Daniel 6-7

Christian Standard Bible

The Plot against Daniel

6 Darius decided^[a] to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm, ² and over them three administrators, including Daniel.^(A) These satraps would be accountable to them so that the king would not be defrauded.^{(B) 3} Daniel^[b] distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit,^(C) so the king planned to set him over the whole realm.^{(D) 4} The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Daniel^(E) regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption,^(F) for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”^(G)

⁶ So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, “May King Darius live forever.^{(H) 7} All the administrators of the kingdom^(I)—the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors—have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that, for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den.^{(J) 8} Therefore, Your Majesty, establish the edict^(K) and sign the document so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed.”^{(L) 9} So King Darius signed the written edict.^(M)

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

¹⁰ When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upstairs room opened toward Jerusalem,^(N) and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God,^(O) just as he had done before. ¹¹ Then these men went as a group and found^(P) Daniel petitioning and imploring his God. ¹² So they approached the king^(Q) and asked about his edict: “Didn’t you sign an edict that for thirty days any person who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order stands^[c] and is irrevocable.”^(R)

¹³ Then they replied to the king, “Daniel, one of the Judean exiles, has ignored you,^(S) the king, and the edict you signed, for he prays three times a day.” ¹⁴ As soon as the king heard this, he was very displeased; he set his mind on rescuing Daniel^(T) and made every effort until sundown to deliver him.

¹⁵ Then these men went together to the king and said to him, “You know, Your Majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.”^(U)

¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.^(V) The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you continually serve,^(W) rescue you!” ¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den.^(X) The king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting.^(Y) No diversions^[d] were brought to him, and he could not sleep.^(Z)

Daniel Released

¹⁹ At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he reached the den, he cried out in anguish to Daniel. “Daniel, servant of the living God,” the king said,^[e] “has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue you^(AA) from the lions?”

²¹ Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live forever. ²² My God sent his angel^(AB) and shut the lions’ mouths; and they haven’t harmed me, for I was found innocent before him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.”

²³ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. When Daniel was brought up from the den, he was found to be unharmed, for he trusted in his God.^{(AC) 24} The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel^[f](AD) were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives.^(AE) They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Darius Honors God

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to those of every people, nation, and language who live on the whole earth: “May your prosperity abound.^{(AF) 26} I issue a decree^(AG) that in all my royal dominion, people must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel:^(AH)

²⁸ So Daniel prospered^(AK) during the reign of Darius and^[g] the reign of Cyrus the Persian.^(AL)

Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream with visions in his mind^(AM) as he was lying in his bed. He wrote down the dream,^(AN) and here is the summary^[h] of his account. ² Daniel said, “In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven^(AO) stirred up the great sea. ³ Four huge beasts^(AP) came up from the sea,^(AQ) each different from the other.

⁴ “The first was like a lion^(AR) but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.

⁵ “Suddenly, another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear.^(AS) It was raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up! Gorge yourself on flesh.’

⁶ “After this, while I was watching, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard^(AT) with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads,^(AU) and it was given dominion.

⁷ “After this, while I was watching in the night visions, suddenly a fourth beast^(AV) appeared, frightening and dreadful, and incredibly strong, with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.^(AW)

⁸ “While I was considering the horns, suddenly another horn,^(AX) a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And suddenly in this horn there were eyes like the eyes of a human and a mouth that was speaking arrogantly.^(AY)

The Ancient of Days and the Son of Man

⁹ “As I kept watching,

¹¹ “I watched, then, because of the sound of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued watching, the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given over to the burning fire.^{(BI) 12} As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but an extension of life was granted to them for a certain period of time.^{(BJ) 13} I continued watching in the night visions,

Interpretation of the Vision

¹⁵ “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was deeply distressed within me,^[i] and the visions in my mind terrified me.^{(BQ) 16} I approached one of those who were standing by and asked him^(BR) to clarify all this. So he let me know the interpretation of these things:^{(BS) 17} ‘These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will rise from the earth. ¹⁸ But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, forever and ever.’^(BT)

¹⁹ “Then I wanted to be clear about the fourth beast,^(BU) the one different from all the others, extremely terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze claws, devouring, crushing, and trampling with its feet whatever was left. ²⁰ I also wanted to know about the ten horns^(BV) on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three fell—the horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly,^(BW) and that looked bigger than the others. ²¹ As I was watching, this horn waged war^(BX) against the holy ones and was prevailing over them ²² until the Ancient of Days arrived and a judgment^(BY) was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, for the time had come, and the holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

²³ “This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. ²⁴ The ten horns^(BZ) are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another king, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings. ²⁵ He will speak words against the Most High^(CA) and oppress^[j] the holy ones^(CB) of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals^[k] and laws,^(CC) and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.^{[l](CD) 26} But the court will convene,^(CE) and his dominion will be taken away, to be completely destroyed forever.^{(CF) 27} The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom,^(CG) and all rulers will serve and obey him.’

²⁸ “This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts terrified me greatly,^(CH) and my face turned pale,^[m] but I kept the matter to myself.”^(CI)