1Daniel is made chief of the presidents and princes of the realm: 4they conspire against him, and obtain an ensnaring decree: 10Daniel, accused of the breach thereof, against the king's will is cast into the lions' den: 18the king findeth him miraculously saved: 24his adversaries are cast in and devoured. 25Darius by a decree magnifieth God.
1IT1 pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, 2which should be over the whole kingdom;
1 See Dan. 4 on verse 2.
2 Namely, to govern it well, everyone in his own province wherein he was set by the king.
2And over these three 3presidents; of whom Daniel was 4first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Or, superior princes, or, upper rulers, presidents.
4 That is, the most important one, as appears in verse 3. Other, whereof Daniel was one.
35Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and 6the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
5 Chald. Then was Daniel excelling over the presidents and the princes; Daniel excelled them all in wisdom, prudence, justice, temperance and other virtues.
6 It seems that Darius, being now old and taking notice of the excellent gifts wherewith Daniel was endued above all the rest of the princes, intended to make him chief governor over the kingdom of Babel. From this originated the hatred of the princes against Daniel.
4 ¶ 7Then the presidents and princes sought to find 8occasion against Daniel 9concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor 10fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any 11error or fault found in him.
7 Out of envy, which is the mother of murder.
8 Or, opportunity, or cause.
9 Chald. from the side of the kingdom, that is, in the administration that was imposed upon him by the king, they watched narrowly all his actions, his life and conduct, whether he performed his office well and faithfully, or whether he offended in anything; but this was in vain. They could find nothing amiss in him as is forthwith said.
10 Or, error, or corruption.
11 Or, trespass, mistake.
5Then said these men, We shall not find 12any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him 13concerning the law of his God.
12 So uprightly, diligently, prudently and faithfully did Daniel carry himself in his high office, that his very enemies had no hopes of finding ought against him that would have any appearance of trespass.
13 In the service of God, which is prescribed unto him in the law of God.
614Then these presidents and princes assembled 15together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
14 Namely, when they thought they had found out a way to snare Daniel in his religion.
15 Other, with heaps, or, with a tumult. And also verses 11 and 15. See the annotation Psalm 2 on verse 1.
7All the presidents of the kingdom, 16the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask 17a petition 18of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
16 Or, magistrates.
17 Chald. shall desire a desire or petition.
18 The great ones at the court of Darius are possessed with such envy against Daniel, that they set aside all godliness and religion that they might destroy Daniel; for, this was properly their aim in this decree. They forbid those who are in need to call upon the true God. They also forbid the sick to seek a physician for help, which was altogether against nature; nevertheless the king did sign it, verse 9, etc.
8Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, 19that it be not changed, 20accordinga to the law 21of the Medes and Persians, which altereth 22not.
19 Or, in order that it may not be changed.
20 Or, according to the law of the Medes, etc. Compare Esther 1:19; 8:8.
a Esther 1:19; 8:8.
21 These two nations are here joined together, because they were at that time both of them together governed by Cyrus and Darius, according to the opinion of some. Others conceive that this was done at Shushan, a province of Persia, Dan. 8:2, (though at that time subject to the Chaldeans) where the law of the Medes and Persians was kept.
22 Chald. which passeth not, or, goeth not by, that is, which is not altered. Thus verse 12. Compare this phrase with Mat. 24:35 and with Mark 13:31.
923Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
23 Or, in this respect, or, every manner of way. The sense is: The king made no difficulty to sign this decree, conceiving it to be an evidence that they were so loyal unto him, that they would rather deny and forsake all their gods than to provoke him to anger.
10¶Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his 24chamber 25towardb Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees 26threec times a day, and prayed, and 27gave thanks before his God, 28as he did aforetime.
24 Or, dining room, or, summerhouse.
25 This he did according what is stated in 1 Kings 8:44, see there the annotation, and Psalm 5:7, with the annotation.
b 1 Kings 8:44.
26 Namely, in the morning before he began any business; at noon when he came in to eat, and in the evening before he went to bed. See the annotation Psalm 55 on verse 17. Daniel would rather die than omit his accustomed worship.
c Psalm 55:17.
27 Or, praised, made confession.
28 Or, every manner of way, altogether.
11Then these men 29assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication 30before his God.
29 Or, came tumultuously, as verse 6. Compare Psalm 10:8, 9.
30 That is, openly, before the face of God.
12Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; 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? The king answered and said, 31The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
31 It is a sure and certain thing. It is a sure word. They had ensnared the king, before he knew or perceived that they went about to destroy Daniel.
13Then answered they and said before the king, That 32Daniel, 33which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, 34regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition 35three times a day.
32 See the craftiness of these wicked wretches; had they at first made it appear, that their intent was to destroy Daniel, they might well have feared that the king would not have hearkened to them, but now they reveal themselves.
33 This they add unto Daniel’s name to make him, by reason of his country and state (being a captive Jew), the more odious unto the king; as if they said: If a Babylonian, Persian or Median had been thus disobedient, he would have deserved a heavy punishment, how much more a captive Jew?
34 As if they said: He has slighted and vilified thy majesty, and he has not obeyed thy law; wilt thou suffer that, O lord the king?
35 Namely, as he was wont to do, before this decree was published. See verse 10.
14Then the king, when he heard these words, 36was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he 37laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
36 Chald. properly, he was very evil, or, it was very evil with him, that is, he was very sorry, and he was very troubled in himself. Now he perceived for the first time to which his decree tended, namely, to kill Daniel.
37 Or, he was laboring, or, troubled, or, busy.
1538Then these men 39assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, 40Know, O king, that the 41law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
38 Namely, when they saw that the king wavered, and did his best to deliver Daniel out of their hands, and to save him from being cast into the lions’ den
39 Or, came with heaps, namely, they came thus strong that their request might be the more regarded, and might prevail the more with the king.
40 This they speak as in a threatening way, for, the king knew well enough what the laws of the Medes and Persians entailed, as also what was contained in his decrees.
41 Their aim was not so much to maintain the laws and statutes of the Persians and to have them inviolably kept, but to destroy Daniel, and to put him to death. This was also a wicked statute or law; for, to resolve not to alter a decree, when reason requires that it should be done, is tyranny. Or, to ascribe unto the king and his counsel such absolute wisdom, and constant justice, that in making of laws and decrees they cannot at all recede or err from justice, is to make them gods.
16Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, 42Thy God whom thou servest continually, 43he will deliver thee.
42 Here Darius wishes that God would deliver his faithful servant Daniel, finding that he (though he had ordained before that no petition would be put up to any god or man, save to him alone) was not able to help Daniel. Likewise does Darius here sufficiently show that it grieved him to the heart, that he had to permit Daniel to be cast into the lions’ den, and could not hinder it, being thereto forced by the princes of the kingdom.
43 Or, he deliver thee.
17And 44a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and 45the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; 46that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
44 It is said expressly in the text that it was one, or an only stone, namely, a great stone to stop the mouth, door or entrance of the den close and fast, in order that all means of getting out might be taken away from Daniel; for, Daniel was, by reason of his prophecies and interpretations of dreams, in great repute with everyone, because of the great offices that he bare. It seems that those wretches perceived right away that the lions abstained from Daniel; therefore they laid this great stone and the king’s seal, and the seal of all of them, upon the mouth of the den.
45 Thus this was also done by the wonderful counsel of God that Daniel’s deliverance would appear the more significant.
46 Or, that nought might or nothing might be changed concerning Daniel; for, they durst not trust the king, because he had already taken such great pains to deliver Daniel.
18¶Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: 47neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and 48his sleep went from him.
47 Or, no delightful play, or, music-play, or, instruments of music. Other, he caused no table, of meat, to be brought before him. The meaning is: he abstained from all things that were delightful, and that might have taken away or eased his sadness; such grief and sorrow he had for Daniel.
48 That is, likewise he could not sleep at all; he was so troubled, because they had deceived and forced him as such to cause Daniel to be cast into the lions’ den. See what conscience can work in a man! See Rom. 2:14, 15.
19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went 49in haste unto the den of lions.
49 Other, in trouble. See the annotation at Dan. 2 on verse 25.
20And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king 50spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant 51of the living God, 52is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
50 Or, answered, that is, spoke, and so continually.
51 See the annotation at Jer. 10 on verse 10.
52 By this doubting it appears sufficiently that king Darius was not converted unto the true God; for, they, who truly believe in God, do not in the least doubt His omnipotence.
21Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, 53live for ever.
53 Other, Let the king live forever, that is, God grant unto the king a long life.
22My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, 54that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him 55innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done 56no hurt.
54 Concerning the spiritual preservation, compare Psalm 91:13; 1 Peter 5:7.
55 Or, integrity, purity. Although God is moved by the piety of the godly to do them good, in regard He has as it were bound Himself thereto by a gracious promise and that justice requires that He performs His gracious promise, 1 Tim. 4:8; 2 Thes. 1:5, 7; Heb. 6:10, yet it does not follow from this that the piety of man does merit this. For to be bound to a thing by a gracious promise and to be bound thereunto properly by merit, cannot stand together. See Rom. 11:6. So that Daniel does not boast here of his righteousness, but he acknowledges that God has delivered him, to make it appear, that such worship pleased Him, which he would keep and retain even with the loss of his own life.
56 Chald. no destruction. Other, and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt, or, no harm, that the king, either by my imprudence or by my unfaithfulness, would have suffered any damage in anything. Daniel indeed transgressed the wicked decree of the king, but he did it not out of contempt towards the king, but because he ought first and above all to obey the supreme King. We must fear God, and honor the king, 1 Peter 2:17.
23Then was the king exceeding 57glad 58for him, and commanded that they should 59take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and 60no manner of hurt was found upon him, 61because he believed in his God.
57 Chald. very good. See the annotation at Judges 16 on verse 25.
58 Or, over himself, or, over it.
59 It may be that Daniel was drawn up with cords out of the den as was done to Jeremiah, Jeremiah 38.
60 Or, sore, wound, harm.
61 That is, because he had put confidence in His God. It may be Daniel did not know that God would deliver him by such a miracle, but he verily believed and was confident that God would not forsake him. See Philip. 1:21. What faith in the almighty God is able to do, see also Heb. 11, from verse 7 to the end of the chapter.
24¶And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had 62accused Daniel, and 63they cast them into the den of lions, them, their 64children, and their wives; and the lions 65had the mastery of them, and 66brake all their bones in pieces or ever 67they came at the bottom of the den.
62 See Dan. 3 on verse 8.
63 Thus they fall into the pit which they had dug for Daniel. See Esther 7:10 what happened to Haman. See also Psalm 7:15, 16; 9:15, 16; Prov. 26:27; Eccl. 10:8.
64 Chald. sons, in Holy Scripture under the name of sons are also often comprehended the daughters.
65 Or, had the upper hand of them, or, overpowered them, or, were masters over them.
66 Or, ground them to powder.
67 That is, before they were come to the lower-most (part) of the den, or to the foot or bottom of the den. See similar punishment of God Dan. 3:22. See also Amos 5:19.
25¶Then king Darius wrote 68unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
68 Namely, that were under his dominion, as is expressed in verse 26. See Dan. 2 on verse 39; Dan. 4 on verse 1.
26I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before 69the God of Daniel: for he is 70the living God, and stedfast for ever, and 71hisd kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion 72shall be even unto the end.
69 The true God (Who is the God of all believers) is called the God of Daniel, as He is called the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, because Daniel did fervently honor and serve Him.
70 See verse 20.
71 See Psalm 93:2; Dan. 4:3.
d Dan. 2:44; 4:3; 7:14, 27; Luke 1:33.
72 Or, endureth. Hereby God is distinguished from all creatures, which are all of them transitory or corruptible.
27He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath 73delivered Daniel from 74the power of the lions.
73 All the former excellent honors, which Darius attributes unto the true God, are no evidence that he received and embraced Him as the only true God, else he would have abolished all false worships and religions, but it was only an honest confession of the true God, whereunto he was pressed by the great miracle which he saw before his eyes, without the renouncing and forsaking of idols.
74 Chald. from the hand, that is, from the power, from the violence of the lions. Such is said in Gen. 9:5: at the hand of every beast; and Job 5:20: from the power (hands) of the sword. See more similar examples in the annotation there.
28So this Daniel 75prospered in the reign of Darius, and 76in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.77
75 Forasmuch as godliness has the promise not only of the life to come, but also of this present life, 1 Tim. 4:8, according as God in His infallible wisdom judges it to be good for His children.
76 See Dan. 1 on verse 21.
77 The entire 37th Psalm suits well with the history of this 6th chapter.