¹⁴ Then Daniel prudently took counsel with Arioch, the chief of the king’s guard, who had set out to kill the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁵ He asked Arioch, the officer of the king, “What is the reason for this harsh order from the king?” When Arioch told him, ¹⁶ Daniel went and asked for time from the king, that he might give him the interpretation.

¹⁷ Daniel went home and informed his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹⁸ that they might implore the mercy of the God of heaven in regard to this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven:

¹⁷ So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions’ den.^[a] To Daniel he said, “Your God, whom you serve so constantly, must save you.”

²¹ As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?”