Daniel 6

1Now itH8232 pleasedH6925 DariusH1868 to appointH6966 120H3969H6243H1768 satrapsH324 to ruleH1934 throughoutH3606 the kingdomH4437, 2and over themH5924H4481 threeH8532H1768 administratorsH5632, including DanielH1841H2298H4481H1768, to whom theseH459 satrapsH324H3052 were accountableH2941 so that the kingH4430 wouldH1934 notH3809 suffer lossH5142. 3SoonH116, byH6903H1768 his extraordinaryH3493 spiritH7308, DanielH1841H1836H1934 distinguished himselfH5330 amongH5922 the administratorsH5632 and satrapsH324. So the kingH4430 plannedH6246 to set himH6966 overH5922 the wholeH3606 kingdomH4437.

4ThusH116 the administratorsH5632 and satrapsH324 soughtH1934H1156H7912 a chargeH5931 against DanielH1841 concerningH6655 the kingdomH4437, but they couldH3202 findH7912 noH3606H3809 chargeH5931 or corruptionH7844, becauseH6903H1768 heH1932H3606 was trustworthyH540, and noH3809 negligenceH7960 or corruptionH7844 was foundH7912 in himH5922. 5FinallyH116 theseH479 menH1400 saidH560H1768, “We will neverH3809 findH7912 anyH3606 chargeH5931 against thisH1836 DanielH1841 unlessH3861 we findH7912 something against himH5922 concerning the lawH1882 of his GodH426.”

6SoH116 the administratorsH5632 and satrapsH324H459 went togetherH7284 toH5922 the kingH4430H3652 and saidH560, “O KingH4430 DariusH1868, may you liveH2418 foreverH5957! 7AllH3606 the royalH4437 administratorsH5632, prefectsH5460, satrapsH324, advisersH1907, and governorsH6347 have agreedH3272 that the kingH4430 should establishH6966 an ordinanceH7010 and enforceH8631 a decreeH633 thatH1768 forH5705 thirtyH8533 daysH3118 anyoneH3606 whoH1768 petitionsH1156H1159H4481 anyH3606 godH426 or manH606 except youH3861H4481, O kingH4430, will be thrownH7412 into the denH1358 of lionsH744. 8ThereforeH3705, O kingH4430, establishH6966 the decreeH633 and signH7560 the documentH3792 so thatH1768 it cannotH3809 be changedH8133—in accordance with the lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540, whichH1768 cannotH3809 be repealedH5709.”

9ThereforeH3606H6903H1836 KingH4430 DariusH1868 signedH7560 the writtenH3792 decreeH633.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

10Now whenH1768 DanielH1841 learnedH3046 thatH1768 the documentH3792 had been signedH7560, he wentH5954 into his houseH1005, where the windowsH3551 of his upper roomH5952 openedH6606 towardH5049 JerusalemH3390, and threeH8532 timesH2166 a dayH3118 heH1932 got downH1289 onH5922 his kneesH1291, prayedH6739, and gave thanksH3029 toH6925 his GodH426H3606, just asH6903H1768H1934 he had doneH5648 beforeH4481H6928H1836. 11ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 went as a groupH7284 and foundH7912 DanielH1841 petitioningH1156 and imploringH2604H6925 his GodH426. 12SoH116 they approachedH7127 the kingH4430 and askedH560H6925 aboutH5922 his royalH4430 decreeH633: “Did you notH3809 signH7560 a decreeH633 thatH1768 forH5705 thirtyH8533 daysH3118 anyH3606 manH606 whoH1768 petitionsH1156H4481 anyH3606 godH426 or manH606 except youH3861H4481, O kingH4430, will be thrownH7412 into the denH1358 of lionsH744?”

The kingH4430H560 repliedH6032, “According to the lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540H1768 the orderH4406 standsH3330, and it cannotH3809 be repealedH5709.”

13ThenH116 they toldH6032H560H6925 the kingH4430, “DanielH1841, oneH1768 ofH4481 the exilesH1768H1123H1547 fromH1768 JudahH3061, shows noH3809 regardH7761 for youH5922, O kingH4430, or forH5922 the decreeH633 thatH1768 you have signedH7560. He still makesH1156 his petitionH1159 threeH8532 timesH2166 a dayH3118.”

14

As soon asH1768 the kingH4430 heardH8086 thisH4406, he was deeplyH7690 distressedH888H5922 andH5922 setH7761 his mindH1079 on deliveringH7804 DanielH1841, and he laboredH7712 untilH5705 sundownH4606H8122H1934 to rescue himH5338.

15ThenH116 theH479 menH1400 approachedH7284H5922 the king togetherH4430 and saidH560 to himH4430, “RememberH3046, O kingH4430, thatH1768 by the lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540H1768 noH3606 decreeH633 or ordinanceH7010H1768 establishedH6966 by the kingH4430 can be changedH8133.”

16SoH116 the kingH4430 gave the orderH560, and they broughtH858 DanielH1841 and threw himH7412 into the denH1358 ofH1768 lionsH744.

The kingH4430H560 saidH6032 to DanielH1841, “May your GodH426, whomH1768 youH607 serveH6399 continuallyH8411H1932, deliver youH7804!”

17AH2298 stoneH69 was broughtH858 and placedH7761 overH5922 the mouthH6433 of the denH1358, and the kingH4430 sealed itH2857 with his own signet ringH5824 and with the ringsH5824 of his noblesH7261, so thatH1768 nothingH3809H6640 concerning DanielH1841 could be changedH8133.

18ThenH116 the kingH4430 wentH236 to his palaceH1965 and spent the nightH956 fastingH2908. NoH3809 entertainmentH1761 was broughtH5954 before himH6925, and sleepH8139 fledH5075 from himH5922.

19

At the first lightH5053 of dawnH8238, the kingH4430 got upH6966 and hurriedH927H236 to the denH1358 ofH1768 lionsH744. 20When he reachedH7127 the denH1358, he cried outH2200 in a voiceH7032 of anguishH6088, “O DanielH1841, servantH5649 of the livingH2417 GodH426, has your GodH426, whomH1768 youH607 serveH6399 continuallyH8411, been ableH3202 to deliver youH7804 fromH4481 the lionsH744?”

21ThenH116 DanielH1841 repliedH4449, “O kingH4430, may you liveH2418 foreverH5957! 22My GodH426 sentH7972 His angelH4398 and shutH5463 the mouthsH6433 of the lionsH744. They have notH3809 hurt meH2255H3606, forH6903H1768 I was foundH7912 innocentH2136 in His sightH6925, andH638 I have doneH5648 noH3809 wrongH2248 against youH6925, O kingH4430.”

23

The kingH4430 was overjoyedH7690H2868H5922 and gave ordersH560 to liftH5559 DanielH1841 out ofH4481 the denH1358, and when DanielH1841 was liftedH5559 out ofH4481 the denH1358, noH3809 wounds whatsoeverH2257 were foundH7912 on him, becauseH1768 he had trustedH540 in his GodH426.

24At the commandH560 of the kingH4430, theH479 menH1400 whoH1768 had falsely accusedH399H7170H1768 DanielH1841 were broughtH858 and thrownH7412 into the denH1358 of lionsH744—theyH581 and their childrenH1123 and wivesH5389. And beforeH3809 they had reachedH4291 the bottomH773 of the denH1358, the lionsH744 overpoweredH7981 them and crushedH1855 allH3606 their bonesH1635.

Darius Honors God

25ThenH116 KingH4430 DariusH1868 wroteH3790 to the peopleH5972 of everyH3606 nationH524 and languageH3961 throughoutH1753H3606 the landH772: “May your prosperityH8001 aboundH7680. 26I herebyH7761 decreeH2942 thatH1768 in everyH3606 partH7985 of my kingdomH4437, men are to trembleH2112 in fearH1763H4481 beforeH6925 the GodH426 ofH1768 DanielH1841:

28So DanielH1841H1836 prosperedH6744 during the reignH4437 of DariusH1868 and the reignH4437 of CyrusH35671 the PersianH6543.