1. Darius decided it would be good to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom.
2. Over these satraps were three officials. Daniel was one of these officials. The satraps were to report to these three officials so that the king wouldn’t be cheated.
3. This man, Daniel, distinguished himself among the other officials and satraps because there was an extraordinary spirit in him. The king thought about putting him in charge of the whole kingdom.
4. So the other officials and satraps tried to find something to accuse Daniel of in his duties for the kingdom. But they couldn’t find anything wrong because he was trustworthy. No error or fault could be found.
5. These men said, “We won’t find anything to accuse this man, Daniel, unless we find it in his religious practices.”
6. So these officials and satraps went to the king as a group. They said to him, “May King Darius live forever!
7. All the officials, governors, satraps, advisers, and mayors agree that the king should make a statute and enforce a decree. The decree should state that for the next 30 days whoever asks for anything from any god or person except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a lions’ den.
8. Your Majesty, issue this decree, and sign it. According to the law of the Medes and Persians no one could change it or repeal it.”
9. So Darius signed the written decree.
10. When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. An upper room in his house had windows that opened in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed to his God. He had always praised God this way.
11. One of those times the men came in as a group and found Daniel praying and pleading to his God.