Daniel 9:18-27

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, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Yisra'el, 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 Gavri'el, 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, Daniyel, I am now come forth to give you wisdom and understanding.

23 At the beginning of your petitions the mitzvah went forth, and I am 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, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

25 Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the mitzvah to restore and to build Yerushalayim to the Messiah the prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: it shall be built again, with street and moat, even in troubled times.

26 After the sixty-two weeks the Anointed One shall be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end of it shall be with a flood, and even to the end shall be war; desolations are determined.

27 He shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and on the wing of abominations [shall come] one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, shall [wrath] be poured out on the desolate.

Daniel 9:18-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 9

This chapter contains a prayer of Daniel, and the answer to it. The time, occasion, and manner of his prayer, or circumstances of it, are observed, Da 9:1-3, the parts of it, an address unto God, under various suitable epithets and characters, Da 9:4 confession of sin, of his own, of the inhabitants of the land, kings, princes, and people, which are largely dwelt upon and exaggerated, Da 9:5-15 and petitions for mercy, Da 9:16-19, then the answer follows; the time when it was ordered and given, and the person by whom it was sent, are expressed, Da 9:20-23 who delivered to him the vision of the seventy weeks to be considered by him; in which both the work of the Messiah, and the time of his coming, are clearly pointed out, Da 9:24-27.