1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom
one hundred twenty local governors,
who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

2 and over them three presidents, of
whom Daniel was one; that these local
governors might give accountto them, and
that the king should suffer no loss.

3 Then this Daniel was distinguished
above the presidents and the local governors,
because an excellent spirit was in
him; and the king thought to set him over
the whole realm.

4 Then the presidents and the local governors
sought to find occasion against
Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they
could find no occasion or fault, because he
was faithful. There wasn’t any error or
fault found in him.

5 Then these men said, “We won’t find
any occasion againstthis Daniel, unless we
find it against him concerning the law of
his God.”

6 Then these presidents and local governors
assembled together to the king, and
said this to him, “King Darius, live forever!

7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the
deputies and the local governors,the counselors
and the governors, have consulted
together to establish a royal statute, and to
make a strong decree, that whoever asks a
petition of any god or man for thirty days,
except of you, O king, he shall be cast into
the den of lions.

8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and
sign the writing, that it not be changed,
according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which doesn’t alter.”

9 Therefore King Darius signed the
writing and the decree.

10 When Daniel knew that the writing
was signed, he went into his house
(now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem)
and he kneeled on his knees three times a day,
and prayed, and gave thanks before his
God, as he did before.

11 Then these men assembled together,
and found Daniel making petitionand
supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near, and spoke before the
king concerning the king’s decree:
“Haven’t you signed a decree that every
man who makes a petition to any god or
man within thirty days, except to you, O
king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered, “This thing is true,
according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which doesn’t alter.”

13 Then they answered and said before
the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children
of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect
you, O king, nor the decree that you
have signed, but makes his petition three
times a day.”

14 Then the king, when he heard these
words, was very displeased, and set his
heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he
labored until the going down of the sun to
rescue him.