It pleased
Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and
twenty princes, which should be over the whole
kingdom;
02 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.
03 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.
04 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.
05 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.
06 Then these presidents and princes assembled
together to the king, and said thus unto him,
King Darius, live for ever.
07 All the presidents of the kingdom, the
governors, and the princes, the counsellors, 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.
08 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.
09 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.
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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
music 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 exceedingly 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.
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