Daniel 9:13

13 "As it is written in the ¹law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have ²not sought the favor * of the LORD our God by ³turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth.

Daniel 9:13 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 9:13

As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come
upon us
As it is there threatened it should, and as it is there foretold it would come upon them, so it has; even the selfsame things, in the same manner, and with the same circumstances, as there foretold; which is a proof of the omniscience, omnipotence, and faithfulness of God, and an evidence of the truth of divine revelation; see ( Leviticus 26:1 ) ( Deuteronomy 28:1 ) : yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God;
during the seventy years captivity, they might have prayed, and doubtless did, in a lifeless, formal manner; but not sincerely and heartily, in faith and with fervency, under a sense of sin, with confession of it, and true repentance for it, and so as to forsake it, as follows: that we might turn from our iniquities;
for since they did not pray against sin, and entreat the Lord to enable them to turn from it, and forsake it, but continued in a course of disobedience, their prayer was not reckoned prayer: and understand thy truth;
either the truth and faithfulness of God, in fulfilling both his promises and his threatenings; or his law, which is truth, as Jacchiades interprets it; for, had they prayed aright, they would have had an understanding given them of divine truths, both with respect to doctrine and practice; of which they were ignorant, as prayerless persons usually are.

Daniel 9:13 In-Context

11 "Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.

12 "Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem.

13 "As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth.

14 "Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.

15 "And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day -we have sinned, we have been wicked.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 26:14-45; Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Daniel 9:11
• 2. Job 36:13; Isaiah 9:13; Jeremiah 2:30; Jeremiah 5:3
• 3. Jeremiah 31:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "softened the face of"
• [b]. Or "having insight into"