Daniel 6:1-15 ▼

1 Now it pleased Darius (lord) to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

2 and over them three administrators, including Daniel (God is my judge), to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.

3 Soon, by his extraordinary spirit {ruach}, Daniel (God is my judge) distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

4 Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel (God is my judge) concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel (God is my judge) unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”

6 So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius (lord), may you live forever!

7 All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.

8 Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes (middle land) and Persians (pure / splendid), which cannot be repealed.”

9 Therefore King Darius (lord) signed the written decree.

10 Now when Daniel (God is my judge) learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem (city of peace), and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel (God is my judge) petitioning and imploring his God.

12 So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes (middle land) and Persians (pure / splendid) the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”

13 Then they told the king, “Daniel (God is my judge), one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”

14 As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel (God is my judge), and he labored until sundown to rescue him.

15 Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes (middle land) and Persians (pure / splendid) no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”