Daniel 6:1-12 - Daniel's Integrity And His Entrapment By His Enemies
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, that they might be over the whole kingdom. 2 And over them were three presidents (Daniel was one of them), so that these satraps might give account to them, and the king should have no loss. 3 Then this Daniel was made overseer of the presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king was planning to set him over all the kingdom. 4 Then the presidents and rulers sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. Neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and rulers assembled to the king, and said this to him: King Darius, live forever. 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, and the officials and governors, have planned together to establish a royal law, and to make a strong ban that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, he shall be thrown into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the ban and sign the writing, so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be changed. 9 Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the ban.
10 And when he had learned that the document was signed, Daniel went to his house. And his windows were open in his roof 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 and found Daniel praying and confessing before his God. 12 Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king's ban, Have you not signed a ban that every man who shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be thrown into the lion's den? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.