holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 . because for our sins . . . fathers . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:5 ). App-92 . become a reproach . Compare Jeremiah 24:9 ; Jeremiah 29:18 ; Jeremiah 42:18 ; Jeremiah 44:8 , Jeremiah 44:12 .Ezekiel 5:14 , Ezekiel 5:15 ; Ezekiel 22:4 . read more
16. thy righteousness—not stern justice in punishing, but Thy faithfulness to Thy promises of mercy to them who trust in Thee (Psalms 31:1; Psalms 143:1). thy city—chosen as Thine in the election of grace, which changes not. for . . . iniquities of . . . fathers— (Exodus 20:5). He does not impugn God's justice in this, as did the murmurers (Ezekiel 18:2; Ezekiel 18:3; compare Ezekiel 18:3- :). thy people . . . a reproach—which brings reproach on Thy name. "All the nations that are about us"... read more
3. Daniel’s petition for restoration 9:15-19Having laid a foundation for appeal in his confession (Daniel 9:4-14), Daniel now proceeded to petition God to restore His people to the Promised Land. read more
Now the prophet appealed to God as Adonai, stressing His sovereignty over His people, and as Elohim, the strong One. As God had righteously brought discipline on Israel for her past sins, Daniel asked Him righteously to bring restoration, since He had promised it, too. The answer would primarily glorify God, and secondarily, bless His people. read more
The Seventy WeeksIn the first year of Darius the Mede, Daniel, studying the prophetical books, finds that Jeremiah has predicted that the desolation of Jerusalem will last for seventy years (Daniel 9:1-2). He prays, confessing the great sin of Israel, and entreating God to have mercy on His people (Daniel 9:3-19), Thereupon the angel Gabriel explains to him (Daniel 9:20-24) that Jeremiah’s seventy years are seventy ’weeks,’ or ’sevens,’ of years (=490 years), which are to be made up of (7+62+1)... read more
(16) Righteousness.—Those acts of Jehovah which evince His righteousness, or His faithfulness to His promises. Mount Zion, the “holy mountain,” holds a very important place in prophecy. It is the outward visible sign of the stability of God’s promises to David, the “sure mercies of David,”’ as well as the centre of all that is Holy in the kingdom of God. (See Psalms 68:15-16; Psalms 132:13-14; Isaiah 2:2-4; and comp. Daniel 9:20.) read more
Daniel 9:3 Fasting is an indispensable condition of a good life; but in fasting, as in self-control in general, the question arises, With what shall we begin? How to fast, how often to eat, what to eat, what to avoid eating? And as we can do no work seriously without regarding the necessary order of sequence, so also we cannot fast without knowing where to begin with what to commence self-control in food. Fasting! and even an analysis of how to fast, and where to begin the very notion of it... read more
THE SEVENTY WEEKSTHIS chapter is occupied with the prayer of Daniel, and with the famous vision of the seventy weeks which has led to such interminable controversies, but of which the interpretation no longer admits of any certainty, because accurate data are not forthcoming.The vision is dated in the first year of Darius, the son of Achashverosh, of the Median stock. We have seen already that such a person is unknown to history. The date, however, accords well in this instance with the... read more
CHAPTER 9 The Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks 1. The time and occasion of Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 9:1-2 ) 2. The prayer (Daniel 9:3-19 ) 3. The answer and the prophecy of the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:20-27 ) Daniel 9:1-2 . It was in the first year of Darius, of the seed of the Medes, that Daniel understood by the sacred writings of his people, especially by the prophecy of Jeremiah, that the end of the years of the captivity was at hand. The promises in the Word of God led him at once to... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Daniel 9:1-23
Daniel’s prayer (9:1-23)Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC and Darius was placed in charge of the newly conquered territory (see 5:31). The Jews’ seventy years captivity in Babylon, which Jeremiah had predicted, was now almost complete, and Daniel looked for their return to their homeland (9:1-2; see Jeremiah 29:10). But he knew that repentance was necessary if they were to enjoy God’s blessing, and therefore he came to God in prayer on behalf of his people (3).Casting himself and his people... read more