@Da 6:1-28. DARIUS' DECREE: DANIEL'S DISOBEDIENCE, AND CONSEQUENT EXPOSURE TO THE LION'S: HIS DELIVERANCE BY GOD, AND DARIUS' DECREE.
1. 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 set
up; and Darius Cyaxares II, between Astyages and Cyrus
[AESCHYLUS,
The Persians, 762, 763].
hundred and twenty--satraps; set over the conquered provinces
(including Babylon) by Cyrus
[XENOPHON, Cyropædia, 8.6.1]. No doubt
Cyrus acted under Darius, as in the capture of Babylon; so that
Daniel rightly attributes the appointment to Darius.
3. Daniel was preferred--probably because of his having so wonderfully
foretold the fall of Babylon. Hence the very expression used by the
queen mother on that occasion (@Da 5:12) is here used, "because
an excellent spirit was in him."
king thought to set him over the whole realm--Agreeing with Darius
character, weak and averse to business, which he preferred to delegate
to favorites. God overruled this to the good both of Daniel, and,
through him, of His people.
4. occasion . . . concerning the kingdom--pretext for accusation in his administration (@Ec 4:4).
5. 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 even where it opposes the ways of the world.
6. assembled together--literally, "assembled hastily and tumultuously."
Had they come more deliberately, the king might have refused their
grant; but they gave him no time for reflection, representing that their
test-decree was necessary for the safety of the king.
live for ever--ARRIAN
[Alexander, 4] records that Cyrus was the
first before whom prostration was practised. It is an undesigned mark of
genuineness that Daniel should mention no prostration before
Nebuchadnezzar or Darius
(see on Da 3:9).
7. The Persian king was regarded as representative of the chief god,
Ormuzd; the seven princes near him represented the seven Amshaspands
before the throne of Ormuzd; hence Mordecai (@Es 3:4) refused such
homage to Haman, the king's prime minister, as inconsistent with what is
due to God alone. A weak despot, like Darius, much under the control of
his princes, might easily be persuaded that such a decree would test the
obedience of the Chaldeans just conquered, and tame their proud spirits.
So absolute is the king in the East, that he is regarded not merely as
the ruler, but the owner, of the people.
All . . . governors . . . counsellors, &c.--Several functionaries are
here specified, not mentioned in @Da 6:4,6. They evidently exaggerated
the case of the weak king, as if their request was that of all the officers in the empire.
den of lions--an underground cave or pit, covered with a stone. It
is an undesigned proof of genuineness, that the "fiery furnace" is not
made the means of punishment here, as in @Da 3:20; for the Persians
were fire-worshippers, which the Babylonians were not.
8. decree--or, "interdict."
that it be not changed--(@Es 1:19 8:8). This immutability of the
king's commands was peculiar to the Medes and Persians: it was due to
their regarding him infallible as the representative of Ormuzd; it was
not so among the Babylonians.
Medes and Persians--The order of the names is an undesigned mark of
genuineness. Cyrus the Persian reigned subordinate to Darius the Mede as
to dignity, though exercising more real power. After Darius' death, the
order is "the Persians and Medes" (@Es 1:14,19, &c.).
9. Such a despotic decree is quite explicable by remembering that the king, as the incarnation of Ormuzd, might demand such an act of religious obedience as a test of loyalty. Persecuting laws are always made on false pretenses. Instead of bitter complaints against men, Daniel prays to God. Though having vast business as a ruler of the empire, he finds time to pray thrice a day. Daniel's three companions (@Da 3:12), are not alluded to here, nor any other Jew who conscientiously may have disregarded the edict, as the conspirators aimed at Daniel alone (@Da 6:5).
10. when Daniel knew . . . writing . . . signed--and that, therefore,
the power of advising the king against it was taken from him.
went into his house--withdrawing from the God-dishonoring court.
windows . . . open--not in vainglory, but that there might be no
obstruction to his view of the direction in which Jerusalem, the earthly
seat of Jehovah under the Old Testament, lay; and that the sight of
heaven might draw his mind off from earthly thoughts. To Christ in the
heavenly temple let us turn our eyes in prayer, from this land of our
captivity (@1Ki 8:44,48 2Ch 6:29,34,38 Ps 5:7).
chamber--the upper room, where prayer was generally offered by the
Jews (@Ac 1:13). Not on the housetop (@Ac 10:9), where he would
be conspicuous.
upon his knees--Humble attitudes in prayer become humble suppliants.
three times a day--(@Ps 55:17). The third, sixth, and ninth hour;
our nine, twelve, and three o'clock (@Ac 2:15 10:9 3:1 10:30; compare
@Da 9:21).
as . . . aforetime--not from contempt of the king's command.
11. assembled--as in @Da 6:6, "assembled" or "ran hastily," so as to come upon Daniel suddenly and detect him in the act.
12. They preface their attack by alleging the king's edict, so as to get him again to confirm it unalterably, before they mention Daniel's name. Not to break a wicked promise, is not firmness, but guilty obstinacy (@Mt 14:9 Mr 6:26).
13. That Daniel--contemptuously.
of . . . captivity of Judah--recently a captive among thy servants,
the Babylonians--one whom humble obedience most becomes. Thus they
aggravate his guilt, omitting mention of his being prime minister, which
might only remind Darius of Daniel's state services.
regardeth not thee--because he regarded God (@Ac 4:19 5:29).
14. displeased with himself--for having suffered himself to be
entrapped into such a hasty decree (@Pr 29:20). On the one hand he
was pressed by the immutability of the law, fear that the princes might
conspire against him, and desire to consult for his own reputation, not
to seem fickle; on the other, by regard for Daniel, and a desire to save
him from the effects of his own rash decree.
till . . . going down of . . . sun--The king took this time to
deliberate, thinking that after sunset Daniel would be spared till
morning, and that meanwhile some way of escape would turn up. But
(@Da 6:15) the conspirators "assembled tumultuously" (literally) to
prevent this delay in the execution, lest the king should meantime
change his decree.
16. Thy God . . . will deliver thee--The heathen believed in the interposition of the gods at times in favor of their worshippers. Darius recognized Daniel's God as a god, but not the only true God. He had heard of the deliverance of the three youths in @Da 3:26,27 and hence augurs Daniel's deliverance. I am not my own master, and cannot deliver thee, however much I wish it. "Thy God will." Kings are the slaves of their flatterers. Men admire piety to God in others, however disregarding Him themselves.
17. stone . . . sealed--typical of Christ's entombment under a seal
(@Mt 27:66). Divinely ordered, that the deliverance might be the
more striking.
his own signet, and . . . of his lords--The concurrence of the
lords was required for making laws. In this kingly power had fallen
since it was in Nebuchadnezzar's hands. The Median king is a puppet in
his lords' hands; they take the security of their own seal as well as
his, that he should not release Daniel. The king's seal guaranteed
Daniel from being killed by them, should he escape the lions.
18. neither were instruments of music, &c.--GESENIUS translates, "concubines." Daniel's mentioning to us as an extraordinary thing of Darius, that he neither approached his table nor his harem, agrees with XENOPHON'S picture of him as devoted to wine and women, vain, and without self-control. He is sorry for the evil which he himself had caused, yet takes no steps to remedy it. There are many such halters between good and bad, who are ill at ease in their sins, yet go forward in them, and are drawn on by others.
19. His grief overcame his fear of the nobles.
20. living God--having life Himself, and able to preserve thy life;
contrasted with the lifeless idols. Darius borrowed the phrase from
Daniel; God extorting from an idolater a confession of the truth.
thou servest continually--in times of persecution, as well as in times
of peace.
is thy God . . . able--the language of doubt, yet hope.
21. Daniel might have indulged in anger at the king, but does not; his sole thought is, God's glory has been set forth in his deliverance.
22. his angel--the instrument, not the author, of his deliverance
(@Ps 91:11 34:7).
shut . . . lions' mouths--(@Heb 11:33). So spiritually, God will
shut the roaring lion's mouth (@1Pe 5:8) for His servants.
forasmuch as before him innocency--not absolutely (in @Da 9:7,18
he disclaims such a plea), but relatively to this case. God has attested
the justice of my cause in standing up for His worship, by delivering
me. Therefore, the "forasmuch" does not justify Rome's doctrine of works
meriting salvation.
before thee--Obedience to God is in strictest compatibility with
loyalty to the king (@Mt 22:21 1Pe 2:17). Daniel's disobedience to
the king was seeming, not real, because it was not from contempt of the
king, but from regard to the King of kings (compare @Ac 24:16).
23. because he believed--"Faith" is stated in @Heb 11:33 to have been his actuating principle: a prelude to the Gospel. His belief was not with a view to a miraculous deliverance. He shut his eyes to the event, committing the keeping of his soul to God, in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator (@1Pe 4:19), sure of deliverance in a better life, if not in this.
24. (@De 19:19 Pr 19:5).
accused--literally, "devoured the bones and flesh." It was just that
they who had torn Daniel's character, and sought the tearing of his
person, should be themselves given to be torn in pieces (@Pr 11:8).
their children--Among the Persians, all the kindred were involved in
the guilt of one culprit. The Mosaic law expressly forbade this
(@De 24:16 2Ki 14:6).
or ever--that is, "before ever." The lions sparing Daniel could not
have been because they were full, as they showed the keenness of their
hunger on the accusers.
26. Stronger than the decree (@Da 3:29). That was negative; this, positive; not merely men must say "nothing amiss of," but must "fear before God."
28. It was in the third year of Cyrus that Daniel's visions (@Da 10:1-12:13) were given. Daniel "prospered" because of his prophecies (@Ezr 1:1,2).