Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

DANIEL 6:15KJV
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Daniel 6:15 (KJV)

What does Daniel 6:15 mean?

Daniel 6:15 describes how the officials who wanted Daniel punished came together before the king and reminded him that, according to the unchangeable law of the Medes and Persians, no decree or law made by the king could be altered. This meant that even the king himself could not reverse his own command.

In this scene, the king is being pressured by Daniel’s enemies, who are making sure he cannot rescue Daniel from the punishment he had ordered. The officials are not just stating a fact; they are insisting that the king must follow through with the law he signed, which was designed to trap Daniel. This highlights the strict legal system of the Medes and Persians, where royal decrees were considered absolute and irreversible.

The Aramaic behind Daniel 6:15

  • "law" (דָּתָא, dathā’): This word refers to an official decree or regulation. Here, it emphasizes the binding nature of the king’s command, showing that not even the king can undo it.
  • "establisheth" (קִים, qîm): This word means to set up or establish. It underlines that once the king has put a law in place, it stands firm and cannot be changed.
  • "changed" (שְׁנָא, shenā’): This word means to alter or modify. The officials stress that the law cannot be changed, reinforcing the idea that Daniel’s fate is sealed by the system itself.

Why Daniel 6:15 matters

  • Daniel 6:15 clarifies that the king’s hands are tied, not by his own will, but by the legal system he is part of, which is a key reason why Daniel ends up in the lions’ den.
  • The verse shows the determination of Daniel’s opponents, who are making sure the king cannot find a loophole to save Daniel, revealing their persistence and cunning.
  • This moment sets up the tension for the rest of the story, as it becomes clear that only a miracle could now save Daniel, highlighting the seriousness of his situation.

Where else these words appear

“statute” Hebrew H7010 · used in 2 verses

  • Daniel 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

“assembled” Hebrew H7284 · used in 3 verses

  • Daniel 6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
  • Daniel 6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

“Medes” Hebrew H4076 · used in 5 verses

  • Ezra 6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
  • Daniel 5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
  • Daniel 6:8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

“Persians” Hebrew H6540 · used in 6 verses

  • Ezra 4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
  • Ezra 6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
  • Daniel 6:8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.