Daniel Chapter 6
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
1 King Darius thought it good to appoint 120 satraps to oversee the empire. 2 He put three commissioners over them. (Daniel was one of them.) The satraps would report to them, and they would protect the king’s interests. 3 Daniel soon distinguished himself among the satraps and other commissioners because he had exceptional ability. The king planned to appoint him over the whole empire. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps tried to find some grounds for accusing him of mismanaging government affairs, but they couldn’t find any evidence of corruption. He was dependable, and they couldn’t find him negligent. 5 They said, “We won’t find any grounds for accusing him unless it’s in connection with the Law of his god.”
Dan 6:1-5
6 They went to the king together and said,
“Long live King Darius! 7 The commissioners, prefects and satraps, high officials and governors have agreed that you should enforce a statute that anybody who asks for anything from any mortal or god but you for 30 days will be thrown in the lions’ den. 8 Now, establish the injunction and sign the document so it can’t be revoked—like the law of the Medes and Persians.”
9 So Darius signed the injunction.
10 When Daniel found out he’d signed it, he went home. In his roof room with windows open toward Jerusalem, he continued to kneel three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God. 11 Those men came to his house together and found him making petition to his God; 12 so they went to the king, “Didn’t you sign an injunction that anybody who asks anything from any mortal or god besides you for 30 days would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
He said, “It’s true; the law of the Medes and Persians can’t be revoked.”
13 They answered, “Daniel, an exile from Judah, is not honoring your injunction. He keeps praying to his God three times a day.”
Dan 6:6-13
14 When the king heard it, he was deeply distressed and tried all day to figure out some way to rescue Daniel. 15 Then those men came back and said, “You know, O King, it’s the law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute the king makes can be revoked.”
16 So he gave the order, and Daniel was brought in and thrown into the lions’ den. He told Daniel, “The God you constantly serve will deliver you himself.” 17 They brought a stone and laid it over the mouth of the den. The king sealed it with his signet ring and his nobles’ signet rings so nothing could be changed. 18 He spent the night in his palace fasting. No entertainment was brought to him, and he couldn’t sleep.
Dan 6:14-18
19 He got up at dawn and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 Worried, he called out, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God you constantly serve, delivered you from the lions?”
21 Daniel said,
“Long live the King! 22 My God sent his angel and shut their mouths. They haven’t hurt me because he considered me innocent. I haven’t committed any crime against you either.”
23 The king was really relieved and had him brought up out of the den. They didn’t find any injury on him because he’d trusted in his God. 24 The king ordered the men to be brought who had maliciously accused Daniel, and threw them, their children, and wives into the den. They hadn’t hit the den floor before the lions pounced on them and crushed their bones.
Dan 6:19-24
25 Then Darius wrote to the peoples, nations, and language groups in the empire:
“Peace and prosperity!
26 I decree that in all my kingdom, people tremble in fear before Daniel’s God.
He’s the living God that endures forever;
his kingdom will never be destroyed;
his rule will never end.
27 He delivers and rescues, and performs signs and wonders
on earth and in the sky—
and delivered Daniel from the lions.”
28 So Daniel enjoyed success during the regency of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.