Aramaic word · H1868

דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ

dareyavesh

Darius

A Biblical Aramaic word, from the parts of the Old Testament written in Aramaic. Why Aramaic?

Appears 15 times in 15 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.4.5

Aramaic of dar.ya.vesh (דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ "Darius" H1867H)

§ Darius = "lord"

1) Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, king of the Chaldeans, who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom on the death of Belshazzar; probably the same as "Astyages" the last king of the Medes (538 BC) (same as dar.ya.vesh (דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ "Darius" H1867) (1))

2) Darius, the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Perso-Arian dynasty (521 BC) (same as (2))

3) Darius II or Darius III

3a) Darius II, Nothus (Ochus) was king of Persia during the time of Nehemiah (424/3-405/4 BC). Darius II is the most probable because he is mentioned by Nehemiah and ruled during the time of Nehemiah

3b) Darius III, Codomannus was king of Persia during its last years at the time of Alexander the Great and was his opponent (336-330 BC)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

Where it appears

Ezra · 9

  1. Ezra 4:24 דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ Darius

    Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

  2. Ezra 5:5 לְדָרְיָ֣וֶשׁ to Darius

    But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they were not stopped until a report was sent to Darius and written instructions about this matter were returned.

  3. Ezra 5:6 דָּרְיָ֖וֶשׁ Darius

    This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.

    Here: Darius I the Great, Persian king 522–486 BC; the events fall in his second year, 520 BC (Ezra 4:24; Haggai 1:1).

  4. Ezra 5:7 לְדָרְיָ֥וֶשׁ to Darius

    The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: All peace.

  5. Ezra 6:1 דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ Darius

    Thus King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon.

  6. Ezra 6:12 דָרְיָ֙וֶשׁ֙ Darius

    May God, who has caused His Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out with diligence.

    Here: Darius I, king of Persia (522–486 BC). This is the king's own seal on the order.

  7. Ezra 6:13 דָּרְיָ֧וֶשׁ Darius

    In response, Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed.

  8. Ezra 6:14 וְדָרְיָ֔וֶשׁ and Darius

    So the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.

    Here: Darius I (522–486 BC). He confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered royal funding and protection for the work (6:6–12). The temple was finished in his sixth year (6:15).

  9. Ezra 6:15 דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ Darius

    And this temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Daniel · 6

  1. Daniel 5:31 וְדָרְיָ֙וֶשׁ֙ and Darius

    and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

  2. Daniel 6:1 דָּרְיָ֔וֶשׁ Darius

    Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

  3. Daniel 6:6 דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ O Darius

    So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!

    Here: 'Darius the Mede' (5:31), who in Daniel's story rules Babylon after its fall. Who he was historically is debated. Here the name is part of the formal address.

  4. Daniel 6:9 דָּֽרְיָ֔וֶשׁ Darius

    Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

    Here: The ruler Daniel calls 'Darius the Mede' (5:31). Who he was historically is debated (see debates).

  5. Daniel 6:25 דָּרְיָ֣וֶשׁ Darius

    Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.

    Here: The royal name Darius (Old Persian Dārayavauš, 'he who holds firm the good'). In Daniel this is 'Darius the Mede' (5:31). Who he was historically is debated.

  6. Daniel 6:28 דָּרְיָ֑וֶשׁ Darius

    So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.