6
1 It pleased
Darius to set over
the kingdom one hundred twenty local
governors, who should be throughout the whole
kingdom;
2 and
over them three presidents,
of whom Daniel
was one, that these local governors
might give account
to them, and
that the king should suffer
no loss.
3 Then
this Daniel
was distinguished above the
presidents and
the local governors, because
an excellent spirit was
in him; and
the king thought
to set him over
the whole realm.
4 Then
the presidents and
the local governors sought
to find occasion against
Daniel as touching
the kingdom; but
they could find
no occasion or fault,
because he
was faithful. There wasn’t
any error or fault found
in him.
5 Then these
men said, “We won’t
find any occasion
against this
Daniel, unless we
find it against
him concerning
the law of
his God.”
6 Then
these presidents and local governors
assembled together to the king,
and said this to
him, “King Darius, live forever!
7 All
the presidents of
the kingdom, the deputies
and the local governors,
the counselors and
the governors, have consulted
together to establish
a royal statute
and to make
a strong decree, that whoever asks
a petition of any god
or man for thirty days, except
of you, O
king, he shall
be cast into the den
of lions.
8 Now,
O king, establish
the decree and sign
the writing, that
it not be changed, according
to the law of
the Medes and Persians,
which doesn’t alter.”
9 Therefore
King Darius signed
the writing and
the decree.
10 When Daniel knew
that the writing
was signed, he went
into his house (now
his windows were open in
his room toward Jerusalem) and
he kneeled on his knees three times
a day, and prayed,
and gave thanks before
his God, as he did
before.
11 Then
these men assembled together,
and found Daniel
making petition and supplication
before his God.
12 Then they
came near, and spoke
before the king concerning
the king’s decree: “Haven’t you signed
a decree that every
man who makes a
petition to any god or
man within thirty days, except
to you, O king, shall
be cast into the den
of lions?”
The king answered, “This thing is true, according
to the law of
the Medes and Persians, which
doesn’t alter.”
13 Then
they answered and
said before the
king, “That Daniel,
who is of
the children of
the captivity of Judah, doesn’t
respect you, O
king, nor the
decree that you
have signed, but
makes his
petition three times a
day.”
14 Then
the king, when
he heard these words,
was very displeased, and
set his heart on
Daniel to deliver
him; and he labored
until the going down of
the sun to rescue
him.
15 Then these
men assembled together to the
king, and said to
the king, “Know, O
king, that it
is a law of
the Medes and Persians,
that no decree nor statute which
the king establishes may
be changed.”
16 Then
the king commanded,
and they brought Daniel
and cast him into
the den of lions.
The king spoke
and said to Daniel, “Your
God whom you serve continually,
he will deliver
you.”
17 A stone
was brought,
and laid on the mouth
of the den;
and the king sealed
it with his own
signet, and with
the signet of
his lords; that nothing might
be changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then
the king went
to his palace,
and passed the night fasting.
No musical instruments were
brought before him;
and his sleep fled
from him.
19 Then
the king arose very early
in the morning,
and went in haste
to the den
of lions.
20 When
he came near to
the den to Daniel,
he cried with a troubled voice.
The king spoke
and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant
of the living God,
is your God, whom
you serve continually, able
to deliver you
from the lions?”
21 Then
Daniel said to
the king, “O
king, live forever!
22 My God
has sent his angel, and
has shut the lions’ mouths,
and they have not hurt me, because
innocence was found in me before
him; and
also before you, O
king, I have done no harm.”
23 Then
the king
was exceedingly glad, and commanded
that they
should take Daniel up
out of the den.
So Daniel was taken
up out of
the den, and
no kind of harm
was found on him,
because he
had trusted in
his God.
24 The
king commanded,
and they brought
those men who
had accused Daniel,
and they cast
them into the den
of lions—them,
their children, and
their wives; and
the lions mauled them,
and broke all
their bones in pieces
before they came
to the bottom of
the den.
25 Then
King Darius wrote to
all the peoples, nations,
and languages who dwell
in all the earth:
“Peace be multiplied to
you.
26 “I make
a decree that in
all the dominion
of my kingdom men tremble
and fear before the God
of Daniel.
“For he is
the living God,
and steadfast forever.
His kingdom is
that which will not
be destroyed.
His dominion will
be even to
the end.
27 He delivers
and rescues.
He works signs and wonders
in heaven and
in earth,
who has delivered
Daniel from
the power of
the lions.”
28 So
this Daniel prospered
in the reign
of Darius and in
the reign of Cyrus
the Persian.