Darius’s Decree—Daniel’s Disobedience and Consequent Exposure to the Lions—His Deliverance by God. Dan. 6:1-28
“Daniel does not give a continued history of the reigns in which he lived, nor of the state-affairs of the kingdoms of Chaldea and Persia, though he was himself a great man in those affairs; for what are those to us? But he selects such particular passages of story as serve for the confirming of our faith in God and the encouraging of our obedience to him, for the things written aforetime were written for our learning. It is a very observable improvable story that we have in this chapter, how Daniel by faith “stopped the mouths of lions,” and so “obtained a good report,” Heb. 11:33” M. Henry
- Dan. 6:1-5. “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes… And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first…Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him…Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel…but they could find none… forasmuch as he was faithful…We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
- 6:1. “What a great man he was. When Darius, upon his accession to the crown of Babylon by conquest…he made Daniel prime-minister of state…Darius’s dominion was very large; all he got by his conquests and… had so many more countries to take care of…and therefore others must be employed under him. He set over the kingdom 120 princes (v. 1), and appointed them their districts, in which they were to administer justice, preserve the public peace, and levy the king’s revenue.” ch. 5:31, 1Pe. 2:14, Ex. 18:21, 22, Ext. 1:1.
- 6:2-3. ch. 2:48, 49; 5:16, 29, 1Sa. 2:30. That the princes might give account. Matt. 18:23, Lk. 16:2, and the king should have no damage. Ezr. 4:22, Est. 7:4, Lk. 19:13, etc. 1Cor. 4:2. Daniel was preferred. Pr. 22:29, ch. 5:12, 14; 9:23, Ge. 41:38–41, Neh. 7:2, Pr. 3:3, 4; 17:27, Ec. 2:13. “Darius, it seems, was very quick-sighted…was soon aware that this Daniel had something extraordinary in him, and… finding Daniel to excel them all in prudence and virtue…” M. Henry
- 6:4-5. The princes sought to find occasion. ch. 3:8, Ps. 37:32, 33, Pro. 27:4, Ec. 4:4, Jer. 18:18, 23; 20:10, Lu. 20:20.”When treason could not be charged upon him he was accused of impiety. M Henry” But they could find none. 1Sam. 18:14, Phi. 2:15, 1Pet. 2:12; 3:16, Ac. 24:13–16, 20, 21 “It is the highest testimony to a godly man’s walk, when his most watchful enemies can find no ground of censure save in that he walks according to the law of God…” JFB
