Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The powerful phrase "which cannot be revoked" reveals a cultural and legal reality: once sealed by the king, a law was considered absolute, even from the king himself. This wasn't just a formality; it was a deeply ingrained principle that even the monarch was subject to the written law, reflecting a unique aspect of Median and Persian governance.
Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The ambitious presidents and princes have devised a plot against Daniel, manipulating King Darius into signing a decree that forbids prayer to anyone but the king for thirty days. They've drafted this decree in writing, and are now urging Darius to officially enact it, emphasizing that the laws of the Medes and Persians are unchangeable once signed. Daniel, completely unaware of the scheme being hatched against him, will later continue his regular prayer routine, directly violating this new, irreversible law.
Why would a king sign a law he couldn't change, even if he wanted to?
The officials presenting the decree to Daniel emphasize a crucial aspect of Medo-Persian law: once signed, it was legally unchangeable.
Daniel's enemies didn't just want to get rid of him; they wanted to trap him between his king and his God.
The decree was designed with Daniel specifically in mind. The prohibition against praying to any god or man for thirty days was a direct assault on Daniel's faith and practice.
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Understand the original words
dat · Aramaic Noun
The concept of immutable law; it reflects the belief that once a royal decree was issued by the monarchs of Medo-Persia, it was considered unchangeable and binding, even upon the king himself.
The unwavering law of the Medes and Persians, which decreed that signed royal edicts were irrevocable, is central to this dramatic confrontation, highlighting the clash between human law and divine obedience.
c. 550 BC
Formation of the Medo-Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered the Medes, merging their kingdoms into a vast empire. This new Medo-Persian Empire would become a dominant force in the ancient Near East.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered the Neo-Babylonian Empire, incorporating its territories into the Medo-Persian realm. This event brought Daniel, who had served Babylonian kings, under Medo-Persian rule.
c. 539 BC
Darius the Mede Rules Babylon
After the conquest of Babylon, Cyrus appointed his relative, Darius the Mede, as the ruler of the city. Daniel served under Darius, holding a high position in the administration.
c. 538 BC— this verse
Royal Decree Against Prayer
A conspiracy of high-ranking officials, jealous of Daniel's influence, convinced King Darius to issue a decree that prohibited prayer to any god or man other than the king for thirty days.
c. 538 BC
Daniel Continues to Pray
Despite the decree and the known consequences, Daniel opened his windows toward Jerusalem and prayed to God three times a day, as he had always done.
c. 538 BC
Daniel Cast into the Lions' Den
Daniel was discovered praying and, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which could not be altered, was thrown into a den of lions as punishment.
c. 538 BC
Daniel's Deliverance and the King's Edict
God miraculously protected Daniel from the lions. King Darius, realizing Daniel's innocence and the God of Israel's power, issued a new decree honoring Daniel's God and demanding reverence for Him throughout the empire.
This passage parallels Daniel's situation, showing another instance where a royal decree, once written and sealed according to Persian law, could not be literally revoked, but only countermanded or amended.
Daniel 8:15This verse directly references a 'royal decree' or 'commandment' that 'cannot be reversed,' highlighting the absolute and unchangeable nature of such laws in the Persian Empire.
Proverbs 16:11While not about Persian law, this proverb speaks to the importance of justice and integrity in governance, suggesting that God values honest scales and just weights, contrasting with the manipulative use of law in Daniel's story.
Matthew 5:18Jesus speaks of the permanence of God's law, stating that 'not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.' This echoes the theme of unchangeable decrees, but points to the ultimate, divine authority behind God's Word.
barnesDaniel 6:8: "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."
Now, O king, establish the decree - Ordain, enact, confirm it. And sign the writing - An act necessary to make it the law of the realm. That it be not changed - That, having the sign-manual of the sovereign, it might be so confirmed that it could not be changed. With that sign it became so established, it seems, that even the sovereig…
pooleDaniel 6:8: "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."
No text from Poole on this verse.
The powerful phrase "which cannot be revoked" reveals a cultural and legal reality: once sealed by the king, a law was considered absolute, even from the king himself. This wasn't just a formality; it was a deeply ingrained principle that even the monarch was subject to the written law, reflecting a unique aspect of Median and Persian governance.
The ambitious presidents and princes have devised a plot against Daniel, manipulating King Darius into signing a decree that forbids prayer to anyone but the king for thirty days. They've drafted this decree in writing, and are now urging Darius to officially enact it, emphasizing that the laws of the Medes and Persians are unchangeable once signed. Daniel, completely unaware of the scheme being hatched against him, will later continue his regular prayer routine, directly violating this new, irreversible law.
The ambitious presidents and princes have devised a plot against Daniel, manipulating King Darius into signing a decree that forbids prayer to anyone but the king for thirty days. They've drafted this decree in writing, and are now urging Darius to officially enact it, emphasizing that the laws of the Medes and Persians are unchangeable once signed. Daniel, completely unaware of the scheme being hatched against him, will later continue his regular prayer routine, directly violating this new, irreversible law.
"Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”" — The powerful phrase "which cannot be revoked" reveals a cultural and legal reality: once sealed by the king, a law was considered absolute, even from the king himself. This wasn't just a formality; i…
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Last reviewed October 2026