The other rulers convince the king to sign a decree that prohibits petitioning anyone besides 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. They looked for a way to accuse Daniel of corruption, but found none. They knew that he was obedient to his God and so they planned to find a way to accuse him based on his faith.
Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king. They plotted a method to accuse Daniel before the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.”
It seemed the king trusted his satraps and commissioners because it did not take a lot of convincing. King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. The law made it illegal to make petition (or in Daniel’s case, pray) to any God or man for thirty days. Making Darius the only person to be petitioned for those thirty days. As we will find out, Daniel was in the habit of praying often, giving the rulers an accusation to bring before king Darius and land Daniel in the lion’s den.
Biblical Text
6 Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.
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