Daniel 6:7-17

7 All the presidents 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 interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

8 Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Madai and Paras, which doesn't alter.

9 Therefore king Daryavesh signed the writing and the interdict.

10 When Daniyel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Yerushalayim) 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 Daniyel making petition and supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's interdict: Haven't you signed an interdict, that every man who shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, save 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 Madai and Paras, which doesn't alter.

13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniyel, who is of the children of the captivity of Yehudah, doesn't regard you, O king, nor the interdict that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniyel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.

15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Madai and Paras, that no interdict nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniyel, and cast him into the den of lions. [Now] the king spoke and said to Daniyel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.

17 A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniyel.

Daniel 6:7-17 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.