Study Desk

^[a]It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom,

and over them three commissioners (of whom ^(a)Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer ^(b)loss.

Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself ^[b]among the commissioners and satraps because ^[c]he possessed an ^(c)extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the ^(d)entire kingdom.

Then the commissioners and satraps began ^(e)trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to ^[d]government affairs; but they could find ^(f)no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.

Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the ^(g)law of his God."

Then these commissioners and satraps came ^[e]by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, ^(h)live forever!

All the ⁽ⁱ⁾commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have ^(j)consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall ^(k)be cast into the lions' ^[f]den.

Now, O king, ^(l)establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the ^(m)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^[g]may not be revoked."

Therefore King Darius ⁽ⁿ⁾signed the document, that is, the injunction.

Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open ^(o)toward Jerusalem); and he continued ^(p)kneeling on his knees three times a day, ^(q)praying and ^(r)giving thanks before his God, ^[h]as he had been doing previously.