Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel: and there were spent upon him
every day, twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and
sixty vessels of wine. The king also worshipped him, and went every day
to adore him: but Daniel adored his God. And the king said unto him: Why
dost thou not adore Bel? And he answered, and said to him Because I do
not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, that created
heaven and earth, and hath power over all flesh. And the king said to
him: Doth not Bel seem to thee to be a living God? Seest thou not how
much he eateth and drinketh every day? Then Daniel smiled and said: O
king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without,
neither hath he eaten at any time.
And the king being angry called for his priests, and said to them: If you
tell me not, who it is that eateth up these expenses, you shall die. But
if you can show that Bel eateth these things, Daniel shall die, because
he hath blasphemed against Bel.
And Daniel said to the king: Be it done according to thy word.
Now the priests of Bel were seventy besides their wives and little ones
and children. And they went with Daniel into the temple of Bel. And the
priests of Bel said: Behold, we go out: and do thou, O king, set on the
meats, and make ready, the wine, and shut the door fast, and seal it with
thy own ring: and when thou comest in the morning, if thou findest not
that Bel hath eaten all up, we will suffer death, or else Daniel that
hath lied against us.
And they little regarded it, because they had made under the table a
secret entrance, and they always came in by it, and consumed those
things.
So it came to pass after they were gone out, the king set the meats
before Bel: and Daniel commanded his servants, and they brought ashes,
and he sifted them all over the temple before the king: and going forth
they shut the door, and having sealed it with the king's ring, they
departed.
But the priests went in by night, according to their custom, with their
wives and their children: and they eat and drank all up.
And the king rose early in the morning, and Daniel with him. And the king
said: Are the seals whole, Daniel? and he answered: They are whole, O
king. And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the
table, and cried out with a loud voice Great art thou, O Bel, and there
is not any deceit with thee. And Daniel laughed: and he held the king
that he should not go in: and he said: Behold the pavement, mark whose
footsteps these are. And the king said: I see the footsteps of men, and
women, and children. And the king was angry. Then he took the priests,
and their wives, and their children: and they showed him the private
doors by which they came in, and consumed the things that were on the
table.
The king therefore put them to death, and delivered Bel into the power of
Daniel: who destroyed him, and his temple.--Daniel xiv, I-21 (Douay
Version).