God’s Word Translation
Daniel 6:20
20As he came near the den where Daniel was, the king called to Daniel with anguish in his voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was God, whom you always worship, able to save you from the lions?”
Daniel 6:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
- New International Version (NIV)When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
Context of Daniel 6:20
18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night without food or company. He couldn’t get to sleep. 19At dawn, as soon as it was light, the king got up and quickly went to the lions’ den. As he came near the den where Daniel was, the king called to Daniel with anguish in his voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was God, whom you always worship, able to save you from the lions?” 21Daniel said to the king, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! 22My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they couldn’t hurt me. He did this because he considered me innocent. Your Majesty, I haven’t committed any crime.”
Read all of Daniel 6Daniel 6:20 word by word
וּכְמִקְרְבֵ֣הּ לְגֻבָּ֔א לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל בְּקָ֥ל עֲצִ֖יב זְעִ֑ק עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר לְדָנִיֵּ֗אל דָּֽנִיֵּאל֙ עֲבֵד֙ אֱלָהָ֣א חַיָּ֔א אֱלָהָ֗ךְ דִּ֣י אַ֤נְתְּ פָּֽלַֽח־לֵהּ֙ בִּתְדִירָ֔א הַיְכִ֥ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתָ֖ךְ מִן־אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when he cameקְרֵבqerêb · to approachH7127
- to the denגֹּבgôb · denH1358
- he criedזְעִ֑קze‛iq · to cry outH2200
- with a lamentableעֲצַב‛ătsab · to painH6088
- voiceקָלqâl · voice: soundH7032
- unto Danielדָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵלdânîyê'l · DanielH1841
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- spakeעֲנָה‛ănâh · to answerH6032
- and saidאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
- servantעֲבַד‛ăbad · servant/slaveH5649
- of the livingחַיchay · livingH2417
- Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- whom thou servestפְּלַחpelach · to serveH6399
- continuallyתְּדִירָאtedîyrâ' · continuanceH8411
- ableיְכִלyekêl yekîyl · be ableH3202
- to deliverשֵׁיזִבshezab · to rescueH7804
- thee fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- the lionsאַרְיֵה'aryêh · lionH744
Cross-references for Daniel 6:20
- Daniel 6:16So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought to him and thrown into the lions’ den. The king told Daniel, “May your God, whom you always worship, save you!”
- Daniel 3:15When you hear the sound of the rams’ horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps playing at the same time with all other kinds of instruments, will you bow down and worship the gold statue I made? If you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. What god can save you from my power then?”
- 1 Chronicles 16:11Search for the Lord and his strength. Always seek his presence.
- Psalms 71:14But I will always have hope. I will praise you more and more.
- Psalms 73:23Yet, I am always with you. You hold on to my right hand.
- Psalms 119:112I have decided to obey your laws. They offer a reward that never ends.
- Psalms 146:2I want to praise the Lord throughout my life. I want to make music to praise my God as long as I live.
- Proverbs 23:17Do not envy sinners in your heart. Instead, continue to fear the Lord.
- Hosea 12:6Return to your God. Be loyal and fair, and always wait with hope for your God.
- Luke 18:1Jesus used this illustration with his disciples to show them that they need to pray all the time and never give up.
- Acts 6:4However, we will devote ourselves to praying and to serving in ways that are related to the word.”
- Romans 2:7He will give everlasting life to those who search for glory, honor, and immortality by persisting in doing what is good. But he will bring
- Colossians 4:2Keep praying. Pay attention when you offer prayers of thanksgiving.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17Never stop praying.
- James 1:25However, the person who continues to study God’s perfect laws that make people free and who remains committed to them will be blessed. People like that don’t merely listen and forget; they actually do what God’s laws say.
- Daniel 3:17If our God, whom we honor, can save us from a blazing furnace and from your power, he will, Your Majesty.
Commentaries on Daniel 6:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20He cried with a lamentable voice - His heart, full of grief, affected his speech. Servant of the living God - The king was convinced that, unless his God saved him, his destruction was inevitable.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20He cried with a lamentable voice - A voice full of anxious solicitude. Literally, “a voice of grief.” Such a cry would be natural on such an occasion. O Daniel, servant of the living God - The God who has life; who imparts life; and who can preserve life. This was the appellation, probably, which he had heard Daniel use in regard to God, and it is one which he would naturally employ on such an occasion as this; feeling that the question of life was…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-24Verses 18-24 The best way to have a good night, is to keep a good conscience. We are sure of what the king doubted, that the servants of the living God have a Master well able to protect them. See the power of God over the fiercest creatures, and believe his power to restrain the roaring lion that goeth about continually seeking to devour. Daniel was kept perfectly safe, because he believed in his God. Those who boldly and cheerfully trust in God to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20has your God … been able: There was no doubt that Daniel had served God faithfully. So, if God did not rescue him, it would have shown the king that God could not do so. living God: The king likely knew what Daniel’s God had done during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. The term living God is used in the Bible to compare the Lord with lifeless idols (see, for example, Deuteronomy 5:26; Joshua 3:10; Isaiah 37:17–18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. living God--having life Himself, and able to preserve thy life; contrasted with the lifeless idols. Darius borrowed the phrase from Daniel; God extorting from an idolater a confession of the truth. thou servest continually--in times of persecution, as well as in times of peace. is thy God ... able--the language of doubt, yet hope.Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 6:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Daniel 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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