Daniel 6:16-18

6:16 So the king gave the order, ¹  and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den ²  of lions. The king consoled ³  Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” 6:17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening ⁴  to the den. The king sealed ⁵  it with his signet ring and with those ⁶  of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel. 6:18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions ⁷  were brought to him. He was unable to sleep. ⁸ 

[6:16]  ¹ tn Aram “said.” So also in vv. 24, 25.

[6:16]  ² sn The den was perhaps a pit below ground level which could be safely observed from above.

[6:16]  ³ tn Aram “answered and said [to Daniel].”

[6:17]  ⁴ tn Aram “mouth.”

[6:17]  ⁵ sn The purpose of the den being sealed was to prevent unauthorized tampering with the opening of the den. Any disturbance of the seal would immediately alert the officials to improper activity of this sort.

[6:17]  ⁶ tn Aram “the signet rings.”

[6:18]  ⁷ tn The meaning of Aramaic דַּחֲוָה (dakhavah) is a crux interpretum. Suggestions include “music,” “dancing girls,” “concubines,” “table,” “food” – all of which are uncertain. The translation employed here, suggested by earlier scholars, is deliberately vague. A number of recent English versions follow a similar approach with “entertainment” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On this word see further, HALOT 1849-50 s.v.; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 37.

[6:18]  ⁸ tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”