Under King Darius the Mede, Daniel was so distinguished among the king's officials that the others plotted against him. Knowing his piety, they tricked Darius into signing an irrevocable decree that no one should petition any god or man other than the king for thirty days.
When Daniel knew the decree had been signed, he went to his house — where the windows of his upper chamber opened toward Jerusalem — and got down on his knees three times a day, as he had done before. His enemies came upon him praying and reported him. Darius, grieved, tried until sunset to deliver Daniel, but the law of the Medes and Persians could not be revoked. Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, and a stone was laid upon its mouth.
At first light the king ran to the den and called out: 'O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you faithfully serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?' Daniel answered: 'O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him' (Daniel 6:21–22). Daniel was lifted out unharmed. The conspirators were thrown to the lions in his place — and 'before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them' (Daniel 6:24).