To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Hebrew word translated "though" here can also mean "for" or "since." Daniel isn't just acknowledging God's mercy despite their rebellion, but presenting their rebellion as the very reason why their only hope is God's mercy. This highlights how sin makes us utterly dependent on God's undeserved favor.
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel is confessing the sins of his people, acknowledging their rebellion and disobedience to God's law. This confession flows directly from his study of the prophecies, specifically Jeremiah's seventy-year prediction for Jerusalem's desolation. He recognizes that their captivity and suffering are a just consequence of their unfaithfulness, but he pivots to God's character, emphasizing that mercy and forgiveness are attributes belonging to the Lord, their only hope.
Why does Daniel immediately pivot to God's character right after confessing sin? It’s not just about our actions, but about His unfailing nature.
Daniel’s prayer isn't just a list of wrongdoings. Notice how he starts with a declaration about God: 'To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness.' This isn't a plea for mercy yet, but a statement of fact about God’s very being. God isn't just capable of mercy; mercy and forgiveness are inherent to who He is. This understanding is crucial – our hope doesn't rest on our deservingness, but on God's unchanging character. Even when we fall short, His nature remains the same: merciful and forgiving.
The verse links God’s mercy directly to Israel’s rebellion. How can our sin be the very reason God shows mercy?
The word translated 'though' here can also mean 'for' or 'because.' This isn't an excuse for rebellion, but the very reason mercy is needed and available. Daniel isn't saying, 'God is merciful despite our rebellion,' but rather, 'God is merciful because we have rebelled.' Our sin created the desperate need for God’s forgiveness. If everyone always did right, there would be no need for mercy. It's precisely because humanity rebels that God’s merciful and forgiving nature has such a vital role to play. Our failure highlights His grace.
Understand the original words
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chesed · Hebrew Noun
God's covenant-love, faithfulness, and compassionate kindness, which leads Him to show undeserved favor to His people.
selichah · Hebrew Noun
The act of pardoning or remitting the penalty of sin, extended by God to those who repent, based on His gracious character.
marad · Hebrew Verb
An active, hostile resistance or defiance against God’s authority, indicating a rejection of His rightful rule.
Daniel's prayer in chapter 9, confessing the people's rebellion and seeking forgiveness, is deeply connected to the aftermath of the Babylonian exile. His plea comes during a time of intense spiritual reflection and a desire to understand God's promises amid the rubble of Jerusalem and the ongoing return of the exiles, making his confession and hope for restoration particularly poignant.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the deportation of many Israelites and the scattering of the ten tribes.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and thousands of Judeans, including many skilled workers and officials, to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, and deports a further large group of Judeans to Babylon, leaving only the poorest behind.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, marking the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the rise of the Persian Empire. This sets the stage for the return of the exiles.
c. 538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This marks the beginning of the return from exile.
c. 458-445 BC— this verse
Ezra's Return to Jerusalem
Ezra, a priest and scribe, leads a second wave of exiles back to Jerusalem and works to restore religious observance and reform the community.
This Psalm echoes Daniel's prayer, highlighting that forgiveness is found with God, 'for with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.' It shows that God's merciful nature is the very reason we can approach Him, even in our sin.
Nehemiah 9:17The prayer in Nehemiah mirrors Daniel's confession, stating, 'You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.' This reinforces the idea that God's character is defined by mercy, especially towards those who have turned away.
Luke 18:13In Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the tax collector's cry, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner!' perfectly captures the spirit of Daniel's prayer. It shows that acknowledging our rebellion and sin is the foundation for receiving God's mercy.
Romans 5:8This passage declares, 'but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' It connects God's ultimate act of mercy (sending Christ) to our state of rebellion, emphasizing that His love and forgiveness are not earned but freely given.
1 John 1:9This verse provides a direct promise: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' It shows that God's willingness to forgive, as expressed by Daniel, is confirmed through confession and faith in Christ.
barnesDaniel 9:9: "To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;"
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses - Not only does righteousness belong to him in the sense that he has done right, and that he cannot be blamed for what he has done, but mercy and forgiveness belong to him in the sense that he only can pardon, and that these are attributes of his nature. Though we have rebelled against him - The word used here and rendered "though" (כי kı…
clarkeDaniel 9:9: "To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;"
Mercies and forgivenesses - From God's goodness flow God's mercies; from his mercies, forgivenesses.
The Hebrew word translated "though" here can also mean "for" or "since." Daniel isn't just acknowledging God's mercy despite their rebellion, but presenting their rebellion as the very reason why their only hope is God's mercy. This highlights how sin makes us utterly dependent on God's undeserved favor.
Daniel is confessing the sins of his people, acknowledging their rebellion and disobedience to God's law. This confession flows directly from his study of the prophecies, specifically Jeremiah's seventy-year prediction for Jerusalem's desolation. He recognizes that their captivity and suffering are a just consequence of their unfaithfulness, but he pivots to God's character, emphasizing that mercy and forgiveness are attributes belonging to the Lord, their only hope.
Daniel is confessing the sins of his people, acknowledging their rebellion and disobedience to God's law. This confession flows directly from his study of the prophecies, specifically Jeremiah's seventy-year prediction for Jerusalem's desolation. He recognizes that their captivity and suffering are a just consequence of their unfaithfulness, but he pivots to God's character, emphasizing that mercy and forgiveness are attributes belonging to the Lord, their only hope.
"To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him" — The Hebrew word translated "though" here can also mean "for" or "since." Daniel isn't just acknowledging God's mercy despite their rebellion, but presenting their rebellion as the very reason why…
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Last reviewed October 2026