Ezra 1:1-11

The Decree of Cyrus

1:1 ¹ In the first ²  year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message ³  spoken through ⁴  Jeremiah, ⁵  the Lord stirred the mind ⁶  of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated ⁷  a proclamation ⁸  throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict ⁹  the following: ¹⁰ 

1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:

“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple ¹¹  for him in Jerusalem, ¹²  which is in Judah. 1:3 Anyone from ¹³  his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 1:4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors ¹⁴  with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem

1:5 Then the leaders ¹⁵  of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready ¹⁶  to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. ¹⁷  1:6 All their neighbors assisted ¹⁸  them with silver utensils, ¹⁹  gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention ²⁰  all the voluntary offerings.

1:7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed ²¹  in the temple of his gods. 1:8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted ²²  them to ²³  Mithredath ²⁴  the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar ²⁵  the leader of the Judahite exiles. ²⁶ 

1:9 The inventory ²⁷  of these items was as follows:

30 gold basins, ²⁸ 

1,000 silver basins,

29 silver utensils, ²⁹ 

1:10 30 gold bowls,

410 other ³⁰  silver bowls,

and 1,000 other vessels.

1:11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. ³¹  Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Isaiah 40:2

40:2 “Speak kindly to ³²  Jerusalem, ³³  and tell her

that her time of warfare is over, ³⁴ 

that her punishment is completed. ³⁵ 

For the Lord has made her pay double ³⁶  for all her sins.”

Daniel 9:2-27

9:2 in the first year of his reign ³⁷  I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books ³⁸  that, according to the word of the LORD ³⁹  disclosed to the prophet Jeremiah, the years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem ⁴⁰  were seventy in number. 9:3 So I turned my attention ⁴¹  to the Lord God ⁴²  to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. ⁴³  9:4 I prayed to the LORD my God, confessing in this way:

“O Lord, ⁴⁴  great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant ⁴⁵  with those who love him and keep his commandments, 9:5 we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards. 9:6 We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority ⁴⁶  to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, ⁴⁷  and to all the inhabitants ⁴⁸  of the land as well.

9:7 “You are righteous, ⁴⁹  O Lord, but we are humiliated this day ⁵⁰  – the people ⁵¹  of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far away in all the countries in which you have scattered them, because they have behaved unfaithfully toward you. 9:8 O LORD, we have been humiliated ⁵²  – our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors – because we have sinned against you. 9:9 Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, ⁵³  even though we have rebelled against him. 9:10 We have not obeyed ⁵⁴  the LORD our God by living according to ⁵⁵  his laws ⁵⁶  that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

9:11 “All Israel has broken ⁵⁷  your law and turned away by not obeying you. ⁵⁸  Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened ⁵⁹  in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you. ⁶⁰  9:12 He has carried out his threats ⁶¹  against us and our rulers ⁶²  who were over ⁶³  us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven! 9:13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify ⁶⁴  the LORD our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom ⁶⁵  from your reliable moral standards. ⁶⁶  9:14 The LORD was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the LORD our God is just ⁶⁷  in all he has done, ⁶⁸  and we have not obeyed him. ⁶⁹ 

9:15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power ⁷⁰  and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day – we have sinned and behaved wickedly. 9:16 O Lord, according to all your justice, ⁷¹  please turn your raging anger ⁷²  away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors.

9:17 “So now, our God, accept ⁷³  the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to ⁷⁴  your devastated sanctuary for your own sake. ⁷⁵  9:18 Listen attentively, ⁷⁶  my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins ⁷⁷  and the city called by your name. ⁷⁸  For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, ⁷⁹  but because your compassion is abundant. 9:19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.” ⁸⁰ 

Gabriel Gives to Daniel a Prophecy of Seventy Weeks

9:20 While I was still speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my request before the LORD my God concerning his holy mountain ⁸¹  – 9:21 yes, while I was still praying, ⁸²  the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously ⁸³  in a vision, was approaching me in my state of extreme weariness, ⁸⁴  around the time of the evening offering. 9:22 He spoke with me, instructing me as follows: ⁸⁵  “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you. 9:23 At the beginning of your requests a message went out, and I have come to convey it to you, for you are of great value in God’s sight. ⁸⁶  Therefore consider the message and understand the vision: ⁸⁷ 

9:24 “Seventy weeks ⁸⁸  have been determined

concerning your people and your holy city

to put an end to ⁸⁹  rebellion,

to bring sin ⁹⁰  to completion, ⁹¹ 

to atone for iniquity,

to bring in perpetual ⁹²  righteousness,

to seal up ⁹³  the prophetic vision, ⁹⁴ 

and to anoint a most holy place. ⁹⁵ 

9:25 So know and understand:

From the issuing of the command ⁹⁶  to restore and rebuild

Jerusalem ⁹⁷  until an anointed one, a prince arrives, ⁹⁸ 

there will be a period of seven weeks ⁹⁹  and sixty-two weeks.

It will again be built, ¹⁰⁰  with plaza and moat,

but in distressful times.

9:26 Now after the sixty-two weeks,

an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. ¹⁰¹ 

As for the city and the sanctuary,

the people of the coming prince will destroy ¹⁰²  them.

But his end will come speedily ¹⁰³  like a flood. ¹⁰⁴ 

Until the end of the war that has been decreed

there will be destruction.

9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. ¹⁰⁵ 

But in the middle of that week

he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt.

On the wing ¹⁰⁶  of abominations will come ¹⁰⁷  one who destroys,

until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”

Daniel 12:9

12:9 He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end.

Daniel 12:12-13

12:12 Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days. 12:13 But you should go your way ¹⁰⁸  until the end. ¹⁰⁹  You will rest and then at the end of the days you will arise to receive ¹¹⁰  what you have been allotted.” ¹¹¹ 

Acts 1:7

1:7 He told them, “You are not permitted to know ¹¹²  the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

Galatians 4:4

4:4 But when the appropriate time ¹¹³  had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Galatians 4:2

4:2 But he is under guardians ¹¹⁴  and managers until the date set by his ¹¹⁵  father.

Galatians 3:8

3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, ¹¹⁶  saying, “All the nations ¹¹⁷  will be blessed in you.” ¹¹⁸ 

Galatians 3:12

3:12 But the law is not based on faith, ¹¹⁹  but the one who does the works of the law ¹²⁰  will live by them. ¹²¹ 

Revelation 11:15-18

The Seventh Trumpet

11:15 Then ¹²²  the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying:

“The kingdom of the world

has become the kingdom of our Lord

and of his Christ, ¹²³ 

and he will reign for ever and ever.”

11:16 Then ¹²⁴  the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ¹²⁵  and worshiped God 11:17 with these words: ¹²⁶ 

“We give you thanks, Lord God, the All-Powerful, ¹²⁷ 

the one who is and who was,

because you have taken your great power

and begun to reign. ¹²⁸ 

11:18 The ¹²⁹  nations ¹³⁰  were enraged,

but ¹³¹  your wrath has come,

and the time has come for the dead to be judged,

and the time has come to give to your servants, ¹³² 

the prophets, their reward,

as well as to the saints

and to those who revere ¹³³  your name, both small and great,

and the time has come ¹³⁴  to destroy those who destroy ¹³⁵  the earth.”

[1:1]  ¹ sn In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.

[1:1]  ² sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539 B.C. Cyrus reigned in Persia from ca. 539-530 B.C.

[1:1]  ³ tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”

[1:1]  ⁴ tc The MT reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (bÿfi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.

[1:1]  ⁵ sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612 b.c.) or with Nebuchadnezzar’s coronation (605 b.c.) and continuing till the fall of Babylon to the Persians in 539 b.c. Others take the seventy years to refer to the period from the destruction of the temple in 586 b.c. till its rebuilding in 516 b.c.

[1:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “spirit.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in v. 5.

[1:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “caused to pass.”

[1:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause – effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.

[1:1]  ⁹ sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).

[1:1]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “in writing, saying.”

[1:2]  ¹¹ tn Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 s.v. 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).

[1:2]  ¹² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “from all.”

[1:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the men of his place.”

[1:5]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

[1:5]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “arose.”

[1:5]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:6]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “strengthened their hands.”

[1:6]  ¹⁹ tc The MT reads בִּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף (bikhley khesef, “with silver vessels”). However, part of the LXX manuscript tradition reads ἐν πᾶσιν ἀργυρίῳ (en pasin arguriw), which reflects an alternate Hebrew reading of בַּכֹּל־בַּכֶּסֶף (bakkol-bakkesef, “everywhere, with silver”). The textual variant involves (1) simple omission of yod (י) between two words, a common scribal mistake; (2) haplography of the preposition bet (בּ); and (3) an alternate vocalization tradition of the first term.

[1:6]  ²⁰ tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”

[1:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “and he gave them.”

[1:8]  ²² tn Heb “brought them forth.”

[1:8]  ²³ tn Heb “upon the hand of.”

[1:8]  ²⁴ sn A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See HALOT 656 s.v. מִתְרְדָת.

[1:8]  ²⁵ sn A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See HALOT 1664-65 s.v. שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.

[1:8]  ²⁶ tn Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; TEV, CEV “the governor of Judah.”

[1:9]  ²⁷ tn Heb “these are their number.”

[1:9]  ²⁸ tn The exact meaning of the Hebrew noun אֲגַרְטָל (’agartal, which occurs twice in this verse) is somewhat uncertain. The lexicons suggest that it is related to a common Semitic root (the Hebrew derivative has a prosthetic prefixed א [aleph] and interchange between ג [gimel] and ק [kof]): Judean Aramaic and Syriac qartalla, Arabic qirtallat, Ethiopic qartalo, all meaning “basket” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.). There is debate whether this is a loanword from Greek κάρταλλος (kartallo", “basket”), Persian hirtal (“leather bag”) or Hittite kurtal (“container”). The term is traditionally understood as a kind of vessel, such as “basket, basin” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.); but some suggest “leather bag” or a basket-shaped container of some sort (P. Humbert, “En marge du dictionnaire hébraïque,” ZAW 62 [1950]: 199-207; DCH 1:118 s.v.). The LXX translated it as ψυκτήρ (yukthr, “metal bowl”). The precise meaning depends on whether the nouns כֶּסֶף (kesef, “silver”) and זָהָב (zahav, “gold”), which follow each use of this plural construct noun, are genitives of content (“containers full of silver” and “containers full of gold”) or genitives of material (“silver containers” and “gold containers” = containers made from silver and gold). If they are genitives of content, the term probably means “baskets” or “leather bags” (filled with silver and gold); however, if they are genitives of material, the term would mean “basins” (made of silver and gold). Elsewhere in Ezra 1, the nouns כֶּסֶף (“silver”) and זָהָב (“gold”) are used as genitives or material, not genitives of contents; therefore, the translation “gold basins” and “silver basins” is preferred.

[1:9]  ²⁹ tn Heb “knives.” The Hebrew noun מַחֲלָפִים (makhalafim, “knives”) is found only here in the OT. While the basic meaning of the term is fairly clear, what it refers to here is unclear. The verb II חָלַף (khalaf) means “to pass through” (BDB 322 s.v. חָלַף) or “to cut through” (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף; see also Judg 5:26; Job 20:24); thus, the lexicons suggest מַחֲלָפִים means “knives” (BDB 322 s.v. מַחֲלָף; HALOT 569 s.v. *מַחֲלָף). The related noun חֲלָפוֹת (khalafot, “knife”) is used in Mishnaic Hebrew (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף), and חֲלִיפוֹת (khalifot, “knives”) appears in the Talmud. The noun appears in the cognate languages: Ugaritic khlpnm (“knives”; UT 19) and Syriac khalofta (“shearing knife”; HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף). The Vulgate translated it as “knives,” while the LXX understood it as referring to replacement pieces for the offering basins. The English translations render it variously; some following the Vulgate and others adopting the approach of the LXX: “knives” (KJV, NKJV, NRSV), “censers” (RSV), “duplicates” (NASV), “silver pans” (NIV), “bowls” (TEV), “other dishes” (CEV). Verse 11 lists these twenty-nine objects among the “gold and silver vessels” brought back to Jerusalem for temple worship. The translation above offers the intentionally ambiguous “silver utensils” (the term מַחֲלָפִים [“knives”] would hardly refer to “gold” items, but could refer to “silver items”).

[1:10]  ³⁰ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מִשְׁנִים (mishnim) is uncertain. The noun מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh) means “double, second” (BDB 1041 s.v.), “what is doubled, two-fold” (HALOT 650 s.v. מִשְׁנֶה 3). The translations reflect a diversity of approaches: “410 silver bowls of a second kind” (KJV, NASV, RSV margin), “410 other silver bowls” (NRSV) and “410 matching silver bowls” (NIV). BDB 1041 s.v. משׁנה 3.a suggests it was originally a numeral that was garbled in the transmission process, as reflected in the LXX: “two thousand” (so RSV: “two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of silver”). The BHS editor suggests revocalizing the term to מְשֻׁנִים (mÿshunim, “changed”).

[1:11]  ³¹ sn The total number as given in the MT does not match the numbers given for the various items in v. 9. It is not clear whether the difference is due to error in textual transmission or whether the constituent items mentioned are only a selection from a longer list, in which case the total from that longer list may have been retained. The numbers provided in 1 Esdras come much closer to agreeing with the number in Ezra 1:9-11, but this does not necessarily mean that 1 Esdras has been better preserved here than Ezra. 1 Esdras 2:13-15 (RSV) says, “The number of these was: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censures, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels. All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, and they were carried back by Shesbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.”

[40:2]  ³² tn Heb “speak to the heart of Jerusalem.” Jerusalem is personified as a woman.

[40:2]  ³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[40:2]  ³⁴ tn Heb “that she is filled [with] her warfare.” Some understand צָבָא (tsavah, “warfare”) as meaning “hard service” or “compulsory labor” in this context.

[40:2]  ³⁵ tn Heb “that her punishment is accepted [as satisfactory].”

[40:2]  ³⁶ tn Heb “for she has received from the hand of the Lord double.” The principle of the double portion in punishment is also seen in Jer 16:18; 17:18 and Rev 18:6. For examples of the double portion in Israelite law, see Exod 22:4, 7, 9 (double restitution by a thief) and Deut 21:17 (double inheritance portion for the firstborn).

[9:2]  ³⁷ tc This phrase, repeated from v. 1, is absent in Theodotion.

[9:2]  ³⁸ tn The Hebrew text has “books”; the word “sacred” has been added in the translation to clarify that it is Scriptures that are referred to.

[9:2]  ³⁹ sn The tetragrammaton (the four Hebrew letters which constitute the divine Name, YHWH) appears eight times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the book of Daniel.

[9:2]  ⁴⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:3]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “face.”

[9:3]  ⁴² tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (’adonay ha’elohim).

[9:3]  ⁴³ sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.

[9:4]  ⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 7, 9, 15, 16, and 19 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[9:4]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “who keeps the covenant and the loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[9:6]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “in your name.” Another option is to translate, “as your representatives.”

[9:6]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “our fathers” (also in vv. 8, 16). The Hebrew term translated “father” can refer to more distant relationships such as grandfathers or ancestors.

[9:6]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “people.”

[9:7]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “to you (belongs) righteousness.”

[9:7]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and to us (belongs) shame of face like this day.”

[9:7]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “men.”

[9:8]  ⁵² tn Heb “to us (belongs) shame of face.”

[9:9]  ⁵³ tn Heb “to the Lord our God (belong) compassion and forgiveness.”

[9:10]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “paid attention to the voice of,” which is an idiomatic expression for obedience (cf. NASB “nor have we obeyed the voice of”).

[9:10]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “to walk in.”

[9:10]  ⁵⁶ tc The LXX and Vulgate have the singular.

[9:11]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “transgressed.” The Hebrew verb has the primary sense of crossing a boundary, in this case, God’s law.

[9:11]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “by not paying attention to your voice.”

[9:11]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “the curse and the oath which is written.” The term “curse” refers here to the judgments threatened in the Mosaic law (see Deut 28) for rebellion. The expression “the curse and the oath” is probably a hendiadys (cf. Num 5:21; Neh 10:29) referring to the fact that the covenant with its threatened judgments was ratified by solemn oath and made legally binding upon the covenant community.

[9:11]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “him.”

[9:12]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “he has fulfilled his word(s) which he spoke.”

[9:12]  ⁶² tn Heb “our judges.”

[9:12]  ⁶³ tn Heb “who judged.”

[9:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “we have not pacified the face of.”

[9:13]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “by gaining insight.”

[9:13]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “by your truth.” The Hebrew term does not refer here to abstract truth, however, but to the reliable moral guidance found in the covenant law. See vv 10-11.

[9:14]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “righteous.”

[9:14]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “in all his deeds which he has done.”

[9:14]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “we have not listened to his voice.”

[9:15]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “with a powerful hand.”

[9:16]  ⁷¹ tn Or “righteousness.”

[9:16]  ⁷² tn Heb “your anger and your rage.” The synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of God’s anger. This is best expressed in English by making one of the terms adjectival (cf. NLT “your furious anger”; CEV “terribly angry”).

[9:17]  ⁷³ tn Heb “hear.” Here the verb refers to hearing favorably, accepting the prayer and responding positively.

[9:17]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “let your face shine.” This idiom pictures God smiling in favor. See Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19.

[9:17]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “for the sake of my Lord.” Theodotion has “for your sake.” Cf. v. 19.

[9:18]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “turn your ear.”

[9:18]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “desolations.” The term refers here to the ruined condition of Judah’s towns.

[9:18]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “over which your name is called.” Cf. v. 19. This expression implies that God is the owner of his city, Jerusalem. Note the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 12:28; Isa 4:1; Amos 9:12.

[9:18]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “praying our supplications before you.”

[9:19]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “for your name is called over your city and your people.” See the note on this expression in v 18.

[9:20]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “the holy mountain of my God.”

[9:21]  ⁸² tn Heb “speaking in prayer.”

[9:21]  ⁸³ tn Heb “in the beginning.”

[9:21]  ⁸⁴ tn The Hebrew expression בִּיעָף מֻעָף (mu’af bi’af) is very difficult. The issue is whether the verb derives from עוּף (’uf, “to fly”) or from יָעַף (ya’af, “to be weary”). Many ancient versions and modern commentators take the first of these possibilities and understand the reference to be to the swift flight of the angel Gabriel in his coming to Daniel. The words more likely refer to the extreme weariness, not of the angel, but of Daniel. Cf. 7:28; 8:27; 10:8-9, 16-17; also NASB.

[9:22]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “he instructed and spoke with me.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.

[9:23]  ⁸⁶ tn Or “a precious treasure”; KJV “greatly beloved”; NASB, NIV “highly esteemed.”

[9:23]  ⁸⁷ tn This sentence is perhaps a compound hendiadys (“give serious consideration to the revelatory vision”).

[9:24]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “sevens.” Elsewhere the term is used of a literal week (a period of seven days), cf. Gen 29:27-28; Exod 34:22; Lev 12:5; Num 28:26; Deut 16:9-10; 2 Chr 8:13; Jer 5:24; Dan 10:2-3. Gabriel unfolds the future as if it were a calendar of successive weeks. Most understand the reference here as periods of seventy “sevens” of years, or a total of 490 years.

[9:24]  ⁸⁹ tc Or “to finish.” The present translation reads the Qere (from the root תָּמַם, tamam) with many witnesses. The Kethib has “to seal up” (from the root הָתַם, hatam), a confusion with a reference later in the verse to sealing up the vision.

[9:24]  ⁹⁰ tc The present translation reads the Qere (singular), rather than the Kethib (plural).

[9:24]  ⁹¹ tn The Hebrew phrase לְכַלֵּא (lÿkhalle’) is apparently an alternative (metaplastic) spelling of the root כָּלָה (kalah, “to complete, finish”), rather than a form of כָּלָא (kala’, “to shut up, restrain”), as has sometimes been supposed.

[9:24]  ⁹² tn Or “everlasting.”

[9:24]  ⁹³ sn The act of sealing in the OT is a sign of authentication. Cf. 1 Kgs 21:8; Jer 32:10, 11, 44.

[9:24]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “vision and prophecy.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[9:24]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “the most holy place” (NASB, NLT); or “a most holy one”; or “the most holy one,” though the expression is used of places or objects elsewhere, not people.

[9:25]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “decree” (NASB, NIV); or “word” (NAB, NRSV).

[9:25]  ⁹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:25]  ⁹⁸ tn The word “arrives” is added in the translation for clarification.

[9:25]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “sevens” (also later in this line and in v. 26).

[9:25]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “it will return and be built.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.

[9:26]  ¹⁰¹ sn The expression have nothing is difficult. Presumably it refers to an absence of support or assistance for the anointed one at the time of his “cutting off.” The KJV rendering “but not for himself,” apparently suggesting a vicarious death, cannot be defended.

[9:26]  ¹⁰² tc Some witnesses (e.g., the Syriac) understand a passive verb and the preposition עִם (’im, “with) rather than the noun עַם (’am, “people”), thus reading “the city and the sanctuary will be destroyed with the coming prince.”

[9:26]  ¹⁰³ tn The words “will come speedily” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[9:26]  ¹⁰⁴ sn Flood here is a metaphor for sudden destruction.

[9:27]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “one seven” (also later in this line).

[9:27]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The referent of the Hebrew word כְּנַף (kÿnaf, “wing”) is unclear here. The LXX and Theodotion have “the temple.” Some English versions (e.g., NAB, NIV) take this to mean “a wing of the temple,” but this is not clear.

[9:27]  ¹⁰⁷ tn The Hebrew text does not have this verb, but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[12:13]  ¹⁰⁸ tn The words “your way” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[12:13]  ¹⁰⁹ tc The LXX lacks “until the end.”

[12:13]  ¹¹⁰ tn The word “receive” is added in the translation for clarification.

[12:13]  ¹¹¹ sn The deuterocanonical writings known as the Story of Susanna and Bel and the Dragon appear respectively as chapters 13 and 14 of the book of Daniel in the Greek version of this book. Although these writings are not part of the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Daniel, they were popular among certain early communities who valued traditions about the life of Daniel.

[1:7]  ¹¹² tn Grk “It is not for you to know.”

[4:4]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “the fullness of time” (an idiom for the totality of a period of time, with the implication of proper completion; see L&N 67.69).

[4:2]  ¹¹⁴ tn The Greek term translated “guardians” here is ἐπίτροπος (epitropo"), whose semantic domain overlaps with that of παιδαγωγός (paidagwgo") according to L&N 36.5.

[4:2]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “the,” but the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[3:8]  ¹¹⁶ tn For the Greek verb προευαγγελίζομαι (proeuangelizomai) translated as “proclaim the gospel ahead of time,” compare L&N 33.216.

[3:8]  ¹¹⁷ tn The same plural Greek word, τὰ ἔθνη (ta eqnh), can be translated as “nations” or “Gentiles.”

[3:8]  ¹¹⁸ sn A quotation from Gen 12:3; 18:18.

[3:12]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “is not from faith.”

[3:12]  ¹²⁰ tn Grk “who does these things”; the referent (the works of the law, see 3:5) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:12]  ¹²¹ sn A quotation from Lev 18:5. The phrase the works of the law is an editorial expansion on the Greek text (see previous note); it has been left as normal typeface to indicate it is not part of the OT text.

[11:15]  ¹²² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[11:15]  ¹²³ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[11:16]  ¹²⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[11:16]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”

[11:17]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “saying.”

[11:17]  ¹²⁷ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

[11:17]  ¹²⁸ tn The aorist verb ἐβασίλευσας (ebasileusa") has been translated ingressively.

[11:18]  ¹²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:18]  ¹³⁰ tn Or “The Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[11:18]  ¹³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[11:18]  ¹³² tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[11:18]  ¹³³ tn Grk “who fear.”

[11:18]  ¹³⁴ tn The words “the time has come” do not occur except at the beginning of the verse; the phrase has been repeated for emphasis and contrast. The Greek has one finite verb (“has come”) with a compound subject (“your wrath,” “the time”), followed by three infinitive clauses (“to be judged,” “to give,” “to destroy”). The rhetorical power of the repetition of the finite verb in English thus emulates the rhetorical power of its lone instance in Greek.

[11:18]  ¹³⁵ tn Or “who deprave.” There is a possible wordplay here on two meanings for διαφθείρω (diafqeirw), with the first meaning “destroy” and the second meaning either “to ruin” or “to make morally corrupt.” See L&N 20.40.