The king commanded, and …: once again it may be necessary to state who received and executed the order. See verse 16.

Were brought and cast: literally “they brought them and they threw them.” Once again these two passive verbs of Revised Standard Version should probably be made active, as in verse 16. The first verb may be taken in the sense of “arrest,” as Good News Translation makes clear.

They, their children, and their wives: the subject of the passive verbs is further amplified here. But it will probably be better in most languages to restructure this verse and make more than one sentence of it. In many languages it will be more natural to mention wives before children. Some may prefer to add a separate sentence after indicating that Daniel’s accusers were cast into the pit: “They (indefinite) also threw the wives and children of these men into the hole where the lions were.”

Reached the bottom: this statement helps us to understand better the shape of the pit where the lions were kept, since it indicates that there was an opening at the top. These men apparently fell through the air or slid down a very steep incline.

Broke all their bones: the translation should not give the impression that the lions broke the bones of the men without eating them, as both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation can be understood. The idea is that the lions ate them up completely, including their bones. Note that New English Bible has “crunched them up, bones and all.” Revised English Bible carries the same meaning although using a slightly less vivid verb: “devoured them, bones and all.”

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .