Daniel 6:3 (KJV)

Passage

Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Nearby Context

Daniel 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

Daniel 6:2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

Daniel 6:3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Daniel 6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Daniel 6:5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "daniel", "preferred", "above", "presidents", "princes", "excellent", and "king". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "daniel", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "And over these three presidents of whom..." into verse 4's "Then the presidents and princes sought to...", so "Spirit" and "daniel" belong inside that flow. In Daniel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "daniel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.