Daniel 9: Daniel's Prayer and the Seventy Weeks

Short answer: Daniel 9 records Daniel's prayer of confession for Israel's sins and his plea for God to restore Jerusalem. In response, the angel Gabriel reveals a prophetic timeline of seventy weeks that culminates in the coming of the Anointed One and the end of sin.

What Daniel 9 says

The chapter opens with a date and a setting: the first year of Darius the Mede, who was made king over the Chaldeans. Daniel, reading the books, understands from Jeremiah's prophecy that the desolations of Jerusalem are to last seventy years. This understanding drives him to prayer. He sets his face to the Lord God, seeking him with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. His posture is one of humility and urgency. He does not presume on God's promise but responds to it by turning to God in confession. The prayer that follows is not a casual request but a deliberate act of seeking, shaped by the word he has read and the time he perceives.

Verses 4 through 15 form the heart of Daniel's confession. He begins by addressing God as great and dreadful, one who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments. Then he aligns himself with his people in sin: we have sinned, dealt perversely, done wickedly, and rebelled. He acknowledges that they have not listened to the prophets. He confesses that righteousness belongs to God, while confusion of face belongs to them, to their kings, princes, and fathers. He names the curse and oath written in the law of Moses as having been poured out on them because of their sin. He admits that even in the midst of evil, they have not entreated God's favor or turned from their iniquities. The confession is thorough and unsparing, yet it is grounded in God's character of mercy and forgiveness.

In verses 16 through 19, Daniel turns from confession to petition. He appeals to God's righteousness, asking that his anger and wrath be turned away from Jerusalem, his holy mountain. He asks God to listen, to forgive, to act, and not to defer, for his own sake and because his city and people are called by his name. The basis of the plea is not Israel's righteousness but God's great mercies. Daniel asks that God's face would shine on the desolate sanctuary. The prayer is urgent and specific, focused on the restoration of the city and the sanctuary that bear God's name. It is a plea for God to act consistently with his own character and reputation.

While Daniel is still speaking, praying, and confessing, the angel Gabriel arrives, having been caused to fly swiftly, and touches him about the time of the evening offering. Gabriel tells Daniel that at the beginning of his petitions a commandment went out, and he has come to give him wisdom and understanding because Daniel is greatly beloved. Gabriel then delivers the prophecy of seventy weeks: they are decreed to finish disobedience, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy, and anoint the most holy. The timeline includes seven weeks and sixty-two weeks until the Anointed One, the prince. After sixty-two weeks, the Anointed One will be cut off and have nothing. A prince will come and destroy the city and sanctuary, and he will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will cause sacrifice and offering to cease. Desolations are determined until the end.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years about which Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.” (Daniel 9:2) — Daniel's understanding of Jeremiah's prophecy about seventy years prompts his prayer, showing that Scripture reading and prayer belong together.
• “To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness; for we have rebelled against him.” (Daniel 9:9) — This verse anchors the prayer in God's mercy and forgiveness even while Israel has rebelled, highlighting the basis of hope.
• “My God, turn your ear, and hear. Open your eyes, and see our desolations, and the city which is called by your name; for we do not present our petitions before you for our righteousness, but for your great mercies’ sake.” (Daniel 9:18) — Daniel appeals not to Israel's righteousness but to God's great mercies, a key posture of biblical prayer.
• ““Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.” (Daniel 9:24) — The seventy weeks are decreed for a comprehensive purpose: to finish disobedience, end sins, make reconciliation, bring everlasting righteousness, seal vision and prophecy, and anoint the most holy.

Gospel connection

Daniel's prayer in chapter 9 acknowledges that righteousness belongs to God and confusion of face belongs to the people because of their sin. The plea for mercy is based on God's character, not Israel's merit. This anticipates the gospel, where God's righteousness is revealed apart from works, and reconciliation for iniquity is accomplished through the Anointed One who is cut off. The prophecy of the seventy weeks points to a definitive end of sin and the bringing in of everlasting righteousness, which the New Testament identifies with Jesus Christ. Daniel's confession and the angel's answer together show that God's plan to deal with sin is both just and merciful, and that it centers on a promised deliverer who would be cut off, not for his own sin, but for the sins of many.

Application

This chapter invites readers to let Scripture shape their prayers. Daniel read Jeremiah and responded with confession and petition. We are asked to do the same: to take God's word seriously, to align ourselves with our community in confession rather than standing apart, and to appeal to God's mercy rather than our own righteousness. It also calls for persistent prayer, even when the answer seems delayed. Daniel prayed with fasting and sackcloth, not casually. And when the answer came, it was far greater than the immediate restoration he sought, pointing to God's ultimate plan. Readers are encouraged to pray with honesty about sin, to trust God's character, and to wait for his timing, knowing that he hears and acts for his own name's sake.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not identify Darius the Mede with any known historical figure beyond what is stated, nor does it explain the exact dating of the seventy weeks or the identity of the prince who comes. It does not describe Daniel's emotions beyond his act of prayer, nor does it give details about the evening offering beyond the time reference. The text does not claim that Daniel fully understood the prophecy he received; it only says he was given wisdom and understanding. It also does not specify how the seventy weeks are to be calculated or what events correspond to each segment. The chapter is silent on the ultimate fulfillment of the anointing of the most holy and the sealing of vision and prophecy, leaving these for later revelation.

Questions for study

1. What prompted Daniel to pray in this chapter, and how does his reading of Scripture shape his prayer?
2. How does Daniel identify with the sins of his people, and what does that teach us about confession?
3. What reasons does Daniel give in his prayer for God to act, and how do they reflect God's character?
4. What are the stated purposes of the seventy weeks in verse 24, and how do they relate to God's plan for sin and righteousness?
5. What details does the chapter give about the Anointed One and the coming prince, and what questions remain unanswered?

Keep reading

Related studies: Daniel 1 Bible Study, Daniel 10 Bible Study, Daniel 11 Bible Study, Daniel 12 Bible Study.

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FAQ

What are the seventy weeks in Daniel 9?

The seventy weeks are a period decreed for Daniel's people and holy city to accomplish six things: finish disobedience, end sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy, and anoint the most holy. The text divides them into seven weeks, sixty-two weeks, and one week, but does not specify the exact length of each week.

Who is the Anointed One in Daniel 9?

The text refers to an Anointed One, a prince, who is to come after seven and sixty-two weeks. After the sixty-two weeks, the Anointed One will be cut off and have nothing. The chapter does not name him, but the description points to a significant figure in God's plan.

Why does Daniel pray with fasting and sackcloth?

Daniel sets his face to seek God with prayer and petitions, fasting, sackcloth, and ashes as an expression of humility and urgency. He is confessing sin and pleading for God's mercy on Jerusalem, aligning his posture with the seriousness of the situation.