Daniel 9:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans —

NIV: In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—

NASB: In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—

CSB: In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was made king over the Chaldean kingdom—

NLT: It was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians.

KJV: In 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;

NKJV: In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—

Biblical scholars place Daniel's initial capture (Daniel 1:1–7) at around 605 BC. He was likely a young teenager at that time. This chapter refers to events happening around 539 to 537 BC: meaning about sixty-six years after Daniel was taken to Babylon. Daniel would be nearing eighty by this time, and still serving as an advisor to rulers in the land of his exile. The presumed timeline would place this vision a few years before Daniel's experience in the lions' den (Daniel 6:1).

The identity of "Darius the son of Ahasuerus" is controversial. It's possible he was a sub-ruler appointed by Cyrus the Great. This verse, with others, implies that his leadership was somehow given or appointed (Daniel 5:31). The Medo-Persian empire displaced Babylon when Belshazzar was king (Daniel 5:30). Darius was of royal descent, the son of King Ahasuerus. Inscriptions mention Gobryas, which was likely another name for Darius. Apparently, Cyrus, a highly acclaimed Persian general, made Darius the ruler over the Babylonians, while he continued his military exploits. Darius ruled for only a short time until Cyrus took the reins of government.

This change in rulership seems to have inspired Daniel to research the end of Israel's captivity, especially in the book of Jeremiah (Daniel 9:2).

Daniel 9:1–19 records a prayer of confession on behalf of God's rebellious people; Daniel includes himself by using terms such as "us" and "we." After the fall of Babylon, Daniel sees evidence in the writings of Jeremiah that Israel's exile may be nearing an end. He prays for forgiveness and restoration, referring to God as righteous, merciful, and forgiving. This prayer leads to an appearance from the angel Gabriel. Gabriel will deliver a prophetic message about Israel's future.

Darius became king when Babylon fell to Medo-Persia. Daniel compared this to writings from Jeremiah, and realized the exile of Israel was almost over. As he prayed for God's intervention, the angel Gabriel arrived to provide further explanation. Gabriel's prophecy ties the arrival of an "anointed one," or "Messiah," or "Christ," to a moment in history followed by a set interval of time. This prediction includes dire moments for Israel and Jerusalem.

This chapter forms part of the prophetic section of Daniel's writing. After confessing the sins of both Israel and his own life, Daniel received a visit from the angel Gabriel. Gabriel revealed a message about Israel's then-future. This includes reference to the arrival of Christ and information about the still-future end times. Chapter 10 begins the last of Daniel's prophetic messages.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.