Daniel 6, The Lions' Den

Darius the Mede overthrows the Babylonian empire and Belteshazzsr. (He was apparently 62 years old when he became king.)  He was followed by Cyrus (see verse 28).

Daniel 6:1-4, Jealousy

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

Although Belteshazzar has been deposed and killed, Darius appoints some of Belteshazzar's administrators to continue running the kingdom. One of them is Daniel. Pulled back into administrative service, Daniel once again excels. 

Daniel 6:5-9, A trap

Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." 

So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: 

"O King Darius, live forever!   The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be alteredin accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 

So King Darius put the decree in writing.

We have here a portrait of classic power and corruption. David's enemies conspire to remove Daniel by convincing Darius to outlaw worship of anyone but Darius. This is certainly an attractive proposal for the king, as it meets his ego, and he sees no particular reason to deny this request from his worshipers.

The Babylonian religious hierarchy was polytheistic and so the decree is only for a short time. It is likely (says House) that the new king sees this as a chance to consolidate power for a time early in his reign.

Daniel 6:10, Continued prayer

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.  

Daniel's response to the decree is to change nothing. This includes praying at a window open towards Jerusalem.

Daniel 6:11-13, Caught

Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.  So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?" 

The king answered, "The decree stands in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."  

Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day." 

Of course the conspirators are ready to catch Daniel in the act. And so they go to the king and rat out Daniel. (We are not given any description of their evidence.)

Daniel 6:14-15, King distress

When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed."

Surely the king should not be surprised at a conspiracy like this. Yet he seems unable to do anything about it.

Daniel 6:16-18, Daniel in the den

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" 

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 

Darius reluctantly assigns Daniel to death in the lions' den. He does this with a rather tepid wish that maybe Daniel's god will save Daniel. The king then returns to his palace and frets throughout the night.

Daniel 6:19-22, Saved!

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"

Daniel answered, "O king, live forever!  My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."

The king is shocked to discover that Daniel is alive. Daniel, of course, makes sure to praise God for his salvation.

Daniel 6:23-24, Bloody aftermath

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

In a poetic turn, the king assigns Daniel's accusers to the den and they are immediately destroyed. The Hebrew words achalu kartzohi, translated "maliciously accused" literally mean "eat a piece". Both words have, at their root, the metaphorical meaning of chewing someone up. Here author hints that the advisors sought to "chew Daniel up" (literally!) and instead they were the ones chewed up!

As was common in the ANE, families suffered with their leaders.

Daniel 6:25-28, Praise

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: 

"May you prosper greatly! I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." 

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

The end result is that Darius decrees that Daniel's god is really awesome. In the polytheism of Babylon, this may simply mean that Darius adds YHWH into the pantheon, but at a high level. As it thematic in the book of Daniel (see 3:28-29, 4:1-5 and 4:34-37), Daniel's steadfast character in this pagan administration leads to the king recognizing the power of YHWH.

Some Random Thoughts

Daniel has a certain prayer ritual, praying three times a day, on his knees, with window open towards Jerusalem. 

I have never been very good at ritual. At times I have seen ritual promote legalism and my personal psyche reacts quickly against rules imposed from outside. (Those who know me will nod here.) But I can see the beauty in a regular physical statement of submission and worship. Daniel's ritual represents who he is, in relation to YHWH and he will not abandon that, even in the face of a new law. He practices one ritual and resists another, for good reasons.