Lexicon :: Strong's H5705 - ʿaḏ

Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me.

Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

But God was watching[fn] over the Jewish elders. These men wouldn’t stop them until a report was sent to Darius, so that they could receive written instructions about this matter.

Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem. It has been under construction from that time until now, but it has not been completed.

This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

up to 7,500 pounds[fn] of silver, 500 bushels[fn] of wheat, 550 gallons[fn] of wine, 550 gallons of oil, and salt without limit.[fn]

“If you don’t tell me the dream, there is one decree for you. You have conspired to tell me something false or fraudulent until the situation changes. So tell me the dream and I will know you can give me its interpretation.”

and declared:

May the name of God

be praised forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

“As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it,[fn] struck the statue on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them.

Finally Daniel, named Belteshazzar after the name of my god ​— ​and a spirit of the holy gods is in him ​— ​came before me. I told him the dream:

“This word is by decree of the watchers,

and the decision is by command from the holy ones.

This is so that the living will know

that the Most High is ruler

over human kingdoms.

He gives them to anyone he wants

and sets the lowliest of people over them.

“The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’

“You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals. You will feed on grass like cattle and be drenched with dew from the sky for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.

“You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.”

“He was driven away from people, his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them.

“All the administrators of the kingdom ​— ​the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors ​— ​have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that, for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den.

So they approached the king and asked about his edict: “Didn’t you sign an edict that for thirty days any person who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den? ”

The king answered, “As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order stands[fn] and is irrevocable.”

As soon as the king heard this, he was very displeased; he set his mind on rescuing Daniel and made every effort until sundown to deliver him.

The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel[fn] were brought and thrown into the lions’ den ​— ​they, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

“I issue a decree that in all my royal dominion, people must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel:

For he is the living God,

and he endures forever;

his kingdom will never be destroyed,

and his dominion has no end.

“The first was like a lion but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.

“As I kept watching,

thrones were set in place,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing was white like snow,

and the hair of his head like whitest wool.

His throne was flaming fire;

its wheels were blazing fire.

“I watched, then, because of the sound of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued watching, the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given over to the burning fire.

“But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, forever and ever.’

“until the Ancient of Days arrived and a judgment was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, for the time had come, and the holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

“He will speak words against the Most High and oppress[fn] the holy ones of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals[fn] and laws, and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.[fn]

“This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts terrified me greatly, and my face turned pale,[fn] but I kept the matter to myself.”