Daniel 6:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

NIV: At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den.

NASB: Then the king got up at dawn, at the break of day, and went in a hurry to the lions’ den.

CSB: At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions' den.

NLT: Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den.

KJV: Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

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

Had Darius rejected the idea of Daniel's God, he would not have been anxious (Daniel 6:18). There would have been no urge to hurry if he was assured that he'd find Daniel's remains at the lions' den (Daniel 6:10–15). Instead, his respect for Daniel (Daniel 6:1–3) and faint hope in what he knows of the Lord of Israel (Daniel 6:16) makes this moment tense. Darius might have been thinking about the miraculous deliverance of Daniel's three friends from Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace (Daniel 3:24–26).

Many aspects of Daniel's story foreshadow the experience of Jesus Christ. Centuries later, a group of women went to Jesus' tomb at early dawn, expecting to embalm Jesus' body. They had no hope of finding anything except a corpse. Of course, King Darius, like the women at Jesus' tomb, was about to be delightfully surprised (Daniel 6:21–22; Matthew 28:1–6).

Daniel 6:19–28 concludes Daniel's encounter in the lions' den. This passage includes Daniel's fate and Darius's reaction. The story comes to a joyful conclusion, rather than the messy end intended for Daniel by his conspiring enemies. They, instead, suffer the fate they planned for an innocent man. The last verses include an endorsement of Daniel's faith, coming directly from Darius.

Babylon's new ruler organizes his territory under 120 satraps and three governors. He intends to make Daniel the most powerful of these, but jealous rivals develop a plot. Knowing Daniel's only "weakness" is loyalty to God, they trick the king into passing an irrevocable law banning prayer. Daniel knows about the law but chooses obedience to God rather than to men. Darius is anguished yet he dutifully follows the law. When Daniel miraculously survives a night in a den full of lions, Darius is elated. He condemns the conspirators to death, and the same lions tear them apart. Darius then proclaims honor on behalf of Daniel's God.

At the end of chapter 5, Belshazzar has died and control over Babylon has come to someone identified as "Darius the Mede." Darius organizes his territory under 120 satraps and three governor-level officials. Daniel is identified as one of the three high administrators. After jealous rivals fail to kill Daniel, he continues to prosper in his role. The following chapter begins an extensive record of prophetic visions. The first is a flashback to something Daniel saw during the rule of Belshazzar.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.

Accessed 5/8/2024 5:33:20 PM