Latest / The Chosen People / Daniel & The Lion’s Den

Transcript

Daniel & The Lion’s Den · The Chosen People

0:00
Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People... On the central dais, sprawled
0:06
Speaker 1: across cushions, King Belshazzar held court like a man determined
0:11
Speaker 1: to defecate on his father's legacy.
0:16
Speaker 2: More wine!
0:18
Speaker 3: If the Persians are camped at our gates.
0:21
Speaker 4: Let them hear our laughter over their war drums!
0:25
Speaker 1: Then all went dark. Belshazzar pushed himself up, his eyes
0:31
Speaker 1: narrowing toward the wall. Something was emerging out of the dark,
0:36
Speaker 1: cold wall. A hand. The first fingertip touched the plaster.
0:42
Speaker 1: Black lines bloomed under it, each stroke burning like hot
0:47
Speaker 1: iron into the wall. Mene, mene, tekel ufarsin. Daniel pressed
0:55
Speaker 1: his palm against the wall. and traced his fingers against
0:59
Speaker 1: the carvings. He expected them to be hot to the touch,
1:03
Speaker 1: but instead, they were ice cold.
1:06
Speaker 5: Mene, God has numbered the days of your reign and
1:11
Speaker 5: brought it to an end. Tekel, you have been weighed
1:15
Speaker 5: on the scales and found wanting. Peres, your kingdom is
1:21
Speaker 5: divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
1:26
Speaker 1: Somewhere, Far off, a faint tremor passed through the floor.
1:32
Speaker 1: It could have been the tread of soldiers, or the
1:35
Speaker 1: shifting of walls, or the first distant rumble of an
1:41
Speaker 1: empire's fall. The gardens of Darius's palace were alive with
1:51
Speaker 1: the colours of early spring. Almond trees bloomed in pale pink,
1:58
Speaker 1: their petals drifting down like warm snow over the tiled paths.
2:03
Speaker 1: Pools of clear water reflected the morning sun, sending ripples
2:08
Speaker 1: of light dancing across the marble walls. At the center
2:13
Speaker 1: of it all sat a table of veined white stone,
2:17
Speaker 1: low enough for conversation, broad enough for maps, scrolls, and
2:22
Speaker 1: cups of steaming spiced wine. King Darius reclined on one side,
2:28
Speaker 1: his robe of indigo silk spilling over the cushions, the
2:32
Speaker 1: gold circlet on his brow, catching the sun. On the
2:37
Speaker 1: other side sat Daniel. He was older now, his hair
2:41
Speaker 1: streaked with silver, but his posture was still upright, and
2:46
Speaker 1: his eyes were as sharp as the first day he
2:49
Speaker 1: had walked into a king's court decades ago. Between them
2:54
Speaker 1: lay an unrolled map of the Empire.
2:58
Speaker 4: This is what we've taken in five years. Saris, Ekbatana, Susa.
3:02
Speaker 4: From the mountains to the sea my armies have marched.
3:06
Speaker 1: Daniel traced the routes with his eyes, studying the drawn rivers,
3:11
Speaker 1: the symbols for cities.
3:13
Speaker 6: You've done what even the kings before you could not.
3:16
Speaker 6: The Empire stretches from the Tigris to the Aegean.
3:20
Speaker 3: And yet.
3:22
Speaker 4: If I am to hold it all, Babylon must be
3:25
Speaker 4: an anchor. And for that, I need someone who will
3:28
Speaker 4: not bleed it dry while I am gone on my
3:30
Speaker 4: next campaign.
3:32
Speaker 1: The king paused, watching Daniel, searching for any glint in
3:37
Speaker 1: his eye, a spark of ambition or greed. There were
3:41
Speaker 1: none to be found. Darius smirked.
3:45
Speaker 4: Daniel, you have served three kings, two empires, and somehow...
3:50
Speaker 4: Somehow you're still breathing.
3:53
Speaker 1: How?
3:54
Speaker 7: Perhaps that is because I've served one king far longer
3:59
Speaker 7: than that.
4:00
Speaker 4: Yes, the God of Israel, your homeland. You still pray
4:05
Speaker 4: to him even though that temple was destroyed?
4:07
Speaker 6: My God is not confined to a temple or man-made structure.
4:12
Speaker 6: He follows me. He follows his chosen people. I serve
4:17
Speaker 6: him wherever I go. irrespective of which kingdom occupies which.
4:22
Speaker 1: Then tell me this.
4:24
Speaker 4: Why serve men at all? Why not retreat to the
4:27
Speaker 4: hills as a hermit and make sacrifices on stone altars?
4:32
Speaker 1: Why deal with the politics, the.
4:35
Speaker 4: Madness of the court, and endless game of thrones?
4:39
Speaker 1: Daniel took a slow sip of his wine before answering.
4:44
Speaker 6: There was a refrain from the exiles as we were
4:47
Speaker 6: being led like cattle to Babylon, a charge from God
4:51
Speaker 6: Most High. The prophet Jeremiah said, Build houses and settle down.
4:58
Speaker 6: Plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have
5:02
Speaker 6: sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give
5:06
Speaker 6: your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have
5:09
Speaker 6: sons and daughters. Increase in number there, and do not decrease. Also,
5:17
Speaker 6: seek the peace and prosperity of the city that captures you.
5:21
Speaker 6: Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers,
5:26
Speaker 6: you too will prosper.
5:28
Speaker 4: Pray for the enemy who subjugates you? It seems weak,
5:33
Speaker 4: does it not?
5:34
Speaker 6: Loving one's enemies is the highest form of strength, my king.
5:39
Speaker 6: War is never won unless hatred can be overcome.
5:43
Speaker 1: For a long moment, Daria studied Daniel in silence. There
5:48
Speaker 1: was something in Daniel's tone. No flattery, no scheming. Just
5:53
Speaker 1: a simple conviction that could not be bought. The king
5:57
Speaker 1: of Persia was surrounded by those who spoke only to
6:01
Speaker 1: gain favor. Yet Daniel spoke as a man without ambition.
6:06
Speaker 4: Ah, that is what I like about you, Daniel. The
6:10
Speaker 4: other satraps and governors smile in my presence and then
6:14
Speaker 4: snatch what they can behind my back.
6:16
Speaker 3: But you?
6:18
Speaker 4: You're different, strange in the most comforting way possible.
6:22
Speaker 1: He tapped the center of the map, the stylized star
6:26
Speaker 1: marking Babylon.
6:28
Speaker 4: Which is why when I march west again in the spring,
6:33
Speaker 4: I want you.
6:33
Speaker 1: Over all of Babylon.
6:36
Speaker 4: Every satrap, every commander, every merchant caravan will answer to you.
6:44
Speaker 1: Daniel's eyes flickered, not with ambition, but with the weight
6:48
Speaker 1: of what the king was asking.
6:51
Speaker 6: That is no small mantle, my king.
6:54
Speaker 4: I wouldn't give it to you if you couldn't bear it.
6:58
Speaker 4: You have my trust, friend.
7:00
Speaker 1: The two sat in companionable quiet for a time. the
7:04
Speaker 1: breeze stirring the almond blossoms overhead. But not all in
7:09
Speaker 1: the garden shared that peace. Beyond the carved balustrade, in
7:15
Speaker 1: the cool shade of a colonnade, two figures stood just
7:20
Speaker 1: out of sight, listening. The colonnade along the garden's edge
7:27
Speaker 1: was a world apart from the sunlight and warmth at
7:30
Speaker 1: the king's table. Two men leaned in the darkness, voices
7:36
Speaker 1: kept low but edged with venom. The first, Artemis, was
7:41
Speaker 1: lean and angular, his face sharp and plain. His narrow
7:47
Speaker 1: eyes twitched constantly. His robe was fine but rumpled, and
7:53
Speaker 1: his fingers tapped against his thigh in a restless rhythm.
7:57
Speaker 1: The second, Cassander, was the opposite. tall, broad, his beard
8:03
Speaker 1: oiled and trimmed, his robe a perfect drape of deep violet.
8:08
Speaker 1: He spoke with the lazy poise of someone who believed
8:12
Speaker 1: every word he said deserved an audience. Artemis's eyes darted
8:17
Speaker 1: to the king and Daniel in the garden.
8:20
Speaker 8: Do you hear him? Daniel is being appointed over all Babylon,
8:26
Speaker 8: while we're left to count caravans and daughter disputes.
8:31
Speaker 1: He's a Hebrew. Cassander didn't look at him. He was
8:36
Speaker 1: watching the king.
8:37
Speaker 3: Darius trusts him. That's the problem. Trust is harder to
8:42
Speaker 3: break than reputation or creed.
8:46
Speaker 8: Then we don't break the trust. We use it against him.
8:53
Speaker 1: Cassander's brow rose slightly.
8:56
Speaker 3: Explain.
8:57
Speaker 8: Daniel He's too clean, too pious. You and I both
9:08
Speaker 8: know there's no pride, no scandal, no whisper we can
9:13
Speaker 8: use against him. But he's predictable.
9:21
Speaker 1: Cassander smiled faintly, a slow curl at the edges of
9:25
Speaker 1: his mouth.
9:26
Speaker 3: You mean... His God? Precisely.
9:32
Speaker 8: That's where his loyalty lies. Not with Darius, not with
9:37
Speaker 8: the Empire, but with that God of Israel. So we
9:43
Speaker 8: turn that loyalty into treason.
9:48
Speaker 1: Cassander stroked his beard thoughtfully.
9:52
Speaker 3: And how do we get the king to play along?
9:57
Speaker 4: Right, my friend.
9:59
Speaker 9: Even in life.
10:00
Speaker 8: Lion can be led by it we give the king
10:03
Speaker 8: something to savor a decree that makes every tongue in
10:07
Speaker 8: babylon speak his name as if he were a.
10:11
Speaker 9: God cassandra's eyes narrowed and daniel will refuse he'll refuse
10:19
Speaker 9: He'll do it openly, because he can't help himself.
10:23
Speaker 8: And then, the king will have no choice but to
10:27
Speaker 8: destroy him.
10:29
Speaker 1: Cassander let out a soft chuckle, the sound like wine
10:33
Speaker 1: poured into a shallow cup.
10:38
Speaker 3: You're sharp, Artemis.
10:41
Speaker 8: And you're smooth enough to present it without raising suspicion.
10:51
Speaker 1: That afternoon, in the Hall of Lions, where gold-threaded banners
10:56
Speaker 1: hung between carved beasts, the two conspirators stood before Darius.
11:02
Speaker 1: The king had just returned from reviewing his cavalry, and
11:06
Speaker 1: his tunic still smelled faintly of leather and horse.
11:11
Speaker 3: O king, eternal in majesty, I trust, as ever, that
11:16
Speaker 3: your cavalry, the thunder of Persia incarnate, stands sharpened and
11:20
Speaker 3: burnished for your next triumph?
11:23
Speaker 4: They will be, in time.
11:26
Speaker 3: Why are you two here? Ah, yes, yes. As your
11:30
Speaker 3: humble instruments, myself and the ever-dutiful Artemis, you graciously charged
11:36
Speaker 3: us not long ago to survey the noble courts of
11:40
Speaker 3: your dominion, to weigh their temper, to sift their loyalties,
11:45
Speaker 3: and to bring before your throne the essence of our findings—
11:49
Speaker 3: polished and refined like gold tested in fire.
11:53
Speaker 4: I don't remember doing so, but go on.
11:59
Speaker 3: Mighty king, the governors of Babylon, Medea, and Persia, each
12:05
Speaker 3: strut within their little cages of custom and tradition, pecking
12:11
Speaker 3: and clawing over trifles unworthy even of a scribe's ink.
12:16
Speaker 3: They dispute which trifle table should be set first, whose
12:20
Speaker 3: procession should be longer, whose god should receive precedence in festival. Oh,
12:27
Speaker 3: petty quarrels that gnaw at the sinners of unity.
12:31
Speaker 4: I plan to unify the courts and councils and appoint
12:34
Speaker 4: a new governor for the region in due time.
12:37
Speaker 3: Oh, assuredly, oh king, and doubtless whomever you elevate shall
12:41
Speaker 3: prove a mirror of your own incomparable wisdom. Yet, In
12:47
Speaker 3: the meantime, while discord breeds, may I be so bold
12:52
Speaker 3: as to suggest a decree? A single command to draw
12:56
Speaker 3: their scattered eyes toward one singular, unblinking vision.
13:01
Speaker 8: The East Usire is religious in nature. Each governor serves
13:07
Speaker 8: his own god. Babylonian, medium, Persian.
13:11
Speaker 2: Their rivalries fester.
13:14
Speaker 8: Into bitter arguments.
13:16
Speaker 3: However.
13:17
Speaker 3: What if every satrap, every governor, every counselor and prefect
13:22
Speaker 3: bowed not to a hundred squabbling deities, but to one?
13:28
Speaker 3: What if, instead of splinter devotion, their prayers rose in
13:34
Speaker 3: unison like incense, all directed to you?
13:40
Speaker 4: To me?
13:42
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, incomparable sovereign. To you, our North Star. We
13:50
Speaker 3: have spoken to courtiers, counselors, and governors themselves, and they
13:54
Speaker 3: all echo the same thunderous acclaim. You are not merely ruler.
14:00
Speaker 3: You are divine. You are our god.
14:05
Speaker 1: Darius, a humble man by nature, couldn't help but perk
14:10
Speaker 1: up at the thought. To be worshipped, beloved, the living
14:15
Speaker 1: symbol of empire itself. It was tempting. Pride swirled in
14:21
Speaker 1: him like a rising tide.
14:23
Speaker 4: How shall it be done?
14:25
Speaker 8: Make a decree, my king, that for thirty days no
14:29
Speaker 8: petition is to be made to any god or man
14:33
Speaker 8: except you.
14:36
Speaker 3: Not mere prayers, sire, but supplications.
14:40
Speaker 7: Yes.
14:41
Speaker 3: Let them consult you in all things. Speak your name
14:45
Speaker 3: in place of their old gods. Trace your seal in
14:49
Speaker 3: the dust where once they bent to others. Let them
14:53
Speaker 3: taste in every breath that you alone are the fountain
15:00
Speaker 3: of power in this empire.
15:04
Speaker 8: Every voice in Babylon calling on you alone. Your name.
15:10
Speaker 8: Your seal rested upon every plea.
15:14
Speaker 4: Thirty days, no God but me.
15:18
Speaker 8: And whoever dares defy such a unifying decree, proves himself
15:23
Speaker 8: a rebel at heart, he must be punished.
15:28
Speaker 3: And what punishment would be more exquisite than the lion's den,
15:33
Speaker 3: O king? Yes, the den of... Where tooth and claw
15:39
Speaker 3: execute the justice of empire itself. For if a man
15:43
Speaker 3: cannot endure thirty days in honoring his sovereign, how can
15:48
Speaker 3: he then be trusted to endure life within the walls
15:50
Speaker 3: of your dominion?
15:51
Speaker 4: The lion's den?
15:54
Speaker 3: But of course, Majesty. The lion's embodiments of your wrath.
15:59
Speaker 3: The very roar of Persia made flesh. Better that such...
16:05
Speaker 3: Insolent weeds be cast among the beasts, then allowed to
16:09
Speaker 3: choke the garden of your empire.
16:14
Speaker 1: Darius tapped a finger on his chin, weighing the flattery
16:18
Speaker 1: against the unease it stirred. Then he waved a hand.
16:24
Speaker 4: Draft it, I'll sign it.
16:26
Speaker 1: Cassander bowed low, hiding the triumph in his eyes. As
16:32
Speaker 1: they left the hall, Artemis whispered just low enough for
16:35
Speaker 1: Cassander to hear.
16:36
Speaker 7: And the trap closes.
16:44
Speaker 1: Daniel's eyes were fixed on the scroll in his hand,
16:48
Speaker 1: the royal decree. He'd seen enough laws in life to
16:53
Speaker 1: know this one wasn't meant to keep peace. It reeked
16:57
Speaker 1: of a trap. Daniel closed the scroll slowly and set
17:01
Speaker 1: it down on the table. For a moment, he just
17:04
Speaker 1: stood there, staring at the stairs leading to the upper room.
17:09
Speaker 1: He took in a slow breath, let it out. His
17:13
Speaker 1: feet began to climb the stairs. The upper room was
17:18
Speaker 1: bathed in late afternoon light, its lattice windows thrown open
17:23
Speaker 1: toward the west. Daniel crossed the room, His knees found
17:28
Speaker 1: the familiar spot on the worn rug where he had
17:31
Speaker 1: prayed a thousand times before. His hands rested on the
17:35
Speaker 1: sill for a moment, fingers brushing the carved wood. He
17:40
Speaker 1: looked out across the rooftops toward the distant hills. Then,
17:45
Speaker 1: with a slow exhale, he lowered himself fully in prayer.
17:51
Speaker 6: Oh Lord, my God, you have been my help in exiles.
17:56
Speaker 6: My guide in the foreign courts.
17:59
Speaker 4: Be with me now.
18:01
Speaker 1: The wind shifted. Somewhere below, a door creaked open and
18:07
Speaker 1: heavy footsteps approached the base of the stairs. Daniel didn't rise,
18:13
Speaker 1: didn't turn. He simply kept praying. The throne room was
18:18
Speaker 1: already thick with voices when Daniel was brought in. The
18:22
Speaker 1: satraps had made sure of it. They'd summoned half the
18:25
Speaker 1: court before the king even knew what was happening. Daniel
18:29
Speaker 1: was dragged in by guards and thrown onto the stone
18:33
Speaker 1: floor with a violent thud. Artemis and Cassander stood on
18:39
Speaker 1: either side of Daniel, who strained to lift himself to
18:42
Speaker 1: his knees. Darius was surprised and outraged at Daniel's treatment.
18:49
Speaker 4: What is the meaning of this?
18:51
Speaker 1: Cassander bowed low, wearing a solemn mask.
18:55
Speaker 3: Great king, live forever. We have come before you to
19:00
Speaker 3: report a grave matter.
19:04
Speaker 8: It concerns the decree you signed, my lord, that no
19:07
Speaker 8: man should petition any god or man except for you
19:10
Speaker 8: for thirty days.
19:12
Speaker 1: Darius's eyes darted to Daniel, realizing in an instant what
19:16
Speaker 1: was happening. Daniel met the king's gaze with a knowing stare.
19:21
Speaker 1: They were both pawns in a greater game.
19:24
Speaker 2: Daniel of Judah has been codifying your royal decree, praying
19:29
Speaker 2: to his god three times daily, only moments after receiving
19:33
Speaker 2: the law.
19:35
Speaker 4: Daniel, tell the court it isn't true. Tell them what
19:38
Speaker 4: you are actually doing.
19:41
Speaker 6: Great king, I serve you faithfully, but I will not
19:46
Speaker 6: cease my prayers to the god of my fathers.
19:49
Speaker 1: A murmur. rippled through the onlookers. Darius nearly leaped from
19:54
Speaker 1: the platform and rushed to Daniel.
19:56
Speaker 4: Tell them it's false. Tell them they're wrong. I will
19:59
Speaker 4: believe you.
20:00
Speaker 6: I prayed to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
20:07
Speaker 4: Daniel, don't... Don't be a fool.
20:11
Speaker 1: Daniel bowed his head low, not in shame, but in resignation.
20:17
Speaker 1: That quiet refusal seemed to hit Darius harder than any
20:22
Speaker 1: open defiance. He glanced toward the satraps who were watching
20:26
Speaker 1: like vultures. He could see the trap now, could see
20:31
Speaker 1: it clearly, but the iron of the law had already
20:35
Speaker 1: closed around his wrists as much as Daniel's.
20:39
Speaker 8: Then.
20:40
Speaker 4: You give me no choice.
20:42
Speaker 1: There is always a choice, Darius.
20:45
Speaker 4: By the law of Medes and Persians, the penalty is death. Guards,
20:52
Speaker 4: take him. Prepare the lion's den.
20:55
Speaker 1: The order cracked through the chamber like a whip. Soldiers
20:59
Speaker 1: moved in, gripping Daniel by the arms. The crowd parted
21:03
Speaker 1: as he was led toward the great doors. Darius sank
21:08
Speaker 1: back onto his throne. His eyes fixed on the marble floor.
21:13
Speaker 1: The law was unbroken. His conscience was not so fortunate.
21:21
Speaker 1: The desert night had fallen heavy over Babylon, a moonless shroud.
21:27
Speaker 1: Torches sputtered against the wind as the procession moved through
21:31
Speaker 1: the lower courtyard. They reached the great pit at the
21:35
Speaker 1: edge of the courtyard. Iron gates covered the upper opening,
21:40
Speaker 1: their bars warped and bent by years of claws and teeth.
21:45
Speaker 1: Darius was there. He stood a little apart from the others,
21:50
Speaker 1: the torchlight catching in his eyes, his face drawn and pale.
21:55
Speaker 1: This isn't how it should end.
21:58
Speaker 6: It won't end here.
21:59
Speaker 4: This god you're willing to die for? May he deliver you.
22:04
Speaker 1: The captain of the guard stepped forward. A massive beam
22:08
Speaker 1: was levered away from the grate. With a groaning protest,
22:13
Speaker 1: the iron swung open, revealing a black void below. The
22:18
Speaker 1: stench of the den rose up at once. Daniel peered
22:22
Speaker 1: into the darkness. He could hear the lions now with
22:26
Speaker 1: awful clarity. The soldiers pushed him forward. His sandals scraped
22:32
Speaker 1: the edge. He closed his eyes. My god, even if
22:37
Speaker 1: you do not, I am yours. The shove came suddenly,
22:43
Speaker 1: the stone rim vanishing under his feet. Daniel dropped into
22:48
Speaker 1: the darkness. The sound of his landing exploded in the den,
22:53
Speaker 1: and the lions immediately moved. The last thing Daniel saw
22:59
Speaker 1: was the faint flicker of moonlight disappear under the groaning
23:03
Speaker 1: of the shutting door. The darkness became alive. He could
23:10
Speaker 1: hear them circling, claws ticking against stone. A deep growl
23:16
Speaker 1: rumbled behind him, another to his left. Then came the sounds.
23:23
Speaker 1: Daniel's hands clenched into fists, every muscle braced. He shifted
23:29
Speaker 1: to keep his back to the wall, heart thudding in
23:32
Speaker 1: his throat.
23:34
Speaker 7: For I know the plans I have for you, plans
23:37
Speaker 7: to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give
23:41
Speaker 7: you a hope and a future. Come and pray to
23:47
Speaker 7: me and I will listen to you. You will seek
23:50
Speaker 7: me and find me when you seek me with all
23:54
Speaker 7: your heart.
23:57
Speaker 1: And I will be found by you. The first lion roared.
24:02
Speaker 1: Daniel could hear the scrape of its claws and the
24:05
Speaker 1: rush of air burst forward. Daniel braced himself for impact,
24:10
Speaker 1: for a fight. But just as the lion's jaws were
24:14
Speaker 1: inches away from Daniel's throat, the den exploded with light.
24:19
Speaker 1: A brilliance like molten gold poured through the darkness, casting
24:24
Speaker 1: the walls in blinding fire. The lion, blinded by the light,
24:30
Speaker 1: fell right past Daniel. Daniel looked up. It was as
24:35
Speaker 1: if the darkness had been cut with a blade and
24:38
Speaker 1: the wound bled radiant light. Out of it stepped a figure.
24:44
Speaker 1: He was tall, robed in white, eyes like burning bronze.
24:49
Speaker 1: Do not be afraid, Daniel. The lions reared back, snarling,
24:55
Speaker 1: their massive bodies recoiling as though struck. One leapt forward
25:00
Speaker 1: with a roar and the figure's outstretched hand courted midair.
25:05
Speaker 1: With a single motion, the lion fell back, jaws snapping
25:09
Speaker 1: shut with an audible crack. The others backed away, pacing restlessly,
25:15
Speaker 1: their eyes fixed on the figure in the light. The
25:19
Speaker 1: figure turned to Daniel.
25:21
Speaker 6: Since the first day that you set your mind to
25:23
Speaker 6: gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your
25:28
Speaker 6: words were heard and I.
25:31
Speaker 1: Have come in response to them. The lions settled, lying
25:36
Speaker 1: down along the edges of the chamber, their massive chests
25:40
Speaker 1: rising and falling like the waves of a distant sea.
25:44
Speaker 1: Daniel sank to his knees, his breath shaking. The heat
25:49
Speaker 1: of the moment gave way to a flood of relief.
25:53
Speaker 1: The light did not fade. It stayed with him through
25:57
Speaker 1: the long hours, holding back the shadows and the teeth
26:02
Speaker 1: until the first light of dawn reached the rim above.
26:08
Speaker 1: Darius had not slept. He'd spent the night pacing the
26:12
Speaker 1: marble floors of his chamber. By the time the sky
26:16
Speaker 1: began to pale, he was already moving to the den.
26:20
Speaker 1: The guards at the rim straightened at his approach. No
26:24
Speaker 1: one spoke. Darius reached the edge. The stone was cold
26:29
Speaker 1: under his hands as he leaned forward, peering into the
26:33
Speaker 1: black mouth of the pit. He could see nothing.
26:37
Speaker 4: Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God been
26:42
Speaker 4: able to deliver you from the lions?
26:44
Speaker 1: The words hung in the air. No answer came. Then,
26:51
Speaker 1: from the depths... Great King, live forever!
26:55
Speaker 4: You're alive.
26:57
Speaker 10: God shut the lion's jaws. They have not harmed me
27:01
Speaker 10: because I was found innocent before him. And before you,
27:05
Speaker 10: oh king, I have done no wrong.
27:08
Speaker 4: Get him out of there, now!
27:11
Speaker 1: Ropes were thrown down. Moments later, Daniel emerged into the
27:17
Speaker 1: morning light. Darius stepped forward, gripping Daniel's arms with both
27:22
Speaker 1: hands as if to convince himself he was real.
27:26
Speaker 6: I told you it wouldn't end here.
27:29
Speaker 1: The king's relief hardened into something else. He turned sharply
27:34
Speaker 1: to the captain.
27:35
Speaker 4: Bring me the men who conspired against him.
27:39
Speaker 1: All of them. From the crowd of onlookers, two figures
27:44
Speaker 1: were dragged forward. The shifty, jagged-eyed satrap and his smooth,
27:49
Speaker 1: pompous companion. Both now pale, their fine clothes twisted in
27:55
Speaker 1: the grip of the guards.
27:57
Speaker 4: Artemis, Cassander, you came close, but it wasn't enough. You
28:04
Speaker 4: sought to take the life of a man who serves
28:07
Speaker 4: the god of all gods. You failed, and now you'll pay.
28:14
Speaker 1: The gods didn't need further orders. The satraps were taken
28:19
Speaker 1: to the pit, their protests rising to screams as they
28:23
Speaker 1: were cast down. The lions, now unbound, roared in unison,
28:30
Speaker 1: and the sound was swallowed by the earth. Darius turned
28:35
Speaker 1: back to Daniel.
28:37
Speaker 4: Shutting the mouths of lions? What else is your god
28:41
Speaker 4: capable of?
28:43
Speaker 1: Daniel simply inclined his head.
28:46
Speaker 6: Even I have yet to behold the full scope of
28:48
Speaker 6: his power and glory, but I have.
28:51
Speaker 1: A feeling I soon will. This Pray.com production is only
29:04
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gatina,
29:09
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Schelleberger and Ben Gammon are the executive
29:12
Speaker 1: producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters
29:17
Speaker 1: are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,
29:23
Speaker 1: Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradok, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher, and
29:29
Speaker 1: Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato,
29:34
Speaker 1: Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com
29:38
Speaker 1: productions on the Prey.com website. app, available on the Apple
29:42
Speaker 1: App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The
29:45
Speaker 1: Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.