Page 163 - Daniel

way they could trip up Daniel was to provide a conflict between official
regulations, and Daniel’s conscience and observance of God’s law. We do
not know all of what went on behind Daniel’s back, but apparently there
were numerous discussions and finally a plot was formed.

The irony of the characters in the story makes for an interesting
contrast. Those seeking to find a cause of complaint against Daniel
reveal their own conniving, manipulative character. “Daniel’s colleagues

appear as simply (in both senses of the word) plotters. Most of the
speech in the story is theirs, and they condemn themselves out of their
own mouths; every word they speak, as well as every move they make,
concerns intrigue, manipulation, treachery, duplicity, and scheming.” 19
In contrast to their treacherous words and deeds, Daniel is presented as a
man of integrity whose righteousness shone so brightly he barely needed
to say a word throughout most of the chapter.

THE CONSPIRATORS SECURE A BAN ON PRAYER (6:6–9)

6:6–9 Then these presidents and satraps came by agreement to the
king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! All the presidents
of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the

governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and
enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man
for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of
lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so
that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the

Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the
document and injunction.

The conspirators lost no time putting their plot into effect. They
presented their scheme to Darius—and verse 6 seems to indicate that
they all were there, which would have been an unusual occasion. Their
20
spokesman also told the king that every official named had agreed to
their petition. Some object to this account as being most improbable, if
not impossible, but stranger things have happened. Montgomery notes,
“Their ostensibly honorific plea that the king sign a decree that none

should make request of god or man except of the king for thirty days