Daniel 6:2-28

2and overH5924 them threeH8532 commissionersH5632 (of whomH1768 1DanielH1841 was oneH2298), that theseH459 satrapsH324 might be accountableH2942 to them, and that the kingH4430 might not sufferH5142 2lossH5142. 3ThenH116 thisH1836 DanielH1841 began distinguishingH5330 himself 3amongH5922 the commissionersH5632 and satrapsH324 becauseH3606H6903H1768 4he possessed an 5extraordinaryH3493 spiritH7308, and the kingH4430 plannedH6246 to appointH6966 him overH5922 the 6entireH3606 kingdomH4437. 4ThenH116 the commissionersH5632 and satrapsH324 began 7tryingH1156 to findH7912 a groundH5931 of accusationH5931 against DanielH1841 in regardH6655 to 8governmentH4437 affairsH4437; but they couldH3202 findH7912 9noH3606H3809 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 10lawH1882 of his GodH426.”

6ThenH116 theseH459 commissionersH5632 and satrapsH324 cameH7284 11by agreementH7284 to the kingH4430 and spokeH560 to him as followsH3652: “KingH4430 DariusH1868, 12liveH2418 foreverH5957! 7AllH3606 the 13commissionersH5632 of the kingdomH4437, the prefectsH5460 and the satrapsH324, the highH1907 officialsH1907 and the governorsH6347 have 14consultedH3272 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 15be castH7412 into the lions’H744 16denH1358. 8NowH3705, O kingH4430, 17establishH6966 the injunctionH633 and signH7560 the documentH3792 soH1768 that it may not be changedH8133, according to the 18lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540, whichH1768 19may not be revokedH5709.” 9ThereforeH3606H6903H1836 KingH4430 DariusH1868 20signedH7560 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 21towardH5049 JerusalemH3390); and he continued 22kneelingH1289 on his kneesH1291 threeH8532 timesH2166 a dayH3118, 23prayingH6739 and 24givingH3029 thanksH3029 beforeH6925 his GodH426, 25as he had been doingH5648 previouslyH6928. 11ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 cameH7284 2627by agreementH7284 and foundH7912 DanielH1841 makingH1156 petitionH1156 and supplicationH2604 beforeH6925 his GodH426. 12ThenH116 they approachedH7127 and 28spokeH560 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 29lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540, whichH1768 30may not be revokedH5709.” 13ThenH116 they answeredH6032 and spokeH560 beforeH6925 the kingH4430, “31DanielH1841, whoH1768 is one of the 32exilesH1123H1547 from JudahH3061, paysH7761 33noH3809 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 34distressedH888 and setH7761 his mindH1079 on deliveringH7804 DanielH1841; and even untilH5705 sunsetH4606H8122 he kept exertingH7712 himself to rescueH5338 him. 15ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 cameH7284 35by agreementH7284 to the kingH4430 and saidH560 to the kingH4430, “RecognizeH3046, O kingH4430, that it is a 36lawH1882 of the MedesH4076 and PersiansH6540 that noH3606H3809 injunctionH633 or statuteH7010 whichH1768 the kingH4430 establishesH6966 may be changedH8133.”

16ThenH116 the kingH4430 gaveH560 ordersH560, and DanielH1841 was broughtH858 in and 37castH7412 into the lions’H744 denH1358. The kingH4430 spokeH6032 and saidH560 to DanielH1841, “3839Your GodH426 whomH1768 you constantlyH8411 serveH6399 will HimselfH1932 deliverH7804 you.” 17A 40stoneH69 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 41fastingH2908, and noH3809 entertainmentH1761 was broughtH5954 beforeH6925 him; and his 42sleepH8139 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 43your GodH426, whomH1768 you constantlyH8411 serveH6399, beenH3202 44ableH3202 to deliverH7804 you from the lionsH744?” 21ThenH116 DanielH1841 spokeH4449 45to the kingH4430, “46O kingH4430, liveH2418 foreverH5957! 22My GodH426 47sentH7972 His angelH4398 and 48shutH5463 the lions’H744 mouthsH6433 and they have not harmedH2255 me, inasmuchH3606H6903H1768 as 49I was foundH7912 innocentH2136 beforeH6925 Him; and alsoH638 50towardH6925 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 51noH3606H3809 injuryH2257 whateverH3606 was foundH7912 on him, becauseH1768 he had 52trustedH540 in his GodH426. 24The kingH4430 then gaveH560 ordersH560, and they broughtH858 thoseH479 menH1400 whoH1768 had 53maliciouslyH399H7170 accusedH399H7170 DanielH1841, and they 54castH7412 them, their 55childrenH1123 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 56peoplesH5972, nationsH524 and men of every 57languageH3961 whoH1768 were livingH1753 in allH3606 the landH772: “58May your 59peaceH8001 aboundH7680! 2660I 61makeH7761 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 62livingH2417 GodH426 and 63enduringH7011 foreverH5957, And 64His kingdomH4437 is one whichH1768 will not be destroyedH2255, And His dominionH7985 will be 65foreverH5491.27He deliversH7804 and rescuesH5338 and performsH5648 66signsH852 and wondersH8540 In heavenH8065 and on earthH772, WhoH1768 has also deliveredH7804 DanielH1841 from the 67powerH3028 of the lionsH744.”

28So thisH1836 68DanielH1841 enjoyedH6744 successH6744 in the reignH4437 of DariusH1868 and in the reignH4437 of 69CyrusH3567 the PersianH6543.