# Daniel 06 đź“–: Daniel in the Lions' Den
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Daniel is Thrown into a Lions’ Den
[[#Verse 01.]] It seemed like a good idea to Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps who would be in charge of the entire kingdom.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage.Â
[[#Verse 03.]]Â Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom.Â
[[#Verse 04.]] Consequently the supervisors and satraps were trying to find some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters. But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence, because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] So these men concluded, “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is in connection with the law of his God.”
[[#Verse 06.]] So these supervisors and satraps came by collusion to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!Â
[[#Verse 07.]] To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] Now let the king issue a written interdict so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.”
[[#Verse 09.]]Â So King Darius issued the written interdict.
[[#Verse 10.]] When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God.
[[#Verse 12.]] So they approached the king and said to him, “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.”Â
[[#Verse 13.]] Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.”
[[#Verse 14.]] When the king heard this, he was very upset and began thinking about how he might rescue Daniel. Until late afternoon he was struggling to find a way to rescue him.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] Then those men came by collusion to the king and said to him, “Recall, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.”
[[#Verse 16.]] So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den of lions. The king consoled Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!”Â
[[#Verse 17.]] Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening to the den. The king sealed it with his signet ring and with those of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel.Â
[[#Verse 18.]] Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions were brought to him. He was unable to sleep.
### God Rescues Daniel from the Lions
[[#Verse 19.]] In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den.
[[#Verse 20.]] As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a worried voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you continually serve able to rescue you from the lions?”
[[#Verse 21.]] Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever!Â
[[#Verse 22.]] My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”
[[#Verse 23.]]Â Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God.Â
[[#Verse 24.]] The king gave another order, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives. They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
[[#Verse 25.]] Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity!Â
[[#Verse 26.]]Â I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God;
he endures forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed;
his authority is forever.
[[#Verse 27.]]Â He rescues and delivers
and performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions!”
[[#Verse 28.]] So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Darius appointed 120 satraps and three administrators over them, including Daniel (6:1-2).
2. The identity of Darius the Mede is debated. Some identify him with a Persian governor, and others read 6:28 as "Darius, that is, Cyrus."
3. Daniel's enemies found no corruption or negligence in him (6:4).
4. The decree forbade prayer to anyone except the king for thirty days (6:7).
5. The "law of the Medes and Persians" could not be changed (6:8, 12, 15), a detail also seen in Esther 8:8.
6. Daniel prayed toward Jerusalem, as Solomon asked exiles to do in his temple prayer (1 Kings 8:46-49).
7. Daniel was likely in his eighties at the time.
8. The stone over the den was sealed with the king's signet ring and the rings of his nobles (6:17).
9. Hebrews 11:33 speaks of those who by faith shut the mouths of lions.
10. Darius issued a decree that everyone in his kingdom should fear the God of Daniel (6:26).
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the innocent One sealed in a tomb who came out alive. Daniel was placed in the den, and a stone was sealed over its mouth (6:17), and Jesus was laid in a sealed tomb and rose again on the third day (Matthew 27:66; 28:6).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Daniel's enemies could find no corruption in him except in his devotion to God (6:4-5). What would people find if they examined your life?
2. Daniel prayed three times a day, just as he had done before (6:10). How do daily habits prepare us for moments of testing?
3. God shut the lions' mouths, and Darius praised Daniel's God (6:22, 26-27). How has God used your hardest moments to show His glory?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 4: Daniel's enemies can find no corruption or negligence in him.
- đź“– verse 10: Daniel prays three times a day toward Jerusalem, as he always had.
- đź“– verse 22: God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Matthew 27#Verse 62.|Matthew 27:62-66]] - The tomb is sealed and guarded.
- đź”— [[Hebrews 11#Verse 33.|Hebrews 11:33]] - By faith they shut the mouths of lions.
- đź”— [[Psalm 55#Verse 17.|Psalm 55:17]] - Evening, morning, and noon I cry out.
- đź”— [[Acts 05#Verse 29.|Acts 5:29]] - We must obey God rather than people.
- đź”— [[2 Timothy 04#Verse 17.|2 Timothy 4:17]] - The Lord rescued me from the lion's mouth.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Daniel 06 - SOAP|God Does Miracles and Shows Others His Glory]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes