Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
Parallel translations
- WEB It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
- KJV It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
- NKJV It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom;
- NASB It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, to be in charge of the whole kingdom,
- NLT Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Darius organizes the kingdom under 120 satraps. The new administration sets the stage for Daniel's rise and testing.
Overview
The chapter opens with the practical work of governing a vast empire through regional officials. This administrative framework provides the context in which Daniel's excellence and his enemies' jealousy will emerge. God continues to place His servant in positions of influence even under a foreign throne.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Exod 18:21–22Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- Dan 5:31and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
- Esth 1:1This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
- 1 Pet 2:14or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Daniel sees the stone cut without hands that shatters the kingdoms, and 'one like a son of man' given everlasting dominion — titles and visions Jesus claims as his own.
How Daniel 6:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.