Book of DANIEL
Compiled by WD Kemner January 2024
Chapter 6
Into the Den of Lions
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Daniel Chapter 6 verses 1-9 |
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It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
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Darius and Daniel’s relationship was apparently quite strong. Darius faith in Daniel was due to “an excellent spirit was in him”. Darius set 120 princes over the kingdom. Over these were three presidents. Of the three presidents Daniel was number one. What envy and jealousy that created among the others. These 122 others could not find fault in Daniel nor could they create a conflict of interest to “trip him up”. They decided to attack him with something concerning the law of his God.
As discussed in previous chapters, the Medes and Persians operated under a set of laws and not as a king having ultimate authority. The king could not side step his own governments’ laws. Knowing this, the men created a law and convinced the king to put it into place, well knowing that Daniel would have an issue with it.
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Daniel Chapter 6 verses 10-17 |
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Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; 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? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.
Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
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Daniel knowing this had taken place; did not allow it to prevent him from still staying true to his God and his daily prayer life. The men knew they had succeeded in “trapping” Daniel and took it to the king. When evil is so entrenched in its attack on the righteous it fails to be able to see what is coming in the “end game”!
Darius now knew he had been swindled into trapping Daniel. The men felt it was “their duty” to remind the king of “his obligations to the law”. The king had to have Daniel cast into the lions’ den. Note that it is the king who states: “...Thy God...will deliver thee”.
The den was sealed with a stone and the seals of both the king and his lords, so that there would be no tampering.
Artwork copyrighted and courtesy of Alex Pokos
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Daniel Chapter 6 verses 18-23 |
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Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
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King Darius fasted for Daniel! This was the king who was not a follower of Daniel’s God. Daniel was found unharmed and brought out of the Den, praise being given by both Daniel and the king that God had intervened.
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Daniel Chapter 6 verses 24-27 |
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And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree,
That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
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In true form of how punishment was dealt with, the men that had tried to get rid of Daniel, along with their families were ALL thrown into the Den of lions and destroyed.
The REST OF THE STORY from Josephus (Book X Chap XI)
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This story gets more interesting from historian Josephus. He relates the rest of the story. This is a paraphrase of what he records happened next:
After Daniel is brought out of the Den, these same men (not smart enough to leave things as they were) questioned that Daniel did not survive due to his God, but rather because of the fact that the lions had all been fed before Daniel was put in the den and that the lions were just “not hungry”.
King Darius, now ready to “turn the tables” on these men decided to get in on the game and ordered that the lions all be fed to overflowing. The lions were fed and fed and fed. Finally, when everyone thought they were full, the King stated that it was now time to test the theory that these men suggested.
Maybe it was not God that delivered Daniel. So, he had the men (Daniel accusers) tossed in the den one after another to see if it was true. The lions not only ate the men, but their families as well!
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Daniel Chapter 6 verse 28 |
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So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
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Daniel would prosper all the way through to the reign of Cyrus.