Daniel 6:1-12 - Daniel's Integrity And His Entrapment By His Enemies
1 It pleased Darius to appoint a hundred and twenty governors over the kingdom. They were to be located throughout the whole kingdom. 2 Three commissioners were placed over them. Daniel was one of the commissioners. These governors were to give account to them so that the king would not suffer loss. 3 Daniel was distinguished above the other commissioners and the governors because an excellent spirit (mind) was in him. Therefore the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the commissioners and the governors sought to find a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. They could find no charge, nor error, nor fault, for he was faithful. 5 These men said: We shall not find any charge against Daniel, unless we find it against him in the Law of his God.
6 Then these commissioners and governors assembled before the king, and said: King Darius, may you live for a very long time. 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the deputies and the governors, the counselors consulted together to establish a royal statute. They made a strong decree, that whoever prays to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree by signing the document. That it will not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered. 9 King Darius signed the document for the decree.
10 Daniel knew that the decree was signed. He went into his house. His windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, like he did before. 11 These men assembled together. They found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 They approached the king about his decree: Did you sign a decree stating that every man that shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions? The king answered: The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered.