The Meaning of Daniel 6:8 Explained

Daniel 6:8

KJV: 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.

YLT: Now, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'

Darby: 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 may not be revoked.

ASV: Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Daniel 6:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 6:1-15 - Fidelity In Worship
Though he was the most distinguished man of his day, and full of public business, Daniel managed to find time for prayer, in the evening, morning, and at noon, according to the Hebrew custom, Psalms 55:17. He was outwardly a great magnate of the Persian court, but inwardly he was as true as ever to the city of his fathers and to the Temple now in ruins, Daniel 6:10. What a marvelous tribute was afforded to his saintly character by his foes, when they could find no fault in him except as concerned his religious life! Time spent in prayer is not lost time to the suppliant. Luther used to say: "I have so much to do today that I cannot get through with less than three hours of prayer." It was customary for the Jews to turn the face toward the Holy City, which for so long had been the center of their great religious system, 1 Kings 8:44; Jonah 2:4. With us, the upturned face and the references we make to the great High Priest, are significant of a posture of soul analogous and yet superior to the open window. See to it that your windows are always open towards the New Jerusalem, of which you are a citizen, but from which for a little while you are exiled. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 6

1  Daniel is made chief of the presidents
4  They, conspiring against him, obtain an idolatrous decree
10  Daniel, accused of the breach thereof, is cast into the lion's den
18  Daniel is saved;
24  his adversaries devoured;
25  and God magnified by a decree

What do the individual words in Daniel 6:8 mean?

Now king establish decree the and sign writing the so that cannot it be changed according to the law of the Mede and Persian which not does alter
כְּעַ֣ן מַלְכָּ֔א תְּקִ֥ים אֱסָרָ֖א וְתִרְשֻׁ֣ם כְּתָבָ֑א דִּ֣י לָ֧א לְהַשְׁנָיָ֛ה כְּדָת־ מָדַ֥י וּפָרַ֖ס דִּי־ לָ֥א תֶעְדֵּֽא

כְּעַ֣ן  Now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כְּעַן  
Sense: now, at this time, until now.
מַלְכָּ֔א  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
תְּקִ֥ים  establish 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קוּם  
Sense: to arise, stand.
אֱסָרָ֖א  decree  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: אֱסָר  
Sense: interdict, decree, decree of restriction.
וְתִרְשֻׁ֣ם  and  sign 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רְשַׁם  
Sense: to inscribe, sign.
כְּתָבָ֑א  writing  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: כְּתָב  
Sense: a writing.
דִּ֣י  so  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
לָ֧א  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: לָא 
Sense: no, not, nothing.
לְהַשְׁנָיָ֛ה  it  be  changed 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: שְׁנָה  
Sense: to change, be altered, be changed.
כְּדָת־  according  to  the  law 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: דָּת  
Sense: decree, law.
מָדַ֥י  of  the  Mede 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָדַי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Media.
וּפָרַ֖ס  and  Persian 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פָּרַס  
Sense: the empire Persia; encompassed the territory from India on the east to Egypt and Thrace on the west, and included, besides portions of Europe and Africa, the whole of western Asia between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian and the Jaxartes on the north, the Arabian desert, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south.
תֶעְדֵּֽא  does  alter 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עֲדָה  
Sense: to pass on, pass away.