Daniel 6 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Daniel Serves Darius

1 [fn]It pleased ^H8232 Darius ^H1868 to appoint ^H6966 120 ^H3969 H6243 satraps ^H324 over ^H5922 the kingdom ^H4437, to be in charge of the whole ^H3606 kingdom ^H4437,

2 and over ^H5924 them, three ^H8532 commissioners ^H5632 (of whom ^H1768 Daniel ^H1841 was one ^H2298), so ^H1768 that ^H1768 these ^H459 satraps ^H324 would be accountable ^H3052 H2942 to them, and that the king ^H4430 would not [fn]suffer ^H5142 loss ^H5142. 3 Then ^H116 this ^H1836 Daniel ^H1841 began distinguishing ^H5330 himself [fn]among ^H5922 the commissioners ^H5632 and satraps ^H324 because ^H6903 H1768 [fn]he possessed an extraordinary ^H3493 spirit ^H7308, and the king ^H4430 intended ^H6246 to appoint ^H6966 him over ^H5922 the entire ^H3606 kingdom ^H4437. 4 Then ^H116 the commissioners ^H5632 and satraps ^H324 began trying ^H1156 to find ^H7912 a ground ^H5931 of ^H5931 accusation ^H5931 against Daniel ^H1841 regarding ^H6655 [fn]government ^H4437 affairs ^H4437; but they could ^H3202 find ^H7912 no ^H3606 H3809 ground ^H5931 of ^H5931 accusation ^H5931 or evidence of corruption ^H7844, because ^H6903 H1768 he was trustworthy ^H540, and no ^H3606 H3809 negligence ^H7960 or corruption ^H7844 was to be found ^H7912 in him. 5 Then ^H116 these ^H479 men ^H1400 said ^H560, “We will not find ^H7912 any ^H3606 ground ^H5931 of ^H5931 accusation ^H5931 against this ^H1836 Daniel ^H1841 unless ^H3861 we find ^H7912 it against ^H5922 him regarding the law ^H1882 of his God ^H426.”

6 Then ^H116 these ^H459 commissioners ^H5632 and satraps ^H324 came ^H7284 [fn]by ^H7284 agreement ^H7284 to the king ^H4430 and spoke ^H560 to him as ^H3652 follows ^H3652: “King ^H4430 Darius ^H1868, live ^H2418 forever ^H5957! 7 All ^H3606 the commissioners ^H5632 of the kingdom ^H4437, the prefects ^H5460 and the satraps ^H324, the counselors ^H1907 and the governors ^H6347, have consulted ^H3272 together ^H3272 that the king ^H4430 should establish ^H6966 a statute ^H7010 and enforce ^H8631 an injunction ^H633 that anyone ^H3606 who ^H1768 offers ^H1156 a prayer ^H1159 to any ^H3606 god ^H426 or person ^H606 besides ^H3861 H4481 you, O king ^H4430, for thirty ^H8533 days ^H3118, shall be thrown ^H7412 into the lions’ ^H744 [fn]den ^H1358. 8 Now ^H3705, O king ^H4430, establish ^H6966 the injunction ^H633 and sign ^H7560 the document ^H3792 so ^H1768 that ^H1768 it will not be changed ^H8133, according to the law ^H1882 of the Medes ^H4076 and Persians ^H6540, which ^H1768 [fn]may not be revoked ^H5709.” 9 Thereupon ^H6903 H1836, King ^H4430 Darius ^H1868 signed ^H7560 the document ^H3792, that is, the injunction ^H633.

10 Now when ^H1768 Daniel ^H1841 learned ^H3046 that the document ^H3792 was signed ^H7560, he entered ^H5954 his house ^H1005 (and in ^H5954 his roof ^H5952 chamber ^H5952 he had windows ^H3551 open ^H6606 toward ^H5049 Jerusalem ^H3390); and he continued kneeling ^H1289 on his knees ^H1291 three ^H8532 times ^H2166 a day ^H3118, praying ^H6739 and offering ^H3029 praise ^H3029 before ^H6925 his God ^H426, just ^H6903 as he had been doing ^H5648 previously ^H4481 H6928. 11 Then ^H116 these ^H479 men ^H1400 came ^H7284 [fn]by ^H7284 agreement ^H7284 and found ^H7912 Daniel ^H1841 offering ^H1156 a ^H1156 prayer ^H1156 and imploring ^H2604 favor before ^H6925 his God ^H426. 12 Then ^H116 they approached ^H7127 and spoke ^H560 before ^H6925 the king ^H4430 about ^H5922 the king’s ^H4430 injunction ^H633: “Did you not sign ^H7560 an injunction ^H633 that any ^H3606 person ^H606 who ^H1768 offers ^H1156 a ^H1156 prayer ^H1156 to any ^H3606 god ^H426 or person ^H606 besides ^H3861 H4481 you, O king ^H4430, for thirty ^H8533 days ^H3118, is to be thrown ^H7412 into the lions’ ^H744 den ^H1358?” The king ^H4430 replied ^H6032, “The statement ^H4406 is true ^H3330, according to the law ^H1882 of the Medes ^H4076 and Persians ^H6540, which ^H1768 [fn]may not be revoked ^H5709.” 13 Then ^H116 they responded ^H6032 and spoke ^H560 before ^H6925 the king ^H4430, “Daniel ^H1841, who ^H1768 is one of the [fn]exiles ^H1123 H1547 from Judah ^H3061, pays ^H7761 no ^H3809 attention ^H2942 to you, O king ^H4430, or to the injunction ^H633 which ^H1768 you signed ^H7560, but keeps offering ^H1156 his prayer ^H1159 three ^H8532 times ^H2166 a day ^H3118.”

14 Then ^H116, as soon ^H1768 as the king ^H4430 heard ^H8086 this statement ^H4406, he was deeply ^H7690 distressed ^H888, and set ^H7761 his mind ^H1079 on rescuing ^H7804 Daniel ^H1841; and until ^H5705 sunset ^H4606 H8122 he kept exerting ^H7712 himself to save ^H5338 him. 15 Then ^H116 these ^H479 men ^H1400 came ^H7284 [fn]by ^H7284 agreement ^H7284 to the king ^H4430 and said ^H560 to the king ^H4430, “Recognize ^H3046, O king ^H4430, that it is a law ^H1882 of the Medes ^H4076 and Persians ^H6540 that no ^H3606 H3809 injunction ^H633 or statute ^H7010 which ^H1768 the king ^H4430 establishes ^H6966 may be changed ^H8133.”

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

16 Then ^H116 the king ^H4430 gave ^H560 orders ^H560, and Daniel ^H1841 was brought ^H858 in and thrown ^H7412 into the lions’ ^H744 den ^H1358. The king ^H4430 said ^H560 to Daniel ^H1841, “[fn]Your God ^H426 whom ^H1768 you continually ^H8411 serve ^H6399 will Himself ^H1932 rescue ^H7804 you.”

17 And a stone ^H69 was brought ^H858 and placed ^H7761 over ^H5922 the mouth ^H6433 of the den ^H1358; and the king ^H4430 sealed ^H2857 it with his own signet ^H5824 ring ^H5824 and with the signet ^H5824 rings ^H5824 of his nobles ^H7261, so ^H1768 that ^H1768 nothing ^H3809 H6640 would be changed ^H8133 regarding Daniel ^H1841. 18 Then ^H116 the king ^H4430 went ^H236 to his palace ^H1965 and spent ^H956 the ^H956 night ^H956 fasting ^H2908, and no ^H3809 entertainment ^H1761 was brought ^H5954 before ^H6925 him; and his sleep ^H8139 fled ^H5075 from him.

19 Then ^H116 the king ^H4430 got ^H6966 up ^H6966 at dawn ^H8238, at the break ^H5053 of ^H5053 day ^H5053, and went ^H236 in a hurry ^H927 to the lions’ ^H744 den ^H1358. 20 And when he had come ^H7127 near ^H7127 the den ^H1358 to Daniel ^H1841, he cried ^H2200 out ^H2200 with a troubled ^H6088 voice ^H7032. The king ^H4430 began ^H6032 speaking ^H6032 and said ^H560 to Daniel ^H1841, “Daniel ^H1841, servant ^H5649 of the living ^H2417 God ^H426, has your God ^H426, whom ^H1768 you continually ^H8411 serve ^H6399, been ^H3202 able ^H3202 to rescue ^H7804 you from the lions ^H744?” 21 Then ^H116 Daniel ^H1841 spoke ^H4449 [fn]to the king ^H4430, “O king ^H4430, live ^H2418 forever ^H5957! 22 My God ^H426 sent ^H7972 His angel ^H4398 and shut ^H5463 the lions’ ^H744 mouths ^H6433, and they have not harmed ^H2255 me, since ^H6903 H1768 [fn]I was found ^H7912 innocent ^H2136 before ^H6925 Him; and also ^H638 [fn]toward ^H6925 you, O king ^H4430, I have committed ^H5648 no ^H3809 crime ^H2248.” 23 Then ^H116 the king ^H4430 was very ^H7690 glad ^H2868 and gave ^H560 orders ^H560 for Daniel ^H1841 to be lifted ^H5559 up ^H5559 out of the den ^H1358. So Daniel ^H1841 was lifted ^H5559 up ^H5559 out of the den ^H1358, and no ^H3606 H3809 injury ^H2257 whatever ^H3606 was found ^H7912 on him, because ^H1768 he had trusted ^H540 in his God ^H426. 24 The king ^H4430 then gave ^H560 orders ^H560, and they brought ^H858 those ^H479 men ^H1400 who ^H1768 had [fn]maliciously ^H399 H7170 accused ^H399 H7170 Daniel ^H1841, and they threw ^H7412 them, their children ^H1123, and their wives ^H5389 into the lions’ ^H744 den ^H1358; and they had not reached ^H4291 the bottom ^H773 of the den ^H1358 before ^H5705 H1768 the lions ^H744 overpowered ^H7981 them and crushed ^H1855 all ^H3606 their bones ^H1635.

25 Then ^H116 Darius ^H1868 the king ^H4430 wrote ^H3790 to all ^H3606 the peoples ^H5972, nations ^H524, and populations of all [fn]languages ^H3961 who ^H1768 were living ^H1753 in all ^H3606 the land ^H772: “May your [fn]peace ^H8001 be great ^H7680! 26 [fn]I issue ^H7761 a decree ^H2942 that in all ^H3606 the realm ^H7985 of my kingdom ^H4437 people are to tremble ^H2112 and fear ^H1763 before ^H4481 H6925 the God ^H426 of Daniel ^H1841;

For He is the living ^H2417 God ^H426 and enduring ^H7011 forever ^H5957,

And His kingdom ^H4437 is one which ^H1768 will not be destroyed ^H2255,

And His dominion ^H7985 will be [fn]forever ^H5491.

27 “He rescues ^H7804, saves ^H5338, and performs ^H5648 signs ^H852 and miracles ^H8540

In heaven ^H8065 and on earth ^H772,

He who ^H1768 has also rescued ^H7804 Daniel ^H1841 from the [fn]power ^H3028 of the lions ^H744.”

28 So this ^H1836 Daniel ^H1841 enjoyed ^H6744 success ^H6744 in the reign ^H4437 of Darius ^H1868, and in the reign ^H4437 of Cyrus ^H3567 the Persian ^H6543.