Daniel
6
- It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps
to rule throughout the kingdom,
- with three administrators over them, one
of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the
king might not suffer loss.
- Now Daniel so distinguished himself among
the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king
planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
- At this, the administrators and the satraps
tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government
affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him,
because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
- Finally these men said, "We will never
find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something
to do with the law of his God."
- So the administrators and the satraps went
as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever !
- The royal administrators, prefects, satraps,
advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict
and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the
next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den.
- Now, O king, issue the decree and put it
in writing so that it cannot be altered -- in accordance with the laws of
the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."
- So King Darius put the decree in writing.
- Now when Daniel learned that the decree
had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened
toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving
thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
- Then these men went as a group and found
Daniel praying and asking God for help.
- So they went to the king and spoke to him
about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the
next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king,
would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The decree
stands -- in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot
be repealed."
- Then they said to the king, "Daniel,
who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or
to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day."
- When the king heard this, he was greatly
distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until
sundown to save him.
- Then the men went as a group to the king
and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the
Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed."
- So the king gave the order, and they brought
Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May
your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you !"
- A stone was brought and placed over the
mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with
the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed.
- Then the king returned to his palace and
spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought
to him. And he could not sleep.
- At the first light of dawn, the king got
up and hurried to the lions' den.
- When he came near the den, he called to
Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has
your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions
?"
- Daniel answered, "O king, live forever
!
- My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths
of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.
Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
- The king was overjoyed and gave orders to
lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound
was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
- At the king's command, the men who had falsely
accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with
their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the
lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
- Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples,
nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper
greatly !
- "I issue a decree that in every part
of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For
he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
- He rescues and he saves; he performs signs
and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the
power of the lions."
- So Daniel prospered during the reign of
Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
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