Dual Panel1It seemed <08232> like a good <08232> idea to Darius <01868> to appoint <06966> over <05922> the kingdom <04437> 120 <06243> <03969> satraps <0324> who <01768> would be <01934> in charge of the entire <03606> kingdom <04437>.
2Over <05924> them would be three <08532> supervisors <05632>, one <02298> of <04481> whom <01768> was <01934> Daniel <01841>. These <0459> satraps <0324> were accountable <02941> <03052> to them, so that the king’s <04430> interests might not <03809> incur <01934> damage <05142>.
3Now <0116> this <01836> Daniel <01841> was <01934> distinguishing <05330> himself above <05922> the other supervisors <05632> and the satraps <0324>, for <01768> <06903> <03606> he had an extraordinary <03493> spirit <07308>. In fact, the king <04430> intended <06246> to appoint <06966> him over <05922> the entire <03606> kingdom <04437>.
4Consequently <0116> the supervisors <05632> and satraps <0324> were <01934> trying <01156> to find <07912> some pretext <05931> against Daniel <01841> in connection <06655> with administrative matters <04437>. But they were unable <03202> <03809> to find <07912> any such <03606> damaging <07844> evidence <05931>, because <01768> <06903> <03606> he was <01932> trustworthy <0540> and guilty of no <03809> <03606> negligence <07960> or corruption <07844>.
5So <0116> these <0479> men <01400> concluded <0560>, “We won’t <03809> find <07912> any <03606> pretext <05931> against this <01836> man Daniel <01841> unless <03861> it is in connection <07912> with <05922> the law <01882> of his God <0426>.”
6So <0116> these <0459> supervisors <05632> and satraps <0324> came by collusion <07284> to <05922> the king <04430> and <03652> said <0560> to him, “O King <04430> Darius <01868>, live <02418> forever <05957>!
7To all <03606> the supervisors <05632> of the kingdom <04437>, the prefects <05460>, satraps <0324>, counselors <01907>, and governors <06347> it seemed like a good idea <03272> for a royal <04430> edict <07010> to be issued <06966> and an interdict <0633> to be enforced <08631>. For <01768> the next <05705> thirty <08533> days <03118> anyone <03606> who <01768> prays <01159> <01156> to any <03606> god <0426> or human <0606> other <03861> than <04481> you, O king <04430>, should be thrown into <07412> a den <01358> of lions <0744>.
8Now <03705> let the king <04430> issue <06966> a written <03792> interdict <0633> so that <01768> it cannot <03809> be altered <08133>, according to the law <01882> of the Medes <04076> and Persians <06540>, which <01768> cannot <03809> be changed <05709>.
9So <06903> <03606> King <04430> Darius <01868> issued <07560> the written <03792> interdict <0633>.
10When <01768> Daniel <01841> realized <03046> that <01768> a written decree <03792> had been issued <07560>, he entered <05954> his home <01005>, where the windows <03551> in his upper room <05952> opened <06606> toward <05049> Jerusalem <03390>. Three <08532> times <02166> daily <03118> he was <01932> kneeling <01291> <05922> <01289> and offering prayers <06739> and thanks <03029> to <06925> his God <0426> just as <06903> <03606> he had been accustomed <01934> to do <05648> previously <06928> <04481>.
11Then <0116> those <0479> officials <01400> who had gone to the king came by collusion <07284> and found <07912> Daniel <01841> praying <01156> and asking for help <02604> before <06925> his God <0426>.
12So <0116> they approached <07127> the king <04430> and said <0560> to <06925> him, “Did you not <03809> issue <07560> an edict <04430> <0633> to the effect <0633> that <01768> for the next <05705> thirty <08533> days <03118> anyone <0606> <03606> who <01768> prays <01156> to <04481> any <03606> god <0426> or human <0606> other <03861> than to <04481> you, O king <04430>, would be thrown into <07412> a den <01358> of lions <0744>?” The king <04430> replied <0560> <06032>, “That <04406> is correct <03330>, according to the law <01882> of the Medes <04076> and Persians <06540>, which <01768> cannot <03809> be changed <05709>.”
13Then <0116> they said <0560> to <06925> the king <04430>, “Daniel <01841>, who <01768> is one of <04481> the captives <01547> <01123> from Judah <03061>, pays <02942> <07761> no <03809> attention <02942> <07761> to <05921> you, O king <04430>, or to <05922> the edict <0633> that <01768> you issued <07560>. Three <08532> times <02166> daily <03118> he offers <01156> his prayer <01159>.”
14When <0116> the king <04430> heard <08086> this <04406>, he was very <07690> upset <0888> and began <07761> thinking <01079> about <05922> how <05922> he might rescue <07804> Daniel <01841>. Until <05705> late afternoon <08122> <04606> he was <01934> struggling <07712> to find a way to rescue <05338> him.
15Then <0116> those <0479> men <01400> came by collusion <07284> to <05922> the king <04430> and said <0560> to him <04430>, “Recall <03046>, O king <04430>, that <01768> it is a law <01882> of the Medes <04076> and Persians <06540> that <01768> no <03809> <03606> edict <0633> or decree <07010> that <01768> the king <04430> issues <06966> can be changed <08133>.”
16So <0116> the king <04430> gave the order <0560>, and Daniel <01841> was brought <0858> and thrown into <07412> a den <01358> of <01768> lions <0744>. The king <04430> consoled <06032> Daniel <01841> by saying <0560>, “Your God <0426> whom <01768> you <0607> continually <08411> serve <06399> will <01932> rescue <07804> you!”
17Then a <02298> stone <069> was brought <0858> and placed <07761> over <05922> the opening <06433> to the den <01358>. The king <04430> sealed <02857> it with his signet ring <05824> and with those <05824> of his nobles <07261> so that <01768> nothing <03809> could be changed <08133> with regard <06640> to Daniel <01841>.
18Then <0116> the king <04430> departed <0236> to his palace <01965>. But he spent the night <0956> without eating <02908>, and no <03809> diversions <01761> were brought to <05954> him. He was unable <05075> to sleep <08139>.
19In the morning <05053>, at the earliest sign of daylight <08238>, the king <04430> got up <06966> and rushed <0927> to <0236> the lions <0744>’ den <01358>.
20As he approached <07127> the den <01358>, he called out <02200> to Daniel <01841> in a worried <06088> voice <07032>, “Daniel <01841>, servant <05649> of the living <02417> God <0426>, was your God <0426> whom <01768> you <0607> continually <08411> serve <06399> able <03202> to rescue <07804> you from <04481> the lions <0744>?”
21Then <0116> Daniel <01841> spoke <04449> to <05974> the king <04430>, “O king <04430>, live <02418> forever <05957>!
22My God <0426> sent <07972> his angel <04398> and closed <05463> the lions <0744>’ mouths <06433> so that they have not <03809> harmed <02255> me, because <06903> <03606> I was found <07912> to be innocent <02136> before <06925> him. Nor <03809> have I done <05648> any harm <02248> to you, O king <04430>.”
23Then <0116> the king <04430> was <07690> delighted <02868> and gave an order <0560> to <05922> haul <05267> Daniel <01841> up <05267> from <04481> the den <01358>. So Daniel <01841> was hauled up <05267> out of <04481> the den <01358>. He had <07912> no <03809> injury <02257> of any <03606> kind, because <01768> he had trusted <0540> in his God <0426>.
24The king <04430> gave <0858> another order <0560>, and those <0479> men <01400> who <01768> had maliciously <0399> accused <07170> Daniel <01841> were brought and thrown into <07412> the lions <0744>’ den <01358>– they, their children <01123>, and their wives <05389>. They did not <03809> even reach <04291> the bottom <0773> of <01768> the den <01358> before <05705> the lions <0744> overpowered <07981> them and crushed <01855> all <03606> their bones <01635>.
25Then <0116> King <04430> Darius <01868> wrote <03790> to all <03606> the peoples <05972>, nations <0524>, and language groups <03961> who <01768> were living <01753> in all <03606> the land <0772>: “Peace <08001> and prosperity <07680>!
26I <04481> have issued <07761> an edict <02942> that <01768> throughout <06925> all <03606> the dominion <07985> of my kingdom <04437> people are <01934> to revere <02112> and fear <01763> the God <0426> of <01768> Daniel <01841>. “For <01768> he is <01932> the living <02417> God <0426>; he endures <07011> forever <05957>. His kingdom <04437> will not <03809> be destroyed <02255>; his authority <07985> is forever <05491> <05705>.
27He rescues <07804> and delivers <05338> and performs <05648> signs <0852> and wonders <08540> in the heavens <08065> and on the earth <0772>. He has rescued <07804> Daniel <01841> from <04481> the power <03028> of the lions <0744>!”
28So this <01836> Daniel <01841> prospered <06744> during the reign <04437> of Darius <01868> and the reign <04437> of Cyrus <03567> the Persian <06543>.