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Daniel 9
New English Translation

Daniel Prays for His People

9 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— 2 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. 3 So I turned my attention[h] to the Lord God[i] to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.[j] 4 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, 5 we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards. 6 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.

7 “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. 8 O Lord, we have been humiliated[s]—our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors—because we have sinned against you. 9 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.
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Daniel 9
English Standard Version

Daniel's Prayer for His People

9 (A)In the first year of (B)Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a (C)Mede, who was made king over the realm of the (D)Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to (E)the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by (F)prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and (G)made confession, saying, (H)“O Lord, the (I)great and awesome God, who (J)keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 (K)we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly (L)and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. 6 (M)We have not listened to (N)your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to (O)our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7 To you, (P)O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, (Q)those who are near and (R)those who are far away, in (S)all the lands to which you have driven them, because of (T)the treachery that they have committed against you. 8 To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because (U)we have sinned against you. 9 (V)To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him 10 (W)and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by (X)his servants the prophets. 11 (Y)All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, (Z)refusing to obey your voice. (AA)And the curse and oath (AB)that are written in the Law of (AC)Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because (AD)we have sinned against him. 12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against (AE)our rulers who ruled us,[a] by (AF)bringing upon us a great calamity. (AG)For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. 13 (AH)As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, (AI)turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. 14 (AJ)Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, (AK)for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and (AL)we have not obeyed his voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt (AM)with a mighty hand, and (AN)have made a name for yourself, as at this day, (AO)we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

16 “O Lord, (AP)according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, (AQ)your holy hill, (AR)because for our sins, and for (AS)the iniquities of our fathers, (AT)Jerusalem and your people have become (AU)a byword among all who are around us. 17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,[b] (AV)make your face to shine upon (AW)your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 (AX)O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see (AY)our desolations, and (AZ)the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. (BA)Delay not, (BB)for your own sake, O my God, because (BC)your city and (BD)your people are called by your name.”

Gabriel Brings an Answer

20 (BE)While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for (BF)the holy hill of my God, 21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man (BG)Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, (BH)came to me in swift flight at (BI)the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 (BJ)He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you (BK)insight and understanding. 23 (BL)At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, (BM)and I have come to tell it to you, for (BN)you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word (BO)and understand the vision.

The Seventy Weeks

24 (BP)“Seventy weeks[c] are decreed about your people and (BQ)your holy city, to finish (BR)the transgression, to put an end to sin, (BS)and to atone for iniquity, (BT)to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and (BU)to anoint a most holy place.[d] 25 (BV)Know therefore and understand that (BW)from the going out of the word to restore and (BX)build Jerusalem to the coming of an (BY)anointed one, a (BZ)prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again[e] with squares and moat, (CA)but in a troubled time. 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall (CB)be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come (CC)shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. (CD)Its[f] end shall come with a flood, (CE)and to the end there shall be war. (CF)Desolations are decreed. 27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week,[g] and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. (CG)And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until (CH)the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 9:12 Or our judges who judged us
  2. Daniel 9:17 Hebrew for the Lord's sake
  3. Daniel 9:24 Or sevens; also twice in verse 25 and once in verse 26
  4. Daniel 9:24 Or thing, or one
  5. Daniel 9:25 Or there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again
  6. Daniel 9:26 Or His
  7. Daniel 9:27 Or seven; twice in this verse
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