Daniel 9:5
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Daniel 9:5
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:
Chapter Context
Daniel 9 is a apocalyptic and narrative chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of judgment, discipleship, worship. Written during the Babylonian and Persian periods (c. 605-530 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Demonstrates faithful living under foreign rule during the Babylonian and Persian empires.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-27: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it addresses timeless questions about faith, suffering, and divine purpose. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Daniel and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Daniel 9:5
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:
Analysis
Daniel's confession continues: "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments." The piling up of terms—"sinned...iniquity...wickedly...rebelled"—emphasizes comprehensive guilt from multiple angles. "Sinned" (chata, חָטָא) means missing the mark; "iniquity" (avah, עָוָה) denotes moral perversity; "wickedly" (rasha, רָשַׁע) indicates deliberate evil; "rebelled" (marad, מָרַד) describes willful defiance against authority.
The phrase "even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments" specifies the rebellion—not abstract wrongdoing but deliberate rejection of God's revealed law. "Precepts" (mitzvot, מִצְוֹת) refers to commandments; "judgments" (mishpatim, מִשְׁפָּטִים) denotes case laws and judicial decisions. Israel knew God's requirements yet deliberately chose disobedience, aggravating their guilt. This echoes Paul's teaching that the law increases accountability (Romans 2:12-13).
Daniel's corporate confession ("we") includes himself despite his personal faithfulness (Daniel 1:8, 6:10). This demonstrates covenant solidarity—identifying with the nation's sin even when personally innocent. This models intercessory prayer where believers identify with their community's guilt, confessing corporately while seeking mercy. Christ perfectly fulfilled this pattern, becoming sin for us though personally sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21), and believers share in His intercessory ministry (1 Peter 2:9).
Historical Context
Israel's exile resulted from centuries of covenant violation: idolatry, social injustice, ignoring prophetic warnings, and breaking Sabbath years (2 Chronicles 36:15-21). Despite knowing God's law through Moses and the prophets, they persistently rebelled. Daniel's comprehensive confession acknowledges this history, recognizing that exile wasn't divine caprice but just punishment for knowing, willful sin.
Reflection
- How does the piling up of sin-terms (sinned, iniquity, wickedly, rebelled) illustrate the comprehensive nature of human guilt before God?
- What does Daniel's corporate confession despite personal innocence teach about covenant solidarity and intercessory prayer?
- How does acknowledging that sin involves deliberate rejection of known truth (not mere ignorance) affect understanding of human guilt?
Word Studies
- Judgment: מִשְׁפָּט (Mishpat) H4941 - Judgment, justice
Cross-References
- Sin: Daniel 9:11, 9:15, Psalms 106:6, Jeremiah 14:7
- Evil: Psalms 18:21, Ezekiel 6:9, Hebrews 3:12
- Parallel theme: Lamentations 1:20, Hosea 1:2, Malachi 3:7