Daniel doesn't just confess a sin, but layers four distinct words to describe the depth and breadth of their wrongdoing: "sinned" (mistakes), "iniquity" (moral crookedness), "wickedly" (intentional evil), and "rebelled" (open defiance), all stemming from turning away from God's clear commands. This isn't just a casual admission, but a thorough, almost exhaustive, accounting of their rebellion against a God who had given them clear direction.
we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel is in deep prayer, reflecting on God's promises and the overwhelming reality of his people's sin and exile. He's acknowledging the nation's widespread rebellion against God's commands, recognizing that their disobedience is the reason for their current suffering and dispersion among the nations.
Daniel doesn't just say 'we messed up.' He uses a powerful, layered confession. Why so many words for sin?
Daniel piles on words to describe sin: sinned, committed iniquity, done wickedly, and rebelled. This isn't just repetition; it paints a complete picture of their rebellion against God.
Together, these terms show that their sin wasn't a minor slip-up but a comprehensive rejection of God, touching their actions, their thoughts, and their very allegiance.
Daniel pinpoints the core issue: turning away from God's instructions. What does this turning signify?
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The phrase 'turning aside from your commandments and rules' is the crucial outcome of all the previous terms for sin. It highlights that their rebellion wasn't random but a conscious departure from God's specific will.
By 'turning aside,' Daniel confesses that they actively rejected God's revealed will. It wasn't ignorance; it was disobedience. This highlights a critical truth: true repentance involves not just acknowledging past wrongs, but a commitment to realigning with God's authoritative word.
Daniel, a righteous man, includes himself in this sweeping confession. Why does he speak for 'we' when he was personally faithful?
Daniel doesn't say, 'They sinned, but I didn't.' Instead, he says, 'We have sinned.' This is a profound act of solidarity and humility. Even as an individual known for his integrity, Daniel identifies with his people's corporate sin.
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.
nabi' · Hebrew Noun
A spokesperson for God, moved by the Holy Spirit to declare His will, warn of judgment, or announce future events to His people.
shem · Hebrew Noun
The holy, authoritative name of the God of Israel, often associated with His covenant-keeping character and presence.
Daniel's prayer in chapter 9 isn't just a personal reflection; it's a profound confession rooted in the collective guilt of Israel, stemming from generations of disobedience that led to their devastating exile. He speaks for a people grappling with the consequences of their actions, acknowledging their deep rebellion against God's commands and laws right in the midst of their captivity.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its citizens and scattering them. This event marks a significant loss of national identity and sovereignty for the Israelites.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire conquer Jerusalem. Daniel and other young nobles are taken captive to Babylon as part of the first wave of exiles.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged again, and King Jehoiachin along with thousands of Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, are deported to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, the heart of Israel's worship and national life. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire. This shift in power eventually leads to the decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Judah.
c. 538 BC
Decree of Cyrus for Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Many begin the journey back, though the process is gradual.
c. 445 BC
Rebuilding of Jerusalem's Walls under Nehemiah
Nehemiah leads a mission to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls, facing significant opposition. This period highlights the ongoing challenges of restoring Jewish life in the post-exilic period.
This passage offers a remarkably similar confession of sin, using a series of words to describe their falling away from God's commands and righteousness, echoing Daniel's deep repentance.
1 John 1:8-9This New Testament passage directly addresses the need for honest confession of sin, stating that if we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves, mirroring Daniel's inclusion of himself in the collective confession.
Psalm 51:1-4The deep sorrow and confession found in Psalm 51, particularly David's plea for God's mercy based on His abundant compassion, resonates with the spirit of Daniel's prayer and his acknowledgment of God's justice.
Romans 3:23-24Paul's explanation that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, and are justified freely by His grace, provides a theological framework for Daniel's understanding of collective sin and God's righteous judgment.
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…
Daniel doesn't just confess a sin, but layers four distinct words to describe the depth and breadth of their wrongdoing: "sinned" (mistakes), "iniquity" (moral crookedness), "wickedly" (intentional evil), and "rebelled" (open defiance), all stemming from turning away from God's clear commands. This isn't just a casual admission, but a thorough, almost exhaustive, accounting of their rebellion against a God who had given them clear direction.
Daniel is in deep prayer, reflecting on God's promises and the overwhelming reality of his people's sin and exile. He's acknowledging the nation's widespread rebellion against God's commands, recognizing that their disobedience is the reason for their current suffering and dispersion among the nations.
Daniel is in deep prayer, reflecting on God's promises and the overwhelming reality of his people's sin and exile. He's acknowledging the nation's widespread rebellion against God's commands, recognizing that their disobedience is the reason for their current suffering and dispersion among the nations.
"we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to al…" — Daniel doesn't just confess a sin, but layers four distinct words to describe the depth and breadth of their wrongdoing: "sinned" (mistakes), "iniquity" (moral crookedness), "wickedly" (intentional…
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Last reviewed October 2026
