Book 35 : KETUVIM - DANIEL - Chapter 006
06:001
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about
threescore and two years old
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It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and
twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom
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and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one;
that these satraps might give account unto them, and that the king should have
no damage
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Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the presidents
and the satraps, because a surpassing spirit was in him; and the king thought to
set him over the whole realm
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Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion
against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor
fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found
in him
06:006
Then said these men: 'We shall not find any occasion
against this Daniel, except we find it against him in the matter of the law of
his G-d.
06:007
Then these presidents and satraps came tumultuously to the
king, and said thus unto him: 'King Darius, live for ever
06:008
All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the
satraps, the ministers and the governors, have consulted together that the king
should establish a statute, and make a strong interdict, 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
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Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing,
that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which
altereth not.
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Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the
interdict
06:011
And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went
into his house--now his windows were open in his upper chamber toward
Jerusalem--and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave
thanks before his G-d, as he did aforetime
06:012
Then these men came tumultuously, and found Daniel making
petition and supplication before his G-d
06:013
Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning
the king's interdict: 'Hast thou not signed an interdict, that every man that
shall make petition unto 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.
06:014
Then answered they and said before the king: 'That Daniel,
who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king,
nor the interdict that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a
day.
06:015
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore
displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he laboured till the
going down of the sun to deliver him
06:016
Then these men came tumultuously unto the king, and said
unto the king: 'Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that
no interdict nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
06:017
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast
him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel: 'Thy G-d
whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee.
06:018
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 nothing might be changed concerning Daniel
06:019
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night
fasting; neither were diversions brought before him; and his sleep fled from
him
06:020
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in
haste unto the den of lions
06:021
And when he came near unto the den to Daniel, he cried
with a pained voice; the king spoke and said to Daniel: 'O Daniel, servant of
the living G-d, is thy G-d, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee
from the lions?
06:022
Then said Daniel unto the king: 'O king, live for ever
06:023
My G-d hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions'
mouths, and 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.
06:024
Then was the king exceeding glad, 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 had trusted in his G-d
06:025
And the king commanded, and they brought those men that
had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their
children, and their wives; and they had not come to the bottom of the den, when
the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces
06:026
Then king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and
languages, that dwell in all the earth: 'Peace be multiplied unto you
06:027
I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom
men tremble and fear before the G-d of Daniel; for He is the living G-d, and
stedfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His
dominion shall be even unto the end
06:028
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.
06:029
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in
the reign of Cyrus the Persian
Book 35 : KETUVIM - DANIEL - Chapter 006
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