1 AND king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian received his kingdom.
2 And Daniel lived with the king, and was honored above all his friends.
3 Now the Babylonians had an idol, called Bel, and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six firkins of wine.
4 And the king did honor to it, and went daily to worship it: but Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said to him, Why do you not worship Bel?
5 And he said, Because I may not do honor to idols made with hands, but to the living God, who has created the heaven and the earth, and has sovereignty over all flesh.
6 Then said the king to him, Thinkest you not that Bel is a living god? or see you not how much he eats and drinks every day?
7 Then Daniel laughed, and said, O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or drink anything.