Daniel 9:1

1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, by birth a Mede, who became king over the realm of the Chaldeans—

Daniel 9:1 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 9:1

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed
of the Medes
This is the same with Darius the Median, that took the kingdom after the death of Belshazzar; so called, to distinguish him from Darius the Persian; and yet Porphyry has the gall to assert that this was Darius the Persian, under whom the temple was built, that Daniel might appear to live later than he did: Ahasuerus, whose son he was, is not he that was the husband of Esther, and was many years later than this; but the same with Astyages king of the Medes, and who is called Ahasuerus, in the Apocrypha:

``But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his death he rejoiced over Nineve.'' (Tobit 14:15)
the father of Cyaxares, the same with this Darius, who was uncle to Cyrus that conquered Babylon, and made him king of it, and of the whole empire; for this was not the first year of his reign over Media, where he had reigned many years before, but over Chaldea, as follows: which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
by Cyrus his nephew; who having taken Babylon, and settled his affairs, undertook a journey to Persia, and made Media in his way; where he met with his uncle Cyaxares, the same with this Darius, and delivered the kingdom of Babylon to him, and married his daughter, with whom he had for her dowry the kingdom of Media, as Xenophon F25 relates. Now it was in the first year of his reign over the Chaldeans that Daniel had the following vision of the seventy weeks; which, according to Bishop Usher F26 and Mr. Whiston F1, was in the year of the world 3467 A.M. and 537 B.C. Dean Prideaux F2 places it in the year 538; and Mr. Bedford F3 in the year 536.
FOOTNOTES:

F25 Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 36.
F26 Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3467.
F1 Chronological Tables, cent. 10.
F2 Connexion part 1. p. 125, 128.
F3 Scripture Chronology, p. 711.

Daniel 9:1 In-Context

1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, by birth a Mede, who became king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah, must be fulfilled for the devastation of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, "Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments,
5 we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.