CHAPTER 9
In the first
year
of Darius
son
of Xerxes,
a Mede
by descent,
who
was made ruler
over
the kingdom
of the Chaldeans—
in the first
year
of his reign,
I,
Daniel,
understood
from the sacred books,
according to the word
of the LORD
to
Jeremiah
the prophet,
that the desolation
of Jerusalem
would last
seventy
years.
So I turned my attention
to
the Lord
God
to seek
Him by prayer
and petition,
with fasting,
sackcloth,
and ashes.
And I prayed
to the LORD
my God
and confessed,
“O,
Lord,
the great
and awesome
God,
who keeps
His covenant
of loving devotion
to those who love Him
and keep
His commandments,
we have sinned
and done wrong.
We have acted wickedly
and rebelled.
We have turned away
from Your commandments
and ordinances.
We have not
listened
to
Your servants
the prophets,
who
spoke
in Your name
to
our kings,
leaders,
fathers,
and all
the people
of the land.
To You,
O Lord,
belongs righteousness,
but this
day
we are covered
with shame—
the men
of Judah,
the people
of Jerusalem,
and all
Israel,
near
and far,
in all
the countries
to which
You have driven us
because of our unfaithfulness
to You.
O LORD,
we
are covered
with shame—
our kings,
our leaders,
and our fathers—
because
we have sinned
against You.
and have not
obeyed
the voice
of the LORD
our God
to walk
in His laws,
which
He set
before
us through
His servants
the prophets.
All
Israel
has transgressed
Your law
and turned away,
refusing
to obey
Your voice;
so the oath
and the curse
written
in the Law
of Moses,
the servant
of God,
has been poured out
on us
because
we have sinned
against You.
You have carried out
the words
spoken
against
us and against
our rulers
by bringing
upon us
a great
disaster.
For under
all
of heaven,
nothing
has ever been done
like what
has been done
to Jerusalem.
Just as
it is written
in the Law
of Moses,
all
this
disaster
has come
upon us,
yet we have not
sought the favor
of the LORD
our God
by turning
from our iniquities
and paying attention
to Your truth.
Therefore the LORD
has kept the calamity
in store
and brought it
upon us.
For
the LORD
our God
is righteous
in
all
He does;
yet we have not
obeyed
His voice.
Now,
O Lord
our God,
who
brought
Your people
out of the land
of Egypt
with a mighty
hand,
and who made
for Yourself
a name
renowned to this
day,
we have sinned,
we have acted wickedly.
O Lord,
in keeping with all
Your righteous acts,
I pray
that Your anger
and wrath
may turn away
from Your city
Jerusalem,
Your holy
hill;
for
because of our sins
and the iniquities
of our fathers,
Jerusalem
and Your people
are a reproach
to all
around us.
So now,
our God,
hear
the prayers
and
petitions
of Your servant.
For Your sake,
O Lord,
cause Your face
to shine
upon
Your desolate
sanctuary.
Incline
Your ear,
O my God,
and hear;
open
Your eyes
and see
the desolation
of the city
that bears
Your name.
For
we
are not
presenting
our petitions
before You
because of
our righteous acts,
but
because of
Your abundant
compassion.
O Lord,
listen!
O Lord,
forgive!
O Lord,
hear
and act!
For Your sake,
O my God,
do not
delay,
because
Your city
and Your people
bear
Your name.”
While
I
was speaking,
praying,
confessing
my sin
and that
of my people
Israel,
and presenting
my petition
before
the LORD
my God
concerning
His
holy
hill—
while
I
was still praying,
Gabriel,
the man
I had seen
in the earlier
vision,
came
to me
in swift flight
about the time
of the evening
sacrifice.
He instructed me
and spoke
with me,
saying:
“O Daniel,
I have come
now
to give you insight
with understanding.
At the beginning
of your petitions,
an answer
went out,
and I
have come
to tell you,
for
you are
highly precious.
So consider
the message
and understand
the vision:
Seventy
weeks
are decreed
for
your people
and your holy
city
to stop their transgression,
to put an end to sin,
to make atonement
for iniquity,
to bring in
everlasting
righteousness,
to seal up
vision
and prophecy,
and to anoint
the Most Holy Place.
Know
and understand this:
From
the issuing
of the decree
to restore
and rebuild
Jerusalem,
until
the Messiah,
the Prince,
there will be seven
weeks
and sixty-two
weeks.
It will be rebuilt
with streets
and a trench,
but in times
of distress.
Then after
the sixty-two
weeks,
the Messiah
will be cut off
and will have nothing,
and the people
of the prince
who is to come
will destroy
the city
and the sanctuary.
The end
will come like a flood,
and until
the end
there will be war;
desolations
have been decreed.
And he will confirm
a covenant
with many
for one
week,
but in the middle
of the week
he will put an end
to sacrifice
and offering.
And on
the wing of the temple
will come the abomination
that causes desolation,
until
the decreed
destruction
is poured out
upon
him."