1 1Ch 6:2 in AramIt seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom ADan 2:48, 49; 5:16, 29Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer BEzra 4:22; Esth 7:4loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself 1Lit aboveamong the commissioners and satraps because 2Lit there was in himhe possessed an ADan 5:12, 14; 9:23extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the BGen 41:40; Esth 10:3entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began AGen 43:18; Judg 14:4; Jer 20:10; Dan 3:8; Luke 20:20trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to 1Lit the kingdomgovernment affairs; but they could find BDan 6:22; Luke 20:26; 23:14, 15; Phil 2:15; 1 Pet 2:12; 3:16no 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 AActs 24:13-16, 20, 21law of his God.”

6 Then these commissioners and satraps came 1Or throngingby agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, ANeh 2:3; Dan 2:4; 5:10; 6:21live forever! 7  “All the ADan 3:2, 27commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have BPs 59:3; 62:4; 64:2-6; 83:1-3consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall CPs 10:9; Dan 3:6; 6:16be cast into the lions’ 1Or pit, and so throughout the chden. 8  “Now, O king, AEsth 3:12; 8:10; Is 10:1establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the BEsth 1:19; 8:8; Dan 6:12, 15law of the Medes and Persians, which 1Lit does not pass awaymay not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius APs 118:9; 146:3signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open A1 Kin 8:44, 48, 49; Ps 5:7; Jon 2:4toward Jerusalem); and he continued BPs 55:17; 95:6kneeling on his knees three times a day, CDan 9:4-19praying and DPs 34:1; Phil 4:6; 1 Thess 5:17, 18giving thanks before his God, 1Or becauseas he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came 1Or throngingAPs 37:32, 33; Dan 6:6by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they approached and ADan 3:8-12; Acts 16:19-21spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the BEsth 1:19; Dan 6:8, 15law of the Medes and Persians, which 1Lit does not pass awaymay not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “ADan 2:25; 5:13Daniel, who is one of the 1Lit sons of the exileexiles from Judah, pays BEsth 3:8; Dan 3:12; Acts 5:29no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”

14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply AMark 6:26distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came 1Or throngingby agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a AEsth 8:8; Ps 94:20, 21; Dan 6:8, 12law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and A2 Sam 3:39; Jer 38:5; Dan 6:7cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “1Or May your God...Himself deliver youBJob 5:19; Ps 37:39, 40; Is 41:10; Dan 3:17, 28; 6:20; 2 Cor 1:10Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 A ALam 3:53; Matt 27:66stone was brought and laid 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 A2 Sam 12:16, 17fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his BEsth 6:1; Ps 77:4; Dan 2:1sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has ADan 6:16, 27your God, whom you constantly serve, been BGen 18:14; Num 11:23; Jer 32:17; Dan 3:17able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke 1Lit withto the king, “ADan 2:4; 6:6O king, live forever! 22  “My God ANum 20:16; Is 63:9; Dan 3:28; Acts 12:11; Heb 1:14sent His angel and BPs 91:11-13; 2 Tim 4:17; Heb 11:33shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as 1Lit innocence was found for meI was found innocent before Him; and also 2Lit beforetoward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and ADan 3:25, 27no injury whatever was found on him, because he had B1 Chr 5:20; 2 Chr 20:20; Ps 118:8, 9; Is 26:3; Dan 3:17, 28trusted in his God. 24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had 1Lit eaten the pieces of Danielmaliciously accused Daniel, and they ADeut 19:18, 19; Esth 7:10cast them, their BDeut 24:16; 2 Kin 14:6; Esth 9:10children 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 AEzra 1:1, 2; Esth 3:12; 8:9; Dan 4:1peoples, nations and men of every 1Lit tonguelanguage who were living in all the land: “BEzra 4:17; 1 Pet 1:2May your 2Or welfare or prosperitypeace abound! 26  “1Lit From me a decree is madeI AEzra 6:8-12; 7:13, 21; Dan 3:29make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;

28 So this ADan 1:21Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of B2 Chr 36:22, 23; Dan 10:1Cyrus the Persian.