Daniel 9:15 · Bible study
Daniel 9:15 Commentary: Exodus as Argument for Mercy
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Daniel invokes the Exodus to plead for mercy despite sin, showing that prayer can rest on God's past redemption and covenant faithfulness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Daniel invokes the Exodus as a basis for mercy, even while confessing sin.
- Key words: 'Mighty hand' (power), 'renown'/'name' (God's reputation), 'we have sinned' (confession).
- Main debate: Whether this is a meritorious argument or a reminder of God's covenant, all agree it is not merit-based but grounded in God's character.
- Theological theme: God's past redemption grounds hope for future mercy.
- Best use: Teaching on intercessory prayer and the place of God's glory in our petitions.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and who made for Yourself a name renowned to this day, we have sinned; we have acted wickedly.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Now, Lord our God, who has brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have gotten yourself renown, as it is today, we have sinned. We have done wickedly.
KJV King James Version 1769
And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And now, O Lord our God, who hast brought forth Thy people from the land of Egypt by a strong hand, and dost make for Thee a name as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
— And now, O Lord our God, who broughtest thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and hast made thee a name, as it is this day, — we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And now, O Lord, our God, who hast brought forth thy people out of the land of Egypt, with a strong hand, and hast made thee a name as at this day: we have sinned, we have committed iniquity,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Ahora pues, Señor Dios nuestro, que sacaste tu pueblo de la tierra de Egipto con mano poderosa, y te hiciste nombre cual en este día; hemos pecado, impíamente hemos hecho.
Agora pois, ó Senhor nosso Deus, que tiraste teu povo da terra do Egito com mão poderosa, e fizeste famoso o teu nome até hoje; temos pecado, agimos com maldade.
Et maintenant, Seigneur, notre Dieu, toi qui as fait sortir ton peuple du pays d’ Égypte par ta main puissante, et qui t’ es fait un nom comme il l’ est aujourd’ hui, nous avons péché, nous avons commis l’ iniquité.
Und nun, Herr, unser Gott, der du dein Volk aus Ägyptenland geführt hast mit starker Hand und hast dir einen Namen gemacht, wie er jetzt ist: wir haben ja gesündigt und sind leider gottlos gewesen.
En nu, o Heere, onze God! Die Uw volk uit Egypteland gevoerd hebt, met een sterke hand, en hebt U een Naam gemaakt, gelijk hij is te dezen dage; wij hebben gezondigd, wij zijn goddeloos geweest.
Ed ora, o Signore, Iddio nostro, che traesti il tuo popolo fuori del paese d’Egitto con mano potente, e ti facesti il nome che hai oggi, noi abbiamo peccato, abbiamo operato malvagiamente.
Wszakże teraz, o Panie, Boże nasz! któryś wywiódł lud swój z ziemi Egipskiej ręką możną, i uczyniłeś sobie imię. jako się to dziś pokazuje, zgrzeszyliśmy, niepobożnieśmy czynili.
И ныне, Господи Боже наш, изведший народ Твой из земли Египетской рукою сильною и явивший славу Твою, как день сей! согрешили мы, поступали нечестиво.
主─我們的 神啊，你曾 用大能的 手 領 你的子民 出埃及 地，使自己 得了 名，正如今 日一樣。我們犯了罪，作了惡。
And now, O Lord our God, who took your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and made a great name for yourself even to this day; we are sinners, we have done evil.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Daniel 9:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Daniel uses the Exodus here as a legitimate argument in prayer, not to claim merit but to appeal to God's character and covenant. Barnes states that Daniel 'properly refers to the former Divine interposition' as a reason for God to act again, noting that arguing from God's mercy, faithfulness, and past dealings is entirely appropriate. Calvin sees the Exodus as 'that proof of grace which ought to avail to support the minds of the pious even to the end of the world', a perpetual foundation for hope. Gill adds that Daniel mentions the Exodus to 'put the Lord in mind of his former favours' and the promise of return, even while confessing 'we have sinned.' The consistent view is that the prayer does not ignore sin but sets it against the backdrop of God's mighty redemption. The confession is not a contradiction to the argument but a deepening of it: the very greatness of the deliverance makes the sin more grievous, yet also magnifies the mercy needed.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Daniel's prayer grounds its plea squarely on God's past redemption and covenant faithfulness, not on Israel's merit; the confession of sin is genuine and earnest.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Legitimacy of arguing from God's past acts in prayer | All traditions affirm that Daniel's use of the Exodus as an argument in prayer is biblical and appropriate (cf. Moses in Exodus 32:11, 13, Solomon in 1 Kings 8:51). | Some see it as 'putting God in mind' of his covenant (Calvin), others as a rhetorical plea based on God's unchanging character (Barnes). Both affirm legitimacy but differ on the mechanism of how it 'moves' God. |
| Role of the Exodus in national restoration | The Exodus is the paradigmatic redemption that establishes Israel as God's people; its memory is a proper ground for intercession. | Jewish interpretation focuses on national restoration, while Christian interpreters often apply typologically to salvation in Christ, seeing the Exodus as a prefiguring of deliverance from sin. |
| Balance between confession and bold petition | Both confession and appeal to God's past acts are essential; one does not cancel the other. | Some emphasize that confession of sin is the primary ground (Gill: 'we have sinned, so no merit'), while others stress the argument from the Exodus as providing balance for boldness (Barnes, Calvin). Both agree on the necessity of confession. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Daniel 9:15 comes at a critical turn in the prophet's prayer. From verses 4, 14 he has confessed Israel's sin and acknowledged God's righteous judgment. Now, with 'And now,' he pivots to supplication, invoking the Exodus to ground his request. This prayer is set in the first year of Darius the Mede, around 539 BC, with Jerusalem in ruins and the Temple still destroyed. The Babylonian exile had shattered the nation's confidence.
The Exodus was Israel's defining redemption, referenced repeatedly in prayers for restoration (Nehemiah 9:9, 12; Psalm 80:8, 14). By recalling the 'mighty hand' (yad ḥazaqah) and God making a 'name' (shem) for himself, Daniel taps into the very language of the Sinai covenant (Exodus 6:1, 6; 14:18). The phrase 'as at this day' (ka-yyom hazzeh) suggests that God's reputation from that event still stands, it is a living memory. The Hebrew verb for 'brought out' (hotzetha) is in the perfect tense, completed action, yet its effects endure.
The literary structure of Daniel 9 mirrors earlier biblical prayers where leaders appeal to God's past acts (Exodus 32:11, 13, Moses; 1 Kings 8:51, Solomon). Daniel, like them, is not claiming Israel deserves deliverance. Rather, he argues that God's own name, his reputation as Redeemer, is at stake. If Israel remains in exile, the nations will question God's power and faithfulness. This wrestling with God is biblical intercession at its deepest: honest about sin, yet bold because of God's own promises.
The verse also serves as a hinge between confession and petition. Up to this point Daniel has used judgment language; now he moves to mercy language, but without a pause. The same breath that confesses sin also clings to the Exodus. This compression, sin and saving history held together, is the heart of biblical repentance.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Daniel 9:15. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts, and the ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate, Peshitta) align closely. The verse is transmitted without notable textual issues.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Daniel 9:15 has been read as a model of intercessory prayer that weaves together confession and trust in God's redemptive acts. The Reformers, particularly Calvin, highlighted the Exodus as a perpetual ground for hope. Jewish tradition includes this prayer in the penitential liturgies (selichot) recited before the Day of Atonement. In Christian preaching, the verse is often used to teach that prayer may be built on the foundation of God's great saving works, and that our sin does not nullify his covenant faithfulness. The early church saw in the Exodus a prefiguring of Christ's deliverance, making Daniel's prayer a type of Christian intercession grounded in the cross.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Remember the God Who Delivers. Daniel begins by recalling the Exodus, the foundational act of Israel's redemption. He does not rush past confession. He first fixes his heart on what God has done: brought a people out of Egypt with a mighty hand. The past is not dead; it is a living argument for hope.
- Own the Sin That Breaks. 'We have sinned, we have done wickedly.' Daniel does not qualify or excuse. The two verbs, chata'nu (to miss the mark) and rasha'nu (to act wickedly), cover the full range of failure. Honest confession does not weaken the prayer; it gives God room to be both just and merciful.
- Plead for the Name That Shines. Implicitly, Daniel is saying: Your reputation is bound up with this people. The Exodus made Your name known. If You now act, You will get renown again. The ultimate ground of prayer is not our worthiness but God's glory.
Five-point outline
- Address God as Covenant Lord: 'Adonai, Eloheinu', Lord, our God.
- Recall His Mighty Redemption: the Exodus with a strong hand.
- Acknowledge His Enduring Renown: 'as at this day', that fame continues.
- Confess Sin Fully: 'we have sinned, we have done wickedly', no evasion.
- Implicitly Appeal for Mercy: the context shows this is the turn toward petition (v.16).
Illustration hooks
- A child who breaks a family rule but reminds the parent of a past promise of love, bold because of relationship, not because of merit.
- A sports team playing poorly but recalling its championship history to find motivation and strategy.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to argue with God in prayer?
- How can I pray when I have failed God drastically?
- Does my sin cancel God's past faithfulness?
Leading a Discussion
Daniel's prayer shows we can be completely honest about sin while also standing on God's past faithfulness. He does not pretend the sin does not exist, but he does not let it silence his prayer. Instead, he lifts up the very redemption that makes confession possible.
Discussion questions
- What does Daniel recall about God in verse 15?
- Why do you think he mentions the Exodus specifically, rather than just asking for forgiveness?
- How does the confession 'we have sinned, we have done wickedly' relate to the argument from the Exodus?
- What does it mean that God 'made a name' for himself?
- How can we incorporate both confession and boldness in our own prayers?
- What role do God's past acts play in your personal prayer life?
- How does this passage encourage you to pray for your community or church?
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)
| Exodus 6:1 | Yahweh said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh, for by a strong hand he shall let them go, and by a strong hand he shall drive them out of his land.” |
| Exodus 6:6 | Therefore tell the children of Israel, ‘I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments. |
| Exodus 9:16 | but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth, |
| Exodus 14:1 | Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, |
| Exodus 14:15 | Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. |
| Exodus 14:18 | The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.” |
| Exodus 32:11 | Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? |
| I Kings 8:51 | (for they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out of Egypt, from the middle of the iron furnace); |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that Daniel models the proper use of arguments in prayer, appealing to God's past faithfulness as a reason to act again. The strength of this plea is that God's deliverance from Egypt established His reputation as a protector, making it reasonable to ask Him to intervene once more.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights that Daniel appeals to the Exodus not as a distant memory but as a lasting pledge of God's covenant. That single act of redemption established God's fatherly care for Israel across all generations, giving the faithful solid ground to plead for mercy even in their deepest distress.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator observes that Daniel's closing plea in this verse is a mosaic of phrases drawn from earlier Scripture, including the combination of "hear" and "forgive" from Solomon's prayer and the urgent "defer not" from the Psalms. The Hebrew accentuation places the main break at "defer not," highlighting the desperation of Daniel's cry.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the boldness of confessing sin while also appealing to God's own reputation. The prayer grounds its plea for mercy in God's past mighty acts of deliverance, which established his fame, rather than in any merit of the people. This makes the confession both honest and hopeful.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that the prophet recalls the Exodus not mainly to highlight Israel's ingratitude, but as a plea for God to act again. Mentioning the mighty hand and renown from Egypt is a prayer argument: just as God brought them out once, He can deliver from Babylon, though they can only plead mercy and confess their wickedness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB treats the exodus from Egypt as a standing proof that Abraham's descendants are God's covenant people. That ancient deliverance gives reason to hope for a similar rescue in the present crisis, since God works according to the same pattern for His chosen people.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Daniel's seventy
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Daniel prays with deep reverence, calling God both great and dreadful while still clinging to His covenant mercy. Far from excusing himself, Daniel identifies fully with the nation's sin, and Henry highlights that the people's own failure to plead with God was itself part of their transgression.