Bel & the Dragon

Bel & the Dragon (Apocrypha Ch. 1)

Chapter 1 During the time of King Cyrus, Daniel was a man who was honored above all. The Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and everyday the Babylonian people would sacrifice twelve great measures of fine flour, forty sheep, and six vessels of wine unto Bel. King Cyrus adored Bel and worshipped it daily however; Daniel worshipped his own God.

1 One day, Cyrus asked Daniel ‘Why dost not thou worship Bel?’ Daniel responded by stating that he could not worship idols made with hands but that he could only worship the living God, who created the heaven and earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh. King Cyrus could not believe that Daniel did not think that Bel was a living god especially since Bel “ate” all the flour, sheep and wine set before him daily.

1 Daniel told King Cyrus that Bel was a figure with clay within and brass without and that he never ate or drank any of the things put before it. King Cyrus was not very pleased with what Daniel said therefore, he called for the seventy priests of Bel. King Cyrus told the priests that if they did not tell him who ate the food and drink put before Bel they would all die.

1 However, if they could certify that Bel does consume the food and drink, Daniel would die because he had spoken blasphemy against Bel. After the king spoke, Daniel said unto the king, “Let it be according to thy word.� Daniel and the king went to Bel’s temple. The priests told the king to set the usual sacrifice before Bel, shut the door of the temple and seal it with his signet.

1 The priests continued by stating that if the food is not eaten they would suffer death but if the food is eaten then Daniel would suffer death because he falsely accused the priests. The priests did not have any fear because they had a private door under a table in the temple in which they entered in to consume the food. Now when the priests had gone forth, Daniel commanded his servants to bring ashes and spread them on the temple floor in the presence of the king.

1 After the ashes were spread, the temple door was shut and the king sealed it with his signet. During the night the priest as well as their wives and children entered through the private door under the table and consumed the food set before Bel. The next morning, Daniel and the king went to the temple and sure enough the king’s signet was still intact. When the door was opened the king began to praise Bel because the food was all gone.

1 Daniel laughed at this foolishness and stopped the king before he could enter the temple. Daniel pointed to the ground and asked the king what did he see. The king responded “I see footsteps of men, women and children.� Cyrus was now angry. The priests, wives and children showed him the private door where they entered in to eat the food. Cyrus then killed the priests and their families. He also delivered Bel into Daniel’s hand and the idol was destroyed.

1 Now in the same place there was a great dragon that the Babylonian people worshipped. Cyrus asked Daniel why couldn’t he worship the dragon. Daniel told the king “I will worship the Lord my God: for he is the living God.” Daniel continued by telling the king that if given the chance, he could slay the dragon without sword or staff. Cyrus granted Daniel this chance to prove his words.

1 Daniel took pitch, fat, and hair and boiled them together. Daniel made lumps of the mixture and put them in the dragon’s mouth until the dragon burst asunder! When the people of Babylon heard of what became of the dragon they conspired against the king and accused him of becoming a Jew. The people were so angry they told the king that he better deliver Daniel unto them or the king and his house would be destroyed.

1 The king delivered Daniel unto the people. Daniel was then cast into the lion’s den for six days. In the den, there were seven lions and their daily portion of food was two carcasses and two sheep. Because the people wanted Daniel to be eaten, they stopped giving the lions their food.

In the meanwhile, in another place called Jewry, there was a man by the name of Habbacuc who had made a dinner.

1 The dinner consisted of pottage and bread for a group of reapers. But an angel of the Lord told Habbacuc to take the dinner to Daniel who was in the lions’ den. Habbacuc told the Lord that he had never seen Babylon nor did he know where the den was. Instantly, the angel of the Lord took Habbacuc by the hair and set him down in front of the lions’ den!

1 Habbacuc then cried unto Daniel saying “Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner which God hath sent thee.�

Daniel began to praise God for the Lord had not forsaken him. Daniel arose, took the dinner, and ate it. However, Habbacuc was instantly set in his own place again. On the seventh day, the king went to bewail Daniel and when he looked into the den, he saw Daniel sitting.

1 King Cyrus cried out with a loud voice saying “Great art thou, O Lord God of Daniel, and there is no other beside thee!” King Cyrus helped Daniel out of the lions’ den and cast those who sought Daniel’s destruction into the den, and they were devoured in an instant!

THE END!