Daniel 6:10

The Trap Is Sprung.

‘And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went to his house. Now his windows were open in his chamber towards Jerusalem. And he knelt on his knees three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had done before.'

It is possible that neither the king nor Daniel saw the decree as preventing private devotions, for all Daniel had to do was to avoid his window and then no one would have known what he was doing. He knew that the decree had been signed, and possibly that it was ambiguous, but saw no reason in it why he should alter his religious habits of worship. Otherwise why should he not have approached the king about it?

Alternately it may be that he did it boldly, although not ostentatiously, in order to encourage his fellow Israelites in Babylon not to change their practises. Sometimes prominent leaders have to be bold in order to encourage the flock. All eyes are on their example. If so it was the result of a steady faith, not a seeking for martyrdom.

He prayed ‘towards Jerusalem'. Compare 2 Chronicles 6:21; 2 Chronicles 6:37; Psalms 5:7. For three times a day compare Psalms 55:17, although it was not a requirement. The fact that he knelt suggests the urgency of his prayers for Jerusalem (compare Daniel 9:3). Normally the Jews stood when they prayed (see 1 Chronicles 23:30; Nehemiah 9; Matthew 6:5; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11; Luke 18:13), but they knelt (and prostrated themselves) when they felt a more urgent need (compare 1 Kings 8:54; Ezra 9:5; Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; Acts 9:40; Acts 20:36; Acts 21:5). But he also gave thanks. This was general worship, not a deliberate provocation. It is a good practise to have set times for prayer. Then it ensures that it does not get crowded out of a busy life.

The fact that his windows were ‘open' suggests non-latticed. It may thus have been a window in the roof chamber whose purpose was to take advantage of any cooling breeze.