Daniel 9

¹ In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

² In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

³ And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

⁴ And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

⁵ We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

⁶ Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

⁷ O Lord, righteousness [belongeth] unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, [that are] near, and [that are] far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.

⁸ O Lord, to us [belongeth] confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.

⁹ To the Lord our God [belong] mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

¹⁰ Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

¹¹ Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

¹² And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

¹³ As [it is] written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

¹⁴ Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God [is] righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

¹⁵ And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

¹⁶ O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people [are become] a reproach to all [that are] about us.

¹⁷ Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.

¹⁸ O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

¹⁹ O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

²⁰ And whiles I [was] speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

²¹ Yea, whiles I [was] speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

²² And he informed [me], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

²³ At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew [thee]; for thou [art] greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

²⁴ Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

²⁵ Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

²⁶ And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

²⁷ And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Overview of Daniel Chapter 9

Daniel Chapter 9 is a pivotal chapter in the Book of Daniel, presenting a profound prayer of repentance, a prophecy concerning the future of Israel, and the announcement of the coming of the Anointed One. This chapter is significant for its theological implications and its eschatological predictions.

Structure of the Chapter

• Verses 1-3: Daniel’s Confession and Prayer
• Verses 4-19: The Content of Daniel’s Prayer
• Verses 20-23: Gabriel’s Arrival and Explanation
• Verses 24-27: The Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks

Daniel’s Context and Setting

In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, Daniel reflects on the prophecies of Jeremiah concerning the seventy years of desolation for Jerusalem. This historical context is crucial for understanding Daniel’s urgency in prayer and his desire for restoration.

Daniel’s Confession and Prayer (Verses 1-3)

Daniel begins the chapter by acknowledging the time frame of the prophesied exile and turns to God in prayer. His prayer is marked by humility and earnestness.

1. Recognition of God’s Sovereignty: Daniel acknowledges God’s greatness and faithfulness.
2. Confession of Sins: He confesses the sins of Israel, including rebellion and disobedience.
3. Seeking Understanding: Daniel seeks to understand God’s will and the implications of the prophecy.

The Content of Daniel’s Prayer (Verses 4-19)

Daniel’s prayer is a model of penitence, illustrating the themes of confession, supplication, and intercession.

• Adoration: Daniel praises God for His righteousness and mercy.
• Confession: He acknowledges the collective sin of Israel and their failure to heed God’s commandments.
• Petition: Daniel pleads for mercy and restoration for Jerusalem and the sanctuary.

His prayer emphasizes the need for God’s forgiveness and the desire for the fulfillment of His promises.

Gabriel’s Arrival and Explanation (Verses 20-23)

As Daniel continues to pray, the angel Gabriel is sent to provide understanding. This moment signifies the importance of Daniel’s prayer and God’s responsiveness to it.

• Divine Response: Gabriel arrives swiftly, indicating God’s readiness to answer prayers.
• Revelation of Knowledge: Gabriel explains that Daniel is greatly loved and provides insight into the future.

The Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (Verses 24-27)

This section contains one of the most significant prophecies in the Bible, detailing the timeline of God’s plan for Israel.

• Seventy Weeks Defined: The prophecy outlines a period of seventy weeks (or sevens) that are decreed for the people of Israel and Jerusalem.
• Purpose of the Seventy Weeks: The goals include finishing transgression, putting an end to sin, atoning for iniquity, and bringing in everlasting righteousness.
• Messiah’s Coming: The prophecy predicts the coming of an Anointed One, who will be cut off but not for Himself, indicating the suffering of the Messiah.
• Future Events: The chapter concludes with references to a covenant and the desolation that will occur, emphasizing the tension between hope and judgment.

Theological Implications

Daniel Chapter 9 addresses several key theological themes:

• Divine Sovereignty: God is in control of history and fulfills His promises.
• Repentance: The importance of acknowledging sin and seeking God’s mercy.
• Eschatology: The prophecy of the seventy weeks points to future events, including the coming of Christ and the ultimate restoration of Israel.

Conclusion

Daniel Chapter 9 serves as a powerful reminder of the relationship between prayer, confession, and divine revelation. It highlights God’s faithfulness to His people, the necessity of repentance, and the hope of future redemption through the Messiah.