36 “And the king shall ^ldo as he wills. ^mHe shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, ⁿand shall speak astonishing things against ^othe God of gods. ^pHe shall prosper ^qtill the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for ^mhe shall magnify himself above all. 38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor ^rwith gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and ^sshall divide the land for a price.¹