Darius the Mede

Darius the Mede received the kingdom of Babylon at about sixty-two years old on the very night Belshazzar was slain (Daniel 5:30-31). He reorganized his vast empire into one hundred twenty provinces, appointing three presidents over the satraps—of whom Daniel was chief, "because an excellent spirit was in him."

The other presidents and princes, jealous of Daniel's preferment, could find no fault in him concerning the kingdom. They therefore manipulated the king into signing an irrevocable decree that no man should petition any god or man for thirty days save the king himself. Daniel, knowing the writing was signed, opened his windows toward Jerusalem and prayed three times a day as before.

When Daniel was accused, Darius was sore displeased with himself and laboured till sundown to deliver him, but the law of the Medes and Persians could not be altered. The king cast Daniel into the den of lions, saying, "Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." Darius fasted through a sleepless night and rose early to call out at the den. When Daniel answered that God had shut the lions' mouths, Darius was exceeding glad.

The king commanded that Daniel's accusers, with their wives and children, be cast into the same den, where the lions devoured them before they reached the bottom. Darius then wrote unto all peoples and nations: "I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever." Daniel prospered through the rest of his reign.