Daniel was in Babylon, under a new king, when he read the words of the prophet Jeremiah and understood the number of the years. The seventy years God had spoken about were nearly done. His response was not to wait and watch, but to pray.
What he prayed is one of the longest confessions in the Bible, and he never once blamed anyone but his own people and himself. Before he finished, an answer arrived in person.
The Story of Daniel’s Prayer
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
So Daniel set his face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. He began with who God is: O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments.
Then he confessed, and he said we, not they. We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled. Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets. He put the two sides plainly: O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces. And he held on to hope: To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him.
Daniel admitted that everything that had come on Jerusalem was written in the law of Moses, and that even then they had not prayed that we might turn from our iniquities. He asked God to let his anger be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain, and to cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate. He was clear about what he was resting on: we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. He ended, O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake.
While he was still speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom he had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched him about the time of the evening oblation. Gabriel said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved.
Gabriel then gave the message of the seventy weeks. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. He spoke of a time from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince, of the street and the wall built again in troublous times, and said that after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. The chapter ends with a covenant confirmed for one week and the sacrifice and the oblation brought to an end.
Key Verses
“I Daniel understood by books the number of the years” Daniel 9:2
“We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled” Daniel 9:5
“We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies” Daniel 9:18
“O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding” Daniel 9:22
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” Daniel 9:24
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), a public-domain translation.
What the Story of Daniel’s Prayer Teaches Us
Daniel’s prayer grew out of reading Scripture. He understood by books what God had told Jeremiah, and instead of treating the promise as a reason to relax, he set his face unto the Lord God with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. Knowing what God had promised moved him to ask God to do it.
His confession is honest and personal. Daniel was known for his faithfulness, yet he prayed we have sinned, we have done wickedly, and spoke of confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel. He asked for nothing on the basis of their goodness, but for thy great mercies.
God heard him at once. Gabriel said the commandment came forth at the beginning of thy supplications, and called Daniel greatly beloved. The message he brought looked far beyond the return from Babylon, to the Messiah the Prince and the bringing in of everlasting righteousness. Christians have long read the seventy weeks as pointing to Jesus the Messiah, though they have understood the details and timeline in different ways.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Daniel’s prayer in the Bible?
Daniel’s prayer of confession is in Daniel 9:3-19. Gabriel’s visit and the message of the seventy weeks follow in Daniel 9:20-27.
Why did Daniel pray in Daniel 9?
He understood by books, from the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, that God would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:2). That led him to seek God with prayer, fasting, sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3).
When did Gabriel come to Daniel?
While Daniel was still speaking in prayer, Gabriel touched him about the time of the evening oblation (Daniel 9:21). Gabriel said the commandment came forth at the beginning of thy supplications (Daniel 9:23).
What are the seventy weeks in Daniel 9?
Gabriel said, Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in everlasting righteousness (Daniel 9:24). Verses 25-26 speak of the Messiah the Prince and say Messiah would be cut off, but not for himself. Christians have long read this as pointing to Jesus, though they differ on how to count the weeks and how to read verse 27.
What did Daniel confess in his prayer?
He confessed for himself and his people: We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled (Daniel 9:5). He said they had not hearkened unto thy servants the prophets (Daniel 9:6).
What did Gabriel call Daniel?
Gabriel told him, thou art greatly beloved (Daniel 9:23).