← All Chapters The Book of Daniel · Chapter 6

Daniel 6: Daniel in the Lions' Den

Trapped by a law against prayer, Daniel keeps praying to his God and is delivered from the lions by the angel who shuts their mouths.

Coming soon

Daniel 6 (WEB)

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no damage.

3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

4 Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

5 Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

6 Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever.

7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he 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 doesn’t alter.

9 Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

11 Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: Haven’t you signed an decree, that every man who shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.

13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.

15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.

17 A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him.

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

20 When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice; the king spoke and said to Daniel, Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?

21 Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever.

22 My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no hurt.

23 Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.

25 Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

26 I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even to the end.

27 He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Summary

Under Darius the Mede, Daniel so distinguishes himself among the officials that the king plans to set him over the whole realm. Jealous, the other leaders can find no fault in him except in the law of his God, so they trick Darius into signing an unalterable decree that for thirty days no one may petition any god or man but the king, on pain of the lions' den. When Daniel knows the decree is signed, he goes home and, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, kneels and prays three times a day as he always has. His enemies catch him and bring it to the king, who is grieved and labors all day to save him, but the law of the Medes and Persians cannot be changed. Daniel is cast into the den, and the king, who has urged that Daniel's God will deliver him, spends a sleepless night fasting. At dawn he runs to the den and cries out, and Daniel answers: his God has sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, for he was found innocent. The king is overjoyed, the accusers meet the fate they planned, and Darius decrees that all should fear the God of Daniel, the living God whose kingdom shall not be destroyed.

Main Characters

  • Daniel — The faithful official who keeps praying toward Jerusalem despite the deadly decree and is delivered when God shuts the lions' mouths.
  • Darius — The king who is tricked into signing the decree, grieves over Daniel, and rejoices at his deliverance, then proclaims the living God.
  • The jealous officials — The presidents and satraps who can find no fault in Daniel and so conspire to trap him through the law of his God.
  • The living God — The God of Daniel who sends his angel to shut the lions' mouths and whose kingdom shall not be destroyed.

Key Verse

Daniel 6:10 (WEB)

When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

Lessons Learned

  • A life of integrity may provoke opposition that can only attack our devotion to God.
  • Faithfulness in prayer is steady and unspectacular—doing what we always do, even when it is costly.
  • God is able to deliver his servants, and his deliverance turns rulers toward him.
  • The schemes meant to destroy the faithful can recoil on those who devise them.
  • Integrity is the best defense. Daniel's enemies “could find no occasion nor fault” in him (Daniel 6:4, WEB). A blameless life leaves slander little to grasp.
  • Keep praying as before. Daniel prayed “three times a day… as he did before” (Daniel 6:10, WEB). Faithfulness under threat is simply continuing the habits of devotion already in place.
  • God shuts the lions' mouths. Daniel testifies, “My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths” (Daniel 6:22, WEB). The Lord protects his servants in the very place of danger.
  • Deliverance leads to witness. Darius decrees that all should fear “the God of Daniel; for he is the living God” (Daniel 6:26, WEB). God's rescue of one man magnifies his name to a nation.
  1. Why can Daniel's enemies only attack him through his faith?
  2. What is striking about how Daniel responds when he learns the decree is signed?
  3. How does Darius's anguish and joy frame the meaning of Daniel's deliverance?
  4. How does this chapter echo the earlier stories of faithfulness and rescue in Babylon?
  5. How is God calling you to a quiet, consistent faithfulness in prayer, whatever the cost?
  1. Daniel is so faithful in his work that no fault can be found, so his enemies must target his devotion to God (6:4-5). His integrity itself becomes the only handle for attack. The story commends a life that gives slander nothing to seize.
  2. Daniel simply continues his lifelong practice, kneeling toward Jerusalem with thanksgiving “as he did before” (6:10). He neither hides nor stages a protest; he is faithful as ever. His courage flows from established habit, not sudden heroics.
  3. Darius's grief shows that even a powerful king is trapped by his own law, while his joy at dawn proclaims that God's deliverance is greater (6:14-23). The rescue moves the king from helplessness to worship. God's power is displayed against the backdrop of human limits.
  4. Like the furnace, the den is a test of worship under threat, met by God's saving presence through his angel (6:22). The same God who walked in the fire shuts the lions' mouths. The pattern reassures God's people that he is consistent in faithfulness.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name one rhythm of prayer they can keep faithfully, even when inconvenient or costly. As leader, encourage steady devotion now, so that faith is ready when testing comes.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.