1It pleased Darius, and he appointed over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, who were to be throughout the whole kingdom,
2and over them three chief officials, of whom Daniel was one, so that these satraps might give account to them, and the king would suffer no loss.
3Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the chief officials and the satraps, because an extraordinary spirit was in him, and the king intended to set him over the whole kingdom.
4Then the chief officials and the satraps kept seeking to find a pretext against Daniel with respect to the kingdom, but they could find no pretext or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
5Then these men said, “We will find no pretext against this Daniel unless we find it against him in the law of his God.”
6Then these chief officials and satraps came thronging to the king and said to him thus: “King Darius, live forever!
7All the chief officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to enforce an interdict, that whoever makes a petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions.
8Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
9Therefore King Darius signed the document and the interdict.
10Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house—where he had windows open in his upper room facing Jerusalem—and three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed and gave thanks before his God, just as he had done before this.
11Then these men came thronging and found Daniel making petition and pleading for grace before his God.
12Then they approached and spoke before the king concerning the king’s interdict: “Did you not sign an interdict that any person who makes a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The matter is certain, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
13Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles of Judah, has paid no regard to you, O king, or to the interdict that you signed, but three times a day he makes his petition.”
14Then the king, when he heard the matter, was greatly distressed, and he set his mind on Daniel to deliver him; and until the setting of the sun he kept striving to rescue him.
15Then these men came thronging to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or statute that the king establishes may be changed.”
16Then the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, may he deliver you.”
17And a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought before him, and his sleep fled from him.
19Then the king rose at dawn, at first light, and hurried to the den of lions.
20And as he came near to the den, to Daniel, he cried out in an anguished voice; the king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21Then Daniel spoke with the king: “O king, live forever!
22My God sent his angel and shut the mouths of the lions, and they did not harm me, because before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.”
23Then the king was exceedingly glad, and he commanded that Daniel be brought up out of the den. So Daniel was brought up out of the den, and no injury was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24Then the king gave the order, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they threw them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives—and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and tongues who dwell in all the earth: “May your peace abound!
26I hereby issue a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and endures forever; his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.
27He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth—he who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
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