Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/382

 “Wherefore God  hath  sent  the  fingers  of  the  hand  to  write, and this  is  the  writing,  and  this  is  the  interpretation  thereof: Mane: God  hath  numbered  thy  kingdom,  and  hath  finished  it. Tkecel: Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found  wanting. Pkares: Thy  kingdom  is  divided,  and  is  given  to  the  Medes  and Persians.” That  very  night  Baltassar  was  slain  and  the  prophecy of Daniel  was  thus  fulfilled. Some time  after,  the  army  of  the Medes and  Persians,  under Darius, their  great  leader, took the  city  of  Babylon, and divided the  kingdom.

But Cyrus  (Fig.  57), king of  Persia,  and  successor of  Darius, soon took possession  of  all  the Assyrian empire,  of  which Babylon was  the  capital.

He treated  Daniel  with marked respect,  and  made him sit  down  at  his  own table. At this  time  the god Bel  was  worshipped in Babylon  as  the  supreme deity. There were  spent upon him  every  day  twelve large measures  of  flour, forty sheep  and  sixty  vessels of  wine.



The king  went  every day to  adore  this  god  Bel. But Daniel  adored  the  true  God. Then the  king  asked  him  why he did  not  adore  Bel. Daniel replied  that  he  adored  the  true and living  God,  who  created  earth  and  heaven,  and  whose  power