Daniel 9:17

So now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate sanctuary.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Daniel addresses God directly during the Babylonian exile, positioning his request between the confession of national sin in Daniel 9:16 and the plea for divine perception in Daniel 9:18. He identifies himself as "Your servant" to frame the appeal as a subject seeking intervention from his sovereign.

The words — תְּפִלַּ֤ת (te.fi.lat) translates literally to "prayer" and תַּ֣חֲנוּנָ֔י/ו (ta.cha.nu.na.v) to "supplications," marking the specific nature of the appeal. The imperative שְׁמַ֣ע (she.ma') commands God to "listen" or "hear" these formal requests before the subsequent plea for His face to shine.

The thread — The command to "cause Your face to shine" appears identically in Psalms 80:3 and Psalms 80:19, while the description of the sanctuary as "desolate" matches Lamentations 5:18. These passages establish a consistent biblical pattern of linking divine favor directly to the restoration of ruined holy places.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to separate the basis of the request from personal righteousness and anchor it solely in God's own name. It demands a direct appeal for divine action motivated by God's character rather than human merit.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ve./'a.Tahand/ therefore שְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'listen אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ'e.lo.Hei./nuO God/ our אֶל־'el-to תְּפִלַּ֤תte.fi.Lat[the] prayer of עַבְדְּךָ֙'av.de./Khaservant/ your וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ to תַּ֣חֲנוּנָ֔יוta.cha.nu.Na/vsupplications/ his וְהָאֵ֣רve./ha.'Erand/ make shine פָּנֶ֔יךָpa.Nei./khaface/ your עַל־'al-on מִקְדָּשְׁךָ֖mik.da.she./Chasanctuary/ your הַשָּׁמֵ֑םha./sha.Mem<the>/ desolate לְמַ֖עַןle.Ma.'anfor [the] sake of אֲדֹנָֽי׃'a.do.Nai[the] Lord

King James Version

Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.

Cross-references

Psalms 80:19 Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts; cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.
Lamentations 5:18 because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.
Psalms 80:3 Restore us, O God, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.
Psalms 80:7 Restore us, O God of Hosts, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the glory of God.
Numbers 6:23 “Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
Psalms 4:6 Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.
Psalms 67:1 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song. May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, Selah
Psalms 80:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
Psalms 119:135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes.