7 All the officials, governors, satraps, advisers, and mayors agree that the king should make a statute and enforce a decree. The decree should state that for the next 30 days whoever asks for anything from any god or person except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a lions’ den.
8 Your Majesty, issue this decree, and sign it. According to the law of the Medes and Persians no one could change it or repeal it.”
9 So Darius signed the written decree.
10 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. An upper room in his house had windows that opened in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed to his God. He had always praised God this way.
11 One of those times the men came in as a group and found Daniel praying and pleading to his God.
12 Then they went and spoke to the king about his decree. ⌊They asked,⌋ “Didn’t you sign a decree which stated that for 30 days whoever asks for anything from any god or person except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a lions’ den?”The king answered, “That’s true. According to the law of the Medes and Persians the decree can’t be repealed.”
13 They replied, “Your Majesty, Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, refuses to obey your order or the decree that you signed. He prays three times each day.”