Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

DANIEL 6:16KJV
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Daniel 6:16 (KJV)

What does Daniel 6:16 mean?

Daniel 6:16 describes how King Darius gave the order for Daniel to be thrown into a den of lions, but before Daniel was cast in, the king expressed hope that Daniel’s God—whom Daniel faithfully served—would rescue him. The verse shows both the king’s reluctance and his recognition of Daniel’s unwavering devotion to his God.

In this scene, King Darius is reluctantly carrying out a law he was tricked into signing, which cannot be changed according to Persian custom. Daniel, a trusted official, is being punished for continuing to pray to his God despite the decree. The king’s words to Daniel reveal his respect for Daniel’s faith and a glimmer of hope that Daniel’s God might intervene.

The Aramaic behind Daniel 6:16

  • "God" (אֱלָהּ, ʾĕlāh): This word is used for God in Aramaic, and here it highlights that the king is referring specifically to Daniel’s God, not the gods of Babylon or Persia. The distinction shows respect for Daniel’s unique faith.
  • "Servest continually" (פָּלַח, pelach + תְּדִיר, tedir): The phrase means to serve or worship with ongoing, regular devotion. The king recognizes that Daniel’s faith is not occasional but a constant part of his life.
  • "Deliver" (שֵׁיזִב, sheiziv): This word means to rescue or save. The king’s use of it shows he is hoping for a miraculous intervention, even though he has no power to help Daniel himself.

Why Daniel 6:16 matters

  • Daniel 6:16 clarifies that King Darius did not want to punish Daniel and was distressed by the situation, which adds depth to the king’s character and the tension of the story.
  • The verse highlights Daniel’s reputation for steadfast faith, which is so evident that even a foreign king acknowledges it.
  • This moment sets up the dramatic rescue that follows and emphasizes the theme of God’s ability to save those who remain faithful, a key message in the wider narrative of Daniel.

Where else these words appear

“continually” Hebrew H8411 · used in 2 verses

  • Daniel 6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

“deliver” Hebrew H7804 · used in 7 verses

  • Daniel 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
  • Daniel 3:28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
  • Daniel 6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

“den” Hebrew H1358 · used in 8 verses

  • Daniel 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
  • Daniel 6:17 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.
  • Daniel 6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

“lions” Hebrew H744 · used in 9 verses

  • Daniel 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
  • Daniel 6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
  • Daniel 6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.