Daniel 5:31

Darius the Median. The ruler mentioned in this verse and throughout the 6th chapter is still an obscure figure as far as secular history is concerned. The Additional Note at the end of ch. 6 presents a brief survey of the various identifications proposed by commentators, as well as a possible solution of the various historical problems involved.

The conjunction “and,” with which the verse begins, shows that the author of the book closely connected the death of Belshazzar, recorded in the preceding verse, with the accession of “Darius the Median” to the throne. In the printed editions of the Hebrew Bible this verse is counted as the first verse of ch. 6. However, most modern versions, following the LXX, connect v. 31 with ch. 5. This is preferable.

There is no difference between the spelling of the name of the Darius mentioned here and that of “Darius [I] king of Persia” in Ezra 4:24 (see comments there) and elsewhere, in Aramaic and Hebrew as in English.

Threescore and two years. Darius’ advanced age was probably responsible for the brevity of his reign. The book of Daniel mentions only the first regnal year of Darius (chs. 9:1, 2; 11:1). The king’s death occurred “within about two years of the fall of Babylon” (PK 556).