A related theory suggests that Ezra spoke of Cambyses using his Chaldee name ( Ahasuems) in verse 6, and by his Persian name or title ( Artaxerxes) in verse 7. That king ruled only seven or eight months. The “Artaxerxes” in verse 7 is called, in other historical records, “Smerdis” or “Bardiya,” another son of Cyrus (or possibly an impostor taking his place). It is likely that this king is also known in history as Cambyses II, a son of Cyrus the Great. There is some debate about the identity of the “Ahasuerus” or “Xerxes” mentioned in Ezra 4:6 as ruling before Darius I. At that time, Israel’s enemies did everything in their power to disrupt the construction, and they had succeeded in halting the building during the reigns of the kings Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:1–24). Prior to Darius’s reign, the Jews who had returned from the Babylonian Captivity had begun rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Darius I is presented in Ezra as a good king who helped the Israelites in several ways. Darius I ruled Persia from about 521 to 486 BC. This was the son of Hystaspes, a king of Parsa. The book of Ezra mentions another king named Darius, also known as Darius I or Darius the Great. This has caused Bible scholars to posit that Darius was appointed viceroy over Babylon by his nephew, King Cyrus. Daniel 6:28 refers to “the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian,” showing that Darius and Cyrus ruled concurrently.
It is possible that Daniel used the word Darius (which means “lord”) as a title for the ruler in Babylon, rather than a proper name.
For he is the living God and he endures forever his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end” (Daniel 6:1–28). When he saw that Daniel was unhurt by the lions, Darius decreed that “people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. This Darius ruled for only two years (538–536 BC) and is best known as the ruler who promoted Daniel to a high position in the kingdom and then cast him into the lions’ den, much against his better judgment. The first, chronologically, occurs in the book of Daniel, where the ruler is called Darius the Mede (Daniel 6:1). There are three references to rulers named Darius in the Bible.
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