Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/383

 extends over  all  things. The king,  much  surprised,  asked  Daniel if he  did  not  believe  that  Bel  was  a living  god,  seeing  how  much he consumed  every  day.

Daniel smiled  and  said:  “O  king,  be  not  deceived,  for  this Bel is  clay  within  and  brass  without,  neither  hath  he  eaten  at  any time.” The  king,  being  angry,  called  for  the  priests  of  the  god, and said  to  them:  “If ye  tell  me  not  who  it  is  that  eats  up  these provisions, ye  shall  die. But if  ye  can  show  that  Bel  eateth  these things, Daniel  shall  die,  because  he  hath  blasphemed  against  Bel.” Daniel agreed  to  the  king’s  proposal.

Then the  king,  accompanied  by  Daniel,  went  to  the  temple of Bel. And the  priests  of  Bel  said  to  the  king. “Behold, we go  out,  and  do  thou,  O king,  set  on  the  meats,  and  make  ready the wine,  and  shut  the  door  fast,  and  seal  it  with  thy  own  ring; and when  thou  comest  in  the  morning,  if  thou  find  not  that  Bel hath eaten  up  all,  we  will  suffer  death,  or  else  Daniel  who  hath lied against  us.”

They were  not  afraid,  because  they  had  a secret  door  under the altar,  whereby  they  entered  and  consumed  the  meats. The priests having  gone  out,  the  king  caused  the  meats  and  the  wine to be  placed  before  Bel. This being  done,  the  servants  of  Daniel brought ashes,  and  he  sifted  them all  over  the  temple,  in  the presence of  the  king. Then they  all  left  the  temple,  the  door  of which  was  sealed  with  the  royal  seal.

But the  priests  went  in  by  night  with  their  wives  and  children, as they  were  accustomed  to  do,  and  they  ate  and  drank  all  that had been  placed  before  the  idol. The king  arose  early  in  the morning, and  went  to  the  temple  with  Daniel. They found  the seal unbroken,  and,  opening  the  door,  went  in. The king  looked at the  table,  and,  seeing  that  all  the  provisions  had  disappeared, cried out:  “Great  art  thou,  O Bel,  and  there  is  not  any  deceit with thee.”

Daniel laughed,  and  pointing  to  the  floor,  said:  “Mark, whose footsteps  these  are!”  The  king,  much  amazed,  said:  “I see the  footsteps  of  men,  women  and  children.”  Then,  examining