但以理書2章

    但以理書2:1-16  ,

    但以理書2:17-24   ,

    但以理書2:25-30 , 但以理書2:28 ,

     但以理書2:31-45  ,

     但以理書2:46-49  , 但以理書2:47  ,

但以理書2:1-16

2:1 尼布甲尼撒在位第二年，他做了夢，心裡煩亂，不能睡覺。

2:2 王吩咐人將術士、用法術的、行邪術的，和迦勒底人召來，要他們將王的夢告訴王，他們就來站在王前。

2:3 王對他們說：「我做了一夢，心裡煩亂，要知道這是甚麼夢。」

2:4 迦勒底人用亞蘭的言語對王說：「願王萬歲！請將那夢告訴僕人，僕人就可以講解。」

2:5 王回答迦勒底人說：「夢我已經忘了（或譯：我已定命；八節同），你們若不將夢和夢的講解告訴我，就必被凌遲，你們的房屋必成為糞堆；

2:6 你們若將夢和夢的講解告訴我，就必從我這裡得贈品和賞賜，並大尊榮。現在你們要將夢和夢的講解告訴我。」

2:7 他們第二次對王說：「請王將夢告訴僕人，僕人就可以講解。」

2:8 王回答說：「我准知道你們是故意遲延，因為你們知道那夢我已經忘了。

2:9 你們若不將夢告訴我，只有一法待你們；因為你們預備了謊言亂語向我說，要等候時勢改變。現在你們要將夢告訴我，因我知道你們能將夢的講解告訴我。」

2:10 迦勒底人在王面前回答說：「世上沒有人能將王所問的事說出來；因為沒有君王、大臣、掌權的向術士，或用法術的，或迦勒底人問過這樣的事。

2:11 王所問的事甚難。除了不與世人同居的神明，沒有人在王面前能說出來。」

2:12 因此，王氣忿忿地大發烈怒，吩咐滅絕巴比倫所有的哲士。

2:13 於是命令發出，哲士將要見殺，人就尋找但以理和他的同伴，要殺他們。

2:14 王的護衛長亞略出來，要殺巴比倫的哲士，但以理就用婉言回答他，

2:15 向王的護衛長亞略說：「王的命令為何這樣緊急呢？」亞略就將情節告訴但以理。

2:16 但以理遂進去求王寬限，就可以將夢的講解告訴王。

1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, "I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream." 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation." 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "The word from me is firm:if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation." interpretation." 7 They answered a second time and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation." 8 The king answered and said, "I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation." 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, "Why is the decree of the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

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    在這裡的文字中看見古時候的王因為權力很大，就表現出顢頇無理，讓人感覺伴君如伴虎，只要他一不高興就要人的命，不把人的性命放在眼中。這也是人罪性的表現，人的心中只有自己最大，其他都是為糞土。這也是說明君權政治的恐怖與惡劣，反而人性受到極大的傷害！

    雖然如此，上帝給于但以理智慧，來拯救那些國王所供養的哲人智士，要求王給于時間來尋求上帝。因為但以理相信上帝的全能與信實，更重要的是上帝有憐憫與恩典，不願人受不白之冤。

    上帝常常有拯救的作為，願意成為祂的器皿嗎？讓祂的大能彰顯！祂是不誤事的上帝，是十分可靠的！

但以理書1:17-21

1:17 這四個少年人，上帝在各樣文字學問（學問：原文是智慧）上賜給他們聰明知識；但以理又明白各樣的異象和夢兆。

1:18 尼布甲尼撒王預定帶進少年人來的日期滿了，太監長就把他們帶到王面前。

1:19 王與他們談論，見少年人中無一人能比但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅，所以留他們在王面前侍立。

1:20 王考問他們一切事，就見他們的智慧聰明比通國的術士和用法術的勝過十倍。

1:21 到古列王元年，但以理還在。

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

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    雖然但以理和他的三個朋友沒有吃王的食物，並且他們有敬畏上帝的心，上帝就大大尊榮他們，使他們在巴比倫王面前受到大大的稱讚，正如作者所說：「王與他們談論，見少年人中無一人能比但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅，所以留他們在王面前侍立。王考問他們一切事，就見他們的智慧聰明比通國的術士和用法術的勝過十倍。」

    同樣，基督徒若有一顆敬畏上帝的心，上帝也要這樣賜福，使基督徒在人前得著尊榮，好榮耀上帝的名，並且引導人來認識上帝。因為，上帝知道人的本性如何，祂願意屈就人性的需要，使壬得啟示而蒙拯救！

    因此，我們要成為榮耀上帝的人，第一步且是最重要的，就是要尊主為大，信靠祂並敬畏祂，祂就以尊貴和榮耀為我們的冠冕，使我們因祂而得到稱讚與尊榮。不過，當我們受到人的尊榮，一定要將榮耀歸給上帝，見證上帝的同在！

但以理書1:8-16

1:8 但以理卻立志不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，所以求太監長容他不玷污自己。

1:9 上帝使但以理在太監長眼前蒙恩惠，受憐憫。

1:10 太監長對但以理說：「我懼怕我主我王，他已經派定你們的飲食；倘若他見你們的面貌比你們同歲的少年人肌瘦，怎麼好呢？這樣，你們就使我的頭在王那裡難保。」

1:11 但以理對太監長所派管理但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的委辦說：

1:12 「求你試試僕人們十天，給我們素菜吃，白水喝，

1:13 然後看看我們的面貌和用王膳那少年人的面貌，就照你所看的待僕人吧！」

1:14 委辦便允准他們這件事，試看他們十天。

1:15 過了十天，見他們的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人更加俊美肥胖。

1:16 於是委辦撤去派他們用的膳，飲的酒，給他們素菜吃。

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.  And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,  and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”  Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,  “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”  So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.  At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food.  So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

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    在這裡我們看見上帝的眷顧以及但以理和他的三個朋友的心志，因為他們不願意被王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，就立志吃素菜、喝白水。太監長起初不敢同意他們的請求，但是但以理要求試試十天看看，上帝卻讓他們加俊美肥胖，以致太監長不得不答應了。

    其實上帝看重我們奉獻與愛主的心志，祂必定成全，使我們可以沒有攔阻的事奉祂，使我們愛主的心志得著滿足！因為，凡愛主與尊重主的人，上帝必看重他，賜福給他們！「因此，耶和華─以色列的上帝說：『我曾說，你和你父家必永遠行在我面前；現在我卻說，決不容你們這樣行。因為尊重我的，我必重看他；藐視我的，他必被輕視。」（撒母耳記上2:30）

    願我們都有但以理的心志，願意為上帝活出和世人有所區別的生命，因為我們是領受基督恩典的人，真的是上帝的兒女，有別於世人！但是我們，分別於世人是要拯救陷在罪中之人，使其得自由！上帝的心意就是要救人脫離罪惡，來歸向祂！

但以理書1章

      但以理書1:1-7  ,

      但以理書1:1-2  ,  但以理書1:3-5 ,

      但以理書1:8-16  , 但以理書1:8-9 ,

     但以理書1:17-21  ,

但以理書1:1-7

1:1 猶大王約雅敬在位第三年，巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來到耶路撒冷，將城圍困。

1:2 主將猶大王約雅敬，並上帝殿中器皿的幾分交付他手。他就把這器皿帶到示拿地，收入他神的廟裡，放在他神的庫中。

1:3 王吩咐太監長亞施毘拿，從以色列人的宗室和貴冑中帶進幾個人來，

1:4 就是年少沒有殘疾、相貌俊美、通達各樣學問、知識聰明俱備、足能侍立在王宮裡的，要教他們迦勒底的文字言語。

1:5 王派定將自己所用的膳和所飲的酒，每日賜他們一分，養他們三年。滿了三年，好叫他們在王面前侍立。

1:6 他們中間有猶大族的人：但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅。

1:7 太監長給他們起名：稱但以理為伯提沙撒，稱哈拿尼雅為沙得拉，稱米沙利為米煞，稱亞撒利雅為亞伯尼歌。

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.  And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.  Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,  youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.  Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.  And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

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    但以理書一開始就說到猶大滅國的事情：猶大王約雅敬在位第三年，巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來到耶路撒冷，將城圍困。主將猶大王約雅敬，並上帝殿中器皿的幾分交付他手。他就把這器皿帶到示拿地，收入他神的廟裡，放在他神的庫中。

    這是多麼特別的記載，因為在一般人的觀念中，應該對自己的神歌功頌德，記載自己的神是多麼有能力，成就多麼大的事，多麼保佑信靠祂的人。而聖經竟然記載這些令人羞恥的事情，因為猶大被巴比倫滅了，聖殿東西被搶奪到巴比倫去，放在別神的手中！這樣的筆法讓人覺得上帝是「魯蛇」，是失敗無能者，怎能是全能的上帝呢！

    雖然是如此，但以理書卻要告訴我們一個，雖然國破家亡，但是這些人仍然信靠祂們的主，並且經歷到上帝仍然在行奇事！不因為聖殿被毀，沒有集體性的禮拜，上帝就不賜福於祂的百姓，不眷顧他們。上帝仍然在天上保守，仍然在引導！

    你所信靠的上帝是怎樣的上帝呢？是「溫拿」嗎？還是這裡記載的「魯蛇」？不過「魯蛇」的上帝，卻已經是永遠「溫拿」。因為一切都在祂的掌握之下，表面是「魯蛇」，實際卻是「溫拿」。就像耶穌基督在十字架上是「魯蛇」，卻藉此勝過了魔鬼成為「溫拿」！這是我們不能理解，這就是「奧秘」！