Daniel 6:2
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 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. | and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss. | and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account unto them, and that the king should have no damage. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedKing Darius set 120 princes over his kingdom and placed three presidents over them, with Daniel among the three. The princes reported to these presidents so the king would suffer no loss. This high post sets up the jealousy and plot that lead to the lions' den. Daniel 6:1Daniel 6:2Daniel 6:3Daniel 6:4
SpeakingThe book's narrator. Chapters 1-6 tell of Daniel in the third person. Daniel overview
ToGod's people in exile and after it. The book is not a letter. Daniel overview
Also involvedDaniel, the other presidents and princes who report to them, and king Darius, whose interests the setup protects. Daniel 6:1Daniel 6:2Daniel 6:4
The verse describes the chain of command in Darius's kingdom. Princes give accounts to three presidents, Daniel among them, so the king has no damage. Daniel's excellent spirit soon lifts him above the rest. Daniel 6:2Daniel 6:3
The royal court of the Medo-Persian kingdom, in Babylon. Daniel served there under Babylonian and then Persian kings. Daniel overview
The eventsAfter Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians in one night. This was in the reign of Darius, before the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Daniel overviewDaniel 6:28
WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the final form to about 167-164 BC, while others hold the traditional date. Daniel overview
HereThe verse shows how high Daniel stood in a foreign government. That makes clear why rivals sought a charge against him and found none except his faithfulness to his God. Daniel 6:2Daniel 6:4Daniel 6:5
In the whole of ScriptureDaniel had already been raised to high office under Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Now he is raised again under a new empire, showing that the most High rules in the kingdom of men. Daniel 2:48Daniel 5:29Daniel overview
For readersDaniel served a pagan king honestly and well, with no error or fault found in him. Yet he kept praying to his God as before. Faithful work and faithful worship went together in his life. Daniel 6:4Daniel 6:10Daniel 6:22
- presidentsסָרֵךְ
This word means chief or overseer. Daniel's role was to oversee the work of the princes under him. Strong's H5632
- princesאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִין
The entry defines the word as satrap, a governor of a Persian province. So the 120 princes were provincial governors. Strong's H0324Daniel 6:1
- damageנְזַק
The word means to suffer injury. The setup guarded the king from loss, a concern also voiced at the Persian court in Ezra 4:22 and Esther 7:4. Strong's H5142Ezra 4:22Esther 7:4
- firstחַד
The lexicon entry gives this word as "one" and renders it "[was] one" here. Daniel was one of the three presidents. Strong's H2298
Takeaway
God placed Daniel in high office in a foreign empire, and he served there without fault. His trust in God is what brought him through the lions' den. Daniel 6:2Daniel 6:4Daniel 6:23Daniel overview
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Aramaic words
This passage was written in Aramaic, the common language of the Babylonian and Persian empires, which the Jews of the exile also spoke. It uses the same alphabet as Hebrew.
| English | Aramaic | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and above | וְעֵ֤לָּא | ve-'E-la' | H5924 | aboveעֵ֫לָּא (el.la) above Aramaic of al (עַל "upon" H5921) |
| more than them | מִנְּהוֹן֙ | mi-ne-hOn | H4481 | fromמִן־ (min) 1) from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than 1a) from, out of (of place) 1b) from, by, as a result of, by reason of, at, according to, (of source) 1c) from (of time) 1d) beyond, more than (in comparisons) |
| overseers | סָרְכִ֣ין | sa-re-KHIN | H5632 | chiefסָרֵךְ (sa.rekh) chief, overseer |
| three | תְּלָתָ֔א | te-la-TA' | H8532 | threeתְּלָת (te.lat) 1) three 1a) three (cardinal number) 1b) third (ordinal number) |
| whom | דִּ֥י | di | H1768 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| Daniel | דָנִיֵּ֖אל | da-ni-YEL | H1841H | Danielדָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵל (da.niy.yel) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.8.2 § Daniel = "God is my judge" 1) the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon, because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel 1a) also, 'Belteshazzar' (H01095 or H01096) |
| [was] one | חַֽד־ | chad- | H2298 | oneחַד (chad) 1) one (number) 1a) one 1b) a (indefinite article) |
| of them | מִנְּה֑וֹן | mi-ne-HON | H4481 | fromמִן־ (min) 1) from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than 1a) from, out of (of place) 1b) from, by, as a result of, by reason of, at, according to, (of source) 1c) from (of time) 1d) beyond, more than (in comparisons) |
| whom | דִּֽי־ | di- | H1768 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| they will be | לֶהֱוֹ֞ן | le-he-VON | H1934 | to beהֲוָא (ha.va) 1) to come to pass, become, be 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to come to pass 1a2) to come into being, arise, become, come to be 1a2a) to let become known (with participle of knowing) 1a3) to be |
| satraps the | אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֣א | 'a-chash-dar-pe-nai-YA' | H0324 | satrapאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִין (a.chash.dar.pan) satrap, a governor of a Persian province Aramaic of a.chash.dar.pan (אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן "satrap" H0323) |
| these | אִלֵּ֗ין | 'i-LEIN | H0459 | theseאִלֵּין (il.len) these, those Aramaic of el (אֵל "these" H0411) |
| giving | יָהֲבִ֤ין | ya-ha-VIN | H3052 | to giveיְהַב (ye.hav) 1) to give, provide 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to give 1a2) to place, lay (foundations) 1b) (Hithp'al) 1b1) to be given 1b2) to be paid |
| report the | טַעְמָ֔א | ta'-MA' | H2941 | accountטְעֵם (ta.am) judgment, command, discretion Aramaic of ta.am (טַ֫עַם "taste" H2940) |
| and king the | וּמַלְכָּ֖א | u-mal-KA' | H4430 | kingמֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king |
| not | לָֽא־ | la'- | H3809 | notלָא (la) no, not, nothing Aramaic of lo (לֹא "not" H3808) |
| he will be | לֶהֱוֵ֥א | le-he-VE' | H1934 | to beהֲוָא (ha.va) 1) to come to pass, become, be 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to come to pass 1a2) to come into being, arise, become, come to be 1a2a) to let become known (with participle of knowing) 1a3) to be |
| suffering injury | נָזִֽק׃ | na-ZIK | H5142 | to suffer injuryנְזַק (ne.zaq) 1) to suffer injury 1a) (P'al) to suffer injury 1b) (Aphel) to injure |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.