we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What Daniel says here isn't just a simple apology; it's a deliberate, layered confession. He uses four distinct words for sin, moving from general wrongdoing to active rebellion, showing how deeply and in every way possible they had turned from God's ways. This isn't just about listing mistakes, but about recognizing the progression and totality of their rebellion against the Divine.
we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel, reading Jeremiah's prophecy about the seventy years of exile, realizes the time is drawing near for God's people to return to Jerusalem. Overwhelmed by this revelation and the weight of his people's past disobedience, he humbles himself and begins a heartfelt prayer of confession, acknowledging not just his own sins but those of all Israel. This confession forms the foundation of his plea for God's mercy and restoration.
Daniel isn't just saying 'oops, we messed up.' He uses a powerful chain of words to express the depth of Israel's sin. What makes this confession so intense?
Daniel uses four distinct Hebrew words to describe their sin, creating a powerful crescendo of confession. It's not just one kind of sin, but a comprehensive turning away from God.
Stages of Sin
Daniel employs these words to show that Israel's sin wasn't a single incident but a deep-seated rebellion against God's commands and laws.
Daniel was a righteous man, yet he confesses sins that weren't his alone. Why would he do this, and what does it teach us about corporate sin?
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Daniel doesn't shy away from taking on the guilt of his people. Even though he was known for his devotion, he includes himself in the collective confession.
Speaking for the People
Understand the original words
chata · Hebrew Verb
Missing the mark or failing to meet God’s standard of holiness; it describes a violation of God’s law and a falling short of His glory.
marad · Hebrew Verb
A deliberate turning away from the authority of a ruler; in a biblical context, it is a willful, rebellious act against God’s sovereign rule and commandments.
Daniel's confession in chapter 9 is deeply rooted in the historical reality of Israel's repeated disobedience leading to the devastating exile. His prayer acknowledges the national sin that brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, framing it as a just consequence of turning away from God's clear commands.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its people and scattering them, marking a significant national trauma and a prelude to future judgments.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, taking some of the nobility and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, into exile. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's population and leadership, including King Jehoiachin, to Babylon. The Temple in Jerusalem is not yet destroyed.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians finally destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, with most of the remaining population exiled. This is the culmination of God's judgment on Israel's unfaithfulness.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire, paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem. This event sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophetic timelines.
Nehemiah's prayer of confession echoes Daniel's, acknowledging collective sin, wickedness, and rebellion by departing from God's commands, showing this pattern of repentance is deeply rooted in Israel's history.
Leviticus 26:40-42This passage outlines God's promise that if the Israelites confess their iniquity and rebellion in exile, He will remember His covenant, directly linking confession of sins like those Daniel lists to God's faithfulness and potential restoration.
1 John 1:8-9John's letter speaks to the necessity of confessing sins to remain in fellowship with God, paralleling Daniel's comprehensive acknowledgment of sin and its departure from God's ways as a foundational step toward communion.
Luke 15:18-19The parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates a similar progression of sin and confession, moving from 'sinned against heaven and you' to 'no longer worthy to be called your son,' mirroring Daniel's self-indictment and acknowledgment of rebellion.
ellicottDaniel 9:5: "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:"
(5) We have sinned.— It has been remarked that four stages of sin are pointed out by the prophet, corresponding to the four different words which he uses. “Sin” refers especially to sins of deed, “committing iniquity” to sins of word, “done wickedly” to sins of thought, “rebelled” implies the person against whom the sin has been commit…
bensonDaniel 9:5: "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:"
Daniel 9:5 . We have sinned, and have committed iniquity — Daniel uses the same confession here that is prescribed, in Solomon’s consecration prayer, to be used by the Jews in the land of their captivity; with a promise subjoined, of a favourable answer that God would make to their supplications presented to him on such an occasion: se…
What Daniel says here isn't just a simple apology; it's a deliberate, layered confession. He uses four distinct words for sin, moving from general wrongdoing to active rebellion, showing how deeply and in every way possible they had turned from God's ways. This isn't just about listing mistakes, but about recognizing the progression and totality of their rebellion against the Divine.
Daniel, reading Jeremiah's prophecy about the seventy years of exile, realizes the time is drawing near for God's people to return to Jerusalem. Overwhelmed by this revelation and the weight of his people's past disobedience, he humbles himself and begins a heartfelt prayer of confession, acknowledging not just his own sins but those of all Israel. This confession forms the foundation of his plea for God's mercy and restoration.
Daniel, reading Jeremiah's prophecy about the seventy years of exile, realizes the time is drawing near for God's people to return to Jerusalem. Overwhelmed by this revelation and the weight of his people's past disobedience, he humbles himself and begins a heartfelt prayer of confession, acknowledging not just his own sins but those of all Israel. This confession forms the foundation of his plea for God's mercy and restoration.
"we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules." — What Daniel says here isn't just a simple apology; it's a deliberate, layered confession. He uses four distinct words for sin, moving from general wrongdoing to active rebellion, showing how deeply a…
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Last reviewed October 2026