Daniel’s Prayer
1In the first year of Darius,9:1 Dn 5:31; 6:1; 11:1 the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was made king over the Chaldean kingdom —
4I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
Ah, Lord — the great and awe-inspiring God9:4 Dt 7:21; Neh 9:32 who keeps his gracious covenant9:4 Dt 7:9 with those who love him9:4 1Jn 4:20 and keep his commands9:4 Dt 7:9; Neh 1:5 —
7Lord, righteousness belongs to you,9:7 Jr 23:6; 33:16; Dn 9:18 but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel — those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you.
8Lord, public shame9:8 Ps 37:1–2 belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you.9:8 Ps 78:56–64
9Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him
10and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants9:10 2Kg 17:13–15; 18:12 the prophets.
11All Israel has broken your law and turned away,9:11 Is 1:3–4; Jr 8:5–10 refusing to obey you. The promised curse9:11 Lit The curse and the oath written in the law of Moses,9:11 Dt 28:15–68; 29:16–30:20; Lk 2:22 the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against him.
12He has carried out his words9:12 Is 44:26; Jr 44:2–6; Lm 2:17; Zch 1:6 that he spoke against us and against our rulers9:12 Lit against rulers who ruled us9:12 Jb 12:17; Ps 82:2–7; 148:11 by bringing on us a disaster that is so great that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done9:12 Lm 1:12; 2:13; Ezk 5:9 under all of heaven.
13Just as it is written in the law of Moses,9:13 Lv 26:14–45; Dt 28:15–68; Dn 9:11 all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of9:13 Jb 36:13; Is 9:13; Jr 2:30; 5:3; Mal 1:9 the Lord our God by turning from our iniquities and paying attention to your truth.9:13 Jr 31:18
14So the Lord kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all he has done. But we have not obeyed him.
15Now, Lord our God — who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand9:15 Dt 5:15 and made your name renowned9:15 Neh 9:10; Jr 32:20 as it is this day — we have sinned, we have acted wickedly.
16Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrath9:16 Jr 32:31–32 turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain;9:16 Ps 87:1–3; Dn 9:20; Jl 3:17; Zch 8:3 for because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.
17Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of your servant. Make your face shine9:17 Nm 6:25; Ps 31:17; 67:2 on your desolate sanctuary9:17 Lm 5:18 for the Lord’s sake.
18Listen closely,9:18 Lit Stretch out your ear my God, and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that bears your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion.
The Seventy Weeks of Years
20While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel,9:20 Ps 145:18; Is 58:9; Dn 9:3; 10:12 and presenting my petition before the Lord my God concerning the holy mountain of my God —
21while I was praying, Gabriel,9:21 Dn 8:16; Lk 1:19,26 the man I had seen in the first vision,9:21 Dn 8:1,15 reached me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering.9:21 Ex 29:39; 1Kg 18:36; Ezr 9:4
about your people and your holy city —
to bring the rebellion to an end,
to put a stop to sin,
to atone for iniquity,
to bring in everlasting righteousness,9:24 Is 51:6,8; 56:1; Jr 23:5–6; Rm 3:21–22
to seal up vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the most holy place.
25Know and understand this:
From the issuing of the decree
will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks.
It will be rebuilt with a plaza and a moat,
but in difficult times.
26After those sixty-two weeks
and will have nothing.
The people of the coming ruler
will destroy the city9:26 Mt 24:2; Mk 13:2; Lk 19:43–44 and the sanctuary.9:26 MT; Theod, some mss read The city and the sanctuary will be destroyed when the ruler comes.
The9:26 Lit Its, or His end will come with a flood,9:26 Nah 1:8
and until the end there will be9:26 Or end of a war;
desolations are decreed.
27He will make a firm covenant9:27 Or will enforce a covenant
with many for one week,
but in the middle of the week
he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering.
will be on a wing9:27 Is 7:7–8; Mt 4:5 of the temple9:27 LXX; MT reads of abominations9:27 Or And the desolator will be on the wing of abominations, or And the desolator will come on the wings of monsters (or of horror); Hb obscure
is poured out on the desolator.”
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