1And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being a son of sixty-two years.
2It pleased Darius, and he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout all the kingdom;
3and above them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, that the king should suffer no loss.
4Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit (ruach) was in him; and the king thought to set him over all the kingdom.
5Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but no occasion or corruption could they find, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no error or corruption was found against him.
6Then these men said, "We shall not find against this Daniel any occasion, except we find it against him in the decree (dat) of his God."
7Then these presidents and satraps came thronging to the king, and thus said to him, "Darius the king, live forever!
8All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make strong an interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
9Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the decree (dat) of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away."
10Because of this, king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.
11And Daniel, when he knew that the writing was signed, went into his house; now his windows were open in his upper chamber toward Jerusalem; and three times in the day he knelt upon his knees, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, just as he had done before this.
12Then these men came thronging and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
13Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king's interdict, "Did you not sign an interdict, that every man who shall ask of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered and said, "The thing is sure, according to the decree (dat) of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away."
14Then they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is of the sons of the exile of Judah, has not regarded you, O king, nor the interdict that you have signed, but three times in the day makes his petition."
15Then the king, when he heard the matter, was greatly displeased with himself, and upon Daniel he set his heart to deliver him; and until the going down of the sun he labored to rescue him.
16Then these men came thronging to the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is a decree (dat) of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establishes may be changed."
17Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. The king answered and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
18And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his nobles, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
19Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; and no diversions were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
20Then the king arose at dawn, at daybreak, and in haste went to the den of lions.
21And when he came near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice he cried out; the king answered and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living (chai) God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
22Then Daniel spoke with the king, "O king, live forever!
23My God has sent His angel, and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; inasmuch as before Him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, I have done no hurt."
24Then the king was exceedingly glad over him, and commanded to bring Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was brought up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
25And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had eaten the pieces of Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and they had not reached the bottom of the den when the lions overpowered them, and crushed all their bones.
26Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and tongues that dwell in all the earth, "May your peace be multiplied.
27From me is set a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for He is the living (chai) God, and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be to the end.
28He delivers and rescues, and works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth; who has delivered Daniel from the hand of the lions."
29And this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.