1It pleasedDariusH1868to set over thekingdomH4437an hundred and twenty satraps, which should be throughout the wholekingdomH4437;
2and over them three presidents, ofwhomH1768Daniel was one; that thesesatrapsH324might giveaccountעַל־'al-H5922unto them, and that the king should have no damage.
3Then thisDanielH1841was distinguished above the presidents and thesatrapsH324,becauseH4481an excellent spirit was in him; and thekingH4430thought to set him over the whole realm.
4Then the presidents and thesatrapsH324sought to find occasionagainstH5922DanielH1841as touching thekingdomH4437; but theycouldH1768find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was thereanyH3606error or fault found in him.
5Then said these men,Weאֱדַ֨יִן'e.Da.yinH116shallnotH3809findH7912anyH3606occasionagainstעֲל֖וֹהִיa.Lo.hiH5922thisDanielH1841, exceptweאֱ֠דַיִן'E.da.yinH116findH7912itagainstעֲלֽוֹהִי׃a.Lo.hiH5922him concerning the law of his God.
6Thentheseאִלֵּךְ֙'i.leKhH479presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, andsaidH560thusדְּנָ֖הde.NahH1836unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7Allלְעָלְמִ֥יןle.'al.MinH5957the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and thesatrapsH324, the counsellors and the governors, have consulted together to establish aroyalH4430statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, OkingH4430, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8NowH4430, OkingH4430,establishH6966theinterdictH633, and sign the writing, that it be not changed,accordingH4481to the law of the Medes and Persians,whichH1768altereth not.
10And when Daniel knew that thewritingH3792wassignedH7560, he went into his house; (nowמַלְכָּא֙mal.Ka'H4430his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem;) and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanksbeforeH6903his God, as he did aforetime.
11Thentheseדְּנָֽה׃ סde.NahH1836men assembled together, and foundDanielH1841makingיְדַ֜עye.Da'H3046petition and supplicationbeforeH6925hisGodH426.
12Then theycameהַרְגִּ֔שׁוּhar.Gi.shuH7284near, and spakebeforeH6925the king concerning the king’s interdict; Hast thou not signed an interdict, that everymanH1400that shall makepetitionH1156unto anygodH426ormanH1400within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13ThenansweredH6032they andsaidH560beforeH6925thekingH4430, That Daniel,whichH1768is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardethnotH3809thee, OkingH4430,norH3809theinterdictH633that thou hastsignedH7560, but maketh hispetitionH1156three times adayH3118.
14Then thekingH4430, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, andsetH7761his heart onDanielH1841to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to rescue him.
15Then these men assembled together unto thekingH4430, and said unto thekingH4430, Know, OkingH4430, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statutewhichH1768thekingH4430establisheth may be changed.
16Then thekingH4430commandedH560, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.NowH116thekingH4430spake andsaidH560unto Daniel, Thy GodwhomH1768thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17And a stone wasbroughtH858, and laid upon the mouth of thedenH1358; and thekingH4430sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerningDanielH1841.
18Then thekingH4430wentH858to his palace, and passed the night fasting:neitherH3809were instruments of musicbroughtH858before him: and his sleep fled from him.
19Then thekingH4430arose very early in the morning, andwentH236in haste unto the den of lions.
20And when he came near unto thedenH1358to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice: thekingH4430spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God,whomH1768thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from thelionsH744?
21Thensaidוְאָמַ֣רve.'a.MarH560DanielH1841unto thekingH4430, OkingH4430, live for ever.
22My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, OkingH4430, have I done no hurt.
23Then was thekingH4430exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Danielupקָֽדָמ֙וֹהִי֙ka.da.Mo.hiH6925outH5648of the den.SoH1768Daniel was takenupקָֽדָמָךְ֙ka.da.ma.yikhH6925outH5648of the den, andnoH3809manner of hurt wasfoundH7912upon him,becauseקֳבֵ֗לko.VelH6903he had trusted in hisGodH426.
24And thekingH4430commandedH560, and they broughtthoseH1768menwhichH1768had accusedDanielH1841, and they cast them into thedenH1358of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brakeallH3606their bones in pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of thedenH1358.
25ThenkingH4430Darius wrote untoallH3606the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell inallH3606the earth; Peace be multiplied untoyouH1768.
26I make a decree, that inallH3606the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is thelivingדָיְרִ֥יןda.'a.rinH1753God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom thatwhichH1768shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall beevenH1768unto the end:
27He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; who hath deliveredDanielH1841from the power of the lions.
28Soדִּ֚יdiH1768thisDanielH1841prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Commentaries