Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
- KJV Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
- BSB Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
- NASB Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom.
- NLT Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.
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
Daniel so distinguishes himself by his excellent spirit that the king plans to set him over the whole realm. His outstanding character earns the highest favor.
Overview
Daniel's exceptional ability and integrity set him apart, and Darius intends to promote him over all. The excellent spirit in him is the same God-given quality noted throughout the book. His faithfulness in his work commends his God and prepares the conflict, since his rivals cannot tolerate his rise.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Dan 5:14I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
- Gen 41:38–41Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
- Prov 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.
- Dan 5:12because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
- Esth 10:3For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his descendants.
- Dan 9:23At the beginning of your petitions the commandment went out, and I have come to tell you; for you are greatly beloved: therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision.
- Prov 17:27He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
- Prov 3:3–4Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
- Eccl 2:13Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
- Neh 7:2I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
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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 6:3 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
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