This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Daniel 6, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, King Darius had a very wise and good man named Daniel working for him. Daniel was one of three important people in the kingdom who helped the king. He was so good at his job that the king wanted to make him the boss of everyone. This made some people jealous, and they wanted to find a way to get rid of Daniel.
These jealous people knew that Daniel loved God very much and prayed to Him every day. So, they came up with a plan. They told the king to make a new rule that said nobody could pray to anyone but the king for 30 days. If they broke this rule, they would be thrown into a den of lions. The king agreed and made the rule official.
But Daniel kept praying to God, even though he knew about the new rule. The jealous people saw him praying and told the king. King Darius was sad because he liked Daniel, but he knew he had to follow the rule. So, he sent Daniel to the lions’ den.
Before they closed the den, the king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve all the time, save you!” Then they put a big stone over the den’s entrance and sealed it with the king’s special seal.
That night, the king couldn’t sleep. He was worried about Daniel. As soon as the sun came up, he ran to the lions’ den and called out, “Daniel, did your God save you from the lions?” Daniel replied, “O king, live forever! My God sent an angel to close the lions’ mouths, and they didn’t hurt me because I am innocent in God’s eyes and yours.”
The king was so happy! He brought Daniel out of the den, and Daniel didn’t have a single scratch on him. The king then punished those who lied about Daniel, and they were thrown into the lions’ den.
After that, King Darius wrote a letter to everyone in his kingdom, telling them to respect and honor the God of Daniel, who saved him from the lions. And Daniel continued to do well in the kingdom during the reigns of King Darius and King Cyrus.
Biblical Lessons
- Trust in God, even when times are difficult.
- God protects those who are faithful to Him.
- It’s important to stay true to our beliefs, even when others try to make us do something wrong.
- God can work miracles, like shutting the mouths of lions, to save His people.
Related Stories
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego