Daniel 6

Daniel Serves Darius

11It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2and over them three commissioners (of whom 2Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer 3loss. 3Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself 4among the commissioners and satraps because 5he possessed an 6extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the 7entire kingdom. 4Then the commissioners and satraps began 8trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to 9government affairs; but they could find 10no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the 11law of his God.”

6Then these commissioners and satraps came 12by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, 13live forever! 7All the 14commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have 15consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall 16be cast into the lions’ 17den. 8Now, O king, 18establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the 19law of the Medes and Persians, which 20may not be revoked.” 9Therefore King Darius 21signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open 22toward Jerusalem); and he continued 23kneeling on his knees three times a day, 24praying and 25giving thanks before his God, 26as he had been doing previously. 11Then these men came 2728by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12Then they approached and 29spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the 30law of the Medes and Persians, which 31may not be revoked.” 13Then they answered and spoke before the king, “32Daniel, who is one of the 33exiles from Judah, pays 34no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”

14Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply 35distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15Then these men came 36by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a 37law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

16Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and 38cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “3940Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17A 41stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night 42fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his 43sleep fled from him.

19Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has 44your God, whom you constantly serve, been 45able to deliver you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel spoke 46to the king, “47O king, live forever! 22My God 48sent His angel and 49shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as 50I was found innocent before Him; and also 51toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and 52no injury whatever was found on him, because he had 53trusted in his God. 24The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had 54maliciously accused Daniel, and they 55cast them, their 56children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25Then Darius the king wrote to all the 57peoples, nations and men of every 58language who were living in all the land: “59May your 60peace abound! 2661I 62make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the 63living God and 64enduring forever, And 65His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be 66forever.27He delivers and rescues and performs 67signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the 68power of the lions.”

28So this 69Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of 70Cyrus the Persian.