1. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and
twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2. And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first:
that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king
should have no damage.
3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and
princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the
king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion
against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find
none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful,
neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the
law of his God.
6. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the
king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the
princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted
together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm
decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or
man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast
into the den of lions.
8. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing,
that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes
and Persians, which altereth not.
9. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went
into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber
toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a
day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did
aforetime.
11. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and
making supplication before his God.
12. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning
the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every
man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within
thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the
den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true,
according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which
altereth not.
13. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel,
which is of the children of the captivity of Judah,
regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast
signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
14. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore
displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to
deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun
to deliver him.
15. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the
king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians
is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth
may be changed.
16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast
him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto
Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will
deliver thee.
17. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den;
and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the
signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed
concerning Daniel.
18. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night
fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before
him: and his sleep went from him.
19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in
haste unto the den of lions.
20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable
voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O
Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou
servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21. Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths,
that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him
innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king,
have I done no hurt.
23. Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded
that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel
was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found
upon him, because he believed in his God.
24. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had
accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions,
them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the
mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever
they came at the bottom of the den.
25. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and
languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied
unto you.
26. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men
tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the
living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even
unto the end.
27. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders
in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the
power of the lions.
28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the
reign of Cyrus the Persian.
