1. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty officials, so that they would be over the whole kingdom,
2. and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was first, so that the officials might give accounts to them and the king not suffer loss.
3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and officials because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4. Then the presidents and officials sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.
5. Then these men said, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6. Then these presidents and officials assembled together to the king, and said to him: “King Darius, live forever!
7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the officials, the counselors, and the captains have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered.”
9. Therefore King Darius signed the writing, even the decree.
10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house. And his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.