What does Daniel 6:6 mean?

Satisfied that their diabolic scheme would work, envious high officials and satraps approached the Babylonian king (Daniel 6:1–5). They greeted him with the expected level of flattery. Ordinarily, one would assume that a large group of governors would send messengers to the king. Here, however, the terminology suggests they were assembling—gathering in large numbers—to make their appeal. This probably was not an assembly of all 122 men involved—the same terminology describes how they met to catch Daniel in prayer at his house (Daniel 6:11). Yet it was clearly a noteworthy number of men. This may have helped to sway Darius; he may have thought this issue was a major emergency. They may have brought the law already written and ready for the king's signature.

An evil crowd seems to be more capable of doing what is wrong than when individuals act alone. It was a large, angry crowd clamoring for Jesus' crucifixion that caused the Roman governor, Pilate, to have Jesus crucified (Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:18–25; John 19:12–16). Exodus 23:2 offers wise counsel: "You shall not fall in with the many to do evil."

These men want to attack Daniel in the only way they can: by making his faith illegal and using his obedience to God against him (Daniel 6:4–5).