Dan 9:21-23 | TNotes | STEP | 9:21 Gabriel ... earlier vision: See 8:15-16 . • evening sacrifice: Before the destruction of the Temple, Israel had offered two sacrificial lambs daily, one in the morning and one in the evening (Exod 29:41 ). Daniel apparently observed these times daily with prayer (Dan 6:10 , 13 ; cp. Ps 55:17 ).

9:21 ^a Gabriel ... earlier vision: See 8:15-16 ^b.

• evening sacrifice: Before the destruction of the Temple, Israel had offered two sacrificial lambs daily, one in the morning and one in the evening (Exod 29:41 ^c). Daniel apparently observed these times daily with prayer (Dan 6:10 ^d, 13 ^e; cp. Ps 55:17 ^f).
9:22 ^g In the book of Daniel, insight and understanding are key words that often refer to the meaning of God’s revelation (cp. 1:4 ^h; 9:13 ⁱ, 25 ^j; 11:33 ^k, 35 ^l). God did not promise Daniel the answers to all of his questions, but rather, a basic grasp of the issues. God is in charge of history.
9:23 ^m a command was given (literally a word went forth): This command might have been God’s decree to end the Exile and return his people to Jerusalem and Judea, or it might have been the command to explain the future to Daniel (9:24-27 ⁿ).

• you are very precious to God: Also in 10:11 ^o, 19 ^p.

• It is unclear what your vision refers to: It could be the restoration of Jerusalem and God’s people that Daniel read about in Jeremiah and envisioned in his prayer (9:2-20 ^q), or one of the earlier visions (e.g., ch 8 ^r; cp. 8:27 ^s).