What does Daniel 6:2 mean?
The man who took over Babylon (Daniel 5:30–31) governed through a series of officials. He appointed 120 high officers (Daniel 6:1), and over those three supervisors. The word referring to this role is sometimes translated as "president" or "commissioner." Daniel was one of these very high-level officials. His appointment to the highest office under Darius shows two things. First, that God was in control of Daniel's life, placing him in an office of great influence. Second, it showed that Daniel, though a Jewish exile (Daniel 1:1–7), was highly respected and trusted by a powerful Gentile ruler. Obviously, Daniel's character and work were unblemished during Nebuchadnezzar's reign (Daniel 1:17–21).The appointment of the three commissioners was intended to make the 120 satraps accountable. Darius believed in delegating responsibility to others. The political structure was probably meant to relieve Darius of micro-management: control through supervision of details and scrutiny. Yet it was mostly a way to reduce political corruption which might weaken the kingdom and Darius's reputation. Darius did not want his satraps to steal and embezzle his tax revenue. In the Gospels we learn about unscrupulous tax collectors for Rome, sometimes called "publicans," who charged excessive taxes to line their own pockets.
