God’s Miraculous Deliverance of Daniel Again

13 Then ⌊they responded⌋[fn] and said before the king, “Daniel, who is 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 that ⌊report⌋,[fn] he was extremely distressed over it; and ⌊concerning 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, that with 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 serve ⌊faithfully⌋,[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 signet ring 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] to ⌊the lion pit⌋.[fn] 20 And ⌊when he came near⌋[fn] to the pit, he cried out to Daniel with a 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, live ⌊forever⌋![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 him ⌊I was found⌋[fn] blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done any wrong.”

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad over it[fn] and commanded that 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 into ⌊the lion pit⌋,[fn] and they had not reached the floor of the pit ⌊before⌋[fn] the lions had overpowered them and they had crushed all of their bones.