The chat will start when you send the first message.
1In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, who was of Median descent and who had been appointed king over the Babylonian empire –[#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 vav (ו) 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.; #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.”; #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.; #tn Heb “was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans.”]
2in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books that, according to the word of the lord disclosed to the prophet Jeremiah, the years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem were seventy in number.[#tc This phrase, repeated from v. 1, is absent in Theodotion.; #tn The Hebrew text has “books”; the word “sacred” has been added in the translation to clarify that it is Scriptures that are referred to.; #sn The tetragrammaton (the four Hebrew letters which constitute the divine Name, YHWH) appears eight times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the book of Daniel.; #map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.]
3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.[#tn Heb “face.”; #tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (’adonay ha’elohim).; #sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.]
4I prayed to the lord my God, confessing in this way:
“O Lord, great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant with those who love him and keep his commandments,
5we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards.
6We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, and to all the inhabitants of the land as well.[#tn Heb “in your name.” Another option is to translate, “as your representatives.”; #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.; #tn Heb “people.”]
7“You are righteous, O Lord, but we are humiliated this day – the people 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.[#tn Heb “to you (belongs) righteousness.”; #tn Heb “and to us (belongs) shame of face like this day.”; #tn Heb “men.”]
8O lord , we have been humiliated – our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors – because we have sinned against you.[#tn Heb “to us (belongs) shame of face.”]
9Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.[#tn Heb “to the Lord our God (belong) compassion and forgiveness.”]
10We have not obeyed the lord our God by living according to his laws that he set before us through his servants the prophets.[#tn Heb “paid attention to the voice of,” which is an idiomatic expression for obedience (cf. NASB “nor have we obeyed the voice of”).; #tn Heb “to walk in.”; #tc The LXX and Vulgate have the singular.]
11“All Israel has broken your law and turned away by not obeying you. Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you.[#tn Or “transgressed.” The Hebrew verb has the primary sense of crossing a boundary, in this case, God’s law.; #tn Heb “by not paying attention to your voice.”; #tn Heb “the curse and the oath which 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.; #tn Heb “him.”]
12He has carried out his threats against us and our rulers who were over us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven![#tn Heb “he has fulfilled his word(s) which he spoke.”; #tn Heb “our judges.”; #tn Heb “who judged.”]
13Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify the lord our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom from your reliable moral standards.[#tn Heb “we have not pacified the face of.”; #tn Or “by gaining insight.”; #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.]
14The lord was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the lord our God is just in all he has done, and we have not obeyed him.[#tn Or “righteous.”; #tn Heb “in all his deeds which he has done.”; #tn Heb “we have not listened to his voice.”]
15“Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day – we have sinned and behaved wickedly.[#tn Heb “with a powerful hand.”]
16O Lord, according to all your justice, please turn your raging anger 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.[#tn Or “righteousness.”; #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”).]
17“So now, our God, accept the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to your devastated sanctuary for your own sake.[#tn Heb “hear.” Here the verb refers to hearing favorably, accepting the prayer and responding positively.; #tn Heb “let your face shine.” This idiom pictures God smiling in favor. See Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19.; #tn Heb “for the sake of my Lord.” Theodotion has “for your sake.” Cf. v. 19.]
18Listen attentively, my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins and the city called by your name. For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, but because your compassion is abundant.[#tn Heb “turn your ear.”; #tn Heb “desolations.” The term refers here to the ruined condition of Judah’s towns.; #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.; #tn Heb “praying our supplications before you.”]
19O 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.”[#tn Heb “for your name is called over your city and your people.” See the note on this expression in v 18.]
20While 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 –[#tn Heb “the holy mountain of my God.”]
21yes, while I was still praying, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously in a vision, was approaching me in my state of extreme weariness, around the time of the evening offering.[#tn Heb “speaking in prayer.”; #tn Heb “in the beginning.”; #tn The Hebrew expression בִּיעָף מֻעָף (mu’af bi’af) is very difficult. The issue is whether the verb derives from עוּף (’uf, “to fly”) or from יָעַף (ya’af, “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.]
22He spoke with me, instructing me as follows: “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you.[#tn Heb “he instructed and spoke with me.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.]
23At 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. Therefore consider the message and understand the vision:[#tn Or “a precious treasure”; KJV “greatly beloved”; NASB, NIV “highly esteemed.”; #tn This sentence is perhaps a compound hendiadys (“give serious consideration to the revelatory vision”).]
24“Seventy weeks have been determined[#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 periods of seventy “sevens” of years, or a total of 490 years.]
concerning your people and your holy city
to put an end to rebellion,
to bring sin to completion,
to atone for iniquity,
to bring in perpetual righteousness,
to seal up the prophetic vision,
and to anoint a most holy place.
25So know and understand:
From the issuing of the command to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives,
there will be a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks.
It will again be built, with plaza and moat,
but in distressful times.
26Now after the sixty-two weeks,
an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing.
As for the city and the sanctuary,
the people of the coming prince will destroy them.
But his end will come speedily like a flood.
Until the end of the war that has been decreed
there will be destruction.
27He will confirm a covenant with many for one week.[#tn Heb “one seven” (also later in this line).]
But in the middle of that week
he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt.
On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys,
until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”