但以理为同胞祷告

玛代人亚哈随鲁的儿子大流士被立为迦勒底国的王元年, 即他统治的第一年,我但以理从经书上耶和华给耶利米先知的话得知,耶路撒冷必荒凉七十年。

我便禁食,身披麻衣,头蒙灰尘,向主上帝祷告祈求。 我向我的上帝耶和华祷告、认罪,说:“主啊,你是伟大而可畏的上帝,你向那些爱你、遵守你诫命的人信守你的慈爱之约。 我们犯罪作恶,行为邪恶叛逆,偏离你的诫命和典章, 没有听从你的仆人——众先知奉你的名向我们的君王、首领、先祖及国中百姓所说的话。 主啊,你是公义的,我们今日满面羞愧,我们犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民,以及因对你不忠而被驱散到远近各地的以色列人都满面羞愧。 主啊,我们和我们的君王、首领、先祖因得罪了你而满脸羞愧。 虽然我们背叛了主——我们的上帝,祂却有怜悯和饶恕之心。 10 我们没有听从我们的上帝耶和华的话,没有遵行祂借祂的仆人——众先知给我们颁布的律法。 11 以色列人都违背你的律法,偏离正道,不听从你的话。你仆人摩西的律法书上所记载的咒诅和审判都落在了我们身上,因为我们得罪了你。 12 你把大灾难降在我们身上,应验了你警告我们和我们官长的话。耶路撒冷遭遇的灾祸普天之下从未有过。 13 这一切灾祸降在了我们身上,正如摩西律法书的记载。然而,我们的上帝耶和华啊,我们却没有离开罪恶,认识你的真理,以便恳求你施恩。 14 所以耶和华决意使灾祸降在我们身上,因为我们的上帝耶和华的一切作为都是公义的,我们却没有听从祂的话。

15 “主——我们的上帝啊,你曾用大能的手把你的子民领出埃及,使自己威名远扬直到今日。我们却犯罪作恶。 16 主啊,你一向公义,求你不要向你的耶路撒冷城——你的圣山发烈怒。由于我们的罪恶和我们祖先的过犯,耶路撒冷和你的子民成了四围邻人嘲讽的对象。 17 我们的上帝啊,求你垂听仆人的祷告祈求,为你自己的缘故,笑颜垂顾你荒凉的圣所。 18 我的上帝啊,求你侧耳垂听,睁眼眷顾我们荒凉的土地和属于你名下的城。我们向你祈求,并非因为我们有什么义行,乃是因为你充满怜悯。 19 主啊,求你垂听!主啊,求你赦免!主啊,求你应允,立刻行动!我的上帝啊,为你自己的缘故,求你不要耽延,因为这城和这民都属于你的名下。”

加百列解释预言

20 我继续祷告,承认我和同胞以色列人的罪,为我上帝耶和华的圣山在祂面前祈求。 21 我正祷告的时候,先前在异象中看见的那位加百列奉命疾飞而来。那是献晚祭的时候。 22 他向我解释说:“但以理啊,我来是要使你有智慧和悟性。 23 你刚开始祈求,就已赐下答复,我是来告诉你的,因为你倍受眷爱。所以你要留意以下的信息,明白异象的意思。

24 “已经为你的同胞和圣城定了七十个七,以终结叛逆,除掉罪恶,赎尽过犯,带来永远的公义,封住异象和预言,膏抹至圣所[a] 25 你要知道,也要明白,从重建耶路撒冷的命令发出,到受膏的君王来临,其间有七个七加六十二个七。耶路撒冷城及其广场和壕沟必得重建,且是在艰难时期。 26 六十二个七之后,受膏者必被杀害,一无所有。另有一王要兴起,他的臣民要毁灭这城和圣所。结局必如洪水冲来,战争将持续到末了,到处一片荒凉——这已经注定。 27 那王必与许多人缔结一七之久的盟约。一七之半,他必终止祭牲和供物,并且设立带来毁灭的可憎之物,直到所定的结局临到这恶者。”

Footnotes

  1. 9:24 至圣所”或译“至圣者”。

但以理為同胞禱告

瑪代人亞哈隨魯的兒子大流士被立為迦勒底國的王元年, 即他統治的第一年,我但以理從經書上耶和華給耶利米先知的話得知,耶路撒冷必荒涼七十年。

我便禁食,身披麻衣,頭蒙灰塵,向主上帝禱告祈求。 我向我的上帝耶和華禱告、認罪,說:「主啊,你是偉大而可畏的上帝,你向那些愛你、遵守你誡命的人信守你的慈愛之約。 我們犯罪作惡,行為邪惡叛逆,偏離你的誡命和典章, 沒有聽從你的僕人——眾先知奉你的名向我們的君王、首領、先祖及國中百姓所說的話。 主啊,你是公義的,我們今日滿面羞愧,我們猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民,以及因對你不忠而被驅散到遠近各地的以色列人都滿面羞愧。 主啊,我們和我們的君王、首領、先祖因得罪了你而滿臉羞愧。 雖然我們背叛了主——我們的上帝,祂卻有憐憫和饒恕之心。 10 我們沒有聽從我們的上帝耶和華的話,沒有遵行祂藉祂的僕人——眾先知給我們頒佈的律法。 11 以色列人都違背你的律法,偏離正道,不聽從你的話。你僕人摩西的律法書上所記載的咒詛和審判都落在了我們身上,因為我們得罪了你。 12 你把大災難降在我們身上,應驗了你警告我們和我們官長的話。耶路撒冷遭遇的災禍普天之下從未有過。 13 這一切災禍降在了我們身上,正如摩西律法書的記載。然而,我們的上帝耶和華啊,我們卻沒有離開罪惡,認識你的真理,以便懇求你施恩。 14 所以耶和華決意使災禍降在我們身上,因為我們的上帝耶和華的一切作為都是公義的,我們卻沒有聽從祂的話。

15 「主——我們的上帝啊,你曾用大能的手把你的子民領出埃及,使自己威名遠揚直到今日。我們卻犯罪作惡。 16 主啊,你一向公義,求你不要向你的耶路撒冷城——你的聖山發烈怒。由於我們的罪惡和我們祖先的過犯,耶路撒冷和你的子民成了四圍鄰人嘲諷的對象。 17 我們的上帝啊,求你垂聽僕人的禱告祈求,為你自己的緣故,笑顏垂顧你荒涼的聖所。 18 我的上帝啊,求你側耳垂聽,睜眼眷顧我們荒涼的土地和屬於你名下的城。我們向你祈求,並非因為我們有什麼義行,乃是因為你充滿憐憫。 19 主啊,求你垂聽!主啊,求你赦免!主啊,求你應允,立刻行動!我的上帝啊,為你自己的緣故,求你不要耽延,因為這城和這民都屬於你的名下。」

加百列解釋預言

20 我繼續禱告,承認我和同胞以色列人的罪,為我上帝耶和華的聖山在祂面前祈求。 21 我正禱告的時候,先前在異象中看見的那位加百列奉命疾飛而來。那是獻晚祭的時候。 22 他向我解釋說:「但以理啊,我來是要使你有智慧和悟性。 23 你剛開始祈求,就已賜下答覆,我是來告訴你的,因為你倍受眷愛。所以你要留意以下的信息,明白異象的意思。

24 「已經為你的同胞和聖城定了七十個七,以終結叛逆,除掉罪惡,贖盡過犯,帶來永遠的公義,封住異象和預言,膏抹至聖所[a] 25 你要知道,也要明白,從重建耶路撒冷的命令發出,到受膏的君王來臨,其間有七個七加六十二個七。耶路撒冷城及其廣場和壕溝必得重建,且是在艱難時期。 26 六十二個七之後,受膏者必被殺害,一無所有。另有一王要興起,他的臣民要毀滅這城和聖所。結局必如洪水沖來,戰爭將持續到末了,到處一片荒涼——這已經註定。 27 那王必與許多人締結一七之久的盟約。一七之半,他必終止祭牲和供物,並且設立帶來毀滅的可憎之物,直到所定的結局臨到這惡者。」

Footnotes

  1. 9·24 至聖所」或譯「至聖者」。

Daniel Prays for His People

In the first year of Darius[a] son of Ahasuerus,[b] who was of Median descent and who had been[c] appointed king over the Babylonian[d] empire— in the first year of his reign[e] I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books[f] that the number of years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem, which had come as the Lord’s[g] message to the prophet Jeremiah, would be 70 years. So I turned my attention[h] to the Lord God[i] to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.[j] I prayed to the Lord my God, confessing in this way:

“O Lord,[k] great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant[l] with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards. We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority[m] to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors,[n] and to all the inhabitants[o] of the land as well.

“You are righteous,[p] O Lord, but we are humiliated this day[q]—the people[r] of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far away in all the countries in which you have scattered them, because they have behaved unfaithfully toward you. O Lord, we have been humiliated[s]—our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors—because we have sinned against you. Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving,[t] even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed[u] the Lord our God by living according to[v] his laws[w] that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

11 “All Israel has broken[x] your law and turned away by not obeying you.[y] Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened[z] in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you.[aa] 12 He has carried out his threats[ab] against us and our rulers[ac] who were over[ad] us by bringing great calamity on us—what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven! 13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify[ae] the Lord our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom[af] from your reliable moral standards.[ag] 14 The Lord was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the Lord our God is just[ah] in all he has done,[ai] and we have not obeyed him.[aj]

15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power[ak] and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day—we have sinned and behaved wickedly. 16 O Lord, according to all your justice,[al] please turn your raging anger[am] away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors.

17 “So now, our God, accept[an] the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to[ao] your devastated sanctuary for your own sake.[ap] 18 Listen attentively,[aq] my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins[ar] and the city called by your name.[as] For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you,[at] but because your compassion is abundant. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.”[au]

Gabriel Gives to Daniel a Prophecy of Seventy Weeks

20 While I was still speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my request before the Lord my God concerning his holy mountain[av] 21 yes, while I was still praying,[aw] the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously[ax] in a vision, was approaching me in my state of extreme weariness,[ay] around the time of the evening offering. 22 He spoke with me, instructing me as follows:[az] “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you. 23 At the beginning of your requests a message went out, and I have come to convey it to you, for you are of great value in God’s sight.[ba] Therefore consider the message and understand the vision:[bb]

24 “Seventy weeks[bc] have been determined
concerning your people and your holy city
to put an end to[bd] rebellion,
to bring sin[be] to completion,[bf]
to atone for iniquity,
to bring in perpetual[bg] righteousness,
to seal up[bh] the prophetic vision,[bi]
and to anoint a Most Holy Place.[bj]
25 So know and understand:
From the issuing of the command[bk] to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives,[bl]
there will be a period of seven weeks[bm] and sixty-two weeks.
It will again be built,[bn] with plaza and moat,
but in distressful times.
26 Now after the sixty-two weeks,
an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing.[bo]
As for the city and the sanctuary,
the people of the coming prince will destroy[bp] them.
But his end will come speedily[bq] like a flood.[br]
Until the end of the war that has been decreed
there will be destruction.
27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week.[bs]
But in the middle of that week
he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt.
On the wing[bt] of abominations will come[bu] one who destroys,
until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 9:1 sn The identity of this Darius is a major problem in correlating the biblical material with the extra-biblical records of this period. Most modern scholars treat the reference as a mistaken allusion to Darius Hystaspes (ca. 522-486 b.c.). Others have maintained instead that this name is a reference to the Persian governor Gubaru. Still others understand the reference to be to the Persian king Cyrus (cf. 6:28, where the ו (vav) may be understood as vav explicativum, meaning “even”). Under either of these latter two interpretations, the first year of Darius would have been ca. 538 b.c. Daniel would have been approximately eighty-two years old at this time.
  2. Daniel 9:1 tc The LXX reads “Xerxes.” This is the reading used by some English versions (e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV). Most other English versions retain the Hebrew name “Ahasuerus.”
  3. Daniel 9:1 tc The present translation follows the MT in reading a Hophal (i.e., passive). Theodotion, the Syriac, and the Vulgate all presuppose the Hiphil (i.e., active). Even though this is the only occurrence of the Hophal of this verb in the Bible, there is no need to emend the vocalization to the Hiphil.
  4. Daniel 9:1 tn Heb “was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans.”
  5. Daniel 9:2 tc This phrase, repeated from v. 1, is absent in Theodotion.
  6. Daniel 9:2 tn Heb “books” or “scrolls.” The word “sacred” has been added to clarify that it refers to the Scriptures.
  7. Daniel 9:2 sn The tetragrammaton (the four Hebrew letters that constitute the divine Name, YHWH) appears 8 times in this chapter and nowhere else in the book of Daniel.
  8. Daniel 9:3 tn Heb “face.”
  9. Daniel 9:3 tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (ʾadonay haʾelohim).
  10. Daniel 9:3 sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.
  11. Daniel 9:4 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 7, 9, 15, 16, and 19 is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
  12. Daniel 9:4 tn Heb “who keeps the covenant and the loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys.
  13. Daniel 9:6 tn Heb “in your name.” Another option is to translate: “as your representatives.”
  14. Daniel 9:6 tn Heb “our fathers” (also in vv. 8, 16). The Hebrew term translated “father” can refer to more distant relationships such as grandfathers or ancestors.
  15. Daniel 9:6 tn Heb “people.”
  16. Daniel 9:7 tn Heb “to you (belongs) righteousness.”
  17. Daniel 9:7 tn Heb “and to us (belongs) shame of face like this day.”
  18. Daniel 9:7 tn Heb “men.”
  19. Daniel 9:8 tn Heb “to us (belongs) shame of face.”
  20. Daniel 9:9 tn Heb “to the Lord our God (belong) compassion and forgiveness.”
  21. Daniel 9:10 tn Heb “paid attention to the voice of,” which is an idiomatic expression for obedience (cf. NASB “nor have we obeyed the voice of”).
  22. Daniel 9:10 tn Heb “to walk in.”
  23. Daniel 9:10 tc The LXX and Vulgate have the singular.
  24. Daniel 9:11 tn Or “transgressed.” The Hebrew verb has the primary sense of crossing a boundary, in this case, God’s law.
  25. Daniel 9:11 tn Heb “by not paying attention to your voice.”
  26. Daniel 9:11 tn Heb “the curse and the oath that is written.” The term “curse” refers here to the judgments threatened in the Mosaic law (see Deut 28) for rebellion. The expression “the curse and the oath” is probably a hendiadys (cf. Num 5:21; Neh 10:29) referring to the fact that the covenant with its threatened judgments was ratified by solemn oath and made legally binding upon the covenant community.
  27. Daniel 9:11 tn Heb “him.”
  28. Daniel 9:12 tn Heb “he has fulfilled his word(s), which he spoke.”
  29. Daniel 9:12 tn Heb “our judges.”
  30. Daniel 9:12 tn Heb “who judged.”
  31. Daniel 9:13 tn Heb “we have not pacified the face of.”
  32. Daniel 9:13 tn Or “by gaining insight.”
  33. Daniel 9:13 tn Heb “by your truth.” The Hebrew term does not refer here to abstract truth, however, but to the reliable moral guidance found in the covenant law (see vv 10-11).
  34. Daniel 9:14 tn Or “righteous.”
  35. Daniel 9:14 tn Heb “in all his deeds that he has done.”
  36. Daniel 9:14 tn Heb “we have not listened to his voice.”
  37. Daniel 9:15 tn Heb “with a powerful hand.”
  38. Daniel 9:16 tn Or “righteousness.”
  39. Daniel 9:16 tn Heb “your anger and your rage.” The synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of God’s anger. This is best expressed in English by making one of the terms adjectival (cf. NLT “your furious anger”; CEV “terribly angry”).
  40. Daniel 9:17 tn Heb “hear.” Here the verb refers to hearing favorably, accepting the prayer and responding positively.
  41. Daniel 9:17 tn Heb “let your face shine.” This idiom pictures God smiling in favor. See Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19.
  42. Daniel 9:17 tn Heb “for the sake of my Lord.” Theodotion has “for your sake.” Cf. v. 19.
  43. Daniel 9:18 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
  44. Daniel 9:18 tn Heb “desolations.” The term refers here to the ruined condition of Judah’s towns.
  45. Daniel 9:18 tn Heb “over which your name is called.” Cf. v. 19. This expression implies that God is the owner of his city, Jerusalem. Note the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 12:28; Isa 4:1; Amos 9:12.
  46. Daniel 9:18 tn Heb “praying our supplications before you.”
  47. Daniel 9:19 tn Heb “for your name is called over your city and your people.” See the note on this expression in v. 18.
  48. Daniel 9:20 tn Heb “the holy mountain of my God.”
  49. Daniel 9:21 tn Heb “speaking in prayer.”
  50. Daniel 9:21 tn Heb “in the beginning.”
  51. Daniel 9:21 tn The Hebrew expression בִּיעָף מֻעָף (muʿaf biʿaf) is very difficult. The issue is whether the verb derives from עוּף (ʿuf, “to fly”) or from יָעַף (yaʿaf, “to be weary”). Many ancient versions and modern commentators take the first of these possibilities and understand the reference to be to the swift flight of the angel Gabriel in his coming to Daniel. The words more likely refer to the extreme weariness, not of the angel, but of Daniel (cf. 7:28; 8:27; 10:8-9, 16-17; also NASB).
  52. Daniel 9:22 tn Heb “he instructed and spoke with me.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.
  53. Daniel 9:23 tn Or “a precious treasure”; KJV “greatly beloved”; NASB, NIV “highly esteemed.”
  54. Daniel 9:23 tn This sentence is perhaps a compound hendiadys (“give serious consideration to the revelatory vision”).
  55. Daniel 9:24 tn Heb “sevens.” Elsewhere the term is used of a literal week (a period of seven days); cf. Gen 29:27-28; Exod 34:22; Lev 12:5; Num 28:26; Deut 16:9-10; 2 Chr 8:13; Jer 5:24; Dan 10:2-3. Gabriel unfolds the future as if it were a calendar of successive weeks. Most understand the reference here as seventy “sevens” of years, or a total of 490 years.
  56. Daniel 9:24 tc Or “to finish.” The present translation reads the Qere (from the root תָּמַם, tamam) with many witnesses. The Kethib has “to seal up” (from the root הָתַם, hatam), a confusion with a reference later in the verse to sealing up the vision.
  57. Daniel 9:24 tc The present translation reads the Qere (singular), rather than the Kethib (plural).
  58. Daniel 9:24 tn The Hebrew phrase לְכַלֵּא (lekhalleʾ) is apparently an alternative (metaplastic) spelling of the root כָּלָה (kalah, “to complete, finish”), rather than a form of כָּלָא (kalaʾ, “to shut up, restrain”), as has sometimes been supposed.
  59. Daniel 9:24 tn Or “everlasting.”
  60. Daniel 9:24 sn The act of sealing in the OT is a sign of authentication (cf. 1 Kgs 21:8 and Jer 32:10, 11, 44).
  61. Daniel 9:24 tn Heb “vision and prophecy.” The expression is a hendiadys.
  62. Daniel 9:24 tn Or “the most holy place” (NASB, NLT); or “a most holy one”; or “the most holy one,” though the expression is used of places or objects elsewhere, not people.
  63. Daniel 9:25 tn Or “decree” (NASB, NIV); or “word” (NAB, NRSV).
  64. Daniel 9:25 tn The word “arrives” is added in the translation for clarification.
  65. Daniel 9:25 tn Heb “sevens” (also later in this line and in v. 26).sn The accents in the MT indicate disjunction at this point, which would make it difficult, if not impossible, to identify the “anointed one/prince” of this verse as messianic. The reference in v. 26 to the sixty-two weeks as a unit favors the MT accentuation, not the traditional translation. If one follows the MT accentuation, one may translate “From the going forth of the message to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives, there will be a period of seven weeks. During a period of sixty-two weeks it will again be built, with plaza and moat, but in distressful times.” The present translation follows a traditional reading of the passage that deviates from the MT accentuation.
  66. Daniel 9:25 tn Heb “it will return and be built.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.
  67. Daniel 9:26 sn The expression have nothing is difficult. Presumably it refers to an absence of support or assistance for the anointed one at the time of his “cutting off.” The KJV rendering “but not for himself,” apparently suggesting a vicarious death, cannot be defended.
  68. Daniel 9:26 tc Some witnesses (e.g., the Syriac) understand a passive verb and the preposition עִם (ʿim, “with) rather than the noun עַם (ʿam, “people”), thus reading “the city and the sanctuary will be destroyed with the coming prince.”
  69. Daniel 9:26 tn The words “will come speedily” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
  70. Daniel 9:26 sn Flood here is a metaphor for sudden destruction.
  71. Daniel 9:27 tn Heb “one seven” (also later in this line).
  72. Daniel 9:27 tn The referent of the Hebrew word כְּנַף (kenaf, “wing”) is unclear here. The LXX and Theodotion have “the temple.” Some English versions (e.g., NAB, NIV) take this to mean “a wing of the temple,” but this is not clear.
  73. Daniel 9:27 tn The Hebrew text does not have this verb, but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

Daniel’s Prayer of Supplication

In the first year of (A)Darius the son of Ahasuerus, from the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, discerned in the books the (B)number of the years concerning which the word of [a]Yahweh came to (C)Jeremiah the prophet for the fulfillment of the laying waste of Jerusalem, namely, (D)seventy years. So I gave my face to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to Yahweh my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the (E)great and awesome God, who (F)keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, (G)we have sinned and committed iniquity and acted wickedly and (H)rebelled, even (I)turning aside from Your commandments and judgments. Moreover, we have not (J)listened to Your slaves the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.

(K)To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us [b](L)open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in (M)all the countries to which You have banished them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. O Yahweh, to us belongs [c]open shame, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong (N)compassion and forgiveness, [d]for we have (O)rebelled against Him; 10 nor have we listened to the voice of Yahweh our God, to walk in His [e]laws which He (P)put before us through His slaves the prophets. 11 Indeed (Q)all Israel has trespassed against Your law, even turning aside, not listening to Your voice; so the (R)curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the [f]law of Moses the [g]servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. 12 Thus He has (S)established His words which He had spoken against us and against our (T)judges who judged us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has (U)not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem. 13 As it is written in the [h](V)law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have (W)not [i]entreated the favor of Yahweh our God by (X)turning from our iniquity and acting wisely in Your truth. 14 Therefore Yahweh has (Y)watched over the calamity and brought it on us; for Yahweh our God is (Z)righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not listened to His voice.

15 “So now, O Lord our God, who have (AA)brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and have (AB)made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned; we have acted wickedly. 16 O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteousness, let now Your (AC)anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your (AD)holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a (AE)reproach to all those around us. 17 So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your slave and to his supplications, and for [j]Your sake, O Lord, (AF)let Your face shine on Your (AG)desolate sanctuary. 18 O my God, (AH)incline Your ear and listen! Open Your eyes and (AI)see our desolations and the city which is (AJ)called by Your name; for we are not [k](AK)presenting our supplications before You on account of any righteousness of our own, but on account of Your abundant compassion. 19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, give heed and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, (AL)do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

Gabriel Brings Understanding

20 Now while I was (AM)speaking and praying, and (AN)confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and [l]presenting my supplication before Yahweh my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, 21 and while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man (AO)Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision [m]previously, [n]touched me [o]in my extreme weariness about the time of the (AP)evening offering. 22 Then he made me understand and spoke with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with (AQ)understanding. 23 At the (AR)beginning of your supplications the word was issued, so I have come to tell you, for you are [p](AS)highly esteemed; so understand the message and gain (AT)understanding in what has appeared.

Seventy Weeks and the Messiah

24 “Seventy [q](AU)weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city, to [r]finish the transgression, to [s]make an end of sin, to (AV)make atonement for iniquity, to bring in (AW)everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and [t]prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies. 25 So you are to know and have insight that from the going out of a [u](AX)word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [v](AY)Messiah the (AZ)Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be restored and rebuilt, with [w]plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the [x]Messiah will be (BA)cut off and have [y]nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will (BB)destroy the city and the sanctuary. And [z]its end will come with a (BC)flood; even to the end [aa]there will be war; desolations are decreed. 27 And he will make a [ab]firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease; and on the wing of [ac](BD)abominations will come one who [ad]makes desolate, even until a (BE)complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who [ae]makes desolate.”

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 9:2 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  2. Daniel 9:7 Lit the shame of face
  3. Daniel 9:8 Lit the shame of face
  4. Daniel 9:9 Or though
  5. Daniel 9:10 Or instructions, cf. 9:11
  6. Daniel 9:11 Or instruction, cf. 9:10
  7. Daniel 9:11 Or slave, cf. 9:10; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  8. Daniel 9:13 Or instruction, cf. 9:10-11
  9. Daniel 9:13 Lit softened the face of
  10. Daniel 9:17 Lit the sake of the Lord
  11. Daniel 9:18 Lit causing to fall
  12. Daniel 9:20 Lit causing to fall
  13. Daniel 9:21 Lit at the beginning
  14. Daniel 9:21 Or touching; lit was reaching
  15. Daniel 9:21 Lit wearied with weariness
  16. Daniel 9:23 Or precious; lit desirable
  17. Daniel 9:24 Or units of seven, so in ch
  18. Daniel 9:24 Or restrain
  19. Daniel 9:24 Or seal up sins
  20. Daniel 9:24 Lit prophet
  21. Daniel 9:25 Or decree
  22. Daniel 9:25 Or an anointed one
  23. Daniel 9:25 Or streets
  24. Daniel 9:26 Or anointed one
  25. Daniel 9:26 Or no one
  26. Daniel 9:26 Or his
  27. Daniel 9:26 Or war will be decreed for desolations
  28. Daniel 9:27 Or covenant prevail
  29. Daniel 9:27 Or detestable things
  30. Daniel 9:27 Or causes horror
  31. Daniel 9:27 Or causes horror