Daniel 6 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Daniel 6

Daniel and the Lions’ Den

6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement¹ to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared² to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on 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. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

  for he is the living God,
    enduring forever;
  his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
    and his dominion shall be to the end.
27   He delivers and rescues;
    he works signs and wonders
    in heaven and on earth,
  he who has saved Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

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

Footnotes

[1] 6:6 Or came thronging; also verses 11, 15
[2] 6:16 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 20

Commentary

Daniel stood firm in the realm of his personal devotion, without which his public testimony could not have been so distinctive. Previous challenges were in the public realm; here the challenge was to his devotion to God.

v1-2: Darius' organisation includes 120 satraps and 3 governors, including Daniel. This time, Daniel's position is maintained. Darius is probably a ‘sub-king’ serving under the emperor Cyrus the Persian. The arrangement was to protect the revenue of the empire, “so that the king might not suffer loss.”

v3-5: Daniel's godly character brought respect from some, but also attracted jealousy and opposition from others. Even his enemies found him to be blameless, and sought to bring an accusation against him from the law of God. The evidence is that his faith was not secret, but known widely amongst his fellow governors and satraps.

v6-9: The satraps and administrators come in apparent agreement to Darius, proposing a decree to feed his pride, and to establish his authority. They were able to appeal to his personal vanity.

v10-12: Daniel's habit over many years is to pray three times each day. He continues this even when it is made illegal. His opponents, not surprisingly, find him praying, and report his 'offence' to Darius.

Solomon had given the temple a position of significance, asking that God would hear and answer prayers directed there; see 1 Kings 8.27-30. Centuries later, Daniel continued this practice, although with real faith. Contrast Jer 7.4, where the people are rebuked for their faith in the temple, but not in the Lord Himself.

The decree of the Medes and Persians cannot be repealed. Compare Esth 8.8, where a decree of the king cannot be repealed.

v13: Daniel, still described as a captive, not the chief governor. His enemies despise him.

v14: Darius clearly has great respect for Daniel. But he can only kill him, not save him.

Here is the picture of the law of God, written on tablets of stone, which no man can change, and which brings condemnation. Only God Himself can bring life. He has made "every effort" by the giving of His Son, to give life to mankind.

v15: Even he king cannot change the decree of the Medes and Persians.

v16: Darius, now unable to change his own decree, can only wish Daniel well, as he is put into the lions' den.

v17: The stone is laid at the mouth of the den, just as a stone was placed over Jesus' tomb and sealed. The godly man is effectively dead and buried, and no doubt his enemies rejoice.

v18-20: Even Darius fasts and prays, and hurries to the den, apparently expecting Daniel to answer him. His use of ‘servant of the living God’ reflects the respect which Daniel had earned in the courts of power.

v21-23: Daniel's victorious declaration, "God sent His angel." And no injury is found on him, as in 3.27. Such is the protection that God can give to His people. Clearly the incident shows God’s miraculous intervention.

v24: The enemies destroyed; for Christ has won the victory over death. The children are killed also, removing any possibility of later revenge. It is suggested that the penalty was carried out on the ringleaders of the plan, rather than all the 120 administrators.

v25-28: Like Nebuchadnezzar, Darius learns something of the true God from the testimony and godly life of Daniel. His decree honours the "God of Daniel."