Daniel 6:3

Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. DANIEL WAS PREFERRED ABOVE THE PRESIDENTS AND PRINCES, BECAUSE AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT WAS IN HIM - probably because of his having so wonderfully foretold the fall of Babylon. Hence, the very expression used by the queen-mother on that occasion () is here used, "because an excellent spirit was in him." AND THE KING THOUGHT TO SET HIM OVER THE WHOLE REALM - agreeing with Darius' character, weak, and averse to business, which he preferred to delegate to favourites. God overruled this to the good both of Daniel, and, through him, of His people....

The Prophet now relates, as I have said, the origin of a temptation which might naturally cast down the spirits of the elect people as well as his own. For although Daniel alone was cast into the lion’s-den, as we shall afterwards see, yet, unless he had been liberated, the condition of the people would have been more grievous and severe. For we know the wicked petulantly insult the wretched and the innocent, when they see them suffering any adversity. If Daniel had been torn by the lions, all men would have risen up in a body against the Jews. God, therefore, here exercised the faith and patience of his servant, and also proved all the Jews by the same test, since they saw themselves liable to the most extreme sufferings in the person of a single individual, unless God had speedily afforded the assistance which he rendered. Daniel, first of all, says, _he excelled all others, since a mo...

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 watchful enemies may find no occasion for blaming them, save only in the matters of their God, in which they walk according to their consciences....

Verse Daniel 6:3. _THE KING THOUGHT TO SET HIM OVER THE WHOLE REALM_] Intended to make him _grand vizier_ or _emir ul amrim_. This partiality of the king made Daniel the object of the other presidents, and the grandees of the kingdom....

THEN THIS DANIEL WAS PREFERRED ABOVE THE PRESIDENTS AND PRINCES - That is, he was at their head, or was placed in rank and office over them. “Because an excellent spirit was in him.” This may refer alike to his wisdom and his integrity - both of which would be necessary in such an office. It was an office of great difficulty and responsibility to manage the affairs of the empire in a proper manner, and required the talents of an accomplished statesman, and, at the same time, as it was an office where confidence was reposed by the sovereign, it demanded integrity. The word “excellent” (יתירא _yattı̂yrâ'_) means, properly, what hangs over, or which is abundant, or more than enough, and then anything that is very great, excellent, pre-eminent. Latin Vulgate, _Spiritus Dei amplior_ - “the spirit of God more abundantly.” Greek πνεῦμα περισσὸν _pneuma_

EXPOSITION DANIEL 6:1 DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN. DANIEL 6:1 IT PLEASED DARIUS TO SET OVER THE KINGDOM AN HUNDRED AND TWENTY PRINCES. WHICH SHOULD BE OVER THE WHOLE KINGDOM; AND OVER THESE THREE PRESIDENTS; OF WHOM DANIEL WAS FIRST: THAT THE PRINCES MIGHT GIVE ACCOUNTS UNTO THEM, AND THE KING SHOULD HAVE NO DAMAGE. THEN THIS DANIEL WAS PREFERRED ABOVE THE PRESIDENTS AND PRINCES, BECAUSE AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT WAS IN HIM; AND THE KING THOUGHT TO SET HIM OVER THE WHOLE REALM. The variations from the Massoretic text in the Septuagint are, in regard to the verses before us, very considerable. It assumes the last verse of the preceding chapter, and begins,

THEN THIS DANIEL WAS PREFERRED ABOVE THE PRESIDENTS AND PRINCES,.... Not only above the princes, but the presidents, being the first of them, as before: or, "he was victorious above them" y; he got more credit and applause than they did, being more exact, diligent, and laborious, faithful, and conscientious: BECAUSE AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT WAS IN HIM; meaning not a spirit of grace, piety, and religion, which the Heathen king was no judge of, nor valued him for it, though it was in him; but a spirit of knowledge of civil affairs, and of prudence in managing them, and of integrity throughout the whole of his conduct: AND THE KING THOUGHT TO SET HIM OVER THE WHOLE REALM; or, "wherefore the king thought" z, c. because there was such a spirit in him, which so qualified him for public business, he began to think of abolishing his triumvirate of presidents, and making Daniel his viceroy over the...

Daniel 6:1. _It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm._ Kings are never satisfied. The empire of Darius was always growing, and a chapter or two farther on we find that he had a hundred and twenty-seven provinces. There is no end to the greediness of man, and what does he get by it after all? One pair of hands can only do one man's work; he only gains more toils, and he has now to distribute the cares of his State among others. Then how good it is for any man when he is guided to a right, honest, and hearty helper! Such

CHAPTER 6 UNDER DARIUS THE MEDE AND DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN _ 1. The decree of Darius (Daniel 6:1)_ 2. Daniel's faith and steadfastness (Daniel 6:10) 3. Daniel cast into the lion's den and the deliverance (Daniel 6:16) 4. The Decree of Darius (Daniel 6:25) Daniel 6:1. From the opening of this chapter we learn that Daniel also held a very high position in the beginning of the second monarchy, which had conquered Babylonia. He was preferred above all the other presidents and princes. This created jealousy. They devised a very

DANIEL 6. DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS. After giving an account of the reorganisation of the empire by Darius after the fall of Babylon, this chapter describes a conspiracy formed against Daniel by the princes, which resulted in his being thrown into a den of lions for refusing to obey a decree which forbade prayer to God. Daniel is found alive and unhurt the next morning. His accusers are thrown to the lions and instantly devoured. Darius then issues a decree commanding the whole world to honour the God of Daniel. The purpose of the chapter is obviously to strengthen the Jews in their resistance to the demands of Antiochus Epiphanes. 1. DANIEL 5:31 *. SATRAPS: we have no outside evidence in support of this statement. According to Herodotus the Persian Empire was first divided into twenty satrapies by Darius Hystaspis (522- 485 B.C.)....