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Section Introduction
The account of Daniel in the lion’s den is probably one of the most well-known stories in the Bible.
Again, it illustrates the main themes of the Book of Daniel of a pagan king having to acknowledge the One
True God, and of God preserving his people.
Following the events of chapter 5, Babylon is now part of the empire of the Medes and Persians. The
date is sometime after 539 BC, following the Fall of Babylon which happened after Belshazzar’s feast in
chapter 5. In many children’s Bible picture books Daniel is shown as a young man or teenager with the lions, when it can be surprising to learn that he was really an old man in his eighties at this time. We see that Daniel served God faithfully in the court of Babylon and of Persia for over six decades, into his old age. As an old man, he remained as faithful to God has he had been in the first events recorded in chapter 1.
The question over the identity of Darius has been discussed in the Introduction to the Book of Daniel, leaving the choice between Darius being a formal title or throne name for either Cyrus, or Gubaru, or Cyaxares II the Mede.
Daniel, no grounds for complaint (6:1-5)
It is surprising that Daniel was able to retain his high position even with a change of empire.
Belshazzar had appointed him as third in the kingdom (5:29), and Darius of Persia had kept him in a similar position. Often, when a new ruler seized the throne, he removed or executed all the high officials in the previous empire. The Persians appointed 120 satraps over each of the different provinces, or 'satrapies', of their empire. 'Satrap' is a Persian word meaning 'protector of the kingdom'. Then over these 120 satraps were three presidents who the satraps were accountable to, and one of these was Daniel (v1-2). Once again, like Nebuchadnezzar (4:9, 5:11), Darius recognised the excellent spirit in Daniel, so planned to promote him to the most senior position over the whole empire (v3). He would become the second most powerful person in the Persian Empire under the king, serving as vizier or prime minister.
This was seen as favouritism by the other presidents and satraps, jealous that Daniel was being
promoted over them (v4), so they plotted against him. They could find no legitimate justification for any
accusation against him, no negligence, no corruption, because Daniel was a faithful servant of the king. The only way they could seek to discredit Daniel was in connection with the law of his God (v5).
Interdict: pray only to the king (6:6-9)
The satraps made a devious plan to trick the king so they could discredit Daniel, resorting to flattery and appealing to the king’s pride. The Persians had a policy of religious tolerance, making the plot of the satraps more difficult. Their plan was that for a period of thirty days, Darius would be worshipped as a the only god-king, with all other worship and prayer forbidden. The plan would please the king, as it would strengthen his new position as king over Babylon, it would bring unity among his peoples, and flatter his ego at the same time. For thirty days, all other religious worship would cease, and all his people would declare their loyalty to the king. Darius was not suspicious of any ulterior motives, so agreed to the proposal and signed the document, making a new law.
One of the differences between the Babylonian and Persian empires, is that the law of the Medes and
Persians could not be changed, even by the king. This became one of the central aspects of the story of
Esther. When Haman was given permission to destroy the Jews, the edict could not be changed, so a second
decree had to be made, giving the Jews permission to defend themselves and to kill anyone who might attack them (Est 8:11-13). A law of the Medes and Persians was also made when Queen Vashti was removed from the throne and replaced by a new queen to be chosen by the king (Est 1:19).
Daniel prays to God three times a day (6:10-13)
Daniel was very aware that the edict had been signed by the king, but even when he knew of the
danger he faced, he continued to pray to God three times a day facing the ruins of the temple in Jerusalem (v10). He was willing to face death for his faithful worship of God. His enemies observed Daniel praying to God instead of King Darius, so instantly reported him to the king for ignoring the edict that had been signed, believing that their plot had been successful.
King determined to save Daniel (6:14-15)
It is clear that Darius had great respect for Daniel, so was most upset when the charge was made
against him, and tried to find a way of saving him. The plotters were most pleased to be able to remind the king that, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, any decree signed by the king cannot be changed (v15), and there was no way for the king to avoid executing Daniel for disobeying the decree.
Daniel thrown into the den of lions (6:16-18)
Very reluctantly the king commanded that Daniel be thrown into the den of lions, and the den was
sealed with the king’s signet, and the signet of the lords, making it impossible for Daniel to be rescued by anyone. His last words to Daniel appealed to Daniel’s God to save him. In archaeological excavations of all the empires of Mesopotamia, including Assyria, Babylon and Persia, carvings of lions have been found. The main street of Babylon was decorated with reliefs of lions in blue-glazed bricks. In all three empires, the king showed his great physical strength by hunting lions, so lions were kept and bred for this purpose. It is most likely that Daniel was thrown to these lions being prepared to be hunted by the king.
Angel shut mouths of lions (6:19-24)
After an anxious sleepless night without food, the king hurried to the lion’s den early the following
morning. As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel, hoping to hear a response, and probably
dreading that there would be silence. He asked whether Daniel’s God has been able to save him from the
lions (v20), and Daniel declared that God had sent his angel to shut the mouths of the lions because he was blameless before both God and the king (v22). The king was delighted that God had saved Daniel, and
ordered that his accusers and their families be thrown to the lions, where they were instantly overpowered and killed, showing that God had miraculously preserved Daniel from the hungry lions. It seems unfair that the families of the accusers were also executed, but there are other accounts of the Persians punishing entire families (Herodotus 3:119).
Decree: all should fear the God of Daniel (6:25-28)
The account concludes with a decree from Darius that all his citizens should tremble and fear before
the God of Daniel, because Daniel had been saved from the power of the lions. Darius, like Nebuchadnezzar, had been forced to recognise the supremacy of the God of the Jews, and therefore wrote a declaration of the power of God. He is the living God, whose kingdom lasts forever (v26). The kingdom of Babylon has come and gone, to be replaced by the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, which later be replaced, but the kingdom of God continues eternally.
Daniel, who had been in a powerful position under the kings of Babylon, now prospers under the reigns of both Darius and Cyrus of Persia, with his position secure (v28). This verse would suggest that Darius was a different ruler from Cyrus.
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