The Book of Bel and the Dragon [in Daniel] 

[The History of the Destruction of Bel and the Dragon] 

The History of the Destruction of Bel and the Dragon, 

Cut off from the end of Daniel. 

Bel 1:1 

And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus of 

Persia received his kingdom. 

Bel 1:2 

And Daniel conversed with the king, and was honoured above 

all his friends. 

Bel 1:3 

Now the Babylons had an idol, called Bel, and there were 

spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, 

and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine. 

Bel 1:4 

And the king worshipped it and went daily to adore it: but 

Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said unto him, Why 

dost not thou worship Bel? 

Bel 1:5 

Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made 

with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and 

the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh. 

Bel 1:6 

Then said the king unto him, Thinkest thou not that Bel is a 

living God? seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every 

day? 

Bel 1:7 

Then Daniel smiled, and said, O king, be not deceived: for 

this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or 

drink any thing. 

Bel 1:8 

So the king was wroth, and called for his priests, and said 

unto them, If ye tell me not who this is that devoureth these 

expences, ye shall die. 

Bel 1:9 

But if ye can certify me that Bel devoureth them, then 

Daniel shall die: for he hath spoken blasphemy against Bel. And 

Daniel said unto the king, Let it be according to thy word. 

Bel 1:10 

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. 

Bel 1:11 

So Bel's priests said, Lo, we go out: but thou, O king, set 

on the meat, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast and 

seal it with thine own signet; 

Bel 1:12 

And to morrow when thou comest in, if thou findest not that 

Bel hath eaten up all, we will suffer death: or else Daniel, 

that speaketh falsely against us. 

Bel 1:13 

And they little regarded it: for under the table they had 

made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and 

consumed those things. 

Bel 1:14 

So when they were gone forth, the king set meats before 

Bel. Now Daniel had commanded his servants to bring ashes, and 

those they strewed throughout all the temple in the presence of 

the king alone: then went they out, and shut the door, and 

sealed it with the king's signet, and so departed. 

Bel 1:15 

Now in the night came the priests with their wives and 

children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drinck up 

all. 

Bel 1:16 

In the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him. 

Bel 1:17 

And the king said, Daniel, are the seals whole? And he 

said, Yea, O king, they be whole. 

Bel 1:18 

And as soon as he had opened the dour, the king looked upon 

the table, and cried with a loud voice, Great art thou, O Bel, 

and with thee is no deceit at all. 

Bel 1:19 

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. 

Bel 1:20 

And the king said, I see the footsteps of men, women, and 

children. And then the king was angry, 

Bel 1:21 

And took the priests with their wives and children, who 

shewed him the privy doors, where they came in, and consumed 

such things as were upon the table. 

Bel 1:22 

Therefore the king slew them, and delivered Bel into 

Daniel's power, who destroyed him and his temple. 

Bel 1:23 

And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they 

of Babylon worshipped. 

Bel 1:24 

And the king said unto Daniel, Wilt thou also say that this 

is of brass? lo, he liveth, he eateth and drinketh; thou canst 

not say that he is no living god: therefore worship him. 

Bel 1:25 

Then said Daniel unto the king, I will worship the Lord my 

God: for he is the living God. 

Bel 1:26 

But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon 

without sword or staff. The king said, I give thee leave. 

Bel 1:27 

Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and did seethe 

them together, and made lumps thereof: this he put in the 

dragon's mouth, and so the dragon burst in sunder : and Daniel 

said, Lo, these are the gods ye worship. 

Bel 1:28 

When they of Babylon heard that, they took great 

indignation, and conspired against the king, saying, The king is 

become a Jew, and he hath destroyed Bel, he hath slain the 

dragon, and put the priests to death. 

Bel 1:29 

So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or 

else we will destroy thee and thine house. 

Bel 1:30 

Now when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being 

constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them: 

Bel 1:31 

Who cast him into the lions' den: where he was six days. 

Bel 1:32 

And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given 

them every day two carcases, and two sheep: which then were not 

given to them, to the intent they might devour Daniel. 

Bel 1:33 

Now there was in Jewry a prophet, called Habbacuc, who had 

made pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl, and was going into 

the field, for to bring it to the reapers. 

Bel 1:34 

But the angel of the Lord said unto Habbacuc, Go, carry the 

dinner that thou hast into Babylon unto Daniel, who is in the 

lions' den. 

Bel 1:35 

And Habbacuc said, Lord, I never saw Babylon; neither do I 

know where the den is. 

Bel 1:36 

Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown, and bare 

him by the hair of his head, and through the vehemency of his 

spirit set him in Babylon over the den. 

Bel 1:37 

And Habbacuc cried, saying, O Daniel, Daniel, take the 

dinner which God hath sent thee. 

Bel 1:38 

And Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God: neither 

hast thou forsaken them that seek thee and love thee. 

Bel 1:39 

So Daniel arose, and did eat: and the angel of the Lord set 

Habbacuc in his own place again immediately. 

Bel 1:40 

Upon the seventh day the king went to bewail Daniel: 

and when he came to the den, he looked in, and behold, 

Daniel was sitting. 

Bel 1:41 

Then cried the king with a loud voice, saying, Great art 

Lord God of Daniel, and there is none other beside thee. 

Bel 1:42 

And he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of 

his destruction into the den: and they were devoured 

in a moment before his face.