Daniel 6 23

Daniel 6:23 kjv

Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

Daniel 6:23 nkjv

Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

Daniel 6:23 niv

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Daniel 6:23 esv

Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Daniel 6:23 nlt

The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.

Daniel 6 verses

Daniel 6 23 Meaning

Daniel's survival in the lions' den and Darius' subsequent decree demonstrate God's sovereign power and faithfulness to those who trust Him. The verse highlights the miraculous deliverance and the subsequent divine justice that protected Daniel and punished those who falsely accused him.

Daniel 6 23 Context

This verse concludes the account of Daniel in the lions' den, which began in chapter 6. Daniel, a devout Jew, was serving in the Babylonian and then Medo-Persian empires. Jealous officials plotted against him, using his unwavering commitment to prayer as a pretext. They secured a decree that prohibited prayer to anyone other than King Darius. Daniel, being faithful to God, continued his regular prayer practices. This led to his condemnation and being thrown into a pit of lions. The narrative culminates with Daniel's miraculous preservation, a testament to God's power and Daniel's integrity. Darius, relieved and convinced of Daniel's God's might, issued a new decree proclaiming the supremacy of the God of Israel.

Daniel 6 23 Word Analysis

• and (Hebrew: וְ, wə) - A common conjunction, linking clauses and indicating sequence or addition. Here, it connects the deliverance of Daniel to Darius' action.
• therefore (Hebrew: עַל-כֵּן, ʿal-kēn) - Signifies consequence or result. It directly links the events of Daniel's deliverance to Darius' subsequent declaration.
• I (Hebrew: אֲנָא, ʾănā) - The first-person singular pronoun, referring to King Darius.
• make (Hebrew: הֲוָה, hăwā) - In this context, it refers to issuing a command or decree.
• a - Article indicating singularity.
• decree (Hebrew: אִתָּא, ʾittā / Aramaic: אִתָּא, ʾittā / Aramaic: זִמָּה, zimmah) - Used here as a royal edict or commandment. The term conveys formal authorization and enforcement.
• throughout (Hebrew: בְּכָל-מְדִינַת, bəḵōl-məḏînăṯ) - Indicates across the entire extent of something, emphasizing the scope of the new decree.
• all (Hebrew: כָּל, kōl) - Denotes totality.
• my - Possessive pronoun.
• kingdom (Hebrew: מַלְכוּת, malkûṯ) - The realm or territory over which a king rules.
• dominion (Hebrew: שָׁלְטָא, šālṭā) - Authority, power, or control. It emphasizes the scope of the king's jurisdiction and the binding nature of his commands.
• that (Hebrew: דִּי, dî) - A relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause.
• men (Hebrew: גְּבַר, ḡəḇar) - Refers to people in general within the kingdom.
• tremble (Hebrew: דְּחִיל, dəḥîl) - To fear or be in awe of.
• and (Hebrew: וְ, wə) - Conjunction.
• fear (Hebrew: דְּחִיל, dəḥîl) - To be afraid of or show reverence for.
• Daniel's God (Hebrew: אֱלָהֲהִי דָנִיֵּאל, ʾĕlāhăhî ḏānîyêl) - This phrase explicitly names Daniel's God as the object of fear and reverence.
• for (Hebrew: אֲרֵי, ʾărê) - Because; indicating the reason for the fear and trembling.
• He (Hebrew: הוּא, hûʾ) - Pronoun referring to Daniel's God.
• is (Hebrew: הֲוָה, hăwā) - Copula, stating existence or identity.
• the living God (Hebrew: אֱלָהִּין חַיִּין, ʾĕlāhîn ḥayyîn) - A crucial designation, contrasting with idols which are inanimate and lifeless. It signifies power, efficacy, and eternality. This phrasing is a direct testimony to God's active presence and capability.
• and (Hebrew: וְ, wə) - Conjunction.
• He (Hebrew: הוּא, hûʾ) - Pronoun referring to Daniel's God.
• endures (Hebrew: קַיָּים, qayyām) - To remain, to be permanent, to last forever. This contrasts with the temporal nature of earthly kingdoms and rulers.
• forever (Hebrew: לְעָלְמִין, ləʿālmîn) - Eternally, without end. Reinforces the enduring nature of God.
• and (Hebrew: וְ, wə) - Conjunction.
• His - Possessive pronoun.
• kingdom (Hebrew: מַלְכוּת, malkûṯ) - Refers to God's sovereign reign.
• shall not (Hebrew: לָא, lāʾ) - Negation.
• be (Hebrew: הֲוָה, hăwā) - Copula.
• destroyed (Hebrew: מִתְבַּלָּא, miṯballāʾ) - To decay, be ruined, perish, or be destroyed. It speaks to the invincibility of God's kingdom.
• or (Hebrew: וְ, wə) - Alternative.
• his dominion (Hebrew: שָׁלְטָנֵהּ, šālṭānêh) - His power or authority.
• shall not (Hebrew: לָא, lāʾ) - Negation.
• be (Hebrew: הֲוָה, hăwā) - Copula.
• be (Hebrew: לְעַמְמַיָּא, ləʿammayyāʾ) - Delivered or transferred to another people; indicating that God's kingdom will not be supplanted.

Group Analysis:The phrases "living God" and "endures forever" strongly contrast with the pagan deities and earthly kingdoms of the ancient Near East. Darius' decree mandates a public acknowledgement of this theological truth, shifting the kingdom's allegiance from the king's power to the ultimate power of Daniel's God. The inclusion of "kingdom shall not be destroyed" speaks to the eternal nature of God's rule, a theme prevalent throughout Scripture.

Daniel 6 23 Bonus Section

Darius' decree in verse 26, immediately following this statement, commands that Daniel's God be feared. This verse (verse 23) serves as the justification for that decree. Darius explicitly states the characteristics of Daniel's God that necessitate such a universal declaration of fear and reverence: His eternality and the indestructibility of His kingdom. This stands in stark contrast to the transient nature of earthly kingdoms and the mortality of earthly rulers. The narrative here reflects a fundamental theological concept: that true authority and enduring power belong only to the living God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. The act of issuing this decree underscores the transformative power of encountering the divine. It's not just about Daniel's safety, but about the revelation of God's might to an entire empire. This mirrors other instances in the Bible where God's actions lead to the conversion or acknowledgement of foreign rulers and nations.

Daniel 6 23 Commentary

Darius, witnessing the miraculous deliverance of Daniel from the lions' den, issues a royal decree impacting his entire empire. This edict commands that all people within his dominion "tremble and fear before the God of Daniel." The king proclaims that God is "the living God and he endures forever," and His kingdom "shall not be destroyed, nor shall his dominion be [usurped] by another people." This is a profound confession from a pagan king, driven by irrefutable evidence of God's power. The decree signifies a public acknowledgment of Yahweh's supremacy, a move that directly contradicts the polytheistic practices of the era and even the prior worship of Darius himself. The eternal and indestructible nature of God's kingdom is declared, a foreshadowing of the Messianic Kingdom. This demonstrates that genuine faith and obedience, even in the face of persecution, can lead to divine vindication and widespread acknowledgement of God's sovereignty.