1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these three
presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give
accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3 Then this
Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an
excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the
whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel
concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault;
forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found
in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his
God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king,
and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7 All the
presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the
counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a
royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a
petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he
shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the
decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the
law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9 Wherefore king
Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he
kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks
before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and
found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 Then
they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree;
Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition
of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be
cast into the den of lions?
The king answered and said, The thing is
true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth
not.
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which
is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O
king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition
three times a day.
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore
displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him:
and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
15 Then
these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king,
that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute
which the king establisheth may be changed.
16 Then the king commanded,
and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the
king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually,
he will deliver thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the
mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with
the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed
concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting:
neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep
went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and
went in haste unto the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he
cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said
to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou
servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said
Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22 My God hath sent his
angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me:
forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee,
O king, have I done no hurt.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for
him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So
Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon
him, because he believed in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused
Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children,
and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all
their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that
dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 I make a
decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before
the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and
his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall
be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh
signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from
the power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of
Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.