Who was Darius in the Bible?
Emperor Darius I, 'the Great',, during the exile and the return
Darius mentioned in the books of Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah, was a king of Persia who played a significant role in the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. Darius appears in 23 verses across 4 books of the Bible.
The Bible uses the name Darius for 2 different people. All 2 are below, each with its own passages.
Darius in Ezra
Darius, mentioned in the books of Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah, was a king of Persia who played a significant role in the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. He is often referred to as Darius I, also known as Darius the Great, who ruled the Persian Empire from 522 to 486 BC. During the early years of Darius' reign, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem had been halted due to opposition from the neighboring peoples (Ezr.4.5). However, in the second year of Darius' reign, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy to the Jews, encouraging them to resume the Temple construction (Hag.1.1, 15; Zec.1.1, 7). When the Persian officials questioned the Jews' authority to rebuild the Temple, they appealed to the decree issued by Cyrus years earlier (Ezr.5.5-7). Darius then ordered a search of the archives, and Cyrus' decree was found (Ezr.6.1). Darius issued a new decree, confirming Cyrus' original order and providing support for the Temple's reconstruction (Ezr.6.12-14). With Darius' backing, the Jews completed the Temple reconstruction in the sixth year of his reign (Ezr.6.15). This event was a significant milestone in the restoration of Jewish worship in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. The mention of Darius in these biblical books demonstrates the Persian Empire's role in the history of Israel and the fulfillment of God's plan for His people.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Darius the Mede
Darius the Mede is mentioned in the Book of Daniel as the ruler who took over the Babylonian kingdom after the fall of Babylon to the Medo-Persian Empire. He is first introduced in Dan.5.31, which states that Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two. In Daniel 6, Darius is portrayed as the king who was manipulated by his officials into issuing a decree that prohibited prayer to anyone but him for thirty days. This decree led to Daniel being thrown into the lions' den when he was caught praying to God. However, God protected Daniel, and Darius, upon discovering Daniel's miraculous survival, issued a new decree acknowledging the power of Daniel's God (Dan.6.25-28). Darius is also mentioned in Dan.9.1, which sets the context for Daniel's prayer of confession and supplication for his people. The chapter begins by stating that this event took place in the first year of Darius' reign. In Dan.11.1, an angelic messenger refers to the first year of Darius the Mede, indicating that he had been supporting and protecting the prince of Persia. The identity of Darius the Mede has been a subject of debate among scholars, as there is no clear historical record of a Median king ruling Babylon between the reigns of Belshazzar and Cyrus the Great. Some scholars suggest that Darius may have been a subordinate ruler or a governor under Cyrus, while others propose that the name may be a title or a reference to Cyrus himself. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his identity, the biblical account presents Darius the Mede as a significant figure in the early days of the Medo-Persian Empire and in the life of Daniel.
8 verses: Daniel 5:31, Daniel 6:1, Daniel 6:6, Daniel 6:9, Daniel 6:25, Daniel 6:28, Daniel 9:1, Daniel 11:1
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Where does Darius appear in the Bible?
Darius is referenced in 23 verses across 4 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- Ezra 4:5
- Ezra 4:24
- Ezra 5:5
- Ezra 5:6
- Ezra 5:7
- Ezra 6:1
- Ezra 6:12
- Ezra 6:13
- Ezra 6:15
- Haggai 1:1
- Haggai 1:15
- Haggai 2:10
- Zechariah 1:1
- Zechariah 1:7
- Zechariah 7:1
Showing the first 15 of 23.
Open all 23 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Darius.
Common questions
How many people in the Bible are called Darius?
Darius refers to 2 different people in the Bible: Darius in Ezra; Darius the Mede.
How many times does the Bible mention Darius?
Darius appears in 23 verses across 4 books, most often in Ezra, which accounts for 9 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Darius?
Ezra, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah.
Where can I read every verse about Darius?
This page lists 15 of them. Protos carries all 23, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
