When Darius settled onto the throne of Babylon, his first act was not a military campaign or a political purge. He sent for Daniel. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle translated by Moses Gaster in 1899, the aging king placed a throne for Daniel beside his own and made a confession that no monarch admits easily: he was too old and too tired to govern alone.
"Give me counsel what to do," Darius said, "for the spirit of the God of heaven is with thee. I am old now and wanting in strength. Continual wars make me faint, and I am no longer able to bear the burden of my people, to judge between man and man, to reward the righteous and punish the wicked."
Daniel's advice was practical and immediate. He told Darius to appoint three officers, men of valor and truth, to share the weight of governance. They would judge disputes among the people while the king rested in his palace. Only matters too weighty for the judges would rise to the throne. Darius followed this counsel exactly, appointing two princes of his army with Daniel set in authority above them.
The king then issued a remarkable decree throughout his entire kingdom. He commanded his subjects to honor the God of Daniel, calling Him "the great God over all other gods." He publicly acknowledged that Daniel had given him true counsel and appointed Daniel as vicegerent over the two princes. Anyone who violated Daniel's authority would forfeit his life. The princes, governors, and rulers of every province obeyed, for as the chronicle notes, the holy spirit was with Daniel.
LXIX. (1) Now it came to pass, when Darius was firmly
seated upon the throne of his kingdom in Babylon, that he
ordered Daniel to be brought before him, and, placing
for him a throne, he sat before Darius. Then said the
king, ' Art thou Daniel ?' ' I am,' said he. ' Then
give me counsel what to do, for the spirit of the God of
heaven is with thee; do not withhold it from me, for I am
old now and wanting in strength. My active life wearies
me, and continual wars make me faint; and now that my
old age has begun, I am no longer able to bear the burden
of my people, to judge between man and man, to reward
the righteous and punish the wicked, for the thing is too
heavy for me.'
(2) And Daniel replied: ' Let my lord the king appoint
three officers, men of valour and truth, to take upon them-
selves part of the responsibility, and let them judge betw^een
man and man in order to relieve thee of the heaviness of
the burden, and let the king rest in his palace. Then
every matter that is too weighty for the judges shall be
brought before the king, who shall decide. Thus the king
and his throne shall be pure.' He did as he -was advised,
for he appointed two princes of his host, with Daniel in
authority over them, to judge the people, while he himself
remained peaceably in his palace.
(3) Darius issued a decree throughout all his kingdom,
saying, * The God of the heavens hath given me all
these kingdoms of the earth, and the burden is too great
for me to bear, for my soul is weary through old age. I
have therefore taken advice of Daniel, who has given
me true counsel, and I have hearkened unto him. I
shall now rest in my palace so that the heaviness of the
burden will be taken off my shoulders. Now give honour
to the God of Daniel and believe in Him. Eise up early
and seek Him, for He is the great God over all other gods.
Let it be known to you that by the advice of Daniel have I
done this. I have appointed over all my kingdom two
princes of the host, to whose decisions all the people shall
listen in all cases of trouble, so that the burden is made
214 [LXX. 1
lighter for me; and Daniel have I appointed as overseer to
these two princes, who are to obey him and to listen to all
that he teaches them, and not to change his words, but
to perform everything he commands them, for I have
appointed him as a vicegerent, with the two princes of the
army under him, and whoever violates this decree of the
king shall forfeit his life.' All the people obeyed this
decree, and the princes, governors, commanders and rulers
of the provinces bestowed honour upon Daniel, for the holy
Spirit was with him.
