Daniel 9:14

14 And the Lord waked on malice, and brought it on us; our Lord God is just in all his works which he made, for we heard not his voice. (And the Lord watched, and then brought in this malice upon us; for the Lord our God is just, and right, in all his works which he made, but we did not listen to him, or obey him.)

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 ordained his words, which he spake on us, and on our princes, that deemed us, that they should bring in on us great evil, what manner evil was never under all heaven, by that that is done in Jerusalem, (And he ordained his words, which he spoke against us, and against our rulers, who judged us, so that they would bring in upon us great evil, what manner evil was never under all heaven, by that which is done in Jerusalem,)

13 as it is written in the law of Moses. All this evil came [up]on us, and, our Lord God, we prayed not thy face, that we should turn again from our wickednesses, and should think (on) thy truth. (as it is written in the Law of Moses. All this evil came upon us, and, O Lord our God, we did not pray to thee, that we should turn back from our wickednesses, and should think upon thy truth.)

14 And the Lord waked on malice, and brought it on us; our Lord God is just in all his works which he made, for we heard not his voice. (And the Lord watched, and then brought in this malice upon us; for the Lord our God is just, and right, in all his works which he made, but we did not listen to him, or obey him.)

15 And now, our Lord God, that leddest thy people out of the land of Egypt in strong hand, and madest to thee a name by this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedness, (And now, O Lord our God, who leddest thy people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and madest to thee a name by this day, we have sinned, yea, we have done wickedness.)

16 Lord, against all thy rightfulness. I beseech, thy wrath and thy strong vengeance be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, and from thy holy hill; for why for our sins, and for the wickednesses of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people be in shame, to all men by our compass. (O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thy anger and thy strong vengeance be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, and from thy holy hill; and because of our sins, and the wickednesses of our forefathers, Jerusalem and thy people be in shame, to all those who live all around us.)