God’s Miraculous Deliverance of Daniel Again

13 Then they responded[fn] and said before the king, “Daniel, whois from the exiles[fn] of Judah,[fn]is not paying any attention[fn] to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed,and three times daily[fn] he says his prayer.” 14 Then the king, when[fn] he heard thatreport,[fn] he was extremely distressed over it; andconcerning Daniel[fn]he was determined[fn] to rescue him. And until the setting of the sun he was making every effort to deliver him. 15 Then these men came as a group to the king and said,[fn] “Recall, O king, thatwith respect to the law of[fn]the Medes and Persians that any[fn] decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be changed.”

16 Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw him into the lion pit.[fn]The king said[fn] to Daniel, “Your God, whom you servefaithfully,[fn] may he rescue you!” 17 And a[fn] stone was brought and it was put on the entrance of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signetring and with the signet rings of his lords,[fn] so that nothing would be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night in fasting, and no food was brought in before him and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king got up at daybreak, at first light, and he went in haste[fn] tothe lion pit.[fn] 20 And when he came near[fn] to the pit, he cried out to Daniel witha distressed voice, and the king spoke[fn] and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve faithfully, was he able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to[fn] the king, “O king, liveforever![fn] 22 My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not[fn] hurt me,because[fn] before himI was found[fn] blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not doneany wrong.”

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad over it[fn] and commandedthat Daniel be lifted up from the pit; and there was not any wound found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king then commanded, and these men were brought who had accused Daniel,[fn] and they threw them and their children and their wives intothe lion pit,[fn] and they had not reached the floor of the pitbefore[fn] the lions had overpowered them and they had crushed all of their bones.