Darius’ Officials Seek to Accuse Daniel
It seemed good to Darius that he set 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom aDaniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer bloss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because an aextraordinary spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the bentire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began aseeking to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to matters of the kingdom; but they were not able to find bany ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the alaw of his God.”
6 Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and said thus to him: “King Darius, alive forever! 7 All the acommissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have bcounseled together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who seeks to make a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall cbe cast into the lions’ den. 8 Now, O king, aestablish the injunction and sign the written document so that it may not be changed, according to the blaw of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius asigned the written document, that is, the injunction.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the written document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open atoward Jerusalem); and he continued bkneeling on his knees three times a day, cpraying and dgiving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came aby agreement and found Daniel seeking to make a petition and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near and asaid before the king concerning the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who seeks to make a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered and said, “The word is certain, according to the blaw of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “aDaniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays bno attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps seeking to make his petition three times a day.”
14 Then, as soon as the king heard this word, he was greatly adistressed within himself and set his mind on saving Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to deliver him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a alaw of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
16 Then the king said the word, and Daniel was brought in and acast into the lions’ den. The king answered and said to Daniel, “bYour God whom you constantly serve will Himself save you.” 17 And a astone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night afasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his bsleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurriedly went to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has ayour God, whom you constantly serve, been bable to save you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “aO king, live forever! 22 My God asent His angel and bshut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was greatly pleased and said for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and ano harm whatsoever was found on him because he had bbelieved in his God. 24 The king then said the word, and they brought those men who had brought charges against Daniel, and they acast them, their bchildren, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the apeoples, nations, and men of every tongue who were inhabiting all the land: “bMay your peace abound! 26 I amake a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and be in dread before the God of Daniel;
For He is the bliving God and cenduring forever,
And dHis kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be unto the end.
27 He saves and delivers and does asigns and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So this aDaniel enjoyed success in the kingdom of Darius and in the kingdom of bCyrus the Persian.