Daniel 9:16
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 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. | O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, I pray that Your anger and wrath may turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all around us. | O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, let thine anger and thy wrath, I pray thee, 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 round about us. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedDaniel, having read Jeremiah's word about seventy years of Jerusalem's desolation, prays and confesses Israel's sin. In this verse he asks God to turn his anger away from Jerusalem, his holy mountain. He bases the plea on God's own righteousness, admitting that the city's shame comes from the people's sins and their fathers' sins. Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:3Daniel 9:5Daniel 9:16
SpeakingDaniel, praying in the first person to the LORD his God. Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:4Daniel overview
ToThe prayer is spoken to God himself, addressed as "O LORD." Daniel 9:16Strong's H0136
Also involvedJerusalem and God's people, the men of Judah and all Israel scattered among the countries, who have become a reproach to the nations around them. Daniel 9:7Daniel 9:16
Daniel pleads for God's anger and fury to turn back from Jerusalem. He does not claim the people deserve it; he confesses that their sins and their fathers' iniquities brought the disgrace. Lamentations shows that reproach: passersby hiss and wag their heads at Jerusalem, and enemies say they have swallowed her up. Daniel 9:16Daniel 9:14Lamentations 2:15Lamentations 2:16
Daniel prays in Babylon, far from the city he prays for, Jerusalem, called God's holy mountain. Daniel overviewDaniel 9:16Jerusalem
The eventsThe prayer is dated to the first year of Darius the Mede, after Babylon fell, while Jerusalem still lay desolate. Daniel 9:1Daniel 9:2Daniel overview
WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC, while others keep the 500s BC date. Daniel overview
HereThe verse asks God to act for his own city and name, not for the people's merit. The prayer goes on: "we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies." Daniel 9:16Daniel 9:18Daniel 9:19
In the whole of ScriptureGod answers while Daniel is still praying, sending Gabriel with the word of the seventy weeks determined upon the people and the holy city. Other prophets also look to God returning to Zion, his holy mountain, and dwelling in Jerusalem. Daniel 9:20Daniel 9:21Daniel 9:24Zechariah 8:3Joel 3:17
For readersDaniel shows how to pray when trouble is deserved: confess the sin honestly and appeal to God's righteousness and mercy. The psalmist prays the same way: "deliver me in thy righteousness." Daniel 9:5Daniel 9:16Daniel 9:18Psalms 31:1
- righteousnessצִדְקָה
The word means right doing, and here it is "your righteousnesses." Daniel appeals to God's right deeds, not the people's, matching his plea in 9:18 that rests on God's mercies rather than "our righteousnesses." Strong's H6666Daniel 9:16Daniel 9:18
- turned awayשׁוּב
The verb means to return or turn back, and here it is "may it turn back." Daniel asks that God's anger itself turn back. The same chapter says the people did not pray so as to "turn from our iniquities." Strong's H7725IDaniel 9:13Daniel 9:16
- reproachחֶרְפָּה
The word means reproach, scorn, or a taunt, even an object of scorn. Jerusalem has become what the nations mock, as Lamentations 2:15-16 describes. Strong's H2781Lamentations 2:15Lamentations 2:16
- holyקֹ֫דֶשׁ
The word means apartness or holiness, used of God and of places. Calling Jerusalem "thy holy mountain" marks it as God's own set-apart place, which is why Daniel pleads for it. Strong's H6944GDaniel 9:16Daniel 9:20
Takeaway
Daniel does not excuse Israel's sin; he owns it and then rests his whole request on God's righteousness and his name. God's people may still plead with him on that ground, "for thine own sake." Daniel 9:16Daniel 9:18Daniel 9:19
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Where
- Jerusalem settlementMapAbout this place
Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O Lord | אֲדֹנָ֗י | 'a-do-NAI | H0136 | Lordאֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G) |
| according to all | כְּכָל־ | ke-khol- | H3605 | allכֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606) |
| righteousnesses your | צִדְקֹתֶ֙ךָ֙ | tzid-ko-TE-cha | H6666 | righteousnessצִדְקָה (tsid.qah) right doing, doing right, righteousness Aramaic of tse.da.qah (צְדָקָה "righteousness" H6666) |
| may it turn back | יָֽשָׁב־ | ya-shov- | H7725I | to return: returnשׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) … |
| please | נָ֤א | na' | H4994 | pleaseנָא (na) 1) I (we) pray, now, please 1a) used in entreaty or exhortation |
| anger your | אַפְּךָ֙ | 'a-pe-KHA | H0639G | face: angerאַף (aph) : anger 1) nostril, nose, face 2) anger |
| and rage your | וַחֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ | va-cha-MA-te-kha | H2534 | rageחֱמָא (che.ma) anger, rage Aramaic of che.mah (חֵמָה "rage" H2534) |
| from city your | מֵעִֽירְךָ֥ | me-'i-re-KHA | H5892B | cityעִיר (ir) 1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town |
| Jerusalem | יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם | ye-ru-sha-LIM | H3389 | Arielאֲרִיאֵל (a.ri.el) Ariel = "lion of God" or "lioness of God" Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389) |
| [the] mountain of | הַר־ | har- | H2022G | mountain: mountהַר (har) : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount |
| holiness your | קָדְשֶׁ֑ךָ | kod-SHE-cha | H6944G | holinessקֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) 1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness 1a) apartness, sacredness, holiness 1a1) of God 1a2) of places 1a3) of things 1b) set-apartness, separateness |
| for | כִּ֤י | ki | H3588A | forכִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore |
| by sins our | בַחֲטָאֵ֙ינוּ֙ | va-cha-ta-'EI-nu | H2399 | sinחֵטְא (chet) 1) sin 1a) sin 1b) guilt for sin 1c) punishment for sin Aramaic equivalent: cha.ti (חֲטָי "sin" H2408) |
| and by [the] iniquities of | וּבַעֲוֹנ֣וֹת | u-va-'a-vo-NOT | H5771G | iniquity: crimeעָוֺן (a.van) : crime 1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity 1a) iniquity 1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition) 1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity |
| ancestors our | אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ | 'a-vo-TEI-nu | H0001G | fatherאָב (av) 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002) |
| Jerusalem | יְרוּשָׁלִַ֧ם | ye-ru-sha-LIM | H3389 | Arielאֲרִיאֵל (a.ri.el) Ariel = "lion of God" or "lioness of God" Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389) |
| and people your | וְעַמְּךָ֛ | ve-'a-me-KHA | H5971A | peopleעַם (am) : people/nation 1) nation, people 1a) people, nation 1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men |
| [have become] into a reproach | לְחֶרְפָּ֖ה | le-cher-PAH | H2781 | reproachחֶרְפָּה (cher.pah) 1) reproach, scorn 1a) taunt, scorn (upon enemy) 1b) reproach (resting upon condition of shame, disgrace) 1c) a reproach (an object) |
| to all | לְכָל־ | le-khol | H3605 | allכֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606) |
| around us | סְבִיבֹתֵֽינוּ׃ | se-vi-vo-TEI-nu | H5439G | aroundסָבִיב (sa.viv) : around/border subst 1) places round about, circuit, round about adv 2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about prep 3) in the circuit, from every side |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.