Daniel - 6

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 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.

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.