Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Daniel 9:3 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Da 9:3	Strong Concordance	And I set [05414] my face [06440] unto the Lord [0136] God [0430], to seek [01245] by prayer [08605] and supplications [08469], with fasting [06685], and sackcloth [08242], and ashes [0665]:
	King James	And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
prayer . . . supplications--literally, "intercessions . . . entreaties for mercy." Praying for blessings, and deprecating evils.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

prayer . . . supplications--literally, "intercessions . . . entreaties for mercy." Praying for blessings, and deprecating evils.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And I set my face unto the Lord God - Probably the meaning is, that he turned his face toward Jerusalem, the place where God had dwelt; the place of his holy abode on earth. See the notes at Dan 6:10. The language, however, would not be inappropriate to denote prayer without such a supposition. We turn to one whom we address, and so prayer may be described by "setting the face toward God." The essential idea here is, that he engaged in a set and formal prayer; he engaged in earnest devotion. He evidently set apart a time for this, for he prepared himself by fasting, and by putting on sackcloth and ashes. To seek by prayer and supplications - To seek his favor; to pray that he would accomplish his purposes. The words "prayer and supplications," which are often found united, would seem to denote "earnest" prayer, or prayer when mercy was implored - the notion of "mercy" or "favor" implored entering into the meaning of the Hebrew word rendered "supplications." With fasting - In view of the desolations of the city and temple; the calamities that had come upon the people; their sins, etc.; and in order also that the mind might be prepared for earnest and fervent prayer. The occasion was one of great importance, and it was proper that the mind should be prepared for it by fasting. It was the purpose of Daniel to humble himself before God, and to recal the sins of the nation for which they now suffered, and fasting was an appropriate means of doing that. And sackcloth - Sackcloth was a coarse kind of cloth, usually made of hair, and employed for the purpose of making sacks, bags, etc. As it was dark, and coarse, and rough, it was regarded as a proper badge of mourning and humiliation, and was worn as such usually by passing or girding it around the loins. See the notes at Isa 3:24; Job 16:15. And ashes - It was customary to cast ashes on the head in a time of great grief and sorrow. The principles on which this was done seem to have been, (a) that the external appearance should correspond with the state of the mind and the heart, and (b) that such external circumstances would have a tendency to produce a state of heart corresponding to them - or would produce true humiliation and repentance for sin. Compare the notes at Job 2:8. The practical truth taught in this verse, in connection with the preceding, is, that the fact that a thing is certainly predicted, and that God means to accomplish it, is an encouragement to prayer, and will lead to prayer. We could have no encouragement to pray except in the purposes and promises of God, for we have no power ourselves to accomplish the things for which we pray, and all must depend on his will. When that will is known it is the very thing to encourage us in our approaches to him, and is all the assurance that we need to induce us to pray.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And I set my face unto the Lord God - Probably the meaning is, that he turned his face toward Jerusalem, the place where God had dwelt; the place of his holy abode on earth. See the notes at Dan 6:10. The language, however, would not be inappropriate to denote prayer without such a supposition. We turn to one whom we address, and so prayer may be described by "setting the face toward God." The essential idea here is, that he engaged in a set and formal prayer; he engaged in earnest devotion. He evidently set apart a time for this, for he prepared himself by fasting, and by putting on sackcloth and ashes.

To seek by prayer and supplications - To seek his favor; to pray that he would accomplish his purposes. The words "prayer and supplications," which are often found united, would seem to denote "earnest" prayer, or prayer when mercy was implored - the notion of "mercy" or "favor" implored entering into the meaning of the Hebrew word rendered "supplications."

With fasting - In view of the desolations of the city and temple; the calamities that had come upon the people; their sins, etc.; and in order also that the mind might be prepared for earnest and fervent prayer. The occasion was one of great importance, and it was proper that the mind should be prepared for it by fasting. It was the purpose of Daniel to humble himself before God, and to recal the sins of the nation for which they now suffered, and fasting was an appropriate means of doing that.

And sackcloth - Sackcloth was a coarse kind of cloth, usually made of hair, and employed for the purpose of making sacks, bags, etc. As it was dark, and coarse, and rough, it was regarded as a proper badge of mourning and humiliation, and was worn as such usually by passing or girding it around the loins. See the notes at Isa 3:24; Job 16:15.

And ashes - It was customary to cast ashes on the head in a time of great grief and sorrow. The principles on which this was done seem to have been,

(a) that the external appearance should correspond with the state of the mind and the heart, and

(b) that such external circumstances would have a tendency to produce a state of heart corresponding to them - or would produce true humiliation and repentance for sin.

Compare the notes at Job 2:8. The practical truth taught in this verse, in connection with the preceding, is, that the fact that a thing is certainly predicted, and that God means to accomplish it, is an encouragement to prayer, and will lead to prayer. We could have no encouragement to pray except in the purposes and promises of God, for we have no power ourselves to accomplish the things for which we pray, and all must depend on his will. When that will is known it is the very thing to encourage us in our approaches to him, and is all the assurance that we need to induce us to pray.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Daniel's prayer. This prayer has been judged very severely by modern critics. According to Berth., v. Leng., Hitzig, Staeh., and Ewald, its matter and its whole design are constructed according to older patterns, in particular according to the prayers of Neh 9 and Ezr 9:1-15, since Dan 9:4 is borrowed from Neh 1:5; Neh 9:32; Dan 9:8 from Neh 9:34; Dan 9:14 from Neh 9:33; Dan 9:15 from Neh 1:10; Neh 9:10; and, finally, Dan 9:7, Dan 9:8 from Ezr 9:7. But if we consider this dependence more closely, we shall, it is true, find the expression הפנים בּשׁת (confusion of faces, Ezr 9:7, Ezr 9:8) in Ezr 9:7, but we also find it in Ch2 32:21; Jer 7:19, and also in Psa 44:16; סלחות (forgivenesses, Dan 9:9) we find in Neh 9:17, but also in Psa 130:4; and על תּתּך (is poured upon, spoken of the anger of God, Dan 9:11) is found not only in Ch2 12:7; Ch2 34:21, Ch2 34:25, but also Jer 42:18; Jer 44:6, and Nah 1:6. We have only to examine the other parallel common thoughts and words adduced in order at once to perceive that, without exception, they all have their roots in the Pentateuch, and afford not the slightest proof of the dependence of this chapter on Neh 9. The thought, "great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy," etc., which is found in Dan 9:4 and in Neh 1:5, has its roots in Deu 7:21 and Dan 9:9, cf. Exo 20:6; Exo 34:7, and in the form found in Neh 9:32, in Deu 10:17; the expression (Dan 9:15), "Thou hast brought Thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand," has its origin in Deu 7:8; Deu 9:26, etc. But in those verses where single thoughts or words of this prayer so accord with Neh 9 or Ezr 9:1-15 as to show a dependence, a closer comparison will prove, not that Daniel borrows from Ezra or Nehemiah, but that they borrow from Daniel. This is put beyond a doubt by placing together the phrases: "our kings, our princes, our fathers" (Dan 9:5, Dan 9:8), compared with these: "our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers" (Neh 9:34, Neh 9:32), and "our kings and our priests" (Ezr 9:7). For here the naming of the "priests" along with the "kings and princes" is just as characteristic of the age of Ezra and Nehemiah as the omission of the "priests" is of the time of the Exile, in which, in consequence of the cessation of worship, the office of the priest was suspended. This circumstance tends to refute the argument of Sthelin (Einl. p. 349), that since the prayers in Chron., Ezra, and Nehem. greatly resemble each other, and probably proceed from one author, it is more likely that the author of Daniel 9 depended on the most recent historical writings, than that Daniel 9 was always before the eyes of the author of Chron. - a supposition the probability of which is not manifest. If, without any preconceived opinion that this book is a product of the times of the Maccabees, the contents and the course of thought found in the prayer, Daniel 9, are compared with the prayers in Ezr 9:1-15 and Neh 9, we will not easily suppose it possible that Daniel depends on Ezra and Nehemiah. The prayer of Ezr 9:6-15 is a confession of the sins of the congregation from the days of the fathers down to the time of Ezra, in which Ezra scarcely ventures to raise his countenance to God, because as a member of the congregation he is borne down by the thought of their guilt; and therefore he does not pray for pardon, because his design is only "to show to the congregation how greatly they had gone astray, and to induce them on their part to do all to atone for their guilt, and to turn away the anger of God" (Bertheau). The prayer, Neh 9:6-37, is, after the manner of Ps 105 and 106, an extended offering of praise for all the good which the Lord had manifested toward His people, notwithstanding that they had continually hardened their necks and revolted from His from the time of the call of Abraham down to the time of the exile, expressing itself in the confession, "God is righteous, but we are guilty," never rising to a prayer for deliverance from bondage, under which the people even then languished. The prayer of Daniel 9, on the contrary, by its contents and form, not only creates the impression "of a fresh production adapted to the occasion," and also of great depth of thought and of earnest power in prayer, but it presents itself specially as the prayer of a man, a prophet, standing in a near relation to God, so that we perceive that the suppliant probably utters the confession of sin and of guilt in the name of the congregation in which he is included; but in the prayer for the turning away of God's anger his special relation to the Lord is seen, and is pleaded as a reason for his being heard, in the words, "Hear the prayer of Thy servant and his supplication (Dan 9:17); O my God, incline Thine ear" (Dan 9:18). (Note: After the above remarks, Ewald's opinion, that this prayer is only an epitome of the prayer of Baruch (1:16-3:8), scarcely needs any special refutation. It is open before our eyes, and has been long known, that the prayer of Baruch in the whole course of its thoughts, and in many of the expressions found in it, fits closely to the prayer of Daniel; but also all interpreters not blinded by prejudice have long ago acknowledged that from the resemblances of this apocryphal product not merely to Daniel 9, but also much more to Jeremiah, nothing further follows than that the author of this late copy of ancient prophetic writings knew and used the book of Daniel, and was familiar with the writings of Daniel and Jeremiah, and of other prophets, so that he imitated them. This statement, that the pseudo-Baruch in ch. 1:15-3:8 presents an extended imitation of Daniel's prayer, Ewald has not refuted, and he has brought forward nothing more in support of his view than the assertion, resting on the groundless supposition that the mention of the "judges" in Dan 9:12 is derived from Bar. 2:1, and on the remark that the author of the book of Baruch would have nothing at all peculiar if he had formed that long prayer out of the book of Daniel, or had only wrought after this pattern - a remark which bears witness, indeed, of a compassionate concern for his protge, but manifestly says nothing for the critic.) The prayer is divided into two parts. Dan 9:4-14 contain the confession of sin and guilt; Dan 9:15-19 the supplication for mercy, and the restoration of the holy city and its sanctuary lying in ruins. The confession of sin divides itself into two strophes. Dan 9:4-10 state the transgression and the guilt, while Dan 9:11-14 refer to the punishment from God for this guilt. Dan 9:3 forms the introduction. The words, "Then I directed my face to the Lord," are commonly understood, after Dan 6:11, as meaning that Daniel turned his face toward the place of the temple, toward Jerusalem. This is possible. The words themselves, however, only say that he turned his face to God the Lord in heaven, to האלהים אדני, the Lord of the whole world, the true God, not to יהוה, although he meant the covenant God. "To seek prayer in (with) fasting," etc. "Fasting in sackcloth (penitential garment made of hair) and ashes," i.e., sprinkling the head with ashes as an outward sign of true humility and penitence, comes into consideration as a means of preparation for prayer, in order that one might place himself in the right frame of mind for prayer, which is an indispensable condition for the hearing of it - a result which is the aim in the seeking. In regard to this matter Jerome makes these excellent remarks: "In cinere igitur et sacco postulat impleri quod Deus promiserat, non quod esset incredulus futurorum, sed ne securitas negligentiam et negligentia pareret offensam." תּפלּה and תּחנוּנים = תּחנּה, cf. Kg1 8:38, Kg1 8:45, Kg1 8:49; Ch2 6:29, Ch2 6:35. תּפלּה is prayer in general; תּחנוּנים, prayer for mercy and compassion, as also a petition for something, such as the turning away of misfortune or evil (deprecari). The design of the prayer lying before us is to entreat God that He would look with pity on the desolation of the holy city and the temple,and fulfil His promise of their restoration. This prayer is found in Dan 9:15-19. Dan 9:4 Since the desolation of the holy land and the exile of the people was a well-deserved punishment for their sins, and a removal of the punishment could not be hoped for without genuine humiliation under the righteous judgment of God, Daniel begins with a confession of the great transgression of the people, and of the righteousness of the divine dealings with them, that on the ground of this confession he might entreat of the divine compassion the fulfilment of the promised restoration of Jerusalem and Israel. He prays to Jehovah אלהי, my God. If we wish our prayers to be heard, then God, to whom we pray, must become our God. To אתודּה (I made confession) M. Geier applies Augustine's beautiful remark on Psa 29:1-11 : "Confession gemina est, aut peccati aut laudis. Quando nobis male est in tribulationibus, confiteamur peccata nostra; quando nobis bene est in exultatione justitiae, confiteamur laudem Deo: sine confessione tamen non simus." The address, "Thou great and dreadful God, who keepest the covenant," etc., points in its first part to the mighty acts of God in destroying His enemies (cf. Deu 7:21), and in the second part to the faithfulness of God toward those that fear Him in fulfilling His promises (cf. Deu 7:9). While the greatness and the terribleness of God, which Israel had now experienced, wrought repentance and sorrow, the reference to the covenant faithfulness of God served to awaken and strengthen their confidence in the help of the Almighty. Dan 9:5 God is righteous and faithful, but Israel is unrighteous and faithless. The confession of the great guilt of Israel in Dan 9:5 connects itself with the praise of God. This guilt Daniel confesses in the strongest words. חטא, to make a false step, designates sin as an erring from the right; עוה, to be perverse, as unrighteousness; רשׁע, to do wrong, as a passionate rebellion against God. To these three words, which Solomon (Kg1 8:47) had already used as an exhaustive expression of a consciousness of sin and guilt, and the Psalmist (Psa 106:6) had repeated as the confession of the people in exile, Daniel yet further adds the expression מרדנוּ, we have rebelled against God, and סור, are departed, fallen away from His commandments; this latter word being in the inf. absol., thereby denotes that the action is presented with emphasis. Dan 9:6 The guilt becomes the greater from the fact that God failed not to warn them, and that Israel would not hear the words of the prophets, who in His name spoke to high and low, - to kings and princes, i.e., the heads of tribes and families, and to the great men of the kingdom and to the fathers, i.e., to their ancestors, in this connection with the exclusion of kings and chiefs of the people, who are specially named, as Jer 44:17, cf. Neh 9:32, Neh 9:34; not perhaps the elders, heads of families (Cocceius, J. D. Michaelis, and others), or merely teachers (Ewald). To illustrate the meaning, there is added the expression "the whole people of the land," not merely the common people, so that no one might regard himself as exempted. Compare כּל־עמך, Neh 9:32. This expression, comprehending all, is omitted when the thought is repeated in Dan 9:8. Dan 9:7 Thus to God belongeth righteousness, but to the sinful people only shame. הצדקה לך does not mean: Thine was the righteous cause (Hitzig). The interpolation of the was is arbitrary, and צדקה predicated of God is not righteous cause, but righteousness as a perfection which is manifested in His operations on the earth, or specially in His dealings toward Israel. הפנים בּשׁת, shame which reflects itself in the countenance, not because of disgraceful circumstances, Ezr 9:7 (Kranichfeld), but in the consciousness of well-deserved suffering. הזּה כּיום does not mean: at this time, to-day, now (Hv., v. Leng., and others); the interpretation of כ in the sense of circa stands opposed to the definite הזּה. In the formula הזּה כּיום the כ has always the meaning of a comparison; also in Jer 44:6, Jer 44:22-23; Sa1 22:8, and everywhere the expression has this meaning: as it happened this day, as experience has now shown or shows. See under Deu 2:30. Here it relates merely to הף/ ot yl בּשׁת לנוּ (to us shame, etc.), not also the first part of the verse. The לנוּ is particularized by the words, "the men of Judah" (אישׁ collectively, since the plur. אישׁים in this connection cannot be used; it occurs only three times in the O.T.), "and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Both together are the citizens of the kingdom of Judah. ישׂראל, the whole of the rest of Israel, the members of the kingdom of the ten tribes. To both of these the further definition relates: "those that are near, and those that are far off, etc." With m' אשׁר בּמעלם (because of their trespass which," etc.), cf. Lev 26:40. Dan 9:8 In this verse Daniel repeats the thoughts of Dan 9:7 in order to place the sin and shame of the people opposite to the divine compassion, and then to pass from confession of sin to supplication for the sin-forgiving grace of the covenant-keeping God. Dan 9:9-10 Compassion and forgiveness are with the Lord our God; and these we need, for we have rebelled against Him. This thought is expanded in Dan 9:10-14. The rebellion against God, the refusing to hear the voice of the Lord through the prophets, the transgression of His law, of which all Israel of the twelve tribes were guilty, has brought the punishment on the whole people which the law of Moses threatened against transgressors. Dan 9:11 ותּתּך with ו consec.: therefore has the curse poured itself out, and the oath, i.e., the curse strengthened with an oath. נתך, to pour forth, of storms of rain and hail (Exo 9:33), but especially of the destroying fire-rain of the divine wrath, cf. Nah 1:6 with Gen 19:24, and Jer 7:20; Jer 42:18; Jer 44:6. האלה is used, Deu 29:18., of the threatenings against the transgressors of the law in Lev 26:14., Deu 28:15., to which Daniel here makes reference. To strengthen the expression, he has added השּׁבעה (and the oath) to האלה, after Num 5:21; cf. also Neh 10:30. Dan 9:12 In this verse the Kethiv דּבריו, in harmony with the ancient versions, is to be maintained, and the Keri only as an explanation inferred from the thought of a definite curse. "Our judges" is an expression comprehending the chiefs of the people, kings and princes, as in Ps. 20:10; Psa 148:11. Dan 9:13 The thought of Dan 9:11 is again taken up once more to declare that God, by virtue of His righteousness, must carry out against the people the threatening contained in His law. את before כּל־הרעה is not, with Kranichfeld, to be explained from the construction of the passive כּתוּב with the accusative, for it does not depend on כּתוּב no, but serves to introduce the subject absolutely stated: as concerns all this evil, thus it has come upon us, as Eze 44:3; Jer 45:4; cf. Ewald's Lehrb. 277d. Regarding את־פּני חלּינוּ (we entreated the face, etc.), cf. Zac 7:2; Zac 8:21. להשׂכּיל בּאמתּך is not to be translated: to comprehend Thy faithfulness (Hitzig), for the construction with ב does not agree with this, and then אמת does not mean faithfulness (Treue), but truth (Warheit). The truth of God is His plan of salvation revealed in His word, according to which the sinner can only attain to happiness and salvation by turning to God and obeying His commands. Dan 9:14 Because Israel did not do this, therefore the Lord watched upon the evil, i.e., continually thought thereon - an idea very frequently found in Jeremiah; cf. Jer 1:12; Jer 31:28; Jer 44:27. צדּיק with על following, righteous on the ground of all His works - a testimony from experience; cf. Neh 9:33 (Kranichfeld). Dan 9:15-19 After this confession, there now follows the prayer for the turning away of the wrath (Dan 9:15 and Dan 9:16) of God, and for the manifestation of His grace toward His suppliant people (Dan 9:17-19). Dan 9:15 This prayer Daniel founds on the great fact of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, by which the Lord made for Himself a name among the nations. Jerome has here rightly remarked, not exhausting the thought however: "memor est antiqui beneficii, ut ad similem Dei clementiam provocet." For Daniel does not view the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt merely as a good deed, but as an act of salvation by which God fulfilled His promise He had given to the patriarchs, ratified the covenant He made with Abraham, and by the miracles accompanying the exodus of the tribes of Israel from the land of Egypt, glorified His name before all nations (cf. Isa. 63:32, 13), so that Moses could appeal to this glorious revelation of God among the heathen as an argument, in his prayer for pardon to Israel, to mitigate the anger of God which burned against the apostasy and the rebellion of the people, and to turn away the threatened destruction, Exo 32:11., Num 14:13. Jeremiah, and also Isaiah, in like manner ground their prayer for mercy to Israel on the name of the Lord, Jer 32:20., Isa 63:11-15. Nehemiah (Neh 1:10 and Neh 9:10) in this agrees with Jeremiah and Daniel. הזּה כּיום, in the same connection in Jer 50, does not mean, then, at that time, but, as this day still: (hast gotten Thee) a name as Thou hast it still. In order to rest the prayer alone on the honour of the Lord, on the honour of His name, Daniel again repeats the confession, we have sinned, we have done wickedly; cf. Dan 9:5. Dan 9:16 The prayer for the turning away of God's anger follows, and is introduced by a repetition of the address, "O Lord," and by a brief condensation of the motive developed in Dan 9:15, by the words כּכל־צדקתיך. צדקות does not mean in a gracious manner, and צדק is not grace, but proofs of the divine righteousness. The meaning of the words כּכל־צדקתיך is not: as all proofs of Thy righteousness have hitherto been always intimately connected with a return of Thy grace, so may it also now be (Kran.); but, according to all the proofs of Thy righteousness, i.e., to all that Thou hitherto, by virtue of Thy covenant faithfulness, hast done for Israel. צדקות means the great deeds done by the Lord for His people, among which the signs and wonders accompanying their exodus from Egypt take the first place, so far as therein Jehovah gave proof of the righteousness of His covenant promise. According to these, may God also now turn away His anger from His city of Jerusalem! The words in apposition, "Thy holy mountain," refer especially to the temple mountain, or Mount Zion, as the centre of the kingdom of God. The prayer is enforced not only by כּל־צדקריך, but also by the plea that Jerusalem is the city of God (Thy city). Compare Psa 79:4 and Psa 44:14. Dan 9:17 In this verse the prayer is repeated in more earnest words. With פּניך האר (cause Thy face to shine) compare Psa 80:4 and Num 6:25. אדני למען, because Thou art Lord, is stronger than למענך. As the Lord κατ ̓ἐχοχήν, God cannot let the desolation of His sanctuary continue without doing injury to His honour; cf. Isa 48:11. Dan 9:18-19 The argument by which the prayer is urged, derived from a reference to the desolations, is strengthened by the words in apposition: and the city over which Thy name is named; i.e., not which is named after Thy name, by which the meaning of this form of expression is enfeebled. The name of God is the revelation of His being. It is named over Jerusalem in so far as Jehovah gloriously revealed Himself in it; He has raised it, by choosing it as the place of His throne in Israel, to the glory of a city of God; cf. Psa 48:2., and regarding this form of expression, the remarks under Deu 28:10. The expression: and laying down my supplication before God (cf. Dan 9:20), is derived from the custom of falling down before God in prayer, and is often met with in Jeremiah; cf. Jer 38:26; Jer 42:9, and Jer 36:7. The Kethiv פּקחה (Dan 9:18, open) is to be preferred to the Keri פּקח, because it is conformed to the imperative forms in Dan 9:19, and is in accordance with the energy of the prayer. This energy shows itself in the number of words used in Dan 9:18 and Dan 9:19. Chr. B. Mich., under Dan 9:19, has well remarked: "Fervorem precantis cognoscere licet cum ex anaphora, seu terna et mysterii plena nominis Adonai repetitione, tum ex eo, quod singulis hisce imperativis He paragogicum ad intensiorem adfectum significandum superaddidit, tum ex congerie illa verborum: Audi, Condona, Attende, reliqua."

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Daniel's prayer. This prayer has been judged very severely by modern critics. According to Berth., v. Leng., Hitzig, Staeh., and Ewald, its matter and its whole design are constructed according to older patterns, in particular according to the prayers of Neh 9 and Ezr 9:1-15, since Dan 9:4 is borrowed from Neh 1:5; Neh 9:32; Dan 9:8 from Neh 9:34; Dan 9:14 from Neh 9:33; Dan 9:15 from Neh 1:10; Neh 9:10; and, finally, Dan 9:7, Dan 9:8 from Ezr 9:7. But if we consider this dependence more closely, we shall, it is true, find the expression הפנים בּשׁת (confusion of faces, Ezr 9:7, Ezr 9:8) in Ezr 9:7, but we also find it in Ch2 32:21; Jer 7:19, and also in Psa 44:16; סלחות (forgivenesses, Dan 9:9) we find in Neh 9:17, but also in Psa 130:4; and על תּתּך (is poured upon, spoken of the anger of God, Dan 9:11) is found not only in Ch2 12:7; Ch2 34:21, Ch2 34:25, but also Jer 42:18; Jer 44:6, and Nah 1:6. We have only to examine the other parallel common thoughts and words adduced in order at once to perceive that, without exception, they all have their roots in the Pentateuch, and afford not the slightest proof of the dependence of this chapter on Neh 9.

The thought, "great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy," etc., which is found in Dan 9:4 and in Neh 1:5, has its roots in Deu 7:21 and Dan 9:9, cf. Exo 20:6; Exo 34:7, and in the form found in Neh 9:32, in Deu 10:17; the expression (Dan 9:15), "Thou hast brought Thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand," has its origin in Deu 7:8; Deu 9:26, etc. But in those verses where single thoughts or words of this prayer so accord with Neh 9 or Ezr 9:1-15 as to show a dependence, a closer comparison will prove, not that Daniel borrows from Ezra or Nehemiah, but that they borrow from Daniel. This is put beyond a doubt by placing together the phrases: "our kings, our princes, our fathers" (Dan 9:5, Dan 9:8), compared with these: "our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers" (Neh 9:34, Neh 9:32), and "our kings and our priests" (Ezr 9:7). For here the naming of the "priests" along with the "kings and princes" is just as characteristic of the age of Ezra and Nehemiah as the omission of the "priests" is of the time of the Exile, in which, in consequence of the cessation of worship, the office of the priest was suspended. This circumstance tends to refute the argument of Sthelin (Einl. p. 349), that since the prayers in Chron., Ezra, and Nehem. greatly resemble each other, and probably proceed from one author, it is more likely that the author of Daniel 9 depended on the most recent historical writings, than that Daniel 9 was always before the eyes of the author of Chron. - a supposition the probability of which is not manifest.

If, without any preconceived opinion that this book is a product of the times of the Maccabees, the contents and the course of thought found in the prayer, Daniel 9, are compared with the prayers in Ezr 9:1-15 and Neh 9, we will not easily suppose it possible that Daniel depends on Ezra and Nehemiah. The prayer of Ezr 9:6-15 is a confession of the sins of the congregation from the days of the fathers down to the time of Ezra, in which Ezra scarcely ventures to raise his countenance to God, because as a member of the congregation he is borne down by the thought of their guilt; and therefore he does not pray for pardon, because his design is only "to show to the congregation how greatly they had gone astray, and to induce them on their part to do all to atone for their guilt, and to turn away the anger of God" (Bertheau).

The prayer, Neh 9:6-37, is, after the manner of Ps 105 and 106, an extended offering of praise for all the good which the Lord had manifested toward His people, notwithstanding that they had continually hardened their necks and revolted from His from the time of the call of Abraham down to the time of the exile, expressing itself in the confession, "God is righteous, but we are guilty," never rising to a prayer for deliverance from bondage, under which the people even then languished.

The prayer of Daniel 9, on the contrary, by its contents and form, not only creates the impression "of a fresh production adapted to the occasion," and also of great depth of thought and of earnest power in prayer, but it presents itself specially as the prayer of a man, a prophet, standing in a near relation to God, so that we perceive that the suppliant probably utters the confession of sin and of guilt in the name of the congregation in which he is included; but in the prayer for the turning away of God's anger his special relation to the Lord is seen, and is pleaded as a reason for his being heard, in the words, "Hear the prayer of Thy servant and his supplication (Dan 9:17); O my God, incline Thine ear" (Dan 9:18).

(Note: After the above remarks, Ewald's opinion, that this prayer is only an epitome of the prayer of Baruch (1:16-3:8), scarcely needs any special refutation. It is open before our eyes, and has been long known, that the prayer of Baruch in the whole course of its thoughts, and in many of the expressions found in it, fits closely to the prayer of Daniel; but also all interpreters not blinded by prejudice have long ago acknowledged that from the resemblances of this apocryphal product not merely to Daniel 9, but also much more to Jeremiah, nothing further follows than that the author of this late copy of ancient prophetic writings knew and used the book of Daniel, and was familiar with the writings of Daniel and Jeremiah, and of other prophets, so that he imitated them. This statement, that the pseudo-Baruch in ch. 1:15-3:8 presents an extended imitation of Daniel's prayer, Ewald has not refuted, and he has brought forward nothing more in support of his view than the assertion, resting on the groundless supposition that the mention of the "judges" in Dan 9:12 is derived from Bar. 2:1, and on the remark that the author of the book of Baruch would have nothing at all peculiar if he had formed that long prayer out of the book of Daniel, or had only wrought after this pattern - a remark which bears witness, indeed, of a compassionate concern for his protge, but manifestly says nothing for the critic.)

The prayer is divided into two parts. Dan 9:4-14 contain the confession of sin and guilt; Dan 9:15-19 the supplication for mercy, and the restoration of the holy city and its sanctuary lying in ruins.

The confession of sin divides itself into two strophes. Dan 9:4-10 state the transgression and the guilt, while Dan 9:11-14 refer to the punishment from God for this guilt. Dan 9:3 forms the introduction. The words, "Then I directed my face to the Lord," are commonly understood, after Dan 6:11, as meaning that Daniel turned his face toward the place of the temple, toward Jerusalem. This is possible. The words themselves, however, only say that he turned his face to God the Lord in heaven, to האלהים אדני, the Lord of the whole world, the true God, not to יהוה, although he meant the covenant God. "To seek prayer in (with) fasting," etc. "Fasting in sackcloth (penitential garment made of hair) and ashes," i.e., sprinkling the head with ashes as an outward sign of true humility and penitence, comes into consideration as a means of preparation for prayer, in order that one might place himself in the right frame of mind for prayer, which is an indispensable condition for the hearing of it - a result which is the aim in the seeking. In regard to this matter Jerome makes these excellent remarks: "In cinere igitur et sacco postulat impleri quod Deus promiserat, non quod esset incredulus futurorum, sed ne securitas negligentiam et negligentia pareret offensam." תּפלּה and תּחנוּנים = תּחנּה, cf. Kg1 8:38, Kg1 8:45, Kg1 8:49; Ch2 6:29, Ch2 6:35. תּפלּה is prayer in general; תּחנוּנים, prayer for mercy and compassion, as also a petition for something, such as the turning away of misfortune or evil (deprecari). The design of the prayer lying before us is to entreat God that He would look with pity on the desolation of the holy city and the temple,and fulfil His promise of their restoration. This prayer is found in Dan 9:15-19.

Dan 9:4

Since the desolation of the holy land and the exile of the people was a well-deserved punishment for their sins, and a removal of the punishment could not be hoped for without genuine humiliation under the righteous judgment of God, Daniel begins with a confession of the great transgression of the people, and of the righteousness of the divine dealings with them, that on the ground of this confession he might entreat of the divine compassion the fulfilment of the promised restoration of Jerusalem and Israel. He prays to Jehovah אלהי, my God. If we wish our prayers to be heard, then God, to whom we pray, must become our God. To אתודּה (I made confession) M. Geier applies Augustine's beautiful remark on Psa 29:1-11 : "Confession gemina est, aut peccati aut laudis. Quando nobis male est in tribulationibus, confiteamur peccata nostra; quando nobis bene est in exultatione justitiae, confiteamur laudem Deo: sine confessione tamen non simus." The address, "Thou great and dreadful God, who keepest the covenant," etc., points in its first part to the mighty acts of God in destroying His enemies (cf. Deu 7:21), and in the second part to the faithfulness of God toward those that fear Him in fulfilling His promises (cf. Deu 7:9). While the greatness and the terribleness of God, which Israel had now experienced, wrought repentance and sorrow, the reference to the covenant faithfulness of God served to awaken and strengthen their confidence in the help of the Almighty.

Dan 9:5

God is righteous and faithful, but Israel is unrighteous and faithless. The confession of the great guilt of Israel in Dan 9:5 connects itself with the praise of God. This guilt Daniel confesses in the strongest words. חטא, to make a false step, designates sin as an erring from the right; עוה, to be perverse, as unrighteousness; רשׁע, to do wrong, as a passionate rebellion against God. To these three words, which Solomon (Kg1 8:47) had already used as an exhaustive expression of a consciousness of sin and guilt, and the Psalmist (Psa 106:6) had repeated as the confession of the people in exile, Daniel yet further adds the expression מרדנוּ, we have rebelled against God, and סור, are departed, fallen away from His commandments; this latter word being in the inf. absol., thereby denotes that the action is presented with emphasis.

Dan 9:6

The guilt becomes the greater from the fact that God failed not to warn them, and that Israel would not hear the words of the prophets, who in His name spoke to high and low, - to kings and princes, i.e., the heads of tribes and families, and to the great men of the kingdom and to the fathers, i.e., to their ancestors, in this connection with the exclusion of kings and chiefs of the people, who are specially named, as Jer 44:17, cf. Neh 9:32, Neh 9:34; not perhaps the elders, heads of families (Cocceius, J. D. Michaelis, and others), or merely teachers (Ewald). To illustrate the meaning, there is added the expression "the whole people of the land," not merely the common people, so that no one might regard himself as exempted. Compare כּל־עמך, Neh 9:32. This expression, comprehending all, is omitted when the thought is repeated in Dan 9:8.

Dan 9:7

Thus to God belongeth righteousness, but to the sinful people only shame. הצדקה לך does not mean: Thine was the righteous cause (Hitzig). The interpolation of the was is arbitrary, and צדקה predicated of God is not righteous cause, but righteousness as a perfection which is manifested in His operations on the earth, or specially in His dealings toward Israel. הפנים בּשׁת, shame which reflects itself in the countenance, not because of disgraceful circumstances, Ezr 9:7 (Kranichfeld), but in the consciousness of well-deserved suffering. הזּה כּיום does not mean: at this time, to-day, now (Hv., v. Leng., and others); the interpretation of כ in the sense of circa stands opposed to the definite הזּה. In the formula הזּה כּיום the כ has always the meaning of a comparison; also in Jer 44:6, Jer 44:22-23; Sa1 22:8, and everywhere the expression has this meaning: as it happened this day, as experience has now shown or shows. See under Deu 2:30. Here it relates merely to הף/ ot yl בּשׁת לנוּ (to us shame, etc.), not also the first part of the verse. The לנוּ is particularized by the words, "the men of Judah" (אישׁ collectively, since the plur. אישׁים in this connection cannot be used; it occurs only three times in the O.T.), "and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Both together are the citizens of the kingdom of Judah. ישׂראל, the whole of the rest of Israel, the members of the kingdom of the ten tribes. To both of these the further definition relates: "those that are near, and those that are far off, etc." With m' אשׁר בּמעלם (because of their trespass which," etc.), cf. Lev 26:40.

Dan 9:8

In this verse Daniel repeats the thoughts of Dan 9:7 in order to place the sin and shame of the people opposite to the divine compassion, and then to pass from confession of sin to supplication for the sin-forgiving grace of the covenant-keeping God.

Dan 9:9-10

Compassion and forgiveness are with the Lord our God; and these we need, for we have rebelled against Him. This thought is expanded in Dan 9:10-14. The rebellion against God, the refusing to hear the voice of the Lord through the prophets, the transgression of His law, of which all Israel of the twelve tribes were guilty, has brought the punishment on the whole people which the law of Moses threatened against transgressors.

Dan 9:11

ותּתּך with ו consec.: therefore has the curse poured itself out, and the oath, i.e., the curse strengthened with an oath. נתך, to pour forth, of storms of rain and hail (Exo 9:33), but especially of the destroying fire-rain of the divine wrath, cf. Nah 1:6 with Gen 19:24, and Jer 7:20; Jer 42:18; Jer 44:6. האלה is used, Deu 29:18., of the threatenings against the transgressors of the law in Lev 26:14., Deu 28:15., to which Daniel here makes reference. To strengthen the expression, he has added השּׁבעה (and the oath) to האלה, after Num 5:21; cf. also Neh 10:30.

Dan 9:12

In this verse the Kethiv דּבריו, in harmony with the ancient versions, is to be maintained, and the Keri only as an explanation inferred from the thought of a definite curse. "Our judges" is an expression comprehending the chiefs of the people, kings and princes, as in Ps. 20:10; Psa 148:11.

Dan 9:13

The thought of Dan 9:11 is again taken up once more to declare that God, by virtue of His righteousness, must carry out against the people the threatening contained in His law. את before כּל־הרעה is not, with Kranichfeld, to be explained from the construction of the passive כּתוּב with the accusative, for it does not depend on כּתוּב no, but serves to introduce the subject absolutely stated: as concerns all this evil, thus it has come upon us, as Eze 44:3; Jer 45:4; cf. Ewald's Lehrb. 277d. Regarding את־פּני חלּינוּ (we entreated the face, etc.), cf. Zac 7:2; Zac 8:21. להשׂכּיל בּאמתּך is not to be translated: to comprehend Thy faithfulness (Hitzig), for the construction with ב does not agree with this, and then אמת does not mean faithfulness (Treue), but truth (Warheit). The truth of God is His plan of salvation revealed in His word, according to which the sinner can only attain to happiness and salvation by turning to God and obeying His commands.

Dan 9:14

Because Israel did not do this, therefore the Lord watched upon the evil, i.e., continually thought thereon - an idea very frequently found in Jeremiah; cf. Jer 1:12; Jer 31:28; Jer 44:27. צדּיק with על following, righteous on the ground of all His works - a testimony from experience; cf. Neh 9:33 (Kranichfeld).

Dan 9:15-19

After this confession, there now follows the prayer for the turning away of the wrath (Dan 9:15 and Dan 9:16) of God, and for the manifestation of His grace toward His suppliant people (Dan 9:17-19).

Dan 9:15

This prayer Daniel founds on the great fact of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, by which the Lord made for Himself a name among the nations. Jerome has here rightly remarked, not exhausting the thought however: "memor est antiqui beneficii, ut ad similem Dei clementiam provocet." For Daniel does not view the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt merely as a good deed, but as an act of salvation by which God fulfilled His promise He had given to the patriarchs, ratified the covenant He made with Abraham, and by the miracles accompanying the exodus of the tribes of Israel from the land of Egypt, glorified His name before all nations (cf. Isa. 63:32, 13), so that Moses could appeal to this glorious revelation of God among the heathen as an argument, in his prayer for pardon to Israel, to mitigate the anger of God which burned against the apostasy and the rebellion of the people, and to turn away the threatened destruction, Exo 32:11., Num 14:13. Jeremiah, and also Isaiah, in like manner ground their prayer for mercy to Israel on the name of the Lord, Jer 32:20., Isa 63:11-15. Nehemiah (Neh 1:10 and Neh 9:10) in this agrees with Jeremiah and Daniel. הזּה כּיום, in the same connection in Jer 50, does not mean, then, at that time, but, as this day still: (hast gotten Thee) a name as Thou hast it still. In order to rest the prayer alone on the honour of the Lord, on the honour of His name, Daniel again repeats the confession, we have sinned, we have done wickedly; cf. Dan 9:5.

Dan 9:16

The prayer for the turning away of God's anger follows, and is introduced by a repetition of the address, "O Lord," and by a brief condensation of the motive developed in Dan 9:15, by the words כּכל־צדקתיך. צדקות does not mean in a gracious manner, and צדק is not grace, but proofs of the divine righteousness. The meaning of the words כּכל־צדקתיך is not: as all proofs of Thy righteousness have hitherto been always intimately connected with a return of Thy grace, so may it also now be (Kran.); but, according to all the proofs of Thy righteousness, i.e., to all that Thou hitherto, by virtue of Thy covenant faithfulness, hast done for Israel. צדקות means the great deeds done by the Lord for His people, among which the signs and wonders accompanying their exodus from Egypt take the first place, so far as therein Jehovah gave proof of the righteousness of His covenant promise. According to these, may God also now turn away His anger from His city of Jerusalem! The words in apposition, "Thy holy mountain," refer especially to the temple mountain, or Mount Zion, as the centre of the kingdom of God. The prayer is enforced not only by כּל־צדקריך, but also by the plea that Jerusalem is the city of God (Thy city). Compare Psa 79:4 and Psa 44:14.

Dan 9:17

In this verse the prayer is repeated in more earnest words. With פּניך האר (cause Thy face to shine) compare Psa 80:4 and Num 6:25. אדני למען, because Thou art Lord, is stronger than למענך. As the Lord κατ ̓ἐχοχήν, God cannot let the desolation of His sanctuary continue without doing injury to His honour; cf. Isa 48:11.

Dan 9:18-19

The argument by which the prayer is urged, derived from a reference to the desolations, is strengthened by the words in apposition: and the city over which Thy name is named; i.e., not which is named after Thy name, by which the meaning of this form of expression is enfeebled. The name of God is the revelation of His being. It is named over Jerusalem in so far as Jehovah gloriously revealed Himself in it; He has raised it, by choosing it as the place of His throne in Israel, to the glory of a city of God; cf. Psa 48:2., and regarding this form of expression, the remarks under Deu 28:10.

The expression: and laying down my supplication before God (cf. Dan 9:20), is derived from the custom of falling down before God in prayer, and is often met with in Jeremiah; cf. Jer 38:26; Jer 42:9, and Jer 36:7. The Kethiv פּקחה (Dan 9:18, open) is to be preferred to the Keri פּקח, because it is conformed to the imperative forms in Dan 9:19, and is in accordance with the energy of the prayer. This energy shows itself in the number of words used in Dan 9:18 and Dan 9:19. Chr. B. Mich., under Dan 9:19, has well remarked: "Fervorem precantis cognoscere licet cum ex anaphora, seu terna et mysterii plena nominis Adonai repetitione, tum ex eo, quod singulis hisce imperativis He paragogicum ad intensiorem adfectum significandum superaddidit, tum ex congerie illa verborum: Audi, Condona, Attende, reliqua."

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
I set my face - to seek by prayer - He found that the time of the promised deliverance could not be at any great distance; and as he saw nothing that indicated a speedy termination of their oppressive captivity, he was very much afflicted, and earnestly besought God to put a speedy end to it; and how earnestly he seeks, his own words show. He prayed, he supplicated, he fasted, he put sackcloth upon his body, and he put ashes upon his head. He uses that kind of prayer prescribed by Solomon in his prayer at the dedication of the temple. See Kg1 8:47, Kg1 8:48.

Top

⁸ And he took [03947] him a potsherd [02789] to scrape [01623] himself withal; and he sat down [03427] among [08432] the ashes [0665].

¹⁵ I have sewed [08609] sackcloth [08242] upon my skin [01539], and defiled [05953] my horn [07161] in the dust [06083].

²⁴ And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell [01314] there shall be stink [04716]; and instead of a girdle [02290] a rent [05364]; and instead of well set [04639] hair [04748] baldness [07144]; and instead of a stomacher [06614] a girding [04228] of sackcloth [08242]; and burning [03587] instead of beauty [03308].

¹⁰ Now when Daniel [01841] knew [03046] that the writing [03792] was signed [07560], he went [05954] into his house [01005]; and his windows [03551] being open [06606] in his chamber [05952] toward [05049] Jerusalem [03390], he kneeled [01289] upon [05922] his knees [01291] three [08532] times [02166] a day [03118], and prayed [06739], and gave thanks [03029] before [06925] his God [0426], as [06903] [03606] he did [01934] [05648] aforetime [04481] [01836] [06928].

¹⁹ O Lord [0136], hear [08085]; O Lord [0136], forgive [05545]; O Lord [0136], hearken [07181] and do [06213]; defer [0309] not [0408], for thine own sake, O my God [0430]: for thy city [05892] and thy people [05971] are called [07121] by thy name [08034].

⁷ It may be they will present [05307] their supplication [08467] before [06440] the LORD [03068], and will return [07725] every one [0376] from his evil [07451] way [01870]: for great [01419] is the anger [0639] and the fury [02534] that the LORD [03068] hath pronounced [01696] against this people [05971].

⁹ And said [0559] unto them, Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], the God [0430] of Israel [03478], unto whom ye sent [07971] me to present [05307] your supplication [08467] before [06440] him;

²⁶ Then thou shalt say [0559] unto them, I presented [05307] my supplication [08467] before [06440] the king [04428], that he would not cause me to return [07725] to Jonathan's [03083] house [01004], to die [04191] there.

²⁰ And whiles I was speaking [01696], and praying [06419], and confessing [03034] my sin [02403] and the sin [02403] of my people [05971] Israel [03478], and presenting [05307] my supplication [08467] before [06440] the LORD [03068] my God [0430] for the holy [06944] mountain [02022] of my God [0430];

¹⁰ And all people [05971] of the earth [0776] shall see [07200] that thou art called [07121] by the name [08034] of the LORD [03068]; and they shall be afraid [03372] of thee.

² Beautiful [03303] for situation [05131], the joy [04885] of the whole earth [0776], is mount [02022] Zion [06726], on the sides [03411] of the north [06828], the city [07151] of the great [07227] King [04428].

¹⁸ O my God [0430], incline [05186] thine ear [0241], and hear [08085]; open [06491] thine eyes [05869], and behold [07200] our desolations [08074], and the city [05892] which is called [07121] by thy name [08034]: for we do not present [05307] our supplications [08469] before [06440] thee for our righteousnesses [06666], but for thy great [07227] mercies [07356].
¹⁹ O Lord [0136], hear [08085]; O Lord [0136], forgive [05545]; O Lord [0136], hearken [07181] and do [06213]; defer [0309] not [0408], for thine own sake, O my God [0430]: for thy city [05892] and thy people [05971] are called [07121] by thy name [08034].

¹¹ For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do [06213] it: for how should my name be polluted [02490]? and I will not give [05414] my glory [03519] unto another [0312].

²⁵ The LORD [03068] make his face [06440] shine [0215] upon thee, and be gracious [02603] unto thee:

⁴ O LORD [03068] God [0430] of hosts [06635], how long wilt thou be angry [06225] against the prayer [08605] of thy people [05971]?

¹⁴ Thou makest [07760] us a byword [04912] among the heathen [01471], a shaking [04493] of the head [07218] among the people [03816].

⁴ We are become a reproach [02781] to our neighbours [07934], a scorn [03933] and derision [07047] to them that are round about [05439] us.

¹⁶ O Lord [0136], according to all thy righteousness [06666], I beseech thee, let thine anger [0639] and thy fury [02534] be turned away [07725] from thy city [05892] Jerusalem [03389], thy holy [06944] mountain [02022]: because for our sins [02399], and for the iniquities [05771] of our fathers [01], Jerusalem [03389] and thy people [05971] are become a reproach [02781] to all that are about [05439] us.

⁵ We have sinned [02398], and have committed iniquity [05753], and have done wickedly [07561], and have rebelled [04775], even by departing [05493] from thy precepts [04687] and from thy judgments [04941]:

¹⁰ And shewedst [05414] signs [0226] and wonders [04159] upon Pharaoh [06547], and on all his servants [05650], and on all the people [05971] of his land [0776]: for thou knewest [03045] that they dealt proudly [02102] against them. So didst thou get [06213] thee a name [08034], as it is this day [03117].

¹⁰ Now these are thy servants [05650] and thy people [05971], whom thou hast redeemed [06299] by thy great [01419] power [03581], and by thy strong [02389] hand [03027].

¹¹ Then he remembered [02142] the days [03117] of old [05769], Moses [04872], and his people [05971], saying, Where is he that brought them up [05927] out of the sea [03220] with the shepherd [07462] of his flock [06629]? where is he that put [07760] his holy [06944] Spirit [07307] within [07130] him?
¹² That led [03212] them by the right hand [03225] of Moses [04872] with his glorious [08597] arm [02220], dividing [01234] the water [04325] before [06440] them, to make [06213] himself an everlasting [05769] name [08034]?
¹³ That led [03212] them through the deep [08415], as an horse [05483] in the wilderness [04057], that they should not stumble [03782]?
¹⁴ As a beast [0929] goeth down [03381] into the valley [01237], the Spirit [07307] of the LORD [03068] caused him to rest [05117]: so didst thou lead [05090] thy people [05971], to make [06213] thyself a glorious [08597] name [08034].
¹⁵ Look down [05027] from heaven [08064], and behold [07200] from the habitation [02073] of thy holiness [06944] and of thy glory [08597]: where is thy zeal [07068] and thy strength [01369], the sounding [01995] of thy bowels [04578] and of thy mercies [07356] toward me? are they restrained [0662]?

²⁰ Which hast set [07760] signs [0226] and wonders [04159] in the land [0776] of Egypt [04714], even unto this day [03117], and in Israel [03478], and among other men [0120]; and hast made [06213] thee a name [08034], as at this day [03117];

¹³ And Moses [04872] said [0559] unto the LORD [03068], Then the Egyptians [04714] shall hear [08085] it, (for thou broughtest up [05927] this people [05971] in thy might [03581] from among [07130] them;)

¹¹ And Moses [04872] besought [02470] [06440] the LORD [03068] his God [0430], and said [0559], LORD [03068], why doth thy wrath [0639] wax hot [02734] against thy people [05971], which thou hast brought forth [03318] out of the land [0776] of Egypt [04714] with great [01419] power [03581], and with a mighty [02389] hand [03027]?

¹⁷ Now therefore, O our God [0430], hear [08085] the prayer [08605] of thy servant [05650], and his supplications [08469], and cause thy face [06440] to shine [0215] upon thy sanctuary [04720] that is desolate [08076], for the Lord's [0136] sake.
¹⁸ O my God [0430], incline [05186] thine ear [0241], and hear [08085]; open [06491] thine eyes [05869], and behold [07200] our desolations [08074], and the city [05892] which is called [07121] by thy name [08034]: for we do not present [05307] our supplications [08469] before [06440] thee for our righteousnesses [06666], but for thy great [07227] mercies [07356].
¹⁹ O Lord [0136], hear [08085]; O Lord [0136], forgive [05545]; O Lord [0136], hearken [07181] and do [06213]; defer [0309] not [0408], for thine own sake, O my God [0430]: for thy city [05892] and thy people [05971] are called [07121] by thy name [08034].

¹⁵ And now, O Lord [0136] our God [0430], that hast brought [03318] thy people [05971] forth [03318] out of the land [0776] of Egypt [04714] with a mighty [02389] hand [03027], and hast gotten [06213] thee renown [08034], as at this day [03117]; we have sinned [02398], we have done wickedly [07561].
¹⁶ O Lord [0136], according to all thy righteousness [06666], I beseech thee, let thine anger [0639] and thy fury [02534] be turned away [07725] from thy city [05892] Jerusalem [03389], thy holy [06944] mountain [02022]: because for our sins [02399], and for the iniquities [05771] of our fathers [01], Jerusalem [03389] and thy people [05971] are become a reproach [02781] to all that are about [05439] us.
¹⁷ Now therefore, O our God [0430], hear [08085] the prayer [08605] of thy servant [05650], and his supplications [08469], and cause thy face [06440] to shine [0215] upon thy sanctuary [04720] that is desolate [08076], for the Lord's [0136] sake.
¹⁸ O my God [0430], incline [05186] thine ear [0241], and hear [08085]; open [06491] thine eyes [05869], and behold [07200] our desolations [08074], and the city [05892] which is called [07121] by thy name [08034]: for we do not present [05307] our supplications [08469] before [06440] thee for our righteousnesses [06666], but for thy great [07227] mercies [07356].
¹⁹ O Lord [0136], hear [08085]; O Lord [0136], forgive [05545]; O Lord [0136], hearken [07181] and do [06213]; defer [0309] not [0408], for thine own sake, O my God [0430]: for thy city [05892] and thy people [05971] are called [07121] by thy name [08034].

³³ Howbeit thou art just [06662] in all that is brought [0935] upon us; for thou hast done [06213] right [0571], but we have done wickedly [07561]:

²⁷ Behold, I will watch [08245] over them for evil [07451], and not for good [02896]: and all the men [0376] of Judah [03063] that are in the land [0776] of Egypt [04714] shall be consumed [08552] by the sword [02719] and by the famine [07458], until there be an end [03615] of them.

²⁸ And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over [08245] them, to pluck up [05428], and to break down [05422], and to throw down [02040], and to destroy [06], and to afflict [07489]; so will I watch over [08245] them, to build [01129], and to plant [05193], saith [05002] the LORD [03068].

¹² Then said [0559] the LORD [03068] unto me, Thou hast well [03190] seen [07200]: for I will hasten [08245] my word [01697] to perform [06213] it.

¹⁴ Therefore hath the LORD [03068] watched [08245] upon the evil [07451], and brought [0935] it upon us: for the LORD [03068] our God [0430] is righteous [06662] in all his works [04639] which he doeth [06213]: for we obeyed [08085] not his voice [06963].

²¹ And the inhabitants [03427] of one [0259] city shall go [01980] to another [0259], saying [0559], Let us go [03212] speedily [01980] to pray [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068], and to seek [01245] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]: I will go [03212] also.

² When they had sent [07971] unto the house [01004] of God [0410] Sherezer [08272] and Regemmelech [07278], and their men [0582], to pray [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068],

⁴ Thus shalt thou say [0559] unto him, The LORD [03068] saith [0559] thus; Behold, that which I have built [01129] will I break down [02040], and that which I have planted [05193] I will pluck up [05428], even this whole land [0776].

³ It is for the prince [05387]; the prince [05387], he shall sit [03427] in it to eat [0398] bread [03899] before [06440] the LORD [03068]; he shall enter [0935] by the way [01870] of the porch [0197] of that gate [08179], and shall go out [03318] by the way [01870] of the same.

¹³ As it is written [03789] in the law [08451] of Moses [04872], all this evil [07451] is come [0935] upon us: yet made we not our prayer [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068] our God [0430], that we might turn [07725] from our iniquities [05771], and understand [07919] thy truth [0571].

¹¹ Kings [04428] of the earth [0776], and all people [03816]; princes [08269], and all judges [08199] of the earth [0776]:

¹² And he hath confirmed [06965] his words [01697], which he spake [01696] against us, and against our judges [08199] that judged [08199] us, by bringing [0935] upon us a great [01419] evil [07451]: for under the whole heaven [08064] hath not been done [06213] as hath been done [06213] upon Jerusalem [03389].

³⁰ And that we would not give [05414] our daughters [01323] unto the people [05971] of the land [0776], nor take [03947] their daughters [01323] for our sons [01121]:

²¹ Then the priest [03548] shall charge [07650] the woman [0802] with an oath [07621] of cursing [0423], and the priest [03548] shall say [0559] unto the woman [0802], The LORD [03068] make [05414] thee a curse [0423] and an oath [07621] among [08432] thy people [05971], when the LORD [03068] doth make [05414] thy thigh [03409] to rot [05307], and thy belly [0990] to swell [06639];

¹⁵ But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken [08085] unto the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], to observe [08104] to do [06213] all his commandments [04687] and his statutes [02708] which I command [06680] thee this day [03117]; that all these curses [07045] shall come [0935] upon thee, and overtake [05381] thee:

¹⁴ But if ye will not hearken [08085] unto me, and will not do [06213] all these commandments [04687];

¹⁸ Lest there should be [03426] among you man [0376], or woman [0802], or family [04940], or tribe [07626], whose heart [03824] turneth away [06437] this day [03117] from the LORD [03068] our God [0430], to go [03212] and serve [05647] the gods [0430] of these nations [01471]; lest there should be [03426] among you a root [08328] that beareth [06509] gall [07219] and wormwood [03939];

⁶ Wherefore my fury [02534] and mine anger [0639] was poured forth [05413], and was kindled [01197] in the cities [05892] of Judah [03063] and in the streets [02351] of Jerusalem [03389]; and they are wasted [02723] and desolate [08077], as at this day [03117].

¹⁸ For thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], the God [0430] of Israel [03478]; As mine anger [0639] and my fury [02534] hath been poured forth [05413] upon the inhabitants [03427] of Jerusalem [03389]; so shall my fury [02534] be poured forth [05413] upon you, when ye shall enter [0935] into Egypt [04714]: and ye shall be an execration [0423], and an astonishment [08047], and a curse [07045], and a reproach [02781]; and ye shall see [07200] this place [04725] no more.

²⁰ Therefore thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Behold, mine anger [0639] and my fury [02534] shall be poured out [05413] upon this place [04725], upon man [0120], and upon beast [0929], and upon the trees [06086] of the field [07704], and upon the fruit [06529] of the ground [0127]; and it shall burn [01197], and shall not be quenched [03518].

²⁴ Then the LORD [03068] rained [04305] upon Sodom [05467] and upon Gomorrah [06017] brimstone [01614] and fire [0784] from the LORD [03068] out of heaven [08064];

⁶ Who can stand [05975] before [06440] his indignation [02195]? and who can abide [06965] in the fierceness [02740] of his anger [0639]? his fury [02534] is poured out [05413] like fire [0784], and the rocks [06697] are thrown down [05422] by him.

³³ And Moses [04872] went out [03318] of the city [05892] from Pharaoh [06547], and spread abroad [06566] his hands [03709] unto the LORD [03068]: and the thunders [06963] and hail [01259] ceased [02308], and the rain [04306] was not poured [05413] upon the earth [0776].

¹⁰ Neither have we obeyed [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] our God [0430], to walk [03212] in his laws [08451], which he set [05414] before [06440] us by [03027] his servants [05650] the prophets [05030].
¹¹ Yea, all Israel [03478] have transgressed [05674] thy law [08451], even by departing [05493], that they might not obey [08085] thy voice [06963]; therefore the curse [0423] is poured [05413] upon us, and the oath [07621] that is written [03789] in the law [08451] of Moses [04872] the servant [05650] of God [0430], because we have sinned [02398] against him.
¹² And he hath confirmed [06965] his words [01697], which he spake [01696] against us, and against our judges [08199] that judged [08199] us, by bringing [0935] upon us a great [01419] evil [07451]: for under the whole heaven [08064] hath not been done [06213] as hath been done [06213] upon Jerusalem [03389].
¹³ As it is written [03789] in the law [08451] of Moses [04872], all this evil [07451] is come [0935] upon us: yet made we not our prayer [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068] our God [0430], that we might turn [07725] from our iniquities [05771], and understand [07919] thy truth [0571].
¹⁴ Therefore hath the LORD [03068] watched [08245] upon the evil [07451], and brought [0935] it upon us: for the LORD [03068] our God [0430] is righteous [06662] in all his works [04639] which he doeth [06213]: for we obeyed [08085] not his voice [06963].

⁹ To the Lord [0136] our God [0430] belong mercies [07356] and forgivenesses [05547], though we have rebelled [04775] against him;
¹⁰ Neither have we obeyed [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] our God [0430], to walk [03212] in his laws [08451], which he set [05414] before [06440] us by [03027] his servants [05650] the prophets [05030].

⁷ O Lord [0136], righteousness [06666] belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion [01322] of faces [06440], as at this day [03117]; to the men [0376] of Judah [03063], and to the inhabitants [03427] of Jerusalem [03389], and unto all Israel [03478], that are near [07138], and that are far off [07350], through all the countries [0776] whither thou hast driven [05080] them, because of their trespass [04604] that they have trespassed [04603] against thee.

⁸ O Lord [0136], to us belongeth confusion [01322] of face [06440], to our kings [04428], to our princes [08269], and to our fathers [01], because we have sinned [02398] against thee.

⁴⁰ If they shall confess [03034] their iniquity [05771], and the iniquity [05771] of their fathers [01], with their trespass [04604] which they trespassed [04603] against me, and that also they have walked [01980] contrary [07147] unto me;

³⁰ But Sihon [05511] king [04428] of Heshbon [02809] would [014] not let us pass [05674] by him: for the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hardened [07185] his spirit [07307], and made his heart [03824] obstinate [0553], that he might deliver [05414] him into thy hand [03027], as appeareth this day [03117].

⁸ That all of you have conspired [07194] against me, and there is none that sheweth [01540] [0241] me that my son [01121] hath made a league [03772] with the son [01121] of Jesse [03448], and there is none of you that is sorry [02470] for me, or sheweth [01540] [0241] unto me that my son [01121] hath stirred up [06965] my servant [05650] against me, to lie in wait [0693], as at this day [03117]?

²² So that the LORD [03068] could [03201] no longer bear [05375], because [06440] of the evil [07455] of your doings [04611], and because [06440] of the abominations [08441] which ye have committed [06213]; therefore is your land [0776] a desolation [02723], and an astonishment [08047], and a curse [07045], without an inhabitant [03427], as at this day [03117].
²³ Because [06440] [0834] ye have burned incense [06999], and because ye have sinned [02398] against the LORD [03068], and have not obeyed [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068], nor walked [01980] in his law [08451], nor in his statutes [02708], nor in his testimonies [05715]; therefore this evil [07451] is happened [07122] unto you, as at this day [03117].

⁷ Since the days [03117] of our fathers [01] have we been in a great [01419] trespass [0819] unto this day [03117]; and for our iniquities [05771] have we, our kings [04428], and our priests [03548], been delivered [05414] into the hand [03027] of the kings [04428] of the lands [0776], to the sword [02719], to captivity [07628], and to a spoil [0961], and to confusion [01322] of face [06440], as it is this day [03117].

⁸ O Lord [0136], to us belongeth confusion [01322] of face [06440], to our kings [04428], to our princes [08269], and to our fathers [01], because we have sinned [02398] against thee.

³² Now therefore, our God [0430], the great [01419], the mighty [01368], and the terrible [03372] God [0410], who keepest [08104] covenant [01285] and mercy [02617], let not all the trouble [08513] seem little [04591] before [06440] thee, that hath come [04672] upon us, on our kings [04428], on our princes [08269], and on our priests [03548], and on our prophets [05030], and on our fathers [01], and on all thy people [05971], since the time [03117] of the kings [04428] of Assyria [0804] unto this day [03117].

³⁴ Neither have our kings [04428], our princes [08269], our priests [03548], nor our fathers [01], kept [06213] thy law [08451], nor hearkened [07181] unto thy commandments [04687] and thy testimonies [05715], wherewith thou didst testify [05749] against them.

¹⁷ But we will certainly [06213] do [06213] whatsoever thing [01697] goeth forth [03318] out of our own mouth [06310], to burn incense [06999] unto the queen [04446] of heaven [08064], and to pour out [05258] drink offerings [05262] unto her, as we have done [06213], we, and our fathers [01], our kings [04428], and our princes [08269], in the cities [05892] of Judah [03063], and in the streets [02351] of Jerusalem [03389]: for then had we plenty [07646] of victuals [03899], and were well [02896], and saw [07200] no evil [07451].

⁶ Neither have we hearkened [08085] unto thy servants [05650] the prophets [05030], which spake [01696] in thy name [08034] to our kings [04428], our princes [08269], and our fathers [01], and to all the people [05971] of the land [0776].

⁶ We have sinned [02398] with our fathers [01], we have committed iniquity [05753], we have done wickedly [07561].

⁴⁷ Yet if they shall bethink [07725] themselves in the land [0776] whither they were carried captives [07617], and repent [07725] [03820], and make supplication [02603] unto thee in the land [0776] of them that carried them captives [07617], saying [0559], We have sinned [02398], and have done perversely [05753], we have committed wickedness [07561];

⁹ Know [03045] therefore that the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], he is God [0430], the faithful [0539] God [0410], which keepeth [08104] covenant [01285] and mercy [02617] with them that love [0157] him and keep [08104] his commandments [04687] to a thousand [0505] generations [01755];

²¹ Thou shalt not be affrighted [06206] at [06440] them: for the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] is among [07130] you, a mighty [01419] God [0410] and terrible [03372].

¹ A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. Give [03051] unto the LORD [03068], O ye mighty [01121] [0410], give [03051] unto the LORD [03068] glory [03519] and strength [05797].
² Give [03051] unto the LORD [03068] the glory [03519] due unto his name [08034]; worship [07812] the LORD [03068] in the beauty [01927] of holiness [06944].
³ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] is upon the waters [04325]: the God [0410] of glory [03519] thundereth [07481]: the LORD [03068] is upon many [07227] waters [04325].
⁴ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] is powerful [03581]; the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] is full of majesty [01926].
⁵ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] breaketh [07665] the cedars [0730]; yea, the LORD [03068] breaketh [07665] the cedars [0730] of Lebanon [03844].
⁶ He maketh them also to skip [07540] like a calf [05695]; Lebanon [03844] and Sirion [08303] like a young [01121] unicorn [07214].
⁷ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] divideth [02672] the flames [03852] of fire [0784].
⁸ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] shaketh [02342] the wilderness [04057]; the LORD [03068] shaketh [02342] the wilderness [04057] of Kadesh [06946].
⁹ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] maketh the hinds [0355] to calve [02342], and discovereth [02834] the forests [03295]: and in his temple [01964] doth every one speak [0559] of his glory [03519].
¹⁰ The LORD [03068] sitteth [03427] upon the flood [03999]; yea, the LORD [03068] sitteth [03427] King [04428] for ever [05769].
¹¹ The LORD [03068] will give [05414] strength [05797] unto his people [05971]; the LORD [03068] will bless [01288] his people [05971] with peace [07965].

³⁵ Then hear [08085] thou from the heavens [08064] their prayer [08605] and their supplication [08467], and maintain [06213] their cause [04941].

²⁹ Then what prayer [08605] or what supplication [08467] soever shall be made of any man [0120], or of all thy people [05971] Israel [03478], when every one [0376] shall know [03045] his own sore [05061] and his own grief [04341], and shall spread forth [06566] his hands [03709] in this house [01004]:

⁴⁹ Then hear [08085] thou their prayer [08605] and their supplication [08467] in heaven [08064] thy dwelling [03427] place [04349], and maintain [06213] their cause [04941],

⁴⁵ Then hear [08085] thou in heaven [08064] their prayer [08605] and their supplication [08467], and maintain [06213] their cause [04941].

³⁸ What prayer [08605] and supplication [08467] soever be made by any man [0120], or by all thy people [05971] Israel [03478], which shall know [03045] every man [0376] the plague [05061] of his own heart [03824], and spread forth [06566] his hands [03709] toward this house [01004]:

¹¹ Then [0116] these [0479] men [01400] assembled [07284], and found [07912] Daniel [01841] praying [01156] and making supplication [02604] before [06925] his God [0426].

³ And I set [05414] my face [06440] unto the Lord [0136] God [0430], to seek [01245] by prayer [08605] and supplications [08469], with fasting [06685], and sackcloth [08242], and ashes [0665]:

¹¹ Yea, all Israel [03478] have transgressed [05674] thy law [08451], even by departing [05493], that they might not obey [08085] thy voice [06963]; therefore the curse [0423] is poured [05413] upon us, and the oath [07621] that is written [03789] in the law [08451] of Moses [04872] the servant [05650] of God [0430], because we have sinned [02398] against him.
¹² And he hath confirmed [06965] his words [01697], which he spake [01696] against us, and against our judges [08199] that judged [08199] us, by bringing [0935] upon us a great [01419] evil [07451]: for under the whole heaven [08064] hath not been done [06213] as hath been done [06213] upon Jerusalem [03389].
¹³ As it is written [03789] in the law [08451] of Moses [04872], all this evil [07451] is come [0935] upon us: yet made we not our prayer [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068] our God [0430], that we might turn [07725] from our iniquities [05771], and understand [07919] thy truth [0571].
¹⁴ Therefore hath the LORD [03068] watched [08245] upon the evil [07451], and brought [0935] it upon us: for the LORD [03068] our God [0430] is righteous [06662] in all his works [04639] which he doeth [06213]: for we obeyed [08085] not his voice [06963].

⁴ And I prayed [06419] unto the LORD [03068] my God [0430], and made my confession [03034], and said [0559], O [0577] Lord [0136], the great [01419] and dreadful [03372] God [0410], keeping [08104] the covenant [01285] and mercy [02617] to them that love [0157] him, and to them that keep [08104] his commandments [04687];
⁵ We have sinned [02398], and have committed iniquity [05753], and have done wickedly [07561], and have rebelled [04775], even by departing [05493] from thy precepts [04687] and from thy judgments [04941]:
⁶ Neither have we hearkened [08085] unto thy servants [05650] the prophets [05030], which spake [01696] in thy name [08034] to our kings [04428], our princes [08269], and our fathers [01], and to all the people [05971] of the land [0776].
⁷ O Lord [0136], righteousness [06666] belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion [01322] of faces [06440], as at this day [03117]; to the men [0376] of Judah [03063], and to the inhabitants [03427] of Jerusalem [03389], and unto all Israel [03478], that are near [07138], and that are far off [07350], through all the countries [0776] whither thou hast driven [05080] them, because of their trespass [04604] that they have trespassed [04603] against thee.
⁸ O Lord [0136], to us belongeth confusion [01322] of face [06440], to our kings [04428], to our princes [08269], and to our fathers [01], because we have sinned [02398] against thee.
⁹ To the Lord [0136] our God [0430] belong mercies [07356] and forgivenesses [05547], though we have rebelled [04775] against him;
¹⁰ Neither have we obeyed [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] our God [0430], to walk [03212] in his laws [08451], which he set [05414] before [06440] us by [03027] his servants [05650] the prophets [05030].
¹¹ Yea, all Israel [03478] have transgressed [05674] thy law [08451], even by departing [05493], that they might not obey [08085] thy voice [06963]; therefore the curse [0423] is poured [05413] upon us, and the oath [07621] that is written [03789] in the law [08451] of Moses [04872] the servant [05650] of God [0430], because we have sinned [02398] against him.
¹² And he hath confirmed [06965] his words [01697], which he spake [01696] against us, and against our judges [08199] that judged [08199] us, by bringing [0935] upon us a great [01419] evil [07451]: for under the whole heaven [08064] hath not been done [06213] as hath been done [06213] upon Jerusalem [03389].
¹³ As it is written [03789] in the law [08451] of Moses [04872], all this evil [07451] is come [0935] upon us: yet made we not our prayer [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068] our God [0430], that we might turn [07725] from our iniquities [05771], and understand [07919] thy truth [0571].
¹⁴ Therefore hath the LORD [03068] watched [08245] upon the evil [07451], and brought [0935] it upon us: for the LORD [03068] our God [0430] is righteous [06662] in all his works [04639] which he doeth [06213]: for we obeyed [08085] not his voice [06963].

⁶ And said [0559], O my God [0430], I am ashamed [0954] and blush [03637] to lift up [07311] my face [06440] to thee, my God [0430]: for our iniquities [05771] are increased [07235] over [04605] our head [07218], and our trespass [0819] is grown up [01431] unto the heavens [08064].
⁷ Since the days [03117] of our fathers [01] have we been in a great [01419] trespass [0819] unto this day [03117]; and for our iniquities [05771] have we, our kings [04428], and our priests [03548], been delivered [05414] into the hand [03027] of the kings [04428] of the lands [0776], to the sword [02719], to captivity [07628], and to a spoil [0961], and to confusion [01322] of face [06440], as it is this day [03117].
⁸ And now for a little [04592] space [07281] grace [08467] hath been shewed from the LORD [03068] our God [0430], to leave [07604] us a remnant to escape [06413], and to give [05414] us a nail [03489] in his holy [06944] place [04725], that our God [0430] may lighten [0215] our eyes [05869], and give [05414] us a little [04592] reviving [04241] in our bondage [05659].
⁹ For we were bondmen [05650]; yet our God [0430] hath not forsaken [05800] us in our bondage [05659], but hath extended [05186] mercy [02617] unto us in the sight [06440] of the kings [04428] of Persia [06539], to give [05414] us a reviving [04241], to set up [07311] the house [01004] of our God [0430], and to repair [05975] the desolations [02723] thereof, and to give [05414] us a wall [01447] in Judah [03063] and in Jerusalem [03389].
¹⁰ And now, O our God [0430], what shall we say [0559] after [0310] this? for we have forsaken [05800] thy commandments [04687],
¹¹ Which thou hast commanded [06680] by [03027] thy servants [05650] the prophets [05030], saying [0559], The land [0776], unto which ye go [0935] to possess [03423] it, is an unclean [05079] land [0776] with the filthiness [05079] of the people [05971] of the lands [0776], with their abominations [08441], which have filled [04390] it from one end [06310] to another [06310] with their uncleanness [02932].
¹² Now therefore give [05414] not your daughters [01323] unto their sons [01121], neither take [05375] their daughters [01323] unto your sons [01121], nor seek [01875] their peace [07965] or their wealth [02896] for [05704] ever [05769]: that ye may be strong [02388], and eat [0398] the good [02898] of the land [0776], and leave it for an inheritance [03423] to your children [01121] for ever [05769].
¹³ And after [0310] all that is come [0935] upon us for our evil [07451] deeds [04639], and for our great [01419] trespass [0819], seeing that thou our God [0430] hast punished [02820] us less [04295] than our iniquities [05771] deserve, and hast given [05414] us such deliverance [06413] as this;
¹⁴ Should we again [07725] break [06565] thy commandments [04687], and join in affinity [02859] with the people [05971] of these abominations [08441]? wouldest not thou be angry [0599] with us till thou hadst consumed [03615] us, so that there should be no remnant [07611] nor escaping [06413]?
¹⁵ O LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478], thou art righteous [06662]: for we remain [07604] yet escaped [06413], as it is this day [03117]: behold, we are before [06440] thee in our trespasses [0819]: for we cannot stand [05975] before [06440] thee because of this.

¹ Now when these things were done [03615], the princes [08269] came [05066] to me, saying [0559], The people [05971] of Israel [03478], and the priests [03548], and the Levites [03881], have not separated [0914] themselves from the people [05971] of the lands [0776], doing according to their abominations [08441], even of the Canaanites [03669], the Hittites [02850], the Perizzites [06522], the Jebusites [02983], the Ammonites [05984], the Moabites [04125], the Egyptians [04713], and the Amorites [0567].
² For they have taken [05375] of their daughters [01323] for themselves, and for their sons [01121]: so that the holy [06944] seed [02233] have mingled [06148] themselves with the people [05971] of those lands [0776]: yea, the hand [03027] of the princes [08269] and rulers [05461] hath been chief [07223] in this trespass [04604].
³ And when I heard [08085] this thing [01697], I rent [07167] my garment [0899] and my mantle [04598], and plucked off [04803] the hair [08181] of my head [07218] and of my beard [02206], and sat down [03427] astonied [08074].
⁴ Then were assembled [0622] unto me every one that trembled [02730] at the words [01697] of the God [0430] of Israel [03478], because of the transgression [04604] of those that had been carried away [01473]; and I sat [03427] astonied [08074] until the evening [06153] sacrifice [04503].
⁵ And at the evening [06153] sacrifice [04503] I arose up [06965] from my heaviness [08589]; and having rent [07167] my garment [0899] and my mantle [04598], I fell [03766] upon my knees [01290], and spread out [06566] my hands [03709] unto the LORD [03068] my God [0430],
⁶ And said [0559], O my God [0430], I am ashamed [0954] and blush [03637] to lift up [07311] my face [06440] to thee, my God [0430]: for our iniquities [05771] are increased [07235] over [04605] our head [07218], and our trespass [0819] is grown up [01431] unto the heavens [08064].
⁷ Since the days [03117] of our fathers [01] have we been in a great [01419] trespass [0819] unto this day [03117]; and for our iniquities [05771] have we, our kings [04428], and our priests [03548], been delivered [05414] into the hand [03027] of the kings [04428] of the lands [0776], to the sword [02719], to captivity [07628], and to a spoil [0961], and to confusion [01322] of face [06440], as it is this day [03117].
⁸ And now for a little [04592] space [07281] grace [08467] hath been shewed from the LORD [03068] our God [0430], to leave [07604] us a remnant to escape [06413], and to give [05414] us a nail [03489] in his holy [06944] place [04725], that our God [0430] may lighten [0215] our eyes [05869], and give [05414] us a little [04592] reviving [04241] in our bondage [05659].
⁹ For we were bondmen [05650]; yet our God [0430] hath not forsaken [05800] us in our bondage [05659], but hath extended [05186] mercy [02617] unto us in the sight [06440] of the kings [04428] of Persia [06539], to give [05414] us a reviving [04241], to set up [07311] the house [01004] of our God [0430], and to repair [05975] the desolations [02723] thereof, and to give [05414] us a wall [01447] in Judah [03063] and in Jerusalem [03389].
¹⁰ And now, O our God [0430], what shall we say [0559] after [0310] this? for we have forsaken [05800] thy commandments [04687],
¹¹ Which thou hast commanded [06680] by [03027] thy servants [05650] the prophets [05030], saying [0559], The land [0776], unto which ye go [0935] to possess [03423] it, is an unclean [05079] land [0776] with the filthiness [05079] of the people [05971] of the lands [0776], with their abominations [08441], which have filled [04390] it from one end [06310] to another [06310] with their uncleanness [02932].
¹² Now therefore give [05414] not your daughters [01323] unto their sons [01121], neither take [05375] their daughters [01323] unto your sons [01121], nor seek [01875] their peace [07965] or their wealth [02896] for [05704] ever [05769]: that ye may be strong [02388], and eat [0398] the good [02898] of the land [0776], and leave it for an inheritance [03423] to your children [01121] for ever [05769].
¹³ And after [0310] all that is come [0935] upon us for our evil [07451] deeds [04639], and for our great [01419] trespass [0819], seeing that thou our God [0430] hast punished [02820] us less [04295] than our iniquities [05771] deserve, and hast given [05414] us such deliverance [06413] as this;
¹⁴ Should we again [07725] break [06565] thy commandments [04687], and join in affinity [02859] with the people [05971] of these abominations [08441]? wouldest not thou be angry [0599] with us till thou hadst consumed [03615] us, so that there should be no remnant [07611] nor escaping [06413]?
¹⁵ O LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478], thou art righteous [06662]: for we remain [07604] yet escaped [06413], as it is this day [03117]: behold, we are before [06440] thee in our trespasses [0819]: for we cannot stand [05975] before [06440] thee because of this.

⁸ O Lord [0136], to us belongeth confusion [01322] of face [06440], to our kings [04428], to our princes [08269], and to our fathers [01], because we have sinned [02398] against thee.

²⁶ I prayed [06419] therefore unto the LORD [03068], and said [0559], O Lord [0136] GOD [03069], destroy [07843] not thy people [05971] and thine inheritance [05159], which thou hast redeemed [06299] through thy greatness [01433], which thou hast brought forth [03318] out of Egypt [04714] with a mighty [02389] hand [03027].

⁸ But because the LORD [03068] loved [0160] you, and because he would keep [08104] the oath [07621] which he had sworn [07650] unto your fathers [01], hath the LORD [03068] brought you out [03318] with a mighty [02389] hand [03027], and redeemed [06299] you out of the house [01004] of bondmen [05650], from the hand [03027] of Pharaoh [06547] king [04428] of Egypt [04714].

¹⁷ For the LORD [03068] your God [0430] is God [0430] of gods [0430], and Lord [0113] of lords [0113], a great [01419] God [0410], a mighty [01368], and a terrible [03372], which regardeth [05375] not persons [06440], nor taketh [03947] reward [07810]:

⁷ Keeping [05341] mercy [02617] for thousands [0505], forgiving [05375] iniquity [05771] and transgression [06588] and sin [02403], and that will by no means [05352] clear [05352] the guilty; visiting [06485] the iniquity [05771] of the fathers [01] upon the children [01121], and upon the children's [01121] children, unto the third [08029] and to the fourth [07256] generation.

⁶ And shewing [06213] mercy [02617] unto thousands [0505] of them that love [0157] me, and keep [08104] my commandments [04687].

⁹ To the Lord [0136] our God [0430] belong mercies [07356] and forgivenesses [05547], though we have rebelled [04775] against him;

²¹ Thou shalt not be affrighted [06206] at [06440] them: for the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] is among [07130] you, a mighty [01419] God [0410] and terrible [03372].

⁵ And said [0559], I beseech [0577] thee, O LORD [03068] God [0430] of heaven [08064], the great [01419] and terrible [03372] God [0410], that keepeth [08104] covenant [01285] and mercy [02617] for them that love [0157] him and observe [08104] his commandments [04687]:

²⁵ Because they have forsaken [05800] me, and have burned incense [06999] [06999] unto other [0312] gods [0430], that they might provoke me to anger [03707] with all the works [04639] of their hands [03027]; therefore my wrath [02534] shall be poured out [05413] upon this place [04725], and shall not be quenched [03518].

²¹ Go [03212], enquire [01875] of the LORD [03068] for me, and for them that are left [07604] in Israel [03478] and in Judah [03063], concerning the words [01697] of the book [05612] that is found [04672]: for great [01419] is the wrath [02534] of the LORD [03068] that is poured out [05413] upon us, because our fathers [01] have not kept [08104] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], to do [06213] after all that is written [03789] in this book [05612].

⁷ And when the LORD [03068] saw [07200] that they humbled [03665] themselves, the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came to Shemaiah [08098], saying [0559], They have humbled [03665] themselves; therefore I will not destroy [07843] them, but I will grant [05414] them some [04592] deliverance [06413]; and my wrath [02534] shall not be poured out [05413] upon Jerusalem [03389] by the hand [03027] of Shishak [07895].

⁴ But there is forgiveness [05547] with thee, that thou mayest be feared [03372].

¹⁷ And refused [03985] to obey [08085], neither were mindful [02142] of thy wonders [06381] that thou didst [06213] among them; but hardened [07185] their necks [06203], and in their rebellion [04805] appointed [05414] a captain [07218] to return [07725] to their bondage [05659]: but thou art a God [0433] ready to pardon [05547], gracious [02587] and merciful [07349], slow [0750] to anger [0639], and of great [07227] kindness [02617], and forsookest [05800] them not.

⁹ To the Lord [0136] our God [0430] belong mercies [07356] and forgivenesses [05547], though we have rebelled [04775] against him;

¹⁶ For the voice [06963] of him that reproacheth [02778] and blasphemeth [01442]; by reason [06440] of the enemy [0341] and avenger [05358].

¹⁹ Do they provoke me to anger [03707]? saith [05002] the LORD [03068]: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion [01322] of their own faces [06440]?

²¹ And the LORD [03068] sent [07971] an angel [04397], which cut off [03582] all the mighty men [01368] of valour [02428], and the leaders [05057] and captains [08269] in the camp [04264] of the king [04428] of Assyria [0804]. So he returned [07725] with shame [01322] of face [06440] to his own land [0776]. And when he was come [0935] into the house [01004] of his god [0430], they that came forth [03329] of his own bowels [04578] slew [05307] him there with the sword [02719].

⁸ And now for a little [04592] space [07281] grace [08467] hath been shewed from the LORD [03068] our God [0430], to leave [07604] us a remnant to escape [06413], and to give [05414] us a nail [03489] in his holy [06944] place [04725], that our God [0430] may lighten [0215] our eyes [05869], and give [05414] us a little [04592] reviving [04241] in our bondage [05659].

⁸ O Lord [0136], to us belongeth confusion [01322] of face [06440], to our kings [04428], to our princes [08269], and to our fathers [01], because we have sinned [02398] against thee.

¹⁰ Now these are thy servants [05650] and thy people [05971], whom thou hast redeemed [06299] by thy great [01419] power [03581], and by thy strong [02389] hand [03027].

³³ Howbeit thou art just [06662] in all that is brought [0935] upon us; for thou hast done [06213] right [0571], but we have done wickedly [07561]:

⁸ O Lord [0136], to us belongeth confusion [01322] of face [06440], to our kings [04428], to our princes [08269], and to our fathers [01], because we have sinned [02398] against thee.

⁴⁸ And so return [07725] unto thee with all their heart [03824], and with all their soul [05315], in the land [0776] of their enemies [0341], which led them away captive [07617], and pray [06419] unto thee toward [01870] their land [0776], which thou gavest [05414] unto their fathers [01], the city [05892] which thou hast chosen [0977], and the house [01004] which I have built [01129] for thy name [08034]: