Daniel and the Lions’ Den
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a120 bsatraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them athree high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these bsatraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became adistinguished above all bthe other high officials and csatraps, because dan excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned eto set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then athe high officials and bthe satraps csought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, dbut they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, dand 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 ahigh officials and bsatraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O cKing Darius, live forever! 7 All the ahigh officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the bcounselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an cinjunction, 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 athe injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to bthe law of cthe Medes and the Persians, dwhich cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and ainjunction.
10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ahe had windows in his upper chamber open btoward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees cthree times a day and prayed and dgave 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 acame near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign ban 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 cthe Medes and Persians, dwhich cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, a“Daniel, who is one bof the exiles afrom Judah, cpays no attention to you, O king, or dthe injunction you have signed, but makes his petition ethree times a day.”
14 Then athe king, when he heard these words, awas 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 ainjunction 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 declared to Daniel, “May ayour God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 aAnd a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, band the king sealed it cwith his own signet and with the signet of his dlords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; ano diversions were brought to him, and bsleep 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 athe living God, bhas your God, whom you serve continually, cbeen able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, a“O king, live forever! 22 My God asent his angel band shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless cbefore him; cand 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 ano kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and athose 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 athe peoples, nations, and languages bthat dwell in all the earth: c“Peace be multiplied to you. 26 aI make a decree, that in all my royal dominion bpeople are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for che is dthe living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
dand his dominion shall be eto the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
he works asigns and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has bsaved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and athe reign of bCyrus the Persian.