Daniel 6.2 [6.3]-Darius Selects Daniel to Be One of Three Supervisors Over the 120 Satraps to Protect His Interests
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday February 12, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 6:2 (6:3)-Darius Selects Daniel to Be One of Three Supervisors Over the 120 Satraps to Protect His Interests
Lesson # 173
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 5:31.
Daniel 5:31 (6:1) Now, Darius the Mede received the kingdom at sixty-two years of age. 2 It was considered a good idea by Darius to establish one hundred twenty satraps over the kingdom in order that they would be in authority over the entire kingdom. (Author’s translation)
Daniel 6:2 and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. (NASB95)
“And over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one)” presents an action taken by Darius the Mede which was in addition to the action he took which is recorded in the previous verse.
“Over them” is composed of the preposition ʿēl·lā(ʾ) (עֵלָּא) (ale-law´) and then we have the preposition min (מִן) (min) and the object of these two prepositions is the third person masculine plural pronominal suffix him∙mô (הִמֹּו) (him-mo´), “them.”
The third person masculine plural pronominal suffix him∙mô means “them” referring to the one hundred twenty satraps Darius the Mede established over the newly conquered Babylonian kingdom.
It is the object of the prepositions ʿēl·lā(ʾ) and min.
The former is a marker of a higher authority indicating that Darius established three supervisors who would be higher in authority than the one hundred twenty satraps.
The latter is a marker of separation indicating that “out from” these one hundred twenty satraps, Darius chose three to be in authority over the other satraps.
Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that “out from” these one hundred twenty satraps, Darius established three of them to be in authority “over” the other satraps.
It literally means “out from, over” these one hundred twenty satraps, Darius chose three to be supervisors.
“Three commissioners” is composed of the masculine plural form of the noun sā·rǎḵ (סָרַךְ) (saw-rate´), “commissioners” which is modified by the feminine singular number telāṯ (תְּלָת) (tel-ath´), “three.”
The noun sā·rǎḵ means “supervisor, superintendent” referring to an individual who would be in charge of the one hundred twenty satraps and would hold them accountable.
This word is modified by the feminine singular number telāṯ, which means “three.”
Therefore, these two words indicate that Darius selected out from the one hundred twenty satraps, three individuals to be in authority over them as supervisors.
“(of whom Daniel was one)” is composed of the particle dî (דִּי) (dee), “of whom” which is followed by the masculine singular proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l (דָּנִיֵּאל) (daw-nee-yale), “Daniel” which is followed by the common singular cardinal number ḥǎḏ (חַד) (khad), “one” and this is followed by the preposition min (מִן) (min) and its object is the third person masculine plural pronominal suffix him∙mô (הִמֹּו) (him-mo´), “them.”
The particle dî should be translated “from whom” and it is a marker to show the genitive relationship between the third person masculine plural pronominal suffix him∙mô, “them” and the common singular cardinal number ḥǎḏ, “one.”
It is a partitive genitive which denotes the whole of which the head noun is a part indicating that Daniel was one of the three supervisors chosen.
The third person masculine plural pronominal suffix him∙mô means “them” referring to the three supervisors and it is the object of the preposition min (מִן) (min) which is a marker of the relation of a part to the whole indicating that Daniel was one of the three supervisors.
“That these satraps might be accountable to them” presents the purpose of Darius the Mede establishing three supervisors in authority over the satraps.
“These satraps” is composed of the masculine plural noun ʾǎḥǎš∙dǎr∙pǎn (אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן) (akh-ash-dar-pan´), “satraps” which is modified by the plural form of the demonstrative pronoun ʾil∙lên (אִלֵּין) (il-lane´), “these.
The noun ʾǎḥǎš∙dǎr∙pǎn were governors of certain types of provinces, which is supported by the statement in Daniel 6:1 (6:2), which records that Darius appointed 120 satraps over his kingdom who would be in charge of the entire kingdom.
“Might be accountable to them” is composed of the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) participle form of the verb yehǎḇ (יְהַב) (yeh-hab´), “might be accountable” which is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh), “to” and its object is the third person masculine plural pronominal suffix him∙mô (הִמֹּו) (him-mo´), “them” which is followed by the masculine singular noun ṭeʿēm (טְעֵם) (teh-ame´), which is not translated.
The verb hǎwā(h) denotes that these one hundred twenty satraps would exist in the state of giving an account to the three supervisors.
The verb yehǎḇ refers to the satraps giving to the three supervisors an account of their activities in administrating the Babylonian kingdom for Darius the Mede.
The participle form of the verb indicates what ought to be done or should be done and denotes that Darius installed three supervisors over the satraps in order that the latter “would” give an account of their activities and thus be held accountable.
The noun ṭeʿēm means “an account” referring to a verbal and written report explaining one’s activities implying subordination to another.
Here it refers to the satraps giving an account to the three supervisors in the sense of explaining verbally or in written form their activities and decisions in administrating the Babylonian kingdom.
“And that the king might not suffer loss” presents the result of Darius establishing three supervisors over the satraps in order that the latter would have to give an account to these three.
“Might not suffer loss” is composed of the negative particle lā(ʾ) (לָא) (law), “not” which is negating the meaning of the third person masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active imperfect form of the verb ḥǎwā(h) (חֲוָה) (khav-aw´), “might” and then we have the masculine singular ʿal (Hebrew: qal) participle form of the verb nezǎq (נְזַק) (nez-ak´), “suffer loss.”
Once again the verb hǎwā(h) means, “to be” in the sense of existing in a particular state and is emphatically negated by the negative particle lā(ʾ), which means “never.”
Therefore, these two words denote that the purpose of installing three supervisors over the satraps was so that Darius would never exist in the state of suffering loss personally, financially or politically.
The imperfect conjugation is a potential imperfect denying the ability or possibility of Darius ever suffering loss.
The verb nezǎq means “to suffer loss” in the sense of causing injury or damage to someone referring to Darius suffering damage personally, financially and politically.
Daniel 6:2 (6:3) and in addition, out from, over them, three supervisors, of whom, Daniel was one of them in order that these satraps would exist in the state of having to give an account to them so that the king would never be able to suffer loss. (My translation)
Daniel 6:2 (6:3) records another decision that Darius the Mede made after taking over the Babylonian kingdom from Belshazzar and Nabonidus.
This verse says that out from the one hundred twenty satraps which he selected to help him administrate the kingdom, he chose three supervisors.
The satraps would have to give an account of their activities to these three who were of their number.
One of these three the text tells us was Daniel.
The purpose of installing these three over the other satraps was so that the king would never be able to suffer loss personally, politically or financially.
The satraps would be required to give an account to the triumvirate in the sense of explaining verbally or in written form their activities and decisions in administrating the Babylonian kingdom.
Personal damage would be harm to the king himself in the sense of assassination or the slandering of his character.
Financial damage of course would be the loss of financial resources in the sense of someone embezzling money from the kingdom or failing to collect taxes.
Political damage would entail failure to carry out the king’s policies.
Therefore, these three supervisors would have to possess integrity of character and be honest.
The question arises as to why Darius would choose Daniel since he was a Jewish captive of the Babylonians.
Undoubtedly, he was chosen because Darius and his military officials would have been told by the surviving Babylonians that Daniel predicted the demise of Belshazzar at the hands of the Medes and the Persians.
This would have made him a favorite of the Medo-Persian Empire.
Also, Daniel’s reputation was world-wide since little over two decades before Nebuchadnezzar praised Daniel and his God in a decree that went throughout his world-wide empire which is recorded in Daniel chapter four.
Furthermore, his reputation among the Babylonians as an excellent administrator would have been made known to Darius by the surviving Babylonians.
Daniel of course had years of experience as the head of the wise men under Nebuchadnezzar.