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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 6
Darius makes Daniel the first of his presidents—Daniel worships the
Lord in defiance of a decree of Darius—He is cast into the den of
lions—His faith saves him, and Darius decrees that all people are to
revere the God of Daniel.
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1 IT pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom
Daniel was afirst: that the princes might give
accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above
the presidents and princesa,
because an excellent aspirit
was in him; and the king thought to set him bover
the whole realm.
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3a Daniel was preferred above the
presidents and princes It is logical and does but seem that the
same type of jealousy raged in the hearts of the kingdom's sub-rulers about
Daniel as is to be found in the story of Esther. That a 'slave child' of the
'captivity' should be raised above them was not well received and had been
building since the times of Nebuchadnezzar. As the story of the fate of
Belshazzar seems to indicate, Daniel had been significantly demoted upon
the newly established order of the kingdom of Belshazzar that it would have
to be 'recalled' to the king of Daniel's earlier feats. And when Daniel's
prominance was almost immediately 'restored' by Darius, the wheels of
jealosy did spin and sieze upon such declaration which would put an end to
Daniel in the lion's den.
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4 ¶ Then the presidents and princes sought
to find aoccasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom;
but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was
faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
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7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the
governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted
together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that
whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of
thee, O king, he shall be acast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign
the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which aaltereth not.
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
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10 ¶ Now when Daniel knew that the writing
was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber
toward aJerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees
bthree times a day, and cprayed, and gave
dthanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
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13 Then answered they and said before the king,
That aDaniel, which is of the children of the
captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast
signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
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16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the
mouth of the den; and the king asealed it with his own
signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be
changed concerning Daniel.
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18 ¶ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a
lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel,
O Daniel, aservant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou
servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
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21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his
aangel, and hath shut the blions' mouths,
that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in
me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him,
and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was
taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he
abelieved in his God.
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24 ¶ And the king commanded, and they
brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into
the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions
ahad the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in
pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
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25 ¶ Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of
my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is
the aliving God, and bstedfast for ever,
and his kingdom that which shall not be cdestroyed,
and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
27 He adelivereth and
rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath
bdelivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of
aDarius, and in the reign of bCyrus the
Persian.
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