Daniel 6

Daniel Serves Darius

11It seemedH8232 goodH8232 to DariusH1868 to appointH6966 120H3969H6243 satrapsH324 overH5922 the kingdomH4437, that they would be in charge of the wholeH3606 kingdomH4437, 2and overH5924 them threeH8532 commissionersH5632 (of whomH1768 2DanielH1841 was oneH2298), that theseH459 satrapsH324 might be accountableH2942 to them, and that the kingH4430 might not sufferH5142 3lossH5142. 3ThenH116 thisH1836 DanielH1841 began distinguishingH5330 himself 4amongH5922 the commissionersH5632 and satrapsH324 becauseH3606H6903H1768 5he possessed an 6extraordinaryH3493 spiritH7308, and the kingH4430 plannedH6246 to appointH6966 him overH5922 the 7entireH3606 kingdomH4437. 4ThenH116 the commissionersH5632 and satrapsH324 began 8tryingH1156 to findH7912 a groundH5931 of accusationH5931 against DanielH1841 in regardH6655 to 9governmentH4437 affairsH4437; but they couldH3202 findH7912 10noH3606H3809 groundH5931 of accusationH5931 or evidence of corruptionH7844, inasmuchH3606H6903H1768 as he was faithfulH540, and noH3606H3809 negligenceH7960 or corruptionH7844 was to be foundH7912 in him. 5ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 saidH560, “We will not findH7912 anyH3606 groundH5931 of accusationH5931 against thisH1836 DanielH1841 unlessH3861 we findH7912 it againstH5922 him with regard to the 11lawH1882 of his GodH426.”

6ThenH116 theseH459 commissionersH5632 and satrapsH324 cameH7284 12by agreementH7284 to the kingH4430 and spokeH560 to him as followsH3652: “KingH4430 DariusH1868, 13liveH2418 foreverH5957! 7AllH3606 the 14commissionersH5632 of the kingdomH4437, the prefectsH5460 and the satrapsH324, the highH1907 officialsH1907 and the governorsH6347 have 15consultedH3272 togetherH3272 that the kingH4430 should establishH6966 a statuteH7010 and enforceH8631 an injunctionH633 that anyoneH3605 whoH1768 makesH1156 a petitionH1159 to anyH3606 godH426 or manH606 besidesH3861H4481 you, O kingH4430, for thirtyH8533 daysH3118, shall 16be castH7412 into the lions’H744 17denH1358. 8NowH3705, O kingH4430, 18establishH6966 the injunctionH633 and signH7560 the documentH3792 soH1768 that it may not be changedH8133, according to the 19lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540, whichH1768 20may not be revokedH5709.” 9ThereforeH3606H6903H1836 KingH4430 DariusH1868 21signedH7560 the documentH3792, that is, the injunctionH633.

10Now whenH1768 DanielH1841 knewH3046 that the documentH3792 was signedH7560, he enteredH5954 his houseH1005 (now in his roofH5952 chamberH5952 he had windowsH3551 openH6606 22towardH5049 JerusalemH3390); and he continued 23kneelingH1289 on his kneesH1291 threeH8532 timesH2166 a dayH3118, 24prayingH6739 and 25givingH3029 thanksH3029 beforeH6925 his GodH426, 26as he had been doingH5648 previouslyH6928. 11ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 cameH7284 2728by agreementH7284 and foundH7912 DanielH1841 makingH1156 petitionH1156 and supplicationH2604 beforeH6925 his GodH426. 12ThenH116 they approachedH7127 and 29spokeH560 beforeH6925 the kingH4430 aboutH5922 the king’sH4430 injunctionH633, “Did you not signH7560 an injunctionH633 that anyH3606 manH606 whoH1768 makesH1156 a petitionH1156 to anyH3606 godH426 or manH606 besidesH3861H4481 you, O kingH4430, for thirtyH8533 daysH3118, is to be castH7412 into the lions’H744 denH1358?” The kingH4430 repliedH6032, “The statementH4406 is trueH3330, according to the 30lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540, whichH1768 31may not be revokedH5709.” 13ThenH116 they answeredH6032 and spokeH560 beforeH6925 the kingH4430, “32DanielH1841, whoH1768 is one of the 33exilesH1123H1547 from JudahH3061, paysH7761 34noH3809 attentionH7761 to you, O kingH4430, or to the injunctionH633 whichH1768 you signedH7560, but keeps makingH1156 his petitionH1159 threeH8532 timesH2166 a dayH3118.”

14ThenH116, as soonH1768 as the kingH4430 heardH8086 this statementH4406, he was deeplyH7690 35distressedH888 and setH7761 his mindH1079 on deliveringH7804 DanielH1841; and even untilH5705 sunsetH4606H8122 he kept exertingH7712 himself to rescueH5338 him. 15ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 cameH7284 36by agreementH7284 to the kingH4430 and saidH560 to the kingH4430, “RecognizeH3046, O kingH4430, that it is a 37lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540 that noH3606H3809 injunctionH633 or statuteH7010 whichH1768 the kingH4430 establishesH6966 may be changedH8133.”

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

16ThenH116 the kingH4430 gaveH560 ordersH560, and DanielH1841 was broughtH858 in and 38castH7412 into the lions’H744 denH1358. The kingH4430 spokeH6032 and saidH560 to DanielH1841, “3940Your GodH426 whomH1768 you constantlyH8411 serveH6399 will HimselfH1932 deliverH7804 you.” 17A 41stoneH69 was broughtH858 and laidH7761 overH5922 the mouthH6433 of the denH1358; and the kingH4430 sealedH2857 it with his own signetH5824 ringH5824 and with the signetH5824 ringsH5824 of his noblesH7261, soH1768 that nothingH3809H6640 would be changedH8133 in regard to DanielH1841. 18ThenH116 the kingH4430 wentH236 offH236 to his palaceH1965 and spentH1006 the nightH1006 42fastingH2908, and noH3809 entertainmentH1761 was broughtH5954 beforeH6925 him; and his 43sleepH8139 fledH5075 from him.

19ThenH116 the kingH4430 aroseH6966 at dawnH8238, at the breakH5053 of dayH5053, and wentH236 in hasteH927 to the lions’H744 denH1358. 20When he had comeH7127 nearH7127 the denH1358 to DanielH1841, he criedH2200 out with a troubledH6088 voiceH7032. The kingH4430 spokeH6032 and saidH560 to DanielH1841, “DanielH1841, servantH5649 of the livingH2417 GodH426, has 44your GodH426, whomH1768 you constantlyH8411 serveH6399, beenH3202 45ableH3202 to deliverH7804 you from the lionsH744?” 21ThenH116 DanielH1841 spokeH4449 46to the kingH4430, “47O kingH4430, liveH2418 foreverH5957! 22My GodH426 48sentH7972 His angelH4398 and 49shutH5463 the lions’H744 mouthsH6433 and they have not harmedH2255 me, inasmuchH3606H6903H1768 as 50I was foundH7912 innocentH2136 beforeH6925 Him; and alsoH638 51towardH6925 you, O kingH4430, I have committedH5648 noH3809 crimeH2248.” 23ThenH116 the kingH4430 was veryH7690 pleasedH2868 and gaveH560 ordersH560 for DanielH1841 to be takenH5559 up out of the denH1358. So DanielH1841 was takenH5559 up out of the denH1358 and 52noH3606H3809 injuryH2257 whateverH3606 was foundH7912 on him, becauseH1768 he had 53trustedH540 in his GodH426. 24The kingH4430 then gaveH560 ordersH560, and they broughtH858 thoseH479 menH1400 whoH1768 had 54maliciouslyH399H7170 accusedH399H7170 DanielH1841, and they 55castH7412 them, their 56childrenH1123 and their wivesH5389 into the lions’H744 denH1358; and they had not reachedH4291 the bottomH773 of the denH1358 beforeH5705H1768 the lionsH744 overpoweredH7981 them and crushedH1855 allH3606 their bonesH1635.

25ThenH116 DariusH1868 the kingH4430 wroteH3790 to allH3606 the 57peoplesH5972, nationsH524 and men of every 58languageH3961 whoH1768 were livingH1753 in allH3606 the landH772: “59May your 60peaceH8001 aboundH7680! 2661I 62makeH7761 a decreeH2942 that in allH3606 the dominionH7985 of my kingdomH4437 men are to fearH1763 and trembleH2112 beforeH4481H6925 the GodH426 of DanielH1841; For He is the 63livingH2417 GodH426 and 64enduringH7011 foreverH5957, And 65His kingdomH4437 is one whichH1768 will not be destroyedH2255, And His dominionH7985 will be 66foreverH5491.27He deliversH7804 and rescuesH5338 and performsH5648 67signsH852 and wondersH8540 In heavenH8065 and on earthH772, WhoH1768 has also deliveredH7804 DanielH1841 from the 68powerH3028 of the lionsH744.”

28So thisH1836 69DanielH1841 enjoyedH6744 successH6744 in the reignH4437 of DariusH1868 and in the reignH4437 of 70CyrusH3567 the PersianH6543.