Bel and the Dragon facts for kids
The story of Bel and the Dragon is found in chapter 14 of the Book of Daniel. This chapter, along with chapter 13, is considered by some Christians to be part of the Bible, but not by all. For example, most Protestant Bibles do not include this story.
Some experts believe this story was written in the late 2nd century BC. It is often seen as a collection of three separate tales. These stories feature a hero named Daniel at the court of Cyrus, who was the king of Persia. The Bible says, "When King Astyages died, Cyrus the Persian became king." Daniel was a close friend of the king and was highly respected.
Contents
The Story of Bel
The first part of the story (Daniel 14:1–22) is about a false god named Bel. It's a folk tale that makes fun of idol worship.
Bel's "Meals"
The king asked Daniel, "Don't you think Bel is a living god? Look how much food and drink he consumes every day!" Daniel knew that Bel was just a statue. He wanted to prove that the god wasn't really eating the offerings.
Daniel set a clever trap. The temple doors were sealed shut. But Daniel secretly sprinkled ash on the floor. The next morning, the king saw that all the food was gone. He thought Bel had eaten it.
Daniel's Proof
However, Daniel showed the king footprints on the ash-covered floor. These weren't the footprints of a god! They belonged to the seventy priests of Bel, along with their wives and children. They had been sneaking into the temple at night through a hidden door to eat the offerings.
The king was very angry. He had the priests, their wives, and children killed. Daniel was then allowed to destroy the idol of Bel and tear down its temple. This part of the story is sometimes seen as an early example of a "locked room mystery" because of how Daniel solved the puzzle.
The Story of the Dragon
The next short story (Daniel 14:23–30) is about a great dragon. The people of Babylon worshipped this dragon as a god.
Daniel and the Dragon
This time, the supposed god was not a statue. But Daniel knew that not everything that eats is divine. He decided to show that the dragon was not a god either.
Daniel made special cakes. These cakes were made of pitch, fat, and hair. The dragon ate them and then burst open. This proved that the dragon was just an animal, not a god.
Babylonians' Anger
The Babylonians were furious. They said, "The king has become a Jew! He has destroyed Bel, killed the dragon, and slaughtered our priests!" They demanded that Daniel be handed over to them.
Daniel in the Lions' Den
The third part of the story (Daniel 14:31–42) tells about Daniel being thrown into a lions' den. This might be Daniel's first or second time in the den. It seems to happen because of the events with Bel and the Dragon.
A Miraculous Rescue
Daniel was thrown into a den with seven hungry lions. But he remained unharmed. The prophet Habakkuk was miraculously brought to the den to feed Daniel.
On the seventh day, the king came to mourn for Daniel. He looked into the den and saw Daniel sitting there, alive! The king shouted, "You are great, O Lord, the God of Daniel! There is no other god like you!"
The king pulled Daniel out of the den. Then, he threw the people who had tried to destroy Daniel into the den. They were immediately eaten by the lions.
- Daniel 14 in the NAB
See also
In Spanish: Historia de Bel y el Dragón para niños
