Dan 9:1-19 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Dan 9:1-19: 9:1-19 Daniel prayed for his people, realizing that Jerusalem’s seventy years of desolation were due to end. His prayer is comparable to prayers of Solomon (1 Kgs 8:14-61 ), Ezra (Ezra 9 ), and Nehemiah (Neh 9 ). God answered Daniel’s prayer very quickly (see study note on Dan 9:19; see also 9:20-27 ). 9:1 Darius the Mede: See study note on 5:31. • Ahasuerus is the Hebrew rendering of a Persian word taken into Greek as “Xerxes.” The father of Darius the Mede must have been a different Xerxes from the later Xerxes I, who reigned from 486 to 465 BC (see Esth 1:1 ); the time of this vision was 539 BC . It has been argued that the name Xerxes/Ahasuerus is an ancient throne name for Persian kings.

Summary for Dan 9:1-19: 9:1-19 ^a Daniel prayed for his people, realizing that Jerusalem’s seventy years of desolation were due to end. His prayer is comparable to prayers of Solomon (1 Kgs 8:14-61 ^b), Ezra (Ezra 9 ^c), and Nehemiah (Neh 9 ^d). God answered Daniel’s prayer very quickly (see study note on Dan 9:19; see also 9:20-27 ^e). 9:1 ^f Darius the Mede: See study note on 5:31.

• Ahasuerus is the Hebrew rendering of a Persian word taken into Greek as “Xerxes.” The father of Darius the Mede must have been a different Xerxes from the later Xerxes I, who reigned from 486 to 465 BC (see Esth 1:1 ^g); the time of this vision was 539 BC. It has been argued that the name Xerxes/Ahasuerus is an ancient throne name for Persian kings.
9:2 ^h reading ... Jeremiah: Daniel apparently had a copy of Jeremiah’s prophecies.

• Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years: Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC (see 2 Kgs 25:8 ⁱ), and the first return occurred in 538 BC—about 48 years later. The rebuilding of the city began almost at once (see Ezra 3:1-13 ^j; Isa 44:28 ^k), and the rebuilt Temple was completed in 515 BC—about seventy-one years after it was destroyed (Ezra 6:15 ^l). Daniel might have thought of Jerusalem’s “destruction” as having begun with his own exile in 605 BC (see Jer 25:11-12 ^m), with sixty-seven years between 605 and 538 BC.
9:3 ⁿ Daniel realized that the seventy years were nearly at an end, so he turned to the Lord God seeking restoration for his people and the city of Jerusalem.

• People in mourning often wore burlap and ashes (cp. Neh 9:1 ^o; Esth 4:1 ^p; Lam 2:10 ^q; Luke 10:13 ^r).

• Focused prayer was often accompanied by fasting to put spiritual concerns ahead of physical needs.
Summary for Dan 9:4-11: 9:4-11 ^s God’s faithfulness contrasted sharply with his people’s unfaithfulness and rebellion. When Daniel confessed the sins of his people, he included himself among them (9:5 ^t), though he had lived a laudatory life (see thematic note for Community Identity at end of chapter). Daniel prayed the equivalent of a high priestly prayer on behalf of his people, using many quotations from and allusions to the Torah, prophets, and psalms. 9:4 ^u the Lord (Hebrew Yahweh): The covenant name of God (Exod 6:2-3 ^v; 20:2 ^w) is found in Daniel only in this chapter.

• God is faithful to his covenant with his people who love ... and obey him (cp. Exod 34:6-7 ^x; Deut 7:9 ^y; Rom 8:28 ^z). God’s unfailing love (Hebrew khesed, elsewhere translated “grace,” “mercy,” “kindness”) is his fundamental nature that is the cause of faith, hope, and worship throughout the Bible (see Num 14:18 ^aa; Neh 9:17 ^ab; Pss 108:4 ^ac; 136:1-26 ^ad; Jon 2:4 ^ae; 1 Jn 4:7-8 ^af).
9:5 ^ag Daniel used four different words meaning sin: The people had sinned (literally missed the mark), done wrong (i.e., committed a bent or twisted act), rebelled against the covenant, and scorned (literally turned away from) the Lord’s instructions.
9:6 ^ah God’s servants the prophets were his specially called and inspired spokesmen (9:10 ^ai; Deut 18:15-22 ^aj; 2 Kgs 17:23 ^ak; 21:10-15 ^al; Jer 7:25 ^am; 25:4 ^an).
Summary for Dan 9:7-14: 9:7-14 ^ao Lord, you are in the right: God orchestrated the Exile as a judgment on unfaithful Israel (9:11-14 ^ap). God had given ample warning that it would happen (see Deut 28:36-37 ^aq, 49-68 ^ar).
9:12 ^as God’s act of driving Israel into exile for breaking his covenant was unique in all of history. Israel’s exodus from Egypt, their exile, and their return from Babylon are still unequaled (see also Jer 29:10 ^at).
9:13 ^au Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses is summarized in Lev 26 ^av and Deut 27–28 ^aw. When the people entered into the covenant they swore to be obedient, calling down curses on themselves if they failed (see Exod 24:7-8 ^ax; Josh 8:34-35 ^ay).
Summary for Dan 9:15-19: 9:15-19 ^az Daniel cried out for God to rescue his people and end the Exile, relying on God’s mercy and God’s desire to honor his own name. Daniel’s prayer is among the great intercessory prayers of God’s Old Testament people (see also Exod 32:11-14 ^ba; Ezra 9:1-15 ^bb; Neh 9:1-37 ^bc). 9:15 ^bd God could bring lasting honor to his name by rescuing his people from exile in Babylonia, just as he did when he rescued them from Egypt (cp. Ezek 36:19-24 ^be).
9:16 ^bf mock Jerusalem and your people: God’s name was dishonored when his chosen city and his chosen people were ridiculed because of their helplessness before their enemies, making it appear that their God was helpless (9:19 ^bg; cp. Ezek 36:19-20 ^bh).
9:17 ^bi For your own sake: That is, for God’s own honor (9:19 ^bj).
9:18 ^bk because of your mercy: God’s compassionate and merciful character gave Daniel hope (cp. Exod 34:6 ^bl; Jon 4:1-3 ^bm; Mic 6:8 ^bn).
9:19 ^bo listen and act! ... do not delay: Daniel prayed this prayer in 539 BC (see study note on 9:1). Shortly thereafter (in 538 BC), King Cyrus gave his decree allowing the Jewish people to return to Judea (Ezra 1:1-4 ^bp). The new Temple in Jerusalem was completed in 515 BC (Ezra 6:15 ^bq). God returned the Israelites from exile in response to their prayers and repentance, just as the Exile had been his response to his people’s sins and rebellion.

• your people and your city bear your name: God’s reputation was associated with Jerusalem (Neh 1:9 ^br) and his people, Israel (Exod 5:22–6:1 ^bs).