Daniel 9:2-3
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is that Daniel didn't just stumble upon Jeremiah's prophecy; he actively "understood by books." This shows he was diligently studying the sacred writings, seeking God's truth even in exile, not just waiting for visions. His deep engagement with Scripture was the catalyst for his prayer and the prophetic understanding that followed.
Daniel, a captive in Babylon during the reign of a new Median king, studied the sacred writings, particularly Jeremiah's prophecies. He realized that the seventy years of Jerusalem's desolation, predicted by Jeremiah, were nearing their end. This understanding spurred him to profound prayer and repentance.
In a time of exile, Daniel found deep meaning not just in prayer, but in the sacred writings. What does this tell us about how God's people engage with His Word?
A Foundation in Scripture
Daniel wasn't just a prophet with direct access to God; he was also a dedicated student of the Scriptures. When he "understood by books," he was poring over the collected writings of God's prophets, particularly Jeremiah. This wasn't a small, private collection; it implies a recognized body of sacred texts that had been preserved and were available even in Babylonian exile.
More Than Just Reading
This wasn't passive reading. Daniel was actively seeking understanding, comparing God's promises to Jeremiah with the current reality of Jerusalem's desolation. He was engaging in a form of biblical scholarship, where diligent study of the Word leads to deeper insight into God's plans and timing.
God's judgment on Jerusalem was severe, but it was also precisely timed. What can we learn from this fixed period of desolation?
The Certainty of Judgment and Mercy
Jeremiah had prophesied that Jerusalem would lie desolate for "seventy years" (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). This wasn't an arbitrary number; it represented a divinely appointed period of judgment. God's justice is thorough, ensuring that sin has consequences.
Hope Within the Sentence
Crucially, this period was not endless. The prophecy wasn't just about desolation; it included a promise of future restoration after the seventy years. This shows God's heart of mercy, even within His judgment. For Daniel, understanding this specific timeframe was the key to knowing when God's promised deliverance would arrive.
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, self-existent, covenant-keeping God of Israel who revealed Himself to Moses; the name emphasizes His faithfulness to His promises.
nabi · Hebrew Noun
An inspired spokesperson for God who conveys His divine will, warnings, and promises to His people, often calling them to repentance.
chorbah · Hebrew Noun
The state of being ruined, laid waste, or desolate, often brought upon a city or land as divine judgment for disobedience to God’s covenant.
tephillah · Hebrew Noun
A solemn, reverent address to God, often involving petition, intercession, confession, and the acknowledgment of His sovereignty.
Daniel was grappling with the exact timing of the seventy-year exile prophesied by Jeremiah, seeking to understand when God's promised restoration would begin.
c. 605 BC
Jeremiah's initial prophecy
Jeremiah prophesies that the land will lie desolate for seventy years due to the people's disobedience.
597 BC
First deportation to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and many of Judah's leaders and craftsmen are exiled to Babylon, including Daniel.
587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, overthrows the Babylonian Empire.
538 BC— this verse
Cyrus's Edict of Restoration
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple.
This passage directly states the prophecy of seventy years of desolation for Jerusalem, which Daniel is studying and understanding in this verse.
Jeremiah 29:10This prophecy, also from Jeremiah, reaffirms the seventy-year period and explicitly connects it to God's promise of future restoration to Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 36:21This historical account looks back and explains that the land rested during the captivity, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy of seventy years, providing the historical context Daniel is contemplating.
Ezra 1:1This verse marks the fulfillment of Daniel's prayer and understanding, showing Cyrus issuing the decree to allow the Jews to return and rebuild, directly after the seventy years.
ellicottDaniel 9:2: "In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem."
(2) Understood.— He gave special attention to Jeremiah’s prophecy of the seventy years of the Captivity. Two passages occur in that prophet’s writings where the duration of the Captivity is mentioned ( Jeremiah 25:11 ; Jeremiah 29:10 ), to the former of which Daniel re…
barnesDaniel 9:2: "In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem."
I Daniel understood by books - By the sacred books, and especially by the writings of Jeremiah. It has been made a ground of objection to the genuineness of Daniel that he mentions "books" in this place (ספרים sephârı̂ym) as if there were at that time a collection of…
What's easy to miss is that Daniel didn't just stumble upon Jeremiah's prophecy; he actively "understood by books." This shows he was diligently studying the sacred writings, seeking God's truth even in exile, not just waiting for visions. His deep engagement with Scripture was the catalyst for his prayer and the prophetic understanding that followed.
Daniel, a captive in Babylon during the reign of a new Median king, studied the sacred writings, particularly Jeremiah's prophecies. He realized that the seventy years of Jerusalem's desolation, predicted by Jeremiah, were nearing their end. This understanding spurred him to profound prayer and repentance.
Daniel, a captive in Babylon during the reign of a new Median king, studied the sacred writings, particularly Jeremiah's prophecies. He realized that the seventy years of Jerusalem's desolation, predicted by Jeremiah, were nearing their end. This understanding spurred him to profound prayer and repentance.
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tachanun · Hebrew Noun
An urgent, humble request for grace and compassion from God, typically when one acknowledges they have no claim on God’s favor due to their sin.
saq va'epher · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A form of mourning or deep repentance, often using sackcloth (rough goat hair) and ashes to symbolize humility, grief, and the abandonment of self-dignity before God.
"in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I…" — What's easy to miss is that Daniel didn't just stumble upon Jeremiah's prophecy; he actively "understood by books." This shows he was diligently studying the sacred writings, seeking God's truth even…
