Daniel Chapter 9 — Daniel’s Prayer and the Seventy Weeks
Daniel offers a deep prayer of confession for his people after studying Jeremiah’s prophecies, and the angel Gabriel reveals the timeline for Jerusalem’s future.
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Notable Verses
Daniel 9:18
“My God, turn your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by your name; for we do not present our petitions before you for our righteousness, but for your great mercies’ sake.”
This verse emphasizes that Daniel's appeal for restoration is based entirely on God's character and mercy rather than human merit.
Daniel 9:24
“Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.”
This verse introduces a significant and highly studied prophetic timeline concerning the future of the Jewish people and the Messiah.
Chapter Summary
In Daniel 9, Daniel realizes through the writings of Jeremiah that the seventy-year desolation of Jerusalem predicted by the prophet is nearing completion. This realization prompts Daniel to seek God through intense prayer, fasting, and confession. He acknowledges the collective sins of Israel, their rebellion against God's laws, and their refusal to listen to the prophets, which resulted in the Babylonian exile as a righteous judgment. Daniel petitions God to turn His anger away from Jerusalem and the sanctuary for the sake of His own mercy and name. While Daniel is still praying, the angel Gabriel appears to give him wisdom and understanding. Gabriel delivers the prophecy of the seventy weeks, a timeline decreed for the people and the holy city to finish transgression and make reconciliation for iniquity. This prophecy includes the appearance and cutting off of an Anointed One and the eventual destruction of the city and its sanctuary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Daniel was praying because he understood from the scriptures of Jeremiah that the seventy years of Jerusalem's desolation were nearly over. He sought God with confession and fasting, asking for the restoration of the people and the city.
The angel Gabriel visits Daniel while he is still in the middle of his prayer. Gabriel informs Daniel that he is 'greatly beloved' and has come to provide him with wisdom and understanding regarding the future.
The seventy weeks are a prophetic period decreed for Israel and Jerusalem to deal with sin and establish righteousness. The prophecy outlines a sequence of events including the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the appearance of an Anointed One, and subsequent desolations.
Study Note
Daniel 9:2 is a rare instance in the Old Testament where one biblical author explicitly cites the written scrolls of another (Jeremiah) as divine scripture.
Related Chapters
Jeremiah Chapter 25
This chapter contains the specific prophecy of the seventy years of exile that Daniel was studying.
Ezra Chapter 1
Records the decree to return to Jerusalem, marking the beginning of the restoration Daniel prayed for.
Matthew Chapter 24
Jesus references the 'abomination of desolation' spoken of by Daniel the prophet.
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