Daniel 9:1-12 · Bible study
Daniel 9:1-12 Commentary: Prayer, Confession, and the Promise of Restoration
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Daniel's model prayer of confession rooted in Jeremiah's prophecy, setting the stage for the seventy-weeks vision.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Daniel reads Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy, prays a corporate confession acknowledging God’s righteousness and the people’s sin, and appeals to God’s mercy as the basis for restoration.
- Key words: “set my face” (v. 3), deliberate prayer; “confusion of face” (v. 7-8), shame; “mercies and forgivenesses” (v. 9), plural intensifies God’s abundant forgiving nature.
- Main debate: The identity of Darius the Mede and the exact starting point for the seventy years; some see a literal reign, others a symbolic figure.
- Theological theme: Covenant faithfulness, God is just in judgment and abundant in mercy; confession precedes restoration.
- Best use: A script for personal or corporate repentance, especially when waiting on God’s promises; connects Old Testament prophecy to New Testament hope.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes, a Mede by descent, who was made ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—
2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.
3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
4And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments,
5we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances.
6We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, and fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You.
8O LORD, we are covered with shame—our kings, our leaders, and our fathers—because we have sinned against You.
9To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him
10and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God to walk in His laws, which He set before us through His servants the prophets.
11All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey Your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You.
12You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
2in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years about which Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah the prophet for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
3I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
4I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession, and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,
5we have sinned, and have dealt perversely, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even turning aside from your precepts and from your ordinances.
6We haven’t listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7“Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us confusion of face, as it is today; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near and who are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.
8Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.
9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him.
10We haven’t obeyed Yahweh our God’s voice, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11Yes, all Israel have transgressed your law, turning aside, that they should not obey your voice. “Therefore the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, for we have sinned against him.
12He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing on us a great evil; for under the whole sky, such has not been done as has been done to Jerusalem.
KJV King James Version 1769
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
4And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
10Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
12And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,
2in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
4And I prayed unto Jehovah my God, and made confession, and said, Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments,
5we have sinned, and have dealt perversely, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even turning aside from thy precepts and from thine ordinances;
6neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, that spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness; for we have rebelled against him;
10neither have we obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even turning aside, that they should not obey thy voice: therefore hath the curse been poured out upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God; for we have sinned against him.
12And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil; for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1In the first year of Darius, son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who hath been made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,
2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, have understood by books the number of the years, (in that a word of Jehovah hath been unto Jeremiah the prophet,) concerning the fulfilling of the wastes of Jerusalem--seventy years;
3and I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
4And I pray to Jehovah my God, and confess, and say: `I beseech Thee, O Lord God, the great and the fearful, keeping the covenant and the kindness to those loving Him, and to those keeping His commands;
5we have sinned, and done perversely, and done wickedly, and rebelled, to turn aside from Thy commands, and from Thy judgments:
6and we have not hearkened unto Thy servants, the prophets, who have spoken in Thy name unto our kings, our heads, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7`To Thee, O Lord, is the righteousness, and to us the shame of face, as at this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near, and who are far off, in all the lands whither Thou hast driven them, in their trespass that they have trespassed against Thee.
8`O Lord, to us is the shame of face, to our kings, to our heads, and to our fathers, in that we have sinned against Thee.
9`To the Lord our God are the mercies and the forgivenesses, for we have rebelled against Him,
10and have not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah our God, to walk in His laws, that He hath set before us by the hand of His servants the prophets;
11and all Israel have transgressed Thy law, to turn aside so as not to hearken to Thy voice; and poured on us is the execration, and the oath, that is written in the law of Moses, servant of God, because we have sinned against Him.
12`And He confirmeth His words that He hath spoken against us, and against our judges who have judged us, to bring in upon us great evil, in that it hath not been done under the whole heavens as it hath been done in Jerusalem,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,
2in the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by the books that the number of the years, whereof the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishment of the desolations of Jerusalem, was seventy years.
3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes;
4and I prayed unto Jehovah my God, and made my confession, and said, Alas Lord! the great and terrible God, keeping covenant and loving-kindness with them that love him, and that keep his commandments:
5we have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even turning aside from thy commandments and from thine ordinances.
6And we have not hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, who spoke in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7Thine, O Lord, is the righteousness, but unto us confusion of face, as at this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, in all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their unfaithfulness in which they have been unfaithful against thee.
8O Lord, unto us is confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9With the Lord our God are mercies and pardons, for we have rebelled against him;
10and we have not hearkened unto the voice of Jehovah our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us through his servants the prophets.
11And all Israel have transgressed thy law, even turning aside so as not to listen unto thy voice. And the curse hath been poured out upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God: for we have sinned against him.
12And he hath performed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil; so that there hath not been done under the whole heaven as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1In the first year of Darius, the son of Assuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who reigned over the kingdom of the Chaldeans:
2The first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by books the number of the years, concerning which the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, the prophet, that seventy years should be accomplished of the desolation of Jerusalem.
3And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
4And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I made my confession, and said: I beseech thee, O Lord God, great and terrible, who keepest the covenant, and mercy to them that love thee, and keep thy commandments.
5We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly, and have revolted: and we have gone aside from thy commandments, and thy judgments.
6We have not hearkened to thy servants, the prophets, that have spoken in thy name to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7To thee, O Lord, justice: but to us confusion of face, as at this day to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, to them that are near, and to them that are far off, in all the countries whither thou hast driven them, for their iniquities, by which they have sinned against thee.
8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, that have sinned.
9But to thee, the Lord our God, mercy and forgiveness, for we have departed from thee:
10And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord, our God, to walk in his law, which he set before us by his servants, the prophets.
11And all Israel have transgressed thy law, and have turned away from hearing thy voice, and the malediction, and the curse, which is written in the book of Moses, the servant of God, is fallen upon us, because we have sinned against him.
12And he hath confirmed his words which he spoke against us, and against our princes that judged us, that he would bring in upon us a great evil, such as never was under all the heaven, according to that which hath been done in Jerusalem.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Daniel 9:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Daniel 9:1-12 forms a hinge in the book: a penitential prayer that responds to Jeremiah’s prophecy about the seventy-year exile. Barnes and Calvin both note that Daniel did not passively wait for deliverance; he “understood by the books” (v. 2) and then set his face to seek God. The Cambridge Bible observes that the prayer deliberately echoes Solomon’s dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8) and Nehemiah’s confession (Neh 9), showing a patterned biblical language of repentance. The central claim is that God’s righteousness and the people’s shame stand in stark contrast (v. 7), yet mercy and forgiveness belong to the Lord (v. 9). Daniel speaks in the first-person plural throughout, identifying with the nation’s sin even though he himself was a faithful prophet. The prayer establishes that the exile was a just judgment for covenant disobedience, but also that God’s character opens a door for restoration.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical Darius: Darius the Mede is identified with Gubaru (as per Babylonian records), a governor appointed by Cyrus; this view draws on Daniel 5:31 and 6:1-2 to support a chronological reading.
- Literary/Symbolic Darius: Some scholars argue “Darius the Mede” conflates Persian history for theological effect; they point to the absence of such a figure in extra-biblical sources and see the naming as a literary device to emphasize the transition of empires.
What is clear: Regardless of Darius’s precise identity, the passage establishes that Daniel prayed in response to Jeremiah’s prophecy at the end of the seventy-year exile, setting the stage for the revelation of the seventy weeks.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Darius the Mede | He was a Median ruler appointed after Babylon's fall in 539 BC, distinct from later Persian kings named Darius. | Some scholars identify him with Gubaru, a governor under Cyrus; others with Cyaxares II, the last Median king. The exact historical figure remains uncertain, but the theological point, that God's timing was unfolding, is agreed. |
| Starting point for the seventy years | Daniel understood Jeremiah's prophecy to refer to the period of Jerusalem's desolation, which was now ending. | Interpreters differ on whether the seventy years began with Jehoiachin's deportation (605 BC) or the destruction of the temple (586 BC). Both readings see the prayer as fitting the end of that period. |
| Corporate confession of sin | Daniel acknowledges the nation's sin as his own, even though he was personally faithful. | Some Christians emphasize this as a model of identification with the community; others caution that one should not confess sins one has not committed, but the prayer is understood as intercession, not personal guilt. |
| Role of the Mosaic curses in current suffering | The exile is directly linked to the covenant curses in Leviticus and Deuteronomy; God's word is confirmed through judgment. | Traditions differ on whether such covenant curses apply to the church today. Some see it as a principle of divine justice; others restrict it to Israel's theocratic arrangement. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Daniel 9 opens in “the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans” (v. 1). This Darius is likely Gubaru, a governor appointed by Cyrus after the fall of Babylon in 539 BC, though some identify him with Cyaxares II. The passive verb homalek (“was made king”) signals that he did not inherit the throne but received it from the Persian conqueror. The date is crucial: shortly after Babylon’s fall, the Jewish exile was approaching the seventy-year mark foretold by Jeremiah (Jer 25:11-12; 29:10). Daniel, now in his eighties, had lived through the entire period and knew the time of promised restoration was near.
Yet the city of Jerusalem still lay in ruins, and the people remained scattered. This gap between promise and reality drove Daniel to pray with extraordinary intensity. He fasted, wore sackcloth and ashes, and “set his face” toward the Lord, a posture that echoes earlier prayer toward Jerusalem (Dan 6:10). His confession covers the whole nation, from kings to common people, and explicitly links the exile to the curses of the Mosaic covenant (Lev 26; Deut 28). The prayer reflects a deep awareness that history is not random: God had spoken through prophets, the covenant had been violated, and the consequences were now being exacted. The setting of Daniel 9 thus grounds the famous seventy-weeks prophecy in a concrete moment of crisis and hope.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Daniel 9:1-12. The passage is well preserved across the Septuagint, Theodotion, and the Masoretic Text. Minor differences in spelling (e.g., “Ahasuerus” vs. “Assuerus” in the Vulgate) do not affect interpretation.
Reception History
Daniel’s prayer has been a model for penitential liturgy in both Jewish and Christian traditions. The early church read it during Lent, seeing it as a pattern for humble confession. Jewish commentators from the Talmudic period highlighted the prayer’s use of Jeremiah’s prophecy as evidence for the authority of the prophetic canon. In the Reformation, Calvin used this text to argue that true prayer flows from Scripture and leads to self-accusation before God’s mercy. Modern evangelical and charismatic movements often cite verse 9 as a basis for confidence in God’s forgiveness. The prayer’s structure, lament, confession, appeal, also influenced the shape of the Anglican “General Confession” in the Book of Common Prayer.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s Word stirs prayer. Daniel read Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy and did not merely mark the calendar, he turned to prayer (v. 2-3). Scripture still prompts the deepest petitions.
- True confession owns the sin of the whole community. Daniel uses “we” throughout. He confesses not just his own failings but the nation’s rebellion, unfaithfulness, and refusal to listen (v. 5-11). Honest repentance includes solidarity with the sins of our people.
- Mercy is the only ground of hope. After cataloguing sin and deserved judgment, Daniel appeals to God’s character: “To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness” (v. 9). Confession does not end in despair because God is compassionate.
Five-point outline
- Observation of Scripture (v. 2), Daniel’s study of Jeremiah’s books.
- Intensified seeking (v. 3), fasting, sackcloth, ashes, and prayer.
- Corporate confession (v. 4-6, 8, 10-11a), naming specific sins: rebellion, turning aside, ignoring prophets.
- Attribution of righteousness to God (v. 7, 14), acknowledging that the judgment is just.
- Appeal to mercy (v. 9, later v. 16-19), the only basis for restoration.
Illustration hooks
- A person who reads a news report about a broken system and feels called to pray rather than only complain.
- A leader who, after a public failure, does not blame others but identifies with the corporate fault and seeks God.
- The moment of clarity when someone realizes that a long struggle is actually a consequence of their own choices, and that change begins with confession.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God promised restoration through Jeremiah, why did Daniel still need to pray so fervently?
- Is it fair for Daniel to confess sins he did not personally commit?
- How do we know when a difficult situation is a punishment from God versus a normal trial?
Leading a Discussion
In this passage Daniel models a prayer that moves from Scripture to confession to hope. His example invites us to be honest about sin, corporate and personal, while trusting God’s mercy. Use these questions to explore the text together.
Discussion questions
- What prompted Daniel to pray (v. 2)? How does reading Scripture lead to prayer in your own life?
- Daniel uses “we” and “our” throughout. Why is it important to confess sins of our community or nation, not just personal sin?
- Verse 7 says, “Righteousness belongs to you, but to us confusion of face.” What does this contrast teach about our relationship with God?
- How does Daniel describe the response of the people to the prophets (v. 6, 10)? What does “listening to the voice of Yahweh” look like in practice today?
- Daniel mentions “the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses” (v. 11). How does this connect to the broader biblical story of covenant?
- What does verse 9 tell us about God’s character in the midst of judgment? Why is it important that mercy and forgiveness “belong” to Him?
- How might Daniel’s prayer shape the way you approach God when you are aware of failure, your own or others’?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Daniel 1:21 | Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus. |
| Daniel 5:31 | Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. |
| Daniel 6:1 | It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom; |
| Daniel 6:28 | So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. |
| Daniel 11:1 | “As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him. |
| II Chronicles 36:21 | to fulfill Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. As long as it lay desolate, it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. |
| Ezra 1:1 | Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, |
| Psalms 74:3 | Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that Daniel's intense prayer arose directly from his study of Jeremiah's prophecy. Finding that the seventy years of desolation were nearly complete, Daniel was not passive but prayed more earnestly. For Barnes, the certainty of God's promise is the strongest encouragement to prayer, never a reason to cease asking.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin points out that Daniel's certainty of God's promise did not make him idle; it drove him to pray even more earnestly. True faith is not passive acceptance but active dependence on God, stirred up by his own promises. Prayer is the chief exercise of that faith, not a sign of doubt.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Daniel's prayer was prompted by his careful study of Jeremiah's prophecy about the seventy years of desolation. Understanding that the time was nearly complete, the prophet set himself to earnest intercession, confessing the sins of all Israel and appealing to God's mercy and forgiveness despite their rebellion.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that this prophecy corrects any expectation that Messiah would come in glory right after the seventy-year exile. Instead, seventy weeks must pass, and even then Messiah would come not in triumph but to die, putting away sin. This chapter sits between two visions of Antichrist to comfort the faithful.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Daniel's prayer arose directly from studying Jeremiah's prophecy and realizing the seventy years of captivity were complete. For Henry, Daniel shifts from the king's business to far greater work, acting as the church's mouthpiece to God at the very moment when deliverance was overdue but still undecreed.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies this Darius as the Mede, contemporary with Daniel, and counters attempts to discredit the book by confusing him with a later Persian king. He then notes that failure in governing and judging brought sin and punishment on rulers and people alike, and that Jerusalem, being uniquely privileged, received the heaviest judgment.