Darius, King of Persia

Biblical Record

A king of Persia, generally identified with the king known in secular history as Darius I.

• Halt in rebuilding: The rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, begun under Cyrus, was halted by the opposition of the surrounding peoples "unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia" (Ezra 4:5, 4:24).
• Encouragement from the prophets: In the second year of Darius, Haggai and Zechariah prophesied (Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1). In response, Zerubbabel and the high priest Jeshua (called Joshua in Haggai and Zechariah) resumed the work (Ezra 5:1-2).
• The governor's inquiry and the king's decree: Tatnai, governor of the region beyond the river, sent a letter to the king asking on what authority the work was being done (Ezra 5). Darius ordered a search of the archives, and the decree of Cyrus was found at the palace in Achmetha. He then authorized the rebuilding and ordered that the expenses and the offerings be paid from the royal revenues. He also commanded that anyone who altered the decree be severely punished (Ezra 6:1-12).
• Completion: The Temple was finished on the third day of the month Adar in the sixth year of Darius. The people held a dedication ceremony and kept the Passover (Ezra 6:15-22).

Significance within Scripture

The book of Ezra records that the Temple was completed "according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia" (Ezra 6:14). It also states that the LORD turned the heart of the king to help them (Ezra 6:22). The passage interprets the decision of a Gentile king within the framework of God's providence. The New Testament does not mention Darius.

Interpretation and Issues

• Distinction from Darius the Median: "Darius the Median" in the book of Daniel (Daniel 5:31; ch. 6) is generally regarded as a different person from this king. The king in the account of the lions' den is not Darius king of Persia.
• The order of Ezra 4: Ezra 4:6-23 first describes opposition during the reigns of Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes, kings who came after Darius, and then returns to the time of Darius in 4:24. Many interpreters read this section as arranged thematically rather than chronologically.
• Nehemiah 12:22: Many identify "Darius the Persian" in this verse as Darius II or Darius III, though scholarly judgments vary.
• The apocryphal story: There is a story in which three bodyguards compete before Darius over what is strongest, and Zerubbabel answers "truth." It appears in the apocryphal book of 1 Esdras (called 3 Esdras in some traditions) and is not found in the biblical text. This book is not part of the Protestant or Roman Catholic canon, though some Eastern Orthodox traditions include it in the Bible.
• Extrabiblical history: Matters such as the Behistun Inscription and the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) are known from secular historical sources; the Bible does not address them.

In the Korean Church

Darius is chiefly discussed in sermons on the rebuilding of the Temple based on Ezra and Haggai. In this context he is often presented in connection with themes such as God's providence in causing halted work to resume and God's help through a Gentile king. In Sunday school he is sometimes confused with the Darius of the lions' den episode, so teachers may take care to distinguish the two figures.