Daniel 6:1-12 - Daniel's Integrity And His Entrapment By His Enemies
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three administrators, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the administrators and the satraps, because an extraordinary spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the administrators and the satraps sought to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful. Neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, "We will not find any charge against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
6 Then these administrators and satraps assembled together to the king, and said this to him, "King Darius, live forever. 7 All the administrators of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever shall ask 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 cannot be changed." 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 chamber 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 petition and 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 shall make 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, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."