Daniel6

King Darius promoted Daniel to a high position, which incited jealousy among other officials. They conspired by tricking the king into signing an unchangeable decree forbidding prayer to any god but Darius for thirty days. Daniel, remaining faithful, continued his customary prayers and was subsequently cast into the lion's den. God miraculously delivered Daniel, leading Darius to punish his accusers and issue a decree honoring Daniel's God throughout the kingdom.

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Daniel's High Position Under Darius

Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.

Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

The Conspiracy Against Daniel

Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel, unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”

So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!

All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.

Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”

Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

Daniel Defies the Decree

Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.

So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”

Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”

As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.

Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”

Daniel in the Den of Lions

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions.

When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!

My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Darius Praises God

Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.

I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion will never end.

He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Study Notes for Daniel 6

Verse 1

Darius the Mede is introduced (cf. Dan 5:31). Historically, he represents the transitional ruler between the fall of Babylon and the full reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Verse 3

The phrase 'excellent spirit' emphasizes Daniel's exceptional wisdom, integrity, and spiritual insight, which distinguished him among the governors and made him indispensable to the king.

Verse 4

The accusers could find no fault in Daniel's professional conduct, demonstrating his complete integrity. This sets up the central conflict: loyalty to God versus loyalty to the state.

Verse 5

The conspirators realized Daniel's sole vulnerability was his unwavering devotion to the 'law of his God,' making religious piety the necessary target of their political attack.

Verse 7

The decree required exclusive devotion to Darius for 30 days, essentially demanding that the king be treated as the sole deity. This mirrors the mandatory worship conflict in chapter 3.

Verse 8

The 'law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not' highlights the rigidity of the governing legal system. This immutability ensures that the king cannot later save Daniel without violating his own law.

Verse 10

Daniel’s devotion involved praying three times a day toward Jerusalem (a practice established by Solomon, 1 Kgs 8:48). He maintained his routine publicly, refusing to compromise his faith even under threat.

Verse 13

The accusers contemptuously refer to Daniel as being 'of the children of the captivity of Judah,' emphasizing that a foreign captive is daring to disregard the absolute authority of the king.

Verse 14

Darius’s distress shows he recognized the conspiracy and sincerely respected Daniel. He labored desperately to find a loophole, highlighting the conflict between personal justice and rigid legalism.

Verse 16

Darius expresses hope in Daniel's God, acknowledging the power witnessed in previous events (cf. Dan 3). He recognizes Daniel’s consistent faithfulness even as he is forced to execute the law.

Verse 17

The sealing of the den with the signets of the king and his lords ensured that no human interference could alter the outcome. This makes the subsequent deliverance purely a divine act.

Verse 22

Daniel attributes his safety to God because he maintained 'innocency'—he had done no wrong against God (by stopping prayer) or against the king (by failing in his duties).

Verse 23

The text explicitly states that Daniel was unharmed 'because he believed in his God.' This links the miraculous deliverance directly to Daniel's faith and trust in divine sovereignty.

Verse 24

The punishment of the accusers, including their families, reflects the harsh legal customs of the ancient Near East, ensuring that the conspirators faced the consequences of the law they invoked.

Verse 25

Like Nebuchadnezzar before him, Darius issues a universal decree acknowledging the power of Daniel’s God, demonstrating the profound impact of the miracle on the imperial court.

Verse 26

Darius recognizes the God of Daniel as the 'living God,' whose kingdom is eternal and whose dominion surpasses that of any earthly ruler, including himself.

Verse 28

This verse concludes the narrative section of the book (chapters 1-6), confirming Daniel’s long and successful career, spanning the reigns of two major empires (Babylon and Medo-Persia).

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Daniel6

Daniel's High Position Under Darius

The Conspiracy Against Daniel

Daniel Defies the Decree

Daniel in the Den of Lions

Darius Praises God

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