Daniel 6:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;

NIV: It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

NASB: It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, to be in charge of the whole kingdom,

CSB: Darius decided to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm,

NLT: Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.

KJV: It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

NKJV: It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom;

In the prior chapter, Daniel predicted the demise of Belshazzar, which came almost immediately afterward (Daniel 5:30). Eventually, the rule over Babylon fell to a man identified as Darius. In his new role, Darius organized his kingdom of Medo-Persia by setting 120 leaders over various aspects of his kingdom. These were titled "satraps," from a word referring to a governor, high officer, or prince.

Scholars debate the exact identity of the man here named "Darius the Mede" (Daniel 5:31). Some skeptics suggest that there was no such person. Others believe this text was written centuries later and the author mistakenly refers to the Persian king Darius I. However, several passages in Scripture have been met with skepticism, only to be proven correct later (2 Timothy 3:16).

One candidate, referred to in ancient texts, is a man appointed governor over Babylonian territory by Cyrus the Great. This man's name is listed as Gubaru, Gobryas, or Ugbaru, a general under Cyrus. If this man led the armies who conquered Babylon and was then given control over them by his king, it would explain how he "received the kingdom" (Daniel 5:31) and was "made king" (Daniel 9:1). Further, the name "Darius," or Darayavesh, literally means "possessing" or "kingly" or "lord;" it might have been used here as a title instead of a proper name. Other kingdoms in the Ancient Middle East used the same name for multiple rulers (Genesis 21:22; 26:1, 26; 50:4; Exodus 1:8, 11).

If Gubaru is the "Darius" referred to in Daniel, he only reigned for two years, dying in 536 BC. Yet he played a key role in the life of Daniel, as this chapter reveals.

Daniel 6:1–9 follows the demise of the Chaldean king Belshazzar (Daniel 5:30–31). Darius the Mede eventually became the ruler of Babylon and the king of the new empire, Medo-Persia. He placed three officials, including Daniel, in charge of 120 satraps. This passage forms a link between Daniel's appointment and his sentence to die in a den of lions. The rest of the chapter explains how Daniel came into—and through—this predicament.

Babylon's new ruler organizes his territory under 120 satraps and three governors. He intends to make Daniel the most powerful of these, but jealous rivals develop a plot. Knowing Daniel's only "weakness" is loyalty to God, they trick the king into passing an irrevocable law banning prayer. Daniel knows about the law but chooses obedience to God rather than to men. Darius is anguished yet he dutifully follows the law. When Daniel miraculously survives a night in a den full of lions, Darius is elated. He condemns the conspirators to death, and the same lions tear them apart. Darius then proclaims honor on behalf of Daniel's God.

At the end of chapter 5, Belshazzar has died and control over Babylon has come to someone identified as "Darius the Mede." Darius organizes his territory under 120 satraps and three governor-level officials. Daniel is identified as one of the three high administrators. After jealous rivals fail to kill Daniel, he continues to prosper in his role. The following chapter begins an extensive record of prophetic visions. The first is a flashback to something Daniel saw during the rule of Belshazzar.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.