Darius (the Mede)
다리오 (메대 사람)
Named at Daniel 5:31: “Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old” (the Korean Revised Version: 육십 이세, sixty-two years old). At 6:1–2 it pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, and over them three presidents; 6:9 says, “Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.” At 6:14 the king “set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.” At 6:16–23 the king commanded, and they cast Daniel into the den of lions; the king said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you,” sealed the stone laid on the mouth of the den with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, and passed the night fasting; very early in the morning he went in haste to the den of lions and spoke to Daniel, and, exceedingly glad, commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. At 6:25–27 King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth, “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.”
Direct relationships 7
Open in the full graphCollected relationship evidence
Source-backed narrative relations; not independent historical verification. Legacy dates and coordinates are outside this review.
Collection & rightsSource evidence (9)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- DAN 5:29–31, engwebp
29Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.
31Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
- DAN 6:1–3, engwebp
1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
2and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, that these local governors might give account to them, and that the king should suffer no loss.
3Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the local governors, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
- DAN 6:4–9, engwebp
4Then the presidents and the local governors sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. There wasn’t any error or fault found in him.
5Then these men said, “We won’t find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6Then these presidents and local governors assembled together to the king, and said this to him, “King Darius, live forever!
7All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the local governors, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a strong decree, that whoever asks a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.”
9Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
- DAN 6:10–15, engwebp
10When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
11Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
12Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: “Haven’t you signed a decree that every man who makes a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, “This thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.”
13Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.
15Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
- DAN 6:16–18, engwebp
16Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.”
17A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
- DAN 6:19–24, engwebp
19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
20When he came near to Daniel in the den, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”
21Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me, because innocence was found in me before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
23Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel 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.
24The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.
- DAN 6:25–28, engwebp
25Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
26“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God, and steadfast forever. His kingdom is that which will not be destroyed. His dominion will be even to the end.
27He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
- DAN 9:1–2, engwebp
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
2in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years about which the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah the prophet for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
- DAN 11:1–4, engwebp
1“As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
2“Now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings will stand up in Persia. The fourth will be far richer than all of them. When he has grown strong through his riches, he will stir up all against the realm of Greece.
3A mighty king will stand up, who will rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
4When he stands up, his kingdom will be broken and will be divided toward the four winds of the sky, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom will be plucked up, even for others besides these.
AI-assisted, human review pending, 2026-09-26
Machine comparison on 2026-10-07: the wording raised none of the 3 rules against the passages this entry cites. No person has read it.
Unresolved interpretation: Darius of Daniel 5:31 and 6:1–28 and of Ezra 4:5 and 4:24
- Ezra 4:4–5 says, “Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building. They hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- EZR 4:4–5, engwebp
4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.
5They hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
- EZR 4:4–5, engwebp
- Ezra 4:6 says, “In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.”
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- EZR 4:6, engwebp
6In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
- EZR 4:6, engwebp
- Ezra 4:24 says, “Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- EZR 4:24, engwebp
24Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
- EZR 4:24, engwebp
- Nehemiah 12:22 says, “As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ households; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.” The Korean Revised Version reads 바사 왕 다리오 때에 (in the time of Darius king of Persia) where WEB reads “in the reign of Darius the Persian”.
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- NEH 12:22–26, engwebp
22As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ households; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.
23The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ households, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
24The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers close to them, to praise and give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of God, section next to section.
25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates.
26These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest and scribe.
- NEH 12:22–26, engwebp
- Daniel 5:30–31 says, “In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain. Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.” The Korean Revised Version reads 육십 이세 (sixty-two years old) where WEB reads “about sixty-two years old”.
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- DAN 5:29–31, engwebp
29Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.
31Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
- DAN 5:29–31, engwebp
- Daniel 6:28 says, “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- DAN 6:25–28, engwebp
25Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
26“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God, and steadfast forever. His kingdom is that which will not be destroyed. His dominion will be even to the end.
27He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
- DAN 6:25–28, engwebp
- Daniel 9:1–2 says, “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign”.
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- DAN 9:1–2, engwebp
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
2in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years about which the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah the prophet for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
- DAN 9:1–2, engwebp
Ezra 4:5 and 4:24 name “Darius king of Persia”, and Nehemiah 12:22 names “Darius the Persian” in WEB and 바사 왕 다리오 (Darius king of Persia) in the Korean Revised Version. Daniel 5:31 says that “Darius the Mede received the kingdom”. Ezra 4:5–6 names Cyrus, Darius and Ahasuerus in that order, and Daniel 6:28 names “the reign of Darius” and “the reign of Cyrus the Persian” in that order. Daniel 9:1 names “the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans”, naming Ahasuerus only as the father of Darius, and neither edition says whether “of the offspring of the Medes” goes with Darius or with Ahasuerus. The text does not say whether the Darius of Ezra and Nehemiah and the Darius of Daniel are one man, or whether the Ahasuerus of Daniel 9:1 is the Ahasuerus of Ezra 4:6. Because both editions call the Darius of Ezra 4:5 and 4:24 king of Persia and the Darius of Daniel 5:31 a Mede, this collection records them in two entries, Darius (king of Persia) and Darius (the Mede), and makes no entry for the Ahasuerus of Daniel 9:1. It relates no reign or year of the one to the other, and decides none of it.
All 7 relationships: AI-assisted, human review pending
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Took part in (7) — Belshazzar commands, and they clothe Daniel with purple; that night Belshazzar is slain, and Darius the Mede receives the kingdom, Darius sets one hundred twenty local governors and three presidents, and Daniel, one of the presidents, is distinguished above them, The presidents and local governors seek occasion against Daniel, and King Darius signs the writing and the decree, Daniel kneels three times a day and prays, and the men tell the king of it, At the king’s command Daniel is cast into the den of lions, and the king seals the stone with his signet and passes the night fasting, At the king’s command Daniel is taken up out of the den, and the men who had accused Daniel are cast into the den of lions, King Darius decrees that men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, and Daniel prospers
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Verses tagged with this entry
Names in the World English Bible text that carry this entry’s tag. They are carried over from the tags on the Korean Revised Version, which are matched by name inside chapters that already have collected evidence, and a verse where the English says “he” carries none. All await human review. They are a separate list from the source passages above. An empty list does not mean the entry is absent from the text.
Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
Then these presidents and local governors assembled together to the king, and said this to him, “King Darius, live forever!
Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
“As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
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[Bibliadatum entry report]
Entry: Darius (the Mede) (person-darius-mede)
Address: https://bibliadatum.org/en/wiki/person/darius-mede
Current wording: Named at Daniel 5:31: “Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old” (the Korean Revised Version: 육십 이세, sixty-two years old). At 6:1–2 it pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, and over them three presidents; 6:9 says, “Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.” At 6:14 the king “set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.” At 6:16–23 the king commanded, and they cast Daniel into the den of lions; the king said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you,” sealed the stone laid on the mouth of the den with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, and passed the night fasting; very early in the morning he went in haste to the den of lions and spoke to Daniel, and, exceedingly glad, commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. At 6:25–27 King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth, “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.”
Cited evidence: DAN 5:29–31, engwebp / DAN 6:1–3, engwebp / DAN 6:4–9, engwebp / DAN 6:10–15, engwebp / DAN 6:16–18, engwebp / DAN 6:19–24, engwebp / DAN 6:25–28, engwebp / DAN 9:1–2, engwebp (and 1 more of 9)
Review state: ai-assisted / human-review-pending
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This collection records what the text says and does not settle interpretation. A report about a reading that divides opinion may be registered as an unresolved issue rather than corrected.