Daniel and the Lions’ Den
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom [Esth. 1:1] 120 See ch. 3:2satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them [ch. 5:7,16,29] three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these [See ver. 1above]satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became [Esth. 3:1] distinguished above all [See ver. 2above] the other high officials and [See ver. 1above] satraps, because ch. 5:12an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned [Gen. 41:40;Esth. 10:3]to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then [See ver. 2above] the high officials and [See ver. 1above] the satraps [Eccles. 4:4] sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, [Ezek. 14:14,20]but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, [Ezek. 14:14,20]and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God."
6 Then these [See ver. 2above] high officials and [See ver. 1above] satraps came by agreement6:6 Or came thronging; also verses 11, 15 to the king and said to him, "O ver. 21;See ch. 2:4King Darius, live forever! 7 All the [See ver. 2above] high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the ch. 3:24;4:36counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an ver. 12, 13, 15injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish [See ver. 7above] the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to ver. 12, 15;Esth. 1:19the law of [ch. 8:20] the Medes and the Persians, [ver. 15;Esth. 8:8]which cannot be revoked." 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and [See ver. 7above]injunction.
10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where [Ps. 137:5] he had windows in his upper chamber open [Ps. 28:2;138:2]; See 1 Kgs. 8:48toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees Ps. 55:17three times a day and prayed and [ch. 2:23]gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they ch. 3:8came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, "O king! Did you not sign ver. 7, 8, 9an injunction, that anyone who makes 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 and said, "The thing stands fast, according to the law of [See ver. 8above] the Medes and Persians, [See ver. 8above]which cannot be revoked." 13 Then they answered and said before the king, ch. 1:6"Daniel, who is one See ch. 2:25of the exiles ch. 1:6from Judah, ch. 3:12pays no attention to you, O king, or [See ver. 12above] the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition [See ver. 10above]three times a day."
14 Then [Matt. 14:9;Mark 6:26]the king, when he heard these words, [Matt. 14:9;Mark 6:26]was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no [See ver. 12above]injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed."
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared6:16 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 20 to Daniel, "May [Acts 27:23]your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!" 17 [Lam. 3:53] And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, Matt. 27:66;Rev. 20:3and the king sealed it [Esth. 3:12] with his own signet and with the signet of his ch. 4:36;5:1lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; [Prov. 25:20] no diversions were brought to him, and Esth. 6:1;[ch. 2:1]sleep fled from him.
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of ver. 26the living God, [See ver. 16above] has your God, whom you serve continually, [ch. 3:15]been able to deliver you from the lions?" 21 Then Daniel said to the king, See ch. 2:4"O king, live forever! 22 My God ch. 3:28sent his angel Heb. 11:33;[Ps. 22:21;2 Tim. 4:17] and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless [ver. 4]before him; [ver. 4]and also before you, O king, I have done no harm." 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and [ch. 3:25]no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and [Deut. 19:19]those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all See ch. 3:4the peoples, nations, and languages ch. 4:1that dwell in all the earth: See ch. 4:1"Peace be multiplied to you. 26 See ch. 3:10I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion [ch. 5:19;Ps. 99:1;Eccles. 12:13] people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for ver. 20he is See ch. 4:34the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
See ch. 4:34and his dominion shall be ch. 7:26to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
he works ch. 4:2signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has [ch. 3:28,29]saved Daniel
from the power of the lions."
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and [ch. 1:21] the reign of 2 Chr. 36:22,23;Ezra 1:2;4:3,5;6:3,14;Isa. 44:28;45:1;[ch. 1:21;10:1]Cyrus the Persian.