Daniel 9:14

Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us ,.... The evil of punishment; he watched the fit and proper time to bring it upon them; indeed, he watches over the evil of sin, to bring upon men the evil of chastisement or punishment, Job 14:16 , but the latter is here meant; see Jeremiah 31:28 , the word used has the signification of hastening; and so Jarchi and Saadiah explain it, "he hath hastened" F8 ישקוד "festinavit", Paguinus, Vatablus. : the almond tree, as the latter observes, has its name from hence, because it prevents other trees, and is quicker in putting out its blossom than they, Jeremiah 1:11 and so this may denote the purity of the Lord; his displicency at sin; his strict justice in punishing it; and his diligence and activity in executing judgment for it, which slumbers not, as some imagine:

for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth ; the prophet is all along careful to clear God from any imputation of injustice in any of his works, even in his strange work, punitive justice; though he watches over the evil to bring it, yet he is righteous in so doing; no charge of unrighteousness is to be exhibited against him on this account:

for we obeyed not his voice ; neither in his word, nor in his providences; neither by his prophets, nor by his judgments; and being guilty of the evil of fault, it was but just they should bear the evil of punishment.