Daniel Chapter 9 Vs. 5

Daniel's Prayer for His People

Daniel 9:5 "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:"



We have sinned... Twelve sins of Israel:

1. We have sinned (Dan. 9:5, 9:11, 9:15, 9:16).

2. We have committed iniquity (Dan. 9:5).

3. We have have done wickedly (Dan. 9:5).

4. We have departed from God’s precepts (Dan. 9:5).

5. We have departed from God’s judgments (Dan. 9:5).

6. We have not listened to God’s servants, the prophets (Dan. 9:6).

7. We have trespassed against God (Dan. 9:7).

8. We have rebelled against God (Dan. 9:9).

9. We have not obeyed God’s voice (Dan. 9:10).

10. We have not walked in His laws (Dan. 9:10).

11. We have transgressed God’s law (Dan. 9:11).

12. We have disobeyed God’s voice (Dan. 9:11, 9:14).

and have rebelled... Used of revolt against God or royalty.

Four times in the chapter (verses 5, 8, 11, 15) Daniel acknowledges the people’s sin. Daniel includes himself in the confession of his fellow Hebrews. He admits guilt for their sins first. He knows that sins of omission are sin, as well as sins of commission. As with all great leaders he identifies himself with his people.

Recognizing the fact that we have sinned comes even before repenting of that sin to God. This is what Daniel is doing for all of the Hebrews.





Daniel evidently was fully aware that the years in Babylon were a divine discipline on Israel. Knowing that confession was one requisite to restoration, he confessed the sin of his people, identifying himself with their sin as though he were personally responsible for it.

Daniel noted that blessing depends on obedience, for God… keeps His covenant of love (ḥeseḏ, “loyal love”) with all who love Him and obey Him. Even a covenant people cannot be blessed if they disobey. Four times Daniel acknowledged that his people had sinned (Dan.9:5, 9:8, 9:11, 9:15). Their sin was a sin of rebellion (cf. Dan. 9:9) against God and in turning away (cf. Dan. 9:11) from the Word of God (His laws; cf. Dan. 9:10-11) which they knew.