^6:12So they approached the king and said to him,²² “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct,²³ according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” ^6:13Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives²⁴ from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.”²⁵

^6:14When the king heard this,²⁶ he was very upset and began thinking about²⁷ how he might rescue Daniel. Until late afternoon²⁸ he was struggling to find a way to rescue him. ^6:15Then those men came by collusion to the king and²⁹ said to him,³⁰ “Recall,³¹ O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.” ^6:16So the king gave the order,³² and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den³³ of lions. The king consoled³⁴ Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” ^6:17Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening³⁵ to the den. The king sealed³⁶ it with his signet ring and with those³⁷ of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel.

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Daniel 6:16: Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”

Footnotes

22 The also has “about the edict of the king,” but this phrase is absent in the and the . The present translation deletes the expression. Aram “before the king.”
23 Aram “the word is true.”
24 Aram “from the sons of the captivity [of].”
25 Aram “prays his prayer.”
26 Aram “the word.”
27 Aram “placed his mind on.”
28 Aram “the entrances of the sun.”
29 Theodotion lacks the words “came by collusion to the king and.”
30 Aram “the king.”
31 Aram “know”; “Keep in mind”; “Recognize”; , “Remember.”
32 Aram “said.” So also in vv. 24, 25.
33 The den was perhaps a pit below ground level which could be safely observed from above.
34 Aram “answered and said [to Daniel].”
35 Aram “mouth.”
36 The purpose of the den being sealed was to prevent unauthorized tampering with the opening of the den. Any disturbance of the seal would immediately alert the officials to improper activity of this sort.
37 Aram “the signet rings.”