BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 235

the help of God, that Daniel might have wisdom given him
to answer the King’s desire. And the God who gave the
King the dream, gave Daniel the interpretation.

Then Daniel told the King the interpretation of it. The
gold, the silver, the brass, the iron, and the clay, that were
in the image, all meant different kingdoms. The head of
gold meant Nebuchadnezzar himself, Daniel said, because
God had given him the greatest of the kingdoms, and made
him greater than all the other Kings who were upon earth.
But after he should die, new kingdoms would arise: the
silver, the brass, the iron, and the clay meant these.

Last of all, Daniel said, the Lord would set up one
kingdom more, which should never be destroyed, but should
break in pieces all the kingdoms that were before it, as the
stone cut out of the mountain had broken the image in
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. This stone meant the kingdom
of Christ.

After Daniel had told the King his dream and the
interpretation of it, the King fell on his face before Daniel,
and said to him, It is true that your God is a God of gods,
and a King of Kings, and can tell all secret things, because
he has told thee this dream. Then the King made Daniel
a great man, and gave him many gifts, and appointed him
ruler over the province of Babylon, and the chief governor
over all the wise men; and because Daniel requested it, he
made his three friends also, rulers in the land. But Daniel
stayed at the palace of the King.

Then came seven sad years for that unhappy King;
after which he died. Meantime Daniel and his friends had
almost the entire government of Babylon on their hands.

Then came Belshazzar to reign over the kingdom. He
was a sad example of kingship. His conduct must have