Daniel 9

Like Nehemiah 9, this too includes a corporate confession reaching back into history. How curious that we should come to these readings at this time, and them together. The churches regularly confess sins but how far back do we think about the roots of the current situations and the corporate and political folly that has produced them?

Daniel 9:11 is one of 5 places where חטא occurs with לו following, literally sinned to for or of him. I wondered if I should ever have written it as against. Even though against is the naturally heard preposition after the gloss sin. Micah 7:9 is difficult to get around as is Psalms 78:17 and Job 8:4 (a verse that suggests that Job is post-exilic). I phrased Isaiah 42:24 as disjoint questions. And will now rephrase it. After a conversation with my coach, the sense, it turns out, is like the use of the phrase 'do to someone'. So it could be rendered we did this sin to him. It can be noted that לו is the preposition that indicates belonging. (So the ketiv of Psalm 100:3 ולו אנחונ can be read as and his we are.) So here in verse 11, most everyone will not question reading the rare use of ל as against. But the usage is even more pointed than that.

Part of the issue here is God's reputation. Nothing could be truer with respect to some unnamed situations today. The people who are called by the name of God have behaved in a way and continue to behave in a way that is completely incompatible with all that is good. And the rest of the folks that look on know it. Of course we don't need a God to bring misery upon ourselves and others. We are quite capable of doing such without any help. Maybe we need help to bring good rather than evil. So a real corporate confession might turn out to be useful.

Daniel 9		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
בִּשְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת לְדָרְיָ֛וֶשׁ בֶּן־אֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ מִזֶּ֣רַע מָדָ֑י אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָמְלַ֔ךְ עַ֖ל מַלְכ֥וּת כַּשְׂדִּֽים	1		In the first year of Darius, child of Ahasuerus, from the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,	3d	4B	18 9
בִּשְׁנַ֤ת אַחַת֙ לְמָלְכ֔וֹ אֲנִי֙ דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אל בִּינֹ֖תִי בַּסְּפָרִ֑ים מִסְפַּ֣ר הַשָּׁנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֶל־יִרְמִיָ֣ה הַנָּבִ֔יא לְמַלֹּ֛אות לְחָרְב֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם שִׁבְעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה	2		In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood through books, the count of the years that the word of Yahweh happened to Jeremiah the prophet, to fulfill the desertification of Jerusalem, a seventy year span.	3d	4C	19 35
וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה אֶת־פָּנַ֗י אֶל־אֲדֹנָי֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ תְּפִלָּ֖ה וְתַחֲנוּנִ֑ים בְּצ֖וֹם וְשַׂ֥ק וָאֵֽפֶר	3		And I yielded my presence to my Lord God to seek prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.	3e	4B	25 7
וָֽאֶתְפַּֽלְלָ֛ה לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהַ֖י וָאֶתְוַדֶּ֑ה וָאֹֽמְרָ֗ה אָנָּ֤א אֲדֹנָי֙ הָאֵ֤ל הַגָּדוֹל֙ וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א שֹׁמֵ֤ר הַבְּרִית֙ וְֽהַחֶ֔סֶד לְאֹהֲבָ֖יו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽיו	4		And I prayed to Yahweh my God. And I confessed, and I said, beseeching, My Lord, the One, the Great, and the Fearful, keeping the covenant and the kindness for those who love him and who keep his commandments.	3d	4C	13 35
חָטָ֥אנוּ וְעָוִ֖ינוּ הִרְשַׁ֣עְנוּ וּמָרָ֑דְנוּ וְס֥וֹר מִמִּצְוֺתֶ֖ךָ וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ	5		We have sinned, and we have been perverse. We are wicked, and we have mutinied, and departed from your commandments and from your judgments.	3e	4B	14 13
וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַ֙עְנוּ֙ אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר דִּבְּרוּ֙ בְּשִׁמְךָ֔ אֶל־מְלָכֵ֥ינוּ שָׂרֵ֖ינוּ וַאֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־עַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ	6		And we have not paid heed to your servants the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our kings, our chiefs, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.	3e	4C	33 7
לְךָ֤ אֲדֹנָי֙ הַצְּדָקָ֔ה וְלָ֛נוּ בֹּ֥שֶׁת הַפָּנִ֖ים כַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה לְאִ֤ישׁ יְהוּדָה֙ וּלְיוֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וּֽלְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֞ל הַקְּרֹבִ֣ים וְהָרְחֹקִ֗ים בְּכָל־הָֽאֲרָצוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִדַּחְתָּ֣ם שָׁ֔ם בְּמַעֲלָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָֽעֲלוּ־בָֽךְ	7		Yours my Lord is righteousness, but ours are shamed faces, as at this day, to each of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and for all Israel, the near and the far, in all the lands where you have banished them, in their trespasses that they trespassed in you.	3d	4C	20 46
יְהוָ֗ה לָ֚נוּ בֹּ֣שֶׁת הַפָּנִ֔ים לִמְלָכֵ֥ינוּ לְשָׂרֵ֖ינוּ וְלַאֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָ֖אנוּ לָֽךְ	8		Yahweh ours are shamed faces, for our kings, for our chiefs, and for our ancestors, that we have sinned against you.	3e	4C	23 6
לַֽאדֹנָ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ הָרַחֲמִ֖ים וְהַסְּלִח֑וֹת כִּ֥י מָרַ֖דְנוּ בּֽוֹ	9		Of my Lord our God are the compassions and the pardons, for we have mutinied in him.	3e	4B	15 5
וְלֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּתֽוֹרֹתָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣ן לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ בְּיַ֖ד עֲבָדָ֥יו הַנְּבִיאִֽים	10		And we have not heard with the voice of Yahweh our God, to walk in his instructions that he gives before us by the hand of his servants the prophets.	3e	4C	13 23
וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל עָֽבְרוּ֙ אֶת־תּ֣וֹרָתֶ֔ךָ וְס֕וֹר לְבִלְתִּ֖י שְׁמ֣וֹעַ בְּקֹלֶ֑ךָ וַתִּתַּ֨ךְ עָלֵ֜ינוּ הָאָלָ֣ה וְהַשְּׁבֻעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר כְּתוּבָה֙ בְּתוֹרַת֙ מֹשֶׁ֣ה עֶֽבֶד־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לֽוֹ	11		And all Israel have bypassed your instruction and turned aside that they might not hear with your voice. So the imprecation is poured forth over us, and the oath that is written in the instruction of Moses, the servant of God, because we have done sin to him.	3e	4C	24 34
וַיָּ֜קֶם אֶת־דְּבָר֣וֹ ׀ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֣ר עָלֵ֗ינוּ וְעַ֤ל שֹֽׁפְטֵ֙ינוּ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁפָט֔וּנוּ לְהָבִ֥יא עָלֵ֖ינוּ רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־נֶעֶשְׂתָ֗ה תַּ֚חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם	12		And he placed his word that he spoke over us, and over our judgments that judged us, to bring over us great evil, that has not been done under all the heavens as has been done in Jerusalem.	3e	4C	36 21
כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּתוּב֙ בְּתוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵ֛ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את בָּ֣אָה עָלֵ֑ינוּ וְלֹֽא־חִלִּ֜ינוּ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ לָשׁוּב֙ מֵֽעֲוֺנֵ֔נוּ וּלְהַשְׂכִּ֖יל בַּאֲמִתֶּֽךָ	13		As inscribed in the instruction of Moses, all this evil has come over us, and we did not entreat before Yahweh our God to turn from our iniquities and to be given insight in your truth.	3d	4C	22 28
וַיִּשְׁקֹ֤ד יְהוָה֙ עַל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה וַיְבִיאֶ֖הָ עָלֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־צַדִּ֞יק יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ עַל־כָּל־מַֽעֲשָׂיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ בְּקֹלֽוֹ	14		And Yahweh has been vigilant over the evil, and brought it over us. For righteous is Yahweh our God over all his deeds that he undertakes, and we did not hear with his voice.	3e	4C	16 25
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ אֲשֶׁר֩ הוֹצֵ֨אתָ אֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֜ מֵאֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה וַתַּֽעַשׂ־לְךָ֥ שֵׁ֖ם כַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה חָטָ֖אנוּ רָשָֽׁעְנוּ	15		And now my Lord our God who brought forth your people from the land of Egypt by a courageous hand, and made for yourself a name as on this day, we have sinned. We are wicked.	3e	4C	38 6
אֲדֹנָ֗י כְּכָל־צִדְקֹתֶ֙ךָ֙ יָֽשָׁב־נָ֤א אַפְּךָ֙ וַחֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ מֵעִֽירְךָ֥ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם הַר־קָדְשֶׁ֑ךָ כִּ֤י בַחֲטָאֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּבַעֲוֺנ֣וֹת אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֧ם וְעַמְּךָ֛ לְחֶרְפָּ֖ה לְכָל־סְבִיבֹתֵֽינוּ	16		My Lord, according to all your righteousness, let if you will your anger and your poison turn away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy hill, because in our sins and in the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are for a reproach to all surrounding us.	3c	4C	29 32
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ שְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְאֶל־תַּ֣חֲנוּנָ֔יו וְהָאֵ֣ר פָּנֶ֔יךָ עַל־מִקְדָּשְׁךָ֖ הַשָּׁמֵ֑ם לְמַ֖עַן אֲדֹנָֽי	17		So now, hear, our God, the prayer of your servant and his supplications, and reveal your presence over your desolate sanctuary, for the sake of my Lord.	3e	4C	35 6
הַטֵּ֨ה אֱלֹהַ֥י ׀ אָזְנְךָ֮ וּֽשֲׁמָע֒ פְּקַ֣ח עֵינֶ֗יךָ וּרְאֵה֙ שֹֽׁמְמֹתֵ֔ינוּ וְהָעִ֕יר אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָ֥א שִׁמְךָ֖ עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֣י ׀ לֹ֣א עַל־צִדְקֹתֵ֗ינוּ אֲנַ֨חְנוּ מַפִּילִ֤ים תַּחֲנוּנֵ֙ינוּ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֖י עַל־רַחֲמֶ֥יךָ הָרַבִּֽים	18		Bend your ear my God and hear. Give sight to your eyes and see our desolations, and the city over which your name is called, for not over our righteousness do we let our supplications fall in your presence, but on your many compassions.	3e	4C	34 31
אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ שְׁמָ֙עָה֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י ׀ סְלָ֔חָה אֲדֹנָ֛י הַֽקֲשִׁ֥יבָה וַעֲשֵׂ֖ה אַל־תְּאַחַ֑ר לְמַֽעֲנְךָ֣ אֱלֹהַ֔י כִּֽי־שִׁמְךָ֣ נִקְרָ֔א עַל־עִירְךָ֖ וְעַל־עַמֶּֽךָ	19		My Lord, hear. My Lord, forgive. My Lord, attend and do. Do not delay, for your sake my God, because your name is called over your city and over your people.	3d	4C	26 20
וְע֨וֹד אֲנִ֤י מְדַבֵּר֙ וּמִתְפַּלֵּ֔ל וּמִתְוַדֶּה֙ חַטָּאתִ֔י וְחַטַּ֖את עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַפִּ֣יל תְּחִנָּתִ֗י לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֔י עַ֖ל הַר־קֹ֥דֶשׁ אֱלֹהָֽי	20		And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people, Israel, and my supplication fell in the presence of Yahweh my God concerning the holy hill of my God,	3e	4C	26 21
וְע֛וֹד אֲנִ֥י מְדַבֵּ֖ר בַּתְּפִלָּ֑ה וְהָאִ֣ישׁ גַּבְרִיאֵ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ רָאִ֨יתִי בֶחָז֤וֹן בַּתְּחִלָּה֙ מֻעָ֣ף בִּיעָ֔ף נֹגֵ֣עַ אֵלַ֔י כְּעֵ֖ת מִנְחַת־עָֽרֶב	21		And while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel that I had seen in a vision at the start, flying, in flight touched me about the time of the evening gift.	3d	4C	10 32
וַיָּ֖בֶן וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמִּ֑י וַיֹּאמַ֕ר דָּנִיֵּ֕אל עַתָּ֥ה יָצָ֖אתִי לְהַשְׂכִּילְךָ֥ בִינָֽה	22		And he made me understand, and spoke with me and said, Daniel, now I have come forth for your insight of discernment.	3e	4B	8 18
בִּתְחִלַּ֨ת תַּחֲנוּנֶ֜יךָ יָצָ֣א דָבָ֗ר וַאֲנִי֙ בָּ֣אתִי לְהַגִּ֔יד כִּ֥י חֲמוּד֖וֹת אָ֑תָּה וּבִין֙ בַּדָּבָ֔ר וְהָבֵ֖ן בַּמַּרְאֶֽה	23		At the start of your supplications the word went forth, and I myself have come to make clear that you are coveted, so discern the word, and discern the appearance.	3e	4B	26 11
שָׁבֻעִ֨ים שִׁבְעִ֜ים נֶחְתַּ֥ךְ עַֽל־עַמְּךָ֣ ׀ וְעַל־עִ֣יר קָדְשֶׁ֗ךָ לְכַלֵּ֨א הַפֶּ֜שַׁע וּלְהָתֵ֤ם חַטָּאת֙ וּלְכַפֵּ֣ר עָוֺ֔ן וּלְהָבִ֖יא צֶ֣דֶק עֹֽלָמִ֑ים וְלַחְתֹּם֙ חָז֣וֹן וְנָבִ֔יא וְלִמְשֹׁ֖חַ קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִֽׁים	24		Seventy weeks are pinned down over your people and over your holy city, to restrain the transgression, and to seal the sin, and to cover iniquity, and to come to everlasting righteousness, and to seal the vision and prophesy, and to anoint the holy of holy things.	3e	4C	40 17
וְתֵדַ֨ע וְתַשְׂכֵּ֜ל מִן־מֹצָ֣א דָבָ֗ר לְהָשִׁיב֙ וְלִבְנ֤וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ עַד־מָשִׁ֣יחַ נָגִ֔יד שָׁבֻעִ֖ים שִׁבְעָ֑ה וְשָׁבֻעִ֞ים שִׁשִּׁ֣ים וּשְׁנַ֗יִם תָּשׁוּב֙ וְנִבְנְתָה֙ רְח֣וֹב וְחָר֔וּץ וּבְצ֖וֹק הָעִתִּֽים	25		So know and have insight. From the going forth of a word to restore and to build Jerusalem, until an anointed herald, seven weeks, and sixty two weeks, a restored and rebuilt plaza, and decisively, and stressful times.	3e	4C	32 24
וְאַחֲרֵ֤י הַשָּׁבֻעִים֙ שִׁשִּׁ֣ים וּשְׁנַ֔יִם יִכָּרֵ֥ת מָשִׁ֖יחַ וְאֵ֣ין ל֑וֹ וְהָעִ֨יר וְהַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ יַ֠שְׁחִית עַ֣ם נָגִ֤יד הַבָּא֙ וְקִצּ֣וֹ בַשֶּׁ֔טֶף וְעַד֙ קֵ֣ץ מִלְחָמָ֔ה נֶחֱרֶ֖צֶת שֹׁמֵמֽוֹת	26		And after the sixty two weeks, an anointed one will be cut off and there will be nothing for him. Both the city and the sanctuary, the people of the herald will come, will destroy, and its end will be overflowing. And to the end of the war are decisive desolations.	3e	4C	21 33
וְהִגְבִּ֥יר בְּרִ֛ית לָרַבִּ֖ים שָׁב֣וּעַ אֶחָ֑ד וַחֲצִ֨י הַשָּׁב֜וּעַ יַשְׁבִּ֣ית ׀ זֶ֣בַח וּמִנְחָ֗ה וְעַ֨ל כְּנַ֤ף שִׁקּוּצִים֙ מְשֹׁמֵ֔ם וְעַד־כָּלָה֙ וְנֶ֣חֱרָצָ֔ה תִּתַּ֖ךְ עַל־שֹׁמֵֽם	27		And a covenant will prevail for the many, one week. Half the week, he will make offering and gift cease, and over the wing, detestable things causing desolation, and until a consuming end, and decisive, he will pour forth on the one who desolates.	3d	4C	13 38

The vision is hard to read. I do not know what it means.

The herald is one of many offices in my culture-office domain. Whatever they mean, I have kept them separate so that no single English gloss back translates to more than one Hebrew stem. Of course each Hebrew stem may have other English glosses. Compared to what is in other translations, this is combed out hair. Mind you 'meanings' change over time and culture, so the result may not be that important.

אדון lord (144) master (74)
אחשׁדרפנים satrap (6)
אלף captain (68)
אשׁף astrologist (7)
בעל owner (35) superior (7) senior (1)
דתבר lawyer (2)
הדבר consultant (2)
חזה visionary (15)
חרטם magician (12)
חשׁם ambassador (1)
טפסר marshal (2)
לחשׁ conjurer (2)
מלך king (2,306) sovereign (56) queen (44) monarch (6) reign (3) kings' (1) leader (1 Acrostic)
משׁל governor (21)
נביא prophet (284) prophetess (4) prophets' (1)
נגד herald (27) heraldry (1)
נטר mind (1) - turns out to be a frame for the Song! Verses 1:8 and 8:11-12
נצח leader (59) lead (5) leadership (1)
נשׂא principal (115) borne (1)
סגן prefect (17)
סריס eunuch (40)
סרן chieftain (14)
פחה viceroy (32)
פקד office (14)
פרע pharaoh (249) premier (2)
פרתם patrician (3)
קצה dictator (2)
ראשׁ head (63)
רב overlord (59)
רדה rule (4)
רזן rule-maker (7)
רעה pastor (4)
שׁטר overseer (23)
שׁלשׁ equerry (3)
שׂר chief (182) nobility (89) noble (42) sultan (4) noble women (2) re nobility (1)