Daniel 6:1

Daniel 6:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
• New International Version (NIV)It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
• English Standard Version (ESV)It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;
• New King James Version (NKJV)It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom;

Context of Daniel 6:1

King Darius decided to choose 120 men to rule the regions of his nation. Together, they would rule the whole kingdom. 2He also chose three other men to be his officers. He gave them authority over the 120 rulers. The king wanted to be sure that they were working well. Daniel was one of the three officers. 3Daniel did his work much better than the other officers and rulers. He was very good at his job. Daniel was so good that the king wanted to make him ruler over the whole kingdom.

Daniel 6:1 word by word

שְׁפַר֙ קֳדָ֣ם דָּרְיָ֔וֶשׁ וַהֲקִים֙ עַל־מַלְכוּתָ֔א לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֖א מְאָ֣ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֑ין דִּ֥י לֶהֱוֹ֖ן בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתָֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• It pleasedשְׁפַרshephar · to acceptableH8232
• It pleasedקֳדָםqŏdâm qedâm · beforeH6925
• Dariusדָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁdâreyâvêsh · DariusH1868
• to setקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
• overעַל‛al · uponH5922
• the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
• an hundredמְאָהme'âh · hundredH3969
• and twentyעֶשְׂרִין‛eώrîyn · twentyH6243
• princesאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִין'ăchashdarpan · satrapH324
• which should beהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
• over the wholeכֹּלkôl · allH3606

Cross-references for Daniel 6:1

• Daniel 5:31Then Darius from Media received power as king. He was 62 years old.
• 1 Peter 2:14Also obey the officers that serve the king. He has sent them to punish people who do bad things. And they praise people who do good things.
• Exodus 18:21But you must also choose some other clever men to help you. They must be honest men who respect God. They must not want to take money from people. Choose these men to be officers with authority over groups of the people. They will be leaders of 1,000 people, or 100 people, or 50 people, or 10 people.
• Esther 1:1These things happened when King Xerxes ruled. He was the king who ruled over 127 regions, from India to Ethiopia.

Commentaries on Daniel 6:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1A hundred and twenty princes - A chief or satrap over every province which belonged to the Medo-Persian empire. Afterwards we find it enlarged to one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, by the victories of Cambyses and Darius Hystaspes. See Esther 1:1. Josephus reckons three hundred and sixty satrapies or lordships; but this is most probably an exaggeration or mistake.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom - Evidently over the kingdom of Babylon, now united to that of Media and Persia. As this was now subject to him, and tributary to him, it would be natural to appoint persons over it in whom he could confide, for the administration of justice, for the collection of revenue, etc. Others however, suppose that this relates to the whole kingdom of Persia, but as the reference here is mainly to what was the kingdom of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The malice of Daniel's enemies. (Dn 6:1-5) His constancy in prayer. (Dn 6:6-10) He is cast into the lion's den. (Dn 6:11-17) His miraculous preservation. (Dn 6:18-24) The decree of Darius. (Dn 6:25-28) Verses 1-5 We notice to the glory of God, that though Daniel was now very old, yet he was able for business, and had continued faithful to his religion. It is for the glory of God, when those who profess religion, conduct themselves so that their most…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-28God saved and freed his loyal servant Daniel (Daniel 5:23; 6:20), but Belshazzar's lifeless gods could not help him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-281. Darius--Grotefend has read it in the cuneiform inscriptions at Persepolis, as Darheush, that is, "Lord-King," a name applied to many of the Medo-Persian kings in common. Three of that name occur: Darius Hystaspes, 521 B.C., in whose reign the decree was carried into effect for rebuilding the temple (Ezr 4:5; Hag 1:1); Darius Codomanus, 336 B.C., whom Alexander overcame, called "the Persian" (Ne 12:22), an expression used after the rule of Macedon was…Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 6:1

• Babylon
• Government
• Indictments
• King
• Minister, Civil
• Persia
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Darius
• Arise
• Lay
• Media
• Prince
• Temptation
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the
• Daniel, Book of
• Languages of the Old Testament

Commentaries on Daniel 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings