וְדָרְיָוֶשׁ מָדָאָה קַבֵּל מַלְכוּתָא כְּבַר שְׁנִין שִׁתִּין וְתַרְתֵּין

Darius the Mede received the kingdom of Babylon after the fall of Belshatzar, when he was sixty-two years old. This was actually the result of a collaboration between Darius and Cyrus, as together they defeated the Babylonian Empire and established the joint kingdom of Persia and Media.

שְׁפַר קֳדָם דָּרְיָוֶשׁ וַהֲקִים עַל־מַלְכוּתָא לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא מְאָה וְעֶשְׂרִין דִּי לֶהֱוֹן בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתָא

It was pleasing before Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, governors or state rulers, who would be spread throughout the entire kingdom;

וְעֵלָּא מִנְּהוֹן סָרְכִין תְּלָתָה דִּי דָנִיֵּאל חַד מִנְּהוֹן דִּי־לֶהֱוֹן אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא אִלֵּין יָהֲבִין לְהוֹן טַעְמָא וּמַלְכָּא לָא־לֶהֱוֵא נָזִק

and over them were three senior officials in the Persian kingdom, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps would give counsel, so that thereby no harm would come to the king. In this enormous kingdom, each of the satraps was in effect the ruler of a state, sometimes a very large one. Consequently, the king needed officials to supervise the satraps, by receiving reports from them and ensuring that the matters of the kingdom were run smoothly. Daniel was appointed above the officials because he was already considered the wisest man in Babylon, even though it was generally known that he was not Babylonian.

אֱדַיִן דָּנִיֵּאל דְּנָה הֲוָא מִתְנַצַּח עַל־סָרְכַיָּא וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי רוּחַ יַתִּירָא בֵּהּ וּמַלְכָּא עֲשִׁית לַהֲקָמוּתֵהּ עַל־כָּל־מַלְכוּתָא

Then this Daniel would supervise, in his official position, the officials and the satraps, since an extraordinary spirit was in him; and the king considered setting him over the entire realm, to appoint him as a kind of prime minister for the king of Persia.

אֱדַיִן סָרְכַיָּא וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא הֲווֹ בָעַיִן עִלָּה לְהַשְׁכָּחָה לְדָנִיֵּאל מִצַּד מַלְכוּתָא וְכָל־עִלָּה וּשְׁחִיתָה לָא־יָכְלִין לְהַשְׁכָּחָה כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי־מְהֵימַן הוּא וְכָל־שָׁלוּ וּשְׁחִיתָה לָא הִשְׁתְּכַחַת עֲלוֹהִי

Then the officials and the satraps sought to find a pretext against Daniel with regard to matters of the kingdom. They wanted to prove to the king that Daniel was not fulfilling his functions properly. Apparently, it was for the very reason that Daniel was not one of them that he noticed any discrepancies in the financial accounts of the realm, and was diligent in transferring taxes, raising armies, and the like. Consequently, the other officials were displeased that Daniel was placed in charge of them. But they could find no pretext or corruption, since he was faithful, and no fault or corruption was found in him.

אֱדַיִן גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ אָמְרִין דִּי לָא נְהַשְׁכַּח לְדָנִיֵּאל דְּנָה כָּל־עִלָּא לָהֵן הַשְׁכַּחְנָא עֲלוֹהִי בְּדָת אֱלָהֵהּ

Then these men said that we will not find any pretext against this Daniel, as his administrative service and loyalty to the king are impeccable; therefore, they said, we will find some claim against him with regard to the law of his God. We shall use Daniel’s faith in the Torah of Israel to bring about his downfall.

אֱדַיִן סָרְכַיָּא וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא אִלֵּן הַרְגִּשׁוּ עַל־מַלְכָּא וְכֵן אָמְרִין לֵהּ דָּרְיָוֶשׁ מַלְכָּא לְעָלְמִין חֱיִי

Then these officials and satraps stormed in excitement, causing a commotion, into the king, into his chambers, and so did they say to him: King Darius, live forever.

אִתְיָעַטוּ כֹּל סָרְכֵי מַלְכוּתָא סִגְנַיָּא וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא הַדָּבְרַיָּא וּפַחֲוָתָא לְקַיָּמָה קְיָם מַלְכָּא וּלְתַקָּפָה אֱסָר דִּי כָל־דִּי־יִבְעֵא בָעוּ מִן־כָּל־אֱלָהּ וֶאֱנָשׁ עַד־יוֹמִין תְּלָתִין לָהֵן מִנָּךְ מַלְכָּא יִתְרְמֵא לְגֹב אַרְיָוָתָא

They continued: All the officials of the kingdom, the prefects, the satraps, the commanders, and the governors consulted to establish the law of the king and to institute a ban stating that whoever will petition any god or man for the next thirty days, except you, O king, will be cast into the lions’ den. They suggested to the king that he reaffirm his status and enhance his power through a law stating that the king is the sole source for any blessing or assistance. It would be forbidden to issue a request or pray to a god of any kind. Only addressing the king with such issues would be permitted, as the ruler of an empire was treated at the time as a kind of demigod.

כְּעַן מַלְכָּא תְּקִים אֱסָרָא וְתִרְשֻׁם כְּתָבָא דִּי לָא לְהַשְׁנָיָה כְּדָת־מָדַי וּפָרַס דִּי־לָא תֶעְדֵּא

Now, O king, set the prohibition, and write the script, enact a law, not to be changed, according to the law of Media and Persia, which will not be abrogated. They asked the king not only to impose this decree, but to also establish it as an unalterable law. Clearly, they did not merely wish to prevent others from changing the law; their main aim was to preempt any possibility that the king himself might change his mind. Similarly, it is stated in the book of Esther (8:8) that something written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be changed, even by the king.

כָּל־קֳבֵל דְּנָה מַלְכָּא דָּרְיָוֶשׁ רְשַׁם כְּתָבָא וֶאֱסָרָא

Thereupon, King Darius wrote the script and the ban.

וְדָנִיֵּאל כְּדִי יְדַע דִּי־רְשִׁים כְּתָבָא עַל לְבַיְתֵהּ וְכַוִּין פְּתִיחָן לֵהּ בְּעִלִּיתֵהּ נֶגֶד יְרוּשְׁלֶם וְזִמְנִין תְּלָתָה בְיוֹמָא הוּא בָּרֵךְ עַל־בִּרְכוֹהִי וּמְצַלֵּא וּמוֹדֵא קֳדָם אֱלָהֵהּ כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי־הֲוָא עָבֵד מִן־קַדְמַת דְּנָה

When Daniel knew that the script, the decree, had been written, he entered his house, and windows were open for him in his upper chamber facing Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt on his knees, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had always done.

אֱדַיִן גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ הַרְגִּשׁוּ וְהַשְׁכַּחוּ לְדָנִיֵּאל בָּעֵה וּמִתְחַנֵּן קֳדָם אֱלָהֵהּ

Then these men stormed in hurriedly, or: they paid careful attention, and they found Daniel petitioning and supplicating before his God.

בֵּאדַיִן קְרִבוּ וְאָמְרִין קֳדָם־מַלְכָּא עַל־אֱסָר מַלְכָּא הֲלָא אֱסָר רְשַׁמְתָּ דִּי כָל־אֱנָשׁ דִּי־יִבְעֵא מִן־כָּל־אֱלָהּ וֶאֱנָשׁ עַד־יוֹמִין תְּלָתִין לָהֵן מִנָּךְ מַלְכָּא יִתְרְמֵא לְגוֹב אַרְיָוָתָא עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר יַצִּיבָא מִלְּתָא כְּדָת־מָדַי וּפָרַס דִּי־לָא תֶעְדֵּא

Then they approached and said before the king, concerning the king’s ban: Didn’t you write a ban that any man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, will be cast into the lions’ den? The king spoke, saying: The matter is true, in accordance with the law of Media and Persia, which will not be abrogated.

בֵּאדַיִן עֲנוֹ וְאָמְרִין קֳדָם מַלְכָּא דִּי דָנִיֵּאל דִּי מִן־בְּנֵי גָלוּתָא דִּי יְהוּד לָא־שָׂם עֲלָךְ מַלְכָּא טְעֵם וְעַל־אֱסָרָא דִּי רְשַׁמְתָּ וְזִמְנִין תְּלָתָה בְּיוֹמָא בָּעֵא בָּעוּתֵהּ

Then they, those men, spoke, saying before the king that Daniel, who is from the members of the exile of Judah, does not heed you, O king, or the ban that you wrote, and three times a day he petitions.

אֱדַיִן מַלְכָּא כְּדִי מִלְּתָא שְׁמַע שַׂגִּיא בְּאֵשׁ עֲלוֹהִי וְעַל דָּנִיֵּאל שָׂם בָּל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתֵהּ וְעַד מֶעָלֵי שִׁמְשָׁא הֲוָה מִשְׁתַּדַּר לְהַצָּלוּתֵהּ

Then the king, when he heard this matter, was extremely upset, and set his heart on Daniel to save him, and until sunset he endeavored to save him. The king, who was very fond of Daniel, sought to find a way to spare him from the harsh decree.

בֵּאדַיִן גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ הַרְגִּשׁוּ עַל־מַלְכָּא וְאָמְרִין לְמַלְכָּא דַּע מַלְכָּא דִּי־דָת לְמָדַי וּפָרַס דִּי־כָל־אֱסָר וּקְיָם דִּי־מַלְכָּא יְהָקֵים לָא לְהַשְׁנָיָה

Then these men stormed into the king, and they said to the king: Know, O king, that it is a law of Media and Persia, that no ban or statute that the king establishes may be altered. They knew that the king was not at all pleased at having to punish Daniel as stated in the law, and that he was seeking a way to save him. They therefore stressed that the order had become an integral part of the laws of Media and Persia, and could not be annulled.

בֵּאדַיִן מַלְכָּא אֲמַר וְהַיְתִיו לְדָנִיֵּאל וּרְמוֹ לְגֻבָּא דִּי אַרְיָוָתָא עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר לְדָנִיֵּאל אֱלָהָךְ דִּי אַנְתְּ פָּלַח־לֵהּ בִּתְדִירָא הוּא יְשֵׁיזְבִנָּךְ

Then the king, seeing that he had no choice, said, gave instructions, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the lions’ den. The king spoke, saying to Daniel: Your God whom you serve regularly, He will deliver you, as there is nothing I can do.

וְהֵיתָיִת אֶבֶן חֲדָה וְשֻׂמַת עַל־פֻּם גֻּבָּא וְחַתְמַהּ מַלְכָּא בְּעִזְקְתֵהּ וּבְעִזְקָת רַבְרְבָנוֹהִי דִּי לָא־תִשְׁנֵא צְבוּ בְּדָנִיֵּאל

One stone was brought and was placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his noblemen, so that nothing would be altered concerning Daniel, that they should not try to rescue him from the lions’ den. Perhaps the lords added their own signets because they suspected the king might remove his seal.

אֱדַיִן אֲזַל מַלְכָּא לְהֵיכְלֵהּ וּבָת טְוָת וְדַחֲוָן לָא־הַנְעֵל קָדָמוֹהִי וְשִׁנְתֵּהּ נַדַּת עֲלוֹהִי

Then the king went to his palace, and spent the night fasting; no diversions, or tables of food, were brought before him, and his sleep eluded him, due to his worry about Daniel.

בֵּאדַיִן מַלְכָּא בִּשְׁפַרְפָּרָא יְקוּם בְּנָגְהָא וּבְהִתְבְּהָלָה לְגֻבָּא דִי־אַרְיָוָתָא אֲזַל

Then the king arose at the first light of dawn, and he went in haste to the lions’ den.

וּכְמִקְרְבֵהּ לְגֻבָּא לְדָנִיֵּאל בְּקָל עֲצִיב זְעִק עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר לְדָנִיֵּאל דָּנִיֵּאל עֲבֵד אֱלָהָא חַיָּא אֱלָהָךְ דִּי אַנְתְּ פָּלַח־לֵהּ בִּתְדִירָא הַיְכִל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתָךְ מִן־אַרְיָוָתָא

When he approached the den, he cried out to Daniel in a sad voice. Daniel was inside the den and could not be seen from without. The king spoke, saying to Daniel: Daniel, servant of the living God, your God, whom you serve regularly, has He been able to save you from the lions?

אֱדַיִן דָּנִיֵּאל עִם־מַלְכָּא מַלִּל מַלְכָּא לְעָלְמִין חֱיִי

Then Daniel said to the king: O king, live forever.

אֱלָהִי שְׁלַח מַלְאֲכֵהּ וּסֲגַר פֻּם אַרְיָוָתָא וְלָא חַבְּלוּנִי כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי קָדָמוֹהִי זָכוּ הִשְׁתְּכַחַת לִי וְאַף קָדָמָךְ מַלְכָּא חֲבוּלָה לָא עַבְדֵת

My God sent His angel and he shut the lions’ mouths, and they did not harm me, since merit was found in me before Him. Also before you, O king, I have done no harm; I have never wronged you.

בֵּאדַיִן מַלְכָּא שַׂגִּיא טְאֵב עֲלוֹהִי וּלְדָנִיֵּאל אֲמַר לְהַנְסָקָה מִן־גֻּבָּא וְהֻסַּק דָּנִיֵּאל מִן־גֻּבָּא וְכָל־חֲבָל לָא־הִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּהּ דִּי הֵימִן בֵּאלָהֵהּ

Then the king was exceedingly glad, and he said to raise Daniel from the den. Daniel was raised from the den, and no harm was found upon him, because he trusted in his God.

וַאֲמַר מַלְכָּא וְהַיְתִיו גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ דִּי־אֲכַלוּ קַרְצוֹהִי דִּי דָנִיֵּאל וּלְגֹב אַרְיָוָתָא רְמוֹ אִנּוּן בְּנֵיהוֹן וּנְשֵׁיהוֹן וְלָא־מְטוֹ לְאַרְעִית גֻּבָּא עַד דִּי־שְׁלִטוּ בְהוֹן אַרְיָוָתָא וְכָל־גַּרְמֵיהוֹן הַדִּקוּ

The king said, gave instructions, and they brought those men who had informed on Daniel (see commentary on 3:8) and cast them into the lions’ den, them, their children, and their wives. They did not reach the ground of the den before the lions overpowered them, and crushed all their bones. It seems that the lions had been starved so that they would eat Daniel. Since the beasts were not able to touch Daniel, they were now so hungry and frustrated that they pounced on the people thrown into their den and devoured them immediately.

בֵּאדַיִן דָּרְיָוֶשׁ מַלְכָּא כְּתַב לְכָל־עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא דִּי־דָיְרִין בְּכָל־אַרְעָא שְׁלָמְכוֹן יִשְׂגֵּא

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, groups that speak the same language or dialect, that reside in the entire earth: May your peace be abundant.

מִן־קֳדָמַי שִׂים טְעֵם דִּי בְּכָל־שָׁלְטָן מַלְכוּתִי לֶהֱוֹן זָיְעִין וְדָחֲלִין מִן־קֳדָם אֱלָהֵהּ דִּי־דָנִיֵּאל דִּי־הוּא אֱלָהָא חַיָּא וְקַיָּם לְעָלְמִין וּמַלְכוּתֵהּ דִּי־לָא תִתְחַבַּל וְשָׁלְטָנֵהּ עַד־סוֹפָא

A decree is issued before me, that in the entire dominion of my kingdom men shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, as He is the living God, and exists forever, and His is a kingdom that will not be destroyed, and it is His dominion that will endure and be until the end of days;

מְשֵׁיזִב וּמַצִּל וְעָבֵד אָתִין וְתִמְהִין בִּשְׁמַיָּא וּבְאַרְעָא דִּי שֵׁיזִב לְדָנִיֵּאל מִן־יַד אַרְיָוָתָא

He saves and delivers, and performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He saved Daniel from the grasp of the lions. Darius publicized throughout his kingdom that the God of Daniel is above all the gods, and he commanded that everyone should act toward God with respect and awe.

וְדָנִיֵּאל דְּנָה הַצְלַח בְּמַלְכוּת דָּרְיָוֶשׁ וּבְמַלְכוּת כּוֹרֶשׁ פַּרְסָאָה

After relating the story of Daniel’s rescue from the lions’ den, the chapter summarizes his career: This Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian, who reigned after Darius and was apparently his son-in-law.