“So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of my servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. I have even given him the wild animals to serve him.

“So you should not listen to your prophets, diviners, dreamers, fortune-tellers, or sorcerers who say to you, ‘Don't serve the king of Babylon! '

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘Don't serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying a lie to you.

“For this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations that they might serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and they will serve him. I have even put the wild animals under him.' ”

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.

“They have built the high places of Baal in Ben Hinnom Valley to sacrifice their sons and daughters in the fire[fn] to Molech ​— ​something I had not commanded them. I had never entertained the thought[fn] that they do this detestable act causing Judah to sin!

In the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people of Jerusalem and all those coming in from Judah's cities into Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the LORD.

When they had heard all the words, they turned to each other in fear and said to Baruch, “We must surely tell the king all these things.”

Then, after depositing the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, the officials came to the king at the courtyard and reported everything in the hearing of the king.

Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king not to burn the scroll, he did not listen to them.

Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people that you have put me in prison?

The officials then said to the king, “This man ought to die, because he is weakening the morale[fn] of the warriors who remain in this city and of all the people by speaking to them in this way. This man is not pursuing the welfare of this people, but their harm.”

Jeremiah replied to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, you will kill me, won't you? Besides, if I give you advice, you won't listen to me anyway.”

Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Don't be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.

Messenger races to meet messenger,

and herald to meet herald,

to announce to the king of Babylon

that his city has been captured

from end to end.

The city was under siege until King Zedekiah's eleventh year.

“Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth, seizing its spoil and taking its plunder. This will be his army's compensation.

yet he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and drink. What if he sees your faces looking thinner than the other young men your age? You would endanger my life[fn] with the king.”

So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans[fn] to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,

The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic[fn] begins here): “May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.

Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had assigned to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He came and said to him, “Don't destroy the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”

Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about.

“As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

“You saw a stone break off from the mountain without a hand touching it,[fn] and it crushed the iron, bronze, fired clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation reliable.”

They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don't need to give you an answer to this question.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn't we throw three men, bound, into the fire? ”

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king.

So all the king's wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him.

Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him.

So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, “May King Darius live forever.

So they approached the king and asked about his edict: “Didn't you sign an edict that for thirty days any person who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions' den? ”

The king answered, “As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order stands[fn] and is irrevocable.”

Then these men went together to the king and said to him, “You know, Your Majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.”

Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live forever.

The calf itself will be taken to Assyria

as an offering to the great king.[fn]

Ephraim will experience shame;

Israel will be ashamed of its counsel.

Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters.