¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered the king, “No one on earth can make known what the king requests.^(A) Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, medium, or Chaldean. ¹¹ What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”^{(B) 12} Because of this, the king became violently angry^(C) and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³ The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them.

¹⁴ Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard,^[a](D) who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁵ He asked Arioch, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” ^[b](E) Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. ¹⁶ So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter, ¹⁸ urging them to ask the God of the heavens^(F) for mercy^(G) concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men.^{(H) 19} The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision^(I) at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens ²⁰ and declared:

²⁴ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch,^(R) whom the king had assigned to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He came and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”^(S)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Response

⁴⁶ Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown, worshiped Daniel, and gave orders to present an offering and incense to him.^{(A) 47} The king said to Daniel, “Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings,^(B) and a revealer of mysteries,^(C) since you were able to reveal this mystery.” ⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.^{(D) 49} At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego^(E) to manage the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.^(F)