Daniel 9 10

Daniel 9:10 kjv

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:10 nkjv

We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:10 niv

we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:10 esv

and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:10 nlt

We have not obeyed the LORD our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets.

Daniel 9 verses

Daniel 9 10 meaning

Daniel 9:10 is part of Daniel's great prayer of confession, where he acknowledges the persistent disobedience of the nation Israel. The verse declares that Israel has neither heeded God's commands nor lived according to His divinely revealed laws. It emphasizes that these laws were clearly given to them by God Himself, specifically through His appointed messengers, the prophets. The core message is a lament over the collective failure to obey God's authoritative word and follow the covenant instructions provided with clarity and consistency.

Daniel 9 10 Context

Daniel 9:10 is a pivotal statement within Daniel's prayer of confession (Dan 9:4-19). Having understood from Jeremiah's prophecy (Jer 25:11-12; 29:10) that the 70 years of Judah's exile were nearing their completion, Daniel earnestly sought God, not on the basis of Israel's righteousness, but on God's great mercy and faithfulness. This verse specifically articulates Israel's chronic and widespread failure to uphold their covenant responsibilities. The broader context of chapter 9 illustrates Daniel's deep understanding that the nation's suffering and exile were not arbitrary but a just consequence of their consistent corporate and individual rebellion against God's explicit commands and His covenant relationship. Historically, the verse points back to generations of Israel's kings, priests, and people who continually departed from the Mosaic Law and the ethical demands of the covenant, despite the constant warnings and pleadings of the prophets whom God sent. This confession contrasts God's righteous character and clear communication with the people's stubborn unfaithfulness.

Daniel 9 10 Word analysis

• nor have we obeyed

  • Hebrew: wĕlo' shāmaʿnu (וְלֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ).
  • shāmaʿ (שָׁמַע) is a crucial Hebrew term meaning not just "to hear," but "to hear and obey," implying a readiness and action in response to what is heard. It speaks of internalizing and actively submitting to a command.
  • Significance: This phrase is a powerful admission of volitional disobedience, an active rejection of God's revealed will, deeply embedded in Israel's history. It is a collective confession of failure to enter into the essence of the covenant.

• the voice

  • Hebrew: bĕqôl (בְּקוֹל).
  • Refers to the divine utterance, God's authoritative command or communication.
  • Significance: Highlights the source of authority. God spoke directly, unambiguously, not merely through abstract principles, but a discernible "voice."

• of the LORD our God

  • Hebrew: YHWH 'Ĕlōhênu (יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ).
  • YHWH (the LORD) is the personal, covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, unchanging faithfulness and specific relationship with Israel.
  • 'Ĕlōhênu (our God) reinforces the personal and communal relationship Israel had with this specific deity.
  • Significance: Despite knowing the personal covenant God who delivered them and provided for them, Israel still chose disobedience. This deepens the sin, making it a betrayal of a committed relationship.

• to walk

  • Hebrew: lāleḵet (לָלֶכֶת).
  • Literally "to go," but idiomatically in Scripture, it means to live, to conduct one's life, to behave.
  • Significance: Obedience is not just an occasional act, but a lifestyle, a continuous journey reflecting one's commitment. It’s about practical living out of faith.

• in His laws

  • Hebrew: bĕtôrōṯāyw (בְּתוֹרוֹתָיו).
  • Tôrāh (תּוֹרָה) is typically translated "Law," but more accurately means "instruction," "teaching," or "guidance." It encompasses all divine directives given to Israel.
  • Significance: These are not burdensome rules, but God's gracious instructions for human flourishing and for maintaining the covenant relationship. The plural indicates the manifold aspects of God's instruction.

• which He set before us

  • Hebrew: ’ăšer nātan lĕp̄ānênū (אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לְפָנֵינוּ).
  • Literally, "which He placed before our face/presence." It conveys the idea of explicit revelation, clear presentation.
  • Significance: Emphasizes that there was no ambiguity or ignorance on Israel's part. God made His will clear, leaving them without excuse. It underscores divine initiative and clarity in revelation.

• through His servants the prophets

  • Hebrew: bîḏê ʿăbāḏāyw haṇṇəḇî’îm (בִּידֵי עֲבָדָיו הַנְּבִיאִים).
  • Bîḏê (by the hand of/through) indicates mediation.
  • ʿăbāḏāyw (His servants) signifies their subservience and commission by God.
  • haṇṇəḇî’îm (the prophets) were God’s spokesmen, delivering divine messages of warning, guidance, and hope to the people.
  • Significance: Highlights the consistent, repeated, and numerous warnings given to Israel across generations, from the early judges through the exilic period. It points to a long history of prophetic ministry, making Israel's continued disobedience even more culpable.

Daniel 9 10 Bonus section

The concept of shamʿa (hearing and obeying) in this verse encapsulates the essence of the covenant relationship in the Old Testament. It's more than intellectual understanding; it demands responsive action. Daniel’s confession here forms a parallel to other confessions in Neh 9:16-17, Psa 106, which also recount Israel's history of rebellion. The repeated rejection of the prophets emphasizes God’s persistent efforts to call His people back to Himself and their covenant responsibilities. This persistent disobedience points forward to the New Testament's understanding of sin as rebellion against God's revealed will and highlights humanity's need for a renewed heart and a new covenant (Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:8-12) to truly walk in God's ways.

Daniel 9 10 Commentary

Daniel 9:10 serves as a crucial point in Daniel’s prayer, firmly placing the blame for Israel’s suffering and exile not on God’s forgetfulness or harshness, but squarely on the nation’s unyielding rebellion. This verse concisely articulates three critical truths. First, Israel's sin was an act of deliberate disobedience—they did not merely hear but consistently failed to "obey" the clear "voice" of their personal "LORD God." This active rejection struck at the heart of their covenant relationship. Second, their failure extended to their entire way of life, choosing not "to walk in His laws." This signifies a systemic, ethical, and spiritual deviation from the comprehensive "instruction" that God graciously provided for their well-being. Third, and perhaps most indicting, God's commands were neither hidden nor obscure. They were "set before" them explicitly and continuously reinforced "through His servants the prophets." The cumulative effect of the nation rejecting generations of divine warnings from Moses to the pre-exilic prophets underscores their culpability and validates God's just judgment of exile. This verse establishes that the foundation for Daniel's plea for mercy (in subsequent verses) rests not on Israel's merit, but solely on God's inherent righteousness and faithful character despite their gross unfaithfulness.