Daniel 6:1-9

1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, who should be over the whole kingdom; 2And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts to them, and the king should suffer no loss. 3Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

6Then these presidents and princes assembled to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live for ever.1 7All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.2 8Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.3 9Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.