These people went to the king suggesting that the king should pass a decree that for the next thirty days no one in the kingdom should pray to anyone other than the king! If anyone disobeyed this, he should be thrown into the lions' den. The king agreed. Even after Daniel heard about it, he did not stop praying as usual to God three times a day, kneeling on the floor with windows open towards Jerusalem. The other commissioners were quick to note this, and ran to the king saying that Daniel had not bothered to obey the decree of the king. When the king heard this about Daniel he was sad, but he had to follow the law which he himself had made. Reluctantly he told them that they should throw Daniel to the lions.

After this the king spent a sleepless night worrying about Daniel, and early in the morning he rushed to the lions' den. He shouted loudly asking if Daniel's God had somehow saved him from death. He was relieved to hear Daniel reply that his God had kept the mouths of the lions closed all night and that he was all right!

Now the king was angry with the commissioners for plotting this against Daniel and commanded the soldiers to catch them and throw them into the lions' den. As soon as they reached the bottom of the den, the lions pounced upon them and tore them to pieces.

Then King Darius made a proclamation all through the empire that the God of Daniel who saved him even from the lions was the real God and that everyone should honour and fear that God. He also said that it was His kingdom that was to last forever.

Daniel continued to enjoy great success even during the reign of the next king, Cyrus. During his life God showed him many visions concerning the future. He also prayed for the return of Judah to their own land.