Chapter 6

It pleased ^{8232 57} Darius to set⁸⁵ over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be⁶⁰ over the whole kingdom;

And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel [was] first: that the princes might give^{60 3052 62} accounts unto them, and the king should have⁶⁰ no damage.⁶³

Then this Daniel was⁵⁷ preferred⁷⁶ above the presidents and princes, because ⁶⁹⁰³ an excellent spirit [was] in him; and the king thought⁵⁷ to set⁸⁶ him over the whole realm.

Then the presidents and princes sought^{57 1156 61} to find⁸⁶ occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could⁶¹ find⁸⁶ none ³⁶⁰⁶ occasion nor fault;⁶³ forasmuch ⁶⁹⁰³ as he [was] faithful,⁸⁹ neither was there any error or fault⁶³ found⁷⁷ in him.

Then said⁶¹ these men, We shall not find⁸⁵ any occasion against this Daniel, except we find⁸⁸ [it] against him concerning the law of his God.

Then these presidents and princes assembled together⁸⁵ to the king, and said⁶¹ thus unto him, King Darius, live⁵⁹ for ever.

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together⁷³ to establish⁶⁸ a royal statute, and to make a firm⁶⁸ decree, that whosoever shall ask⁶⁰ a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast⁸² into the den of lions.

Now, O king, establish⁸⁸ the decree, and sign⁶⁰ the writing, that it be not changed,⁸⁶ according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth⁶⁰ not.

Wherefore ^{1836 6903} king Darius signed⁵⁷ the writing and the decree.

Now when Daniel knew⁵⁷ that the writing was signed,⁶³ he went⁵⁷ into his house; and his windows being open⁶⁶ in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled⁶¹ upon his knees three times a day, and prayed,⁷¹ and gave thanks⁸⁹ before his God, as ³⁶⁰⁶ he did^{57 5648 62} aforetime. ^{1836 6928}

Then these men assembled,⁸⁵ and found⁸⁵ Daniel praying⁶¹ and making supplication⁷⁶ before his God.

Then they came near,⁵⁷ and spake⁶¹ before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed⁵⁷ a decree, that every man that shall ask⁶⁰ [a petition] of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast⁸² into the den of lions? The king answered⁶¹ and said,⁶¹ The thing [is] true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth⁶⁰ not.

Then answered⁵⁷ they and said⁶¹ before the king, That Daniel, which [is] of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth^{57 2942} not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed,⁵⁷ but maketh⁶¹ his petition three times a day.

Then the king, when he heard⁵⁷ [these] words, was sore displeased⁵⁷ with himself, and set⁵⁷ [his] heart on Daniel to deliver¹²⁸ him: and he laboured^{57 7712 76} till the going down of the sun to deliver⁸⁶ him.

Then these men assembled⁸⁵ unto the king, and said⁶¹ unto the king, Know,⁵⁹ O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth⁸⁸ may be changed.⁸⁶

Then the king commanded,⁵⁷ and they brought⁸⁵ Daniel, and cast⁵⁷ [him] into the den of lions. [Now] the king spake⁶¹ and said⁶¹ unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest⁶¹ continually, he will deliver¹²⁹ thee.

And a stone was brought,⁹⁰ and laid⁶³ upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed⁵⁷ it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed⁶⁰ concerning Daniel.

Then the king went⁵⁷ to his palace, and passed the night⁵⁷ fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought⁸⁵ before him: and his sleep went⁵⁷ from him.

Then the king arose⁶⁰ very early in the morning, and went⁵⁷ in haste⁷⁸ unto the den of lions.

And when he came⁵⁸ to the den, he cried⁵⁷ with a lamentable⁶¹ voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake⁶¹ and said⁶¹ to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest⁶¹ continually, able⁵⁷ to deliver¹²⁸ thee from the lions?

Then said⁶⁷ Daniel unto the king, O king, live⁵⁹ for ever.

My God hath sent⁵⁷ his angel, and hath shut⁵⁷ the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt⁶⁷ me: forasmuch as ⁶⁹⁰³ before him innocency was found⁷⁷ in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done⁵⁷ no hurt.

Then was the king exceeding glad⁵⁷ for him, and commanded⁵⁷ that they should take Daniel up⁸⁶ out of the den. So Daniel was taken up⁹⁰ out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found⁷⁷ upon him, because he believed⁸⁵ in his God.

And the king commanded,⁵⁷ and they brought⁸⁵ those men which had accused^{57 7170} Daniel, and they cast⁵⁷ [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery⁵⁷ of them, and brake all their bones in pieces⁸⁵ or ever they came⁵⁷ at the bottom of the den.

Then king Darius wrote⁵⁷ unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell⁶¹ in all the earth; Peace be multiplied⁶⁰ unto you.

I ⁶⁹²⁵ make⁶³ a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble^{60 2112} and fear⁶² before ⁶⁹²⁵ the God of Daniel: for he [is] the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed,⁷⁵ and his dominion [shall be even] unto the end.

He delivereth¹³⁰ and rescueth,⁸⁹ and he worketh⁶² signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered¹²⁷ Daniel from the power of the lions.

So this Daniel prospered⁸⁵ in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.