Daniel in the lion’s den. ( continuation.)
14. Hearing this, the King was very angry with himself for signing the law, and determined to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day trying to think of some way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
In the evening the men came again to the King and said, “Your majesty, there is nothing you can do, You signed the law and it cannot be changed.”
So at last the King Darius gave the order for Daniel’s arrest, and he was taken to the den of lions. The King say to him “may your God, whom you worship continually, deliver you.” And then they threw Daniel in the lions’s den.
A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the King sealed it with his own signet ring, and that of his government, so that no one could rescue David from the lions.
Then the king returned to his palace ad went to bed without dinner. He refused his usual entertainment and didn’t sleep all night.
Very early the next morning he hurried out to the lion’s den and called out in anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the Living God, was your God, whom you worship continually able to deliver you from the lions.”
Then he heard a voice “Your majesty live forever.” It was Daniel! “My God has sent his angels,” he said, to shut the lion’s mouth so that they can’t touch me; for I am innocent before God, nor sir, have I wronged you.”
The King was overcome with joy and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. And not a scratch was found on him, because he believed in his God.
Then the King issued a command to bring the men who had accused Daniel, and throw them into the den along with their children and wives, and the lions leaped upon them and tore them apart before they hit the bottom of the den.
Afterwards King Darius wrote this message addressed to everyone in his empire.
26. King Darius said ” Peace be multiplied to you”
27. “I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom, men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the Living God, and steadfast forever. His Kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end.”
“He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, and He has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
