New Living Translation

Hebrew Study Bible

1 Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.

1שְׁפַר֙ קֳדָ֣ם דָּרְיָ֔וֶשׁ וַהֲקִים֙ עַל־ מַלְכוּתָ֔א לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֖א מְאָ֣ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֑ין דִּ֥י לֶהֱוֺ֖ן בְּכָל־ מַלְכוּתָֽא׃

2The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests.

2וְעֵ֤לָּא מִנְּהוֹן֙ סָרְכִ֣ין תְּלָתָ֔א דִּ֥י דָנִיֵּ֖אל חַֽד־ מִנְּה֑וֹן דִּֽי־ לֶהֱוֺ֞ן אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֗ין יָהֲבִ֤ין לְהוֹן֙ טַעְמָ֔א וּמַלְכָּ֖א לָֽא־ לֶהֱוֵ֥א נָזִֽק׃

3Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.

3אֱדַ֙יִן֙ דָּנִיֵּ֣אל דְּנָ֔ה הֲוָ֣א מִתְנַצַּ֔ח עַל־ סָרְכַיָּ֖א וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֑א כָּל־ קֳבֵ֗ל דִּ֣י ר֤וּחַ יַתִּירָא֙ בֵּ֔הּ וּמַלְכָּ֣א עֲשִׁ֔ית לַהֲקָמוּתֵ֖הּ עַל־ כָּל־ מַלְכוּתָֽא׃

4Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.

4אֱדַ֨יִן סָֽרְכַיָּ֜א וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֗א הֲו֨וֹ בָעַ֧יִן עִלָּ֛ה לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֥ה לְדָנִיֵּ֖אל מִצַּ֣ד מַלְכוּתָ֑א וְכָל־ עִלָּ֨ה וּשְׁחִיתָ֜ה לָא־ יָכְלִ֣ין לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֗ה כָּל־ קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־ מְהֵימַ֣ן ה֔וּא וְכָל־ שָׁלוּ֙ וּשְׁחִיתָ֔ה לָ֥א הִשְׁתְּכַ֖חַת עֲלֽוֹהִי׃

5So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”

5אֱ֠דַיִן גֻּבְרַיָּ֤א אִלֵּךְ֙ אָֽמְרִ֔ין דִּ֣י לָ֧א נְהַשְׁכַּ֛ח לְדָנִיֵּ֥אל דְּנָ֖ה כָּל־ עִלָּ֑א לָהֵ֕ן הַשְׁכַּ֥חְנָֽה עֲל֖וֹהִי בְּדָ֥ת אֱלָהֵֽהּ׃ ס

6So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius!

6אֱ֠דַיִן סָרְכַיָּ֤א וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא֙ אִלֵּ֔ן הַרְגִּ֖שׁוּ עַל־ מַלְכָּ֑א וְכֵן֙ אָמְרִ֣ין לֵ֔הּ דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ מַלְכָּ֖א לְעָלְמִ֥ין חֱיִֽי׃

7We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions.

7אִתְיָעַ֜טוּ כֹּ֣ל ׀ סָרְכֵ֣י מַלְכוּתָ֗א סִגְנַיָּ֤א וַֽאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא֙ הַדָּֽבְרַיָּ֣א וּפַחֲוָתָ֔א לְקַיָּמָ֤ה קְיָם֙ מַלְכָּ֔א וּלְתַקָּפָ֖ה אֱסָ֑ר דִּ֣י כָל־ דִּֽי־ יִבְעֵ֣ה בָ֠עוּ מִן־ כָּל־ אֱלָ֨הּ וֶֽאֱנָ֜שׁ עַד־ יוֹמִ֣ין תְּלָתִ֗ין לָהֵן֙ מִנָּ֣ךְ מַלְכָּ֔א יִתְרְמֵ֕א לְגֹ֖ב אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃

8And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

8כְּעַ֣ן מַלְכָּ֔א תְּקִ֥ים אֱסָרָ֖א וְתִרְשֻׁ֣ם כְּתָבָ֑א דִּ֣י לָ֧א לְהַשְׁנָיָ֛ה כְּדָת־ מָדַ֥י וּפָרַ֖ס דִּי־ לָ֥א תֶעְדֵּֽא׃

9So King Darius signed the law.

9כָּל־ קֳבֵ֖ל דְּנָ֑ה מַלְכָּא֙ דָּֽרְיָ֔וֶשׁ רְשַׁ֥ם כְּתָבָ֖א וֶאֱסָרָֽא׃

10But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

10וְ֠דָנִיֵּאל כְּדִ֨י יְדַ֜ע דִּֽי־ רְשִׁ֤ים כְּתָבָא֙ עַ֣ל לְבַיְתֵ֔הּ וְכַוִּ֨ין פְּתִיחָ֥ן לֵהּ֙ בְּעִלִּיתֵ֔הּ נֶ֖גֶד יְרוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וְזִמְנִין֩ תְּלָתָ֨ה בְיוֹמָ֜א ה֣וּא ׀ בָּרֵ֣ךְ עַל־ בִּרְכ֗וֹהִי וּמְצַלֵּ֤א וּמוֹדֵא֙ קֳדָ֣ם אֱלָהֵ֔הּ כָּל־ קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־ הֲוָ֣א עָבֵ֔ד מִן־ קַדְמַ֖ת דְּנָֽה׃ ס

11Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.

11אֱ֠דַיִן גֻּבְרַיָּ֤א אִלֵּךְ֙ הַרְגִּ֔שׁוּ וְהַשְׁכַּ֖חוּ לְדָנִיֵּ֑אל בָּעֵ֥א וּמִתְחַנַּ֖ן קֳדָ֥ם אֱלָהֵֽהּ׃

12So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

12בֵּ֠אדַיִן קְרִ֨יבוּ וְאָמְרִ֥ין קֳדָם־ מַלְכָּא֮ עַל־ אֱסָ֣ר מַלְכָּא֒ הֲלָ֧א אֱסָ֣ר רְשַׁ֗מְתָּ דִּ֣י כָל־ אֱנָ֡שׁ דִּֽי־ יִבְעֵה֩ מִן־ כָּל־ אֱלָ֨הּ וֶֽאֱנָ֜שׁ עַד־ יוֹמִ֣ין תְּלָתִ֗ין לָהֵן֙ מִנָּ֣ךְ מַלְכָּ֔א יִתְרְמֵ֕א לְג֖וֹב אַרְיָותָ֑א עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֗ר יַצִּיבָ֧א מִלְּתָ֛א כְּדָת־ מָדַ֥י וּפָרַ֖ס דִּי־ לָ֥א תֶעְדֵּֽא׃

13Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”

13בֵּ֠אדַיִן עֲנ֣וֹ וְאָמְרִין֮ קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּא֒ דִּ֣י דָנִיֵּ֡אל דִּי֩ מִן־ בְּנֵ֨י גָלוּתָ֜א דִּ֣י יְה֗וּד לָא־ שָׂ֨ם [עליך] (עֲלָ֤ךְ) מַלְכָּא֙ טְעֵ֔ם וְעַל־ אֱסָרָ֖א דִּ֣י רְשַׁ֑מְתָּ וְזִמְנִ֤ין תְּלָתָה֙ בְּיוֹמָ֔א בָּעֵ֖א בָּעוּתֵֽהּ׃

14Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.

14אֱדַ֨יִן מַלְכָּ֜א כְּדִ֧י מִלְּתָ֣א שְׁמַ֗ע שַׂגִּיא֙ בְּאֵ֣שׁ עֲל֔וֹהִי וְעַ֧ל דָּנִיֵּ֛אל שָׂ֥ם בָּ֖ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתֵ֑הּ וְעַד֙ מֶֽעָלֵ֣י שִׁמְשָׁ֔א הֲוָ֥א מִשְׁתַּדַּ֖ר לְהַצָּלוּתֵֽהּ׃

15In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”

15בֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֔ךְ הַרְגִּ֖שׁוּ עַל־ מַלְכָּ֑א וְאָמְרִ֣ין לְמַלְכָּ֗א דַּ֤ע מַלְכָּא֙ דִּֽי־ דָת֙ לְמָדַ֣י וּפָרַ֔ס דִּֽי־ כָל־ אֱסָ֥ר וּקְיָ֛ם דִּֽי־ מַלְכָּ֥א יְהָקֵ֖ים לָ֥א לְהַשְׁנָיָֽה׃

16So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

16בֵּאדַ֜יִן מַלְכָּ֣א אֲמַ֗ר וְהַיְתִיו֙ לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל וּרְמ֕וֹ לְגֻבָּ֖א דִּ֣י אַרְיָוָתָ֑א עָנֵ֤ה מַלְכָּא֙ וְאָמַ֣ר לְדָנִיֵּ֔אל אֱלָהָ֗ךְ דִּ֣י [אנתה] (אַ֤נְתְּ) פָּֽלַֽח־ לֵהּ֙ בִּתְדִירָ֔א ה֖וּא יְשֵׁיזְבִנָּֽךְ׃

17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel.

17וְהֵיתָ֙יִת֙ אֶ֣בֶן חֲדָ֔ה וְשֻׂמַ֖ת עַל־ פֻּ֣ם גֻּבָּ֑א וְחַתְמַ֨הּ מַלְכָּ֜א בְּעִזְקְתֵ֗הּ וּבְעִזְקָת֙ רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי דִּ֛י לָא־ תִשְׁנֵ֥א צְב֖וּ בְּדָנִיֵּֽאל׃

18Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

18אֱ֠דַיִן אֲזַ֨ל מַלְכָּ֤א לְהֵֽיכְלֵהּ֙ וּבָ֣ת טְוָ֔ת וְדַחֲוָ֖ן לָא־ הַנְעֵ֣ל קָֽדָמ֑וֹהִי וְשִׁנְתֵּ֖הּ נַדַּ֥ת עֲלֽוֹהִי׃

19Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den.

19בֵּאדַ֣יִן מַלְכָּ֔א בִּשְׁפַּרְפָּרָ֖א יְק֣וּם בְּנָגְהָ֑א וּבְהִ֨תְבְּהָלָ֔ה לְגֻבָּ֥א דִֽי־ אַרְיָוָתָ֖א אֲזַֽל׃

20When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

20וּכְמִקְרְבֵ֣הּ לְגֻבָּ֔א לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל בְּקָ֥ל עֲצִ֖יב זְעִ֑ק עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר לְדָנִיֵּ֗אל דָּֽנִיֵּאל֙ עֲבֵד֙ אֱלָהָ֣א חַיָּ֔א אֱלָהָ֗ךְ דִּ֣י [אנתה] (אַ֤נְתְּ) פָּֽלַֽח־ לֵהּ֙ בִּתְדִירָ֔א הַיְכִ֥ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתָ֖ךְ מִן־ אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃

21Daniel answered, “Long live the king!

21אֱדַ֙יִן֙ דָּנִיֶּ֔אל עִם־ מַלְכָּ֖א מַלִּ֑ל מַלְכָּ֖א לְעָלְמִ֥ין חֱיִֽי׃

22My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

22אֱלָהִ֞י שְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאֲכֵ֗הּ וּֽסֲגַ֛ר פֻּ֥ם אַרְיָוָתָ֖א וְלָ֣א חַבְּל֑וּנִי כָּל־ קֳבֵ֗ל דִּ֤י קָֽדָמ֙וֹהִי֙ זָכוּ֙ הִשְׁתְּכַ֣חַת לִ֔י וְאַ֤ף [קדמיך] (קָֽדָמָךְ֙) מַלְכָּ֔א חֲבוּלָ֖ה לָ֥א עַבְדֵֽת׃

23The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.

23בֵּאדַ֣יִן מַלְכָּ֗א שַׂגִּיא֙ טְאֵ֣ב עֲל֔וֹהִי וּלְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל אֲמַ֖ר לְהַנְסָקָ֣ה מִן־ גֻּבָּ֑א וְהֻסַּ֨ק דָּנִיֵּ֜אל מִן־ גֻּבָּ֗א וְכָל־ חֲבָל֙ לָא־ הִשְׁתְּכַ֣ח בֵּ֔הּ דִּ֖י הֵימִ֥ן בֵּאלָהֵֽהּ׃

24Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

24וַאֲמַ֣ר מַלְכָּ֗א וְהַיְתִ֞יו גֻּבְרַיָּ֤א אִלֵּךְ֙ דִּֽי־ אֲכַ֤לוּ קַרְצ֙וֹהִי֙ דִּ֣י דָֽנִיֵּ֔אל וּלְגֹ֤ב אַרְיָוָתָא֙ רְמ֔וֹ אִנּ֖וּן בְּנֵיה֣וֹן וּנְשֵׁיה֑וֹן וְלָֽא־ מְט֞וֹ לְאַרְעִ֣ית גֻּבָּ֗א עַ֠ד דִּֽי־ שְׁלִ֤טֽוּ בְהוֹן֙ אַרְיָ֣וָתָ֔א וְכָל־ גַּרְמֵיה֖וֹן הַדִּֽקוּ׃

25Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!

25בֵּאדַ֜יִן דָּרְיָ֣וֶשׁ מַלְכָּ֗א כְּ֠תַב לְֽכָל־ עַֽמְמַיָּ֞א אֻמַיָּ֧א וְלִשָּׁנַיָּ֛א דִּֽי־ [דארין] (דָיְרִ֥ין) בְּכָל־ אַרְעָ֖א שְׁלָמְכ֥וֹן יִשְׂגֵּֽא׃

26“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.

26מִן־ קֳדָמַי֮ שִׂ֣ים טְעֵם֒ דִּ֣י ׀ בְּכָל־ שָׁלְטָ֣ן מַלְכוּתִ֗י לֶהֱוֺ֤ן [זאעין] (זָיְעִין֙) וְדָ֣חֲלִ֔ין מִן־ קֳדָ֖ם אֱלָהֵ֣הּ דִּי־ דָֽנִיֵּ֑אל דִּי־ ה֣וּא ׀ אֱלָהָ֣א חַיָּ֗א וְקַיָּם֙ לְעָ֣לְמִ֔ין וּמַלְכוּתֵהּ֙ דִּֽי־ לָ֣א תִתְחַבַּ֔ל וְשָׁלְטָנֵ֖הּ עַד־ סוֹפָֽא׃

27He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

27מְשֵׁיזִ֣ב וּמַצִּ֗ל וְעָבֵד֙ אָתִ֣ין וְתִמְהִ֔ין בִּשְׁמַיָּ֖א וּבְאַרְעָ֑א דִּ֚י שֵׁיזִ֣יב לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל מִן־ יַ֖ד אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃

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

28וְדָנִיֵּ֣אל דְּנָ֔ה הַצְלַ֖ח בְּמַלְכ֣וּת דָּרְיָ֑וֶשׁ וּבְמַלְכ֖וּת כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ [פרסיא] (פָּרְסָאָֽה׃) פ

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.