1In the first year of Darius, Dn 5:31; 6:1; 11:1 the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans:

2In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be 70. 2Ch 36:21; Ezr 1:1; Jr 25:11-12; 29:10; Zch 7:5

3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Neh 1:4; Jb 2:8; Is 61:3; Lk 10:13

4I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

5we have sinned, 1Kg 8:48; Neh 9:33; Ps 106:6; Is 64:5-7; Jr 14:7 done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, Lm 1:18,20 and turned away from Your commands and ordinances. Ps 119:176; Is 53:6; Dn 9:11

6We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, 2Ch 36:16; Jr 44:4-5 who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land.

7Lord, righteousness belongs to You, 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 dispersed them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward You.

8Lord, public shame Ps 37:1-2 belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. Ps 78:56-64

9Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against Him

10and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following His instructions that He set before us through His servants 2Kg 17:13-15; 18:12 the prophets.

11All Israel has broken Your law and turned away, Is 1:3-4; Jr 8:5-10 refusing to obey You. The promised curse Lit The curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, 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 words Is 44:26; Jr 44:2-6; Lm 2:17; Zch 1:6 that He spoke against us and against our rulers Lit against rulers who ruled us Jb 12:17; Ps 82:2-7; 148:11 by bringing on us so great a disaster that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done Lm 1:12; 2:13; Ezk 5:9 under all of heaven.

13Just as it is written in the law of Moses, Lv 26:14-45; Dt 28:15-68; Dn 9:11 all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not appeased 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. 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 mighty hand Dt 5:15 and made Your name renowned 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 wrath Jr 32:31-32 turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; Ps 87:1-3; Dn 9:20; Jl 3:17; Zch 8:3 for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, 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. Show Your favor Nm 6:25; Ps 31:17; 67:2 to Your desolate sanctuary Lm 5:18 for the Lord’s sake.

18Listen, Lit Stretch out Your ear my God, and hear. Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city called by Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You based on our righteous acts, but based on Your abundant compassion.

19Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for Your own sake, do not delay, Ps 44:23; 74:10-11 because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.

20While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, Ps 145:18; Is 58:9; Dn 9:3; 10:12 and presenting my petition before Yahweh my God concerning the holy mountain of my God —

21while I was praying, Gabriel, Dn 8:16; Lk 1:19,26 the man I had seen in the first vision, Dn 8:1,15 came to me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering. Ex 29:39; 1Kg 18:36; Ezr 9:4

22He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding. Dn 8:16; 10:21; Zch 1:9

23At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God. Dn 10:11,19 So consider the message and understand the vision: Mt 24:15

24Seventy weeks = 490 years are decreed Lv 25:8; Nm 14:34; Ezk 4:5-6

25Know and understand this:

26After those 62 weeks = 434 years

27He will make a firm covenant Or will enforce a covenant