[1] In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasu-e'rus, by birth a Mede,
who became king over the realm of the Chalde'ans-- [2] in the first year of
his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years which,
according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before
the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. [3] Then I
turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and supplications
with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. [4] I prayed to the LORD my God and
made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and terrible God, who keepest
covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his
commandments, [5] we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and
rebelled, turning aside from thy commandments and ordinances; [6] we have
not listened to thy servants the prophets, who spoke in thy name to our
kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. [7]
To thee, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us confusion of face, as at
this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all
Israel, those that are near and those that are far away, in all the lands
to which thou hast driven them, because of the treachery which they have
committed against thee. [8] To us, O Lord, belongs confusion of face, to
our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned
against thee. [9] To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness; because
we have rebelled against him, [10] and have not obeyed the voice of the
LORD our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants
the prophets. [11] All Israel has transgressed thy law and turned aside,
refusing to obey thy voice. And the curse and oath which are written in the
law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we
have sinned against him. [12] He has confirmed his words, which he spoke
against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great
calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done the like of
what has been done against Jerusalem. [13] As it is written in the law of
Moses, all this calamity has come upon us, yet we have not entreated the
favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and giving heed to
thy truth. [14] Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has
brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works
which he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. [15] And now, O Lord
our God, who didst bring thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty
hand, and hast made thee a name, as at this day, we have sinned, we have
done wickedly. [16] O Lord, according to all thy righteous acts, let thy
anger and thy wrath turn away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy hill;
because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and
thy people have become a byword among all who are round about us. [17] Now
therefore, O our God, hearken to the prayer of thy servant and to his
supplications, and for thy own sake, O Lord, cause thy face to shine upon
thy sanctuary, which is desolate. [18] O my God, incline thy ear and hear;
open thy eyes and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by
thy name; for we do not present our supplications before thee on the ground
of our righteousness, but on the ground of thy great mercy. [19] O LORD,
hear; O LORD, forgive; O LORD, give heed and act; delay not, for thy own
sake, O my God, because thy city and thy people are called by thy name."
[20] While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my
people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for
the holy hill of my God; [21] while I was speaking in prayer, the man
Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift
flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. [22] He came and he said to
me, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding.
[23] At the beginning of your supplications a word went forth, and I have
come to tell it to you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the
word and understand the vision. [24] "Seventy weeks of years are decreed
concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to
put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting
righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy
place. [25] Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the
word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a
prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be
built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. [26] And after
the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have
nothing; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city
and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there
shall be war; desolations are decreed. [27] And he shall make a strong
covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause
sacrifice and offering to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall
come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the
desolator."
