DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN
I
In the days of long ago, when Darius was king, a very brave man lived in Babylon. His name was Daniel. Daniel was just as truthful as he was brave. No one ever knew him to do a mean thing, or to tell a lie.
Now, Daniel was a foreigner. He had been carried to Babylon as a captive when a little boy. But that made no difference to King Darius. The king liked Daniel because he was loyal and faithful, which was more than could be said for some of the king’s servants. So the king made Daniel first ruler in the kingdom—a very high position indeed; but the proud nobles and princes of Babylon were very angry at this.
“He’s only a foreigner,” some said. “We despise him.”
“He was little better than a slave when he came here; now he rules over us,” others said. “We hate him.”
Then they put their heads together and plotted to kill Daniel. “Come,” the plotters said. “Let us search his record and accuse him to the king. He must be dishonest, or a bribe-taker, to succeed like this.”
These men judged Daniel by themselves. They searched high and they searched low, but could not find a single item of wrongdoing. Daniel was true to his trust. His enemies were defeated, but not for long; for they kept on plotting.
“Why didn’t we think of it before?” cried one. “We’ll put him in a trap. His religion—he won’t give that up even to save his life.”
II
Now, you must know that the people of Babylon worshipped idols; Daniel worshipped the true God.
This is the trap they laid for Daniel. They went to the king and said:
“King Darius, live forever. All the nobles and princes of the kingdom desire to pass a law that whoever shall pray to any god or man for thirty days, save to thee, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions. Now, O king, sign the writing that it be not changed, according to the laws of Babylon which alter not.”
This pleased the king’s vanity and he signed the law, not knowing that it was aimed at Daniel.
Then the plotters set spies to catch Daniel.
When Daniel knew that the law was signed, he might have said to himself: “Oh, well, it’s only for thirty days; I won’t pray at all; or I’ll pray in secret; or I’ll go to the king, who is my friend, and explain the plot.”
He did none of these things. This is what he did. He went into his house; up the stairs to his bedroom; opened the window toward the far-off city of his birth; knelt down and prayed to his God. He did this at morning, at noon, at night—three times a day as he had always done.
III
Daniel did just what his enemies had expected. He walked right into their trap, rather than disobey his conscience. It took a brave heart to do that. To be thrown into the den of lions meant certain death.
“Ha! ha!” laughed the plotters, “now we have him;” and they came in the morning to report to the king.
“O great king,” they said, “this foreigner, Daniel, pays no regard to the law that thou hast signed, but openly worships his God three times a day.”
Then the king was very angry with himself for having signed the law. All that day he tried to find some way to save Daniel, but could not; for the laws of Babylon, once made, could not be changed.
The same evening, the plotters came again, accusing Daniel. Then the king could wait no longer and sent for Daniel.
“O Daniel,” said the king, “the law must be obeyed. It may be that thy God whom thou servest continually will deliver thee.”
Daniel made no reply.
Then the king sadly ordered the soldiers to take Daniel to the lions.
The den was underground. As the soldiers removed the flat stone from the mouth of the den, the snarling beasts could be heard below.
Quickly they lifted Daniel and threw him in. He made no resistance. They replaced the stone over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it, so that no one could open the den without his permission.
Then the king went to his palace. He sent away the musicians and refused to eat. All night long he tossed on his bed and could not sleep.
Meanwhile, Daniel’s enemies were having a merry time, drinking to celebrate their victory.
By daylight, the king was in a fever. Hastily he rose, ran out of his palace to the den, and ordered the guard to remove the stone.
Then he stooped and looked down, fearful of what he was sure had happened. All was quiet.
“O Daniel, Daniel,” he cried. “Is thy God able to deliver thee from the lions?”
Then up from the den rose Daniel’s voice, clear and steady:
“O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me, for I have done no wrong.”
“Lift him out! Lift him out!” cried the king, too happy to wait another moment.
Quickly they lifted Daniel into the daylight. Not a scratch was found on him anywhere.
Then the king ordered the plotters to be brought to the den immediately.
“You laid a trap for my faithful servant, Daniel,” cried the king to them, “and have walked into it yourselves. The fate you intended for him is reserved for you. What have you to say?”
But they could say nothing, save to beg for mercy.
“Away with them to the lions!” ordered the king.
Whene’er a noble deed is wrought,
Whene’er is spoken a noble thought,
Our hearts, in glad surprise,
To higher levels rise.
—Henry W. Longfellow.
