Daniel 6 7

Daniel 6:7 kjv

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Daniel 6:7 nkjv

All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

Daniel 6:7 niv

The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den.

Daniel 6:7 esv

All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

Daniel 6:7 nlt

We are all in agreement ? we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors ? that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human ? except to you, Your Majesty ? will be thrown into the den of lions.

Daniel 6 verses

Daniel 6 7 meaning

Daniel 6:7 presents the unanimous agreement of high-ranking Persian officials to secure a new royal decree from King Darius. This decree would enforce a stringent thirty-day prohibition against anyone praying to any god or human, with the sole exception of King Darius himself. The penalty for violating this "interdict" is to be thrown into a den of lions. This verse establishes the direct legal framework designed specifically to trap Daniel due to his consistent faithfulness to God.

Daniel 6 7 Context

Daniel chapter 6 recounts the intense jealousy and conspiracy against Daniel, who was distinguished in the Persian administration for his exceptional spirit and integrity. King Darius intended to set Daniel over the entire kingdom (Dan 6:3), a promotion that enraged other high-ranking officials. Unable to find any fault in Daniel's governmental conduct (Dan 6:4), they resorted to manipulating his unwavering religious devotion. This verse details their strategy: to exploit King Darius’s ego and a prevailing custom of divine king worship by proposing a law that would directly target Daniel’s consistent practice of praying to God. Historically, during the Medo-Persian period, royal decrees were immutable (Dan 6:8, 12), and the idea of a king holding near-divine status was common, making the proposed edict seem like an affirmation of royal power and a test of loyalty across the vast empire.

Daniel 6 7 Word analysis

• All the king's administrators, prefects, satraps, royal advisers and governors

  • This listing uses a collection of Aramaic titles: sarəḵîn (administrators, high-ranking officials), saganîn (prefects, viceroys), ʾăḥašdarpənayyaʾ (satraps, provincial governors), haddābĕrayyāʾ (royal advisers, often those involved in justice or legislation), and ṭiptyāʾ (governors, generally of smaller districts or captains).
  • Significance: The cumulative list emphasizes the broad and unanimous nature of the conspiracy. It portrays an extensive network of officials, making it appear that the entire ruling class genuinely supported the decree. This show of solidarity likely made it more compelling for Darius. The precise hierarchy indicates the highest levels of power were involved in framing this decree, suggesting deep-seated animosity toward Daniel.

• have agreed (Heb. yaʿaṭ)

  • The Aramaic word for "agreed" carries the nuance of consultation, advice, or counsel, sometimes implying a formal meeting. It signifies not just passive agreement but active deliberation and decision-making in counsel.
  • Significance: It underlines the premeditated and strategic nature of the plot. This wasn't a casual consensus but a concerted effort among those with power to formulate an effective plan against Daniel.

• that the king should issue an edict and enforce the interdict

  • "Edict" (Aram. tēʿēm): A command, decree, or official order. This term carries strong legal authority in a monarchy.
  • "Interdict" (Aram. ʾesar): A prohibition, injunction, or binding decree. It implies something that must not be done, often with strict penalties attached.
  • Significance: The use of both terms emphasizes the solemnity and enforceability of the proposed law. It highlights the official, governmental stamp this conspiratorial measure would have, giving it an unchallengeable legal status in the Persian system once signed by the king.

• that anyone who prays (Aram. ṣelî) to any god or human being

  • "Pray" (Aram. ṣelî): To bow down, to entreat, to worship, or to pray. It encompasses acts of veneration and supplication.
  • Significance: This is the crux of the trap. Daniel's well-known, habitual prayer three times a day is the specific target. The inclusive "any god or human being" is cleverly crafted to exclude Daniel's Yahwistic worship while seemingly elevating Darius, appealing to his ego. The term ṣelî includes physical posture of worship often associated with submission.

• during the next thirty days

  • Significance: This time limit is critical. It is long enough to expose Daniel's consistent practice of prayer and secure his conviction, yet short enough that it doesn't overly disrupt religious practices across the vast multi-ethnic empire. It suggests a focused, limited-time "loyalty test" for the king, a shrewd tactical move by the conspirators.

• except to you, Your Majesty

  • Significance: This flattery is the lynchpin designed to win Darius's approval. It appeals to the king's pride and reinforces his absolute authority and potentially divine status in the eyes of his subjects, a common imperial motif. It makes the decree appear to be about exalting the king, rather than entrapping a faithful servant.

• shall be thrown into the lions' den (Aram. gubbāʾ dî ʾarayyāʾ)

  • "Lions' den": A specific, brutal form of capital punishment, known for being a terrible, inescapable fate.
  • Significance: This explicit penalty underscores the gravity of the "offense" and the ruthless intent behind the decree. It also contrasts sharply with the "fiery furnace" in Dan 3, showcasing different forms of capital punishment under different empires but with similar outcomes for those defying God's people. It ensures the proposed law has significant deterrent force, as few would openly defy such a punishment.

Daniel 6 7 Bonus section

• The phrasing "any god or human being" is crucial. It cleverly ensures that even prayers to other recognized gods within the diverse Persian empire are forbidden, thereby preventing a loophole for Daniel and simultaneously elevating Darius's temporary religious supremacy.
• This legal maneuver demonstrates the astute political understanding of the conspirators. They didn't directly accuse Daniel or challenge his administrative competence but found a way to leverage imperial law against his core identity, his spiritual life. Their success in convincing Darius also reveals the danger of flattery and pride in leadership, as the king was too eager to embrace a decree that outwardly exalted him.
• The severity of the "lions' den" punishment, and the fact that Persian laws, once signed, were irrevocable (Dan 6:8), shows the deep peril Daniel faced. This absolute nature of Persian law also serves as a polemic: highlighting the immutability of God's laws which transcend even human irrevocable decrees.

Daniel 6 7 Commentary

This verse is the official proposal of a cunningly devised legal trap, specifically designed to exploit Daniel's unwavering faithfulness to God. The conspiracy is not a casual agreement but a calculated legislative act, endorsed by all the top officials—a political show of unity masking deep envy and malice. They craft a seemingly noble decree, one that temporarily exalts the king as the sole recipient of all supplication, thereby stroking his ego and securing his signature. The stipulated penalty of the lions' den ensures no one would dare violate it, assuming Daniel would choose survival over piety. Yet, it precisely targeted Daniel's habit of praying three times daily (Dan 6:10), a non-negotiable aspect of his covenant with Yahweh. This episode exemplifies the spiritual battle where human rulers, fueled by pride and jealousy, attempt to legislate against divine obedience, only to highlight God's sovereignty over earthly powers.