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all the night without food and without sleep; being in great
distress for Daniel; but when it was day; he got up; and came to
the den; and found the seal entire; which he had left the stone
sealed withal; he also opened the seal; and。 cried out; and
called to Daniel; and asked him if he were alive。 And as soon as
he heard the king's voice; and said that he had suffered no harm;
the king gave order that he should be drawn up out of the den。
Now when his enemies saw that Daniel had suffered nothing which
was terrible; they would not own that he was preserved by God;
and by his providence; but they said that the lions had been
filled full with food; and on that account it was; as they
supposed; that the lions would not touch Daniel; nor come to him;
and this they alleged to the king。 But the king; out of an
abhorrence of their wickedness; gave order that they should throw
in a great deal of flesh to the lions; and when they had filled
themselves; he gave further order that Daniel's enemies should be
cast into the den; that he might learn whether the lions; now
they were full; would touch them or not。 And it appeared plain to
Darius; after the princes had been cast to the wild beasts; that
it was God who preserved Daniel (25) for the lions spared none of
them; but tore them all to pieces; as if they had been very
hungry; and wanted food。 I suppose therefore it was not their
hunger; which had been a little before satisfied with abundance
of flesh; but the wickedness of these men; that provoked them 'to
destroy the princes'; for if it so please God; that wickedness
might; by even those irrational creatures; be esteemed a plain
foundation for their punishment。
7。 When therefore those that had intended thus to destroy Daniel
by treachery were themselves destroyed; king Darius sent
'letters' over all the country; and praised that God whom Daniel
worshipped; and said that he was the only true God; and had all
power。 He had also Daniel in very great esteem; and made him the
principal of his friends。 Now when Daniel was become so
illustrious and famous; on account of the opinion men had that he
was beloved of God; he built a tower at Ecbatana; in Media: it
was a most elegant building; and wonderfully made; and it is
still remaining; and preserved to this day; and to such as see
it; it appears to have been lately built; and to have been no
older than that very day when any one looks upon it; it is so
fresh (26) flourishing; and beautiful; and no way grown old in so
long time; for buildings suffer the same as men do; they grow old
as well as they; and by numbers of years their strength is
dissolved; and their beauty withered。 Now they bury the kings of
Media; of Persia; and Parthia in this tower to this day; and he
who was entrusted with the care of it was a Jewish priest; which
thing is also observed to this day。 But it is fit to give an
account of what this man did; which is most admirable to hear;
for he was so happy as to have strange revelations made to him;
and those as to one of the greatest of the prophets; insomuch;
that while he was alive he had the esteem and applause both of
the kings and of the multitude; and now he is dead; he retains a
remembrance that will never fail; for the several books that he
wrote and left behind him are still read by us till this time;
and from them we believe that Daniel conversed with God; for he
did not only prophesy of future events; as did the other
prophets; but he also determined the time of their
accomplishment。 And while prophets used to foretell misfortunes;
and on that account were disagreeable both to the kings and to
the multitude; Daniel was to them a prophet of good things; and
this to such a degree; that by the agreeable nature of his
predictions; he procured the goodwill of all men; and by the
accomplishment of them; he procured the belief of their truth;
and the opinion of 'a sort of' divinity for himself; among the
multitude。 He also wrote and left behind him what made manifest
the accuracy and undeniable veracity of his predictions; for he
saith; that when he was in Susa; the metropolis of Persia; and
went out into the field with his companions; there was; on the
sudden; a motion and concussion of the earth; and that he was
left alone by himself; his friends fleeing away from him; and
that he was disturbed; and fell on his face; and on his two
hands; and that a certain person touched him; and; at the same
time; bid him rise; and see what would befall his countrymen
after many generations。 He also related; that when he stood up;
he was shown a great rain; with many horns growing out of his
head; and that the last was higher than the rest: that after this
he looked to the west; and saw a he…goat carried through the air
from that quarter; that he rushed upon the ram with violence; and
smote him twice with his horns; and overthrew him to the ground;
and trampled upon him: that afterward he saw a very great horn
growing out of the head of the he…goat; and that when it was
broken off; four horns grew up that were exposed to each of the
four winds; and he wrote that out of them arose another lesser
horn; which; as he said; waxed great; and that God showed to him
that it should fight against his nation; and take their city by
force; and bring the temple worship to confusion; and forbid the
sacrifices to be offered for one thousand two hundred and
ninety…six days。 Daniel wrote that he saw these visions in the
Plain of Susa; and he hath informed us that God interpreted the
appearance of this vision after the following manner: He said
that the ram signified the kingdoms of the Medes and Persians;
and the horns those kings that were to reign in them; and that
the last horn signified the last king; and that he should exceed
all the kings in riches and glory: that the he…goat signified
that one should come and reign from the Greeks; who should twice
fight with the Persian; and overcome him in battle; and should
receive his entire dominion: that by the great horn which sprang
out of the forehead of the he…goat was meant the first king; and
that the springing up of four horns upon its falling off; and the
conversion of every one of them to the four quarters of the
earth; signified the successors that should arise after the death
of the first king; and the partition of the kingdom among them;
and that they should be neither his children; nor of his kindred;
that should reign over the habitable earth for many years; and
that from among them there should arise a certain king that
should overcome our nation and their laws; and should take away
their political government; and should spoil the temple; and
forbid the sacrifices to be offered for three years' time。 And
indeed it so came to pass; that our nation suffered these things
under Antiochus Epiphanes; according to Daniel's vision; and what
he wrote many years before they came to pass。 In the very same
manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government; and
that our country should be made desolate by them。 All these
things did this man leave in writing; as God had showed them to
him; insomuch that such as read his prophecies; and see