Daniel 9:6

My Notes

What Does Daniel 9:6 Mean?

Daniel's prayer of confession identifies the universal failure: "neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets." The prophets spoke to every level of society — kings, princes, fathers, and all the people. And every level refused to listen. The failure wasn't limited to the leadership or the common people; it was comprehensive.

The phrase "which spake in thy name" underscores the authority the prophets carried. They weren't offering personal opinions; they spoke in God's name, with God's authority. Rejecting them wasn't just disagreeing with a person; it was rejecting the God who sent them.

Daniel includes himself in the confession — "we" — even though he personally is one of the most faithful people in the Bible. He doesn't distance himself from the corporate sin. The righteous man prays as if he shares the guilt, because in a covenant community, he does.

Reflection Questions

• 1.Can you pray 'we' about your community's failures — even the ones that aren't personally yours?
• 2.What does Daniel's refusal to separate himself from corporate sin teach about covenant community?
• 3.How does the universal failure to listen (every level of society) challenge the assumption that some groups are more faithful than others?
• 4.What prophetic voices in your life are you currently not hearkening to?

Devotional

We didn't listen. Not the kings. Not the princes. Not the fathers. Not the people. Nobody listened. Daniel's confession covers every layer of society and finds the same failure in all of them.

The prophets spoke in God's name — the highest authority available. And every level of Israelite society, from the throne to the common family, refused to hear them. The failure wasn't concentrated in one class; it was distributed equally. The kings were as deaf as the peasants. The fathers were as resistant as the politicians.

Daniel says "we" — including himself in a sin he personally didn't commit. He could have said "they." He could have stood apart as the faithful exception. Instead, he identifies with the community's failure as if it were his own. This is the prayer of a righteous person who understands that in a covenant community, you don't get to opt out of corporate confession.

This kind of praying — taking on the weight of a community's sin without having personally committed it — is rare and costly. Daniel is in Babylon because of other people's failures. He was exiled for sins he didn't commit. And his prayer doesn't mention that. He simply says: we didn't listen. We. Including me.

When was the last time you prayed "we" about a failure that wasn't personally yours? The health of a community depends on people who are willing to confess on behalf of others, not just for themselves.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture