284 When he came out, they found that he had received no injury, but had been kept safely all night among the lions, because he believed and trustein his God. Darius then determined to punish the malicious accusers of Daniel. He ordered them to be brought, with their wives and children, and thrown into the den. Thus they suffered the same punishment they fiad contrived for an innocent man; as king David had said, (Ps. ix. 15.) “The heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made, and in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.” For God now withdrew his restraining power from the lions, when they instantly showed their furious and savage nature. They seized upon these ersons with their claws, and crushed them with, their sharp strong teeth, so that all their bones were broken, E VE HA before they came to the botton of the den Herein wesee from whata terrible death.Daniel had escaped, through the kind care of his heavenly Father. He too could say, in the language of king David, (Ps. Xixit. 7,8.) “ The ange of the Lord encampeth ? _{ - : - round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
