1. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty governors who should be in all the kingdom;
2. and over these three presidents, of whom Daniel was first, that the governors might give accounts unto them, and the king should not be bothered.
3. Then this Daniel was preferred above these governors and presidents because an overabundance of the Spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole kingdom.
4. Then the presidents and governors looked for occasions against Daniel on behalf of the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault because he was faithful, and no vice nor fault was found in him.
5. Then these men said, We shall never find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him in the law of his God.
6. Then these governors and presidents assembled together before the king and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7. All the presidents of the kingdom, magistrates, governors, great ones, and captains have agreed in common accord to promote a royal decree and to confirm it that whoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8. Now, O king, confirm the decree and sign the writing that it not be moved, according to the law of Media and of Persia, which does not change.
9. Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he entered into his house; and with the windows open toward Jerusalem in his dining chamber, he knelt three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he was used to doing before.
11. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12. Then they went and spoke before the king concerning the royal decree; Hast thou not confirmed a decree that whoever shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Media and Persia, which does not change.