Daniel 6.26a [6.27a]-Darius Issues Decree For Everyone in His Kingdom to Worship Daniel's God
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday April 4, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 6:26a (6:27a)-Darius Issues Decree For Everyone in His Kingdom to Worship Daniel’s God
Lesson # 196
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 6:26.
Daniel 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. 3 Also, 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. 4 Then this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the supervisors as well as satraps because an extraordinary spirit was in him. Consequently, the king intended to establish him over the entire kingdom 5 as a result, the supervisors as well as the satraps were attempting to cause a pretext to be found against Daniel with regards to governmental affairs. However, they were totally unable to cause any pretext in the form of corruption to be found because he was trustworthy. Indeed, no negligence in the form of corruption was found against him. 6 Therefore, these men concluded, “We will never be able to cause a pretext to be found against this Daniel unless we cause it be found in connection with the law originating from his God.” 7 Consequently, these supervisors as well as the satraps conspired together to the detriment of the king and said the following to the king, “King Darius, live forever! 8 Each and every one of the supervisors over the kingdom, namely the senior officials well as the satraps, that is the royal officials, in other words the governors are in agreement that the king should issue an edict. Specifically, an interdict, which should be enforced in order that whoever makes a request from any god or human being during a thirty day period except from you, O king, must be unceremoniously deposited into a lion’s den. 9 Now, please O king establish an interdict. Specifically, please sign the document into law in order that it can never be changed according to Medo-Persian law, which can never be revoked.” 10 Because of this, King Darius signed the document into law, that is, the interdict. 11 Now when Daniel was aware that the document was signed into law, he entered his home, which had windows in its upper room swung open toward Jerusalem. Then he worshipped on his knees three times during the day. Indeed, as was his custom, he prayed while giving thanks in the presence of his God just as he had been doing previously. 12 Then these men conspired together, namely, they found Daniel making request, specifically, making an earnest and urgent prayer request in the presence of his God. 13 Consequently they came into the king’s presence and posed a question with regards to the interdict issued by the king, “Did you not sign an interdict, namely that, any person who makes a request from any god or human being during a thirty day period except from you, O king, must be unceremoniously deposited into a lion’s den?” The king replied and said, “Absolutely, the decree is according to Medo-Persian law, which can never be revoked.” 14 Thus they replied in the presence of the king and said that, “Daniel, who is one of the deported people from Judah, has absolutely no respect for your command, O king, that is, for your interdict, which you signed into law. Instead, three times during the course of the day, he regularly makes his request.” 15 Consequently when the king heard the charge against him he was extremely upset. Thus, with regards to Daniel, he was determined to deliver him. Indeed, until sunset, he repeatedly made every effort to rescue him. 16 Then these men conspired together to the detriment of the king and said to the king, “Please remember, O king that with regards to Medo-Persian law, each and every interdict, specifically, edict, which the king does issue, is irrevocable.” 17 Therefore, the king issued an order for the purpose of causing Daniel to be brought in to be unceremoniously deposited into a lion’s den. The king encouraged Daniel and said, “Your God, because you yourself serve Him faithfully, will rescue you.” 18 Then a particular stone was brought for the purpose of being placed over the den’s mouth. Next, the king sealed it with his signet ring as well as with his nobles’ signet rings in order that this matter could never be altered. 19 Then the king returned to his palace. However, he spent the night fasting. Also, diversions were never ordered to be brought into his presence. Indeed, to his detriment, his sleep fled. 20 Afterward the king at dawn, at first light got up in order to return immediately to the lions’ den. 21 Consequently when he came near the den, he shouted out to Daniel with a distressed voice. The king asked a question and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, the immanent, eternal God’s servant, because you yourself serve Him faithfully, did He prevail so as to deliver you from the lion?” 22 Thus Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 23 My God dispatched His angel in order to shut the lions’ mouths so that they never harmed me because in my favor, I was found innocent in His judgment. Indeed, furthermore, in your judgment O king, I never committed a crime.” 24 As a result, the king was extremely delighted for him. Then, he issued an order for the purpose of extracting Daniel from the den. Thus, Daniel was extracted from the den. Indeed, absolutely no injury of any kind was found on him because he confidently relied upon his God. 25 Next the king issued orders for the purpose of causing those men to be brought in, who slanderously accused him, namely Daniel in order to unceremoniously cast into the lions’ den-they, their children as well as their wives. In fact, they had not even reached the den’s floor before the lions overpowered them. They even crushed each and every one of their bones. 26 Then Darius the king wrote to each and every one of the nations, ethnicities as well as language groups who are living throughout the entire land: “May your prosperity increase!” (My translation)
Daniel 6:26 “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever.” (NASB95)
“I make a decree” is composed of the preposition min (מִן) (min) which is followed by the preposition qǒḏām (קֳדָם) (kod-awm´), “before” and its object is the first person singular pronominal suffix -î (־י) (ee), “I” and then we have the third person masculine singular peʿil (Hebrew: qal passive) perfect form of the verb śîm (שִׂים) (soom), “make” which is followed by the masculine singular noun ṭeʿēm (טְעֵם) (teh-ame´), “a decree.”
The first person singular pronominal suffix –î, “my” refers of course to Darius and it is the object of the prepositions min and qǒḏām.
The former is a marker of source indicating that the decree mentioned in this verse “originated from” Darius while on the other hand the latter means “in the presence of” and denotes that this decree originated from “the presence of” Darius.
The noun ṭeʿēm means “a decree” and refers of course to the decree Darius issued that everyone in his kingdom should be in a state of fear, yes trembling in the presence of the God of Daniel.
This verb śîm denotes Darius is saying that from his presence a decree “is sent forth” or “issued” that everyone in his kingdom should be in a state of trembling, yes fear in the presence of Daniel’s God.
“That in all the dominion of my kingdom men” is in an epexegetical clause meaning that it presents the content of Darius’ decree.
“In all the dominion of my kingdom men” is composed of the particle dî (דִּי) (dee) and then we have the preposition bĕ (בְּ) (beh), “in” and then we have the singular construct form of the noun kōl (כֹּל) (kole), “all” which is modifying the masculine singular construct form of the noun šā∙leṭān (שָׁלְטָן) (shol-tawn´), “kingdom” which is followed by the feminine singular construct form of the noun mǎl∙ḵûṯ (מַלְכוּת) (mal-kooth), “kingdom” which is modified by the first person singular pronominal suffix –î (־י) (ee), “my.”
The noun šā∙leṭān means “governmental dominion” referring to Darius’ supreme, sovereign authority or power to rule over all the inhabitants of the Babylonian kingdom and is modified by the noun kōl, which denotes totality in a distributive sense meaning “each and every person.”
Some like the NIV render this word “each and every part” of Darius’ governmental dominion but this would require inserting into the translation a word that does not translate a word in the original text, namely “people” or “men.”
The construct state of this noun indicates that it is governing the noun šā∙leṭān which expresses a genitive relation which here is possession meaning that these persons “belong to” Darius’ governmental dominion.
The noun mǎl∙ḵû can mean “reign, kingdom” and it can also mean “royal” when used in a grammatical construct relationship with another noun.
This word is used with the construct form of the noun šā∙leṭān, “governmental dominion” which means that šā∙leṭān is governing mǎl∙ḵû expressing a genitive relationship which here is attributive meaning that mǎl∙ḵû describes šā∙leṭān in a way which is best translated as an attributive adjective.
The nouns šā∙leṭān and mǎl∙ḵûṯ are the objects of the preposition b-, which is a marker of a state or condition indicating that Darius is decreeing that each and every person belonging to his royal governmental dominion is to exist in the state of fearing and trembling before Daniel’s God.
Most translations and interpreters view this preposition here as a marker of place indicating that the recipients of Darius’ decree are located “throughout” his royal governmental dominion.
However, the verb hǎwā(h), “are” is stative and to interpret this preposition in such a way demands that one insert the word “people” or “men” into the translation which does not translate a word in the original Aramaic text.
Therefore, we do not need to translate the preposition since it denotes each and every person belonging to Darius’ royal governmental dominion existing in the state of fear and trembling before Daniel’s God.
“Are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel” is composed of the third person masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active imperfect form of the verb ḥǎwā(h) (חֲוָה) (khav-aw´), “are” and then we have the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb zûaʿ (זוּעַ) (zoo´-ah), “feared” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb deḥǎl (דְּחַל) (deh-khal´), “tremble” and then we have the preposition min (מִן) (min), which is followed by the preposition qǒḏām (קֳדָם) (kod-awm´) and together they are translated “before” and then we have masculine singular construct form of the noun ʾělāh (אֱלָהּ) (el-aw´), “God” which is followed by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ) (הוּא) (who), and then we have the particle dî (דִּי) (dee), “of” which is followed by the masculine singular proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l (דָּנִיֵּאל) (daw-nee-yale), “Daniel.”
The verb hǎwā(h) means, “to be” in the sense of existing in a particular state and here it denotes each and every person belonging to Darius’ royal governmental dominion existing in the state of being in a state of fear of God.
The injunctive imperfect indicates that Darius is commanding each and every person belonging to his royal governmental dominion to be in a state of fear and trembling before Daniel’s God.
The verb zûaʿ means “to tremble” indicating that each and every person belonging to Darius’ royal governmental dominion must be in a state of trembling before Daniel’s God.
The verb deḥǎl means “to revere” referring to honoring and admiring someone profoundly and respectfully, presupposing an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring.
The conjunction wa is used this time to join the verbs zûaʿ and deḥǎl in order to communicate one idea, which is called “hendiadys” which indicates that these two verbs express one idea, emphasizing the intensity of worship that Darius wants his subjects to exercise towards Daniel’s God.
Daniel 6:26a (6:27a) “From my presence, a decree is sent forth, namely that, each and every person belonging to my royal governmental dominion must be in a state trembling, yes, they must be in a reverential state from being in the presence of Daniel’s God.” (My translation)
In response to the God of Israel miraculously delivering Daniel from the lions by means of His omnipotence, Darius orders each and every person belonging to his royal governmental dominion to be in a state of trembling, yes, to be in a reverential state from being in the presence of Daniel’s God.
Darius declares to his subjects that they are in the presence of Daniel’s God since the king has seen for himself the immanency of Daniel’s God in the sense that Daniel’s God manifested His presence by intervening in the life of Daniel and delivering him from death.
It is fitting for Darius to issue this decree since he witnessed a great miracle, in which the God of Israel was revealing Himself to the king as omnipotent.
In essence, the king is ordering his subjects to worship the God of Israel.
God permitted Daniel to experience underserved suffering and persecution in order that He could be worshipped and glorified.
Here we have Darius worshipping and glorifying the God of Israel through this decree but it would never have taken place if God did not permit Daniel to suffer undeservedly.
God’s power was manifested through Daniel’s suffering, which resulted in the glorification of God by Darius.
Darius’ decree would protect the Jewish exiles in Babylon from persecution and thus it would serve a good purpose in preserving the remnant of Jewish exiles.
God has promised through the prophet Jeremiah that after the seventy years of discipline have ended, he will bring a remnant back to the land of Israel (Jeremiah 25:11-12).
This decree would preserve that remnant until that time.
This decree is expressing Darius’ faith in the God of Israel in the sense that it rejects the gods worshipped and served by unregenerate people throughout his kingdom.
It is saying that only the God of Israel is worthy of worship and worthy of their faith since the gods of the heathen are totally impotent to deliver from death unlike the God of Israel.
So was Darius wrong in ordering everyone in his kingdom to worship Daniel’s God?
Notice that the king does not threaten to execute anyone who did not do so but only that they must worship Daniel’s God.
So the fact that he does not threaten his subjects with death for failing to worship Daniel’s God is significant since it indicates that Darius must have been instructed by Daniel with this decree that you cannot force people to worship the God of Israel and threaten them with death for failing to do so.
However, you can command them since the Christian is commanded by God to command the unbeliever to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior.
It is in the best interests of his subjects that they have faith in Daniel’s God and worship Him alone rather than inanimate gods of wood, stone, gold, silver and bronze and thus Darius is not violating any laws of God when issuing this decree.
The king is not violating the volition of his subjects since he does not threaten them with death for failing to worship Daniel’s God.
However, he is compelling his subjects to trust in Daniel’s God and worship Him alone as a result of being an eyewitness to the fact that Daniel’s God is the only God who should be worshipped on the earth.