PROTECTED AMONG LIONS.



"IT pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three presidents, of whom Daniel was first; that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king sought to set him over the whole realm."  This made the presidents and princes envious of Daniel, and even angry at him, so much so that they laid plans to put him out of the way. They tried to find something wrong in his management of the affairs of the kingdom, but could find nothing. "Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." Then they counseled together and made a decree that whosoever should ask any petition of any god or man for thirty days save of the king should be cast into a den of lions. This decree they brought to the king and asked him to sign it, in order that it might become a statute that could not be changed. The king did not suspect their evil designs, and so signed the decree very cheerfully.

Daniel paid no attention to the decree, but three times a day kneeled before his open window and prayed to his God. This was just what his enemies had expected, and they went immediately to the king and entered a complaint against him, demanding that he should be cast into the lions' den, according to the decree that had just been made. When the king heard this, he was "sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him." But these wicked men said unto him, "Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions." 

But the king did not think Daniel would be destroyed; for he said to him, "Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."

After a stone had been laid upon the mouth of the cave, the king sealed it with his own signet, and then went to his own palace, where he spent the night fasting; for he loved Daniel, and besides, he knew him to be the most valuable man in his kingdom, and was very anxious for his safety.

Very early in the morning, Darius went to the den, and cried out, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" 

And Daniel said, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me." Then the king was glad, and had Daniel taken up out of the lions' den. 

When Daniel was brought out, it was seen that the lions had not hurt him at all.

Then the king ordered that the men who had accused Daniel should be brought, and cast into the lions' den. This order was obeyed, and when the men were cast in, the lions broke all their bones in pieces before they reached the bottom of the cave.

Then King Darius made a decree and put it in writing, and sent it unto all the people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth, saying, "I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end."