9. So the king, Darius, signed the writing and the interdict.
10. Now when Daniel realized that the document was signed, he went to his house (now he had windows in his upper room that were open toward Jerusalem), and three times daily he knelt on his knees and prayed and gave praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously.
11. Then these men came as a group and they found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his God.
12. Then they approached and spoke with the king concerning the edict of the king, “Did you not sign an edict that any person who would seek anything from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into the lion pit?” The king answered and said, “The matter as you have just stated is certain according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked.”
13. Then they responded and said before the king, “Daniel, who is from the exiles of Judah, is not paying any attention to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, and three times daily he says his prayer.”
14. Then the king, when he heard that report, he was extremely distressed over it; and concerning Daniel he was determined to rescue him. And until the setting of the sun he was making every effort to deliver him.
15. Then these men came as a group to the king and said, “Recall, O king, that with respect to the law of the Medes and Persians that any decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be changed.”
16. Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw him into the lion pit. The king said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve faithfully, may he rescue you!”
17. And a stone was brought and it was put on the entrance of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet rings of his lords, so that nothing would be changed concerning Daniel.
18. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night in fasting, and no food was brought in before him and his sleep fled from him.
19. Then the king got up at daybreak, at first light, and he went in haste to the lion pit.
20. And when he came near to the pit, he cried out to Daniel with a distressed voice, and the king spoke and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve faithfully, was he able to rescue you from the lions?”
21. Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever!