1 It pleased|strong="H6925" Darius|strong="H1868" to set|strong="H6966" over|strong="H5922" the kingdom|strong="H4437" an hundred|strong="H3969" and twenty|strong="H6243" princes|strong="H0324", which should be|strong="H1934" over the whole|strong="H3606" kingdom|strong="H4437";
2 And over|strong="H5924" these|strong="H4481" three|strong="H8532" presidents|strong="H5632"; of whom|strong="H4481" Daniel|strong="H1841" was first|strong="H2298": that|strong="H0459" the princes|strong="H0324" might|strong="H1934" give|strong="H3052" accounts|strong="H2941" unto them, and the king|strong="H4430" should have|strong="H1934" no|strong="H3809" damage|strong="H5142".
3 Then|strong="H0116" this|strong="H1836" Daniel|strong="H1841" was|strong="H1934" preferred|strong="H5330" above|strong="H5922" the presidents|strong="H5632" and princes|strong="H0324", because|strong="H3606" an excellent|strong="H3493" spirit|strong="H7308" was in him; and the king|strong="H4430" thought|strong="H6246" to set|strong="H6966" him over|strong="H5922" the whole|strong="H3606" realm|strong="H4437".
4 Then|strong="H0116" the presidents|strong="H5632" and princes|strong="H0324" sought|strong="H1934" to find|strong="H7912" occasion|strong="H5931" against Daniel|strong="H1841" concerning|strong="H6655" the kingdom|strong="H4437"; but|strong="H3606" they could|strong="H3202" find|strong="H7912" none|strong="H3809" occasion|strong="H5931" nor|strong="H3809" fault|strong="H7844"; forasmuch|strong="H6903" as he was faithful|strong="H0540", neither|strong="H3809" was there any|strong="H3606" error|strong="H7960" or fault|strong="H7844" found|strong="H7912" in him|strong="H5922".
5 Then|strong="H0116" said|strong="H0560" these|strong="H0479" men|strong="H1400", We shall not|strong="H3809" find|strong="H7912" any|strong="H3606" occasion|strong="H5931" against|strong="H5922" this|strong="H1836" Daniel|strong="H1841", except|strong="H3861" we find|strong="H7912" it against him concerning the law|strong="H1882" of his God|strong="H0426".
6 Then|strong="H0116" these|strong="H0459" presidents|strong="H5632" and princes|strong="H0324" assembled together|strong="H7284" to the king|strong="H4430", and said|strong="H0560" thus|strong="H3652" unto him|strong="H5922", King|strong="H4430" Darius|strong="H1868", live|strong="H2418" for ever|strong="H5957".
7 All|strong="H3606" the presidents|strong="H5632" of the kingdom|strong="H4437", the governors|strong="H5460", and the princes|strong="H0324", the counsellors|strong="H1907", and the captains|strong="H6347", have consulted together|strong="H3272" to establish|strong="H6966" a royal|strong="H4430" statute|strong="H7010", and to make a firm|strong="H8631" decree|strong="H0633", that whosoever shall ask|strong="H1156" a petition|strong="H1159" of|strong="H4481" any|strong="H3606" God|strong="H0426" or man|strong="H0606" for|strong="H5705" thirty|strong="H8533" days|strong="H3118", save|strong="H3861" of thee|strong="H4481", O king|strong="H4430", he shall be cast|strong="H7412" into the den|strong="H1358" of lions|strong="H0744".
8 Now|strong="H3705", O king|strong="H4430", establish|strong="H6966" the decree|strong="H0633", and sign|strong="H7560" the writing|strong="H3792", that it be not|strong="H3809" changed|strong="H8133", according to the law|strong="H1882" of the Medes|strong="H4076" and Persians|strong="H6540", which altereth|strong="H5709" not|strong="H3809".
9 Wherefore|strong="H3606" king|strong="H4430" Darius|strong="H1868" signed|strong="H7560" the writing|strong="H3792" and the decree|strong="H0633".
10 Now when Daniel|strong="H1841" knew|strong="H3046" that the writing|strong="H3792" was signed|strong="H7560", he went|strong="H5954" into his house|strong="H1005"; and his windows|strong="H3551" being open|strong="H6606" in his chamber|strong="H5952" toward|strong="H5049" Jerusalem|strong="H3390", he kneeled|strong="H1289" upon|strong="H5922" his knees|strong="H1291" three|strong="H8532" times|strong="H2166" a day|strong="H3118", and prayed|strong="H6739", and gave thanks|strong="H3029" before|strong="H6925" his God|strong="H0426", as|strong="H6903" he did|strong="H1934" aforetime|strong="H4481".
11 Then|strong="H0116" these|strong="H0479" men|strong="H1400" assembled|strong="H7284", and found|strong="H7912" Daniel|strong="H1841" praying|strong="H1156" and making supplication|strong="H2604" before|strong="H6925" his God|strong="H0426".
12 Then|strong="H0116" they came near|strong="H7127", and spake|strong="H0560" before|strong="H6925" the king|strong="H4430" concerning|strong="H5922" the king’s|strong="H4430" decree|strong="H0633"; Hast thou not|strong="H3809" signed|strong="H7560" a decree|strong="H0633", that every|strong="H3606" man|strong="H0606" that shall ask|strong="H1156" a petition of|strong="H4481" any|strong="H3606" God|strong="H0426" or man|strong="H0606" within|strong="H5705" thirty|strong="H8533" days|strong="H3118", save|strong="H3861" of thee|strong="H4481", O king|strong="H4430", shall be cast|strong="H7412" into the den|strong="H1358" of lions|strong="H0744"? The king|strong="H4430" answered|strong="H6032" and said|strong="H0560", The thing|strong="H4406" is true|strong="H3330", according to the law|strong="H1882" of the Medes|strong="H4076" and Persians|strong="H6540", which altereth|strong="H5709" not|strong="H3809".
13 Then|strong="H0116" answered|strong="H6032" they and said|strong="H0560" before|strong="H6925" the king|strong="H4430", That Daniel|strong="H1841", which is of|strong="H4481" the children|strong="H1123" of the captivity|strong="H1547" of Judah|strong="H3061", regardeth|strong="H7761" not|strong="H3809" thee|strong="H5922", O king|strong="H4430", nor the decree|strong="H0633" that thou hast signed|strong="H7560", but maketh|strong="H1156" his petition|strong="H1159" three|strong="H8532" times|strong="H2166" a day|strong="H3118".
14 Then|strong="H0116" the king|strong="H4430", when he heard|strong="H8086" these words|strong="H4406", was sore|strong="H7690" displeased|strong="H0888" with himself, and set|strong="H7761" his heart|strong="H1079" on|strong="H5922" Daniel|strong="H1841" to deliver|strong="H7804" him: and he laboured|strong="H1934" till|strong="H5705" the going down|strong="H4606" of the sun|strong="H8122" to deliver|strong="H5338" him.
15 Then|strong="H0116" these|strong="H0479" men|strong="H1400" assembled|strong="H7284" unto|strong="H5922" the king|strong="H4430", and said|strong="H0560" unto the king|strong="H4430", Know|strong="H3046", O king|strong="H4430", that the law|strong="H1882" of the Medes|strong="H4076" and Persians|strong="H6540" is, That no|strong="H3606" decree|strong="H0633" nor statute|strong="H7010" which the king|strong="H4430" establisheth|strong="H6966" may be changed|strong="H8133".
16 Then|strong="H0116" the king|strong="H4430" commanded|strong="H0560", and they brought|strong="H0858" Daniel|strong="H1841", and cast|strong="H7412" him into the den|strong="H1358" of lions|strong="H0744". Now the king|strong="H4430" spake|strong="H6032" and said|strong="H0560" unto Daniel|strong="H1841", Thy God|strong="H0426" whom thou|strong="H0607" servest|strong="H6399" continually|strong="H8411", he will deliver|strong="H7804" thee.
17 And a|strong="H2298" stone|strong="H0069" was brought|strong="H0858", and laid|strong="H7761" upon|strong="H5922" the mouth|strong="H6433" of the den|strong="H1358"; and the king|strong="H4430" sealed|strong="H2857" it with his own signet|strong="H5824", and with the signet|strong="H5824" of his lords|strong="H7261"; that the purpose|strong="H6640" might not|strong="H3809" be changed|strong="H8133" concerning Daniel|strong="H1841".
18 Then|strong="H0116" the king|strong="H4430" went|strong="H0236" to his palace|strong="H1965", and passed the night|strong="H0956" fasting|strong="H2908": neither|strong="H3809" were instruments|strong="H1761" of musick brought|strong="H5954" before|strong="H6925" him: and his sleep|strong="H8139" went|strong="H5075" from him|strong="H5922".
19 Then|strong="H0116" the king|strong="H4430" arose|strong="H6966" very early|strong="H8238" in the morning|strong="H5053", and went|strong="H0236" in haste|strong="H0927" unto the den|strong="H1358" of lions|strong="H0744".
20 And when he came|strong="H7127" to the den|strong="H1358", he cried|strong="H2200" with a lamentable|strong="H6088" voice|strong="H7032" unto Daniel|strong="H1841": and the king|strong="H4430" spake|strong="H6032" and said|strong="H0560" to Daniel|strong="H1841", O Daniel|strong="H1841", servant|strong="H5649" of the living|strong="H2417" God|strong="H0426", is thy God|strong="H0426", whom thou servest|strong="H6399" continually|strong="H8411", able|strong="H3202" to deliver|strong="H7804" thee from|strong="H4481" the lions|strong="H0744"?
21 Then|strong="H0116" said|strong="H4449" Daniel|strong="H1841" unto|strong="H5974" the king|strong="H4430", O king|strong="H4430", live|strong="H2418" for ever|strong="H5957".
22 My God|strong="H0426" hath sent|strong="H7972" his angel|strong="H4398", and hath shut|strong="H5463" the lions’|strong="H0744" mouths|strong="H6433", that they have not|strong="H3809" hurt|strong="H2255" me: forasmuch as|strong="H3606" before|strong="H6925" him innocency|strong="H2136" was found|strong="H7912" in me; and also|strong="H0638" before|strong="H6925" thee, O king|strong="H4430", have I done|strong="H5648" no|strong="H3809" hurt|strong="H2248".
23 Then|strong="H0116" was the king|strong="H4430" exceeding|strong="H7690" glad|strong="H2868" for him|strong="H5922", and commanded|strong="H0560" that they should take|strong="H5267" Daniel|strong="H1841" up|strong="H5267" out of|strong="H4481" the den|strong="H1358". So Daniel|strong="H1841" was taken up|strong="H5267" out of|strong="H4481" the den|strong="H1358", and no|strong="H3809" manner|strong="H3606" of hurt|strong="H2257" was found|strong="H7912" upon him, because he believed|strong="H0540" in his God|strong="H0426".
24 And the king|strong="H4430" commanded|strong="H0560", and they brought|strong="H0858" those|strong="H0479" men|strong="H1400" which had accused|strong="H0399" Daniel|strong="H1841", and they cast|strong="H7412" them into the den|strong="H1358" of lions|strong="H0744", them|strong="H0581", their children|strong="H1123", and their wives|strong="H5389"; and the lions|strong="H0744" had the mastery|strong="H5705" of them, and brake|strong="H1855" all|strong="H3606" their bones|strong="H1635" in pieces|strong="H1855" or ever|strong="H3809" they came|strong="H4291" at the bottom|strong="H0773" of the den|strong="H1358".
25 Then|strong="H0116" king|strong="H4430" Darius|strong="H1868" wrote|strong="H3790" unto all|strong="H3606" people|strong="H5972", nations|strong="H0524", and languages|strong="H3961", that dwell|strong="H1753" in all|strong="H3606" the earth|strong="H0772"; Peace|strong="H8001" be multiplied|strong="H7680" unto you.
26 I|strong="H4481" make|strong="H7761" a decree|strong="H2942", That in every|strong="H3606" dominion|strong="H7985" of my kingdom|strong="H4437" men tremble|strong="H1934" and fear|strong="H1763" before|strong="H4481" the God|strong="H0426" of Daniel|strong="H1841": for he is the living|strong="H2417" God|strong="H0426", and stedfast|strong="H7011" for ever|strong="H5957", and his kingdom|strong="H4437" that which shall not|strong="H3809" be destroyed|strong="H2255", and his dominion|strong="H7985" shall be even unto|strong="H5705" the end|strong="H5491".
27 He delivereth|strong="H7804" and rescueth|strong="H5338", and he worketh|strong="H5648" signs|strong="H0852" and wonders|strong="H8540" in heaven|strong="H8065" and in earth|strong="H0772", who hath delivered|strong="H7804" Daniel|strong="H1841" from|strong="H4481" the power|strong="H3028" of the lions|strong="H0744".
28 So this|strong="H1836" Daniel|strong="H1841" prospered|strong="H6744" in the reign|strong="H4437" of Darius|strong="H1868", and in the reign|strong="H4437" of Cyrus|strong="H3567" the Persian|strong="H6543".