New International Version
Daniel 6:4
4At 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.
Daniel 6:4 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- English Standard Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
- New Living Translation (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.
Context of Daniel 6:4
2with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 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. 5Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” 6So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!
Read all of Daniel 6Daniel 6:4 word by word
אֱדַ֨יִן סָֽרְכַיָּ֜א וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֗א הֲו֨וֹ בָעַ֧יִן עִלָּ֛ה לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֥ה לְדָנִיֵּ֖אל מִצַּ֣ד מַלְכוּתָ֑א וְכָל־עִלָּ֨ה וּשְׁחִיתָ֜ה לָא־יָכְלִ֣ין לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֗ה כָּל־קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־מְהֵימַ֣ן ה֔וּא וְכָל־שָׁלוּ֙ וּשְׁחִיתָ֔ה לָ֥א הִשְׁתְּכַ֖חַת עֲלֽוֹהִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenאֱדַ֫יִן'ĕdayin · thenH116
- the presidentsסָרֵךְsârêk · chiefH5632
- and princesאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִין'ăchashdarpan · satrapH324
- soughtבְּעָאbe‛â' be‛âh · to askH1156
- soughtהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
- to findשְׁכַחshekach · to findH7912
- occasionעִלָּה‛illâh · pretextH5931
- against Danielדָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵלdânîyê'l · DanielH1841
- concerningצַדtsad · sideH6655
- the kingdomמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
- butכֹּלkôl · allH3606
- they couldיְכִלyekêl yekîyl · be ableH3202
- noneלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
- faultשְׁחַתshechath · to corruptH7844
- forasmuchקֳבֵלqebêl qŏbêl · beforeH6903
- faithfulאֲמַן'ăman · to trustH540
- errorשָׁלוּshâlû shâlûth · neglectH7960
- in himעַל‛al · uponH5922
Cross-references for Daniel 6:4
- Daniel 3:8At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews.
- Genesis 43:18Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”
- Judges 14:4(His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)
- Psalms 37:12The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
- Proverbs 29:27The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- Jeremiah 18:18They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.”
- Jeremiah 20:10I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”
- Matthew 26:4and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
- Matthew 27:18For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
- Luke 20:20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
- Luke 22:2and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.
- 1 Samuel 18:14In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.
- 1 Samuel 19:4Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.
- 1 Samuel 22:14Ahimelek answered the king, “Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household?
- Luke 23:14and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.
Commentaries on Daniel 6:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Sought to find occasion against Daniel - But they found no blemish in his administration, for he was faithful to his king: this was a virtue. But he was also faithful to his God: this they hoped to construe into a crime, and make it the cause of his ruin.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel - The word rendered “occasion” (עלה ‛illâh ) means a pretext or pretence. “The Arabs use the word of any business or affair which serves as a cause or pretext for neglecting another business.” - Gesenius, Lexicon The meaning is, that they sought to find some plausible pretext or reason in respect to Daniel, by which the contemplated appointment might be prevented, and by which he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5Daniel's integrity was beyond question, and his abilities were unmatched. The envious administrators targeted his strongest point, his faithful worship of God. Daniel was about 80 to 85 years old at this time. He had lived an exemplary life in Babylon.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. occasion ... concerning the kingdom--pretext for accusation in his administration (Ec 4:4).Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 6:4
In the dictionaries
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
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