Daniel 6:12

12 And they nighed and spake to the king of the commandment, (and said,) King, whether thou ordainedest not, that each man that asked any (asking) of gods and of men, till to thirty days, no but (of) thee, thou king, he should be sent into the pit of lions? To which men the king answered, and said, The word is sooth, by the decree of Medes and Persians, which it is not leaveful to break. (And they came and spoke to the king about his command, or his order, and said, O king, did thou not ordain, that for thirty days, anyone who asked anything of gods or of men, except of thee, O king, that that person should be sent into the lions? pit? To whom the king answered, and said, The word is true, by the decree of the Medes and Persians, which it is not lawful to break.)

Daniel 6:12 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 6:12

Then they came near
They went immediately from Daniel's house to the king's palace, and into the king's presence; which they could do, either by virtue of their offices, or being admitted by the proper officer in waiting: and spake before the king concerning the king's decree;
at first they said nothing about Daniel, but about the decree, to get it recognized, and afresh ratified and confirmed; lest, under some pretence or another, the king should change it: hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition
of any god or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be
cast into the den of lions?
they do not say peremptorily that he had signed such a decree, but put the question to him, that they might have it affirmed by himself: the king answered and said, the thing is true, according to the law of
the Medes and Persians, which altereth not;
it is true that such a decree is made and signed, and it is an unalterable one; such as is every established and signed decree of the Medes and Persians: it is as if he had said, it is very true what you put me in mind of, and I will never recede from it, or nullify and make it void.

Daniel 6:12 In-Context

10 And when Daniel had found (out) this thing, that is, (that) the law (was) ordained, he entered into his house; and the while the windows were open in his solar against Jerusalem, in three times in the day he bowed his knees, and worshipped, and acknowledged before his God, as he was wont to do before. (And when Daniel had learned about this, that is, that the law was ordained, he entered into his house; and at the windows in his solarium that were open toward Jerusalem, three times a day he bowed his knees, and worshipped, and acknowledged his God, as he was wont to do before the decree had been issued.)
11 Therefore those men inquired full busily, and found Daniel praying, and beseeching his God.
12 And they nighed and spake to the king of the commandment, (and said,) King, whether thou ordainedest not, that each man that asked any (asking) of gods and of men, till to thirty days, no but (of) thee, thou king, he should be sent into the pit of lions? To which men the king answered, and said, The word is sooth, by the decree of Medes and Persians, which it is not leaveful to break. (And they came and spoke to the king about his command, or his order, and said, O king, did thou not ordain, that for thirty days, anyone who asked anything of gods or of men, except of thee, O king, that that person should be sent into the lions? pit? To whom the king answered, and said, The word is true, by the decree of the Medes and Persians, which it is not lawful to break.)
13 Then they answered, and said before the king, Daniel, of the sons of (the) captivity of Judah, reckoned not of thy law, and of the commandment which thou ordainedest, but three times by the day he prayeth in his beseeching. (Then they answered, and said to the king, Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, hath not reckoned of thy law, and of the command, or the order, which thou hast ordained, but three times each day he prayeth in his beseeching to his God.)
14 And when the king had heard this word, he was sorry enough, and he setted the heart for Daniel, for to deliver him (and he set his heart, to try to save Daniel); and till to the going down of the sun he travailed for to deliver him.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.