¹⁴ Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to ^(A)Arioch, the captain of the king’s ^[a]bodyguard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; ¹⁵ he said to Arioch, the king’s officer, “For what reason is the decree from the king so harsh?” Then Arioch informed Daniel of the matter. ¹⁶ So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him a grace period, so that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, ^(B)Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, ¹⁸ so that they might ^(C)request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his friends would not be ^(D)killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

The Secret Is Revealed to Daniel

¹⁹ Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night ^(E)vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven;

¹⁷ And a ^(A)stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed regarding Daniel.