Daniel 6:18 · Bible study
Daniel 6:18 Commentary: Darius's Night of Fasting and Sleeplessness
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does King Darius fast, refuse entertainment, and lose sleep after casting Daniel into the lions? This study explores the king's helpless anguish.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Darius shows deep personal anguish over Daniel's fate but is powerless to rescue him, highlighting the trap of irrevocable human law.
- Key words: 'Fasting' (self-denial), 'instruments of music' (uncertain meaning, possibly concubines or food), 'sleep fled' (idiom for total sleeplessness).
- Main debate: The meaning of the Aramaic word dachavan, is it music, concubines, food, or incense? Also, could Darius have changed the law?
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over human rulers; the difference between regret and repentance; God's deliverance despite human failure.
- Best use: A case study in the limitations of human authority and the reality of sorrow that does not lead to action. Excellent for a sermon on repentance or trusting God in impossible situations.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
KJV King James Version 1769
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Then hath the king gone to his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled from off him.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were concubines brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the king went away to his house, and laid himself down without taking supper, and meat was not set before him, and even sleep departed from him.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Fuése luego el rey á su palacio, y acostóse ayuno; ni instrumentos de música fueron traídos delante de él, y se le fué el sueño.
Então o rei foi a seu palácio, e passou a noite em jejum; não permitiu que lhe trouxessem instrumentos musicais diante de si, e ele perdeu o sono.
Le roi se rendit ensuite dans son palais; il passa la nuit à jeun, il ne fit point venir de concubine auprès de lui, et il ne put se livrer au sommeil.
Und der König ging weg in seine Burg und blieb ungegessen und ließ auch kein Essen vor sich bringen, konnte auch nicht schlafen.
Toen ging de koning naar zijn paleis, en overnachtte nuchteren, en liet geen vreugdespel voor zich brengen; en zijn slaap week verre van hem.
Allora il re se ne andò al suo palazzo, e passò la notte in digiuno; non si fece venire alcuna concubina e il sonno fuggì da lui.
Potem odszedł król na pałac swój, i przenocował nic nie jadłszy, i nic nie przypuścił przed się, coby go uweselić mogło, tak, że i sen jego odstąpił od niego.
Затем царь пошел в свой дворец, лег спать без ужина, и даже не велел вносить к нему пищи, и сон бежал от него.
王 回 宮，終夜 禁食，無人 拿 樂器 到他面前，並且睡不著 覺。
Then the king went to his great house, and took no food that night, and no ... were placed before him, and his sleep went from him.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that verse 18 portrays Darius in genuine, profound distress. Adam Clarke notes the king's sincerity is shown by his complete denial of food, music, and sleep, especially striking for a man over sixty. Matthew Henry emphasizes the king's self-accusation: he could not forgive himself for throwing Daniel into danger. Calvin sees a 'tardy repentance': Darius bewails his evil conduct but does not correct it, illustrating a person caught between conviction and inaction. The Cambridge Bible adds that whatever the exact meaning of the disputed word (instruments of music/concubines/food), the king denied himself his usual diversions. All agree the king's anguish is real, but his sorrow stops short of effective action, a lesson in the difference between regret and repentance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Darius spent the night in visible anguish—fasting, refusing entertainment, and sleepless—because of his role in Daniel's condemnation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Darius's sincerity | All commentators agree the king was genuinely distressed and expressed it through fasting, avoiding pleasure, and sleeplessness. | Some emphasize his sorrow as merely worldly regret (Calvin, JFB), while others see it as sincere sympathy that still falls short of repentance (Matthew Henry). |
| The meaning of 'instruments of music' (dachavan) | The exact meaning is unknown; the root is rare. The king denied himself his usual nightly comforts. | Ancient versions and scholars differ: food (Greek, Syriac, Jerome), table (Rashi), stringed instruments (Ibn Ezra), dancing girls (Saadiah), concubines (Gesenius, many moderns). The ambiguity does not change the narrative's point. |
| Could the king have changed the law? | Persian law was considered irrevocable (v.15; Esther 8:8). The king was formally bound. | Some argue Darius could have used his authority to overrule or pardon despite the law (Calvin implies he should have opposed the nobles). Others maintain he was genuinely powerless under the legal system. |
| Theological significance of the king's inaction | The king's helplessness allows God's deliverance of Daniel to stand out clearly. | Reformed interpreters (Calvin) use it to warn against partial repentance. Others (Matthew Henry, Clarke) focus on the king's pathetic condition as a human contrast to God's faithfulness. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Persian legal system gave the king's decrees irrevocable force, as the nobles remind Darius in verse 15 (Esther 8:8 confirms this custom). Once the law was signed, not even the king could change it, a trap the satraps exploited. Darius's palace routine likely included evening meals with music, entertainers, or concubines, as was common in Oriental courts. His refusal of all such comforts signals a deep mourning period, paralleling David's fasting for his dying child (2 Samuel 12:16-17) and Ahab's sackcloth and fasting after Elijah's prophecy (1 Kings 21:27). The word for 'musical instruments' (Aramaic dachavan) is obscure. Ancient versions and commentators interpret it variously: 'food' (Greek, Syriac), 'table' (Rashi), 'stringed instruments' (Ibn Ezra), 'dancing girls' (Saadiah), or 'concubines' (Gesenius, many moderns). This uncertainty reflects the king's thorough self-denial, whatever his usual pleasure, he forsook it. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that Xenophon describes Darius as devoted to wine and women, making his restraint even more remarkable. The king's age (likely 62-63, per Clarke) adds weight to the sleepless night: an older king who cannot rest reveals the depth of his anxiety.
Textual Notes
The only textual difficulty in verse 18 centers on the word rendered 'instruments of music' in many English translations. The Aramaic dachavan appears only here in Scripture, making its meaning uncertain. Ancient versions diverge: the Greek Septuagint and Syriac read 'food'; the Latin Vulgate similarly 'food' or 'supper'; later Jewish commentators suggest 'table' (Rashi) or 'stringed instruments' (Ibn Ezra). Some modern scholars emend the text to a common word for 'concubines' (cf. Daniel 5:2-3). Despite these variations, the consulted sources note no significant textual variants affecting the verse's overall sense, the king denied himself his usual nightly diversion, whatever that was.
Reception History
This verse has been largely treated in commentaries as part of the Daniel narrative. Early church writers (Jerome, Theodoret) used it to illustrate the impotence of earthly rulers and the sovereignty of God. Medieval Jewish exegetes (Rashi, Ibn Ezra) focused on the lexical puzzle of dachavan. Reformation-era interpreters (Calvin, the Geneva Bible) highlighted the difference between worldly sorrow and repentance, often citing 2 Corinthians 7:10. In Puritan preaching, Darius's night became a warning against being 'halting between two opinions' (1 Kings 18:21). Modern devotional treatments draw on the king's restless conscience as a picture of conviction that does not lead to action, urging readers to move from regret to faith. The verse is seldom quoted separately but is a key scene in the drama of Daniel's deliverance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Genuine sorrow does not equal effective action. Darius feels deeply but fails to intervene. He fasts, forgoes pleasure, loses sleep, yet does nothing to rescue Daniel. His grief is real, but it remains passive.
- Human laws can trap even the powerful. The irrevocable Persian decree binds the king. This shows the limits of earthly authority and the danger of pride that signs away freedom.
- God's deliverance works through, not around, human failure. Darius's helplessness sets the stage for Daniel's miraculous rescue. The king's inaction is not the final word, God acts.
Five-point outline
- The king's self-denial, he goes without food, entertainment, sleep.
- The king's helplessness, he cannot change the law he signed.
- The king's guilt, he knows he was manipulated and connived at evil (Calvin).
- The king's hope, he still says to Daniel, 'Your God will deliver you' (v.16).
- The king's lesson, partial repentance leaves us in turmoil; only trusting God brings peace.
Illustration hooks
- A parent who knows a child is making a terrible mistake but feels unable to stop them, they lose sleep, cannot eat, but do not intervene.
- A leader who signs a policy under pressure and immediately regrets it, but pride or procedure keeps them from reversing course.
- The sleepless night before a difficult decision when you weigh integrity against reputation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why didn't Darius pardon Daniel anyway, despite the law? Was he truly powerless or just unwilling to lose face?
- Is it possible to be genuinely sorry for sin and still not repent? What distinguishes grief from repentance?
- What does the king's fasting teach us about mourning over wrongs we cannot fix?
Leading a Discussion
Darius's night reveals a king trapped between his own authority and his conscience. He signed a law he did not want to keep, and now he can only wait. This story invites us to examine our own responses when we realize we have been part of an injustice. Are we content with feeling bad, or do we seek ways to make things right, even when that is costly?
Discussion questions
- Read Daniel 6:18 aloud. What specific details tell you about the king's emotional state?
- Why do you think the narrator includes the detail about no musical instruments (or other nightly pleasures)? What does that add to the story?
- What options did Darius have after casting Daniel into the den? Why do you think he did not act on any of them?
- Compare Darius's response to that of David in 2 Samuel 12:16-17 or Ahab in 1 Kings 21:27. What is similar? What is different?
- In what situations do we feel 'trapped' by our own decisions, even when we have authority to change things? How can we avoid that trap?
- The king says in verse 16 that Daniel's God will deliver him. How does faith coexist with the king's intense worry? Is that a contradiction?
- What does this passage teach about the difference between worldly sorrow and repentance that leads to change (2 Corinthians 7:10)?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 12:16 | David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. |
| II Samuel 12:17 | The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them. |
| II Samuel 19:24 | Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. |
| I Kings 21:27 | When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his body, fasted, lay in sackcloth, and went about despondently. |
| Esther 6:1 | On that night, the king couldn’t sleep. He commanded the book of records of the chronicles to be brought, and they were read to the king. |
| Job 21:12 | They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe. |
| Psalms 77:4 | You hold my eyelids open. I am so troubled that I can’t speak. |
| Psalms 137:2 | On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses the depth of Darius's sincerity by noting every comfort he denied himself: no food, drink, music, perfume, or sleep. He then adds that the king was at least sixty-two years old, which makes his anguished fasting all the more telling of genuine concern.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the king's sleepless, foodless night is not ceremonial but a natural sign of deep distress. The king knew he had wronged a loyal servant, was furious at the plotters, and clung to hope that Daniel might survive. Barnes also notes the Hebrew word for music is uncertain, possibly meaning food or entertainers.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin uses Darius to illustrate a common but incomplete repentance: grief over sin without actually correcting the fault. He places Darius in a middle state, not hardened like the wicked but not truly repentant like the righteous. For Calvin, mere sorrow that does not lead to amendment is worthless.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The original Hebrew word for the musical instruments in this verse is unknown, and ancient translators and modern scholars have offered widely differing guesses ranging from food to concubines. The commentator notes that none of these guesses can be proven, but the uncertainty does not obscure the verse's main point: the king gave up his usual diversions.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the king's extreme distress over Daniel's fate: he refuses food and entertainment and cannot sleep. This reaction shows that even a pagan ruler was deeply troubled by the unjust sentence, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the king's genuine care for Daniel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the king's deep personal distress: Darius spent the night fasting and sleepless, not out of religious devotion but from grief and a troubled conscience over Daniel's fate. He would not eat, drink, hear music, or sleep, because his own decree had trapped his friend.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Darius's refusal of food and entertainment was extraordinary for a king known from history for indulging in wine and women. Yet though distressed by the evil he had caused, the king took no steps to remedy it. JFB sees him as a type who is ill at ease in sin but continues in it nonetheless.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes the historical authenticity of this account by pointing to its uniquely Medo-Persian features: the unchangeable law, the temporary deification of the king, the 120 satrapies, and the punishment of families. He argues these details could not have been invented later as a caricature of Antiochus Epiphanes, especially given Darius's mild and friendly disposition toward Daniel.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the king's troubled conscience during the night, not on Daniel's faith alone. Darius could not forgive himself for betraying Daniel, so he fasted, banished music, and lost sleep, tormented by grief over his own unjust decree.