Daniel 6:7

“All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, etc.] There were but three presidents, and Daniel was one of them, so that these “all” were but “two”; they made the most of it they could; and very probably not all and everyone of the other officers mentioned were present; but they were willing to make their request appear as general as they could, in order that it might have the greater weight with the king: have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree; that is, they had met together, and had drawn up a bill that might be passed into a law by having the royal assent, and be made sure and firm by the…”

“The Persian king was regarded as representative of the chief god, Ormuzd; the seven princes near him represented the seven Amshaspands before the throne of Ormuzd; hence Mordecai (Est 3:4) refused such homage to Haman, the king's prime minister, as inconsistent with what is due to God alone. A weak despot, like Darius, much under the control of his princes, might easily be persuaded that such a decree would test the obedience of the Chaldeans just conquered, and tame their proud spirits. So absolute is the king in the East, that he is regarded not merely as the ruler, but the owner, of the people. All . . . governors . . . counsellors, &c.--Several functionaries are here specified, not…”

“All the presidents of the kingdom, the governor ... - Several functionaries are enumerated here who are not in the previous verses, as having entered into the conspiracy. It is possible, indeed, that all these different classes of officers had been consulted, and had concurred in asking the enactment of the proposed law; but it is much more probable that the leaders merely represented or affirmed what is here said in order to be more certain of the enactment of the law. If represented as proposed by all the officers of the realm, they appear to have conceived that there would be no hesitation on the part of Darius in granting the request. They could not but be conscious that it was an…”

“6:7 the king should make a law: The request was couched as an appeal to truth and justice, but it was really an appeal to the king’s pride, with ulterior motives (6:4-5). • We already know that Daniel would not break God’s law to obey a human order (cp. 1:5-8; 3:4-12).”

“All: Dan 6:2, Dan 6:3, Dan 3:2, Dan 3:27 have consulted: Psa 2:2, Psa 59:3, Psa 62:4, Psa 83:1-3, Psa 94:20; Mic 6:5; Mat 12:14, Mat 26:4; Mar 15:1; Joh 12:10; Act 4:5-7, Act 4:26-28 decree: or, interdict he shall: Dan 3:6, Dan 3:11; Psa 10:9; Nah 2:12 Daniel 6:8”