Daniel 6:4

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
Then	אֱדַ֨יִן 'e.Da.yin	H116	then (of time) · adverb
presidents	סָֽרְכַיָּ֜א sa.re.khai.Ya'	H5632	an emir · noun, common masculine plural determined + particle of affirmation
princes	וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֗א va.'a.chash.dar.pe.nai.Ya'	H324	a satrap or governorof amain province (of Persia) · conjunction + noun, common masculine plural determined + particle of affirmation
sought	הֲו֨וֹ ha.Vo	H1934	to exist · verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine plural
find	לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֥ה le.hash.ka.Chah	H7912	to discover (literally or figuratively) · preposition + verb, hiphil infinitive construct
occasion	עִלָּ֛ה 'i.Lah	H5931	a pretext (as arising artificially) · noun, common feminine singular absolute
Daniel	לְדָנִיֵּ֖אל le.da.ni.Yel	H1841	Danijel · preposition + proper noun, a man's name
concerning	מִצַּ֣ד mi.Tzad	H6655	used adverbially (with preposition) at or upon the side… · preposition + noun, common both genders singular construct
kingdom	מַלְכוּתָ֑א mal.khu.Ta'	H4437	dominion (abstractly or concretely) · noun, common feminine singular determined + particle of affirmation
but	וְכָל ve.khol	H3606	properly · conjunction + noun, common both genders singular construct
could	יָכְלִ֣ין ya.khe.Lin	H3202	to be able · verb, qal active participle, masculine plural absolute
find	לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֗ה le.hash.ka.Chah	H7912	to discover (literally or figuratively) · preposition + verb, hiphil infinitive construct
none	לָא la'-	H3809	not (the simple or abs. negation) · negative particle
occasion	עִלָּ֨ה 'i.Lah	H5931	a pretext (as arising artificially) · noun, common feminine singular absolute
nor	לָ֥א la'	H3809	not (the simple or abs. negation) · negative particle
fault	וּשְׁחִיתָ֜ה u.she.chi.Tah	H7844	to decay · conjunction + verb, active participle, feminine singular absolute
forasmuch	קֳבֵל֙ ko.Vel	H6903	(adverbially) in front of · noun, common both genders singular absolute
faithful	מְהֵימַ֣ן me.hei.Man	H540	properly · verb, hophal active participle, masculine singular absolute
neither	לָא lâʼ	H3809	not (the simple or abs. negation)
any	וְכָל ve.khol	H3606	properly · conjunction + noun, common both genders singular construct
error	שָׁלוּ֙ sha.Lu	H7960	a fault · noun, common both genders singular absolute
fault	וּשְׁחִיתָ֔ה u.she.chi.Tah	H7844	to decay · conjunction + verb, active participle, feminine singular absolute
found	הִשְׁתְּכַ֖חַת hish.te.Kha.chat	H7912	to discover (literally or figuratively) · verb, perfect, 3rd person feminine singular
him	עֲלֽוֹהִי a.Lo.hi	H5922	above · preposition + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Peter 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversat…
Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine a…
1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which th…
Luke 20:20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they mig…
Luke 23:14-15 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have fo…
Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Psalms 37:32-33 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
Matthew 27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Daniel 6:1-5

We are told concerning Daniel, I. What a great man he was. When Darius, upon his accession to the crown of Babylon by conquest, new-modelled the government, he made Daniel prime-minister of state, set him at the helm, and made him first commissioner both of the treasury and of the great seal. Darius's dominion was very large; all he got by his conquests and acquests was that he had so many more countries to take care of; no more can be expected from himself than what one man can do, and therefore others must be employed under him. He set over the kingdom 120 princes (Dan 6:1), and appointed them their districts, in which they were to administer justice, preserve the public peace, and levy th…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 6:4

occasion . . . concerning the kingdom--pretext for accusation in his administration (Ecc 4:4).

Adam Clarke on Daniel 6:4

Sought to find occasion against Daniel - But they found no blemish in his administration, for he was faithful to his king: this was a virtue. But he was also faithful to his God: this they hoped to construe into a crime, and make it the cause of his ruin.

John Gill on Daniel 6:4

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom,.... Concerning the management of the affairs of the kingdom, he being prime minister of state; the presidents and princes joined together in this inquiry; the princes, because Daniel was so strict and exact in looking into their accounts, that no fraudulent measures were taken to cheat the king of his revenue; and the presidents, because he was preferred above them: but they could find none occasion nor fault; or "corruption" (a), that he had been guilty of any mis-administration, or any corrupt practices: forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him; no mistake…

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The Church Fathers

Accordingly, after this happened, the governors and satraps were stirred with jealousy and sought to find a pretext against Daniel, so that they might take some occasion against him and accuse him and kill him. In which manner the word was fulfilled, which we spoke a little before, that a pious man or one who fears God and has grace and wisdom from God is hated by the rest of men because they also were not honored with the same gift. In this way also the satraps and governors through envy hated Daniel since he was wiser and more faithful than all of them were. For Scripture testified to this, saying, "And not any pretext and transgression and fault was found against him because he was faithful." [Daniel 6:4] For he not only kept the commandments of God according to the law, but also the prescriptions of the king with much diligence and his conduct was exacting, wishing to stain his favor and pure conscience in no sordid matter of little gain.
— Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 3.19.3-6

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Darius — The holder or supporter, the name of several Persian kings. (1.) Darius the Mede (Dan. 11:1), “the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes” (9:1). On the death of Belshazzar the Chaldean he…
Medes, Media — (middle land). Media lay northwest of Persia proper, south and southwest of the Caspian Sea, east of Armenia and Assyria, west and northwest of the great salt desert of Iran. Its greatest length was…
Media — Heb. Madai, which is rendered in the Authorized Version (1) “Madai,” Gen. 10:2; (2) “Medes,” 2 Kings 17:6; 18:11; (3) “Media,” Esther 1:3; 10:2; Isa. 21:2; Dan. 8:20; (4) “Mede,” only in Dan. 11:1.…
Presidents — Three presidents are mentioned, of whom Daniel was the first (Dan. 6:2-7). The name in the original is sarkhin, probably a Persian word meaning perfects or ministers.
Prince — The title generally applied to the chief men of the state. The “princes of the provinces” (1 Kings 20:14) were the governors or lord-lieutenants of the provinces. So also the “princes” mentioned in…
Temptation — (1.) Trial; a being put to the test. Thus God “tempted [Gen. 22: 1; R.V., ‘did prove’] Abraham;” and afflictions are said to tempt, i.e., to try, men (James 1:2, 12; comp. Deut. 8:2), putting their…
Civil Service · CORRUPTION IN — CORRUPTION IN
Conspiracy · .Daniel — .Daniel
Envy · .The princes of Babylon, of Daniel — .The princes of Babylon, of Daniel
Faithfulness · Exemplified: Daniel — Exemplified: Daniel
Hatred · Exemplified: Enemies of Daniel — Exemplified: Enemies of Daniel

Daniel 6:4

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Daniel 6:1-5

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 6:4

Adam Clarke on Daniel 6:4

John Gill on Daniel 6:4

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Daniel 6:4

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Daniel 6:1-5

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 6:4

Adam Clarke on Daniel 6:4

John Gill on Daniel 6:4

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Daniel 6:3-5

Keil & Delitzsch on Daniel 6:1-10

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Daniel 6:3-5

Rashi on Daniel 6:4