Daniel 6:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.

NIV: At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

NASB: Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel regarding government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.

CSB: The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption, for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

NLT: Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.

KJV: Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

NKJV: 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.

The new ruler over Babylon appointed an array of supervisors, called satraps, with three leading governors over them all (Daniel 6:1–2). Daniel, a captured Hebrew (Daniel 1:1–7), was the most impressive of the three main administrators. This is attributed to his "excellent spirit" (Daniel 6:3). Prior stories also mention his deep integrity and skill (Daniel 1:8, 17, 20). The other appointed leaders were jealous of Daniel's success.

In twentieth-century Europe, corrupt government officials would say something like "give me the man, I'll find a crime." The point was that they could find something—no matter how petty—to use as an accusation. If need be, they'd simply fabricate it. With Daniel, this task becomes impossible. Not only is he blameless in his job, but he also gives no room for accusations about anything. He was beyond reproach. Their only hope is to scheme some way to use Daniel's absolute loyalty to God as an attack (Daniel 6:5).

In this respect, Daniel's experience foreshadows some of what would happen later to Jesus Christ. Religious leaders looked in vain for a valid reason to have Jesus arrested. Yet Jesus never did anything immoral, nor did He say anything incorrect or blatantly illegal. He was the sinless Son of God. The Roman governor, Pilate, confessed that he had no valid reason to have Jesus punished (John 18:38; 19:6; Luke 23:4). In the end, however, the Roman governor caved to the wishes of a mob and had Jesus executed (John 19:12–16).

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.