Although Daniel knew the decree had been signed he continued praying, the rulers accused him before the king.
Daniel was appointed as one of three commissioners who oversaw 120 satraps and reported to king Darius. Daniel excelled in his position so much so that the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. This made the other satraps and commissioners jealous and they looked for a way to accuse Daniel but found none. They knew that he was obedient to God and so they planned to find a way to accuse him based on his faith. They came before the king and advised him that he should sign a decree that made him the sole object of prayer or petitioning for 30 days. If anyone disobeyed, they would be cast into the lion’s den.
Daniel knew that the document was signed, but he was obedient to the one true God. He entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem). Despite the threat of death in the lion’s den, he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. It’s likely the other rulers knew that this was Daniel’s habit as these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. Their plan worked perfectly and they now had grounds to accuse Daniel of lawbreaking before the king.
Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” Despite being King, Darius was bound by the law he had made. Darius was unaware of the plot by his satraps and commissioners to kill Daniel; he had been planning to make him ruler over the entire kingdom (verse 3). Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.” Darius was bound by the law and his rulers had caught Daniel breaking the law; it seems Daniel’s fate was sealed.
Biblical Text
10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”
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