Daniel 6:12

So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The conspirators approach King Darius to question him about his signed royal decree, arriving immediately after they located Daniel praying. The king responds by affirming that the edict remains binding.

The words — The Aramaic verb קְרִ֨יבוּ (ke.Ri.vu) translates literally to "they approached," marking the accusers' physical movement to the throne. The noun אֱסָ֣ר ('e.Sar) denotes the "prohibition" or binding force of the king's order.

The thread — The appeal to an irrevocable statute directly parallels Daniel 6:8 and Esther 1:19, where Persian and Median laws are recorded as unchangeable. The accusers' method of bringing a legal charge before the throne mirrors the malicious approach in Daniel 3:8.

Why it lands — The text presents a direct confrontation between a human decree and a legal system that explicitly forbids repeal. It requires the reader to observe how procedural finality can be manipulated to enforce compliance.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בֵּ֠אדַיִןBe./da.yin<in>/ then קְרִ֨יבוּke.Ri.vuthey approached וְאָמְרִ֥יןve./'a.me.Rinand/ [were] saying קֳדָם־ko.dom-before מַלְכָּא֮mal.Ka/'king/ the עַל־'al-concerning אֱסָ֣ר'e.Sar[the] prohibition of מַלְכָּא֒mal.Ka/'king/ the הֲלָ֧אha./La'¿/ not אֱסָ֣ר'e.Sara prohibition רְשַׁ֗מְתָּre.Sham.tadid you sign דִּ֣יdithat כָל־khol-every אֱנָ֡שׁ'e.Nashperson דִּֽי־di-who יִבְעֵה֩yiv.'Ehhe will ask מִן־min-from כָּל־kol-any אֱלָ֨הּ'e.Lahgod וֶֽאֱנָ֜שׁve./'e.Nashand/ person עַד־'ad-until יוֹמִ֣יןyo.Mindays תְּלָתִ֗יןte.la.Tinthirty לָהֵן֙la.Henexcept מִנָּ֣ךְmi.Na/khfrom/ you מַלְכָּ֔אmal.Ka/'king/ O יִתְרְמֵ֕אyit.re.Me'he will be thrown לְג֖וֹבle./Govto/ [the] den of אַרְיָותָ֑א'ar.yo.Ta/'lions/ the עָנֵ֨ה'a.Neh[was] replying מַלְכָּ֜אmal.Ka/'king/ the וְאָמַ֗רve./'a.Marand/ saying יַצִּיבָ֧אya.tzi.Va'[is] certain מִלְּתָ֛אmi.le.Ta/'word/ the כְּדָת־ke./dot-according to/ [the] law of מָדַ֥יma.Dai[the] Medes וּפָרַ֖סu./fa.Rasand/ [the] Persians דִּי־di-which לָ֥אla'not תֶעְדֵּֽא׃te'.De'it will pass away

King James Version

Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

Cross-references

Daniel 6:8 Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
Daniel 3:8 At this time some astrologers came forward and maliciously accused the Jews,
Esther 1:19 So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
Acts 16:19 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
Acts 16:24 On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Acts 24:2 When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.