Daniel 9 14

Daniel 9:14 kjv

Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

Daniel 9:14 nkjv

Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice.

Daniel 9:14 niv

The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

Daniel 9:14 esv

Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.

Daniel 9:14 nlt

Therefore, the LORD has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The LORD our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him.

Daniel 9 verses

Daniel 9 14 meaning

Daniel 9:14 reveals Daniel's profound theological understanding that the suffering of Israel, specifically the Babylonian exile, was not arbitrary or a sign of God's inability, but a direct, deliberate, and righteous act of the LORD. God had actively ensured and brought this promised calamity upon them because of their sustained and widespread disobedience to His commands and covenant stipulations. Daniel asserts God's absolute justice in all His dealings, acknowledging that Israel was entirely at fault.

Daniel 9 14 Context

Daniel 9:14 is an integral part of Daniel's passionate prayer of confession (Daniel 9:4-19) for the people of Israel. This prayer is offered around 538 BC, near the end of the prophesied 70 years of Babylonian exile, as revealed in Jeremiah's writings (Jer 25:11-12, 29:10). Daniel is deeply burdened by the desolation of Jerusalem and the ongoing exile, seeking God's mercy and restoration. However, before petitioning for restoration, Daniel leads a profound confession of sin. He recognizes that Israel's dire state is a direct, righteous judgment from the covenant God due to the nation's consistent rebellion and disregard for God's laws and prophets. This verse specifically articulates Daniel's theological rationale for Israel's suffering: God's justice is unimpeachable, and Israel's sin is the undeniable cause. The prayer itself stands as a literary and spiritual monument, contrasting human sinfulness with divine righteousness and preparing the ground for the angel Gabriel's prophecy of the seventy "weeks."

Daniel 9 14 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): This conjunctive adverb signals a direct consequence. It links the judgment that follows to the preceding catalogue of Israel's sins (Daniel 9:5-13), underscoring that the calamity is a logical and deserved outcome. It conveys "for this reason" or "on account of this."

• the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant name of God, frequently translated as "the LORD" (in all caps). This name emphasizes God's personal, covenantal relationship with Israel and His faithfulness to His promises, which included both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. It signifies His unchanging nature and sovereign authority.

• has kept... in store (שָׁקַד, shaqad): More precisely translated as "has been vigilant over," "has watched over," or "hastened to perform." This verb signifies active, deliberate divine attention and execution, not passive allowance. God was not indifferent but carefully and precisely carried out His predetermined judgment, fulfilling His prophetic warnings. This mirrors its use in Jer 1:12 where God watches over His word to perform it.

• the calamity (הָרָעָה, ha-ra'ah): This noun refers to "the evil," "disaster," "trouble," or "misfortune." In this context, it specifically denotes the judgments outlined in the covenant (Lev 26, Deut 28) and experienced by Israel, encompassing the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, the exile, and their collective suffering. It signifies an intentional and deserved affliction.

• and has brought it upon us (וַיְבִיאֶהָ עָלֵינוּ, wa-y'vi'eha aleinu): This phrase indicates direct divine agency. God is the active subject who literally caused this disaster to befall His people. It dispels any notion of randomness or human sole responsibility, emphasizing God's sovereign control over historical events as means of righteous judgment.

• for the LORD our God (כִּי צַדִּיק יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, ki tzaddiq YHWH Eloheinu): The conjunction ki ("for" or "because") introduces the irrefutable justification for God's actions. The phrase "the LORD our God" personalizes God, affirming that even in judgment, He remains their covenant Lord. It highlights the unique relationship despite Israel's failures.

• is righteous (צַדִּיק, tzaddiq): This adjective means "just," "innocent," "upright," or "vindicated." Daniel declares God to be absolutely morally correct and faultless in His dealings. His actions, even punitive ones, align perfectly with His holy character and established standards of justice.

• in all the works that he has done (בְּכָל מַעֲשָׂיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, b'khol ma'asav asher asah): This comprehensive phrase covers every action, past, present, and implied future, that God has undertaken concerning Israel. It emphasizes that all of God's deeds – including the giving of the Law, the warnings, and now the judgments – are inherently just and proper.

• and we have not obeyed his voice (וְלֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּקֹלוֹ, v'lo shama'nu b'qolo): This final clause provides the ultimate reason and the explicit human culpability for the calamity. Shama' implies not merely hearing, but to listen attentively, understand, and most crucially, to heed and obey. "His voice" refers to the totality of His revealed will, commands, covenant stipulations, and prophetic warnings delivered through the Law and the prophets. It highlights Israel's willful disregard of God's communication.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and has brought it upon us": This potent phrase establishes God's direct, vigilant, and intentional agency in Israel's suffering. It's not passive allowance, but active fulfillment of divine decree, demonstrating His sovereignty over historical judgment. This is a theological acknowledgment that their hardship is from the hand of God, meticulously delivered.

• "for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that he has done": This foundational theological assertion provides the absolute justification for God's actions. Even amidst severe judgment, Daniel confidently proclaims God's unblemished justice and moral rectitude in every deed. It underscores that God is never arbitrary, and His character remains impeccable despite the human experience of suffering.

• "and we have not obeyed his voice": This final, crucial confession explicitly states the core reason for God's righteous judgment. It is an honest self-assessment of Israel's widespread and persistent rebellion against God's explicit commands and warnings, signifying their breach of the covenant relationship and highlighting their total culpability.

Daniel 9 14 Bonus section

The specific Hebrew verb used for "kept in store" or "watched over," שָׁקַד (shaqad), carries a dual meaning throughout Jeremiah: God "watches over" (or is vigilant to perform) both good and evil (judgment). For instance, in Jer 1:12, God watches over His word "to perform it," and in Jer 31:28, He watches over "to build and to plant" (good). However, in Jer 44:27, He states, "I am watching over them for evil, not for good." This nuance confirms that God's execution of all His prophetic declarations, whether for blessing or for curse, is meticulously performed with active, deliberate intent, not by mere happenstance. Daniel's usage here connects directly to this understanding from the very prophet (Jeremiah) whose words he was studying. This emphasizes that God is fully committed to carrying out His entire revealed will.

Daniel 9 14 Commentary

Daniel 9:14 stands as a testament to mature theological understanding and profound repentance. Within his heartfelt prayer, Daniel unequivocally justifies God's severe judgment upon Israel. He articulates that the ongoing exile and the devastation of Jerusalem are not a random misfortune, a defeat of Israel's God, or an act of divine injustice. Rather, they are the deliberate, precise, and sovereign outworking of God's prior warnings and covenant curses. The term "kept in store" or "watched over" emphasizes God's active vigilance in ensuring His word—both prophecy and warning—is fulfilled. God "brought it upon us" asserts His direct agency, dismantling any notion of passive permission. Daniel understands that God's actions are entirely righteous, blameless, and just, rooted in His holy character. The profound cause for this righteous judgment, Daniel forthrightly confesses, lies solely with Israel's chronic and deliberate refusal to "obey His voice" – their failure to listen to, understand, and act upon the Law and prophetic messages. This verse is pivotal; it demonstrates true humility and forms the bedrock upon which Daniel can then appeal for God's mercy based not on Israel's merit, but on God's covenant promises and character. It encourages looking inward for culpability rather than outward to external forces or to God as unjust.