Daniel 6:10
9 So King Darius issued the written interdict. 10 When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously. 11 Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God. 12 So they approached the king and said to him, “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next 30 days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” 13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.”
Tobit 3:11
10 On that day she was grieved in spirit and wept. When she had gone up to her father's upper room, she intended to hang herself. But she thought it over and said, "Never shall they reproach my father, saying to him, "You had only one beloved daughter but she hanged herself because of her distress.' And I shall bring my father in his old age down in sorrow to Hades. It is better for me not to hang myself, but to pray the Lord that I may die and not listen to these reproaches anymore." 11 At that same time, with hands outstretched toward the window, she prayed and said, "Blessed are you, merciful God! Blessed is your name forever; let all your works praise you forever. 12 And now, Lord, I turn my face to you, and raise my eyes toward you. 13 Command that I be released from the earth and not listen to such reproaches any more.
Notes and References
"... Despite the minimal references to Cyrus in the book, the importance of this date (“the first year of King Cyrus”) elsewhere in the OT should cause the reader to pause and take note (e.g. Ezra 1:1; 2 Chr 36:22). As well, when the book of Daniel itself is examined more closely, it is found that this date is by no means ignored nor its significance forgotten (pace Collins). 18 Despite the variety of scholarly views as to the identity of “Darius the Mede,” he is probably to be equated with Cyrus, interpreting the conjunction in 6:28 (Aramaic 6:29) as a waw-explicativum (“the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian”). On this understanding, the events of Daniel 6 take place during this important year, the first year of Darius (= Cyrus; 5:31 [Aram. 6:1]). This explains Daniel’s deliberate continuation of his pious custom of daily prayers despite the personal risk involved (“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed ...”; 6:10 [Aram. 6:11]). He prays in an upper room whose windows are “open toward Jerusalem,” (On this feature, see 1 Kings 8:30, 35, 38, 42, 44, 48; 2 Chronicles 6:34; also see Tobit 3:11 for praying toward an open window ...) because he is praying for Jerusalem, as shown by the recorded prayer of Daniel 9 (dated the same year, NB 9:1) ..."
Goswell, Greg The Temple Theme in the Book of Daniel (pp. 509-520) JETS 55/3, 2012