Bible Strands
Daniel 9:19
O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Daniel addresses God directly during his prayer of confession for Israel, immediately after appealing to divine compassion in Daniel 9:18 and before the angelic response begins in Daniel 9:20. He speaks at a moment of national desolation, pressing for immediate intervention.
The words — אֲדֹנָ֤י ('a.do.Nai) translates to "O Lord," and סְלָ֔חָ/ה (se.La.cha/h) means "forgive," both appearing in rapid succession to frame the plea. The Hebrew structure repeats the divine title before shifting to commands for attention and action.
The thread — This pattern of urgent petition appears in Daniel 9:18, where Daniel first asks God to hear and see the desolation, and echoes the crisis prayers of Jeremiah 14:9 and Amos 7:2. Each reference records a prophet or intercessor pleading for divine mercy amid judgment.
Why it lands — The text explicitly grounds the request in God's own name and reputation rather than Israel's righteousness, demanding that intercessors prioritize divine honor over human merit. Readers must bring their petitions forward with urgency, trusting that God's response is tied to His covenant identity.
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
King James Version
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
Cross-references
- Daniel 9:18 Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion.
- Jeremiah 14:9 Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!
- Amos 7:2 And when the locusts had eaten every green plant in the land, I said, “Lord GOD, please forgive! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”
- Luke 11:8 I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
- Ephesians 1:12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
- Numbers 14:19 Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people, in keeping with the greatness of Your loving devotion, just as You have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”
- 2 Chronicles 6:25 then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to them and their fathers.
- Jeremiah 14:7 Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.
- Ephesians 3:10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
- 1 Kings 8:30 Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.