Therefore — i.e., now that he knows the dream and the interpretation. Daniel approached the king through Arioch, for it is probable that the Babylonian custom, like the Persian (Esther 5:1) or Median (Herod. i. 99), did not permit any persons except the principal officers of state to have direct access to the royal presence. We must suppose that in Daniel 2:16 (where see Note) Daniel approached the king as he does here, through Arioch, the captain of the guard.
Destroy not. — Observe Daniel’s humanity towards his heathen teachers. It was owing to his intercession only that the king’s decree was not carried out. (See Ezekiel 14:14.)