Bible Strands
Daniel 6:17
A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrative describes the king’s officials acting immediately after Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den. They place a stone over the den’s opening and seal it to prevent any alteration of the king’s decree.
The words — The text highlights אֶבֶן ('E.ven), meaning a stone, and וְ/חַתְמַ֨/הּ (ve./chat.Ma/h), meaning and he sealed it. These terms describe the physical barrier and the royal authentication applied to it.
The thread — The action of rolling a stone over an entrance parallels the tomb sealing in Matthew 27:60. The theme of secured confinement also appears in the pit imagery of Lamentations 3:53 and the guarded imprisonment recorded in Acts 12:4.
Why it lands — The text records the sealing of the den to legally bind the king’s irreversible decree. It asks the reader to recognize the finality of the written word and the weight of royal authority.
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
King James Version
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Cross-references
- Lamentations 3:53 They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me.
- Acts 12:4 He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
- Matthew 27:60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.
- Acts 16:23 And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.