9
1 In
the first year
of Darius the
son of Ahasuerus,
of the offspring
of the Medes,
who was made
king over the
realm of the
Chaldeans—
2 in
the first year of
his reign I,
Daniel, understood by
the books the
number of the
years about which
the LORD’s
word came to
Jeremiah the
prophet for
the accomplishing of
the desolations of
Jerusalem, even
seventy years.
3 I
set my face
to the Lord God,
to seek by
prayer and petitions,
with fasting and
sackcloth and ashes.
4 I
prayed to the
LORD my God,
and made
confession, and said,
“Oh, Lord, the
great and dreadful
God, who keeps
covenant and loving
kindness with those
who love him
and keep his
commandments,
5 we have
sinned, and have dealt
perversely, and have
done wickedly,
and have rebelled, even
turning aside from
your precepts and
from your
ordinances.
6 We haven’t
listened to your
servants the
prophets, who
spoke in your
name to our
kings, our princes,
and our fathers,
and to all
the people of
the land.
7 “Lord,
righteousness belongs to
you, but to
us confusion of
face, as it
is today; to
the men of
Judah, and to
the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and to
all Israel, who
are near and
who are far
off, through all
the countries where
you have driven
them, because of
their trespass
that they have
trespassed against
you.
8 Lord,
to us belongs
confusion of face,
to our kings,
to our princes,
and to our fathers,
because we have
sinned against you.
9 To
the Lord our God belong
mercies and
forgiveness, for
we have rebelled
against him.
10 We haven’t
obeyed the LORD
our God’s voice,
to walk in
his laws, which
he set before
us by his
servants the
prophets.
11 Yes,
all Israel have
transgressed your
law, turning aside,
that they should
not obey your
voice.
“Therefore the
curse and the
oath written in
the law of
Moses the servant
of God has been
poured out on
us, for we
have sinned
against him.
12 He
has confirmed his
words, which he
spoke against us
and against our
judges who judged
us, by bringing on
us a great
evil; for under
the whole sky,
such has not
been done as
has been done
to Jerusalem.
13 As
it is written
in the law
of Moses, all
this evil has
come on us.
Yet we have
not entreated the
favor of the
LORD our God,
that we should
turn from our
iniquities and
have discernment
in your truth.
14 Therefore
the LORD has
watched over the
evil, and brought
it on us;
for the LORD
our God is
righteous in all
his works which
he does, and
we have not
obeyed his voice.
15 “Now, Lord
our God, who
has brought your
people out of
the land of Egypt
with a mighty
hand, and have
gotten yourself
renown, as it
is today, we
have sinned. We
have done wickedly.
16 Lord, according
to all your
righteousness, please
let your anger
and your wrath
be turned away
from your city
Jerusalem, your
holy mountain;
because for our
sins and for
the iniquities of
our fathers, Jerusalem
and your people
have become a
reproach to all
who are around
us.
17 “Now
therefore, our God,
listen to the
prayer of your
servant and to
his petitions, and cause
your face to shine
on your sanctuary
that is desolate,
for the Lord’s
sake.
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.
19 Lord, hear.
Lord, forgive. Lord, listen
and do. Don’t defer,
for your own
sake, my God,
because your city
and your people
are called by
your name.”
20 While
I was speaking,
praying, and
confessing my sin
and the sin
of my people
Israel, and
presenting my
supplication before
the LORD my
God for the
holy mountain of
my God—
21 yes,
while I was
speaking in
prayer—the man
Gabriel, whom I
had seen in
the vision at
the beginning,
being caused to
fly swiftly,
touched me about
the time of
the evening
offering.
22 He
instructed me and
talked with me,
and said, “Daniel,
I have now
come to give
you wisdom and
understanding.
23 At
the beginning of
your petitions the
commandment went
out, and I
have come to
tell you, for
you are greatly beloved.
Therefore consider the
matter and understand
the vision.
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.
25 “Know
therefore and
discern that from
the going out
of the commandment
to restore and
build Jerusalem to
the Anointed
One,
the prince, will
be seven weeks
and sixty-two
weeks. It will
be built again,
with street and
moat, even
in troubled times.
26 After
the sixty-two
weeks the Anointed
One
will be cut
off, and will
have nothing. The
people of the
prince who come
will destroy the
city and the
sanctuary. Its end
will be with
a flood, and
war will be
even to the
end. Desolations
are determined.
27 He
will make a
firm covenant with
many for one
week. In the
middle of the
week he will cause
the sacrifice and
the offering to
cease. On the
wing of
abominations will come
one who makes
desolate; and even
to the decreed
full end, wrath
will be poured
out on the
desolate.”