Daniel 5 · Verse 31

Daniel 5:31

And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Daniel 5:31, King James Version

Daniel 5:31 in other translations

BSBand Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
WEBDarius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
ASVAnd Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
YLTand Darius the Mede hath received the kingdom, when a son of sixty and two years.
DARBYAnd Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
BBEAnd Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being then about sixty-two years old.
WebsterAnd Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about sixty and two years old.

What does Daniel 5:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
31. Darius the Median--that is, Cyaxares II, the son and successor of Astyages, 569-536 B.C. Though Koresh, or Cyrus, was leader of the assault, yet all was done in the name of Darius; therefore, he alone is mentioned here; but Da 6:28 shows Daniel was not ignorant of Cyrus' share in the capture of Babylon. Is 13:17; 21:2, confirm Daniel in making the Medes the leading nation in destroying Babylon. So also Jr 51:11, 28. Herodotus, on the other hand, omits mentioning Darius, as that king, being weak and sensual, gave up all the authority to his energetic nephew, Cyrus [Xenophon, Cyropædia, 1.5; 8.7]. threescore and two years old--This agrees with Xenophon [Cyropædia, 8.5,19], as to Cyaxares II.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 Darius the Median took the kingdom - This is supposed to be the same as Cyaxares, son of Astyages and maternal uncle of Cyrus, to whom he gave the throne of Babylon, after himself had had the honor of taking the city. Daniel speaks nothing of the war that raged between the Babylonians and the Medes; but Isaiah speaks particularly of it, chap. 13, 14, 45, Isa 46:1-13, Isa 47:1-15.; and so does Jeremiah, chap. 50, 51. I need not add, that it is largely spoken of by profane authors. The Medes and Persians were confederates in the war; the former under Darius, the latter under Cyrus. Both princes are supposed to have been present at the taking of this city. Mandane, daughter of Astyages, was mother of Cyrus, and sister to Cyaxares.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 5:18-31

Daniel reads Belshazzar's doom. He had not taken warning by the judgments upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he had insulted God. Sinners are pleased with gods that neither see, nor hear, nor know; but they will be judged by One to whom all things are open. Daniel reads the sentence written on the wall. All this may well be applied to the doom of every sinner. At death, the sinner's days are numbered and finished; after death…

Read the full comment on Daniel 5:18-31 →

Daniel 5:31 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְדָרְיָ֙וֶשׁ֙ve.da.re.Ya.veshand DariusH1868
מָֽדָאָ֔הma.da.ya'Median theH4077
קַבֵּ֖לka.Belhe receivedH6902
מַלְכוּתָ֑אmal.khu.Ta'kingdom theH4437
כְּבַ֥רke.Varabout a son ofH1247
שְׁנִ֖יןshe.NinyearsH8140
שִׁתִּ֥יןshi.TinsixtyH8361
וְתַרְתֵּֽין\׃ve.tar.Teinand twoH8648

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 5:31

  • Daniel 9:1

    In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

  • Daniel 6:1

    It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Darius.This was Cyaxares, son of Astyages, king of Media, and maternal uncle to Cyrus, who allowed him the title of his conquests, as long as he lived.
6:1; 9:1
being. Chal. he as the son of, etc. about. or, now.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 5:30

    In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

  • Daniel 5:31

    And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Read all of Daniel 5

Daniel 5:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Darío de Media tomó el reino, siendo de sesenta y dos años.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et Darius Medus successit in regnum, annos natus sexaginta duos.