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Daniel Chapter
Six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 6
This
chapter gives an account of Daniel's being cast into the den of lions, and the
causes of it, and the steps leading to it; and also of his wonderful
deliverance out of it, and what followed upon that. It first relates how Daniel
was made by Darius first president of the princes of the kingdom, which drew
their envy upon him, Daniel 6:1, and
that these princes finding they could get no occasion against him, but in
religion, proposed to the king to make a law forbidding prayer to any god for
thirty days, which they got established, Daniel 6:5, and
Daniel breaking this law, is accused by them to the king; and the penalty,
casting into the den of lions, is insisted on to be executed, Daniel 6:10, which
the king laboured to prevent, but in vain; and Daniel is cast to the lions, to
the great grief of the king, Daniel 6:14, who
visited the den the next morning, and to his great joy found Daniel alive, Daniel 6:19, upon
which, by the law of retaliation, his accusers, their wives, and children, were
cast into it, Daniel 6:24, and an
edict was published by the king, commanding all in his dominions to fear and reverence
the God of Daniel, Daniel 6:25.
Daniel 6:1 It pleased
Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the
whole kingdom;
YLT
1It hath been good before
Darius, and he hath established over the kingdom satraps -- a hundred and
twenty -- that they may be throughout the whole kingdom,
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty
princes,.... This is the same Darius mentioned in the latter part of the
preceding chapter; who, as soon as he took the kingdom of Babylon, divided it
into a hundred and twenty provinces, as Jacchiades observes; as was the manner
of the Medes and Persians. So Darius the son of Hystaspes divided the kingdom
of Persia into twenty provinces, and set governors over each, according to
HerodotusF18Thalia, sive l. 3. c. 89. ; to these hundred and twenty
provinces seven more were afterwards added, through the victories of Cyrus and
Cambyses, and Darius Itystaspes, Esther 1:1.
JosephusF19Antiqu. l. 10. c. 11. sect. 4. , through forgetfulness,
makes these princes and provinces three hundred and sixty:
which should be over the whole kingdom; or, "in
the whole kingdom"F20בכל מלכותא "in toto regno", Pagninus, Montanus,
Piscator, Cocceius; "toti regno", Junius & Tremellius. ; in the
several parts of it, and take care of all things relative to the civil
government of it, both for the honour and advantage of the king, and the good
of the subjects.
Daniel 6:2 2 and
over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps
might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.
YLT
2and higher than they three
presidents, of whom Daniel [is] first, that these satraps may give to them an
account, and the king have no loss.
And over these three presidents,.... To whom the hundred
and twenty princes were accountable for their conduct, and to whom the people
might apply for redress of grievances, if oppressed; perhaps the whole empire
was divided into three greater parts, and each part had forty provinces in it,
and over it a president or deputy of the king; to whom the princes of each
province gave in the account of what they received for the king, and what use
they made of it:
(of whom Daniel was the first:) or "one"F21חד εις,
Sept.; "unus", V. L. Syr. Ar. Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Cocceius,
Michaelis. , who was now an old man, having been about seventy years in
Babylon, and had had a large experience of the affairs of civil government,
being advanced in the times of Nebuchadnezzar to high posts; and very probably
Darius had heard of the wisdom of Daniel before he came to the kingdom, as well
as the king of Tyre, Ezekiel 28:3 and
might be informed of his prediction of Belshazzar's death, and the change of
the empire: and of Belshazzar's promise to make him the third ruler in the
kingdom; and he might also himself observe in him an uncommon sagacity and
fitness for business of this sort. JosephusF23Antiqu. l. 10. c. 11.
sect. 4. says, that Darius took Daniel with him into Media, and made him one of
the three presidents; and indeed no mention is made in this history of the
nobles of Babylon, but only of the Medes and Persians:
that the princes might give account unto them, and the king should
have no damage: or loss in his revenues, through the fraud and bad management of
the princes of the provinces; since they might be discovered and checked by the
presidents, who were to audit their accounts: or, "have no trouble"F24לא להוא נזק
οπως μη ενοχληται,
Sept.; "ne rex molestia afficeretur", Pagninus; "ut rex illo
levaretur gravamine", Munster. ; in looking over and passing the accounts
of the princes.
Daniel 6:3 3 Then
this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an
excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him
over the whole realm.
YLT
3Then this Daniel hath been
overseer over the presidents and satraps, because that an excellent spirit [is]
in him, and the king hath thought to establish him over the whole kingdom.
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes,.... Not only
above the princes, but the presidents, being the first of them, as before: or,
"he was victorious above them"F25מתנצח
"victorem se gerebat", Piscator, Michaelis. ; he got more credit and
applause than they did, being more exact, diligent, and laborious, faithful,
and conscientious:
because an excellent spirit was in him; meaning not a
spirit of grace, piety, and religion, which the Heathen king was no judge of,
nor valued him for it, though it was in him; but a spirit of knowledge of civil
affairs, and of prudence in managing them, and of integrity throughout the
whole of his conduct:
and the king thought to set him over the whole realm; or,
"wherefore the king thought"F26ומלכא
"ideo rex", Gejerus, Michaelis. , &c.; because there was such a
spirit in him, which so qualified him for public business, he began to think of
abolishing his triumvirate of presidents, and making Daniel his viceroy over
the whole empire, which very probably they had got some knowledge of; and this,
as well as being above them, drew the envy of them on him, and put them upon
the following scheme.
Daniel 6:4 4 So
the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel
concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was
faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.
YLT
4Then the presidents and
satraps have been seeking to find a cause of complaint against Daniel
concerning the kingdom, and any cause of complaint and corruption they are not
able to find, because that he [is] faithful, and any error and corruption have
not been found in him.
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against
Daniel concerning the kingdom,.... Concerning the management of the
affairs of the kingdom, he being prime minister of state; the presidents and
princes joined together in this inquiry; the princes, because Daniel was so
strict and exact in looking into their accounts, that no fraudulent measures
were taken to cheat the king of his revenue; and the presidents, because he was
preferred above them:
but they could find none occasion nor fault; or
"corruption"F1שחיתה
"corruptela", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Michaelis;
"corruptionem", Gejerus. , that he had been guilty of any
mis-administration, or any corrupt practices:
forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault
found in him; no mistake in his accounts; no blunder in his management of
things; nothing done amiss, neither wilfully, nor through ignorance,
negligence, or inadvertence; so faithful and upright, so prudent and discreet,
so exact and careful, that the most watchful observers of him, and these
envious, and his most implacable enemies, could find no fault in him, or anything,
or the colour of it, to ground an accusation upon.
Daniel 6:5 5 Then
these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we
find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
YLT
5Then these men are saying,
`We do not find against this Daniel any cause of complaint, except we have
found [it] against him in the law of his God.'
Then said these men,.... To one another:
we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel; whom they
speak of with great disdain and contempt, calling him this Daniel, this fellow,
though in the highest post in the kingdom:
except we find it against him concerning the law of his God; about his
religion; not that they thought he would be prevailed upon to break the law of
his God in any respect; but they knew he was tenacious of the Jewish religion,
and of all the laws, rites, and ceremonies of it; if therefore they could get
an act passed, and signed by the king, which would any ways affect his
religion, or any branch of it, or prohibit the performance of it for any time,
they hoped to get an advantage of him, knowing that he would not on any
consideration forsake or neglect that; which being said by his enemies was
greatly to his honour.
Daniel 6:6 6 So
these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him:
“King Darius, live forever!
YLT
6Then these presidents and
satraps have assembled near the king, and thus they are saying to him: `O king
Darius, to the ages live!
Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king,.... Having
consulted the matter, and agreed upon and formed a scheme among themselves, and
drawn up a bill or decree in form, ready to be signed by the king, whom they
hoped to persuade to it; and for that end they got together, and went in a body
to him. The wordF2הרגשו "tumultuarie
convenerunt", Montanus; "cum tumultu accurrerent", De Dieu;
"convenerunt gregatim et cum strepitu", Gejerus. signifies to
assemble in a tumultuous and noisy way; they thought, by their number and
noise, their bustle and bluster, to carry their point. Ben Melech compares it
with Psalm 2:2,
and said thus unto him, O King Darius, live for ever; this they
said as courtiers, professing subjection to him, and affection for him, wishing
him health, long life, and happiness.
Daniel 6:7 7 All
the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors
and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make
a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except
you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
YLT
7Taken counsel have all the
presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and
the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict,
that any who seeketh a petition from any god and man until thirty days, save of
thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes,
the counsellors, and the captains,.... There were but three
presidents, and Daniel was one of them, so that these "all" were but
"two"; they made the most of it they could; and very probably not all
and everyone of the other officers mentioned were present; but they were
willing to make their request appear as general as they could, in order that it
might have the greater weight with the king:
have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make
a firm decree; that is, they had met together, and had drawn up a bill that
might be passed into a law by having the royal assent, and be made sure and
firm by the king's signing it; which is as follows:
that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty
days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions; by which law
all invocation of their own gods was prohibited for a month, as well as of the
living and true God; but this they stuck not at, provided they could gain their
point against Daniel; and they were obliged to express it in this general way,
to cover their designs; for had they mentioned a particular deity, as the God
of the Jews, or the God of Daniel, their views would have been seen into by the
king; and not only religious invocation is here forbidden, but all civil requests
are prohibited: servants might not ask anything of their masters, nor children
of their parents, nor wives of their husbands, nor one neighbour of another;
for this seems not to be limited to asking any thing of a man worshipped as a
god; though Saadiah says there were some in Darius's kingdom that believed in,
worshipped, and prayed to a man; but all men are excluded, except Darius
himself, of whom only anything was to be asked for thirty days; which was not
only a deifying him, but exalting him above all gods and men; and suggesting as
if it was in his power to answer all the exigencies of his subjects, and supply
all their wants, many of which it was impossible for him to do. JosephusF3Antiqu.
l. 10. c. 11. sect. 5. mentions this law in a different manner; as if the
design of it was to give the people an intermission from devotion for such a
time, and that they were neither to pray to Darius, nor any of the gods, during
it; whereas the exception is express, "save of thee, O king". The
sanction or penalty of it is, casting into the den of lions; the king's den of
lions, as Jarchi, where his lions were kept; as it is usual with princes: this
very probably was a punishment common in the eastern nations, as casting the
Christians to the lions was usual with the Romans.
Daniel 6:8 8 Now,
O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be
changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
YLT
8Now, O king, thou dost
establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as
a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'
Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing,.... For they
had not only agreed upon it among themselves what to propose, as to the
substance of it; but they had drawn it up in writing, ready to be signed, which
they urge to have done immediately:
that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which altereth not; when once signed by the king: mention being
made of both the Medes and Persians, shows that these two nations were now
united in one government; that Darius and Cyrus were partners in the empire;
and it is easy to account for it why the Medes are mentioned first; because
Darius was the Mede, and Cyrus the Persian; the one the uncle, the other the
nephew; but afterwards, when a Persian only was on the throne, then the Persian
is mentioned first, Esther 1:19.
Daniel 6:9 9 Therefore
King Darius signed the written decree.
YLT
9Therefore king Darius hath
signed the writing and interdict.
Wherefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree. Moved to it by
the number and importunity of his principal men; and chiefly through affectation
of deity, which this law gave him; and that he might have an opportunity of
ingratiating himself into his new subjects by his munificence and liberality,
not being aware of the snare laid for his favourite, Daniel.
Daniel 6:10 10 Now
when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper
room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three
times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom
since early days.
YLT
10And Daniel, when he hath
known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window
being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times
in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his
God, because that he was doing [it] before this.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed,.... This he
knew, either by the relation of others, or by the public proclamation of it
through the city; however, he did not know of it till it was signed, or otherwise
he might have prevented it by applying to the king, in whom he had great
interest; but, now the thing was done, he did not solicit the abrogation of it,
knowing it was in vain; nor did he go to the king with complaints against his
enemies, showing the design they had in it; but let things take their own
course, he being determined to be found in his duty, be it as it would:
he went into his house: he left the court at the
proper time of prayer, and went to his own house to perform it; he did not, in
defiance of this law, go to prayer in the court, or in the streets, but retired
home, as he was used to do:
and his windows being opened; not to be seen of men,
but that he might have a clear view of the heavens, where his God dwelt, to
whom he prayed, and be the more affected with the consideration of his
greatness and glory:
in his chamber toward Jerusalem; it was not in the lower
part of the house, nor on the top of the house, in either of which he might be
more easily seen; but in his chamber, where he was wont to retire, the windows
of which were opened "towards Jerusalem"; not towards the king's
palace, as if he prayed to him, and so eluded the decree; nor towards the east,
as the Heathens did; but towards Jerusalem, which lay to the south of Babylon;
and that, either because of his remembrance of that city, his affection to it,
and concern for its re-edification; or having some respect to the words of
Solomon, 1 Kings 8:33,
&c.; and so, according to the Jewish writers, it was the custom of their
people. Ben Gersom, on the above place, says, that though they did not pray
within the temple, yet they prayed, turning themselves towards it, as much as
possibly they could; and even when it was destroyed, as now, yet they in
praying turned to the place where it had stood, as Saadiah, Aben Ezra, and
Jarchi observe: and chiefly Daniel did this, because the temple was a type of
Christ, through whom the persons and prayers of the saints are acceptable unto
God:
he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed; kneeling is a
prayer gesture, a token of reverence and humility; this was done three times a
day, morning, noon, and evening; see Psalm 55:17, in the
morning, before he went out about the king's business; at noon, when he
returned home to dinner; and at evening, when all his work was done, and he was
about to retire to bed; the hours of prayer with the Jews seem to have been the
third, sixth, and ninth; that is, at nine in the morning, twelve at noon, and
three in the afternoon; see Acts 2:1,
and gave thanks before his God; for the benefits he
daily received from him; or he "confessed before him"F4מודא "confitebatur", V. L. Junius &
Tremellius, Piscator, Calvin, Cocceius. ; the sins he had been guilty of, and
owned the favours he partook of:
as he aforetime did; as it had been his
custom from his youth upward, and therefore would not omit it now, on account
of this edict.
Daniel 6:11 11 Then
these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his
God.
YLT
11Then these men have
assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God;
Then these men assembled,.... Gathered together,
and went in a body to Daniel's house; knowing his times of prayer, and where,
and in what manner, he used to pray, to see if they could find him at it as
aforetime; that so they might have to accuse him with it. Saadiah says, they
found a girl, and asked her what Daniel was doing? she told him that Daniel was
on his knees, praying to his God in his chamber; immediately they went, and
found as she had said:
and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God; they went
into his house, and up into his chamber, the doors not being locked, pretending
perhaps business with him, and saw him at his devotions; so that they were
able, upon their own knowledge, to bring in an accusation against him for
breach of the king's law, and prove it.
Daniel 6:12 12 And
they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you
not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty
days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king
answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes
and Persians, which does not alter.”
YLT
12then they have come near,
yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king's interdict: `Hast
thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man
until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?' Answered
hath the king, and said, `The thing [is] certain as a law of Media and Persia,
that doth not pass away.'
Then they came near,.... They went
immediately from Daniel's house to the king's palace, and into the king's
presence; which they could do, either by virtue of their offices, or being
admitted by the proper officer in waiting:
and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; at first they
said nothing about Daniel, but about the decree, to get it recognized, and
afresh ratified and confirmed; lest, under some pretence or another, the king
should change it:
hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition
of any god or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into
the den of lions? they do not say peremptorily that he had signed such a decree,
but put the question to him, that they might have it affirmed by himself:
the king answered and said, the thing is true, according to the
law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not; it is true
that such a decree is made and signed, and it is an unalterable one; such as is
every established and signed decree of the Medes and Persians: it is as if he
had said, it is very true what you put me in mind of, and I will never recede
from it, or nullify and make it void.
Daniel 6:13 13 So
they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the
captives[a] from
Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you
have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
YLT
13Then they have answered,
yea, they are saying before the king, that, `Daniel, who [is] of the sons of
the Removed of Judah, hath not placed on thee, O king, [any] regard, nor on the
interdict that thou hast signed, and three times in a day he is seeking his
petition.'
Then answered they, and spake before the king,.... Having
obtained what they desired, a ratification of the decree, they open the whole
affair to him they came about:
that Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah,
regardeth not thee, O king: they call him "that Daniel"; by
way of contempt; and, to make him the more despicable, represent him not only
as a foreigner, but a captive, and therefore ought to have been humble and
obedient, as Jacchiades observes; and a Jewish captive too, of all people the
most odious; and, though he had been raised from a low estate to great honour
and dignity, yet such was his ingratitude, that he made no account of the king,
nor of his orders, but despised him:
nor the decree that thou hast signed; the decree
concerning making any petition to God or man for a month, which was signed with
the king's own hand, and was firm and stable; and of which Daniel could not be
ignorant, and therefore wilfully, and in a contemptuous manner, acted contrary
to it:
but maketh his petition three times a day; to whom they
say not whether to God or man; but in this general way accuse him which they
thought best and safest; they feared, had they mentioned his God, something
might have been said in his favour to excuse him; and to aggravate the matter,
they observe the frequency of his doing it, three times; so that it was not a
single fact he is charged with, but what he had repeated again and again.
Daniel 6:14 14 And
the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with
himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till
the going down of the sun to deliver him.
YLT
14Then the king, when he hath
heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on Daniel he hath set
the heart to deliver him, and till the going up of the sun he was arranging to
deliver him.
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with
himself,.... Or "at it"F5עלוהי
"super eo", Montanus; "super ipsum", De Dieu. ; or
"with him"; with Daniel, not so much for what he had done, but that
he had not done it with more caution, or more privately, that it might not have
been known: or rather, as we render it, "with himself", that he
should so rashly sign the decree, without considering the consequences of it;
for he now found that he was circumvented by his princes, and that their design
was not his honour and glory, but the destruction of Daniel: or the sense in general
is, that what he heard was very disagreeable, afflictive, and distressing to
him:
and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; he resolved,
if possible, to do it; he applied his mind to it; he turned his thoughts wholly
that way, and contrived all ways and means to effect it: R. Mattathiah, in
Saadiah, interprets the phrase of his offering money as a ransom for his life:
and he laboured till the going down of the sun to save him; from the will
of the princes, and from the jaws of the lions: very probably it was early in
the morning these princes found Daniel at prayer, who went immediately to the
king with their accusation; so that he was all day labouring with all his might
and main to find out ways and means to save his darling favourite; he studied
to put such a sense upon his decree, that it might not reach Daniel's case; he
strove to make the princes easy, and to persuade them to drop the affair, and
not insist on the execution of the decree.
Daniel 6:15 15 Then
these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it
is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the
king establishes may be changed.”
YLT
15Then these men have
assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, `know, O king, that the
law of Media and Persia [is]: That any interdict and statute that the king doth
establish is not to be changed.'
Then these men assembled to the king,.... Who had
left him for a while to consider of the case; or they departed to consult among
themselves about the king's proposals to them; or went home to their own houses
to dinner, and returned in a body; they came in a tumultuous way, as the word
signifies; see Daniel 6:6, they
cluttered about him, and were very rude and noisy, and addressed him in an
authoritative and threatening manner:
and said unto the king, know O king, that the law of the Medes and
Persians is, that no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be
changed; they perceived that he was desirous of altering or nullifying
the decree he had made, which to have done would have been to his reputation;
and to this they oppose a fundamental law of the realm, that no decree ratified
by the king could be altered; to attempt to do this would be a breach of their
constitution, and of dangerous consequence; it would lessen the king's
authority, and be a means of his subjects rising up in rebellion against him:
for that there was such a law, the king knew as well as they; nor do they say
this by way of information, but to urge him to the execution of the decree; and
there is no doubt to be made that there was such a fundamental law, though a
foolish one, and which afterwards continued, Esther 1:19, but
the instance which some writers give out of Diodorus SiculusF6Bibliothec.
Hist. l. 17. p. 510. , concerning Charidemus, a general of the Athenians, whom
another Darius king of Persia condemned to die for the freedom of speech he
used with him and afterwards repented of it, but in vain; for his royal power,
as the historian observes, could not make that undone which was done; this is
no proof of the immutability of the laws of the Persians, since the king's
repentance was after the general's death, which then was too late.
Daniel
6:16 16 So
the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the
den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you
serve continually, He will deliver you.”
YLT
16Then the king hath said,
and they have brought Daniel, and have cast [him] into a den of lions. The king
hath answered and said to Daniel, `Thy God, whom thou art serving continually,
Himself doth deliver thee.'
Then the king commanded,.... Being overawed by
his princes and fearing they would conspire against him, and stir up the people
to rebel; and consulting his own credit lest he should be thought fickle and
inconstant; he ordered the decree to be put in execution against Daniel, and
delivered his favourite into their hands:
and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions; not the
princes but proper officers employed by them: according to the additions to
this book of Daniel, there were seven lions in this den, in the Apocrypha:
"And
in the den there were seven lions, and they had given them every day two
carcases, and two sheep: which then were not given to them, to the intent they
might devour Daniel.' (Bel and the Dragon 1:32)
but,
according to Joseph ben GorionF7Hist. Heb. l. 1. c. 10. p. 34. ,
there were ten, who used to devour ten sheep, and as many human bodies every
day; but this day they had no food, and ate nothing, that they might be more
greedy, and devour Daniel the sooner:
now the king spake and said unto Daniel; being brought
into his presence, in his palace, before he was cast into the den; or at the mouth
of the den whither the king accompanied him:
thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee; he calls the
Lord Daniel's God, not his own, as he was not, he served other gods; yet he
suggests that Daniel was right in serving him continually, in praying to him
daily, the very thing for which he was cast to the lions; and expresses his
confidence that his God he served would deliver him from being devoured by
them; which he might conclude, from, the innocency, integrity, and faithfulness
of Daniel, and from his being such a peculiar favourite of God as to be
indulged with the knowledge of future things; and perhaps he might have heard
of the deliverance of his three companions from the fiery furnace: though the
words may be rendered, as they are by some, as a wish or prayer, "may thy
God &c. deliver thee"F8ישזבנך
"liberet te", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Grotius, Cocceius,
Michaelis. ; I cannot, I pray he would; it is my hearty desire that so it might
be.
Daniel 6:17 17 Then
a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it
with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose
concerning Daniel might not be changed.
YLT
17And a stone hath been
brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king hath sealed it with
his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose be not
changed concerning Daniel.
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den,.... Not a
heap of stones, but a single one, a very large one, sufficient to stop up the
mouth of the den, that nothing might enter in at it, or be cast into it: this
stone was brought by proper persons, and a sufficient number of them, according
the order of the king, or his princes, or both; for what Jarchi says, of there
being no stones in Babylon, only bricks, and of the angels bringing this stone
out of the land of Israel, is all fabulous: but for what end it should be
brought and laid is not easy to say; if it was laid here by the order of the
princes, it could not surely be to keep any of his friends from going in to
deliver him, for who would venture himself there? nor to keep Daniel in it,
since it might be concluded, that, as soon as ever he was cast in, he would be
seized upon by the lions and devoured at once; unless it can be thought, that
these men saw, that when he was thrown in, the lions did not meddle with him;
which they might attribute to their having been lately fed, and therefore, that
he might be reserved till they were hungry, they did this: if it was by the
order of the king, which is very likely, the reason might be, he believed, or
at least hoped, that God would deliver him from the lions; but lest his
enemies, seeing this, should throw in stones or arrows, and kill him, the mouth
of the den was stopped, so Jarchi and Saadiah: no doubt but this was so ordered
by the providence of God, as well as the sealing of it, that the miracle of the
deliverance might appear the more manifest:
and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of
the lords; that none might dare to remove it; so the stone that was laid at
the door of Christ's sepulchre was sealed with a seal, Matthew 27:66, the
reason of sealing it follows,
that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel: the view the
lords had in it was, that the king might not change the sentence passed on
Daniel, or take any methods to deliver him; and the view the king had in it
might be, that should he be saved from the lions, as he hoped he would, that no
other sentence might pass upon him, or he be delivered to any other kind of
death.
Daniel 6:18 18 Now
the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians[b] were
brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.
YLT
18Then hath the king gone to
his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been
brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled [from] off him.
Then the king went to his palace,.... After he had
accompanied Daniel to the den, and he was cast into it, the stone was laid to
the mouth of it, and that sealed; this was after sunset, for he had laboured
till then to serve him, Daniel 6:14,
perhaps it was late at night:
and passed the night fasting; vexed for what he had done,
in signing the decree; fretting because he could not save Daniel, and his heart
full of grief for him, and so had no stomach to eat; went to bed without his
supper, lay all night fasting, and would not eat a bit nor drink a drop of
anything:
neither were instruments of music brought before him; as used to be
after supper, and played upon; his heart was too full, and his mind and
thoughts so intent on Daniel's case, that he could not listen to music, or bear
the sound of it. Jarchi interprets it a "table", to sit down at, and
eat, being furnished and well served, as was usual; but this is implied in the
preceding clause. Aben Ezra, Saadiah, and Jacchiades, explain by songs and
musical instruments, harps and psalter and Saadiah adds, girls to sing and dance.
De Dieu, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, thinks that incense
is meant, which was used at feasts, and in the palaces of princes.
And his sleep went from him; while he was up he could
take no pleasure in eating and drinking, and hearing music; and when he was in
bed, he could not sleep for thinking what he had done, and what was the case of
Daniel.
Daniel 6:19 19 Then
the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions.
YLT
19Then doth the king rise in
the early morning, at the light, and in haste to the den of lions he hath gone;
Then the king arose very early in the morning,.... Or,
"in the morning with light"F9בשפרפרא־בנגהא
"summa aurora cum luce", Junius & Tremellius; "in tempore
aurorae cum luce", Piscator. as soon as ever light appeared, or the day
broke: the word for morning is doubled, and one of the letters in it is larger
than usual; and all which denote not only his very great earliness in rising,
but his earnestness and solicitude for Daniel, to know whether he was alive or
not:
and went in haste unto the den of lions; he did not
send a servant, but went in person, and with as much expedition as possible,
though a king, and an old man; this shows the great love and strong affection
he had for Daniel, and his concern for his good and welfare.
Daniel 6:20 20 And
when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The
king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God,
whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
YLT
20and at his coming near to
the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he crieth. The king hath answered and
said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou art
serving continually, is He able to deliver thee from the lions?'
And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto
Daniel,.... Expressing grief and sorrow his heart was full of; it was
rather like howling than speaking; thus he cried before he saw Daniel, or heard
him speak:
when he was near to the denF11במקרבה לגבא "cum appropinquasset ad
foveam", Pagninus; "quumque appropinquaret ad foveam", Piscator.
, as it may be rendered; and he was between hope and fear about Daniel's
safety; when within sight of the den, and hearing of Daniel, should he be alive
to speak: but when he came nearer and saw him, then
the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living
God; art thou alive? this is a plain case, that the God whom thou servest is the
living God, since he has saved thee; and that thou art a true and faithful
servant of his, seeing he has wrought such deliverance for thee:
is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee
from the lions? has he made it to appear that he is able to deliver from them?
has he really done the thing? he could scarcely believe for joy, being filled
with amazement; for these words are not to be considered as expressive of any
doubt or hesitation he had of the power of God to save him; for he had declared
he had before, yea; his confidence that he would deliver him; but of his wonder
and admiration at it, the thing being so extraordinary and amazing.
Daniel 6:21 21 Then
Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
YLT
21Then Daniel hath spoken
with the king: `O king, to the ages live:
Then said Daniel unto the king,.... Whose voice he knew,
though the tone of it was so much altered:
O king, live for ever; he does not reproach him
for delivering him into the hands of his enemies, and suffering him to be cast
into that place, which he might have prevented, had he had more resolution; he
knew it was done with reluctance, though with weakness; which he does not upbraid
him with, but freely forgives him, and wishes him health, long life, and
prosperity.
Daniel 6:22 22 My
God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me,
because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong
before you.”
YLT
22my God hath sent His
messenger, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not injured me:
because that before Him purity hath been found in me; and also before thee, O
king, injury I have not done.'
My God hath sent his angel,.... Daniel takes up the
king's expression, and confirms it; he asserts God to be his God, of which he
had given him a proof in sending his angel to him that night; either one of the
ministering spirits about him, or the Angel of the covenant, the same with him,
said to be like the Son of God, that was seen in the fiery furnace, even the
Messiah in human form:
and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; by taking
away hunger from them, or by striking terror into them; so that they had either
no inclination to hurt him, or were afraid of him:
forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; either before
God, or before his Angel, Daniel appeared to be an innocent and righteous
person; therefore the Lord pleaded his cause, and made it to appear that he was
just, and his cause good; for this is not to be understood of the merits of his
works, and the causality of them to justify and save; for here he is speaking
not of the righteousness of his person, but of his cause; and not of eternal,
but temporal salvation:
and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt: either to his
person or government; nothing that was criminal and sinful, but what was just
and right, serving daily his God; and this was plain to the king, what he knew
and owned; and though he had acted contrary to the decree the lords had
craftily obtained, yet it was not out of disrespect to the king, but in
obedience to his God; and in doing of which he had done nothing prejudicial to
the king's interest.
Daniel 6:23 23 Now
the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take
Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury
whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.
YLT
23Then was the king very glad
for him, and he hath commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel
hath been taken up out of the den, and no injury hath been found in him,
because he hath believed in his God.
Then was the king exceeding glad for him,.... For
Daniel, because of his safety, because he was alive, and in health, and unhurt;
and the speech he made was very acceptable to him, agreeable to his sentiments,
and which he was satisfied was just and true: or "with", or "for
himself"F12עלוהי "apud se",
Piscator; "apud illum", Michaelis. ; being now eased of a guilty and
distracted conscience:
and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den; that is, he
ordered those that were with him, his servants that attended him, either to
roll away the stone, and so let him out; or to let down ropes, and draw him
out, or ladders by which he might ascend; for one would think it would not have
been safe for them to have gone down into it, to take him up: these orders the
king gave without the consent of his lords, being animated to it by the miracle
wrought:
so Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was
found upon him; no bruise by throwing him into the den, no wound was made by the
lions, or his flesh in the least torn by them:
because he believed in his God; served and worshipped
him; of which service and worship faith is a particular branch, and is put for
the whole, and without which it is not pleasing and acceptable to God; he
trusted the Lord, he committed himself to his power and providence; he left himself
wholly in the hands of the Lord, to dispose of him, whether for life or death,
as he pleased; he believed he was able to deliver him, but he was not anxious
about it: for this seems not to design any particular act of faith, with
respect to this miracle wrought for him, but his general trust and confidence
in God; and the apostle seems to have reference to this, when among other
things he ascribes to faith the stopping of the mouths of lions, Hebrews 11:33.
Daniel 6:24 24 And
the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel,
and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their
wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces
before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
YLT
24And the king hath said, and
they have brought those men who had accused Daniel, and to the den of lions
they have cast them, they, their sons, and their wives; and they have not come
to the lower part of the den till that the lions have power over them, and all
their bones they have broken small.
And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had
accused Daniel,.... Not all the hundred and twenty princes, and the two
presidents; but the chief of them, who were most busy in getting the decree
signed; watched Daniel's house, and what he did there; brought the charge
against him to the king, and were most solicitous and urgent to have the decree
put in execution against him:
and they cast them into the den of lions; the servants
of the king, who were sent to fetch them, and who brought these by the king's
orders, cast them into the same den of lions that Daniel had been in: thus
often the pit wicked men dig for others, they fall into themselves; so Haman
man was hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai:
them, their children, and their wives; which might
be according to the laws of this monarchy in capital offences, relating to
affairs of state, as this was for an accusation of a prime minister of state,
to take away his life; though such things were common with arbitrary princes,
for the terror of others; so Haman and his sons were hanged up by Ahasuerus:
this may seem cruel and inhuman, though it might be that the wives and children
of these men advised them to do what they did, and were encouragers and
approvers of it. JosephusF13Antiqu. l. 10. c. 11. sect. 6. relates,
that the enemies of Daniel, when they saw no hurt came to him, would not ascribe
it to the providence of God, but to the lions being full of food; upon which
the king ordered much meat to be given them, and then the men to be cast in to
them, to see whether because of their fulness they would come unto them or not:
and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones
in pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of the den; the lions
seized them at once; and though they did all they could to defend themselves,
fighting with them; yet the lions were too powerful for them, and overcame
them, and not only tore off their flesh, but broke their bones in pieces, and
that as they were falling, before they came to the bottom, or the lower part of
the den; this was a plain proof that it was not through fulness, or want of
appetite, that the lions did not fall upon Daniel and devour him: this affair
happened in the first year of Darius, which, according to Bishop UsherF14Annales
Vet. Test. A. M. 3466. , and Dean PrideauxF15Connexion, &c. part
1. p. 125,128. , and Mr. WhistonF16Chronological Tables, cent. 10. ,
was in the year of the world 3466 A.M., and 538 B.C.; Mr. BedfordF17Scripture
Chronology, p. 711. places it in 537 B.C.
Daniel 6:25 25 Then
King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the
earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
YLT
25Then Darius the king hath
written to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who are dwelling in all the
land: `Your peace be great!
Then King Darius,.... Being thoroughly convinced of the
miracle, and of the powerful interposition of divine Providence in it, and of
the omnipotence of God, and of his concern in the government of the world; that
all might be acquainted with the same,
wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all
the earth; he being at the head of the Babylonish monarchy, which included
many nations and people of various languages; and which was increased, and
still increasing, by the victories of Cyrus, who was partner with him in the
empire; see Daniel 3:4,
peace be multiplied unto you; an increase of all kind
of prosperity; an usual salutation or wish with the eastern people.
Daniel 6:26 26 I
make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and
fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast
forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His
dominion shall endure to the end.
YLT
26From before me is made a
decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom they are trembling and fearing
before the God of Daniel, for He [is] the living God, and abiding to the ages,
and His kingdom that which [is] not destroyed, and His dominion [is] unto the
end.
I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom,.... In every
province of his large empire; this explains who are meant by all people,
nations, &c. before mentioned; namely, such as were within his dominions;
for to no other could his decree reach: this decree is very different from that
he had made a few days before, forbidding any man to ask anything of any god or
man for the space of a month; but now his order is,
that men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; that they
would serve with fear and trembling, and reverence and adore the God that
Daniel served and worshipped; and who manifestly appeared to be his God, and to
be the true God, by his wonderful deliverance of him:
for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever; that has life
in himself, and is the author and giver of life to others, and ever remains so,
without any variation or shadow of turning; he is everlasting and unchangeable,
permanent and immutable in his nature; steady and steadfast in his purposes and
promises, in his conduct in the government of the world, and in the course of
his providence:
and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his
dominion shall be even unto the end; unto the end of time;
other kingdoms will he destroyed, but his will not; all other rule, dominion
and authority will be at an end but his will continue for ever; his kingdom is
an everlasting one: this doctrine Darius had learned from Daniel, as
Nebuchadnezzar before had done; see Daniel 2:44.
Daniel 6:27 27 He
delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who
has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
YLT
27A deliverer, and rescuer, and
doer of signs and wonders in the heavens and in earth [is] He who hath
delivered Daniel from the paw of the lions.'
He delivereth and rescueth..... As he did the three
companions of Daniel from the fiery furnace, and now Daniel himself from the
lions' den:
and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; which are out
of the common course of nature, and not according to the laws of it; such as
hindering the natural force of fire from burning, as in the case of the three
children; and stopping the mouths of lions from devouring Daniel as follows:
who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions; or "from
the hand"F18מן יד
"de manu", Montanus, Cocceius. of them; from their destroying paws,
and devouring jaws; which was nothing less than a miracle, and a proof of the
divine omnipotence and of his power of doing wonders.
Daniel 6:28 28 So
this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the
Persian.
YLT
28And this Daniel hath
prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius,.... This
Daniel, of whom so much has been said all the preceding chapters, and who had
been so lately and so wonderfully delivered from the lions' den, the same
flourished throughout the reign of Darius the Mede; continued a favourite with
the king; retained his honour and dignity; and kept his posts and places of
trust and profit. Darius the Mede reigned two years; though Jarchi says he
reigned but one, and was slain in war; for which he refers to Joseph ben
Gorion, who has not a word of it.
And in the reign of Cyrus the Persian; who, as
Jacchiades says, was the son-in-law of Darius, and inherited the kingdom after
him; which is true, for he married the daughter of Cyaxares or Darius who was
his uncle, and succeeded him as sole monarch of the empire: he reigned with him
the two years he had the government of the Babylonish monarchy; and when he
died, it solely devolved on him, who reigned seven years after, as XenophonF19Cyropaedia,
l. 8. c 45. relates; but the canon of Ptolemy ascribes nine years to his reign,
which includes the two years he was partner with Darius. Daniel was in the same
favour with this prince as the former, who in the first year of his reign
proclaimed liberty to the Jews to return to their country, and build their
temple; whether Daniel lived throughout his reign is not certain; he was alive
in the third year of it, as appears from Daniel 10:1, some
take Darius and Cyrus to be one and the same person, and render this last
clause as explanative of the former, "even", or, "that is, in
the reign of Cyrus the Persian"F20Vid Nicolai Abram. Pharus
Vet. Test. l. 12. c. 24. p. 338. .
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)