Daniel 6
6
The Plot against Daniel
1Darius decided#6:1 Lit It was pleasing before Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm, 2and over them three administrators, including Daniel.#Dn 2:48–49; 5:16,29 These satraps would be accountable to them so that the king would not be defrauded.#Ezr 4:22; Est 7:4 3Daniel#6:3 Lit Now this Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit,#Dn 5:12,14; 9:23 so the king planned to set him over the whole realm.#Gn 41:40; Est 10:3 4The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Daniel#Gn 43:18; Jdg 14:4; Jr 20:10; Dn 3:8; Lk 20:20 regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption,#Dn 6:22; Lk 20:26; 23:14; Php 2:15; 1Pt 2:12; 3:16 for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. 5Then these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”#Ac 24:13–16,20–21
6So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, “May King Darius live forever.#Neh 2:3; Dn 2:4; 5:10; 6:21 7All the administrators of the kingdom#Dn 3:2,27 — the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors — have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that, for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den.#Ps 10:9; Dn 3:6; 6:16 8Therefore, Your Majesty, establish the edict#Est 3:12; 8:10; Is 10:1 and sign the document so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed.”#Est 1:9; 8:8; Dn 6:12,15 9So King Darius signed the written edict.#Ps 118:9; 146:3
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
10When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upstairs room opened toward Jerusalem,#1Kg 8:44–49; Ps 5:7; Jnh 2:4 and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God,#Ps 34:1; Dn 9:4–19; Php 4:6; 1Th 5:17–18 just as he had done before. 11Then these men went as a group and found#Ps 37:32–33; Dn 6:6 Daniel petitioning and imploring his God. 12So they approached the king#Dn 3:8–12; Ac 16:19–21 and asked about his edict: “Didn’t you sign an edict that for thirty days any person who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order stands#6:12 Lit the word is certain and is irrevocable.”#Est 1:19; Dn 6:8,15
13Then they replied to the king, “Daniel, one of the Judean exiles, has ignored you,#Est 3:8; Dn 3:12; Ac 5:29 the king, and the edict you signed, for he prays three times a day.” 14As soon as the king heard this, he was very displeased; he set his mind on rescuing Daniel#Mk 6:26 and made every effort until sundown to deliver him.
15Then these men went together to the king and said to him, “You know, Your Majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.”#Est 8:8; Ps 94:20,21; Dn 6:8,12
16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.#2Sm 3:39; Jr 38:5; Dn 6:7 The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you continually serve,#Jb 5:19; Ps 37:39–40; Is 41:10; 2Co 1:10 rescue you!” 17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den.#Lm 3:53; Mt 27:66 The king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed. 18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting.#2Sm 12:16,17 No diversions#6:18 Aramaic obscure were brought to him, and he could not sleep.#Est 6:1; Ps 77:4; Dn 2:1
Daniel Released
19At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20When he reached the den, he cried out in anguish to Daniel. “Daniel, servant of the living God,” the king said,#6:20 Lit said to Daniel “has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue you#Gn 18:14; Nm 11:23; Jr 32:17; Dn 3:17 from the lions?”
21Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live forever. 22My God sent his angel#Nm 20:16; Is 63:9; Dn 3:28; Ac 12:11; Heb 1:14 and shut the lions’ mouths; and they haven’t harmed me, for I was found innocent before him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.”
23The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. When Daniel was brought up from the den, he was found to be unharmed, for he trusted in his God.#1Ch 5:20; 2Ch 20:20; Ps 118:8–9; Is 26:3; Dn 3:17–18 24The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel#6:24 Lit had eaten his pieces#Dn 3:8; 6:12–13 were brought and thrown into the lions’ den — they, their children, and their wives.#Dt 24:16; 2Kg 14:6; Est 9:10 They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Darius Honors God
25Then King Darius wrote to those of every people, nation, and language who live on the whole earth: “May your prosperity abound.#Ezr 4:17; 1Pt 1:2 26I issue a decree#Ezr 6:8–12; 7:13,21; Dn 3:29; 4:6 that in all my royal dominion, people must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel:#Dn 5:19
For he is the living God,
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will never be destroyed,#Ps 93:1–2; Dn 2:44; 7:14; Mal 3:6
and his dominion has no end.
27He rescues and delivers;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth,#Dn 4:2–3
for he has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28So Daniel prospered#Dn 1:21 during the reign of Darius and#6:28 Or Darius, even the reign of Cyrus the Persian.#2Ch 36:22–23; Dn 10:1
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Daniel 6: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Daniel 6
6
Plot against Daniel
1Darius decided to appoint one hundred twenty chief administrators throughout the kingdom, 2and to set over them three main officers to whom they would report so that the king wouldn’t have to be bothered with too much.#6.2 Aram uncertain One of these main officers was Daniel. 3Because of his extraordinary spirit, Daniel soon surpassed the other officers and the chief administrators—so much so that the king had plans to set him over the entire kingdom. 4As a result, the other officers and the chief administrators tried to find some problem with Daniel’s work for the kingdom. But they couldn’t find any problem or corruption at all because Daniel was trustworthy. He wasn’t guilty of any negligence or corruption.
5So these men said, “We won’t find any fault in Daniel, unless we can find something to use against him from his religious practice.”#6.5 Or in the Instruction of his God
6So these officers and chief administrators ganged together and went to the king. They said to him, “Long live King Darius! 7All the officers of the kingdom, the ministers, the chief administrators, the royal associates, and the governors advise the king to issue an edict and enforce a law, that for thirty days anyone who says prayers to any god or human being except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a pit of lions. 8Now, Your Majesty, issue the law and sign the document so that it cannot be changed, as per the law of Media and Persia, which cannot be annulled.” 9Because of this, King Darius signed the document containing the law.
Daniel prays
10When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. Now his upper room had open windows that faced Jerusalem. Daniel knelt down, prayed, and praised his God three times that day, just like he always did. 11Just then these men, all ganged together, came upon Daniel praying and seeking mercy from his God. 12They then went and talked to the king about the law: “Your Majesty! Didn’t you sign a law, that for thirty days any person who prays to any god or human being besides you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into a pit of lions?”
The king replied, “The decision is absolutely firm in accordance with the law of Media and Persia, which cannot be annulled.”
13So they said to the king, “One of the Judean exiles, Daniel, has ignored you, Your Majesty, as well as the law you signed. He says his prayers three times a day!”
14When the king heard this report, he was very unhappy. He decided to rescue Daniel and did everything he could do to save Daniel before the sun went down. 15But these men, all ganged together, came and said to the king, “You must realize, Your Majesty, that the law of Media and Persia, including every law and edict the king has issued, cannot be changed.”
Daniel in the lions’ pit
16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and hurled him into the pit of lions.
The king said to Daniel: “Your God—the one you serve so consistently—will rescue you.”#6.16 Or May your God—the one you serve so consistently—rescue you.
17A single stone was brought and placed over the entrance to the pit. The king sealed it with his own ring and with those of his princes so that Daniel’s situation couldn’t be changed. 18The king then went home to his palace and fasted through the night. No pleasures#6.18 Aram uncertain were brought to him, and he couldn’t sleep. 19At dawn, at the first sign of light, the king rose and rushed to the lions’ pit.
20As he approached it, he called out to Daniel, worried: “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God—the one you serve so consistently—able to rescue you from the lions?”
21Then Daniel answered the king: “Long live the king! 22My God sent his messenger, who shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t touched me because I was judged innocent before my God. I haven’t done anything wrong to you either, Your Majesty.”
23The king was thrilled. He commanded that Daniel be brought up out of the pit, and Daniel was lifted out. Not a scratch was found on him, because he trusted in his God. 24The king then ordered that the men who had accused Daniel be brought and thrown into the lions’ pit—including their wives and children. They hadn’t even reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them, crushing all their bones.
New decree
25Then King Darius wrote the following decree:
To all the peoples, nations, and languages inhabiting the entire earth: I wish you much peace. 26I now issue this command: In every region of my kingdom, all people must fear and revere Daniel’s God because:
He is the living God.
God stands firm forever.
His kingship is indestructible.
God’s rule will last until the end of time.
27He is rescuer and savior;
God performs signs and miracles in heaven and on earth.
Here’s the proof:
He rescued Daniel from the lions’ power.
28And so Daniel was made prosperous during the rule of Darius and during the rule of Cyrus the Persian.
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