Old Testament Story List

Daniel

Now the kingdom of Darius was large. There were one hundred and twenty princes ruled over by three presidents, of whom Daniel was first. All the princes gave their accounting to him, and he saw that the king was not cheated, for he was very fair and just.

The princes were jealous of Daniel, but because he was so faithful to the king, they could find no

They decided they could never find anything against him except his worship of God. So they persuaded the king to sign a decree declaring that anyone who prayed to any god or man except Darius should be cast into a den of lions.

Darius was pleased, and never thinking of Daniel and how he prayed to God every day, he signed the decree.

Even though he knew that the decree had been signed, Daniel went home, knelt before his open window which faced toward Jerusalem, and prayed and gave thanks to God just as he had always done.

The jealous nobles saw him. They went straight to the king and asked, "Did you not sign a decree saying that anyone who make a petition of any god within thirty days should be cast into the den of lions?"

The king replied, "That is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."

Instantly they answered, "Daniel, the captive from Judah, pays no attention, but makes his petitions to his God three times a day."

Then Darius was angry, for he saw the trap which the nobles had set. All day he tried to think of a way to save Daniel, whom he loved and respected and whom he knew he could trust.

But when evening came the nobles returned to tell the king what he knew very well. "The law of the Medes and Persians is that no decree signed by the king may be changed."

So the king commanded that Daniel be put into the lions' den. The mouth of the den was closed with a stone, and the king sealed it himself. But he said to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve so faithfully, will surely deliver you."

Then Darius returned to his palace. He made the musicians put away their instruments, and he neither ate nor slept.

Very early in the morning, he went in haste to the lions' den.

"O Daniel," he cried out, "has your God saved you from the lions?"

And then he heard Daniel's voice in answer, "O king, live forever! My God has sent His angel, who has closed the lions' mouths so that they have not hurt me, for He knows I have done o wrong."

Then with great joy, Darius ordered that Daniel be taken from the den, and commanded that those men who had accused Daniel be cast into the den in his stead, and the lions ate them.

Then King Darius issued a decree stating that in all parts of his kingdom men were to worship the God of Daniel from that day forth.