King Darius had honored and exalted Daniel, and the native princes were
jealous. So they induced the king to sign a decree to the effect that
any man who should make a petition to any god or man except to King
Darius, for thirty days, should be cast into the den of lions.
Afterward these men found that Daniel, with his face toward Jerusalem,
prayed three times a day to Jehovah.
Thereupon Daniel was cast into the den of lions; a stone was placed at
the mouth of the den and sealed with the king's seal.
The king passed a bad night. The next morning he went to the den and
cried out to Daniel. Daniel answered and told the king that God had sent
his angel and shut the mouths of the lions.
Daniel was taken out alive and well, and the king was converted and
believed in Daniel's God.
Darius, being then a believer in the true God, sent for the men who had
accused Daniel, and for their wives and their children, and cast them
all into the lions' den.
"And the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in
pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of the pit."
What had the wives and little children done? How had they offended King
Darius, the believer in Jehovah? Who protected Daniel? Jehovah! Who
failed to protect the innocent wives and children? Jehovah!