King
Darius the Great
King of Persia
522–486 BC
Biography
Darius I (the Great) consolidated the Persian Empire after the brief reign of Cambyses II and the usurper Gaumata. He reorganized the empire into twenty satrapies, built Persepolis, and conducted campaigns against Scythia and Greece (defeated at Marathon in 490 BC). In Scripture he is most prominent in two contexts. First, in Daniel 6: his officials, jealous of Daniel, manipulated Darius into signing a law forbidding prayer to any god or man except the king for thirty days. When Daniel continued praying three times daily, he was thrown into the lions' den. Darius spent a sleepless night fasting, rushed to the den at dawn, called out anxiously to Daniel, and when Daniel answered he was overjoyed — publishing a decree that all people should tremble before the God of Daniel, "for he is the living God." Second, in Ezra 5-6: when the returned exiles were challenged in rebuilding the Temple, the matter was referred to Darius who searched the archives, found Cyrus's original decree, confirmed and extended it, and ordered the Temple's completion to be funded from the royal treasury — completed in 516 BC.
Key Events
- 1Reorganized the Persian EmpireDaniel 6:1 →
Set 120 satraps over the kingdom and three administrators over them, with Daniel distinguished above all
- 2Daniel thrown into the lions' denDaniel 6:16-23 →
Officials manipulated Darius into passing a law against prayer; Daniel was thrown to the lions; God shut the lions' mouths
- 3Darius's anxious night and Daniel's deliveranceDaniel 6:19-23 →
Darius spent the night fasting; rushed to the den at dawn; called out to Daniel; Daniel answered; Darius was overjoyed
- 4Decree praising Daniel's GodDaniel 6:26-27 →
Published a decree that all people must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel — 'for he is the living God'
- 5Confirmed Cyrus's Temple decreeEzra 6:1-12 →
Searched the archives, found the Cyrus decree, confirmed it, ordered the Temple funded from royal treasury
- 6Temple completed in his 6th yearEzra 6:15 →
The Temple was completed in the sixth year of Darius's reign, 516 BC
Key Verses
“I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.”
Spiritual Significance
Darius is a model of a secular ruler moved by divine witness to acknowledge the one true God. He did not become a worshipper of YHWH, but God's power through Daniel moved him to issue one of the most sweeping confessions of divine sovereignty by any foreign king in Scripture.
Character Profile
- Strengths
- Administrative genius, just governance, restored justice when Daniel was falsely accused, confirmed the Temple decree
- Weaknesses
- Was manipulated by jealous officials, signed a law against prayer without adequately investigating it
- Lessons
- When we remain faithful to God in seemingly hopeless circumstances, we create opportunities for God to demonstrate His reality to those in power. Daniel's faithfulness in the lions' den produced a royal proclamation praising God throughout the Persian Empire.