Difference between revisions of "Darius"

<p> '''Darius''' (''da-rî'us'' ), ''restrainer.'' The name of several kings of Media and Persia mentioned in the Bible. 1. Darius the Median, &nbsp;Daniel 5:31, was the son of Ahasuerus; he took Babylon from Belshazzar the Chaldæan, being at that time about 62 years old. He has been identified with Astyages, Hystaspis, Cyaxares [[Ii.]] and Gobryas. "Only one year of the reign of Darius is mentioned, &nbsp;Daniel 9:1; &nbsp;Daniel 11:1; and if, as seems probable, Darius (Astyages) occupied the throne of Babylon as supreme sovereign, with Nerigalsarasser as vassal-prince, after the murder of Evil-merodach (Bel-shazzar), b.c. 559, one year only remains for this Median supremacy before its overthrow by Cyrus, b.c. 558, in exact accordance with the notices in Daniel." Under him Daniel was advanced to the highest dignity, which exposed him to the malice of enemies and led to his being cast into the den of lions, but by a miracle he escaped injury. 2. Darius, the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Perso-Aryan dynasty, and ruler, b.c. 521-486. &nbsp;Ezra 4:5; &nbsp;Ezra 4:24; &nbsp;Haggai 1:1; &nbsp;Haggai 1:15; &nbsp;Zechariah 1:1; &nbsp;Zechariah 1:7; &nbsp;Zechariah 7:1. He found in the palace at [[Achmetha]] or Ecbatana, the capital of Cyrus, a decree of that king concerning the temple in Jerusalem. This he confirmed, and the temple was finished in four years, b.c. 516. &nbsp;Ezra 6:15. It may, however, have been used before it was entirely completed, as is inferred from &nbsp;Zechariah 7:2; &nbsp;Zechariah 3:3. Darius the Persian, mentioned in &nbsp;Nehemiah 12:22, is generally identified with Darius Codomaunus, the antagonist of Alexander the Great, who ascended the throne b.c. 336, and reigned until b.c. 330. He was the last Persian monarch, and was killed by his own generals. Alexander defeated him, and thus the prophecy of Daniel, &nbsp;Daniel 8:1-27, was fulfilled. </p>

<p> '''Dari'us.''' ''(lord).'' The name of several kings of Media and Persia. </p> <p> 1. '''Darius, the Mede''' , &nbsp;Daniel 6:1; &nbsp;Daniel 11:1, "the son of Ahasuerus," &nbsp;Daniel 9:1, who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom, on the death of Belshazzar, being then sixty-two years old. &nbsp;Daniel 5:31; &nbsp;Daniel 9:1. [[(B.C.]] 538). Only one year of his reign is mentioned, &nbsp;Daniel 9:1; &nbsp;Daniel 11:1, but that was of great importance for the Jews. Daniel was advanced, by the king, to the highest dignity, &nbsp;Daniel 6:1, ff., and in his reign, was cast into the lions' den. Daniel 6. This Darius is probably the same as "Astyages," the last king of the Medes. </p> <p> 2. '''Darius''' , the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Perso-Arian dynasty. Upon the usurpation of the magian Smerdis, he conspired with six other Persian chiefs to overthrow the impostor and, on the success of the plot, was placed upon the throne, [[B.C.]] 521. With regard to the Jews, Darius Hystaspes pursued the same policy as Cyrus, and restored to them, the privileges which they had lost. &nbsp;Ezra 5:1; &nbsp;Ezra 6:1; etc. </p> <p> 3. '''Darius, the Persian''' , &nbsp;Nehemiah 12:22, may be identified with Darius [[Ii.]] Nothus (Ochus), king of Persia, [[B.C.]] 424-3 to 405-4; but it is not improbable that it points to Darius [[Iii.]] Codomannus, the antagonist of Alexander, and the last king of Persia, [[B.C.]] 336-330. </p>