And Daryavesh the Mede received the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.

It was pleasing to Daryavesh, and he appointed over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, who would be throughout the whole kingdom.

And over them, three officials, of whom Daniyel was one, so that these satraps would give account to him, and the king would not suffer loss.

Then this Daniyel was distinguishing himself above the officials and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Then the officials and the satraps were seeking to find a pretext against Daniyel concerning the kingdom, and they could find no pretext or corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

Then these men said, 'We will not find any pretext against this Daniyel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his Elohim.'

Then these officials and satraps rushed to the king and said to him, 'Daryavesh the king, live forever!'

All the officials of the kingdom, the governors, the satraps, the counselors, and the deputies have consulted to establish a royal decree and to make a firm ordinance, that whoever asks a petition from any eloh or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, will be thrown into the lions' den.

Now, O king, establish the ordinance and sign the writing, so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.

Therefore, King Daryavesh signed the writing and the ordinance.

And Daniyel, when he knew that the writing was signed, went to his house, and his windows were open in his upper room toward Yerushalayim, and three times a day he knelt on his knees and prayed and gave thanks before his eloh, just as he had done previously.

Then these men rushed and found Daniyel praying and making supplication before his eloh.

Then they came and spoke before the king concerning the king's ordinance: 'Did you not sign an ordinance that whoever asks a petition from any eloh or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, will be thrown into the lions' den?' The king answered and said, 'The matter is established, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.'

Then they answered and said before the king, 'Daniyel, who is from the exiles of Yehud, has not paid attention to you, O king, nor to the ordinance that you signed, but he prays his prayers three times a day.'

Then the king, when he heard this matter, was greatly displeased with himself, and he set his mind to save Daniyel, and he labored until the setting of the sun to rescue him.

Then these men rushed to the king and said to the king, 'Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that any ordinance or decree that the king establishes cannot be changed.'

Then the king gave the order, and they brought Daniyel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniyel, 'Your eloh, whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.'

And a stone was brought and placed on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that the purpose concerning Daniyel might not be changed.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him, and his sleep departed from him.

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and in haste he went to the lions' den.

And as he approached the den, he cried out to Daniyel with a distressed voice. The king spoke and said to Daniyel, 'Daniyel, servant of the living eloh, has your eloh, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?'

Then Daniyel spoke to the king. 'O king, live forever!'

'My eloh sent his angel and shut the mouths of the lions, and they did not harm me, because before him innocence was found in me, and also before you, O king, I have committed no offense.'

Then the king was exceedingly glad, and he ordered Daniyel to be brought up out of the den, and Daniyel was brought up out of the den, and no injury was found in him, because he had trusted in his eloh.

Then the king spoke and ordered that the men who had accused Daniyel be brought, and they were thrown into the lions' den, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Then Daryavesh the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: 'May your peace increase.'

'From me an ordinance is issued, that in all the dominion of my kingdom, people shall tremble and fear before the eloh of Daniyel, for he is the living eloh and endures forever, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed, and his dominion will last until the end.'

'He delivers and rescues, and he performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who delivered Daniyel from the power of the lions.'

'And this Daniyel prospered during the reign of Daryavesh and during the reign of Koresh the Persian.'