Daniel in the lions' den

[6] It is generally accepted that the Book of Daniel originated as a collection of folktales among the Babylonian captivity, the Jewish community living in Babylon and Mesopotamia, in the Persian and Hellenistic periods (5th to 2nd centuries BC).

[7] Chapters 4–6, which includes the tale of Daniel in the lions' den, may belong to the earliest stage, as these differ quite markedly in the oldest texts.

The parallels include the jealousy of non-Jews, an imperial edict requiring Jews to compromise their religion on pain of death, and divine deliverance.

Although Daniel is sometimes depicted as a young man in illustrations of the incident, James Montgomery Boice points out that he would have been over eighty years old at the time.

[1] Painters who have depicted this incident include: Daniel in the Lion's Den was adapted as a segment in the first episode of Veggietales titled 'Where's God When I'm S-Scared'?

Daniel in the lions' den saved by Habakkuk , as described in rabbinic literature (France, 15th century).