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Journey Through Esther, Ezra & Nehemiah

God of the in Between

Overcoming Offense

1 Samuel | Chapter Summaries + Study Questions

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 <div class="pmo">1King Nebuchadnezzar,</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo">To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo">May you prosper greatly!</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"> 2It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.</div><div class="qm1"> 3How great are his signs,</div><div class="qm2">how mighty his wonders!</div><div class="qm1">His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;</div><div class="qm2">his dominion endures from generation to generation.</div><div class="pm"> 4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. 5I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. 6So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. 7When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers#4:7 Or Chaldeans and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. 8Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)</div><div class="pm"> 9I said, &#8220;Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. 10These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.</div><div class="pm"> 13&#8220;In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger,#4:13 Or watchman; also in verses 17 and 23 coming down from heaven. 14He called in a loud voice: &#8216;Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.</div><div class="pm">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times#4:16 Or years; also in verses 23, 25 and 32 pass by for him.</div><div class="pm"> 17&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.&#8217;</div><div class="pm"> 18&#8220;This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Daniel Interprets the Dream</div><div class="pm"> 19Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, &#8220;Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.&#8221;</div><div class="pm">Belteshazzar answered, &#8220;My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds&#8212; 22Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.</div><div class="pm"> 23&#8220;Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, &#8216;Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.&#8217;</div><div class="pm"> 24&#8220;This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Dream Is Fulfilled</div><div class="pm"> 28All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30he said, &#8220;Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?&#8221;</div><div class="pm"> 31Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, &#8220;This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.&#8221;</div><div class="pm"> 33Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"> 34At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.</div><div class="qm1">His dominion is an eternal dominion;</div><div class="qm2">his kingdom endures from generation to generation.</div><div class="qm1"> 35All the peoples of the earth</div><div class="qm2">are regarded as nothing.</div><div class="qm1">He does as he pleases</div><div class="qm2">with the powers of heaven</div><div class="qm2">and the peoples of the earth.</div><div class="qm1">No one can hold back his hand</div><div class="qm2">or say to him: &#8220;What have you done?&#8221;</div><div class="pm"> 36At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.</div>
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 <div class="p">1King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. 2While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father#5:2 Or ancestor; or predecessor; also in verses 11, 13 and 18 had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.</div><div class="p"> 5Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.</div><div class="p"> 7The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers#5:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 11 and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, &#8220;Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Then all the king&#8217;s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.</div><div class="p"> 10The queen,#5:10 Or queen mother hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. &#8220;May the king live forever!&#8221; she said. &#8220;Don&#8217;t be alarmed! Don&#8217;t look so pale! 11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, &#8220;Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? 14I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. 15The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. 16Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17Then Daniel answered the king, &#8220;You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.</div><div class="p"> 18&#8220;Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.</div><div class="p"> 22&#8220;But you, Belshazzar, his son,#5:22 Or descendant; or successor have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.</div><div class="p"> 25&#8220;This is the inscription that was written:</div><div class="pc">mene, mene, tekel, parsin</div><div class="p"> 26&#8220;Here is what these words mean:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li3"> Mene # 5:26 Mene can mean numbered or mina (a unit of money). : God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.</div><div class="li3"> 27 Tekel # 5:27 Tekel can mean weighed or shekel. : You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.</div><div class="li3"> 28 Peres # 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) can mean divided or Persia or a half mina or a half shekel. : Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 29Then at Belshazzar&#8217;s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.</div><div class="p"> 30That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians,#5:30 Or Chaldeans was slain, 31and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.#5:31 In Aramaic texts this verse (5:31) is numbered 6:1.</div>
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 <div class="p">1It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5Finally these men said, &#8220;We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: &#8220;May King Darius live forever! 7The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions&#8217; den. 8Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered&#8212;in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.&#8221; 9So King Darius put the decree in writing.</div><div class="p"> 10Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: &#8220;Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions&#8217; den?&#8221;</div><div class="p">The king answered, &#8220;The decree stands&#8212;in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Then they said to the king, &#8220;Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.&#8221; 14When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.</div><div class="p"> 15Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, &#8220;Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions&#8217; den. The king said to Daniel, &#8220;May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel&#8217;s situation might not be changed. 18Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.</div><div class="p"> 19At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions&#8217; den. 20When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, &#8220;Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Daniel answered, &#8220;May the king live forever! 22My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.</div><div class="p"> 24At the king&#8217;s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions&#8217; den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.</div><div class="p"> 25Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:</div><div class="pmo">&#8220;May you prosper greatly!</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"> 26&#8220;I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.</div><div class="qm1">&#8220;For he is the living God</div><div class="qm2">and he endures forever;</div><div class="qm1">his kingdom will not be destroyed,</div><div class="qm2">his dominion will never end.</div><div class="qm1"> 27He rescues and he saves;</div><div class="qm2">he performs signs and wonders</div><div class="qm2">in the heavens and on the earth.</div><div class="qm1">He has rescued Daniel</div><div class="qm2">from the power of the lions.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus#6:28 Or Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus the Persian.</div>
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 <div class="p">1In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes#9:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian#9:1 Or Chaldean kingdom&#8212; 2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.</div><div class="p"> 4I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:</div><div class="pm">&#8220;Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.</div><div class="pm"> 7&#8220;Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame&#8212;the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.</div><div class="pm">&#8220;Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 14The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.</div><div class="pm"> 15&#8220;Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.</div><div class="pm"> 17&#8220;Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.&#8221;</div>
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