1. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty governors who should be in all the kingdom;
2. and over these three presidents, of whom Daniel was first, that the governors might give accounts unto them, and the king should not be bothered.
3. Then this Daniel was preferred above these governors and presidents because an overabundance of the Spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole kingdom.
4. Then the presidents and governors looked for occasions against Daniel on behalf of the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault because he was faithful, and no vice nor fault was found in him.
5. Then these men said, We shall never find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him in the law of his God.
6. Then these governors and presidents assembled together before the king and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7. All the presidents of the kingdom, magistrates, governors, great ones, and captains have agreed in common accord to promote a royal decree and to confirm it that whoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.