Daniel 9:10

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Neither have we obeyed {H8085} the voice {H6963} of the LORD {H3068} our God {H430}, to walk {H3212} in his laws {H8451}, which he set {H5414} before {H6440} us by {H3027} his servants {H5650} the prophets {H5030}.

We didn't listen to the voice of ADONAI our God, so that we could live by his laws, which he presented to us through his servants the prophets.

and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God to walk in His laws, which He set before us through His servants the prophets.

neither have we obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Context of Daniel 9:10

Daniel 9:10 is part of Daniel's profound prayer of confession and intercession for his people, Israel, during the Babylonian exile. This prayer, found in Daniel 9:3-19, is offered around the time Daniel understands from Jeremiah's prophecy that the seventy years of desolation for Jerusalem are nearing their end (Daniel 9:2). In this verse, Daniel articulates a key reason for Israel's prolonged captivity: their consistent and collective failure to obey God's commands and heed the warnings delivered through His messengers.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Corporate Disobedience: The use of "we" throughout Daniel's prayer, including in this verse, highlights a profound sense of corporate responsibility and guilt. Daniel, though righteous, identifies with the sins of his nation. It's a confession that Israel, as a whole, had rebelred against God's explicit instructions.
  • Rejection of God's Law: The phrase "to walk in his laws" refers to the Mosaic Law, the covenant stipulations God gave to Israel at Mount Sinai. These laws were not merely suggestions but foundational principles for their national and spiritual well-being. Their failure to abide by these laws led directly to the covenant curses, including exile (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).
  • Ignoring Prophetic Warnings: God did not leave His people without guidance. He "set before us" His laws through "his servants the prophets." This emphasizes God's faithfulness in sending numerous prophets (like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, etc.) to call Israel back to repentance, warn them of impending judgment, and remind them of the covenant. The nation's refusal to listen to these divine messengers sealed their fate.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the voice of the LORD our God" (qol Yahweh Eloheinu in Hebrew) underscores the direct and authoritative nature of God's communication. It's not just a set of abstract rules but the living Word of the sovereign God. The term "prophets" (nevi'im) refers to those specifically called and anointed by God to deliver His message, often at great personal cost. Their words were meant to be taken as God's own, yet they were frequently rejected, as highlighted in 2 Chronicles 36:16.

Practical Application

Daniel's confession in Daniel 9:10 offers timeless lessons for believers today:

  • Humility in Confession: We are called to humble ourselves and confess our sins, both individual and corporate, acknowledging where we have fallen short of God's standards.
  • Importance of Obedience: This verse is a stark reminder that God's laws are for our good and that obedience is not optional but foundational to a right relationship with Him. We are called to show our love for God through obedience to His commands.
  • Heeding God's Word: Just as Israel had the prophets, we have God's complete written Word, the Bible, which serves as our ultimate guide. We must diligently study, understand, and apply its truths, recognizing that ignoring it carries consequences.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Daniel 9:6

    Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

  • 2 Kings 18:12

    Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, [and] all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear [them], nor do [them].

  • Nehemiah 9:13

    Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

  • Nehemiah 9:17

    And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou [art] a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

  • Ezra 9:10

    And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,

  • Ezra 9:11

    Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

  • 2 Kings 17:13

    Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, [and by] all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments [and] my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

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