The Book of Daniel

Lord...

I have waited for you to

lead us out of Babylon,

for I was just a boy

when I came here.

The generation which

offended you has passed away,

and now their children's

children yearn to see a home...

they have never known.

You have spoken through

your prophet, Jeremiah,

"When 70 years are

completed for Babylon,

"I will come to you

and fulfill my gracious promise...

and bring you back

to this land."

My heart

grows with excitement...

that now

that time has come.

An old man who comes

unbidden is often a fool.

And less often

come as assassins.

Perhaps a foolish assassin.

Forgive us, my king.

Do you know

whom you address?

He is the king of Babylon,

ruler of the four

quarters of the earth,

Kurus, in the old Persian tongue.

He has seized

by might-of-arms...

the birthright which would

otherwise have been denied him.

He is Cyrus the Great.

Leave us.

Who are you, old man?

I am Daniel

of the tribe of Benjamin,

made captive nearly 70 years ago

by Nebuchadnezzar.

My king,

I have heard of this man.

He served Darius well after he

captured the city in your name.

It is said he spent

a night in the lions' den.

The beasts

would not touch him.

Is this true?

It is.

I know who you are now.

Tell me why you're here.

I seek

to tell you a story,

a tale of four kings:

one great, one foolish,

one who has been deceived,

and one who is destined

to be regarded as wise...

through all the ages

of the world to come.

Stories from

your imagination?

No, king, for I will

speak only the truth,

and if you would

not wish to hear it,

you must bid me

speak nothing.

Come.

You will give us

entertainment while we eat.

Please.

My king, we're expected

in Babylon this evening.

The palace will be there

in the morning.

As you wish.

I cannot, oh king.

My king, the Hebrews eat

and drink only their own food...

which is prepared

according to their rituals.

To do otherwise, even

from the hand of the king,

is to defile themselves.

You promised me

a tale, four, in fact.

I delayed my journey

to listen.

I will hear them now.

So be it, my lord.

The first king I will speak of

is Nebuchadnezzar,

King of Babylon.

When I was just a boy,

he threw down

the Assyrian empire,

my people's ancient nemesis,

but the destruction of Israel's

enemies brought us no relief...

because in the 3rd year

of Nebuchadnezzar's reign,

he turned his gaze upon

Jerusalem and besieged it,

and the Lord delivered

the king of Judea into his hand...

along with all of his officers,

nobles, and administrators.

When the exiles

arrived in Babylon,

Nebuchadnezzar ordered Ashpenaz,

his chief eunuch,

to select some

of the Israelites...

from the royal family

and nobility,

young men without

any physical defect...

and showing aptitude

for every kind of learning,

one of whom was myself.

O Lord...

Jerusalem has sinned greatly.

Like a widow is she.

Once great

among the nations,

a queen among the people,

has become a slave...

and her children

captive before the foe.

My eyes overflow with tears,

for you, Lord,

are righteous,

yet we rebelled

against your command.

Comfort me, O Lord.

Comfort me and my brothers,

and restore our spirit.

I miss Jerusalem.

As do I.

I feel that we shall

never see her again.

Have faith, my brothers.

I have only begun my studies,

but here...

the prophet, Jeremiah,

son of Hilkiah,

has written that we shall

serve the king of Babylon...

for 70 years...

Seventy years

is a long time.

As punishment for our sins.

And even if

we were to survive it,

we would be very old.

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