Daniel’s Integrity and His Entrapment by His Enemies

6 ⌊It pleased Darius⌋,a and he set up one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, that they were ⌊throughout the whole kingdom⌋,b 2 and over them were three administrators, of whom Daniel was one, so that these satraps were giving account to them, and the king would not be suffering loss. 3 Then Daniel ⌊began distinguishing himself⌋c above the administrators and the satraps ⌊because⌋d an exceptional spirit was in him, and so the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the other administrators and satraps ⌊began to seek⌋e to find a pretext against Daniel ⌊in connection with the kingdom⌋,f but they were not able to find any pretext and ⌊corruption⌋g ⌊because⌋h he was trustworthy, and noi negligence or ⌊corruption⌋j ⌊could be found in him⌋.k 5 Then these men ⌊said⌋,l “We will not find any pretextm against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

6 So the administrators and the satraps conspired ⌊with respect to⌋n the king and so they said to him, “Darius, O king, live ⌊forever⌋!o 7 All of the administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel and have agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that ⌊whoever⌋p will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you for up to thirty days will be thrown into ⌊the lion pit⌋.q 8 Now, O king, establish the edict and you must sign the document so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked.”

9 ⌊So⌋r the king, Darius, signed the writing and the interdict.s 10 Now ⌊when⌋t Daniel realized that the document was signed, he went to his house (⌊now he had windows in his upper room that were open⌋u toward Jerusalem), and three times ⌊daily⌋v he knelt on his knees and prayed and gave praise before his God, ⌊just as⌋w he had been doing ⌊previously⌋.x 11 Then these men came as a group and they found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his God. 12 Then they approached ⌊and spoke with the king⌋y concerning the edict of the king, “⌊Did you not sign an edict⌋z that any person who would seek anything from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into ⌊the lion pit⌋?”a The king answered and said, “The matter as you have just stated is certain according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked.”

God’s Miraculous Deliverance of Daniel Again

13 Then ⌊they responded⌋b and said before the king, “Daniel, who is from ⌊the exiles⌋c of Judah,d ⌊is not paying any attention⌋e to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, ⌊and three times daily⌋f he says his prayer.” 14 Then the king, wheng he heard that ⌊report⌋,h he was extremely distressed over it; and ⌊concerning Daniel⌋i ⌊he was determined⌋j to rescue him. And until the setting of the sun he was making every effort to deliver him. 15 Then these men came as a group to the king and ⌊said⌋,k “Recall, O king, that with respect to the law ofl the Medes and Persians that ⌊any⌋m decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be changed.”

16 Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw him into ⌊the lion pit⌋.n ⌊The king said⌋o to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve ⌊faithfully⌋,p may he rescue you!” 17 And aq stone was brought and it was put on the entrance of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet rings of his lords,r so that nothing would be changed concerning Daniel.