Bel And The Dragon 1:5 kjva — Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven…

King James Version with Apocrypha

"Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh."

— Bel And The Dragon 1:5, King James Version with Apocrypha

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Bel And The Dragon 1 — Context

2

And Daniel conversed with the king, and was honoured above all his friends.

3

Now the Babylons had an idol, called Bel, and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine.

4

And the king worshipped it and went daily to adore it: but Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said unto him, Why dost not thou worship Bel?

5

Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh.

6

Then said the king unto him, Thinkest thou not that Bel is a living God? seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day?

7

Then Daniel smiled, and said, O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or drink any thing.

8

So the king was wroth, and called for his priests, and said unto them, If ye tell me not who this is that devoureth these expences, ye shall die.

Bel And The Dragon 1:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Bel And The Dragon 1:5 say?
Bel And The Dragon 1:5 in the King James Version with Apocrypha reads: “Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh.”
Where is Bel And The Dragon 1:5 in the Bible?
Bel And The Dragon 1:5 is found in the Apocrypha, in the book of Bel And The Dragon, chapter 1, verse 5.
Who wrote Bel And The Dragon?
Bel And The Dragon is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (Greek addition to Daniel). Daniel 14 in the Greek and Vulgate. Two short narratives joined together. It was written c. 150 BC.
What is the book of Bel And The Dragon about?
Two short, satirical anti-idolatry tales. In the first, Daniel proves that the Babylonian god Bel is a lifeless idol by sprinkling ash on the temple floor and showing the priests' footprints in the morning. In the second, he kills a dragon worshipped as a god by feeding it cakes that burst it open. Thrown into the lions' den for a week as punishment, Daniel is fed when an angel transports the prophet Habakkuk from Judea by his hair.
What are the major themes of Bel And The Dragon?
Bel And The Dragon explores themes including Anti-idolatry, Wisdom, Providence, Deliverance. These themes shape the meaning and context of Bel And The Dragon 1:5.
What translation should I read Bel And The Dragon 1:5 in?
Bel And The Dragon 1:5 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Bel And The Dragon 1:5?
Bel And The Dragon 1:5 reads (KJVA): “Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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