DANIEL 6

 Daniel 6:1-5

Verse 1 Esther mentions that there were 127 different provinces in the Persian Empire. The biggest historical problem in the whole book is that there is no mention in ancient sources of Darius. Also it is known that Cyrus was the king who conquered Babylon. Possible explanations: Darius was another name for Cyrus, or Darius (as the possible general of the Persian army) was only in charge of the Chaldean territory as governor under Cyrus.

Verse 4 Once again, jealousy of Daniel's position causes a plot against him. Does this ever happen nowadays?

Verse 5 This is the first time that the Jewish law has been mentioned in the book. It shows that his co-workers were well aware of his faith.

Daniel 6:6-9

Verse 6 One commentator points out that the repeated phrase “as a group” (also in verses 11 and 15) has an ambiguous meaning that progresses from “in a company” to “as a conspiracy” to “in a rage.”

Verse 7 The story here is different from the way I remembered being taught as a child. The decree forbids anyone from praying (except the king, or except to the king, depending on the translation. The last option makes more sense than the king proclaiming himself as a temporary deity. This is a contrast to the previous law in Chapter 3 which commanded the people to pray to an idol. Some Christians feel that a modern parallel is the government prohibiting prayers in the classroom. Discuss. Better parallels are probably found in the way we, as Christians, have to balance our responsibilities to God against those to our family (parents, spouse) or employer.

Verse 8 This unalterable law of the Persians also plays a key role in Book of Esther.

Verse 9 Again, as in the Book of Esther, the king appears to be a mere puppet of his subordinates.

Daniel 6:10-13

Verse 10 Daniel does not go out of his way to hide his disobedience or to flaunt it either. What about the direction of his prayer? In Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple (I Kings 8:35), he asks that when the Jews pray toward the temple, God will answer them. Three times a day is not mandated either, but the practice may have come from Psalm 55:17: “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress and he hears my voice.”

Verse 11 It sounds as if the conspirators were spying on Daniel. We also learn that Daniel was asking God for help, which will come soon afterward.

Verse 13 They remind the king that Daniel is “not one of them.” I have run into this attitude even within the church where those who are not “like-minded” are shunned or distrusted.

Daniel 6:14-18

Verse 14 We hear a lot in this book about kings being distressed; in this case, it is not on his own behalf but on behalf of Daniel. It is interesting that the king is bound to the law he himself proclaimed. Is God in the same situation? In a way, yes. But God's law is a perfect expression of who he is so that God has no need to regret it or try to change it.

Verse 16 This shows that the king was aware of Daniel's dedication to God and even expressed the belief that God had the ability to save Daniel. This is certainly an improvement in attitude to that of Nebuchadnezzar, who in Chapter 3 said “What god can deliver you from my hand?”

Verse 17 What does this remind you of?

Verse 18 Quite interestingly, the center point of the structure of this chapter describes the king's sleepless night. The exact same occasion forms the focus of the structure of the Book of Esther. In both cases, it is here that God acts.

Daniel 6:19-24

Verse 22 This is exactly parallel to the fourth man in the fiery furnace. Daniel basically says that the result of the trial by ordeal (not an execution decree) was that Daniel was exonerated from all guilt.

Verse 24 The results show that the lions weren't just already too full to eat Daniel. This is similar to the Book of Esther where Haman suffered the fate he had planned for the Jews. Occasionally, a wrongdoer's family is punished also (Achan in Book of Joshua, Haman's sons in Esther). We need to first should point out that this punishment was the king's idea, not Daniel's. Why did he kill their families? There was the ancient idea of corporate guilt, they may have been accomplices, to set a strong warning to others, to prevent later blood feuds and revenge by the survivors.

Daniel 6:25-28

Verses 25-27 This doxology is very similar to that of Nebuchadnezzar in Chapter 4.

Verse 28 This summary statement takes us up to the time of Cyrus, who allowed the Jews to return to the Holy Land.