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The Prophecy
of Daniel 6
It seemed good to Darius, and he appointed over the
kingdom a hundred and twenty governors to be over his
whole kingdom.
And three princes over them, of whom Daniel was one:
that the governors might give an account to them, and
the king might have no trouble.
And Daniel excelled all the princes, and governors:
because a greater spirit of God was in him.
And the king thought to set him over all the kingdom:
whereupon the princes, and the governors sought to find
occasion against Daniel with regard to the king: and
they could find no cause, nor suspicion, because he
was faithful, and no fault, nor suspicion was found
in him
Then these men said: We shall not find any occasion
against this Daniel, unless perhaps concerning the law
of his God.
Then the princes, and the governors craftily suggested
to the king, and spoke thus unto him: King Darius, live
for ever:
All the princes of the kingdom, the magistrates, and
governors, the senators, and judges have consulted together,
that an imperial decree, and an edict be published:
That whosoever shall ask any petition of any god, or
man, for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be
cast into the den of lions.
Now, therefore, O king, confirm the sentence, and sign
the decree: that what is decreed by the Medes and Persians
may not be altered, nor any man be allowed to transgress
it.
So king Darius set forth the decree, and established
it.
Now when Daniel knew this, that is to say, that the
law was made, he went into his house: and opening the
windows in his upper chamber towards Jerusalem, he knelt
down three times a day, and adored, and gave thanks
before his God, as he had been accustomed to do before.
Wherefore those men carefully watching him, found Daniel
praying and making supplication to his God.
And they came and spoke to the king concerning the edict:
O king, hast thou not decreed, that every man that should
make a request to any of the gods, or men, for thirty
days, but to thyself, O king, should be cast into the
den of the lions? And the king answered them, saying:
The word is true according to the decree of the Medes
and Persians, which it is not lawful to violate.
Then they answered, and said before the king: Daniel,
who is of the children of the captivity of Juda, hath
not regarded thy law, nor the decree that thou hast
made: but three times a day he maketh his prayer.
Now when the king had heard these words, he was very
much grieved, and in behalf of Daniel he set his heart
to deliver him and even till sunset he laboured to save
him.
But those mer. perceiving the king's design, said to
him: Know thou, O king, that the law of the Medes and
Persians is, that no decree which the king hath made,
may be altered.
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and
cast him into the den of the lions. And the king said
to Daniel: Thy God, whom thou always servest, he will
deliver thee.
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of
the den: which the king sealed with his own ring, and
with the ring of his nobles, that nothing should be
done against Daniel.
And the king went away to his house and laid himself
down without taking supper, and meat was not set before
him, and even sleep departed from him.
Then the king rising very early in the morning, went
in haste to the lions' den:
And coming near to the den, cried with a lamentable
voice to Daniel, and said to him: Daniel, servant of
the living God, hath thy God, whom thou servest always,
been able, thinkest thou, to deliver thee from the lions?
And Daniel answering the king, said: O king, live for
ever:
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut up the mouths
of the lions, and they have not hurt me: forasmuch as
before him justice hath been found in me: yea and before
thee, O king, I have done no offence.
Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and he commanded
that Daniel should be taken out of the den: and Daniel
was taken out of the den, and no hurt was found in him,
because he believed in his God.
And by the king's commandment, those men were brought
that bad accused Daniel: and they were cast into the
lions' den, they and their children, and their wives:
and they did not reach the bottom of the den, before
the lions caught them, and broke all their bones in
pieces.
Then king Darius wrote to all people, tribes, and languages,
dwelling in the whole earth: PEACE be multiplied unto
you.
It is decreed by me, that in all my empire and my kingdom
all men dread and fear the God of Daniel. For he is
the living and eternal God for ever: and his kingdom
shall not be destroyed, and his power shall be for ever.
He is the deliverer, and saviour, doing signs and wonders
in heaven, and in earth: who hath delivered Daniel out
of the lions' den.
Now Daniel continued unto the reign of Darius, and the
reign of Cyrus the Persian.
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