Chapter 76

¹ Now the dream that was seen by Nebuchadnezzar was shown for the rebuke of the king himself; for inasmuch as his heart was exalted and he lifted himself up against God, setting up a golden image and compelling all to be idolaters, it was shown to him through the vision that he too happens to be under the authority of God, even though he seemed at that time to reign over all kings.

² And that it might be shown that the kingdom had been given to him from God, Daniel said to him: “You, O king, are a king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given a strong and mighty and honored kingdom in every place where the sons of men dwell.”

³ And Nebuchadnezzar himself, marveling at Daniel’s interpreting of the dream, likewise said: “Of a truth your God is himself the God of gods and Lord of lords, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”

⁴ Since, then, forgetting his former words, he was afterward lifted up in pride, he received this rebuke from God, becoming an example and a pattern to all men, tyrants and kings alike, that they should not be arrogant in thinking thoughts beyond man, nor boast in exalting themselves against God, but that they too, foreseeing their own danger, should fear God, knowing that they also have a Lord in the heavens.

⁵ For Antiochus too, surnamed Epiphanes, who had become king of Syria, after tormenting the servants of God with manifold tortures and daring the most wicked deeds, afterward also himself met with the punishment worthy of him from God, being smitten with a divine scourge, so that he could not even bear his own stench, but while he was still living worms swarmed up from the eyes of the impious man; on account of which, though he resorted to many supplications and confessions to God, he did not obtain salvation from him.

⁶ And he, despairing of himself and coming at last to recognition of what belongs to man, when he was about to die spoke thus: “It is right to be subject to God, and for one who is mortal not to think thoughts equal to God’s.”

⁷ And so all the kings who conducted themselves reverently and in love of God were also honored by God, but all who were lifted up beyond what was fitting by their own pride received back a worthy and just punishment from God.

⁸ In the same way Sennacherib too, boasting in his own and great power, and reproaching God with false words, was struck by the angel, losing a hundred and eighty-five thousand in a single night; and afterward he too was slain by his own sons in his own land, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke through Isaiah the prophet, so that all men might recognize the heavenly authority.