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Daniel 6
Lexham English Bible

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 no[i] negligence or corruption[j] could be found in him.[k] 5 Then these men said,[l] “We will not find any pretext[m] 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?”[aa] 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[ab] and said before the king, “Daniel, who is from the exiles[ac] of Judah,[ad] is not paying any attention[ae] to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, and three times daily[af] he says his prayer.” 14 Then the king, when[ag] he heard that report,[ah] he was extremely distressed over it; and concerning Daniel[ai] he was determined[aj] 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,[ak] “Recall, O king, that with respect to the law of[al] the Medes and Persians that any[am] 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.[an] The king said[ao] to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve faithfully,[ap] may he rescue you!” 17 And a[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,[ar] so that nothing would be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night in fasting, and no food was brought in before him and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king got up at daybreak, at first light, and he went in haste[as] to the lion pit.[at] 20 And when he came near[au] to the pit, he cried out to Daniel with a distressed voice, and the king spoke[av] and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve faithfully, was he able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to[aw] the king, “O king, live forever![ax] 22 My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not[ay] hurt me, because[az] before him I was found[ba] blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done any wrong.”

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad over it[bb] and commanded that Daniel be lifted up from the pit; and there was not any wound found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king then commanded, and these men were brought who had accused Daniel,[bc] and they threw them and their children and their wives into the lion pit,[bd] and they had not reached the floor of the pit before[be] the lions had overpowered them and they had crushed all of their bones.

The King Praises the God of Daniel and Daniel Prospers

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the people, the nations, and the languages living in the whole earth, “May your prosperity become great! 26 I make a decree[bf] that in all the dominion of my kingdom people will be trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and endures forever[bg] and his[bh] kingdom is one that will not be destroyed and his dominion has no end.[bi] 27 He is rescuing, delivering, and working signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth, for he has rescued Daniel from the power[bj] of the lions.” 28 So this Daniel prospered during the kingdom of Darius and during the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 6:1 Literally “It was pleasant before Darius”
  2. Daniel 6:1 Literally “in all the kingdom”
  3. Daniel 6:3 Literally “was distinguishing himself”
  4. Daniel 6:3 Literally “all of because that”
  5. Daniel 6:4 Literally “were seeking”
  6. Daniel 6:4 Literally “from the side of the kingdom”
  7. Daniel 6:4 Literally “being corrupt”
  8. Daniel 6:4 Literally “all because that”
  9. Daniel 6:4 Aramaic “any”
  10. Daniel 6:4 Literally “being corrupt”
  11. Daniel 6:4 Literally “not could be found”
  12. Daniel 6:5 Literally “were saying”
  13. Daniel 6:5 Or “basis for accusation”
  14. Daniel 6:6 Literally “on/upon”
  15. Daniel 6:6 Literally “to eternity”
  16. Daniel 6:7 Literally “all that”
  17. Daniel 6:7 Literally “pit of lions”
  18. Daniel 6:9 Literally “Like to before this”
  19. Daniel 6:9 Or “the writing that is the interdict”
  20. Daniel 6:10 Literally “as that”
  21. Daniel 6:10 Literally “and windows were open to him in his upper room”
  22. Daniel 6:10 Literally “in the day”
  23. Daniel 6:10 Literally “all because that”
  24. Daniel 6:10 Literally “from before this”
  25. Daniel 6:12 Literally “and saying before the king”
  26. Daniel 6:12 Literally “Not an edict you signed?”
  27. Daniel 6:12 Literally “pit of lions”
  28. Daniel 6:13 Literally “they answered”
  29. Daniel 6:13 Literally “the sons of the exile”
  30. Daniel 6:13 Aramaic “Jehud”
  31. Daniel 6:13 Literally “not he sets his mind”
  32. Daniel 6:13 Literally “and three times on the day”
  33. Daniel 6:14 Aramaic “as ”
  34. Daniel 6:14 Literally “word”
  35. Daniel 6:14 Literally “upon Daniel”
  36. Daniel 6:14 Literally “he set his heart”
  37. Daniel 6:15 Literally “saying”
  38. Daniel 6:15 Aramaic “to”
  39. Daniel 6:15 Literally “all/every”
  40. Daniel 6:16 Literally “pit of lions”
  41. Daniel 6:16 Literally “The king answered and saying”
  42. Daniel 6:16 Literally “in the loyalty”
  43. Daniel 6:17 Aramaic “one”
  44. Daniel 6:17 Or “nobles”
  45. Daniel 6:19 Literally “to hasten”
  46. Daniel 6:19 Literally “pit of lions”
  47. Daniel 6:20 Literally “as coming near him”
  48. Daniel 6:20 Literally “answered”
  49. Daniel 6:21 Aramaic “with”
  50. Daniel 6:21 Literally “unto endless ages”
  51. Daniel 6:22 Aramaic “would not”
  52. Daniel 6:22 Literally “all of because that”
  53. Daniel 6:22 Literally “it was found for me”
  54. Daniel 6:23 That is, the situation
  55. Daniel 6:24 Literally “they ate his pieces of Daniel”
  56. Daniel 6:24 Literally “pit of lions”
  57. Daniel 6:24 Literally “until that”
  58. Daniel 6:26 Literally “From before me is put forth a decree”
  59. Daniel 6:26 Literally “to eternity/endless ages”
  60. Daniel 6:26 Literally “and whose”
  61. Daniel 6:26 Literally “dominion his to the end”
  62. Daniel 6:27 Literally “hand”
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Daniel 6
New English Translation

Daniel is Thrown into a Lions’ Den

6 It seemed like a good idea to Darius[a] to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps[b] who would be in charge of the entire kingdom. 2 Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable[c] to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage. 3 Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 4 Consequently the supervisors and satraps were trying to find[d] some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters.[e] But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence,[f] because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption.[g] 5 So these men concluded,[h] “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is[i] in connection with the law of his God.”

6 So these supervisors and satraps came by collusion[j] to the king and said[k] to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays[l] to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions. 8 Now let the king issue a written interdict[m] so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.”[n] 9 So King Darius issued the written interdict.

10 When Daniel realized[o] that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows[p] in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three[q] times daily he was[r] kneeling[s] and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously. 11 Then those officials who had gone to the king[t] came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God. 12 So they approached the king and said to him,[u] “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct,[v] according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” 13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives[w] from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.”[x]

14 When the king heard this,[y] he was very upset and began thinking about[z] how he might rescue Daniel. Until late afternoon[aa] he was struggling to find a way to rescue him. 15 Then those men came by collusion to the king and[ab] said to him,[ac] “Recall,[ad] O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.” 16 So the king gave the order,[ae] and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den[af] of lions. The king consoled[ag] Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” 17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening[ah] to the den. The king sealed[ai] it with his signet ring and with those[aj] of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions[ak] were brought to him. He was unable to sleep.[al]

God Rescues Daniel from the Lions

19 In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den. 20 As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a worried voice,[am] “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you continually serve able to rescue you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel spoke to[an] the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”

23 Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king gave another order,[ao] and those men who had maliciously accused[ap] Daniel were brought and thrown[aq] into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives.[ar] They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity![as] 26 I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God;
he endures forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed;
his authority is forever.[at]
27 He rescues and delivers
and performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel from the power[au] of the lions!”

28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and[av] the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 6:1 tn Aram “It was pleasing before Darius.”
  2. Daniel 6:1 tn This is a technical term for an official placed in charge of a region of the empire (cf. KJV, NLT “prince[s]”; NCV, TEV “governors”). These satraps were answerable to a supervisor, who in turn answered to Darius.
  3. Daniel 6:2 tn Aram “giving an account.”
  4. Daniel 6:4 tn Aram “looking to find.”
  5. Daniel 6:4 tn Aram “from the side of the kingdom.”
  6. Daniel 6:4 tn Aram “pretext and corruption.”
  7. Daniel 6:4 tn Aram “no negligence or corruption was found in him.” The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the phrase “and no negligence or corruption was found in him.”
  8. Daniel 6:5 tn Aram “were saying.”
  9. Daniel 6:5 tn Aram “unless we find [it] against him.”
  10. Daniel 6:6 tn The Aramaic verb רְגַשׁ (regash) occurs three times in this chapter (vv. 7, 12, 16). Its meaning is widely disputed by commentators, and the versions vary considerably in how they render the word. The suggestion that it means “to come thronging” (BDB 1112 s.v.; cf. NAB) seems inappropriate, since it is unlikely that subordinates would enter a royal court in such a reckless fashion. The ancient versions struggled with the word and are not in agreement in their understanding of its meaning. In this chapter the word apparently means to act in agreement with other parties in the pursuit of a duplicitous goal, namely the entrapment of Daniel; cf. NIV, NCV “went as a group”; NRSV “conspired and came to the king.”
  11. Daniel 6:6 tn Aram “thus they were saying.”
  12. Daniel 6:7 tn Aram “prays a prayer.”
  13. Daniel 6:8 tn Aram “establish a written interdict and inscribe a written decree.”
  14. Daniel 6:8 tn Or “removed.”
  15. Daniel 6:10 tn Aram “knew.”
  16. Daniel 6:10 sn In later rabbinic thought this verse was sometimes cited as a proof text for the notion that one should pray only in a house with windows (see b. Berakhot 34b).
  17. Daniel 6:10 sn This is apparently the only specific mention in the OT of prayer being regularly offered three times a day. The practice was probably not unique to Daniel, however.
  18. Daniel 6:10 tc Read with several medieval Hebrew mss and printed editions הֲוָה (havah, “he was”) rather than the MT הוּא (huʾ, “he”).
  19. Daniel 6:10 tn Aram “kneeling on his knees” (so NASB).sn No specific posture for offering prayers is prescribed in the OT. Kneeling, as here, and standing were both practiced.
  20. Daniel 6:11 tn Aram “those men”; the referent (the administrative officials who had earlier approached the king about the edict) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  21. Daniel 6:12 tc The MT also has “about the edict of the king,” but this phrase is absent in the LXX and the Syriac. The present translation deletes the expression.tn Aram “before the king.”
  22. Daniel 6:12 tn Aram “the word is true.”
  23. Daniel 6:13 tn Aram “from the sons of the captivity [of].”
  24. Daniel 6:13 tn Aram “prays his prayer.”
  25. Daniel 6:14 tn Aram “the word.”
  26. Daniel 6:14 tn Aram “placed his mind on.”
  27. Daniel 6:14 tn Aram “the entrances of the sun.”
  28. Daniel 6:15 tc Theodotion lacks the words “came by collusion to the king and.”
  29. Daniel 6:15 tn Aram “the king.”
  30. Daniel 6:15 tn Aram “know”; NAB “Keep in mind”; NASB “Recognize”; NIV, NCV “Remember.”
  31. Daniel 6:16 tn Aram “said,” as also in vv. 24, 25.
  32. Daniel 6:16 sn The den was perhaps a pit below ground level that could be safely observed from above.
  33. Daniel 6:16 tn Aram “answered and said [to Daniel].”
  34. Daniel 6:17 tn Aram “mouth.”
  35. Daniel 6:17 sn The purpose of the den being sealed was to prevent unauthorized tampering with the opening of the den. Any disturbance of the seal would immediately alert the officials to improper activity of this sort.
  36. Daniel 6:17 tn Aram “the signet rings.”
  37. Daniel 6:18 tn The meaning of Aramaic דַּחֲוָה (dakhavah) is a crux interpretum. Suggestions include “music,” “dancing girls,” “concubines,” “table,” “food”—all of which are uncertain. The translation employed here, suggested by earlier scholars, is deliberately vague. A number of recent English versions follow a similar approach with “entertainment” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On this word see further, HALOT 1849-50 s.v.; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 37.
  38. Daniel 6:18 tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”
  39. Daniel 6:20 tn Aram “The king answered and said to Daniel.” This phrase has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons; it is redundant in English.
  40. Daniel 6:21 tn Aram “with.”
  41. Daniel 6:24 tn Aram “said.”
  42. Daniel 6:24 tn Aram “had eaten the pieces of.” The Aramaic expression is ironic, in that the accusers who had figuratively “eaten the pieces of Daniel” are themselves literally devoured by the lions.
  43. Daniel 6:24 tn The Aramaic active impersonal verb is often used as a substitute for the passive.
  44. Daniel 6:24 tc The LXX specifies only the two overseers, together with their families, as those who were cast into the lions’ den.
  45. Daniel 6:25 tn Aram “May your peace be increased!”
  46. Daniel 6:26 tn Aram “until the end.”
  47. Daniel 6:27 tn Aram “hand.”
  48. Daniel 6:28 tn Or perhaps “in the reign of Darius, even in the reign of Cyrus.” The identity of this Darius is disputed. Some take the name as referring to Cyrus, understanding the following ו (vav “and”) in an epexegetical sense (“even”). Others identify Darius with a governor of Babylon known from extra-biblical records as Gubaru, or with Cambyses, son of Cyrus. Many scholars maintain that the reference is historically inaccurate.
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