1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.4 Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”6 Then these presidents and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!7 All the presidents 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.8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.
