Daniel 6

This is the last chapter of the narrative first half (chapters 1–6) of the Book of Daniel. It covers events following Belshazzar's death and the accession of Darius the Mede at the end of chapter 5.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 Darius appoints 120 satraps ("princes") and three presidents over them. Daniel distinguishes himself among them, and the king plans to set him over the whole realm.
• Verses 4–9 The presidents and satraps can find no fault for which to accuse Daniel. They ask the king for a decree that anyone who petitions any god or man other than the king for thirty days be cast into the lions' den, and the king seals it with his royal signet.
• Verses 10–15 Daniel continues to pray three times a day at his window open toward Jerusalem, as he had done before, and is reported. The king labors until sundown to deliver him but is bound by "the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not."
• Verses 16–18 Daniel is cast into the lions' den, and the den is closed with a stone and sealed. The king spends the night fasting.
• Verses 19–23 At dawn the king hurries to the den. Because God had sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, Daniel has suffered no harm at all.
• Verse 24 Daniel's accusers are cast into the den together with their wives and children.
• Verses 25–28 Darius issues a decree that all should fear the God of Daniel. Daniel prospers in the reigns of Darius and Cyrus.

Key Verses

• Daniel 6:10 "He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed ... as he did aforetime." Daniel does not alter his habit of prayer even in the face of the decree.
• Daniel 6:22 "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths." This is the chapter's scene of deliverance.
• Daniel 6:26 "For he is the living God, and stedfast for ever." Here a Gentile king confesses the everlasting nature of God's kingdom, a theme that runs through the whole Book of Daniel.

People and Places

• Daniel: A descendant of Judah carried away into exile, and one of the three presidents.
• Darius: The king whom the Book of Daniel introduces as "the Median."
• Cyrus: King of Persia, named in verse 28.
• The Medes: The people who ruled the kingdom together with the Persians.
• Jerusalem: The direction Daniel faced when he prayed.

Points for Reflection

• The identity of Darius the Mede: This figure's name is not attested in records outside the Bible. Conservative interpreters seek to identify him with a known historical figure, suggesting, for example, that he is Cyrus under another name or a governor placed over Babylon. Historical-critical scholars explain the problem in connection with the view that the Book of Daniel was written at a later date.
• Difference in verse numbering: In the Aramaic original, what is 5:31 in Korean (and English) Bibles is numbered 6:1, so chapter 6 in the original has 29 verses.
• Collective punishment in verse 24: The text simply records that the accusers' wives and children were also punished, without passing judgment on it. Some interpreters read this alongside Deuteronomy 24:16.
• Connection with the New Testament: The phrase "stopped the mouths of lions" in Hebrews 11:33 is understood to refer to this event. Some interpreters also read the den closed with a stone and sealed as a parallel to the tomb of Jesus (Matthew 27:66).
• Pairing with chapter 3: The chapter is read together with the fiery furnace episode of chapter 3 as its companion narrative.

In the Korean Church

The episode of the lions' den is frequently featured in Sunday school curricula and Bible storybooks. Verse 10 is often cited in sermons on the life of prayer and steadfastness of faith.