³⁶ They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates,^(A) so that they would support the people and the house of God.^(B)

⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.^(A)

The Plot against Daniel

6 Darius decided^[a] to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm, ² and over them three administrators, including Daniel.^(A) These satraps would be accountable to them so that the king would not be defrauded.^{(B) 3} Daniel^[b] distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit,^(C) so the king planned to set him over the whole realm.^{(D) 4} The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Daniel^(E) regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption,^(F) for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”^(G)

⁶ So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, “May King Darius live forever.^{(H) 7} All the administrators of the kingdom^(I)—the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors—have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that, for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den.^(J)