The Plot against Daniel

1It pleased before Darius and he set up over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, whom to be over all the kingdom; 2And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was one: that to them the satraps giving to them account, and the king not for him detriment. 3Then this Daniel excelling above the presidents and satraps because that an excellent spirit was in him; and the king doing to set him up over all the kingdom. 4Then the presidents and satraps were seeking to find a pretext against Daniel from the part of the kingdom; and they will not be able to find any pretext and corruption, because that he was faithful, and any error and corruption was not found upon him. 5Then these men saying that, We shall not find against this Daniel any pretext except we shall find against him in the law of his God.

6Then these presidents and satraps ran together with tumult to the king, and saying thus to him, O Darius the king, live thou forever. 7All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and satraps, and counselors and governors, will counsel together to set up a statute of the kingdom, and to make strong an interdict that whoever shall seek a request from any God and man even to thirty days, except from thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8Now, O king, wilt thou set up the interdict, and sign the writing, that not to be changed according to the law of Media and Persia, which shall not pass away. 9For this cause, king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

10And Daniel as soon as he knew that the writing was signed, went up into his house; and the windows being opened to him in his upper chambers before Jerusalem, three times in the day he kneeled upon his knees, and praying and praising before his God, for the cause that he did from before this. 11Then these men ran together with tumult and found Daniel seeking and making supplication before his God. 12At that time they drew near, and saying before the king concerning the interdict of the king, Didst thou not sign an interdict that every man that shall seek from any God and man even for thirty days, except from thee, O King, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The word is certain, according to the law of Media and Persia, that shall not pass away. 13At that time they answered, and saying before the king, That Daniel that is from the sons of the captivity of Judah set not up an account to thee, O king, and to the interdict that thou didst sign; and three times in the day he sought his requests.

14Then the king as soon as he heard the word, was greatly displeased with himself, and upon Daniel he set the heart to set him free: and even to the going down of the sun he was exerting himself to deliver him. 15At that time these men ran together with tumult to the king, and saying to the king, Know, O king, that the law to Media and Persia is, that every interdict and statute that the king shall set up is not to be changed.

16At that time the king said, and they brought Daniel and cast into the den of the lions; the king answered and said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest to him continually, he will set thee free. 17And one stone was brought and set upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet ring, and with the signet ring of his nobles, that the will shall not be changed upon Daniel. 18Then the king departed to his temple and passed the night fasting: and he brought not his concubines before him, and his sleep fled from him.

19At that time the king will rise in the dawn in the morning, and in haste he departed to the lion's den. 20And in his drawing near to the den he cried to Daniel with a strong voice, the king answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God whom thou servest to him continually, is he able to set thee free from the lion's den? 21Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever. 22My God sent his messenger and shut the mouth of the lions, and they hurt me not, for the cause that innocence was found to me; and also before thee, O king, I did no hurt. 23At that time the king rejoiced greatly for him, and to Daniel he said to be taken up from the den. And Daniel was taken up from the den, and any hurt was not found upon him, for he trusted in his God.

24And the king said, and they brought these men that ate up Daniel piece meal, and cast into the lion's den, them, their sons, and their wives; and they not down to the bottom of the den even till the lions had power over them, and they broke all their bones in pieces.

Darius Honors God

25At that time Darius the king wrote all peoples, nations and tongues, that are dwelling in all the earth, Your peace shall be great.

26From before me a decree was set forth that in every dominion of my kingdom to be trembling and fearing from before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and standing forever, and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed, and his dominion even to the end.

27Setting free and delivering, and working signs and wonders in the heavens and upon the earth, that set free to Daniel from the hand of the lions.

28And this Daniel was prospered in the kingdom of Darius, and in the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.