Daniel's Prayer for His People
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1In the first year of 2Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a 3Mede, who was made king over the realm of the 4Chaldeans--
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in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to 5the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
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Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by 6prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
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I prayed to the LORD my God and 7made confession, saying, 8"O Lord, the 9great and awesome God, who 10keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
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11we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly 12and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.
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13We have not listened to 14your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to 15our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
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To you, 16O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, 17those who are near and 18those who are far away, in 19all the lands to which you have driven them, because of 20the treachery that they have committed against you.
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To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because 21we have sinned against you.
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23and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by 24his servants the prophets.
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25All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, 26refusing to obey your voice. 27And the curse and oath 28that are written in the Law of 29Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because 30we have sinned against him.
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He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against 31our rulers who ruled us,a by 32bringing upon us a great calamity. 33For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.
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34As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, 35turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.
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36Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, 37for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and 38we have not obeyed his voice.
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And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt 39with a mighty hand, and 40have made a name for yourself, as at this day, 41we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
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"O Lord, 42according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, 43your holy hill, 44because for our sins, and for 45the iniquities of our fathers, 46Jerusalem and your people have become 47a byword among all who are around us.
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Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,b48make your face to shine upon 49your sanctuary, which is desolate.
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50O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see 51our desolations, and 52the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.
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O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. 53Delay not, 54for your own sake, O my God, because 55your city and 56your people are called by your name."
Gabriel Brings an Answer
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57While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the LORD my God for 58the holy hill of my God,
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while I was speaking in prayer, the man 59Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, 60came to me in swift flight at 61the time of the evening sacrifice.
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62He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you 63insight and understanding.
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64At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, 65and I have come to tell it to you, for 66you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word 67and understand the vision.
The Seventy Weeks
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68"Seventy weeksc are decreed about your people and 69your holy city, to finish 70the transgression, to put an end to sin, 71and to atone for iniquity, 72to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and 73to anoint a most holy place.d
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74Know therefore and understand that 75from the going out of the word to restore and 76build Jerusalem to the coming of an 77anointed one, a 78prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, 79but in a troubled time.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)