Daniel 9:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us.

NIV: Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

NASB: Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the wrongdoings of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become an object of taunting to all those around us.

CSB: Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.

NLT: In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.

KJV: O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

NKJV: “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us.

Daniel pleads with the Lord, appealing to His righteousness, to restore the capital city of the Jewish people as it was before their defeat and exile. This would be according to God's own promise to one day restore His scattered people (Jeremiah 29:10–14). Daniel admits that it was Israel's own sin that led to their suffering (2 Kings 17:1–8; 2 Chronicles 36:5–7; Jeremiah 25:7–11). God warned, and the nation ignored Him (Deuteronomy 28:15–24, 48–50; 29:25).

They were so utterly defeated and scattered that they became a "byword" or "a reproach" or "an object of scorn." Israel was disapproved of and considered shameful. The ESV uses "byword:" an example others use to suggest some specific idea. The Greek story of Oedipus made his name a "byword" for unintended consequences and terrible fate. A modern example might be "Chernobyl," often used as a shorthand reference to catastrophe because of the nuclear accident which happened there. Similar uses have been applied to terms such as "Titanic," used for disaster. Likewise, the phrase "Faustian bargain" has come to imply an ill-considered contract with evil. The most common biblical example would be "Sodom:" used to imply deep depravity and evil (Ezekiel 16:56; Matthew 10:15) or destruction (Zephaniah 2:9).

This is exactly what God said would happen (Deuteronomy 28:36). He predicted Israel would be "a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the LORD will lead you away" (Deuteronomy 28:37). The cultures in Daniel's era used references to Israel and the Jewish people to imply total defeat and utter subjugation.

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.