Darius

30In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

That very night Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was killed.

31And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Then Darius the Mede took over the kingdom. He was about sixty-two years old.

1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

King Darius chose 120 rulers. Each one took care of a part of his kingdom.

2And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

Over those rulers he put three leaders. Daniel was one of them. The rulers had to report to the three leaders. That way the king would not lose anything.

3Then 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.

Daniel did better work than all the other leaders and rulers. He was wise and careful. So the king planned to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.

4Then 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.

The other leaders and rulers looked for something Daniel had done wrong in his work. They could not find anything. He was honest, and he made no mistakes.

5Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

So these men said, "We will never find anything wrong with Daniel. Our only chance is something about the law of his God."

6Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

So the leaders and rulers went to the king together. They said, "King Darius, may you live forever!

7All 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.

All the leaders of the kingdom have talked and agreed. Please make a new law that cannot be changed. For thirty days, no one may ask anything from any god or any person, except you, O king. Anyone who does will be thrown into the lions' den.

8Now, 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.

Now, O king, make this law and sign the paper. Then it cannot be changed. That is how the law of the Medes and Persians works. It never changes."

9Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

So King Darius signed the paper with the new law on it.

10Now 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.

Daniel heard that the paper was signed. He went into his house. In his upstairs room the windows faced Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees. He prayed and thanked his God, just as he always had.

11Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

Then these men came together and found Daniel. He was praying and asking his God for help.

12Then 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.

So they went to the king and asked about his new law. "Did you not sign a law, O king? For thirty days, anyone who asks anything from any god or person, except you, will be thrown into the lions' den." The king said, "Yes, that is right. It is the law of the Medes and Persians, and it cannot be changed."

13Then 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 they told the king, "Daniel is one of the people brought here from Judah. He pays no attention to you or to the law you signed. He still prays three times a day."

14Then 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.

When the king heard this, he was very upset. He tried hard to find a way to save Daniel. He worked at it until the sun went down.

15Then 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 men came to the king together. They said, "Remember, O king, the law of the Medes and Persians. No law the king makes can be changed."

16Then 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.

So the king gave the order. They brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God save you. You serve him all the time."

17And 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.

A big stone was brought and laid over the opening of the den. The king pressed his ring into it to mark it, and so did his important men. Now nothing about Daniel could be changed.

18Then 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 went to his palace. He ate nothing all night. No music was played for him. He could not sleep.

19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

As soon as it began to get light, the king got up. He hurried to the lions' den.

20And 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?

When he came to the den, he called out in a sad, worried voice. "Daniel, servant of the living God! You serve your God all the time. Was he able to save you from the lions?"

21Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

Then Daniel answered the king, "O king, may you live forever!

22My 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.

My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths. They have not hurt me. God saw that I had done nothing wrong. And I have done nothing wrong to you, O king."

23Then 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.

The king was very happy. He told his men to lift Daniel out of the den. They lifted him out, and he had no hurt on him at all. He had trusted his God.

24And 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 the king gave an order. The men who had accused Daniel were brought in. They were thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. Before they reached the bottom, the lions caught them and broke all their bones.

25Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

Then King Darius wrote to people everywhere, of every nation and language. He said, "May you have much peace!

26I 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.

I make this law. Everywhere in my kingdom, people are to shake with fear before the God of Daniel. He is the living God. He lasts forever. His kingdom will never be broken. His rule will never end.

27He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

He saves and rescues. He does signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He saved Daniel from the power of the lions."

28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

So things went well for Daniel while Darius was king, and while Cyrus the Persian was king.

1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

It was the first year that Darius was king. He was the son of Ahasuerus, and he came from the Medes. He was made king over the land of the Chaldeans, which is Babylon.

2In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

In that first year, I, Daniel, was reading the holy books. I learned what the LORD had told the prophet Jeremiah. A prophet is someone who told people what God said. Jerusalem would lie empty and broken for seventy years.

3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

So I turned to the Lord God to look for him. I prayed and begged for help. I went without food, wore rough cloth, and sat in ashes.