The Lions' Den

⁶ It seemed like a good idea to Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps who would be in charge of the entire kingdom. ² Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage. ³ Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom. ⁴ Consequently the supervisors and satraps were trying to find some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters. But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption. ⁵ So these men concluded, “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is in connection with the law of his God.”

⁶ So these supervisors and satraps came by collusion to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! ⁷ To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next 30 days anyone who prays to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions. ⁸ Now let the king issue a written interdict so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” ⁹ So King Darius issued the written interdict.

¹⁰ When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously. ¹¹ Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God. ¹² So they approached the king and said to him, “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next 30 days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” ¹³ Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.”

¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was very upset and began thinking about how he might rescue Daniel. Until late afternoon he was struggling to find a way to rescue him. ¹⁵ Then those men came by collusion to the king and said to him, “Recall, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.” ¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den of lions. The king consoled Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” ¹⁷ Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening to the den. The king sealed it with his signet ring and with those of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions were brought to him. He was unable to sleep.

¹⁹ In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den. ²⁰ As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a worried voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you continually serve able to rescue you from the lions?”

²¹ Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! ²² My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”

²³ Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴ The king gave another order, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives. They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity! ²⁶ I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God;

he endures forever.

His kingdom will not be destroyed;

his authority is forever.

²⁷ He rescues and delivers

and performs signs and wonders

in the heavens and on the earth.

He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions!”

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