Bel and the Dragon 1

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia received his kingdom.

And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia received his kingdom — the realm passing to a new ruling state.

2And Daniel conversed with the king, and was honoured above all his friends.

And Daniel conversed with the king, and was honoured above all his friends.

3Now 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.

Now the Babylons had an idol, called Bel — a formed image of a lesser good, worshipped in the Source's place — and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine, the spiritual essence of truth poured out to an image.

4And 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?

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?

5Who 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.

Who answered and said: Because I may not worship idols made with hands — formed images of lesser goods, fashioned by the faculties themselves — but the living Source, who hath created the heaven and the earth, the inner realm and the outer world, and hath sovereignty over all flesh, over every faculty in its sense-bound life.

6Then 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?

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?

7Then 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.

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 — a formed thing of the outer life, with no life of its own within.

8So 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.

So the king was wroth, and called for his priests — the mediating faculties of the image — and said unto them: If ye tell me not who this is that devoureth these expences, ye shall die.

9But 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.

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.

10Now the priests of Bel were threescore and ten, beside their wives and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.

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 — the sanctuary-state built around the image.

11So 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;

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;

12And 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.

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.

13And they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those things.

And they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those things — the image's whole life a hidden traffic of its own attendants.

14So 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.

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 — the humbled dust laid where every hidden step would declare itself.

15Now in the night came the priests with their wives and children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drinck up all.

Now in the night — in the hidden state — came the priests with their wives and children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drink up all.

16In the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him.

In the morning betime — at the dawning of the new state — the king arose, and Daniel with him.

17And the king said, Daniel, are the seals whole? And he said, Yea, O king, they be whole.

And the king said: Daniel, are the seals whole? And he said: Yea, O king, they be whole.

18And 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.

And as soon as he had opened the door, 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 — the ruling state still reading the emptied table as the image's power.

19Then 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.

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.

20And the king said, I see the footsteps of men, women, and children. And then the king was angry,

And the king said: I see the footsteps of men, women, and children. And then the king was angry,

21And 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.

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.

22Therefore the king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel’s power, who destroyed him and his temple.

Therefore the king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel's power, who destroyed him and his temple: the formed image, and the sanctuary-state built around it, dismantled together.

23And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped.

And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped — the sense-mind's devouring state, adored in the place of the Source.

24And 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.

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.

25Then said Daniel unto the king, I will worship the Lord my God: for he is the living God.

Then said Daniel unto the king: I will worship the indwelling LORD my God, for He is the living God — the one living Source.

26But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without sword or staff. The king said, I give thee leave.

But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without sword or staff. The king said: I give thee leave — the devouring state undone without the cutting word or the rod of rule.

27Then 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.

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 — the devouring state, fed on what it craved, bursting by its own devouring.

28When 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.

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.

29So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thine house.

So they came to the king, and said: Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thine house.

30Now when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them:

Now when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them:

31Who cast him into the lions’ den: where he was six days.

who cast him into the lions' den, where he was six days: cast down among the untamed animal natures of the state.

32And 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.

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: the untamed natures starved toward the yielded state shut in with them.

33Now 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.

Now there was in Jewry a prophet, called Habbacuc — the forth-telling faculty — who had made pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl — truth-substance broken for nourishment — and was going into the field, for to bring it to the reapers.

34But 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.

But the angel of the indwelling LORD — a divine idea ministering between the higher and lower consciousness — said unto Habbacuc: Go, carry the dinner that thou hast into Babylon — confusion enthroned as an empire — unto Daniel, who is in the lions' den.

35And Habbacuc said, Lord, I never saw Babylon; neither do I know where the den is.

And Habbacuc said: Lord, I never saw Babylon; neither do I know where the den is.

36Then 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.

Then the angel of the indwelling LORD took him by the crown, and bare him by the hair of his head, and through the vehemency of his spirit — the force of the Breath that bore him — set him in Babylon over the den.

37And Habbacuc cried, saying, O Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner which God hath sent thee.

And Habbacuc cried, saying: O Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner which the Source hath sent thee.

38And Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God: neither hast thou forsaken them that seek thee and love thee.

And Daniel said: Thou hast remembered me, O Source: neither hast Thou forsaken them that seek Thee and love Thee.

39So Daniel arose, and did eat: and the angel of the Lord set Habbacuc in his own place again immediately.

So Daniel arose, and did eat: and the angel of the indwelling LORD set Habbacuc in his own place again immediately.

40Upon the seventh day the king went to bewail Daniel: and when he came to the den, he looked in, and behold, Daniel was sitting.

Upon the seventh day — the day of the completed cycle — the king went to bewail Daniel: and when he came to the den, he looked in, and, behold, Daniel was sitting.

41Then cried the king with a loud voice, saying, Great art Lord God of Daniel, and there is none other beside thee.

Then cried the king with a loud voice, saying: Great art Thou, indwelling LORD, God of Daniel, and there is none other beside Thee.

42And 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.

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 — the untamed natures turning, in a moment, upon the states that had fed on accusation.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.