Daniel 9:16 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Daniel 9:16 kjv
O LORD, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
Daniel 9:16 nkjv
"O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us.
Daniel 9:16 niv
Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
Daniel 9:16 esv
"O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us.
Daniel 9:16 nlt
In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.
Daniel 9 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Pss 31:1 | In You, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in Your righteousness deliver me! | Deliverance based on God's righteousness |
| Pss 143:1 | Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In Your faithfulness answer me, in Your righteousness! | Appealing to God's faithfulness and righteousness |
| Isa 45:24 | "Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength..." | God as source of righteousness |
| Pss 7:11 | God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. | God's righteous anger |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men... | Divine wrath against sin |
| Zech 1:15 | ...I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster. | God's anger at nations and His people's plight |
| Joel 2:13-14 | ...return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents from disaster. | God may turn from wrath |
| Exod 32:12-14 | ...Turn from Your burning anger and relent from this disaster against Your people. | Moses' intercession to turn God's anger |
| Pss 48:1-2 | Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation... | Jerusalem as God's city and holy mountain |
| Zech 8:3 | Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city... | God's presence in Jerusalem/holy mountain |
| Neh 9:2 | And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. | Corporate confession of ancestral sin |
| Pss 106:6 | Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedly. | Confession of inherited sin |
| Jer 14:7 | Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for Your name's sake... | Confession, appealing to God's name |
| Lam 5:7 | Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. | Bearing consequences of ancestral sin |
| Deut 28:37 | And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the LORD will lead you away. | Israel becoming a byword due to disobedience |
| 1 Kgs 9:7 | then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and this house... will become a heap of ruins. | Desolation and shame as a consequence |
| Pss 79:4 | We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. | Reproach and scorn among nations |
| Eze 36:20-23 | But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned My holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD...’ | God's name profaned by Israel's dispersion |
| Eze 36:32 | "It is not for your sake that I act, declares the Lord GOD; let this be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel." | God acting for His name, not Israel's merit |
| Isa 48:9-11 | "For My name's sake I defer My anger; for My praise I restrain it from you... For how can My name be profaned? I will not give My glory to another." | God acting for His glory and name |
| Jer 24:9 | "I will make them a horror and a disaster to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach, a byword, a taunt, and a curse in all places where I will drive them." | Consequences of disobedience, reproach |
| Dan 9:3 | Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking Him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. | Daniel's posture of intercession |
| Pss 106:23 | Therefore He said He would destroy them—had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath... | Intercession averting wrath |
Daniel 9 verses
Daniel 9 16 meaning
Daniel 9:16 is a fervent intercessory prayer where Daniel appeals to God's inherent righteousness as the basis for divine action, rather than Israel's merit. He petitions for God to turn away His justified anger and wrath from Jerusalem and His people, recognizing that their desolation and shame among the nations are direct consequences of their own sins and the accumulated iniquities of their ancestors. This verse highlights the profound theological principle that God's character (righteousness) provides the hope for restoration, despite the people's manifest unworthiness.
Daniel 9 16 Context
Daniel 9 is a pivotal chapter occurring during the period of Babylonian exile, near the prophesied seventy-year completion (Jer 25:11-12, 29:10). Daniel has been studying Jeremiah's prophecies, prompting him to earnestly seek God through prayer, fasting, and confession. His prayer (Dan 9:4-19) is a profound expression of national repentance, acknowledging Israel's widespread sin and rebellion against God's law. Verse 16 specifically follows a lengthy confession, shifting from acknowledging their guilt to appealing to God's character as the grounds for restoration. The historical context is one of national humiliation, with Jerusalem desolate, the Temple destroyed, and the people scattered and reviled, exactly as the prophets warned due to covenant disobedience. Daniel’s prayer is a desperate plea for God to fulfill His covenant promises of restoration, not based on their deserving, but on His unchanging righteous nature and concern for His own holy name and city.
Daniel 9 16 Word analysis
- O Lord (אֲדֹנָי, Adonai): This specific divine title, meaning "my Lord" or "my Master," emphasizes Daniel's relationship of submission and reverence to God's sovereign authority, especially fitting in a prayer for national crisis.
- according to all your righteousness (כְּכָל־צִדְקֹתֶיךָ, k'khol-tzid'qotékha): "Righteousness" (צְדָקָה, tsedeqah) refers not to punitive justice here, but to God's covenant faithfulness and moral integrity. Daniel boldly appeals to God's own consistent character and His promise to act justly in saving His people and upholding His name, which would be tarnished if Israel remained in shame.
- let your anger and your wrath turn away (יָשָׁב־נָא אַפְּךָ וַחֲמָתְךָ, yashov-na appekha va'chamath'kha): "Anger" (אַף, aph, nose, expressing intense displeasure) and "wrath" (חֵמָה, chemah, heat, signifying furious indignation) are a pair to intensify the description of divine judgment. "Turn away" (שׁוּב, shuv) signifies a complete cessation or reversal of this justified divine displeasure.
- from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill: These possessive phrases highlight God's intimate ownership and sacred connection to these places. "Jerusalem" (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, Yerushalayim) is the spiritual capital, and "your holy hill" (הַר קָדְשֶׁךָ, har qodslekha) refers to Mount Zion, where the Temple stood, making its desolation a direct reflection on God's glory.
- for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers: "Sins" (חַטָּאָה, chatta'ah, missing the mark) and "iniquities" (עָוֹן, avon, perversity, guilt from wrongdoing) distinguish types of transgression. The addition "of our fathers" acknowledges a corporate and generational legacy of rebellion, confirming that present suffering stems from accumulated historical disobedience, and that current generations bear the consequences.
- Jerusalem and your people have become a byword: "Byword" (חֶרְפָּה, cherpah), means reproach, scorn, or an object of derision. This signifies public humiliation and disgrace among nations, fulfilling prophecies of judgment (Deut 28:37) and implying a challenge to God's reputation, prompting Daniel's plea for restoration based on God's honor.
- among all who are around us: This phrase underscores the widespread and public nature of Israel's disgrace. Their shame is acknowledged by their neighbors, highlighting the extensive suffering and the potential for God's name to be dishonored internationally.
Daniel 9 16 Bonus section
The structure of Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9, moving from deep theological confession to earnest supplication grounded in God's attributes, serves as an enduring model for intercessory prayer. His appeal to God's righteousness (tsedeqah) here is remarkably significant; it suggests that, in a profound sense, it would be inconsistent with God's character to allow His chosen city and people, with whom His name is intrinsically linked, to remain indefinitely in disgrace and desolation. This is not a human demanding justice but a humble plea to God to act consistently with His own divine nature for the sake of His glory. This Old Testament appeal to God's character foreshadows the New Testament concept of salvation based on Christ's righteousness rather than human merit. Daniel's prayer also implicitly recognizes God's absolute sovereignty over the nations; while they mocked Israel, they were instruments of God's righteous judgment, and only He possessed the authority to reverse that judgment.
Daniel 9 16 Commentary
Daniel 9:16 is a poignant example of intercessory prayer. Daniel unreservedly confesses the sins of his people, explicitly stating that Jerusalem's desolation and Israel's national shame are direct consequences of their collective disobedience. Yet, the profound nature of his plea lies in appealing, not to Israel's nonexistent merit, but to God's inherent "righteousness"—His unchanging character, covenant faithfulness, and integrity. This righteousness guarantees that God will not perpetually abandon His holy name, city, or people to disrepute among the nations. The fervent request for God's anger and wrath to "turn away" stems from a belief that God desires to relent and that His ultimate purposes for Israel will be realized. The public humiliation of Jerusalem as a "byword" is viewed not just as suffering but as a blight on God's own reputation, thus Daniel invokes God's glory as the ultimate impetus for divine intervention. It epitomizes where human unworthiness confronts divine reliability, making God’s honor the foundational hope for restoration.