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 counsellers, 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 exceeding 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. |