Daniel 6

Daniel Serves Darius

1 It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 * satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom,

2 and over them three commissioners (of whom ¹Daniel was one ), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer ²loss.

3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because * * he possessed an ³extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the ⁴entire kingdom.

4 Then the commissioners and satraps began ⁵trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find ⁶no * ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch * * as he was faithful, and no * negligence or corruption was to be found in him.

5 Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the ⁷law of his God."

6 Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, ⁸live forever!

7 "All the ⁹commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have ¹⁰consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides * you, O king, for thirty days, shall ¹¹be cast into the lions' den.

8 "Now, O king, ¹²establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the ¹³law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked."

9 Therefore * * King Darius ¹⁴signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open ¹⁵toward Jerusalem ); and he continued ¹⁶kneeling on his knees three times a day, ¹⁷praying and ¹⁸giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.

11 Then these men came ¹⁹by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

12 Then they approached and ²⁰spoke before the king about the king's injunction, "Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides * you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions' den?" The king replied, "The statement is true, according to the ²¹law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked."

13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, "²²Daniel, who is one of the exiles * from Judah, pays ²³no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day."

14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply ²⁴distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset * he kept exerting himself to rescue him.

15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king, that it is a ²⁵law of the Medes and Persians that no * injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed."

Daniel in the Lions' Den

16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and ²⁶cast into the lions' den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "²⁷Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you."

17 A ²⁸stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing * would be changed in regard to Daniel.

18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night ²⁹fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his ³⁰sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den.

20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has ³¹your God, whom you constantly serve, been ³²able to deliver you from the lions?"

21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, "³³O king, live forever!

22 "My God ³⁴sent His angel and ³⁵shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch * * as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."

23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and ³⁶no * injury whatever was found on him, because he had ³⁷trusted in his God.

24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously * accused * Daniel, and they ³⁸cast them, their ³⁹children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before * the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the ⁴⁰peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "⁴¹May your peace abound!

26 "I ⁴²make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before * the God of Daniel; For He is the ⁴³living God and ⁴⁴enduring forever, And ⁴⁵His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever.

27 "He delivers and rescues and performs ⁴⁶signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

28 So this ⁴⁷Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of ⁴⁸Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

The malice of Daniel's enemies. (1-5) His constancy in prayer. (6-10) He is cast into the lion's den. (11-17) His miraculous preservation. (18-24) The decree of Darius. (25-28)

Verses 1-5 We notice to the glory of God, that though Daniel was now very old, yet he was able for business, and had continued faithful to his religion. It is for the glory of God, when those who profess religion, conduct themselves so that their most watchful enemies may find no occasion for blaming them, save only in the matters of their God, in which they walk according to their consciences.

Verses 6-10 To forbid prayer for thirty days, is, for so long, to rob God of all the tribute he has from man, and to rob man of all the comfort he has in God. Does not every man's heart direct him, when in want or distress, to call upon God? We could not live a day without God; and can men live thirty days without prayer? Yet it is to be feared that those who, without any decree forbidding them, present no hearty, serious petitions to God for more than thirty days together, are far more numerous than those who serve him continually, with humble, thankful hearts. Persecuting laws are always made on false pretences; but it does not become Christians to make bitter complaints, or to indulge in revilings. It is good to have hours for prayer. Daniel prayed openly and avowedly; and though a man of vast business, he did not think that would excuse him from daily exercises of devotion. How inexcusable are those who have but little to do in the world, yet will not do thus much for their souls! In trying times we must take heed, lest, under pretence of discretion, we are guilty of cowardice in the cause of God. All who throw away their souls, as those certainly do that live without prayer, even if it be to save their lives, at the end will be found to be fools. Nor did Daniel only pray, and not give thanks, cutting off some part of the service to make the time of danger shorter; but he performed the whole. In a word, the duty of prayer is founded upon the sufficiency of God as an almighty Creator and Redeemer, and upon our wants as sinful creatures. To Christ we must turn our eyes. Thither let the Christian look, thither let him pray, in this land of his captivity.

Verses 11-17 It is no new thing for what is done faithfully, in conscience toward God, to be misrepresented as done obstinately, and in contempt of the civil powers. Through want of due thought, we often do that which afterwards, like Darius, we see cause a thousand times to wish undone again. Daniel, that venerable man, is brought as the vilest of malefactors, and is thrown into the den of lions, to be devoured, only for worshipping his God. No doubt the placing the stone was ordered by the providence of God, that the miracle of Daniel's deliverance might appear more plain; and the king sealed it with his own signet, probably lest Daniel's enemies should kill him. Let us commit our lives and souls unto God, in well-doing. We cannot place full confidence even in men whom we faithfully serve; but believers may, in all cases, be sure of the Divine favour and consolation.

Verses 18-24 The best way to have a good night, is to keep a good conscience. We are sure of what the king doubted, that the servants of the living God have a Master well able to protect them. See the power of God over the fiercest creatures, and believe his power to restrain the roaring lion that goeth about continually seeking to devour. Daniel was kept perfectly safe, because he believed in his God. Those who boldly and cheerfully trust in God to protect them in the way of duty, shall always find him a present help. Thus the righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. The short triumph of the wicked will end in their ruin.

Verses 25-28 If we live in the fear of God, and walk according to that rule, peace shall be upon us. The kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever, are the Lord's; but many are employed in making known his wonderful works to others, who themselves remain strangers to his saving grace. May we be doers, as well as believers of his word, least at the last we should be found to have deceived ourselves.

Cross References

• 1. Daniel 2:48, 49; Daniel 5:16, 29
• 2. Ezra 4:22; Esther 7:4
• 3. Daniel 5:12, 14; Daniel 9:23
• 4. Genesis 41:40; Esther 10:3
• 5. Genesis 43:18; Judges 14:4; Jeremiah 20:10; Daniel 3:8; Luke 20:20
• 6. Daniel 6:22; Luke 20:26; Luke 23:14, 15; Philippians 2:15; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:16
• 7. Acts 24:13-16, 20, 21
• 8. Nehemiah 2:3; Daniel 2:4; Daniel 5:10; Daniel 6:21
• 9. Daniel 3:2, 27
• 10. Psalms 59:3; Psalms 62:4; Psalms 64:2-6; Psalms 83:1-3
• 11. Psalms 10:9; Daniel 3:6; Daniel 6:16
• 12. Esther 3:12; Esther 8:10; Isaiah 10:1
• 13. Esther 1:19; Esther 8:8; Daniel 6:12, 15
• 14. Psalms 118:9; Psalms 146:3
• 15. 1 Kin 8:44, 48, 49; Psalms 5:7; Jonah 2:4
• 16. Psalms 55:17; Psalms 95:6
• 17. Daniel 9:4-19
• 18. Psalms 34:1; Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18
• 19. Psalms 37:32, 33; Daniel 6:6
• 20. Daniel 3:8-12; Acts 16:19-21
• 21. Esther 1:19; Daniel 6:8, 15
• 22. Daniel 2:25; Daniel 5:13
• 23. Esther 3:8; Daniel 3:12; Acts 5:29
• 24. Mark 6:26
• 25. Esther 8:8; Psalms 94:20, 21; Daniel 6:8, 12
• 26. 2 Samuel 3:39; Jeremiah 38:5; Daniel 6:7
• 27. Job 5:19; Psalms 37:39, 40; Isaiah 41:10; Daniel 3:17, 28; Daniel 6:20; 2 Corinthians 1:10
• 28. Lamentations 3:53; Matthew 27:66
• 29. 2 Samuel 12:16, 17
• 30. Esther 6:1; Psalms 77:4; Daniel 2:1
• 31. Daniel 6:16, 27
• 32. Genesis 18:14; Numbers 11:23; Jeremiah 32:17; Daniel 3:17
• 33. Daniel 2:4; Daniel 6:6
• 34. Numbers 20:16; Isaiah 63:9; Daniel 3:28; Acts 12:11; Hebrews 1:14
• 35. Psalms 91:11-13; 2 Timothy 4:17; Hebrews 11:33
• 36. Daniel 3:25, 27
• 37. 1 Chronicles 5:20; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Psalms 118:8, 9; Isaiah 26:3; Daniel 3:17, 28
• 38. Deuteronomy 19:18, 19; Esther 7:10
• 39. Deuteronomy 24:16; 2 Kings 14:6; Esther 9:10
• 40. Ezra 1:1, 2; Esther 3:12; Esther 8:9; Daniel 4:1
• 41. Ezra 4:17; 1 Peter 1:2
• 42. Ezra 6:8-12; Ezra 7:13, 21; Daniel 3:29
• 43. Daniel 4:34; Daniel 6:20; Hosea 1:10; Romans 9:26
• 44. Psalms 93:1, 2; Malachi 3:6
• 45. Daniel 2:44; Daniel 4:3; Daniel 7:14, 27; Luke 1:33
• 46. Daniel 4:2, 3
• 47. Daniel 1:21
• 48. 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23; Daniel 10:1

Footnotes

• [a]. Ch 6:2 in Aram
• [b]. Lit "above"
• [c]. Lit "there was in him"
• [d]. Lit "the kingdom"
• [e]. Or "thronging"
• [f]. Or "pit," and so throughout the ch
• [g]. Lit "does not pass away"
• [h]. Or "because"
• [i]. Or "thronging"
• [j]. Lit "does not pass away"
• [k]. Lit "sons of the exile"
• [l]. Or "thronging"
• [m]. Or "May your God...Himself deliver you"
• [n]. Lit "with"
• [o]. Lit "innocence was found for me"
• [p]. Lit "before"
• [q]. Lit "eaten the pieces of Daniel"
• [r]. Lit "tongue"
• [s]. Or "welfare" or "prosperity"
• [t]. Lit "From me a decree is made"
• [u]. Lit "to the end"
• [v]. Lit "hand"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 6

This chapter gives an account of Daniel's being cast into the den of lions, and the causes of it, and the steps leading to it; and also of his wonderful deliverance out of it, and what followed upon that. It first relates how Daniel was made by Darius first president of the princes of the kingdom, which drew their envy upon him, Da 6:1-4, and that these princes finding they could get no occasion against him, but in religion, proposed to the king to make a law forbidding prayer to any god for thirty days, which they got established, Da 6:5-9, and Daniel breaking this law, is accused by them to the king; and the penalty, casting into the den of lions, is insisted on to be executed, Da 6:10-13, which the king laboured to prevent, but in vain; and Daniel is cast to the lions, to the great grief of the king, Da 6:14-18, who visited the den the next morning, and to his great joy found Daniel alive, Da 6:19-23, upon which, by the law of retaliation, his accusers, their wives, and children, were cast into it, Da 6:24, and an edict was published by the king, commanding all in his dominions to fear and reverence the God of Daniel, Da 6:25-28.