Add parallel Print Page Options

In the first year of Daryavesh the son of Achashverosh, a Mede by birth who was made king over the kingdom of the Kasdim — in the first year of his reign, I, Dani’el, was reading the Scriptures and thinking about the number of years which Adonai had told Yirmeyah the prophet would be the period of Yerushalayim’s desolation, seventy years. I turned to Adonai, God, to seek an answer, pleading with him in prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to Adonai my God and made this confession:

“Please, Adonai, great and fearsome God, who keeps his covenant and extends grace to those who love him and observe his mitzvot! We have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled and turned away from your mitzvot and rulings. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our leaders, our ancestors and to all the people of the land.

“To you, Adonai, belongs righteousness; but to us today belongs shame — to us, the men of Y’hudah, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and all Isra’el, including those nearby and those far away, throughout all the countries where you have driven them; because they broke faith with you. Yes, Adonai, shame falls on us, our kings, our leaders and our ancestors; because we sinned against you. It is for Adonai our God to show compassion and forgiveness, because we rebelled against him. 10 We didn’t listen to the voice of Adonai our God, so that we could live by his laws, which he presented to us through his servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Isra’el flouted your Torah and turned away, unwilling to listen to your voice. Therefore the curse and oath written in the Torah of Moshe the servant of God was poured out on us, because we sinned against him. 12 He carried out the threats he spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us disaster so great that under all of heaven, nothing has been done like what has been done to Yerushalayim. 13 As written in the Torah of Moshe, this whole disaster came upon us. Yet we did not appease Adonai our God by renouncing our wrongdoing and discerning your truth. 14 So Adonai watched for the right moment to bring this disaster upon us, for Adonai our God was just in everything he did, yet we didn’t listen when he spoke.

15 “Now, Adonai our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, thereby winning renown for yourself, as is the case today — we sinned, we acted wickedly. 16 Adonai, in keeping with all your justice, please allow your anger and fury to be turned away from your city Yerushalayim, your holy mountain; because it is due to our sins and the wrongdoings of our ancestors that Yerushalayim and your people have become objects of scorn among everyone around us. 17 Therefore, our God, listen to the prayer and pleadings of your servant; and cause your face to shine on your desolated sanctuary, for your own sake. 18 My God, turn your ear, and hear; open your eyes and see how desolated we are, as well as the city which bears your name. For we plead with you not because of our own righteousness, but because of your compassion. 19 Adonai, hear! Adonai, forgive! Adonai, pay attention, and don’t delay action — for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people bear your name!”

20 While I was speaking, praying, confessing my own sin and the sin of my people Isra’el, and pleading before Adonai my God for the holy mountain of my God — 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gavri’el, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, swooped down on me in full flight at about the time of the evening sacrifice, 22 and explained things to me. He said, “I have come now, Dani’el, to enable you to understand this vision clearly. 23 At the beginning of your prayers, an answer was given; and I have come to say what it is; because you are greatly loved. Therefore look into this answer, and understand the vision.

24 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and for your holy city for putting an end to the transgression, for making an end of sin, for forgiving iniquity, for bringing in everlasting justice, for setting the seal on vision and prophet, and for anointing the Especially Holy Place. 25 Know, therefore, and discern that seven weeks [of years] will elapse between the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Yerushalayim until an anointed prince comes. It will remain built for sixty-two weeks [of years], with open spaces and moats; but these will be troubled times. 26 Then, after the sixty-two weeks, Mashiach will be cut off and have nothing. The people of a prince yet to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary, but his end will come with a flood, and desolations are decreed until the war is over. 27 He will make a strong covenant with leaders for one week [of years]. For half of the week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and the grain offering. On the wing of detestable things the desolator will come and continue until the already decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

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