Daniel 9.13-14.doc

Daniel 9:13-14 Daniel 9:13-God Judged Israel According to the Mosaic Law Yet Israel Had Yet to Repent Daniel 9:1 During Darius’ first year, Ahasuerus’ son, who was from Median descent, who was made king over the Chaldeans’ kingdom. (Author’s translation) Daniel 9:1 tells the reader when Daniel received his third great prophetic revelation. It was during the first year of Darius the Mede’s reign who was the son of Ahasuerus. Then, he informs the reader that Darius was made king over the Babylonian kingdom. This would be 538-539 B.C. immediately after the Medo-Persian Empire conquered and absorbed the Babylon Empire. Darius was installed as king by Cyrus the Persian. Daniel 6:28 (6:29) records that Daniel prospered during the reign of Cyrus the Persian. In 539 B.C. Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire. This was Cyrus’ first year in control of Babylon. His policy was to restore displaced peoples to their lands, which included the Jews. He issued a decree in 538 B.C. that permitted Jews to return to Jerusalem if they wanted to (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4). Fifty thousand Jewish exiles returned and began to rebuild the temple, which was an answer to Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 9:4-19). The temple was completed in 515 B.C. (Ezra 6:15). Seventy years had elapsed from the first deportation of Jews in 605 B.C. to the rebuilt foundation of the temple in 536 B.C. This fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy as well (Jeremiah 25:11-12). The prophetic revelation that Daniel received during the first year of Darius the Mede’s reign over Babylon took place after the second great prophetic revelation he received from God in 551 B.C. during the third year of the reign of Belshazzar, which would be 551 B.C. This prophetic revelation presented in chapter nine took place fourteen years after his first great prophetic revelation from God during the first year of Belshazzar’s reign as co-regent with his father Nabonidus. This would be the year 553 B.C. This first prophetic revelation took place fourteen years prior to Daniel’s experience in the lions’ den. He was 68 years of age in 553 B.C. since he was taken captive about the age of 16 or 17 which was 52 years earlier in 605 B.C. This revelation Daniel received from God as recorded in chapter eight also took place before the events of Daniel chapter five, which took place in 539 B.C. Thus, this revelation in chapter nine took place immediately after the fall of Babylon. Daniel would also thus be eighty-four years of age when he received this third prophetic revelation in 539 B.C. The Darius mentioned here in Daniel 9:1 is the same one mentioned in Daniel 5:31, which in the Aramaic is actually Daniel 6:1. Darius is the same as Gubaru, who was the governor appointed over Babylon by Cyrus. This interpretation is strongly supported by the biblical text because Daniel 5:31 (6:1) and Daniel 9:1 make clear that Darius the Mede was appointed king over Babylon. This interpretation is also supported by the Nabonidus-Cyrus Chronicle where Gubaru (Gobryas) is called Cyrus’ governor. Darius the Mede must not be confused with Darius I who began to rule in 522 B.C. since the latter was a about twenty-eight by 522 B.C. having been born in approximately 550 B.C. whereas the former was sixty-two when he began to rule according to Daniel 5:31 (6:1). Furthermore, Darius I was of a Persian royal line because his father, Hystaspes, was of the Achaemenid dynasty whereas the father Darius the Mede was Ahasuerus who was of Median descent according to Daniel 9:1. Darius I took the throne by a coup d’état whereas Cyrus appointed Darius the Mede to be king over Babylon according to Daniel 9:1. Darius I is mentioned in Ezra 4:5, 24; 5:5-7; 6:1, 12, 15 as well as Haggai 1:1; 2:10; Zechariah 1:1, 7; 7:1 whereas Darius the Mede is only mentioned in the book of Daniel (6:1, 6, 9, 25, 28; 9:1; 11:1). The royal houses of the kingdoms of Media and Persia were closely related by marriage, which the Median king, Astyages, had arranged. He wed his daughter, Mandane to Cambyses, King of Anshan. This union produced Cyrus the Great who later became king of Persia. Astyages had a son as well, namely Darius Cyaxares (pronounced sigh AKS uh reez) II who is none other than Darius the Mede and uncle of Cyrus the Great. The latter spent little time in Babylon after its capture. Thus, he left Babylon in Darius’ hands, his uncle. Cyrus eventually married the daughter of Darius. Then approximately two years later, upon the death of Darius, Cyrus united the kingdoms of Media and Persia and assumed the title King of Persia. Daniel’s statement here in Daniel 5:31 (6:1) that Darius the Mede received the Babylonian kingdom from Cyrus agrees with Xenophon who identifies Darius the Mede as Cyaxares II (Cyropaedia, 8.5, 19). Nehemiah 12:22 mentions a Darius the Persian, who is not the same Darius mentioned in Daniel chapter six since the latter of course was a Mede according to Daniel 6:1. This Darius was known as Darius Codomannus or Darius III. He was the last king of Persia. His empire was destroyed by Alexander the Great. Daniel 9:2 During the first year of his reign, I myself, Daniel understood by means of the scrolls the specific number of years which the word of the Lord communicated to Jeremiah the prophet for completing devastating Jerusalem-seventy years. (Author’s translation) Daniel informs the reader that during the first year of Darius the Mede’s reign as king over Babylon, he was studying the scrolls which constituted the Old Testament Scriptures in the sixth century B.C. He was specifically studying prophecies by a contemporary of his, namely the prophet Jeremiah. The specific prophecy Daniel was studying was that Jerusalem would lie in ruins for seventy years as a result of disobeying the Lord’s command to give the land a Sabbath rest every seven years. This prophecy is recorded in Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14. 2 Chronicles 36:21 speaks of Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning the Babylonian exile and it indicates quite clearly that the exile would last 70 years. The seventy years of captivity were the specific penalty for violating seventy sabbatic years, which would be seventy sevens, a total of seventy years. Seven days are in one week and every seventh year was a Sabbath rest and seventy sevens brought them to the year of Jubilee which is noted in Leviticus 25:8-12. The provisions for the land’s Sabbath rest are recorded in detail in Leviticus 25:2-4, 26:32-35, 43 but in those 490 years, Israel had violated exactly seventy sabbatic years so they would go into captivity for seventy years to make amends (cf. Exodus 23:10-13). These seventy years of discipline from God began in 605 B.C. with Nebuchadnezzar’s first of three invasions of Israel. The end of this discipline would be in 535 B.C. The beginning of this discipline also marked the Times of the Gentiles as we have noted in previous studies in the book of Daniel. God discipline the nation in order to rid her of her idolatry. Many false prophets in Israel said that Israel would return in a year or two but as the years passed it was quite evident to the surviving Jews that they were wrong and that Jeremiah was right. The Jews like Daniel began studying the writings of Jeremiah. So in Daniel 9:2, Daniel tells the reader that he was studying the prophecy of Jeremiah in which the prophet predicts that the Jews would return from Babylon to the land of Israel after seventy years of discipline. It appears that the Medo-Persian victory over the Babylonian Empire meant the termination of this seventy year exile in Babylon. Furthermore, Daniel knew that Cyrus had a policy of allowing exiles to return to their homeland. He knew that in two short years the seventy years would be over and that a remnant would return to the land from Babylon. Daniel knew first hand the starting time for this prophecy. It began in 605 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar deported him as well as some of the royal family in Israel and some of the nobles. Therefore, by knowing when the seventy years began and knowing that Jeremiah prophesied of a seventy year exile, Daniel could simply count the years and know the exact year when the Jewish exiles would return to Israel. When Daniel received this vision, he says it was in the first year of Darius the Mede’s reign over Babylon which would be 538 or 539 B.C. The seventy years was to be completed by 535 B.C. Thus, Daniel knew there were only a few shorts years left of the exile in Babylon. Daniel 9:3 Therefore, I devoted my full attention to my Lord, the one and only God by repeatedly presenting prayer request in the form of pleas for mercy while fasting with sackcloth as well as ashes. (Author’s translation) Daniel presents the result of understanding Jeremiah’s prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14, which made clear that Jerusalem, would lie desolate and abandoned for seventy years and then go would bring back the Jewish exiles to the land of Israel. So as a result of understanding this prophecy Daniel tells the reader that he devoted his full attention to his Lord whom he describes as the one and only God. He does this by repeatedly presenting prayer request in the form of pleas for mercy while fasting and wearing sackcloth and ashes. Daniel 9:4-19 make clear that Daniel’s prayer was on behalf of the Jewish exiles in Babylon. So what Daniel is telling the reader is that as a result of understanding that the seventy years for the desolation of Jerusalem was almost complete, he devoted his attention to his God by repeatedly offering up an intercessory prayer request for the Jewish exiles in Babylon. He understood that the reason why God delivered the Jews over to Nebuchadnezzar and allowed this king to destroy Jerusalem and send the surviving Jews into exile was that God was disciplining the nation of Israel for their apostasy. Daniel knows that the majority of the Jewish exiles have not turned back to God by learning and obeying His Word. Even though the book of Daniel up to this point has made clear that Daniel was not involved in this apostasy, he identifies with the nation so as to intercede on their behalf. Daniel was faithful and yet he prays for those who are unfaithful in Israel that they would repent by returning to learning and obeying the Word of God. This demonstrates the love of God in Daniel’s life in that he intercedes for others and specifically those who have rebelled against God. God desired the Jewish exiles to repent and Daniel knew that God wanted this, thus Daniel prays for them. His prayer request was a plea for mercy for these apostate Jewish exiles. Daniel confesses the sins of the Jewish people and acknowledging to God that He was right to discipline the nation severely for their apostasy. He appeals to God’s merciful character to forgiven the nation for its sin since the nation he acknowledges as no merit with God whatsoever. The wearing of sackcloth and ashes by Daniel and his fasting while offering up this intercessory prayer for the Jewish people was on behalf of the Jewish people. They should have been in sackcloth and ashes and fasting to demonstrate humility before God and repentance. Yet Daniel does this for them. Also, Daniel is obeying the Word of God. In fact, he is applying 1 Kings 8:33-36 to his situation with the Jewish people. Daniel is doing exactly what Solomon spoke to God at the dedication of the temple he built. Israel was defeated by Babylon because they sinned against their God. However, Daniel seeks to intercede with the nation by confessing their sin and praying on behalf of the nation. Solomon requested that God would forgive them and restore them to the land if they did these things. Thus, we see Daniel claiming the promises of God. Therefore, we can see that Daniel built his prayer life upon the Word of God, which gives us a great example here in the church age in the twenty-first century. The Spirit of God inspired the Word of God and through the teaching of the Word of God reveals the Father’s holy character and will. Prayer is asking God’s will to be accomplished. Daniel understood this so prayed in accordance with the teaching of the Word of God in order that God’s will would be accomplished with regards to the nation of Israel. Daniel understood that God employs prayer as the means by which He fulfills His Word. The prophecy of Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14 prompted Daniel to pray in the first place for the Jewish exiles in Babylon. This is another great example for Christians to follow during the church age. The study of prophecy should prompt believers to intercede in prayer on behalf of those in apostasy in the church as well as to intercede in prayer on behalf of the unsaved. Prophecy should thus produce a humble attitude in us which leads to confession and prayer for oneself and others. Notice, that Daniel tells the reader that he devoted his full attention to intercessory prayer on behalf of the Jewish exiles in Babylon. We know from chapter six, he prayed three times a day. Thus, Daniel’s pray was not a casual nod to God but rather he was concentrating upon what he was saying to God. There was a sense of urgency in his prayer and intensity. His prayer was characterized by concentration. Fasting and the wearing sackcloth and ashes were employed by Daniel as a means to aid in his devotion to God in prayer. They were expressions of his humility before God in that he was recognized that he had no merit with God and was placing himself at the mercy of God. He was fasting because he was seeking forgiveness for the Jewish exiles and that God would intervene by restoring the exiles to Jerusalem. Daniel 9:4 Indeed, I caused myself to enter into prayer to the Lord my God. Specifically, I caused myself to enter into confession and said, “O my Lord, the one and only God, the Great One yes the Awesome One, who is faithful to His covenant because of His unconditional love on behalf of those who love Him, namely on behalf of those who conscientiously observe His commands.” (Author’s translation) In Daniel 9:4, Daniel tells the reader that he caused himself to enter into prayer with his God. He then specifies a particular aspect of prayer he began with, namely confession on behalf of the nation Israel which constituted an intercessory prayer for the nation. Before he begins to tell the reader that he confessed the sins of Israel to his God, he describes his God. When addressing his God, Daniel describes the God of Israel as His Lord, which describes Daniel’s covenant relationship with the God of Israel. He then describes the God of Israel as “the one and only God” which refers to the fact that the God of Israel is superior to the gods of the heathen and is distinguished from the heathen gods as the true and living, the Creator. Daniel then describes His God as “the Great One,” which describes Daniel’s God as superior to the gods worshipped by the heathen. It too emphasizes that Daniel’s God is distinguished from these heathen gods. Then, Daniel describes his God as “the Awesome One,” which means that his God inspires awe in people. This has been demonstrated in the book of Daniel with God delivering Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from Nebuchadnezzar’s power. It was also demonstrated by God delivering Daniel from the mouths of the lions as well as deposing Nebuchadnezzar from power for seven years and then restoring him to power after his repentance. The God of Israel is also worthy of this title “the Awesome One” because of the discipline He administered to the nation of Israel because of their unrepentant rebellion against Him. Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Israel was awe inspiring and the God of Israel raised up this wicked king to carry out this destruction. Daniel continues to describe his God as being “faithful to His covenant” which is expressing the fact that the God of Israel demonstrates unswerving adherence to His covenant promises with His people, Israel, which inextricably unite Him with Israel. The word denotes that He always upholds His covenant promises. The covenant in view here is the Mosaic covenant, which is indicated in Daniel 9:11 and 13 which refers to God disciplining the nation of Israel for disobeying the law of Moses. Daniel then tells the reader the reason why God is faithful to His covenant, namely because of His unconditional love, which describes God as loyal or faithful to His covenants with men and characterizes how God acts towards His covenant people Israel. God is characterized as remaining faithful to His covenant promises even though His people fail Him because He is unconditional love. Even though Israel fails Him, He remains faithful and continues to love them because He is unconditional love. Then, the reader is told what specific group of individuals who are the beneficiaries of God’s faithfulness which is based on His attribute of love, namely those who love Him. Daniel then defines what he means by the phrase “those who love” God by telling the reader that it refers to those who conscientiously obey His commands. Thus, Daniel is telling the reader that the conscientious observance of God’s commands constitutes loving God in the sense of honoring and respecting Him. So Daniel 9:4 reveals that Daniel began his intercessory prayer on behalf of the Jewish exiles by praising the character and nature of the God of Israel who he possessed a covenant relationship with through faith in the God of Israel. He praised God in the sense of acknowledging and esteeming His excellence. Daniel acknowledged and esteemed the excellence of his God’s character with emphasis upon His mercy, which is based upon His attribute of love. He acknowledged and esteemed or expressed a high regard for the excellence of God’s mercy, omnipotence and sovereignty. God’s merciful love was demonstrated toward the nation of Israel in that He did not destroy the nation for her rebellion against Him. It was demonstrated toward Daniel and his three friends when God protected, prospered and delivered them from every adversity. Daniel’s intercessory prayer reveals that he was claiming the promises which appear in Leviticus 26:40-42. Daniel begins this intercessory prayer on behalf of the Jewish exiles by praising the God of Israel’s character and in particular His covenant faithfulness which is based upon His attribute of love since he is going to appeal to this love in order to cause God to act and restore the Jewish exiles to the land of Israel and Jerusalem. It also an acknowledgement that God has kept His side of the covenant and Israel has not. It makes clear that God has no responsibility for the collapse of the relationship between Himself and Israel. So the beginning of Daniel’s prayer is an acknowledgement that God is in the right and verses 5-16 will make clear that Israel was clearly in the wrong and totally and completely at fault for the collapse of the relationship between herself and God. The fact that God answered Daniel’s prayer was an answer to Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple which he built for the worship of God (1 Kings 8:46-53). Daniel 9:5 “We have sinned, thus we have done wrong so that we have been condemned as guilty because we have rebelled. Specifically, we have deviated from Your commands, that is, from Your laws.” (Author’s translation) After beginning his prayer by addressing God while acknowledging His holy character and nature and faithfulness to His covenant with Israel because of His attribute of love, Daniel begins to confess the sins of his fellow countrymen. Throughout this confession, Daniel uses the first person plural in order to identify with his people Israel as though he were personally responsible for sinning against God, which he was not. He was one of the few people in Israel who conscientiously observed the commands and prohibitions of the Mosaic Law as demonstrated in Daniel chapter one. If you recall, he refused to eat the food and drink prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar because this food and wine would have made him ceremonially unclean according to the dietary regulations of the Law. “We have sinned” refers to the nation of Israel sinning against God in the sense that they were guilty of disobeying the various commands and prohibitions in the law which were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Daniel is acknowledging to God that Israel has been guilty of moral wrongdoing in the sense that they disobeyed the various commands and prohibitions which appear in the Mosaic Law. It refers to the corporate sin of the nation of Israel in the sense that they were guilty as a corporate unit of disobeying the various commands and prohibitions in the Mosaic Law, which constituted sin against God and violating His perfect holy standards. The acknowledgement of the corporate sin of Israel by an individual interceding for the nation appears in several passages in the Old Testament (cf. Numbers 14:40; 21:7; Judges 10:10; 1 Samuel 7:6; 12:10; Jeremiah 3:25; 8:14; 14:7, 20; Nehemiah 1:6). “We have done wrong” presents the result of or the implication of Israel’s corporate sin against God in the sense that Israel acted contrary to God’s holy standards, which are reflected in its various commands and prohibitions which appear in the Mosaic Law. “We have been condemned as guilty” presents the result of the previous two acknowledgements. It tells the reader that because of Israel’s sinning which constituted wrongdoing against God, the nation was justly chargeable with a crime or responsible for a crime and deserving of punishment. It summarizes all of Israel’s disobedience against God. These sinful actions caused Israel to be condemned as wicked or guilty by God so that they deserved to be punished. Israel’s sinful behavior was morally reprehensible in the sight of God who is holy so that they were condemned as wicked and guilty by God and deserving of punishment from Him. “Because we have rebelled” presents the reason why condemned Israel as guilty and describes Israel’s sinning which constituted doing wrong against God as disobeying, opposing and resisting God’s authority. It describes sinning against God as in fact rebellion against God’s authority. “Specifically we have deviated from Your commands” identifies specifically how rebelled against God’s authority and conveys the idea of apostasy. This epexegetical clause describes Israel as turning away from the authoritative directives of the God of Israel which were communicated to His subordinate Moses who in turn put them down in writing and communicating them to the nation of Israel. They deviated from God’s laws in the sense that they separated themselves from God or severed their relationship with Him by their disobedience to His law. “That is, from Your laws” defines specifically the meaning of “from Your commands.” It refers to the various rules of conduct in the Mosaic Law which are prescribed by God for the nation of Israel and are binding and enforced by God who is the sovereign authority over the nation. It speaks of the entire body of rules and regulations or commands and prohibitions in the Mosaic Law. Daniel is interceding for the nation of Israel. One of the essential elements of prayer is that of intercession, which refers to praying for both the temporal and spiritual needs of believers and unbelievers, friends and enemies (Luke 23:34; Eph 1:16-23; 3:14-19; 6:18; 1 Ti 2:1-4). Intercessory prayer refers to praying for both the temporal and spiritual needs of believers and unbelievers, friends and enemies (Luke 23:34; Eph 1:16-23; 3:14-19; 6:18; 1 Ti 2:1-4). Daniel’s intercessory prayer was an act of divine love meaning that it was an act motivated by the Holy Spirit which expresses God’s love for the nation of Israel. His prayer reflected the heart of God who is love. God was motivated Daniel to make this prayer because He, God wanted to forgive and restore the Jewish exiles to the land He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Here in Daniel 9:5, Daniel makes clear that Israel was disciplined by God for their bad attitude toward His Word in the sense that they disobeyed the various commands and prohibitions in the Mosaic Law. These various commands and prohibitions constituted the revelation of God’s will for the nation of Israel. Thus, their disobedience to these commands and prohibitions constituted a rejection of God’s will for the lives. Daniel 9:6 “Furthermore, to our own detriment, we never paid attention to Your servants, the prophets who spoke by Your authority to and for the benefit of our kings as well as our leaders and in addition our ancestors, yes, to and for the benefit of all the people belonging to the land.” (Author’s translation) Daniel continues to intercede for his fellow countrymen by confessing to God that the nation of Israel never paid attention to His servants, the prophets who spoke by His authority for the benefit of Israel’s kings, leaders, ancestors and in fact all the people of the land. Notice that Daniel tells the reader that every aspect or every class in Israelite society rejected the prophets God sent to them. These prophets were sent to Israel as an expression of God’s grace, which flows from His attribute of love. God sent these prophets to Israel to rebuke the nation and call them to repentance. However, in response to this, Israel rejected these prophets and in fact killed many of them. So not only did Israel reject the Mosaic Law by disobeying its various commands and prohibitions but also they rejected the prophets by disobeying their message from God to repent. Therefore, because of the rejection of His prophets, God finally severely disciplined the nation of Israel by sending Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and exile the people to Babylon. God the Holy Spirit through the prophet Jeremiah who was a contemporary of Daniel also communicated to Israel that she had rejected the prophets (cf. Jeremiah 26:1-6; 29:1-19; 35:12-15; 44:1-5). 2 Chronicles 36:16 tells us that Israel scoffed at God’s prophets, despising the very words God gave the prophets to communicate to Israel. The prophets of God who were sent to Israel were in effect covenant enforcers in the sense that they called the people to repent by confessing their sins to God to be restored to fellowship with God. They also exhorted them to obedience to God to maintain that fellowship with God. By rejecting this message, Israel put themselves under divine discipline. The fact that God sent the prophets to warn Israel reveals that God did not want to judge the nation and in fact loved the nation. Daniel 9:7 “You are righteous my Lord but we are publicly disgraced as is the case this very day. To the detriment of the Judean people as well as to the detriment of Jerusalem’s inhabitants likewise to the detriment of all Israel, those nearby as well as those far away in all the countries where You have driven them because of their unfaithfulness which they perpetrated against You.” (Author’s translation) Daniel continues his intercessory prayer to the God of Israel on behalf of Israel by acknowledging that God is righteous which refers to God’s perfect integrity in that His character is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. It signifies that He is inherently perfect virtue in that His character is perfect moral excellence, goodness, and their conduct is conformed perfectly to His own perfect holy standards and what they have promised to men or group of people like Israel and the church. So by acknowledging that God is righteous, Daniel is clearing God of any guilt with regards to His relationship with Israel. He is acknowledging that God has been faithful since He always did right by the Israelites. He always kept His covenantal obligations in His relationship with Israel. In contrast to God, Daniel acknowledges Israel’s unfaithfulness with regards to their covenantal obligations with God. Daniel says that Israel is publicly disgrace during the time he offered up this prayer to God for Israel. This public disgrace refers to the Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom in 721 B.C. as well as the Babylonian exile of the southern kingdom in 605, 597 and 586 B.C. Daniel defines who the “we” is in the phrase “we are publicly disgraced as is the case this very day.” The first group he identifies is the southern kingdom, which includes the Judean people and Jerusalem’s inhabitants. Then he mentions the northern kingdom by the phrase “all Israel.” The northern kingdom was exiled to Assyria and the southern kingdom was exiled to Babylon. So we can see that in verse 5, Daniel indicts Israel according to their status in society or position in society whereas here in verse 7, he indicts them according to the geographical region they lived in before they were exiled. Daniel then identifies covenantal unfaithfulness as the reason why both the northern and kingdom’s were disgraced when he offered up this intercessory prayer to God for Israel. They had been habitually disobedient to the various prohibitions and commands in the Mosaic Law. So therefore, here in Daniel 9:7, Daniel is telling God and the reader that God was justified in disciplining the northern and southern kingdoms for their disobedience to their covenantal responsibilities. He acknowledged to God on behalf of Israel that Israel had been justly disciplined by God and exiled throughout the Middle East. They had justly suffered the covenant curses threatened by God through Moses. The fact that God did severely discipline the northern and southern kingdoms demonstrated God’s righteousness in the sense that He acted according to His perfect holy standards. God was righteous in His dealings with the northern and southern kingdoms because by disciplining them through exiling them to Assyria and Babylon, He did what His holy standards required. They were unrepentant in their disobedience, thus God acted according to what His perfect holy standards required, namely judgment. We must remember God extended grace to the nation which expressed His attribute of love. He demonstrated His love by over and over again sending the prophets to communicate a message from Him that He will judge them if they are unrepentant but would forgive them if they did repent. He sent these prophets over and over again to turn back Israel to Himself but the majority rejected their message and thus God. Thus, God disciplined the nation. So what made Israel disgrace so much more shameful is that she rejected God’s compassionate appeals for her to repent. Undoubtedly when Daniel was offering up his prayer to God he was thinking about Leviticus 26:14-39 and Deuteronomy 28:15-58. In the latter, God gives Israel two options, namely blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience. Daniel 9:8 “We are publicly disgraced Lord, to the detriment of our kings, to the detriment of our leaders as well as to the detriment of our ancestors because we have sinned against You.” (Author’s translation) From Daniel 9:5, Daniel here in verse 8 repeats the verb ḥā·ṭā(ʾ) (חָטָא‭) (‬khaw-taw‭´)‬,‭ “‬we have sinned.‭” ‬Also,‭ ‬from Daniel‭ ‬9:7,‭ ‬here in verse‭ ‬8‭ ‬he‭ ‬repeats the phrase‭ ‬hǎ pā·nîm‭ʹ ‬bō‭ʹ·‬šěṯ‭ (‬בֹּ֣שֶׁת הַפָּנִ֔ים‭)‬,‭ “‬we are publicly disgraced.‭” ‬Furthermore,‭ ‬from Daniel‭ ‬9:6,‭ ‬Daniel repeats the words‭ ‬the noun‭ ‬mě∙lěḵ‭ (‬מֶלֶךְ‭) (‬meh-lek‭)‬,‭ “‬kings‭” ‬which‭ ‬is modified by‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬our‭” ‬and‭ ‬the noun‭ ‬śǎr‭ (‬שַׂר‭) (‬sar‭)‬,‭ “‬princes‭” ‬which is‭ ‬modified by‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬our‭” ‬and‭ ‬noun‭ ‬ʾāḇ‭ (‬אָב‭) (‬awb‭)‬,‭ “‬fathers‭” ‬which is‭ ‬also‭ ‬modified by‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬our.‭” ‬The repetition‭ ‬emphasizes with the reader and God that every aspect of Israelite society including the aristocracy deserved the disciplined they received from God because they all unrepentantly sinned against God.‭ ‬They were publicly disgraced by being exiled to Assyria and Babylon because of they unrepentantly sinned against God.‭ ‬In other words,‭ ‬they were volitionally responsible.‭ ‬They were exiled because of their own rebellion and apostasy.‭ ‬They were to blame for their mess they were in and not God who by sending the prophets was attempting to prevent this from calamity from happening to them.‭ ‬Therefore,‭ ‬we can see that here in Daniel‭ ‬9:5-8,‭ ‬Daniel is vindicated God and his indicting and charging his fellow countrymen with a crime of being adulterous in their relationship with the Lord.‭ ‬God was completely justified in severely disciplining both the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel by sending them all into exile in Assyria and Babylon. Daniel 9:9 “My Lord, our God is merciful as well as forgiving even though we have rebelled against Him.” (Author’s translation) After listing the charges and in the indictment against Israel in Daniel 9:5-8, here in verse 9 Daniel says to God that He is merciful and forgiving even though Israel rebelled against Him. God is merciful and forgiving with Israel because of His attribute of love. Those in Israel who repent by confessing their sins will receive forgiveness of sins and mercy in the sense that God will withhold judgment and discipline in order to restore the repentant sinner to fellowship with Himself. Daniel knew this about God because he was a student of the Scriptures. He could see from the book of Exodus that as to His nature, God is forgiving and merciful. The exodus generation under Moses rebelled against Moses’ authority and God’s authority many times, yet God did not destroy completely the nation. Instead in response to Moses’ intercession, God forgave Israel and withheld judgment by not wiping out the nation completely (cf. Exodus 32-34). The fact that God disciplined the nation of Israel by sending her into exile for seventy years in Babylon did not mean that God was withholding mercy and forgiveness from Israel. However, it did mean that because He is also righteous, God punished Israel’s unrepentant sin and rebellion and disobedience. The fact that God did not wipe out completely the nation but instead left a faithful remnant is further evidence that God is merciful and forgiving. So Daniel is saying that God always treats Israel better than she deserves. This is true of the church today. God treats both Israel and the church better than they deserve because as to His nature, He is love. God’s love manifests itself in forgiveness and mercy when the believer confesses their sin to be restored to fellowship with God and maintains that fellowship by their obedience to His commands and prohibitions. Therefore, here in Daniel 9:9, Daniel is contrasting Israel’s guilt with the fact that God is merciful and forgiving. Daniel is asking God to be magnanimous to Israel. Israel doesn’t have a leg to stand on in relation to God. They must appeal to God’s merciful and forgiving character and nature if they are to have any hope of a future. Israel has no excuses. They are responsible for their plight. Yet, because of his knowledge of God’s character and nature which he acquired through his Old Testament Scriptures such as the Law, Daniel knew that there is always hope for Israel and in fact a confident expectation of a bright future for the nation because God is magnanimous and merciful and forgiving. Daniel 9:10 “Specifically, to our own detriment, we never paid attention to the Lord, our God’s voice by living by means of His laws which He gave in our presence through His servants, the prophets.” (Author’s translation) Verse 10 continues the thought from verse 9 which records Daniel addressing God and acknowledging that He is merciful as well as forgiving even though Israel rebelled against Him. Now, here in verse 10, Daniel identifies specifically how Israel rebelled against God. They rebelled by never paying attention to the Lord, their God’s voice by living by means of His laws, which He gave in their presence through His servants, the prophets. So disobedience to the laws of the Lord, their God was the means by which Israel rebelled against God. “His laws” is a reference to the Mosaic Law which is indicated in verses 11-13. Thus, “which He gave in our presence through His servants, the prophets” is a reference specifically to Moses receiving the Law from God on Mount Sinai in the presence of the Israelites. Moses is the only one of the prophets who received from God the 613 laws on Mount Sinai, which regulated the lifestyle of the nation of Israel. The prophets which followed Moses were used often to give new revelation and to call the Israelites back to repentance. Specifically, the prophets after Moses would call the apostate Israel back to obedience to the Mosaic Law. Daniel 9:10 echoes Daniel 9:5. Daniel 9:10 parallels Daniel 9:5 since in both verses, Daniel mentions Israel rebelling against the Lord, their God. Also, in both verses he employs an epexegetical clause which defines specifically how Israel rebelled against God. In each verse, Daniel tells the reader that Israel rejected His laws, which is again a reference to the Mosaic Law. God sought to govern the conduct of the Israelites by means of His laws, which He communicated in the presence of Israel at Mount Sinai. However, Israel rebelled against God’s authority over them by disobeying these laws. This was not sporadic sinning on the part of the majority in Israel but rather this was a lifestyle of disobedience. What angered God concerning Israel, was that the majority in Israel were unrepentant of their lifestyle of disobedience to Him. Daniel 9:11 “Indeed, all Israel has transgressed Your law. In other words, they deviated to their own detriment by never paying attention to Your voice. Consequently, the sworn judgment was poured out against us, which was written in the law given to Moses, the servant of the one and only God because we have sinned against Him.” (Author’s translation) Daniel affirms his previous statement in verse 10 to God that to their own detriment, Israel never paid attention, i.e. obeyed the Lord, their God’s voice by living by means of His laws, which He gave in Israel’s presence through His servants, the prophets. Here in verse 11, Daniel affirms this statement in verse 10 and in fact advances upon it and intensifies it by acknowledging to God that all Israel had transgressed God’s law. Now, we need to clarify something in that when Daniel says “all” in Israel was guilty of disobeying God’s law, he does not mean every single person including himself. Daniel’s use of kōl is much like we would say in America that “the whole country watched the events of 911 transpire on television!” Of course not each and every person would have done so but the idea behind the statement is that a good majority in the country did watch the events of 911. Thus, Daniel is acknowledging that the majority of Israel was disobedient to God’s law and not every single person. In fact, Daniel was one of the few who conscientiously observed the commands and prohibitions of the Mosaic Law as demonstrated in Daniel chapter one. If you recall, he refused to eat the food and drink prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar because this food and wine would have made him ceremonially unclean according to the dietary regulations of the Law. Daniel also refused to obey Darius’ edict in chapter six which prohibited Daniel from praying to his God. Daniel chose instead to die than not to pray to his God. Then, Daniel explains specifically what he means by acknowledging to God that the majority in Israel had unrepentantly transgressed His law by saying that Israel deviated from God’s law by never paying attention to His voice, which was heard through the prophets He sent Israel. By never paying attention, Daniel means that they never obeyed God. Daniel presents the result of the majority in Israel unrepentantly disobeying God’s laws, namely, God’s sworn judgment was executed against the nation of Israel. Daniel says that this sworn judgment was “poured out” in Israel in the sense that God’s judgment overwhelmed the nation. Like a tremendous flood, the Assyrian and Babylonian armies were used by God to carry away the entire nation to death and exile. This sworn judgment appeared in the Mosaic Law. It was given to Moses who put this sworn judgment in writing to be a witness against the nation when it sinned unrepentantly against God. Daniel 9:11 concludes with Daniel stating that Israel’s unrepentant sinning against God was the reason why God’s sworn judgment was executed against the nation. The sworn judgment which Daniel speaks of is recorded in Leviticus 26:14-35 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68. God had given Israel a choice between obeying Him resulting in blessing or cursing for disobedience (cf. Deuteronomy 11:26ff.). The majority chose disobedience which resulted in God judging the nation by sending Assyria to destroy the northern kingdom and Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the southern kingdom. Daniel 9:12 “Specifically, He carried out His words which He spoke against us as well as against our rulers who ruled us by causing a great disaster to take place against us, which has never taken place under all heaven like what has taken place against Jerusalem.” (Author’s translation) Daniel elaborates on his statement in verse 11 that God’s sworn judgment which was written in the Mosaic Law was poured out against Israel because they sinned against God. Here in verse 12, he explains what He means by this statement in verse 11 by saying that God carried out His words, which He spoke against Israel and her rulers by causing a great disaster to take place against the nation. God judged the nation just as He said He would if they unrepentantly disobeyed His laws. This sworn judgment which Daniel speaks of is recorded in Leviticus 26:14-35 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68. God had given Israel a choice between obeying Him resulting in blessing or cursing for disobedience (cf. Deuteronomy 11:26ff.). The majority chose disobedience which resulted in God judging the nation by sending Assyria to destroy the northern kingdom and Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the southern kingdom. Now, the great disaster Daniel speaks of the three Babylonian invasions of Jerusalem which was the capital of the southern kingdom. Thus, the mention of the city of Jerusalem here in verse 12 indicates that Daniel is referring to the Babylonian invasions rather than the Assyrian invasion because Jerusalem was the southern kingdom’s religious and political capital. Daniel then describes in verse 12 this great disaster was unparalleled in the history of the world up to that point. Never in history had caused such a disaster to take place against a nation as the one He caused to take place against Israel in the sixth century B.C. Up to that point in history, many nations had been destroyed and by Israel. Many nations after Israel’s destruction were destroyed by war. However, no other nation up to that point in history had suffered like Israel. The three invasions of Nebuchadnezzar of Jerusalem and the magnitude of the suffering inflicted on Israel by these invasions was unparalleled in history up to that point in the sixth century B.C. The destruction and suffering was unparalleled up to that point in history. God Judged Israel According to the Mosaic Law Daniel 9:13 “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth.” (NASB95) “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us” is composed of the particle kǎ·ʾǎšěr (כַּאֲשֶׁר‭)‬,‭ “‬as‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬masculine‭ ‬singular qal passive participle form of the verb‭ ‬kā·ṯǎḇ‭ (‬כָּתַב‭) (‬kaw-thab‭´)‬,‭ “‬it is‭ ‬written‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬bĕ‭ (‬בְּ‭) (‬beh‭)‬,‭ “‬in‭” ‬and its object is the‭ ‬feminine‭ ‬singular‭ ‬construct form of the noun‭ ‬tô·rā(h‭) (‬תּוֹרָה‭) (‬to-raw‭´)‬,‭ “‬the law of‭” ‬which is modified by the masculine singular proper name‭ ‬mō∙šě(h‭) (‬מֹשֶׁה‭)‬,‭ “‬Moses‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬object marker‭ ‬ʾēṯ‭ (‬אֵת‭) (‬ayth‭)‬,‭ ‬which‭ ‬is‭ ‬followed by the‭ ‬collective singular construct form of the‭ ‬noun‭ ‬kōl‭ (‬כֹּל‭) (‬kole‭)‬,‭ “‬all‭” ‬which is modifying the‭ ‬articular‭ ‬feminine singular form of the noun‭ ‬rā·ʿā(h‭) (‬רָעָה‭) (‬ro-aw‭´)‬,‭ “‬calamity‭” ‬which is‭ ‬followed by the‭ ‬articular feminine singular form of the demonstrative pronoun‭ ‬zō(ʾ)ṯ‭ (‬זֹאת‭) (‬zothe‭´)‬,‭ “‬this,‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬feminine singular qal active perfect form of the verb‭ ‬bôʾ‭ (‬בּוֹא‭) (‬bow‭)‬,‭ “‬has come‭” ‬and this‭ ‬is followed by‭ ‬the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬ʿǎl‭ (‬עַל‭) (‬al‭)‬,‭ “‬on‭” ‬and its‭ ‬object is the first person plural pronominal suffix‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬us.‭” Asyndeton Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Daniel is employing the figure of “asyndeton” in order to emphasize his statement here in verse 13 that God judged Israel as He warned He would do in the Mosaic Law. Daniel uses this figure expresses the solemn nature of this statement. The Spirit wants the reader to dwell upon this statement regarding the fact that God keeps His Word whether it is for judgment or blessing. kǎ·ʾǎšěr The preposition k- is employed with the relative particle ʾǎšěr with the former meaning “as” and the latter meaning “what.” The former is a marker of comparison and contrast, implying a connection or association between elements. Here it marks a comparison between God judging Israel by causing a disaster to strike the nation in the form of the Babylonian invasion and what God warned He would do if Israel unrepentantly disobeyed His laws. The relative particle ʾǎšěr is a marker of a relative reference to an entity, event or state. Here it refers to the event of God warning Israel through His Law which He gave to Moses that He would judge her if she was unrepentantly disobedient to His laws. kā·ṯǎḇ The verb kā·ṯǎḇ means “to write” referring making marks which communicate by signals, symbols or alphabet on any of various materials such as stone, leather, wax, papyrus with instruments such as ink and pens or stylus. Here the verb refers to Moses writing down God’s sworn oath to judge Israel if she unrepentantly disobeyed His laws. The qal stem of the verb is fientive referring to Moses recorded in written form God’s sworn oath to judge Israel for unrepentantly disobeying His laws. The passive voice of the verb means that the subject receives the action of the verb from an expressed or unexpressed agency. Thus, the passive voice denotes that God’s sworn oath to judge Israel for unrepentantly disobeying His laws received the action of being written down by Moses. The participle form of this verb is functioning as a predicate adjective meaning that it is making the assertion that God’s sworn oath to judge Israel for disobeying His laws was written down by Moses. b ṯô·rǎṯʹ  mō·šě(h)ʹ The noun tô·rā(h) is in the singular and means “law” referring to the 365 prohibitions and 248 commands which appear in the Mosaic Law. The construct state of this word means that it is governing the proper name mō∙šě(h) (מֹשֶׁה‭) (‬mo-sheh‭´)‬,‭ “‬Moses.‭” ‬The genitive relation between these two words is possession indicating that this law‭ “‬belonged to‭” ‬Moses in the sense that it was given to him by God to put down in writing. The noun tô·rā(h) is also the object of the preposition bĕ which is a marker of location indicating that the place in which God’s sworn oath to judge Israel for unrepentant disobedience to God’s law is written. It is found “in” the law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. The proper name mō∙šě(h) (מֹשֶׁה‭) (‬mo-sheh‭´)‬,‭ ‬which is the Hebrew equivalent of‭ ‬the Egyptian noun‭ ‬ms‭ ‘‬boy-child,‭’ ‬from the verb‭ ‬msi‭˒ “‬bear,‭ ‬give birth.‭” ‬This word appears also in Egyptian names,‭ ‬as for example Ptahmose,‭ ‬Tuthmosis,‭ ‬Ahmose,‭ ‬and Harmose.‭ ‬Therefore,‭ ‬Moses‭’ ‬name is transliterated from Egyptian.‭ ‬Here in Daniel‭ ‬9:11,‭ ‬this proper name refers to the individual who came from the tribe of Levi and whose father was Amram‭ (‬Exodus‭ ‬6:20‭; ‬Numbers‭ ‬26:59‭; ‬1‭ ‬Chronicles‭ ‬6:3‭) ‬and whose mother was Jochebed‭ (‬Exodus‭ ‬6:20‭; ‬Numbers‭ ‬26:59‭) ‬and his older sister was Miriam and his younger brother was Aaron.‭ ‬It refers to the individual whom God spoke face to face with and who receives from God the Ten Commandments and the body of laws which now bear his name which are recorded in the Pentateuch.‭ rā·ʿā(h) The noun rā·ʿā(h) means “disaster, calamity” in the sense of God permitting an evil nation like Babylon to successfully attack Israel and cause her citizens to suffer death and for those who survive, great hardship. The word refers to three Babylonian invasions in 605, 597 and 587 B.C. as well as the three subsequent deportations to Babylon. The object marker ʾēṯ, which is marking this word as the accusative direct object of the verb bôʾ (בּוֹא‭) (‬bow‭)‬,‭ “‬has come.‭” ‬This word‭ ‬rā·ʿā(h‭) ‬is also modified by the noun‭ ‬kōl‭ ‬which means‭ “‬all‭” ‬since it functions the same way as the English adjective because of the way Aramaic uses nouns in construct relationship to one another.‭ ‬It denotes totality indicating‭ “‬all‭” ‬of heaven.‭ ‬The articular construction of‭ ‬rā·ʿā(h‭)‬is anaphoric meaning that the word appeared in verse‭ ‬12‭ ‬and is retaining the same meaning and referent here in verse‭ ‬13. zō(ʾ)ṯ The articular demonstrative pronoun zō(ʾ)ṯ means “this” referring to the Babylonian invasions of Israel by Nebuchadnezzar in 605, 597 and 587 B.C. as well as the three subsequent deportations of Israel to Babylon. It is used as an attributive adjective since when used in this manner it takes the definite article and agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) with the noun it modifies, which in our case is rā·ʿā(h). bôʾ This verb is in the hiphil stem and means “to take place, to happen, to occur” referring to the three Babylonian invasions of Israel and the three subsequent deportations to Babylon taking place in accordance with God’s warning in the Mosaic Law that He would judge Israel if she unrepentantly disobeyed His laws. The qal stem is fientive expressing the action of this disaster taking place in history. The perfect conjugation is constative describing in summary fashion this disaster taking place. ʾǎnǎḥ·nû The first person plural pronominal suffix ʾǎnǎḥ·nû means “us” referring to the nation of Israel and Daniel with the latter of course identifying with the former. It is the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which is a marker of opposition indicating that the disaster of the three Babylonian invasions of Israel and the three subsequent deportations to Babylon took place “against” Israel. Israel Failed to Repent Daniel 9:13 “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth.” (NASB95) “Yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ‭) (‬waw‭)‬,‭ “‬yet‭” ‬which is‭ ‬followed by‭ ‬the negative‭ ‬particle‭ ‬lō(ʾ‭) (‬לֹא‭) (‬low‭)‬,‭ “‬not‭” ‬which is negating the meaning of the first person plural piel active perfect form of the verb‭ ‬ḥā·lā(h‭) (‬חָלָה‭) (‬khaw-law‭´)‬,‭ “‬we have sought‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬object marker‭ ‬ʾēṯ‭ (‬אֵת‭) (‬ayth‭)‬,‭ ‬which‭ ‬is‭ ‬not translated‭ ‬but is marking the‭ ‬masculine plural construct form of the noun‭ ‬pā∙ně(h‭) (‬פָּנֶה‭) (‬pah-neh‭)‬,‭ “‬the favor of‭” ‬as the direct object and this is modified by the‭ ‬masculine singular form of the‭ ‬proper noun‭ ‬Yahweh‭ (‬יהוה‭) (‬yeh-ho-vaw‭´)‬,‭ “‬the Lord‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬masculine plural form of the noun‭ ‬ʾělō∙hîm‭ (‬אֱלֹהִים‭) (‬el-o-heem‭)‬,‭ “‬God‭” ‬which is‭ ‬modified by the first person plural pronominal suffix‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬our‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬lĕ‭ (‬לְ‭) (‬leh‭) “‬by‭” ‬and its object is the qal infinitive construct form of the verb‭ ‬šûḇ‭ (‬שׁוּב‭) (‬shoob‭)‬,‭ “‬turning‭” ‬which is‭ ‬followed by the preposition‭ ‬min‭ (‬מִן‭) (‬min‭) “‬from‭” ‬and its object is the masculine singular construct form of the noun‭ ‬ʿā·wōn‭ (‬עָוֹן‭) (‬aw-vone‭´)‬,‭ “‬iniquity‭” ‬which is modified by the‭ ‬first person plural pronominal suffix‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬our‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬conjunction‭ ‬wa‭ (‬וְ‭) (‬waw‭)‬,‭ “‬and‭” ‬which is‭ ‬followed by‭ ‬the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬lĕ‭ (‬לְ‭) (‬leh‭) ‬which is not translated‭ ‬and its object is the‭ ‬hiphil‭ ‬active infinitive construct‭ ‬form of the verb‭ ‬śā∙ḵǎl‭ (‬שָׂכַל‭) (‬saw-kal‭)‬,‭ “‬giving attention‭” ‬and then‭ ‬we have the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬bĕ‭ (‬בְּ‭) (‬beh‭)‬,‭ “‬to‭” ‬and its object is the‭ ‬feminine singular noun‭ ‬ʾěměṯ‭ (‬אֱמֶת‭) (‬eh‭´‬-meth‭)‬,‭ “‬truth‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬second‭ ‬person masculine singular‭ ‬independent‭ ‬personal‭ ‬pronoun‭ ‬ʾǎt·tā(h‭) (‬אַתָּה‭)‬,‭ “‬Your.‭” wa The conjunction wa is adversative meaning that it is introducing a statement which stands in contrast with the previous statement that the disaster of three Babylonian invasions and deportations took place against Israel according to what is written in the Mosaic Law. It is introducing a statement which records Daniel as acknowledging to God that the majority of the exiled Israelites had to repent. Therefore, the conjunction is marking a contrast between Israel being judged by God and Israel failing to repent of her sins which led to her being judged in the first place. ḥā·lā(h) The verb ḥā·lā(h) is in the piel stem and means “to seek the favor of, to entreat the favor of” referring to the act of the Jewish exiles seeking the face or presence of God in the sense of attempting to conciliate or reconcile themselves with their God. The word is emphatically negated by the negative particle lō(ʾ), which is a marker of emphatic negation. Therefore, these two words denote that the Jewish exiles “never sought” the Lord’s favor by turning from their iniquity. The piel stem of the verb ḥā·lā(h) is factitive meaning that the subject of the verb in the piel causes its direct object to enter the state that can be described by the same verb in the qal stem. Here the subject is the Jewish exiles in Babylon and the direct object is the face of their God in the sense of His favor. Therefore, this stem indicates that the Jewish exiles as the subject never caused God’s favor to enter the state of being sought by them. The perfect conjugation is again constative describing in summary fashion the failure of the Jewish exiles to seek the Lord’s favor by turning from their iniquity followed by giving heed to His truth. The first person plural form of this verb ḥā·lā(h) means “we” expressing the fact that Daniel is identifying with his fellow countrymen as though he were personally responsible for sinning against God, which he was not. He was one of the few who conscientiously observed the commands and prohibitions of the Mosaic Law as demonstrated in Daniel chapter one. If you recall, he refused to eat the food and drink prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar because this food and wine would have made him ceremonially unclean according to the dietary regulations of the Law. pā∙ně(h) This particular word always occurs in the plural, perhaps indicative of the fact that the face is a combination of a number of features. As we shall see below, the face identifies the person and reflects the attitude and sentiments of the person. As such, pānîm can be a substitute for the self or the feelings of the self. In the Bible the “face” (along with the other parts of the body) is described not merely as an exterior instrument in one’s physiology, but rather as being engaged in some form of behavioral pattern, and is thus characterized by some personal quality. It is only natural that the face was considered to be extraordinarily revealing vis-a-vis a man’s emotions, moods, and dispositions. A “hard” face is indicative of defiance (Jer 5:3), impudence (Prov 7:13), ruthlessness (Deut 28:50). A “shining” face is evidence of joy (Job 29:24). A “shamed” face points to defeat, frustration, humiliation (II Sam 19:5). A “flaming” face is one convulsed by terror (Isa 13:8). An “evil” face is a face marked by distress and anxiety (Gen 40:7). A “fallen” face stems from very strong anger or displeasure (Gen 4:5). To make a person’s face “sweet” is to conciliate him or seek his favor (of God; I Kgs 13:6; II Kgs 13:4). The KJV translates freely this last phrase “X sought/entreated the Lord.” But the Hebrew runs literally “X made sweet the Lord’s face.” Similarly, this idiom is used of man (Prov 19:6). The phrase “to hide one’s face” means to show aversion or disgust (Isa 53:3) and “to turn away the face” is to reject (Ps 132:10). Conversely, “to raise the face” of another is to show favor, respect, acceptance (I Sam 25:35), or show partiality and favoritism (Lev 19:15). Most of these idioms and phrases are also applied to God. God’s face “shines” (Ps 4:6 [H 7]) as a sign of favor and good will. His face may “fall” in anger (Jer 3:12). God may “hide” his face (Ps 13:1 [H 2]). Five times one encounters the phrase “to see God’s face” probably in the technical sense of visiting the sanctuary for cultic worship; Ex 23:15; 34:20 (KJV, “none shall appear before me”); Deut 31:11; Ps 42:2 [H 3]; Isa 1:12. In each of these instances the verb rāʾâ “to see,” is pointed as a Niphal, and is translated then “to appear,” the idea of “appearing before” softening the concept of seeing God’s face. In one case (I Sam 1:22) the Niphal is indicated by the consonantal text. The thought of lērāʾôt pānāy, Niphal infinitive construct, “to appear before God” is acceptable, even mandatory, but the possibility of lirʾ ôt pānāy, Qal infinitive construct, is inconceivable, according to Ex 33:20. There are some exceptions to this, for example, Jacob (Gen 32:30 [H 31]) and Moses (Ex 33:11). They saw God “face to face” pānîm el pānîm. A man must perish if he looks on or even hears God (Ex 19:21). For this reason Moses (Ex 3:6), Elijah (I Kgs 19:13), and even the seraphim (Isa 6:2) cover their faces in God’s presence. The man who remains alive after seeing God is overwhelmed with astonishment and gratitude (Gen 32:30; Deut 5:24); with awe (Jud 6:22–23; 13:22; Isa 6:5). In the New Testament God is manifested in Jesus who alone has seen the Father (Jn 1:18; 6:46; I Jn 4:12). Christ is not only the Word through whom God is heard. He is the image through whom God is seen. ‭ ‬Hamilton,‭ ‬V.‭ ‬P.‭ (‬1999‭)‬.‭ ‬1782‭ ‬פָּנָה.‭ (‬R.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Harris,‭ ‬G.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Archer Jr.,‭ & ‬B.‭ ‬K.‭ ‬Waltke,‭ ‬Eds.‭)‬Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.‭ ‬Chicago:‭ ‬Moody Press. The noun pā∙ně(h) literally means “face” but here it is used in a figurative sense of God’s “favor.” It is employed with the verb ḥā·lā(h) and together they mean “to seek the favor of” the Lord. The object marker ʾēṯ is marking pā∙ně(h) out as the direct object of the verb ḥā·lā(h). The construct state of the noun pā∙ně(h) means that it is governing the word which follows it expressing a genitive relation between the two words. Here it is governing the proper noun Yahweh. The genitive relation is possession indicating that this presence “belongs to” Yahweh. Yahweh The proper noun Yahweh, “Lord” is the personal name of God emphasizing that He is the redeemer of mankind and is used in His relationship to His covenants or contracts with men. This term is the covenant-keeping personal name of God used in connection with man’s salvation and emphasizing the personal relationship that Daniel and the nation of Israel had with the Lord. The word is thus emphasizing the “immanency” of God meaning that He involves Himself in and concerns Himself with and intervenes in the affairs of men. Daniel is using this name to identify to the reader that he wants God to intervene on behalf of the nation of Israel. ʾělō∙hîm The noun ʾělō∙hîm means “God,” which emphasizes the transcendent character of the God of Israel, who the New Testament identifies as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This word refers to the Lord’s complete sovereign power over all creation and every creature and over every nation and ruler as evidenced by fulfilled prophecy. Daniel’s use of the word indicates that he is appealing to the Lord that He would sovereignly intervene and restore to the land of Israel and Jerusalem the exiled Jews in Babylon and around the world at the time. The noun ʾělō∙hîm is modified by the first person plural pronominal suffix ʾǎnǎḥ·nû which means “we” referring to Daniel and is expressing the fact that he is identifying himself with the nation of Israel in order to intercede on her behalf with God. šûḇ The verb šûḇ means “to turn” in the sense of changing completely the direction one is going in. Here it means that the Jewish exiles never sought the Lord’s favor by turning from their iniquity. It refers to the confession of sin by Israel. The qal stem of this verb is fientive expressing the action of the Jewish exiles seeking the favor of their God by turning from their sin by confessing their sins in the presence of their God. The preposition lĕ is prefixed to the infinitive construct form of this verb and governs it. It is functioning as a marker of means indicating that Israel never sought the Lord’s favor, their God “by” turning from their iniquity. ʿā·wōn The noun ʿā·wōn refers to sin describing it as iniquity in the sense of it being wickedness and wrongdoing with emphasis upon volitional responsibility and guilt for a wrong incurred. It also used in a collective sense referring to the sum of a collection of sins. Here the word is used of the corporate sin of the Jewish exiles and describes this sin as iniquity. This noun is the object of the preposition min, which is a marker of separation indicating that the Jewish exiles never sought the Lord’s favor, their God by turning “from” their iniquity expressing the exiles separation from their sin. The noun ʿā·wōn is modified by the first person plural pronominal suffix ʾǎnǎḥ·nû which means “we” referring to Daniel expressing the fact that he is identifying himself with the nation of Israel in order to intercede on her behalf with God. wa This time the conjunction wa means “followed” since it is functioning as a marker of a sequence of closely related events. This means that it is introducing a statement that marks the next event that would take place after the Jewish exiles turned from their iniquity by confessing their sins to God. śā∙ḵǎl The verb śā∙ḵǎl is in the hiphil stem and means “to heed, to give attention to” something implying a positive response. It has the idea of considering thoughtfully or giving attention to, often with the sense of wisely valuing it enough to seek to understand it and response appropriately so that effectively governs one’s life. Here it refers to the Jewish exiles giving heed to truth in the sense of considering truth thoughtfully and valuing it enough to seek to understand truth and responding in obedience to it. Therefore, this verb śā∙ḵǎl refers to valuing, learning and obeying the Law on the part of the Jewish exiles after confessing their iniquity. The hiphil stem of the verb is factitive which indicates the Jewish exiles caused truth to enter the state of being given heed to by them. The preposition lĕ is prefixed to the infinitive construct form of this verb and governs it. It is again functioning as a marker of means indicating that the Jewish exiles never sought the Lord, their God’s favor “by” giving heed to His truth. ʾěměṯ The noun ʾěměṯ means “truth” referring to God’s Word and specifically the Mosaic Law. It refers to truth in an objective sense as a body of knowledge and ethical instructions and instructions regarding the worship of Yahweh. This word is modified by the preposition bĕ, which is marking this word as the direct object of the verb śā∙ḵǎl. Translation of Daniel 9:13 Daniel 9:13 “As what is written in the law given to Moses, all this disaster has taken place against us. However, we never sought the Lord’s favor, our God by turning from our iniquity followed by giving heed to His truth.” Exposition of Daniel 9:13 Daniel continues his intercessory prayer on behalf of the Jewish exiles in Babylon by acknowledging to God that the three Babylonian invasions in 605, 597 and 587 B.C. and the subsequent deportations of the Jews to Babylon, which he describes as a “disaster” took place in accordance with the Mosaic Law. These invasions and their subsequent deportations were the direct result of God acting in accordance with His warning to Israel which was recorded by Moses in writing. In other words, Daniel is acknowledging to God that He judged the nation just as He said He would if Israel unrepentantly disobeyed His laws. “What is written in the law given to Moses” is referring to Leviticus 26:14-35 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68. This mention of the Mosaic Law in the emphatic position of the sentence here in verse 13 emphasizes the faithfulness of God. It stresses that God is faithful in keeping His Word in the sense that He fulfills His promise to judge for unrepentant disobedience as well as His promise to bless for obedience. Then, Daniel acknowledges something shocking to God in light of the disaster which struck Israel, namely that the Jewish exiles never sought the Lord’s favor, their God by turning from their iniquity followed by the giving heed to the Law, which he describes as God’s truth. The Jewish exiles never attempted during their stay in Babylon to turn from their iniquity followed by giving heed to the Law so as to gain the Lord’s favor or reconcile with Him. One would think that the Jewish exiles would have been humbled enough after receiving such severe discipline from God that they would confess their sins and obey the Word of God. However, they had amazingly not done so. This manifests the fact that the Jewish exiles like all human beings are sinners by nature and practice. It also manifests the fact that they were deceived by the devil as is the case with all of humanity. Satan could have successfully discouraged Israel into thinking that God would never forgive them, which is a lie. The devil would have appealed to the fact that they were deported to Babylon and Jerusalem and Solomon’s temple were destroyed. He could have used this as evidence that God would never forgive them and take them back. Of course unlike Daniel, the Jewish exiles did not remember 1 Kings 8:33-36. The Jewish exiles were not applying this passage to their situation, which caused them to fail to confess their sins. Instead of listening to God’s Word, they were listening to the lies of Satan. 1 Kings 8:33 “When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy, because they have sinned against You, if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and make supplication to You in this house, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers. 35 When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel, indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land, which You have given Your people for an inheritance. (NASB95) To turn from their iniquity refers to the confession of sin whereas giving heed to God’s truth refers to obedience. For the one who is already a believer this constitutes “repentance,” which means to go in one direction and to change your mind and go in the exact opposite direction and does not involve emotion or feeling sorry for your sins. It involves not only a change of attitude but of conduct. Israel’s attitude and conduct must go in 180 degree direction so that they could be restored to fellowship with God. In relation to the non-believer, repentance would involve exercising faith in the God of Israel, Yahweh, who is Jesus Christ. Excursus: Repentance Repentance involves not only a change of attitude but of conduct. It means to being going in one direction and to change your mind and go in the exact opposite direction. To receive eternal salvation, the only issue in repentance is Christ and not a person’s sin. In relation to receiving eternal salvation, the Scriptures never teach repentance of sins but of a change of attitude regarding Christ as one’s personal Savior. An individual’s personal sins are not an issue because they were all paid for at the cross by the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, with respect to the non-believer, repentance would involve simply faith along in Christ alone (John 3:16-18; Acts 16:31). On the other hand, repentance for the believer would involved the confession of sin (1 John 1:9) which must be followed immediately by obedience to the Word of God (1 John 2:3-6). As we noted in our previous studies in detail, Nebuchadnezzar was a believer when he received this vision in Daniel chapter four. The Greek word in the New Testament for repentance is the noun metanoia, which means “a change of mind” and its cognate verb is metanoeo, which means “to change your mind, to change your attitude toward something.” Metanoia is found 24 times in the Greek New Testament and metanoeo is found 35 times. Metanoeo is a compound verb, which means that it is composed of two words. The first is meta meaning “change,” and the second is noeo, “mind,” therefore, the correct meaning of repentance is “to change one’s mind,” or “to change your attitude toward something.” Both words have absolutely nothing to do with feeling sorry for your sins. They have nothing to do with your emotions. There is another word in the Greek New Testament which has an emotional connotation and that is the verb metamelomai which means “to feel sorry, to regret, to feel sorrow.” This word is found 6 times in the Greek New Testament. The distinction between the two verbs metanoeo and metamelomai is obvious in the Greek New Testament. Metamelomai expresses a merely emotional change while metanoeo expresses a change of choice. Metamelomai signifies nothing but regret resulting in feeling sorry while metanoeo deals with a change of mental attitude. Metanoeo concerns your volition and not your emotions. Since our English word is a translation of the Greek of the New Testament, we need to look at the original language. There are two New Testament Greek words which are translated “repentance” in the modern English translations: metanoia (and its verbal counterpart metanoeo) and metamelomai. The former term is so translated fifty-eight times in the New Testament; the latter only six times. This study will be concerned primarily with metanoia. Metamelomai means, “to regret, change the mind” and may connote the idea of sorrow, but not necessarily. It is translated by “regret, change the mind, and feel remorse” in the NASB and NIV, and in all but one of the passages where it is used, the primary idea is a change of mind (cf. Matt. 21:29, 32; 27:3; 2 Cor. 7:8; Heb. 7:21). Metanoia, the primary word, without question, means “a change of mind.” It refers to the thinking of people who thought one thing or made one decision and then, based on further evidence or input, changed their minds. So, the basic sense is “a change of mind.” This is its meaning and use outside the New Testament and in the New Testament. It is a change of mind that leads to a different course of action, but that course of action must be determined by the context. In a context that deals with forgiveness of sin or receiving eternal life as a gift from God, the course of action is a change of trust because one now sees Jesus as the only means of salvation from sin. Let me illustrate this for you in the Scriptures and I’ll point out when each word is used. John the Baptist used the verb metanoeo. Matthew 3:2 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent (metanoeo, “change your mind”), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (NASB95) What were John’s listeners suppose to change their minds about? Mark 1:14 And after John had been taken into custody (put into prison), Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (Jesus Christ the Savior is right in front of them.); Repent (metanoeo, “change your mind”) and believe in the gospel.” (NASB95) They were to change their minds about Christ. They were unbelievers and they were to change their minds about Christ and believe in Him for salvation. They were to change their minds concerning the gospel, which is the “power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). Our Lord makes an interesting comment concerning the person who changes their mind about Christ and accepts Him as Savior. Luke 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (metanoeo, “changes their mind about Christ and accepts Him as Savior”), than over ninety-nine righteous persons (people who have accepted Christ as Savior) who need no repentance (metanoia, “change of mind about Christ”).” (NASB95) Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (metanoeo, “changes their mind about Christ and believes in Him for salvation”).” (NASB95) So you can see that repentance has nothing to do with emotion but is a change of mind about Christ. Now, the first occurrence of metamelomai is in Matthew 21:29-32 in the parable of the two sons. In the parable, one son said to his father that he would go in the vineyard while the second son said he would not but then he metamelomai, felt badly, regretted not going and then went. The first son, who said he would go, but didn’t. Metamelomai occurs twice in this passage. It is found in verse 29 which the New American Standard translates as “regretted,” and it is found in verse 32 where it is translated “remorse.” In Matthew 27:3, metamelomai is used in connection with Judas Iscariot, an unbeliever who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 27:1 Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death; 2 and they bound Him, and led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate the governor. 3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him (Jesus), saw that He (Jesus) had been condemned, he felt remorse (metamelomai, “he felt sorry”) and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “what is that to us? See that yourself.” 5 And he (Judas) threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. (NASB95) Judas felt sorry for his sin and yet he went to the Lake of Fire. We know that he went to hell because the Lord Jesus Christ said so Himself. John 17:12 “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name (God the Father’s) which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished (the apostles and His disciples) but the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot), that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” (NASB95) Now, what is important to note is that Judas felt sorry for his sin for betraying the Son of God and yet he was not saved because of his emotions. The apostle Peter denied Christ three times and he felt sorry and wept. Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a cock crows Peter, you will deny Me three times.” And he (Peter) went out and wept bitterly. (NASB95) Both men felt sorry for their sins, and yet one was saved and the other was not. Each committed a terrible sin, one was saved and the other was not. Emotion could not save Judas. Peter wept bitterly and yet his tears did not save him but rather his faith in Christ saved him. There is only one-way of salvation which excludes human works and emotion and that is to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31; John 3:16, 36). Judas could have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ but did not. Peter did believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:13-16). The word metamelomai also occurs in 2 Corinthians 7:8 where the apostle Paul is talking about his first letter to the Corinthians in which he sharply rebuked the believers in Corinth, 1 Corinthians 7:8 For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it (metamelomai); though I did regret it (metamelomai)-for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while-9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance (metanoia, “a change of mind”). For you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything though us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a change of mind (metanoia) WITHOUT REGRET (metamelomai), leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (NASB95) This passage deals with confession of sin followed by obedience to the Word of God. Paul was talking to people who were believers. They had already believed in Jesus Christ as Savior and were saved forever. The repentance that Paul is talking about is the confession of sin and their recovery from that sin through obedience. This sin knocks them out of fellowship yet does not cost them their salvation. In relation to receiving eternal salvation, sin is never an issue in repentance according to the Scriptures but rather one’s attitude toward Jesus Christ is the issue. Psalm 103:10 He (God) has NOT dealt with us (you and I) according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. (NASB95) John 1:29 “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (NASB95) Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin (sin nature) entered into the world, and death (spiritual) through sin (the sin nature), and so death (spiritual) spread to all men (the entire human race), because all sinned. (NASB95) 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I (Paul) delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. (NASB95) Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who (the Lord Jesus Christ) gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of God and Father. (NASB95) Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. (NASB95) Hebrews 10:17 And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. (NASB95) 1 Peter 2:24 And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin (sin nature) and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (NASB95) 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. (NASB95) 1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins, and not for ours only but for those of the whole world. (NASB95) 1 John 3:5 He (the Lord Jesus Christ) appeared in order to take away sins (plural; personal sins of the entire human race). (NASB95) Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches in Asia (what is today western Turkey): Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven spirits who are before His throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead (1st to be resurrected), and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood. (NASB95) The only issue in repentance that the Scriptures teach is regarding the Person and Work of Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:13-20). The sins of the entire world-past, present and future were paid for by the impeccable humanity of Christ in hypostatic union at the cross. He paid for these sins with His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths. Therefore, repentance in relation to the non-Christian with respect to receiving eternal salvation has nothing to do with a person’s sins but rather his attitude toward Jesus Christ. The issue in repentance is simply, “Will you change your mind about Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Lord and Savior?” Each person must decide for himself. Salvation is through faith alone in Christ alone and nothing more and nothing less (John 3:16-17, 36; Acts 16:31). In relation to the Christian, repentance involves confession of sin (1 John 1:9) followed by obedience to the Word of God (1 John 2:3-6). Daniel 9:14-The Lord Fulfilled His Promise to Bring Disaster Against Israel For Her Unrepentant Disobedience Because He is Righteous The Lord Caused Disaster to Fall Upon Israel Daniel 9:14 “Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” (NASB95) “Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ‭) (‬waw‭)‬,‭ “‬therefore‭” ‬which is‭ ‬followed by‭ ‬the‭ ‬third person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb‭ ‬šā·qǎḏ‭ (‬שָׁקַד‭) (‬shaw-kad‭´)‬,‭ “‬has kept in store‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬masculine singular form of the proper noun‭ ‬Yahweh‭ (‬יהוה‭) (‬yeh-ho-vaw‭´)‬,‭ “‬the Lord‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬ʿǎl‭ (‬עַל‭) (‬al‭)‬,‭ ‬which is not translated‭ ‬and its object is the‭ ‬articular‭ ‬feminine singular form of the noun‭ ‬rā·ʿā(h‭) (‬רָעָה‭) (‬ro-aw‭´)‬,‭ “‬the calamity‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬conjunction‭ ‬wa‭ (‬וְ‭) (‬waw‭)‬,‭ “‬and‭” ‬which is‭ ‬followed by‭ ‬the third person masculine singular hiphil active imperfect form of the verb‭ ‬bôʾ‭ (‬בּוֹא‭) (‬bow‭)‬,‭ “‬brought‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬third person feminine singular‭ ‬pronominal suffix‭ ‬hî(ʾ‭) (‬הִיא‭) (‬hee‭)‬,‭ “‬it‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬ʿǎl‭ (‬עַל‭) (‬al‭)‬,‭ “‬on‭” ‬and its object is the‭ ‬first person‭ ‬plural‭ ‬pronominal suffix‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬us.‭” wa The conjunction wa is a marker of result meaning that it introducing a statement which presents the result of Daniel’s previous stasrtement at the end of verse 13 that Israel never repented from their disobedience to God’s laws. The conjunction is introducing a statement which records Daniel acknowledging that God was vigilant concerning the disaster He promised He would bring against Israel in order to cause this disaster to take place against the nation. Therefore, the conjunction denotes that Israel never repented from their disobedience to God’s laws “therefore” God was vigilant concerning the disaster He promised He would bring against Israel in order to cause this disaster to take place against the nation. šā·qǎḏ The verb šā·qǎḏ means “to be vigilant” and is used of God being vigilant over the nation of Israel with regards to her unrepentant disobedience. It speaks of God being vigilant over the nation of Israel in order to carry out His promise to judge the nation for her unrepentant disobedience. It speaks of His being vigilant to fulfill that which He has promised to Israel in His Law through Moses. The word echoes Jeremiah’s language with regards to Israel (Jeremiah 1:11-12; 44:27). The qal stem is stative expressing God being in a state of vigilance. The imperfect conjugation is also stative expressing the same thing as this stem. Yahweh The proper noun Yahweh, “Lord” is the personal name of God emphasizing that He is the redeemer of mankind and is used in His relationship to His covenants or contracts with men. This term is the covenant-keeping personal name of God used in connection with man’s salvation and emphasizing the personal relationship that Daniel and the nation of Israel had with the Lord. The word is thus emphasizing the “immanency” of God meaning that He involves Himself in and concerns Himself with and intervenes in the affairs of men. Daniel is using this name to identify to the reader that God intervened in the affairs of Israel by being vigilant over her in order to fulfill His promise to judge her for her unrepentant disobedience to His laws. rā·ʿā(h) The noun rā·ʿā(h) means “disaster, calamity” in the sense of God permitting an evil nation like Babylon to successfully attack Israel and cause her citizens to suffer death and for those who survive, great hardship. The word refers to three Babylonian invasions in 605, 597 and 587 B.C. as well as the three subsequent deportations to Babylon. This word contains the figure of metonymy meaning that the disaster is put for the promise of the disaster. Therefore, this means that God was vigilant concerning the “promised” disaster contained in the Mosaic Law. The articular construction of rā·ʿā(h)is anaphoric meaning that the word appeared in verse 12 and 13 and is retaining the same meaning and referent here in verse 14. The word is the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which is a marker of content or reference specifying what God was vigilant over. wa This time the conjunction wa is a marker of purpose meaning that it introducing a statement which presents the purpose of God being vigilant over His promise to bring disaster upon Israel. It is introducing a statement which refers to God causing this disaster to take place against Israel. Therefore, the conjunction denotes that God was vigilant concerning this promised disaster “in order to” cause it to take place against Israel. bôʾ This verb bôʾ is in the hiphil stem and means “to bring to pass, to cause to happen” indicating that God carried out His words of judgment in the Law which He spoke against Israel by bringing about or causing a great calamity to take place against the nation. The hiphil stem of this verb is factitive meaning that the subject of this verb causes its direct object to enter the state described by the same verb in the qal. The subject of this verb is the God of Israel and its direct object is the promised disaster. Therefore, this stem denotes that the God of Israel caused this promised disaster to take place against Israel. The imperfect conjugation of the verb describes this event as taking place in the past from the writer’s perspective. hî(ʾ) The third person feminine singular pronominal suffix hî(ʾ) means “it” referring to the disaster God promised Israel in the Mosaic Law would take place against her if she continued to unrepentantly disobey His laws. The word is the direct object of the verb bôʾ meaning that it is receiving the action of this verb. ʾǎnǎḥ·nû The first person plural pronoun ʾǎnǎḥ·nû means “us” referring to the nation of Israel and Daniel with the latter of course identifying with the former. It is the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which is a marker of opposition indicating that God caused the disaster He promised in the Mosaic Law to take place “against” Israel. The Lord is Righteous Daniel 9:14 “Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” (NASB95) “For the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done” is composed of the conjunction kî (כִּי‭) (‬kee‭)‬,‭ “‬for‭” ‬and then we have the masculine singular form of the adjective‭ ‬ṣǎd·dîq‭ (‬צַדִּיק‭) (‬tsad-deek‭´)‬,‭ “‬righteous‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬masculine singular form of the proper noun‭ ‬Yahweh‭ (‬יהוה‭) (‬yeh-ho-vaw‭´)‬,‭ “‬the Lord‭” ‬which is followed by the‭ ‬masculine plural form of the noun‭ ‬ʾělō∙hîm‭ (‬אֱלֹהִים‭) (‬el-o-heem‭)‬,‭ “‬God‭” ‬which is‭ ‬modified by the first person plural pronominal suffix‭ ‬ʾǎnǎḥ·nû‭ (‬אֲנַחְנוּ‭) (‬an-akh‭´‬-noo‭)‬,‭ “‬our‭” ‬and‭ ‬then we have the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬ʿǎl‭ (‬עַל‭) (‬al‭)‬,‭ “‬with respect to‭” ‬and‭ ‬this is followed by‭ ‬the‭ ‬collective‭ ‬singular construct form of the noun‭ ‬kōl‭ (‬כֹּל‭) (‬kole‭)‬,‭ “‬all‭” ‬which is modifying the masculine plural construct form of the noun‭ ‬mǎ·ʿǎśě(h‭) (‬מַעֲשֶׂה‭) (‬mah-as-eh‭´)‬,‭ “‬deeds‭” ‬which is modified by the‭ ‬third person masculine singular pronominal suffix‭ ‬hû(ʾ‭) (‬הוּא‭) (‬who‭)‬,‭ “‬His‭” ‬and then we have the‭ ‬relative pronoun‭ ‬ʾǎšěr‭ (‬אֲשֶׁר‭) (‬ash-er‭)‬,‭ “‬which‭” ‬and then we have‭ ‬the third person masculine singular qal passive perfect‭ ‬form of the verb‭ ‬ʿā·śā(h‭) (‬עָשָׂה‭) (‬aw-saw‭´)‬,‭ “‬He has done.‭” kî The conjunction kî means “because” since it is functioning as a marker of content meaning that it is introducing a phrase which presents the reason for the previous statement that the Lord was vigilant concerning this promised disaster in order to cause it take place against Israel. The word is introducing a statement which says that God is righteous with regards to all His actions, which He has performed. Therefore, this word denotes that the Lord was vigilant concerning this promised disaster in order to cause it take place against Israel “because” He is righteous with regards to all His actions, which He has performed. Yahweh Once again, the proper noun Yahweh, “Lord” is the personal name of God emphasizing that He is the redeemer of mankind and is used in His relationship to His covenants or contracts with men. This term is the covenant-keeping personal name of God used in connection with man’s salvation and emphasizing the personal relationship that Daniel and the nation of Israel had with the Lord. The word is thus emphasizing the “immanency” of God meaning that He involves Himself in and concerns Himself with and intervenes in the affairs of men. Daniel is using this name to identify to the reader God intervened in the affairs of Israel by bringing the promised disaster against her because of her unrepentant disobedience. ʾělō∙hîm The noun ʾělō∙hîm means “God,” which emphasizes the transcendent character of the God of Israel, who the New Testament identifies as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This word refers to the Lord’s complete sovereign power over all creation and every creature and over every nation and ruler as evidenced by fulfilled prophecy. Daniel’s use of the word indicates that the Lord was sovereignly intervening in the affairs of Israel by judging her for her unrepentant disobedience to His laws. The noun ʾělō∙hîm is modified by the first person plural pronominal suffix ʾǎnǎḥ·nû which means “we” referring to Daniel and is expressing the fact that he is identifying himself with the nation of Israel in order to intercede on her behalf with God. ṣǎd·dîq Harold Stigers has the following comment on the noun ṣeḏā·qā(h) and its cognates ṣedeq and ṣaddîq, he writes “The masculine ṣedeq occurs 118 times, the feminine ṣĕ dāqâ 156 times. The two forms do not differ in meaning, as far as we can prove (Snaith, ibid., p. 72). The earliest usages of ṣedeq or ṣĕdāqâ(except Gen 15:6; 18:19; 30:33, sĕdāqâ) occur in relation to the functions of judges. All of their deliverances or decisions are to be according to the truth and without partiality (Lev 19:15). It is applied similarly to weights and measures (Lev 19:36). Commercial fraud and deception are not allowed. In both these usages is seen the basic sense of ‘not deviating from the standard.’ The word describes three aspects of personal relationships: ethical, forensic, and theocratic. The ethical aspect involves the conduct of men with one another. It is held by some (Achtemeier, The Gospel of Righteousness, pp. 68–70) that righteousness is the quality of relationships between individuals. What follows from this view, however, is that righteousness is a matter of current norms. Actually, righteousness is exhibited only through conformity to standards set out in the word of God. The man who is righteous tries to preserve the peace and prosperity of the community by fulfilling the commands of God in regard to others. In the supreme sense the righteous man (ṣaddîq) is one who serves God (Mal 3:18). Specifically, he, like Job, delivers the poor and orphan, helps the blind along the way, supports the weak and is a father (provider) to the poor (Job 29:12–15). This was the righteous ‘clothing’ of Job’s life. To return the poor man’s pledged coat before sundown so that it may serve as his night clothes is righteousness (Deut 24:13), the purpose in this case being the man’s comfort. But the ‘righteousness’ consisted in obedience to God’s law and conformity to God’s nature, having mercy for the needy and helpless. Among other righteousnesses of Job were his care for the traveler (Job 31:31–32), eschewing wealth for its own sake (31:24–25), thus not victimizing himself or others in its pursuit. Nor did he squeeze out of his servants the last ounce of effort (31:13) having their limits of strength and comfort in mind. Job’s long oath of innocence was a declaration of righteousness as the three friends recognized (32:1). The ṣaddîq gives freely (Ps 37:21), without regard for gain. The presence of this kind of people is the exaltation of the nation (Prov 14:34), and the memory of the righteous man is a blessing. When men follow God, righteousness is said to dwell in the city (Isa 1:21). But when sin rules, it becomes a harlot. To rule on behalf of the wicked for a price is perversion of righteousness, for it takes away the righteousness (decency, Godlikeness) of the righteous (Isa 5:23). David was (more) righteous than Saul because he refused to slay Saul when unprotected (I Sam 24:7), although God seemingly had given Saul into his hands. The source of all this righteous conduct is the bestowal of God’s judgments (or laws) and righteousness on his people (Ps 72:1–2). The above discussion elucidates the message of the prophets, whose cry for righteousness rang throughout the land. Amos cried for justice in the gates (5:15, 24) that is, that right institutions be rightly administered. All who function in public areas are to be righteous in all they do—not for all they do. Beautiful singing will not persuade God to accept corrupt religious practice (Amos 5:23–24). Jeremiah declares that justice and righteousness together means to deliver the weak, to do no violence to them, nor to shed innocent blood. This righteousness will preserve the city (Jer 22:14). Whether by nations or individuals, righteous conduct can only be secured by plowing up fallow ground, sowing in righteousness, and reaping in mercy, i.e. making a new base for righteousness (Hos 10:12). All must become new persons whose actions are governed by the law of God. Righteous conduct issues from a new heart (Ezk 36:25–27). Habakkuk puts it another way: the just shall live by his faith (Hab 2:4). Isaiah (32:15–17) couples righteousness with the work of the Spirit, all resulting in peace and therefore eternal, assured quietness. It is possible that this thought lies behind the figure in Ps 85:10 [H 11], ‘Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.’ Because there has been reconciliation between man and God, peace comes to bless his way. Isaiah apparently refers to the state of these people: ‘thy people shall all be righteous.’ True ethics derive from imparted righteousness. The forensic aspect of ṣedeq applies to the equality of all, rich and poor, before the law. The righteous one, the ṣaddîq, is not to be put to death (Ex 23:7) for the law does not condemn him. The man who has the position of right (the righteousness of the righteous, ṣidĕqat ṣaddîq) in litigation must not be turned aside, (Isa 5:23). It should be emphasized that in Israel’s law the judge was not considering a man’s innocence with regard to breaking a human law, but a man’s righteousness in regard to God’s law. Today a man may transgress a statute but be innocent before God. In the ot law, to be innocent and to be righteous were one and the same. The maintenance of righteousness is frequently expressed by the Hiphil stem. This construction refers to making righteous or to declaring righteous. The comparative status of right is expressed by Judah in comparison to Tamar (Gen 38:26), i.e. she was within her rights to act as she did, Judah was not. But this is not a total approbation of her actions. A just or true claim is a “righteousness” (Ps 17:1; 18:20 [H 21]), always opposing the lie (Ps 37:6). In terms of an individual involved in litigation, to be righteous means to be free from guilt in relation to any infraction of law (Gen 30:33). One is righteous who is declared to be right (Ex 23:7; Deut 25:1). Such is Job’s affirmation (Job 19:7) (cf. The Argument of the Book of Job Unfolded, W. H. Greeves [New York: 1891], p. 188. It is the duty of judge and king to maintain righteousness in the community; Ex 23:7–8; I Chr 18:14; Prov 16:12). Noah, Daniel, and Job were righteous (Ezk 14:14, 20). Good conduct by an individual establishes a claim on the Lord of deliverance from calamitous judgment. Similarly, Gen 15:6 teaches that Abraham received Isaac as his heir because his trust in God’s promises was accounted as righteousness. ṣedeq is used attributively when applied to God himself as to his character. The Lord is the just judge (II Chr 12:6; Ps 11:7; Jer 12:1; Lam 1:18) even to the utmost degree as the judge of all the earth (Deut 32:4; Ps 119:137; Isa 5:16). Therefore his standards, his judgments set out in his word are righteous (Ps 119:144, 160, 172). Being everlasting, they are the confidence of his people and will not fail. God’s hate of sin and love of righteousness (Psa 45:7 [H 8]) express his essential righteousness. Therefore righteousness and judgment are the habitation (“foundation” NASB, NIV) of God’s throne, i.e. they always characterize his actions (Ps 97:2). Corollary to the forensic aspect of God’s righteousness is the concept of salvation as vindication (cf. Isa 1:27; 46:13, in which tĕšûʿâ “salvation” occurs in parallelism with ṣĕdāqâ. The salvation of God appears in this righteousness, for God delivers his people (Isa 51:lff.). God is characterized as right in delivering his people (Ps 85:9–11 [H 10–11]; 97:2). Cyrus is summoned to deliver God’s people and is therefore termed righteous (Isa 42:6; 45:13). Because God is always righteous, his saving action is properly signified by his righteous right hand (Isa 41:10). His saving righteousness is expressed with judgment, fidelity, and love (Ps 36:6–7 [H 7–8]) and with power (Ps 71:19). Those who experience this deliverance celebrate it in song (Ps 40; 10 [H 11]; 71:15–16). The covenant or theocratic aspect involves the nation of Israel. The covenant requires obedience to God by the nation and is the way of his people (Ps 1:1–6; Deut 6:25), a way of righteousness. God is righteous, under the covenant, when he delivers his people from trouble (Ps 31:1 [H 2]), their enemies (Ps 5:8 [H 9]), the wicked (Ps 37:6) and when he is vindicating Israel before her foes or executing vengeance on them (Jer 11:20). It is appropriate that Israel be assured of ultimate victory over her foes (Isa 54:14–17). In this last event the Lord is both righteous and the savior (Isa 45:21). Yet God is just to deliver the national sanctuary to the sword of Israel’s enemies on account of her sins. God’s judgment is just and Israel’s evil conduct can in no way be justified i.e. considered righteous. But the righteous ones remember the covenant to do it, and God’s promise to them is their restoration (Isa 51:1–8). For Israel to look to her maker involved repentance and reform. On the basis of this new righteousness came a deliverance. Israel in exile was far from righteousness (Isa 46:12) but God would bring her back according to his own righteousness (Isa 46:13). Rather than finding here a meaning of deliverance, salvation or triumph for ṣĕdāqâ as some do, it is better to find God’s solution of the problem of justification for the sinner in the teaching of Isa 53 where the suffering servant justifies sinners by bearing their sin. This same forensic meaning of justification of the ungodly is a real precursor of Rom 3:26. So Israel’s restoration to the land of promise is righteousness (Isa 46:12–13) and it is in righteousness that the Lord raises up Cyrus to restore Israel to the land (45:13). Such righteousness will be set out before all the world, for God will help Israel. In this fulfillment of the covenant God is declared righteous (Isa 54:14), and Israel’s status is that of being righteous, ṣaddîq. The root presents a development or variety of usage. 1. The abstract meaning of conformity to some standard (Gen 15:6), Abraham measuring up to the requirement of trust. 2. As a descriptive characteristic of God (Deut 32:4), as just and righteous, the standard being his own will and nature as the supreme being. The illustration of the potter and the clay, (Isa 45:9–12) points to the appropriateness of the divine decision. 3. ṣĕdāqâ or ṣedeq when applied to God mean righteousness, his characteristics then becoming the ultimate standard of human conduct. 4.The visitation of punishment on moral infractions is an example of righteousness, as were God’s judgments on Pharaoh for refusing to release the Israelites (Ex 9:27). To judge sin is, one may say, a divine necessity for a righteous God 5. God shows his righteousness in vindicating the deserving among his people (Gen 18:25). Although that righteousness may require punishment, it is followed by mercy on repentance. 6. The work of justification is seen when David pleads for forgiveness (Ps 51:14 [H 16]), calling on God to bestow deliverance without regard to merit to fulfill his obligation to his own standards. Implicit in this justification is the substitutionary sacrifice for sin sincerely offered as noted in Ps 51:16–19 [H 18–21]. These verses are no later addendum to the Psalm. They give the ot parallel to Rom 3:26. 7. The word describes the righteous standing of God’s heirs to salvation, with no charge to be laid against them (Isa 54:17), this righteousness, actually possessed by Messiah (Jer 23:6), is bestowed by him, thus pointing toward the nt doctrine of Christ our righteousness. The righteousness of God’s heirs of salvation is the righteousness of the Messiah attributed to them by God through faith in the redemptive work of Messiah in which God declares them righteous only because of the grace provided through that redemptive work. 8. Finally in post-exilic times the root develops to mean benevolence, alms-giving etc. as acts of a godly man (cf. Ps 112:9). There are different concepts of the meaning of this root. G. Schrenk cites Diestel and Kautzsch as working out “thoroughly the idea of the consistent and normative action of God (God himself being the norm rather than standing under it)” (TDNT, II, p. 195). Schrenk himself, however, declares that“ ṣĕ dāqâ implies relationship. A man is righteous when he meets certain claims which another has on him in virtue of relationship” (ibid.). He does not attempt to prove this concept of relationship, but he bases much on the idea that ‘Deutero-Isaiah’ always uses the image of a legal dispute whereby God defends the people under covenant to him much as an ancient eastern suzerain promised to do in a suzerainty treaty. This covenant concept is so paramount in Schrenk that he can say: ‘This linking of right and salvation is most deeply grounded in the covenant concept. ṣĕdāqâ is the execution of covenant faithfulness and the covenant promises. God’s righteousness as His judicial reign means that in covenant faithfulness to His people He vindicates and saves them’ (ibid.). By this emphasis on the covenant, God’s righteousness becomes fidelity to promises and there is no eternal justice of God to be satisfied by a substitute. Indeed, rescue of the covenant people from trouble is both righteousness, salvation, and victory. Snaith writes from a similar viewpoint. He holds that ‘the eighth century prophets use the word ṣedeq-ṣĕdāqâ (righteousness) in an ethical sense. …Second Isaiah thought of ṣedeq more from the point of view of that which actually is established in this world. It is that which triumphs and prospers’ (op. cit. p. 87). In a note (p. 89) he argues that only in the very late passages of Isa 26:19 (Trito Isaiah, third century) and Dan 12:2 (which he holds is Maccabean) is there any teaching of a “resurrection life beyond the grave.” Therefore (since the other verses on resurrection are retranslated and their teaching denied) he says that righteousness, i.e. salvation, for the Israelite “must involve the blessings of honor from men and general prosperity.” The biblical declaration of the personal righteousness of the living God is thus evaporated by critical theory.” ‭ ‬Stigers,‭ ‬H.‭ ‬G.‭ (‬1999‭)‬.‭ ‬1879‭ ‬צָדֵק.‭ (‬R.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Harris,‭ ‬G.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Archer Jr.,‭ & ‬B.‭ ‬K.‭ ‬Waltke,‭ ‬Eds.‭)‬Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.‭ ‬Chicago:‭ ‬Moody Press. In Daniel 9:14, the adjective ṣǎd·dîq refers to an attribute of God which describes His relationship to both Israel and the Gentiles. The word refers to God’s perfect integrity in that His character is perfectly sound, perfectly adhering to His own perfect holy standards and what He promises to men. It describes God as always fulfilling His covenantal obligations with regards to Israel which stands in stark contrast with Israel’s failure to meet her covenantal obligations with regards to God. This noun refers to the Trinity’s perfect integrity in that their character is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. It signifies the Trinity’s perfect virtue in that their character is perfect moral excellence, goodness, and their conduct is conformed perfectly to their own perfect holy standards and what they have promised to men or group of people like Israel and the church. So the noun ṣeḏā·qā(h) refers to an inherent attribute of God which causes Him to always do what His perfect holy standards require. It speaks of the fact that the promised disaster which God caused to take place against Israel was according to His perfect holy standards and was in fulfillment of His covenant obligations with regards to Israel. ʿǎl kāl wmǎ·ʿǎśāy The plural form of the noun mǎ·ʿǎśě(h) means “actions” referring to the activities which God performs on behalf of both men and angels. It refers to the activities such as judging Israel for unrepentant disobedience or blessing them for obedience. The word is modified by the singular construct form of the noun kōl, which means “all” since it functions the same way as the English adjective because of the way Aramaic uses nouns in construct relationship to one another. It denotes totality indicating that “all” God actions are righteous with no exceptions. This noun is also modified by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ), which means “His” referring to God and is functioning as a possessive personal pronoun. The plural form of the noun mǎ·ʿǎśě(h) is also the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which is functioning as a marker of specification or reference indicating the sphere in which God is righteous. All His actions are within the sphere of being righteous or conforming to His perfect standards. ʾǎšěr The relative pronoun ʾǎšěr means “which” referring to all of God’s actions which are righteous. ʿā·śā(h) The verb ʿā·śā(h) means “to perform” implying action that follows established patterns or procedures or fulfills agreed-upon requirements. Here it expresses the fact that all God’s actions are according to His perfect holy standards and character. It speaks of the fact that God’s actions are always according to the covenant agreement which He established with Israel through Moses. The qal stem is fientive expressing the action of Daniel performing the king’s business. The perfect conjugation of the verb is constative describing in summary fashion God’s actions throughout history. Israel’s Disobedience Daniel 9:14 “Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” (NASB95) “But we have not obeyed His voice” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ‭) (‬waw‭)‬,‭ “‬but‭” ‬which is‭ ‬followed by‭ ‬the negative‭ ‬particle‭ ‬lō(ʾ‭) (‬לֹא‭) (‬low‭)‬,‭ “‬not‭” ‬which is negating the meaning of the‭ ‬first person plural qal active perfect form of the verb‭ ‬šā·mǎʿ‭ (‬שָׁמַע‭) (‬shaw-mah‭´)‬,‭ “‬we have obeyed‭” ‬and then‭ ‬we have the have the‭ ‬preposition‭ ‬bĕ‭ (‬בְּ‭) (‬beh‭)‬,‭ ‬which is not translated‭ ‬and its object is the‭ ‬masculine‭ ‬singular construct form of the noun‭ ‬qôl‭ (‬קוֹל‭) (‬kole‭)‬,‭ “‬the voice of‭” ‬which is‭ ‬modified by the‭ ‬third person masculine singular pronominal suffix‭ ‬hû(ʾ‭) (‬הוּא‭) (‬who‭)‬,‭ “‬His.‭” wa The conjunction wa is adversative meaning that it is introducing a statement which stands in contrast with the previous statement that God is righteous with regards to all His actions, which He has performed. It is introducing a statement which records Daniel acknowledging to God that Israel never paid attention to God’s voice, i.e. they never obeyed His laws. Therefore the contrast to between God keeping His covenant promises to Israel and Israel never keeping their covenantal promises to God. šā·mǎʿ The verb šā·mǎʿ means “to listen” in the sense of paying to someone or paying attention to someone. The word expresses the idea of believing information and responding to this information accordingly. This verb is an idiomatic expression for obedience. The word’s meaning here in verse 11 is emphatically negated by the negative particle lō(ʾ), which is employed as a marker of emphatic negation. Therefore, together, these two words indicate that Israel “never paid attention to” the voice of the Lord, their God. The first person plural form of this verb ḥā·lā(h) means “we” expressing the fact that Daniel is identifying with his fellow countrymen as though he were personally responsible for sinning against God, which he was not. He was one of the few who conscientiously observed the commands and prohibitions of the Mosaic Law as demonstrated in Daniel chapter one. If you recall, he refused to eat the food and drink prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar because this food and wine would have made him ceremonially unclean according to the dietary regulations of the Law. Also, Daniel suffered capital punishment for disobeying Darius’ decree which prohibited one from praying to their god for a month. The qal stem of the verb šā·mǎʿ is fientive expressing the action of Israel never paying attention to the voice of the Lord, their God. The perfect conjugation of the verb is constative describing in summary fashion Israel never paying attention to the voice of their God. Qôl The noun qôl means “voice” referring to the audible intelligent sounds of God. Here it refers to the voice of God which Israel heard through the voice of the prophets God sent to them to communicate a message to them, which would move them to repentance. The construct state of the noun means that it is governing the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ), which means “His” referring to the God of Israel. This pronomional suffix is functioning as a possessive personal pronoun. The noun qôl is also the object of the preposition bĕ, which is a marker of opposition meaning that it was to the detriment of Israel that they never paid attention to voice of the Lord, their God which was heard through Moses and the prophets. Translation of Daniel 9:14 Daniel 9:14 “Therefore, the Lord was vigilant concerning this promised disaster in order to cause it take place against us because the Lord, our God is righteous with regards to all His actions, which He has performed. However, to our own detriment, we never paid attention to His voice.” Exposition of Daniel 9:14 Daniel continues his intercessory prayer on behalf of the Jewish exiles in Babylon by acknowledging that God was righteous in judging the nation of Israel for her unrepentant disobedience. As a result of never repenting of their disobedience to His laws, Daniel says that the Lord was vigilant concerning the promise to bring disaster against Israel in order to cause this disaster to take place. The Lord was vigilant over Israel in order to fulfill His promise in the Mosaic Law to bring disaster upon the nation for her unrepentant disobedience to His laws. Daniel acknowledges to God that He is righteous with regards to all His actions which He has performed. Of course this would include the judgment of Israel for her unrepentant disobedience to His laws. In contrast to God’s righteousness, Daniel confesses that Israel was unrighteous as demonstrated by her disobedience to God’s laws. God fulfilled His covenantal responsibilities whereas Israel did not. God was righteous and not Israel. Again Daniel is placing the blame for the Babylonian invasions and deportations at the feet of the nation of Israel and not God. This teaches us an eternal spiritual principle, namely that what God promises and warns, whether judgment or blessing, will surely come to pass. Daniel is acknowledging that God is faithful to His promises, whether to bless for obedience or discipline for unrepentant disobedience. A comparison of Daniel 9:13 with Daniel 9:14 reveal that God’s judgment of Israel was the direct result of Israel’s unwillingness to repent from their disobedience to God’s laws. For those who were believers, this repentance would involve confession of sin to be restored to fellowship and obedience to God’s laws in order to maintain that fellowship. For those who were non-believers, repentance would involve exercising faith in the Lord for eternal salvation. Excursus: The Righteousness of God In the New Testament dikaiosune was used for the righteousness of God. In classical Greek and the Septuagint, the noun dikaiosune was a general term for “virtue” and “integrity” of character. Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines “integrity”: (1) Soundness of and adherence to moral principle and character; uprightness; honesty (2) The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished (3) A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition. Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines “virtue”: (1) Moral excellence; goodness; righteousness (2) Conformity of one’s life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness, rectitude. In classical Greek, the noun dikaiosune had two basic meanings: (1) Righteousness as seen from the legal or political standpoint (2) Righteousness from the ethical, religious and moral perspective. The noun dikaiosune is one of the many derivations from dike and represents an abstract concept in classical Greek, although a concrete act underlies the abstraction. The –sune suffix indicates an abstraction. This helps us to understand why a term not found in Homer or Hesiod occurs frequently as a virtue in the post-epic period. We can also see the link between this construction and the development of the Greek sense of law. The very close connection between legal, ethical and religious terminology results from the central position occupied in early Greek thinking by dike as right not merely in the legal, but also the political, the ethical and above all the religious sense. It denotes the quality of the righteous man (dikaiosune dikastike being righteousness according to the law), but, on the other hand, it is in itself the standard which a judge is required to uphold, and which it must be his aim constantly to restore. This it is impartial justice, described by Aristotle as hos ho nomos, as the law (Rhet. 1, 9p, 1366b, 9 ff). It is one of the four cardinal virtues, along with phronesis (prudence), sophrosune (temperance) and andreia (fortitude). Dikaiosune occurs: (1) For the civil virtue of observance of law and fulfillment of duty as early as the 5th century. (2) As a general term for virtue (3) Linked with hosiotes as part of virtue in general (4) In mysticism. The close connection between the legal view and general ethics is plain in the definition of Aristotle: esti de dikaiosune men arete di’hen ta auton hekastoi echousi kai hos ho nomos (Rhet. I, 0, p. 1366b, 9 ff.). Aristotle is referring to the thought of the judge allotting to each what is his due. Solon’s legislation had a considerable influence on the development of the term with its conception of iustitia distributiva. Herodotus used it in telling the story of Solon whose laws saved Athens. The legislation of Solon greatly influenced the development of the meaning of dikaiosune. Herodotus first used the word as a legal term. Those who adjusted to the justice of Solon’s laws were said to possess dikaiosune or civil virtue. It referred to the justice of the person in authority or the judge in a court of law. Plato used the word in this sense, therefore, dikaiosune meant “adjustment to the law,” and that is the sense in which “righteousness” is a correct translation, but “justice” is equally accurate. The legal influence continues even when ethics broadens the term. For alongside the view of dikaiosune as civil virtue there always lies the use of dikaiosune as a basic legislative principle, e.g., justice, the observance of law and judicial procedure. Liddell and Scott list the following classical meanings of the word: (1) Righteousness, justice (2) Justice, the business of a judge (3) Personified (4) Pythag. Name for 4 (page 429). Although they possessed an erroneous concept of the character and nature of God, Philo and Josephus both use the word in the same sense for adjustment to the justice of God. These two writers adopt for the most part the Hellenistic understanding. Dikaiosune is rare in Josephus. There is only one reference to the dikaiosune of God in the sense of judicial retribution. In relation to man, the word denotes right conduct in the sense of virtue. Josephus maintains a strongly religious definition of the law, viewing the virtues, of which dikaiosune is first, as parts of eusebeia. The conjoining of eusebeia and dikaiosune is very common in the writings of Josephus. In these lists dikaiosune is always arete, and it usually denotes civil virtue in social life. The linking of eusebeia shows that dikaiosune is referred for the most part to man, though a certain imprecision attaches to it in view of Old Testament influences and reminiscences and the effects of Pharisaism. It can be used as a synonym for observance of the commandments. There is only one passage in Philo which deals expressly with the righteousness of God (Deus. Imm., 79). In relation to righteousness Philo has a far more developed ethical conception than Josephus. Philo refers to it as a virtue and comes into being within man when the soul is functioning properly. He has a many more lists of virtues than Josephus and dikaiosune is always numbered among these virtues. Dikaiosune appears 336 times in the Septuagint where it functions as the equivalent of the Hebrew tsedhaqah and tsedeq as well as other words. The Greek word absorbs the Hebraic understanding into New Testament usage. It appears quite extensively in the LXX as one would imagine. God, instead of Solon, becomes the norm and believers, instead of the citizens of Attica, are called the dikaiosune when they observe the will of God, that is, when they have adjusted to the justice of God! The word used of an attribute of God. Dikaiosune is also used of the divine righteousness, which is imputed to every believer at the moment of salvation. The word was used of Old Testament believers who executed the ritual plan of God and operated under the faith rest drill, which was the means of spirituality in the Old Testament. It is also used of integrity of the Messiah’s reign during His Millennial reign upon planet earth. In later Judaism righteousness became primarily a human activity, a human virtue alongside other virtues. To practice “justice” was defined as “being merciful,” “giving alms,” or “praying” (cf. Matt. 6:2). Righteousness also came to mean “the fulfillment of legal obligations.” The concept of righteousness as a relationship was replaced by a legal ideal. The Law was held to be a collection of judicial ordinances; God was believed to be the Supreme Judge who would evaluate “righteousness” in terms of a man’s deeds (i.e., “keeping the Law” and “doing righteousness”). On the basis of God’s judgment He would either vindicate or condemn the man. Thus in Judaism “salvation” totally depended upon man’s ability to do deeds or works of righteousness and to keep the Law. It depended upon human power rather than faith or dependence upon God’s power or ability to save. The term dikaiosune appears 92 times and is used to describe following in the New Testament: (1) Mosaic Law (2) Old Testament Scriptures (3) Adherence to the Mosaic Law by Old Testament saints (4) Adherence to man-made traditions by the Jews in the OT (5) Perfect adherence to the Mosaic Law by Christ (6) Adherence to the Law through faith in Christ (7) Impeccability of Christ (8) Human good (moral degeneracy) (9) Relative human righteousness (10) Attribute of God (11) Imputed righteousness (12) Integrity of Christ (13) Experiential righteousness, i.e., experiential sanctification (14) Living spiritually (15) Principle of the integrity of God (16) Production of divine good through the obedience to the Word of God (17) Justification (18) Rewards at the Bema Seat Evaluation of Christ (19) Word of God (20) The Gospel Message of salvation through faith in Christ (21) Christian integrity (22) Establishment integrity (23) Self-righteous arrogance (24) Execution of the incarnation plan for Christ (25) Execution of the plan of God by the church age believer (26) Execution of the plan of God for the OT believer. Vine commenting on the word, writes, “Dikaiosune is ‘the character or quality of being right or just’; it was formerly spelled ‘rightwiseness,’ which clearly expresses the meaning. It is used to denote an attribute of God, e. g., Rom 3:5, the context of which shows that ‘the righteousness of God’ means essentially the same as His faithfulness, or truthfulness, that which is consistent with His own nature and promises; Rom 3:25,26 speaks of His ‘righteousness’ as exhibited in the death of Christ, which is sufficient to show men that God is neither indifferent to sin nor regards it lightly. On the contrary, it demonstrates that quality of holiness in Him which must find expression in His condemnation of sin. Dikaiosune is found in the sayings of the Lord Jesus, (a) of whatever is right or just in itself, whatever conforms to the revealed will of God, Matt 5:6,10,20; John 16:8,10; (b) whatever has been appointed by God to be acknowledged and obeyed by man, Matt 3:15; 21:32; (c) the sum total of the requirements of God, Matt 6:33; (d) religious duties, Matt 6:1 (distinguished as almsgiving, man's duty to his neighbor, vv. 2,3,4, prayer, his duty to God, vv. 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15, fasting, the duty of self-control, vv. 16,17,18). In the preaching of the apostles recorded in Acts the word has the same general meaning. So also in James 1:20; 3:18, in both Epp. of Peter, 1st John and the Revelation. In 2 Peter 1:1, ‘the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ,’ is the righteous dealing of God with sin and with sinners on the ground of the death of Christ. ‘Word of righteousness,’ Heb 5:13, is probably the gospel, and the Scriptures as containing the gospel, wherein is declared the righteousness of God in all its aspects. This meaning of dikaiosune, right action, is frequent also in Paul's writings, as in all five of its occurrences in Rom 6; Eph 6:14, etc. But for the most part he uses it of that gracious gift of God to men whereby all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are brought into right relationship with God. This righteousness is unattainable by obedience to any law, or by any merit of man's own, or any other condition than that of faith in Christ.... The man who trusts in Christ becomes ‘the righteousness of God in Him,’ 2 Cor 5:21, i. e., becomes in Christ all that God requires a man to be, all that he could never be in himself Because Abraham accepted the Word of God, making it his own by that act of the mind and spirit which is called faith, and, as the sequel showed, submitting himself to its control, therefore God accepted him as one who fulfilled the whole of His requirements, Rom 4:3....Righteousness is not said to be imputed to the believer save in the sense that faith is imputed (‘reckoned’ is the better word) for righteousness. It is clear that in Rom 4:6,11, ‘righteousness reckoned’ must be understood in the light of the context, ‘faith reckoned for righteousness,’ vv. 3,5,9,22. ‘For’ in these places is eis, which does not mean ‘instead of,’ but ‘with a view to.’ The faith thus exercised brings the soul into vital union with God in Christ, and inevitably produces righteousness of life, that is, conformity to the will of God. (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers) The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following: (1) In the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness; the condition acceptable to God (2) Universally: the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain to a state approved of God (3) Integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting; upright righteous man, the righteousness which God demands; of righteousness which manifests itself in beneficence; right conduct towards men, and piety towards God; to do righteousness, to live uprightly; when affirmed of Christ, dikaiosune denotes His perfect moral purity, integrity, sinlessness (4) In the writings of Paul he dikaiosune has a peculiar meaning, opposed to the views of the Jews and Judaizing Christians. To understand this meaning, the following facts especially must be kept in view: the Jews as a people, and very many who had become converts from among them to Christianity, supposed that they secured the favor of God by works conformed to the requirements of the Mosaic Law, as though by way of merit; and that they would thus attain to eternal salvation. But this law demands perfect obedience to all its precepts, and threatens condemnation to those who do not render such obedience (Rm. 2:14 sq). On this account Paul proclaims the love of God, in that by giving up Christ, His Son, to die as an expiratory sacrifice for the sins of men he has attested his grace and good-will to mankind, so that they can hope for salvation as if they had not sinned. But the way to obtain this hope, he teaches, is only through faith, by which a man appropriates that grace of God revealed by God to the man as dikaiosune; that is to say, denotes the state acceptable to God which becomes a sinner’s possession through that faith by which he embraces the grace of God offered him in the expiatory death of Jesus Christ. Christ is called dikaiosune, as being the one without whom there is no righteousness, as the author of righteousness; to obtain righteousness; opposed to this dikaiosune arising from faith, a state acceptable to God which is supposed to result from obedience to the law, Ro. 10:5, relying on the law, i.e., on imaginary obedience to it, Phlp. 3:6. (5) In a closer sense, justice, or the virtue which gives each one his due; it is said to belong to God and Christ, as bestowing isotimon pistin upon all Christians impartially, 2 Pet. 1:1; of judicial justice, Ro. 9:28 (pages 149-150). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised: (1) Fair and equitable dealing, justice (2) Rectitude, virtue (3) Generosity, alms (4) Piety, godliness (5) Investiture with the attribute of righteousness, acceptance as righteous, justification (6) A provision or means for justification (7) An instance of justification (Page 102). Louw and Nida list the following New Testament meanings: (1) The act of doing what God requires – ‘righteousness, doing what God requires, doing what is right’ (88.13). (2) To cause someone to be in a proper or right relation with someone else – ‘to put right with, to cause to be in a right relationship with’ (34.46). (3) Observances or practices required by one’s religion – ‘religious observances, religious requirements’ (53.4). (4) To give to those in need as an act of mercy – ‘acts of charity, alms, giving to the needy’ (57.111) (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) the quality, state, or practice of judicial responsibility with focus on fairness, justice, equitableness, fairness. (2) quality or state of juridical correctness with focus on redemptive action, righteousness (3) the quality or characteristic of upright behavior, uprightness, righteousness (Pages 247-248). In the Septuagint, the noun dikaiosune was used primarily to denote an attribute of God and to describe His relationship to both Israel and the Gentiles. In the Greek New Testament, the noun dikaiosune was used primarily to denote an attribute of God and also refers to the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imputed to the person who accepts Him as their Savior. In the New Testament, the noun dikaiosune often refers to the “righteousness” of God or in other words, His “integrity” and “virtue.” Thus, the word refers to the Father’s perfect integrity in that His character is perfectly sound, perfectly adhering to His own perfect standards and what He promises to men. It is all that God is, all that He commands, all that He demands, all that He approves, and all that He provides through Christ. Dikaiosune refers to the Trinity’s perfect integrity in that their character is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. The noun refers to the Trinity’s perfect virtue in that their character is perfect moral excellence, goodness, and their conduct is conformed perfectly to their own perfect standards and what they have promised to men. The word thus denotes an attribute of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The word is also used in relation to the believer experiencing the righteousness of Jesus Christ after salvation by appropriating the teaching of the Word of God that they have been crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ (See Romans 6). The noun dikaiosune, “righteousness” also referred to fulfilling one’s obligations to love both God and men, doing right to both God and men. Dikaiosune in Romans Dikaiosune appears 34 times in the book of Romans alone. In Romans 1:17, the noun dikaiosune means, “righteousness” and refers to the righteousness of Christ since Paul writes that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God and in Romans 1:3-4 he writes that the gospel message centers upon the Person of Christ. Romans 1:16 For I am never ashamed of the gospel for it is as an eternal spiritual truth God’s power resulting in deliverance for the benefit of everyone who as an eternal spiritual truth believe, to the Jew first and then to the Greek. 17 For by means of it, the righteousness originating from God is as an eternal spiritual truth revealed from faith to faith. Just as it stands written for all of eternity, “But the righteous shall choose for himself to live by means of faith.” (Author’s translation) Romans 1:1 Paul, a slave owned by Christ who is Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel originating from God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 concerning His Son, who was born as a descendant of David with respect to His human nature. 4 The One demonstrated as the Son of God by means of divine power with respect to a nature characterized by holiness because of the resurrection from the dead ones, Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Author’s translation) The righteousness of Christ refers to the character of Christ having perfect integrity in the sense that His character is perfectly sound, perfectly adhering to the will of God, which is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. The righteousness of Christ refers to the character of Christ having perfect virtue in the sense that His character is perfect moral excellence, goodness, and His conduct is conformed perfectly to the will of God. In Romans 3:5, the noun dikaiosune means, “righteousness” and is used to describe God as indicated by the articular genitive form of the noun theos, which modifies it. Romans 3:5 But, if-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument our unrighteousness does cause God’s righteousness to be made conspicuous. What then is the conclusion that we are forced to? Is God unrighteous, while inevitably exercising His righteous indignation? (I am speaking according to human viewpoint.) No! (Author’s translation) The word appears again in Romans 3:21. Romans 3:21 But now, independently of seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law, the righteousness originating from God is being manifested at the present time while simultaneously being attested to by the Law and the Prophets. (Author’s translation) In this passage, the noun dikaiosune is an attribute of God and means that God is perfect “integrity” in the sense that His character is perfectly sound, perfectly adhering to His own perfect standards and what He promises to men. It also indicates that God’s character is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. The word means that God is perfect “virtue” in the sense that His character is perfect moral excellence, goodness, and His conduct is conformed perfectly to His own perfect standards and what He has promised to men. Dikaiosune is found in Romans 3:22 where it refers to an attribute of God referring to His perfect integrity and virtue. Romans 3:22 Namely, the righteousness originating from God through faith in Jesus who is the Christ for the benefit of each and every person who does believe for there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no distinction. (Author’s translation) The noun appears in Romans 3:25 where it again refers to God’s attribute of righteousness. Romans 3:25 Whom God the Father offered publicly as a propitiatory gift through faith by means of His blood in order to demonstrate His righteousness because of the deliberate and temporary suspension of judgment of the sins, which have taken place in the past on the basis of the tolerance originating from the character and nature of God the Father. (Author’s translation) This passage teaches us that the offering of His Son Jesus Christ publicly at the Cross of Calvary as a propitiatory gift to sinful mankind by means of His Son’s spiritual death on the Cross demonstrated the Father’s righteousness in the sense that it manifested His perfect virtue and integrity. It demonstrated His perfect virtue and integrity since God perfectly adhered to His own perfect holy standards expressed in His Law, which demanded that sin be judged. Also, it demonstrated His perfect virtue and integrity in the sense that it fulfilled the promises of a Savior that He made to the human race that are recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures who would provide salvation through His sacrificial death. The noun dikaiosune also refers to the fact that God always does right by man or treats Him fairly. Thus, the offering of His Son Jesus Christ publicly at the Cross of Calvary as a propitiatory gift to sinful mankind demonstrated the Father’s righteousness since although He is holy and man is a sinner, He has been gracious to man by withholding judgment and providing them salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Sinful mankind has been tolerated by a holy God and treated graciously by Him meaning better than they deserve. The spiritual death of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary demonstrated God’s righteousness in that it manifested God’s conformity to His own perfect standards that sin must be judged and thus it manifested His hatred of sin. Also, the spiritual death of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary demonstrated God’s righteousness in that it manifested God keeps His promises to mankind that He would provide them salvation through a Savior. Lastly, it demonstrated the righteousness of God in that it manifested God always does right by mankind even when mankind is antagonistic to God. Therefore, the offering of His Son Jesus Christ as a propitiatory gift to sinful mankind by means of His Son’s spiritual death on the Cross was in keeping with the Father’s righteousness, His holy character. It demonstrated His love for sinners and hatred of sin. The noun dikaiosune is also found in Romans 3:26. Romans 3:26 Correspondingly, in relation to the demonstration of His righteousness during this present distinct period of history, that He Himself is, as an eternal spiritual truth, inherently righteous, even while justifying anyone by means of faith in Jesus. (Author’s translation) In Romans 3:26, Paul is saying that the righteousness of the Father that was manifested through His Son’s spiritual death on the Cross is now being manifested in human history during the church age through the communication of the gospel. Dikaiosune appears in Romans 4:3. Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham had absolute confidence in (the Son of) God. Consequently, for his benefit, it was credited and regarded as righteousness.” (Author’s translation) In this passage, the noun dikaiosune refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which was imputed to Abraham the moment he exercised faith in the Lord to deliver on His promises. The noun appears again in Romans 4:5. Romans 4:5 On the other hand, for the benefit of the one who does not work hard but does exercise absolute confidence in the One who, as an eternal spiritual truth, justifies the ungodly, his faith is, as an eternal spiritual truth, credited and regarded as righteousness. (Author’s translation) In Romans 4:5, the noun dikaiosune refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which is imputed to the sinner the moment they exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Dikaiosune is found in Romans 4:6 where it refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which is imputed or credited to the sinner the moment they exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Romans 4:6 In fact, in the same way, David also describes the blessing that produces a happiness in the person that is divine in quality for the benefit of whom God (the Father) as an eternal spiritual truth credits (divine) righteousness independently of meritorious actions. (Author’s translation) We see the word again in Romans 4:9. Romans 4:9 Then is, as an eternal spiritual truth, this blessing that produces a happiness that is divine in quality upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we contend, “Faith was credited and regarded as righteousness for the benefit of Abraham.” (Author’s translation) In Romans 4:9, the noun dikaiosune refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which is imputed to the sinner the moment they exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Thus, the word refers to the God’s perfect integrity in that His character is perfectly sound, perfectly adhering to His own perfect standards and what He promises to men. Dikaiosune refers to the Father’s perfect integrity in that His character is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. The noun refers to the Father’s perfect virtue in that His character is perfect moral excellence and goodness. The noun dikaiosune appears twice in Romans 4:11. Romans 4:11 In fact, he had undergone the distinguishing mark, namely, circumcision as confirmation of the righteousness, that is by means of faith, which he had when uncircumcised in order that he himself might, as an eternal spiritual truth, be the spiritual father over each and every person who does believe while uncircumcised so that righteousness might be credited to them for their benefit. (Author’s translation) In both instances, the word refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which is imputed or credited to the sinner the moment they exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Again, the word refers to the Father’s perfect integrity in that His character is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. The noun refers to the Father’s perfect virtue in that His character is perfect moral excellence, goodness, and His conduct is conformed perfectly to His own perfect standards and what He has promised to men. The noun dikaiosune also refers to the fact that God always does right by man or treats man fairly. This same meaning of the word is found again in Romans 4:13. Romans 4:13 For the promise to Abraham or to his Descendant that he himself, as an eternal spiritual truth, would inherit the earth was, as an eternal spiritual truth, never by means of obedience to the (Mosaic) Law but rather by means of the righteousness produced by faith. (Author’s translation) It refers again to the imputation of divine righteousness in Romans 4:22. Romans 4:22 Therefore, for this very reason, “for his benefit it was credited and regarded as righteousness.” (Author’s translation) In Romans 5:17, the noun dikaiosune refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which was imputed to the sinner the moment they exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. The moment a sinner trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior, God the Father imputes His righteousness to the sinner so that Jesus Christ becomes the believer’s righteousness. Romans 5:17 For if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that by means of the transgression committed by the one, spiritual death reigned as king through this one. Of course, we know this is true. Then, how much more those who do receive His transcendent grace, specifically, the gracious gift, which is His righteousness, will, as a certainty, reign as kings by means of life through the One, who is Jesus, who is the Christ. (Author’s translation) In Romans 5:21, the noun dikaiosune refers once again to the righteousness of Christ in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which was imputed to the sinner the moment they exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Romans 5:21 In order that just as, the sin nature reigned as king in the realm of spiritual death in the same way, also grace would reign as king through righteousness resulting in eternal life through Jesus, who is the Christ, who is our Lord. The moment a sinner trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior, God the Father imputes His righteousness to the sinner so that Jesus Christ becomes the believer’s righteousness. It is Christ’s righteousness since it was His obedience to the Father’s will in dying substitutionary spiritual death for all of sinful mankind that propitiated the Father’s holiness that demanded that sin and sinners bear the full brunt of His righteous indignation. Paul’s statements in Romans 5:17-18 clearly that dikaiosune in Romans 5:21 is a reference to Christ’s righteousness that is imputed to the sinner when the sinners exercises faith in Him as their Savior. Romans 5:17 For if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that by means of the transgression committed by the one, spiritual death reigned as king through this one. Of course, we know this is true. Then, how much more those who do receive His transcendent grace, specifically, the gracious gift, which is His righteousness, will, as a certainty, reign as kings by means of life through the One, who is Jesus, who is the Christ. 18 Therefore, as previously stated, just as through the one who committed the transgression resulted in condemnation affecting each and every member of the human race without exception in the same way also through the One who committed the righteous act resulted in the basis for the offer of justification, which produces (eternal) life, affecting each and every member of the human race without exception. (Author’s translation) Consequently, this enabled to extend grace to the entire human race based upon the merits of Jesus Christ and His spiritual death on the Cross. This death redeemed mankind out of the slave market of sin, propitiated the Father’s holiness that required that sin and sinners be judged, fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law and reconciled the sinner to a holy God. Therefore, since Christ’s death propitiated Him, the Father was now free to impart unmerited blessings to sinners whenever they exercise faith in His Son Jesus Christ as Savior. The noun dikaiosune appears in Romans 6:13. Romans 6:12 Therefore, do not make it a habit to let the sin nature reign as king in your mortal body with the result that you habitually obey its lusts. 13 Nor, all of you place the members of your body at the disposal and benefit of the sin nature as instruments, which produce unrighteousness but rather I solemnly charge all of you to place yourselves at the disposal and benefit of God the Father as those who are, as an eternal spiritual truth, alive from the dead ones and in addition your members as instruments, which produce righteousness for the benefit of God the Father and do it now! (Author’s translation) In Romans 6:13, the noun describes the actions of believers since the word functions as a genitive of product meaning that it is the “product” of the noun hoplon, “instruments” to which it stands related. Thus, the noun dikaiosune, “righteousness” as a “genitive of product” indicates that the members of the body of these Roman believers are to “produce” this righteousness. Here it refers to actions on the part of the believer, which are upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition. It refers to actions on the part of the believer that reflect moral excellence, goodness, and conduct that is conformed perfectly to the will of God. In Romans 6:13, the word refers to the actions of believers are in obedience to all that God commands, all that He demands, all that He approves and all that He provides through Christ. We saw dikaiosune in Romans 6:16. Romans 6:16 Are you totally unaware concerning this fact, namely that the one whom you desire to place yourselves at the disposal of as slaves for obedience, you will be slaves for the benefit of this one whom you desire to obey, either the sin nature resulting in temporal spiritual death or obedience to the Father’s will resulting in righteousness? (Author’s translation) In this passage, the noun does not refer to the imputation of divine righteousness to the sinner the moment he trusts in Jesus Christ as his Savior since in context Paul is addressing the subject of experiencing sanctification or in other words, fellowship with God, which takes place after being declared justified. Neither does the word refer to righteousness in the “ultimate” sense in a resurrection body since Paul is addressing his readers’ volitional responsibility and obligation to obey God and the resurrection, i.e. rapture of the church will take place apart from the believer’s volition. Rather, the noun dikaiosune refers to the believer experiencing the righteousness of God, which was imputed to him by God the Father the moment he exercised faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior. This interpretation is supported by the fact that Paul’s is addressing his readers’ volitional responsibility, which corresponds to “experiential righteousness” since it takes place when the believer obeys the Father’s will. Now, in Romans 6:18, the noun dikaiosune appears once again. In this passage, the word is being personified by the verb douloo, which we translated “became slaves.” It is set in contrast to the noun hamartia, which refers to the sin nature. It too is being personified but by the verb eleutheroo, which we translated, “having been set free.” These two verbs eleutheroo and douloo both appear in Romans 6:22. The former speaks again of the believer being freed from the tyranny of the sin nature and the latter speaks of the believer being enslaved to God. Romans 6:22 But now having been freed (eleutheroo) from sin and enslaved (douloo) to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (Author’s translation) Therefore, it is quite clear from the context, that dikaiosune in Romans 6:18 is synonymous with God as indicated by the fact that douloo is personifying it and that the verb douloo is used in Romans 6:22 with reference to God. Romans 6:18 And also, because having been set free from the tyranny of the sin nature, all of you became slaves of righteousness. (Author’s translation) Paul is actually employing the figure of metonymy of effect where the righteousness of God is put for God Himself who is the source of the Christians’ righteousness since the righteousness of God was imputed to the Christian the moment he exercised faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior. 1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. (Author’s translation) Next, in Romans 6:19, the articular construction of the word is “anaphoric” meaning that the word was used in verse 18 and that its meaning in that verse is being retained here in verse 19. Therefore, dikaiosune is referring to the Father. Romans 6:19 I am speaking according to your human frame of reference because of the weakness, which is your flesh. Therefore, just as all of you placed your members as slaves at the disposal of and with respect to that which is impurity and in addition with respect to that which is lawlessness resulting in further lawlessness, in the same way, now, I solemnly charge all of you to place your members as slaves at the disposal of and with respect to righteousness resulting in sanctification and do it now! (Author’s translation) Also, furthering indicating that dikaiosune is a reference to the Father who as to His nature is righteousness is that the verb paristemi is personifying the noun. Therefore, since the noun dikaiosune is synonymous for God Himself, its articular construction emphasizes that God Himself is well-known to the reader. Now, in Romans 6:20, the noun again refers to God the Father who as to His nature is righteousness since the article is again “anaphoric” meaning that it was used in verse 19 and that its meaning is retained here in verse 20. Also further indicating that dikaiosune is a reference to the Father is that the adjective eleutheros, “free” is personifying it. Again, since the Father is in view here the article indicates that God who is righteous is well-known of course to Paul’s readers. Romans 6:20 For you see, when all of you were once in a perpetual state of being slaves to the sin nature, all of you were in a perpetual state of being free with respect to righteousness. (Author’s translation) In Romans 8:10, the noun dikaiosune refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which was imputed to the sinner the moment they exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Romans 8:10 However, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument Christ does, as an eternal spiritual truth, exist in all of you. Of course, He does! Then, on the one hand, the body is, as an eternal spiritual truth dead because of the sin nature while on the other hand, the Spirit is, as an eternal spiritual truth, life in all of you because of righteousness. (Author’s translation) The noun dikaiosune next appears in Romans 9:30 where it is used three times and in each instance it refers to a right standing with God or righteous status with God or we could say to be declared justified by God. Romans 9:30 Therefore, what is the conclusion that we are forced to? That the Gentiles who, customarily and characteristically do not zealously pursue righteousness obtained righteousness, in fact a righteousness, which is by means of faith as a source. (Author’s translation) This is indicated by the following: In Romans 1-8 Paul taught that God declares a sinner justified through faith in Jesus Christ, which the Gentiles adhered to as indicated by his statements in Romans 9:30-10:21. However, the Jews attempted to be declared justified by God by means of a meritorious system of works as indicated by Paul’s statements in Romans 9:30-10:21. The Gentiles attained the righteousness of God by means of faith in Christ whereas the nation of Israel did not because they pursued it by means of a meritorious system of works. Lastly, the word appears in Romans 9:31 where it again refers to a right standing with God or righteous status with God. Romans 9:31 However, even though Israel customarily and characteristically zealously pursues a legal righteousness, they never measured up to the Law. (Author’s translation) Now, in Romans 10:3, the noun dikaiosune refers to the righteousness that originates from God as indicated by its genitive adjunct tou theou. The context implies that dikaiosune is the righteousness of God that is offered in the gospel as a gift from the Father and is received by the sinner and is imputed to the sinner the moment the sinner exercises faith in His Son Jesus Christ, which in turn results in justification. In other words, it refers to God’s righteousness that can never be attained by the sinner through obedience to the Law but only through faith alone in Christ alone. It is the righteousness of God that is received by faith in contrast to the righteousness that is based upon obedience to the Law. With the former, the Father justifies the sinner whereas with latter, He condemns them to the lake of fire since the latter demands perfect obedience to the Law, which sinners have no capacity to do. Therefore, the noun dikaiosune in Romans 10:3 refers to God’s righteousness as indicated by the genitive adjunct tou theou. Together, they refer implicitly to God’s righteousness that is received through faith in Christ in contrast to the righteousness that is attained by obedience to the Law, which does not measure up to God’s perfect righteousness. So we can dikaiosune is a “faith-righteousness” or “gospel-righteousness” in contrast to the “Law-righteousness” or “self-righteousness” that Israel held to. Romans 10:3 Because they have in the past rejected the righteousness originating from God the Father and continue to do so up to the present moment. In fact, because they have in the past zealously sought to establish their own and continue to do so up to the present moment, they never submitted to the righteousness originating from God the Father. As was the case in Romans 10:3, the noun dikaiosune here in Romans 10:4 refers to the righteousness of God that is offered in the gospel as a gift from the Father and is received by the sinner and is imputed to the sinner the moment the sinner exercises faith in His Son Jesus Christ, which in turn results in justification. Romans 10:4 Because (faith in) Christ is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the purpose of the Law resulting in righteousness for the benefit of each and every member of the human race to those who at any time do exercise absolute confidence (in Christ). (Author’s translation) In Romans 10:5, the noun dikaiosune refers to a right standing with God or righteous status with God. Romans 10:5 Because Moses writes concerning this particular righteousness, which is based upon obedience to the Law (as constituting a source of justification): “The person who obeys them will cause himself to live by means of them.” (Author’s translation) In Romans 10:6 the noun dikaiosune refers to the righteousness of God that is offered in the gospel as a gift from the Father and is received by the sinner and is imputed to the sinner the moment the sinner exercises faith in His Son Jesus Christ, which in turn results in justification. This is indicated by the prepositional phrase ek pisteos, “based on faith,” which follow its. It refers to God’s righteousness that can never be attained by the sinner through obedience to the Law but only through faith alone in Christ alone. It is the righteousness of God that is received by faith in contrast to the righteousness that is based upon obedience to the Law. With the former, the Father justifies the sinner whereas with latter, He condemns them to the lake of fire since the latter demands perfect obedience to the Law, which sinners have no capacity to do. So we can dikaiosune is a “faith-righteousness” or “gospel-righteousness” in contrast to the “Law-righteousness” or “self-righteousness” that Israel held to. In Romans 10:6, the word is being personified as indicated by Paul’s use of lego, “speaks” rather than graphe, “writes.” The latter would emphasize that the righteousness originating from and based on faith in Christ is based on the authority of Old Testament Scripture whereas the former personifies this type of righteousness. “Personification” is the ascribing of human characteristics or actions to inanimate objects or ideas or to animals. Paul is ascribing the human actions of speaking to the righteousness that originates from and is based on faith in Christ. Romans 10:6 However, the righteousness originating from and based on faith speaks in the following manner: “Do not think in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” This does imply bringing Christ down. (Author’s translation) Lastly, the noun dikaiosune in Romans 10:10 refers to God’s righteousness that is received as a gift by the sinner through imputation as a result of faith in Christ in contrast to the righteousness that is attained by obedience to the Law, which does not measure up to God’s perfect righteousness. The word is referring to the doctrine of justification since justification of the sinner takes place when the Father declares the sinner justified as a result of imputing His Son’s righteousness to the sinner the moment the sinner exercises faith in His Son Jesus Christ as Savior. Romans 10:10 For you see, with the heart, one, as an eternal spiritual truth, does exercise absolute confidence resulting in righteousness on other hand with the mouth, one, as an eternal spiritual truth, does acknowledge resulting in deliverance. (Author’s translation) In Romans 14:17, the noun dikaiosune means “righteousness” and refers to the believer experiencing the righteousness of God by means of fellowship with the Holy Spirit, which is indicated by the context in that Paul is addressing the proper conduct of the strong in relation to the weak. Romans 14:17 Because, God the Father’s kingdom is, as an eternal spiritual truth, by no means, characterized by food and drink but rather righteousness as well as peace and in addition joy by means of fellowship with the Holy Spirit. (Author’s translation) Relative and Absolute Righteousness The Lord Jesus Christ manifested the righteousness of God during His First Advent, which was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets in the Old Testament Scriptures (Romans 3:21-26). The Lord was made our Substitute in order that we might receive the imputation of God’s righteousness and live in that righteousness. The Bible teaches that there are two categories of righteousness: (1) Absolute righteousness originating in the essence of God revealed by the Spirit in the Word of God and in the Person of Christ (2) Relative righteousness, which is rooted in man’s comparison of himself with other men. The Bible teaches that the entire human race both Jew and Gentile do not measure up to the righteousness of God and are therefore condemned before God but qualified for grace (Romans 1:18-3:20). God does not accept relative human righteousness but rather demands His own absolute perfect righteousness. The only way that man can acquire this absolute perfect righteousness required by God to have a relationship with Him is by means of faith alone in Christ alone. Man’s relative righteousness falls infinitely short of God’s absolute righteousness in the Person of Christ. Isaiah 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. (NASB95) The righteousness of God can never be attained by anyone through human power and dynamics or by keeping the Mosaic Law but rather it is received as a gift through faith in Jesus Christ who is the righteousness of God incarnate. The works of the Law can never attain the righteousness of God (Titus 3:5). The nation of Israel sought to establish their own righteousness rather than accept by faith the righteousness of God in the Person of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:1-10). The righteousness of God is received as a gift and is imputed to the person who exercises faith alone in Christ alone. By imputed I mean that God credits to the believer the perfect integrity and virtue of Christ. The Righteousness of God in the Believer’s Life The work of transforming the believer into the image of Christ involves the manifestation of the righteousness of God in the believer, which like the believer’s sanctification and deliverance is accomplished in three stages: (1) Positionally, at the moment he exercises faith in the gospel message and trusts in Jesus Christ as his Savior. At the moment of spiritual birth, God imputed His righteousness to the believer so that he is “positionally” the righteousness of God meaning God has given His righteousness as a gift to the believer and He views the believer as righteous as Him. This in turn sets up the potential for the believer to experience this righteousness in time. Therefore, the moment a person believes in Jesus Christ as Savior, God the Father imputes the righteousness of Christ so that He becomes the believer’s righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. (NASB95) (2) Experientially, after conversion when the believer exercises faith in the gospel message that he has been crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ. After conversion, the believer is commanded to present the members of his physical body as instruments of righteousness, which is accomplished by appropriating by faith the imputed righteousness they received at salvation (See Romans 6). This faith is demonstrated by the believer through his obedience to the teaching that he has died with Christ and has been raised with Him (See Romans 6:11-13). (3) Ultimately, when he receives his resurrection body at the rapture of the church. Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. (NASB95) The apostle Paul in Philippians 3:2-11 describes his exchange of his pre-salvation self-righteousness as a Pharisee for the righteousness of Christ as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. The new Christ nature received at the moment of salvation was created in the righteousness of God and holiness from the truth according to Ephesians 4:24. Ephesians 4:24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (NASB95) In Philippians 1:9-11, one of the objectives of Paul prayer for the Philippians was that they would produce fruit to God through the function of the nature of Christ, i.e. the righteousness of Christ. Philippians 1:9 Now, this I make it a habit to pray that your divine-love might continue to flourish yet more and more by means of a total discerning experiential knowledge 10 so that all of you might continue to choose the essentials in order that all of you might be sincere and without offense for the day of Christ 11 by all of you being filled with the fruit produced by righteousness, which is by means of the nature of Jesus who is the Christ for the ultimate purpose of glorifying and praising God. (Author’s translation) The Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to seek after God’s righteousness. Matthew 6:33 “But above all else (number one priority in life), all of you make it your habit to diligently, earnestly and tenaciously seek after the kingdom of the God and His righteousness (grow to spiritual maturity), sparing no effort or expense, and as a result all these things will be provided for all of you.” (Author’s translation) Paul commanded Timothy to pursue living in the righteousness of Christ (See Timothy 2:22). 2 Timothy 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (NASB95) The Word of God trains the believer to live in the righteousness of Christ. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASB95) In fact, the Word of God is designated in Hebrews 5:13 as the “Word of righteousness.” Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (NASB95) The believer who practices the righteousness of God by living in the new Christ nature demonstrates that he is born again of God and a child of God. 1 John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. (NASB95) The children of the devil and the children of God are distinguished from each other because the latter practice the righteousness of God and the former practice evil according to 1 John 3:10. The righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is our invisible weapon is against Satan and the kingdom of darkness since he is commanded in Scripture to protect himself in spiritual combat with the righteousness of Christ, which is called in Ephesians 6:14, the “breastplate of righteousness.” Ephesians 6:14 Therefore, I solemnly charge all of you to stand your ground. I solemnly charge all of you to buckle yourselves up, your waist with the belt of truth. Also, I solemnly charge all of you to clothe yourselves with the breastplate, which is (the divine) righteousness (of Christ). (Author’s translation) Undeserved suffering and divine discipline are designed to produce the righteousness of God in our lives and not to hurt us. Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (NASB95) If the believer enters into committing any mental, verbal or overt act of sin after salvation, he can rest assured that he has an advocate with the Father, namely Jesus who is the righteous Christ. 1 John 2:1 Now, if anyone does enter into committing an act of sin, then we possess as an Advocate with the Father, Jesus who is the righteous Christ. (NASB95) Properly motivated grace giving is called “righteousness” according to 2 Corinthians 9:10. The production of divine good is called the “fruit of righteousness,” (Ephesians 5:9) which is the result of living in the new Christ nature by being obedience to the Word of God. The believer will be rewarded with a “crown of righteousness” by the Lord Jesus at the Bema Seat for executing the Father’s will and growing to spiritual maturity according to 2 Timothy 4:8. Revelation 19:11 reveals that by means of His righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Advent will wage a war against His enemies and judge them. PAGE 51 ã2013 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries