Daniel 9:2

9:2 in the first year of his reign ¹  I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books ²  that, according to the word of the LORD ³  disclosed to the prophet Jeremiah, the years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem ⁴  were seventy in number.

Daniel 9:18

9:18 Listen attentively, ⁵  my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins ⁶  and the city called by your name. ⁷  For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, ⁸  but because your compassion is abundant.

[9:2]  ¹ tc This phrase, repeated from v. 1, is absent in Theodotion.

[9:2]  ² tn The Hebrew text has “books”; the word “sacred” has been added in the translation to clarify that it is Scriptures that are referred to.

[9:2]  ³ sn The tetragrammaton (the four Hebrew letters which constitute the divine Name, YHWH) appears eight times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the book of Daniel.

[9:2]  ⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “turn your ear.”

[9:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “desolations.” The term refers here to the ruined condition of Judah’s towns.

[9:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “over which your name is called.” Cf. v. 19. This expression implies that God is the owner of his city, Jerusalem. Note the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 12:28; Isa 4:1; Amos 9:12.

[9:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “praying our supplications before you.”