Daniel 6:11-17

11 Then these men came 1by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
12 Then they approached and 2spoke before the king about the king's injunction, "Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides * you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions' den?" The king replied, "The statement is true, according to the 3law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked."
13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, "4Daniel, who is one of the exiles * from Judah, pays 5no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day."
14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply 6distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset * he kept exerting himself to rescue him.
15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king, that it is a 7law of the Medes and Persians that no * injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed."

Daniel in the Lions' Den

16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and 8cast into the lions' den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "9Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you."
17 A 10stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing * would be changed in regard to Daniel.

Daniel 6:11-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 6

This chapter gives an account of Daniel's being cast into the den of lions, and the causes of it, and the steps leading to it; and also of his wonderful deliverance out of it, and what followed upon that. It first relates how Daniel was made by Darius first president of the princes of the kingdom, which drew their envy upon him, Da 6:1-4, and that these princes finding they could get no occasion against him, but in religion, proposed to the king to make a law forbidding prayer to any god for thirty days, which they got established, Da 6:5-9, and Daniel breaking this law, is accused by them to the king; and the penalty, casting into the den of lions, is insisted on to be executed, Da 6:10-13, which the king laboured to prevent, but in vain; and Daniel is cast to the lions, to the great grief of the king, Da 6:14-18, who visited the den the next morning, and to his great joy found Daniel alive, Da 6:19-23, upon which, by the law of retaliation, his accusers, their wives, and children, were cast into it, Da 6:24, and an edict was published by the king, commanding all in his dominions to fear and reverence the God of Daniel, Da 6:25-28.

Cross References 10

  • 1. Psalms 37:32, 33; Daniel 6:6
  • 2. Daniel 3:8-12; Acts 16:19-21
  • 3. Esther 1:19; Daniel 6:8, 15
  • 4. Daniel 2:25; Daniel 5:13
  • 5. Esther 3:8; Daniel 3:12; Acts 5:29
  • 6. Mark 6:26
  • 7. Esther 8:8; Psalms 94:20, 21; Daniel 6:8, 12
  • 8. 2 Samuel 3:39; Jeremiah 38:5; Daniel 6:7
  • 9. Job 5:19; Psalms 37:39, 40; Isaiah 41:10; Daniel 3:17, 28; Daniel 6:20; 2 Corinthians 1:10
  • 10. Lamentations 3:53; Matthew 27:66

Footnotes 5

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.