Daniel 9:14

14 The Lord also has watched, and brought the evils upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his work which he has executed, but we have not hearkened to his voice.

Daniel 9:14 Meaning and Commentary

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 ) ( 44:27 ) , the word used has the signification of hastening; and so Jarchi and Saadiah explain it, "he hath hastened" ^F8: 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 Jeremiah 1:19 ) 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (dwqvy) "festinavit", Paguinus, Vatablus.

Daniel 9:14 In-Context

12 And he has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our judges who judged us, bringing upon us great evils, such as have not happened under the whole heaven, according to what has happened in Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all these evils have come upon us: yet we have not besought the Lord our God, that we might turn away from our iniquities, and have understanding in all thy truth.

14 The Lord also has watched, and brought the evils upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his work which he has executed, but we have not hearkened to his voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God, who broughtest thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and madest to thyself a name, as this day; we have sinned, we have transgressed.

16 O Lord, thy mercy is over all: let, I pray thee, thy wrath turn away, and thine anger from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: for we have sinned, and because of our iniquities, and those of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach among all that are round about us.