In brief
Darius the Mede is the king who takes the kingdom of Babylon at Belshazzar's death, at the age of sixty-two. He appoints Daniel among the three presidents of the kingdom and plans to set him over the whole realm. Trapped by his satraps, he signs an irrevocable decree forbidding prayer to anyone but himself for thirty days. He must throw Daniel into the lions' den, spends the night without eating, then finds Daniel alive. He then orders his whole kingdom to fear the God of Daniel.
What does the name Darius the Mede mean?
Darius is a name of Persian origin, borne by several kings in the Bible. The one in Daniel 6 is called “Darius the Mede” (Daniel 5:31) and "Darius the son of Ahasuerus" of Median descent (Daniel 9:1) to set him apart. His precise identity is still debated by historians; the Bible does not comment on his name.
The story of Darius the Mede
A king takes Babylon
Daniel 5:30-31The night Belshazzar is killed, after the hand wrote on the wall, “Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.” Daniel had told the king of Babylon that his kingdom would be given to the Medes and Persians; the word is fulfilled at once, and Darius steps onto the stage.
Daniel raised among the presidents
Daniel 6:1-5Darius appoints one hundred twenty satraps and sets three presidents over them, Daniel among them. Daniel outshines them all with his excellent spirit, and the king thinks of setting him over the whole kingdom. Jealous, the presidents and satraps look for a fault in him and find none: they will have to attack him over the law of his God.
The irrevocable decree
Daniel 6:6-9The presidents come in a crowd to flatter the king: let no one, for thirty days, make a petition to any god or man except Darius, on pain of the lions' den. They ask him to put it in writing, under the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed. Darius signs the decree without seeing the trap.
A king caught by his own law
Daniel 6:10-18Daniel keeps praying three times a day, windows open toward Jerusalem. Denounced, he is condemned. The king, deeply distressed, labors until sunset to save him, but the law binds him. He has Daniel thrown into the den, telling him: “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.” Then he spends the night fasting and sleepless.
The living God proclaimed
Daniel 6:19-28At dawn, Darius hurries to the den and calls to Daniel in an anguished voice. Daniel answers that God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths. The overjoyed king has him brought out, hands the accusers over to the lions, and writes to all peoples: “he is the living God, and steadfast forever.”
The first year of Darius
Daniel 9:1-3In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, Daniel understands from the books, from the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah, that seventy years must pass for the desolations of Jerusalem. He turns to God with fasting and prayer. Darius's reign thus frames one of the great prayers of the Bible.
What Darius the Mede teaches us
- Flattery is a trap: before signing what is presented to you as obvious, ask who benefits.
- A leader can respect a believer and still be a prisoner of his own laws; only personal faith sets you free.
- Daniel's witness leads a pagan king to proclaim the living God: your quiet faithfulness speaks louder than you think.
- Do not settle for saying “the God of Daniel” or "the God of my parents"; lay hold of him yourself as your own God.
Key verses
Darius throws Daniel into the den while hoping his God will deliver him. A king powerless before his own law, yet one who has seen Daniel's perseverance.
Darius's decree to all peoples: the God of Daniel is the living God, his kingdom will never be destroyed, and he is the one who delivers and rescues.
Under Darius, Daniel reads Jeremiah and understands that the seventy years are nearing their end. The Mede's reign becomes the setting for a prayer of confession and intercession.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about Darius the Mede
- Daniel 6: The God of Daniel Is Your God TooThe preacher dwells on King Darius's astonishing confession: after Daniel's deliverance, the king of the Medes and Persians also receives the grace to acknowledge the living God and orders his whole kingdom to fear him.
- Stop Living Off Someone Else's Faith: Take Hold of Your GodMatt Marvane points out that Darius says “the God of Daniel,” never “my God” (Daniel 6:25-27). He urges us to stop living off other people's faith and to take hold of the Father's hand ourselves.
- My God, Not Just Everyone Else'sMatt Marvane starts from Darius's declaration after the lions' den: the king testifies before all peoples to what God did for Daniel, but he does not say “my God.” The message calls for personal trust.
- Proverbs 29:25: The Fear of Man Is a SnareAmong his examples, the preacher cites Daniel 6: under Darius, Daniel is raised above the presidents and satraps, and his jealous colleagues set the trap of the decree. Daniel keeps his window open (Daniel 6:1-16).
Frequently asked questions
Why did Darius throw Daniel into the lions' den?
Because he had signed a decree forbidding prayer to anyone but himself for thirty days, and the law of the Medes and Persians cannot be changed. The satraps had trapped him with flattery. When they denounce Daniel, the king is deeply distressed and works to save him until sunset, but he must enforce his law (Daniel 6:14-16).
What does the name Darius mean?
Darius is a royal name of Persian origin, borne by several rulers in the Bible, such as the Darius under whom the temple is rebuilt in the book of Ezra. The one in Daniel 6 is set apart by the labels "the Mede" and "son of Ahasuerus." The Bible does not explain the name's meaning, and this king's historical identity remains debated.
Where can I find the story of Darius the Mede in the Bible?
Darius the Mede appears only in the book of Daniel: in Daniel 5:31, when he takes the kingdom after Belshazzar's death; in Daniel 6, for the whole episode of the lions' den; in Daniel 9:1, which dates Daniel's great prayer to his first year; and in Daniel 11:1, which mentions that first year again.