Daniel 6

1 Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

2 and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.

3 Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

4 Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”

6 So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!

7 All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.

8 Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”

9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

10 Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.

12 So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”

13 Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”

14 As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.

15 Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”

16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”

17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.

18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.

19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions.

20 When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!

22 My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”

23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25 Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.

26 I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion will never end.

27 He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

1 ¶ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel [was] first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

3 Then 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.

4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find [it] against him concerning the law of his God.

6 ¶ Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

7 All 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 whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

11 ¶ Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask [a petition] of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing [is] true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which [is] of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

14 Then the king, when he heard [these] words, was sore displeased with himself, and set [his] heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast [him] into the den of lions. [Now] the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18 ¶ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

25 ¶ Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he [is] the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion [shall be even] unto the end.

27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath 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.

2 And over these he set three princes, one of whom was Daniel, whom the governors should give account unto, and the king should be overcharged.

3 And Daniel excelled all the princes and governors: for there was a high spirit in him: therefore the king thought to set him over all the kingdom.

4 Therefore the princes and the governors sought how they might find a thing against Daniel that was against the kingdom: but they could find no thing nor iniquity: for he was faithful, that no fault nor iniquity should be found in him.

5 And the men said, We shall not find any thing to Daniel without above his service.

6 Then the princes and the governors came often before the king, and said unto him thus, O king Darius, God grant thee long life.

7 The princes of the kingdom, and the lords, and the governors, and the counsellors, and the captains, have all thought to send forth a royal commandment, and to make a strict decree, that whosoever shall ask anything of any god or man within thirty days, except of thee, O king, alone, shall be cast into the lions' den.

8 Wherefore, dear king, thou shalt confirm such a commandment, and sign thee, lest it be changed again, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which none may transgress.

9 So the king Darius signed himself.

10 And when Daniel knew that such a commandment was signed, he went up to his house; for he had open windows in his summer house toward Jerusalem. And he fell on his knees three times that day, and prayed, and praised, and thanked his God, as he had done before.

11 Then these men came often, and found Daniel praying and supplicating before his God.

12 And they came and spake unto the king of the king's commandment: O king, hast thou not signed a commandment, that whosoever shall ask anything of any god or man within thirty days, without from thee, O king, alone, shall be cast into the den of lions? And the king answered and said, It is true; and the law of the Medes and Persians shall no man transgress.

13 And they answered and said before the king: Daniel, one of the captives of Judah, regardeth not thee, nor thy commandment which thou hast written: for he prayeth three times a day.

14 And when the king heard these things, he was sore distressed, and did great diligence to deliver Daniel, and laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

15 But the men came often unto the king, and said unto him, Thou knowest, O king, that it is lawful for the Medes and Persians, that all the commandments and all the statutes which the king hath ordained should remain unchanged.

16 And the king commanded that Daniel should be brought, and they cast him into the den with the lions. And the king said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest without ceasing, help thee.

17 And they brought a stone, and laid it before the door of the trench; and the king sealed it with his own ring, and with the ring of his mighty men, that none else might do evil against Daniel.

18 And the king went away into his castle, and remained uneaten, and had no meat set before him, neither could he sleep.

19 And it came to pass in the morning, when it was daybreak, that the king arose, and went in haste unto the trench where the lions were.

20 And when he was come to the trench, he called Daniel with a lamentable voice. And the king said unto Daniel, Daniel, thou servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou servest without ceasing, delivered thee from the lions?

21 And Daniel spake unto the king: O king, God grant thee long life!

22 My God hath sent his angel, which hath shut the lions' mouths, that they should not hurt me. For before him I am found innocent, and have done nothing against thee, O king.

23 And the king was very glad, and brought Daniel out of the ditch. And they drew Daniel out of the trench, and there was no hurt in him: for he had trusted in his God.

24 And the king commanded the men that had accused Daniel to be brought, and to be cast into the lions' den, with their children and their wives. And before they came down to the ground, the lions took them, and brake their bones in pieces.

25 Then Darius the king wrote unto all nations, people, and tongues: God grant you much peace!

26 This is my commandment, that in all the dominion of my kingdom the God of Daniel should be feared and reverenced. For he is the living God, who abideth for ever: and his kingdom is everlasting, and his dominion is without end.

27 He is a deliverer and a giver of salvation, and doeth signs and wonders both in heaven and in earth. He delivered Daniel from the lions.

28 And Daniel was mighty in the kingdom of Darius, and also in the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.

31 And Darius of Media took the kingdom when he was sixty and two years old. Ch. 6, v. 1: And Darius saw fit to set over the whole kingdom an hundred and twenty governors.