Breakdown of Daniel 9:17

"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, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate." — Daniel isn't just asking for comfort; he's praying for God's honor. The phrase "for your own sake, O Lord" reveals that the desolation of the sanctuary reflects poorly on God's name and glory, making…

Daniel 9:17 Meaning Explained

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Daniel 9:17

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, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Daniel isn't just asking for comfort; he's praying for God's honor. The phrase "for your own sake, O Lord" reveals that the desolation of the sanctuary reflects poorly on God's name and glory, making the restoration not just about the people's welfare but about God's reputation. This shifts the focus from human need to divine vindication.

What Daniel 9:17 means

Daniel has just poured out a profound prayer of confession and intercession, acknowledging Israel's deep sin and the righteousness of God's judgment that led to their exile. He's pleaded for mercy, not based on their own merit, but for the glory of God and the restoration of His holy sanctuary.

Theology of God's "Shining Face"

Daniel asks God to 'make your face shine' on the desolate sanctuary. What does this powerful imagery reveal about God's presence and favor?

When the Bible speaks of God's face shining, it's far more than a metaphor for a good mood. It's about God actively revealing His presence and favor.

Divine Presence: Just as the sun's light signifies life and warmth, God's shining face means His presence is actively turned toward His people and His dwelling place, the sanctuary.
Restoration and Favor: It signifies a reversal of His apparent wrath or absence. Instead of judgment (like a clouded face), God's shining face means renewed favor, blessing, and the restoration of His work.
Fulfillment of His Word: It's a plea for God to manifest His promises and power, showing that His Word is true and His covenant faithfulness is active, even after disaster.

Pleading for God's Own Sake

Daniel's prayer includes a counter-intuitive plea: 'for your own sake.' Why would God's glory depend on His people's actions or His sanctuary's restoration?

Daniel's prayer reaches its highest point when he appeals to God for God's own sake. This isn't about God needing something from Daniel, but about aligning the prayer with God's ultimate purposes.

God's Glory is Paramount: Daniel understands that God's reputation is bound up with His actions. When His people are in ruins and His sanctuary desolate, it reflects poorly on His power and faithfulness to the watching world.
The Covenant Name: The plea is for God to act according to His covenant name and character. He is the Lord, the God who brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty power. To abandon His people and sanctuary would be inconsistent with His revealed nature.
Divine Initiative: It's a recognition that God's intervention isn't earned by human merit (Daniel has just confessed abundant sin). It stems purely from God's sovereign will and His desire to be glorified through His redemptive actions.

Understand the original words

Original language

pleas for mercyרַחֲמִים

rachamim · Hebrew Noun

The Hebrew concept of 'hesed' or compassion; it is the undeserved favor of God, often contrasted with human merit. It is the core motivation for God’s interaction with His people.

make your face to shineפָּנִים אוֹר

panim ohr · Hebrew Verb/Noun phrase

A biblical idiom for the bestowal of God’s favor, blessing, presence, and salvation. When God makes His face shine, it results in restoration and joy for the recipient.

sanctuaryמִקְדָּשׁ

miqdash · Hebrew Noun

A sacred place of worship where God promises to meet His people. It signifies the center of covenant life and the dwelling place of God's name on earth.

Historical context

Written: Likely between 540-530 BC.
Author: Daniel, a Jewish exile serving in the Babylonian court.
Location: Written from Babylon during the Babylonian exile.
Genre: Prophecy with strong elements of prayer and confession, characterized by its detailed apocalyptic visions and historical narrative.

Historical background

Daniel's prayer for his desolate sanctuary is deeply rooted in the trauma of Jerusalem's destruction and the Babylonian exile. His plea to God to 'cause your face to shine upon your sanctuary' is a desperate cry for divine favor and restoration after witnessing the utter devastation of God's dwelling place.

c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many Israelites. This event serves as a stark warning of the consequences of national disobedience to God.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple
The Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar, conquers Judah, destroys Jerusalem, and razes Solomon's Temple. The majority of the population is exiled to Babylon.
c. 539 BC
Conquest of Babylon by Persia
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers the Babylonian Empire, creating a new geopolitical reality and setting the stage for the return of exiles.
538 BC
Decree of Cyrus Allowing Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return from exile.

Key themes

01God's sovereign glory
02Prayer for divine favor
03Mercy for desolation
04Intercession for God's name

Cross-references

Numbers 6:25

This passage uses the same 'face shining' imagery, invoking God's blessing and favor, directly connecting to Daniel's plea for God's favorable regard on His desolate sanctuary.

Psalm 80:3

This Psalm echoes Daniel's prayer by asking God to 'restore us' and 'cause your face to shine, that we may be saved,' highlighting the shared theme of seeking God's restorative favor during times of desolation.

Psalm 143:1

Daniel's prayer begins with a plea to hear his prayer and supplications, similar to this Psalm's cry, 'Hear my prayer, O LORD,' emphasizing the desperate need for God's attention in distress.

Malachi 4:2

This prophecy speaks of the 'sun of righteousness' rising with healing in its wings, a powerful parallel to Daniel's request for God's face to shine, connecting the idea of divine favor with healing and restoration.

Luke 1:78

This verse refers to the 'tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high,' linking the concept of divine light and favor ('face shine') with God's merciful intervention.

Scholarly commentary

Daniel 9:17: "Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake."

(17) Cause thy face to shine.— See Numbers 6:25 . The meaning is “let thy works show the fulfilment of “thy Word.” For the Lord’s sake.—Comp. Daniel 9:19, “because Thou art the Lord.” Never does prayer rise higher, than when the soul humbly appeals to God as the sovereign lord of all, and patiently waits for Him to…
ellicott

Daniel 9:17: "Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake."

Now, therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant - In behalf of the people. He pleaded for his people and country, and earnestly entreated the Lord to be merciful. His argument is based on the confession of sin; on the character of God; on the condition of the city and temple; on the former Divine interposi…
barnes

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Original language

pleas for mercyרַחֲמִים

rachamim · Hebrew Noun

The Hebrew concept of 'hesed' or compassion; it is the undeserved favor of God, often contrasted with human merit. It is the core motivation for God’s interaction with His people.

make your face to shineפָּנִים אוֹר

panim ohr · Hebrew Verb/Noun phrase

A biblical idiom for the bestowal of God’s favor, blessing, presence, and salvation. When God makes His face shine, it results in restoration and joy for the recipient.

sanctuaryמִקְדָּשׁ

miqdash · Hebrew Noun

A sacred place of worship where God promises to meet His people. It signifies the center of covenant life and the dwelling place of God's name on earth.

Historical background

c. 722 BC

Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel

The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many Israelites. This event serves as a stark warning of the consequences of national disobedience to God.

586 BC— this verse

Destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple

The Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar, conquers Judah, destroys Jerusalem, and razes Solomon's Temple. The majority of the population is exiled to Babylon.

c. 539 BC

Conquest of Babylon by Persia

Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers the Babylonian Empire, creating a new geopolitical reality and setting the stage for the return of exiles.

538 BC

Decree of Cyrus Allowing Return

Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return from exile.