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Daniel Serves Darius

^1 (F1)It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, to be in charge of the whole kingdom,² and over them, three commissioners (of whom ^(C1)Daniel was one), so that these satraps would be accountable to them, and that the king would not ^(F1)suffer ^(C2)loss.³ Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself ^(F1)among the commissioners and satraps because ^(F2)he possessed an ^(C1)extraordinary spirit, and the king intended to appoint him over the ^(C2)entire kingdom.⁴ Then the commissioners and satraps began ^(C1)trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel regarding ^(F1)government affairs; but they could find ^(C2)no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.⁵ Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him regarding the ^(C1)law of his God."

⁶ Then these commissioners and satraps came ^(F1)by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, ^(C1)live forever!⁷ "All the ^(C1)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have ^(C2)consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall ^(C3)be thrown into the lions' ^(F1)den.⁸ "Now, O king, ^(C1)establish the injunction and sign the document so that it will not be changed, according to the ^(C2)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^(F1)may not be revoked."⁹ Thereupon, King Darius ^(C1)signed the document, that is, the injunction.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and in his roof chamber he had windows open ^(C1)toward Jerusalem); and he continued ^(C2)kneeling on his knees three times a day, ^(C3)praying and ^(C4)offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously.¹¹ Then these men came ^(F1)(C1)by agreement and found Daniel offering a prayer and imploring favor before his God.¹² Then they approached and ^(C1)spoke before the king about the king's injunction: "Did you not sign an injunction that any person who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be thrown into the lions' den?" The king replied, "The statement is true, according to the ^(C2)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^(F1)may not be revoked."¹³ Then they responded and spoke before the king, "^(C1)Daniel, who is one of the ^(F1)exiles from Judah, pays ^(C2)no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps offering his prayer three times a day."

¹⁴ Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply ^(C1)distressed, and set his mind on rescuing Daniel; and until sunset he kept exerting himself to save him.¹⁵ Then these men came ^(F1)by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king, that it is a ^(C1)law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed."

Daniel in the Lions' Den

¹⁶ Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and ^(C1)thrown into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "^(F1)(C2)Your God whom you continually serve will Himself rescue you."¹⁷ And a ^(C1)stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed regarding Daniel.¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night ^(C1)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his ^(C2)sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then the king got up at dawn, at the break of day, and went in a hurry to the lions' den.²⁰ And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king began speaking and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has ^(C1)your God, whom you continually serve, been ^(C2)able to rescue you from the lions?"²¹ Then Daniel spoke ^(F1)to the king, "^(C1)O king, live forever!²² "My God ^(C1)sent His angel and ^(C2)shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, since ^(F1)I was found innocent before Him; and also ^(F2)toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."²³ Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and ^(C1)no injury whatever was found on him, because he had ^(C2)trusted in his God.²⁴ The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had ^(F1)maliciously accused Daniel, and they ^(C1)threw them, their ^(C2)children, and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

²⁵ Then Darius the king wrote to all the ^(C1)peoples, nations, and populations of all ^(F1)languages who were living in all the land: "^(C2)May your ^(F2)peace be great!²⁶ "^(F1)I ^(C1)issue a decree that in all the realm of my kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel;

For He is the ^(C2)living God and ^(C3)enduring forever,
And ^(C4)His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be ^(F2)forever.

²⁷ "He rescues, saves, and performs ^(C1)signs and miracles
In heaven and on earth,
He who has also rescued Daniel from the ^(F1)power of the lions."

²⁸ So this ^(C1)Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of ^(C2)Cyrus the Persian.