Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 9:11
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
11. even by departing ] and have turned aside, as Dan 9:5.
so as not to obey ( hearken to) thy voice ] as Jer 18:10; Jer 42:13 (Heb.).
and so there hath been poured out upon us the curse and the oath, that is written, &c.] ‘Poured out,’ as Jer 42:18; Jer 44:6 (of anger): ‘the curse that is written in,’ as Deu 29:20, the reference being here to Deu 28:15 ff.; ‘curse’ strengthened by ‘oath,’ as Num 5:21, Neh 10:29.
Moses, the servant of God ] Neh 10:29: and (with Jehovah for God) Deu 34:5, and often in Josh, (as Jos 1:1; Jos 1:13; Jos 1:15, Jos 8:31; Jos 8:33).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Yea, all Israel have transgressed … – Embracing not only the tribe and the kingdom of Judah, but the whole nation. The calamity, therefore, had come upon them all.
Even by departing – By departing from thy commandments; or by rebellion against thee.
That they might not obey thy voice – By refusing to obey thy voice, or thy commands.
Therefore the curse is poured upon us – As rain descends, or as water is poured out. The curse here refers to what was so solemnly threatened by Moses in case the nation did not obey God. See Deut. 28:15-68.
And the oath that is written in the law of Moses … – The word here rendered oath ( shebuah) means, properly, a swearing, or an oath; and hence, either an oath of promise as in a covenant, or an oath of cursing or imprecation – that is, a curse. It is evidently used in the latter sense here. See Gesenius, Lexicon Daniel saw clearly that the evils which had been threatened by Moses Deut. 28 had actually come upon the nation, and he as clearly saw that the cause of all these calamities was thai which Moses had specified. He, therefore, frankly and penitently confessed these sins in the name of the whole people, and earnestly supplicated for mercy.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. Therefore the curse is poured upon us] It is probable that he alludes here to the punishment of certain criminals by pouring melted metal upon them; therefore he uses the word tittach, it is poured out, like melted metal, for this is the proper meaning of the root nathach.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
1. When sin is epidemical, it is sad and fatal to a nation, as in Psa 14:3; Rom 3:12; so a deluge of sin brought a deluge of judgment, Gen 6:13,17.
2. This makes the gap great, and leaves none to stand in it. Then the curse comes upon a people, i.e. the punishment of the breach of Gods law, Jer 42:18; 44:12. This,
1. Shows the holiness of Gods law.
2. It shows the sinfulness and heinousness of sin, the breach of it.
3. It shows the necessity and excellency of Jesus Christ, who was sent of God to bless us, in freeing us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. all (Psa 14:3;Rom 3:12).
the curse . . . and . . .oath . . . in . . . lawthe curse against Israel, ifdisobedient, which God ratified by oath (Lev 26:14-39;Deu 27:15-26; Deu 28:15-68;Deu 29:1-29).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law,…. Even God’s professing people, on whom he had bestowed distinguishing favours and blessings, and gave them such a law as no other people had, and yet they transgressed it; not a few, or the greatest part only, but the whole body of them: and indeed there is no man that lives without sin, or the transgression of the law, in thought, word, or deeds; no, not a just man; but these transgressed the law in a very heinous manner, both the first as well as the second table of it, committing idolatry, and all manner of impiety, in which they continued:
even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; by departing from the law, and the precepts of it; from God and his worship; from the temple of God, and the service of it; and from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin: it seems to have some respect to the separation of the ten tribes under Jeroboam, who set up the calves at Dan and Bethel, that the people might not obey the voice of the Lord, in going to worship at the solemn feasts in Jerusalem:
therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God: that is, the just punishment of their sins was inflicted on them; or the curse the law threatened the transgressors of it with was come upon them in its large extent, and overflowed them like a flood; which God swore he would bring upon them, if they transgressed his law; or which they by an oath imprecated and pronounced upon themselves, should they not hearken to it, but transgress and disobey it:
because we have sinned against him; and therefore this curse was not a causeless one; sin, the transgression of the law, was the cause of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(11) The curse.The passages in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, to which Daniel refers, had already been noticed by Isaiah (Isaiah 1), as having received a partial fulfilment in his times. It remains for Daniel to realise the complete pouring out of the curse. It is poured out like a torrent of rain (see Exo. 9:33); as the fire melts the silver (Eze. 22:20-22), so does the curse cause the nation to melt away.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“Yes, all Israel have transgressed your law, even turning aside that they should not obey your voice. Therefore has the curse been poured out on us, and the oath that is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God. For we have sinned against him.”
Daniel points back to the written Law. Remember his reference to Deuteronomy earlier. They have broken God’s Law. And they have also refused to listen to the voice of God through His prophets. That is why they have been cursed, as indeed God had warned them that they would be (Jer 44:22; Deu 27:26; Deu 29:20; and in detail Deu 28:15 onwards; Lev 26:14 onwards).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 9:11. By departing, &c. By departing, so, as not to obey, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
Ver. 11. Yea, all Israel. ] There is a general defection; the whole body of Israel hath deeply revolted, a rabble of rebels have taken up arms against heaven, even a giant-like generation.
Therefore the curse.
Is poured upon us.
Because we have sinned against him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
transgressed. Hebrew. ‘abar. App-44.
therefore the curse is, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Lev 26:14, &c. Deu 27:15, &c.; Dan 28:15, &c; Dan 29:20; Dan 30:17, Dan 30:18; Dan 31:17; Dan 32:19).
is poured upon = hath come pouring upon.
Moses the servant of God. See note on 1Ch 6:49. Neh 10:29. App-92.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 9:11
Dan 9:11 Yea, allH3605 IsraelH3478 have transgressedH5674 (H853) thy law,H8451 even by departing,H5493 that they might notH1115 obeyH8085 thy voice;H6963 therefore the curseH423 is pouredH5413 uponH5921 us, and the oathH7621 thatH834 is writtenH3789 in the lawH8451 of MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of God,H430 becauseH3588 we have sinnedH2398 against him.
Dan 9:11
“Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.”
The curse that was poured out on them is written in Leviticus chapter 26 starting in Lev 26:14. It is also written in Deu 28:15-68 and the imagery of what would befall Israel was similar to the record in Leviticus. Significant parallels between these and the Babylonian captivity are too striking not to be connected. The things God warned them against came to pass in the captivity. They also parallel other times in the history of Israel as well, such as the horrendous oppression under the rule of Antiochus IV.
Either account is too lengthy to publish in this study, however a reading of both of them would be beneficial. Some of the highlights worthy of mentioning which are unmistakably referencing the Babylonian captivity are as follows:
Lev 26:15
And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
Lev 26:17
ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you;
Lev 26:30-33
And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours. And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
Lev 26:38
And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
Deu 28:15
“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee”
Here is the curse mentioned by Daniel which was written in the law of Moses:
Deu 28:16-19
“Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.”
And then Moses goes on to elaborate:
Deu 28:32-33
“Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway”
Deu 28:36
“The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.”
Deu 28:47-49
“Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand”
Anybody with a passing familiarity of the Babylonian captivity could not miss seeing the parallels here. All of these things came to pass on the rebellious Israelites due to their own stubbornness. One can scarcely imagine why, with all the warnings they had, that they did not heed them. As a side note, one can likewise scarcely imagine why with all the warnings mankind today has about eternal punishment that we as a people reject God and His righteousness the same as the Israelites did.
Daniel was obviously familiar with the curse written in the Law of Moses because he mentioned them in this prayer. And being familiar with the curses written in the law, Daniel was also familiar with how God said to be forgiven for the trespasses of their entire nation and this prayer to God which he is engaging in is for that purpose. Daniel was living in the last years of the Babylonian captivity, having understood this from the writings of the prophet Jeremiah (Dan 9:2). The remedy for the curse is given in:
Lev 26:40-42
“If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.”
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
all: 2Ki 17:18-23, Isa 1:4-6, Jer 8:5-10, Jer 9:26, Eze 22:26-31
the curse: Lev 26:14-46, Deu 27:15-26, Deu 28:15-68, Deu 29:20-29, Deu 30:17-19, Deu 31:17, Deu 31:18, Deu 32:19-42
Reciprocal: Exo 32:31 – sinned Deu 4:30 – all these Deu 8:20 – so shall ye perish Deu 27:14 – General Deu 29:27 – all the curses 2Ki 21:9 – they hearkened 2Ki 22:16 – all the words Ezr 9:7 – into the hand Neh 1:7 – which thou Jer 2:29 – ye all have Jer 7:20 – Behold Jer 26:6 – a curse Jer 32:23 – therefore Jer 40:3 – because Jer 42:18 – As mine Jer 44:23 – therefore Eze 7:8 – pour Eze 20:33 – surely Dan 9:13 – As it is Zec 1:2 – Lord Zec 1:6 – did Zec 5:3 – the curse Zec 7:12 – therefore Zec 8:13 – a curse Mal 4:6 – and smite Mar 12:3 – and sent 1Jo 3:4 – transgresseth Rev 15:3 – the servant
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 9:11. One outstanding place where Moses gave the threat of Gods course upon a disobedient nation is Deuteronomy 28. That passage was plainly written in the book of the law, and the people had no excuse for their disregard of it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 9:11-14. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law Not here and there one, but the generality of them; the body of the people have transgressed, by departing, and taking themselves out of the way, that they might not hear, and so might not obey thy voice: therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath, &c. That is, the curse that was ratified by an oath in the law of Moses. This further justified God in their troubles, that he only inflicted the penalty of the law, of which he had given them fair notice. It was necessary for preserving the honour of Gods veracity, and saving his government from contempt, that the threatenings of his word should be executed; otherwise they would have looked but as bugbears, nay, they would have had no terror in them. And he hath confirmed his words against us Because we broke his laws, And against our judges that judged us Because they did not, according to the duty of their places, punish the breach of Gods laws. He informed them frequently, that if they did not execute justice, as terrors to evil-doers, he must and would take the work into his own hands; and now, says Daniel, he has confirmed what he said, by bringing upon us a great evil In which the princes and judges themselves have deeply shared. For under the whole heaven hath not been done, &c. See note on Lam 1:12; Lam 2:13; Eze 5:9. As it is written, &c., all this is come upon us This is a devout acknowledgment, that, from the very beginning of their state, they had been forewarned that such evils as they now suffered would come upon them, when they forsook the Lord their God, and turned aside from the observation of his law. And it is an humble confession of Gods justice and providence, in making his judgments exactly fulfil the threatenings denounced many ages before by Moses. Yet we made not our prayer before the Lord our God Not in a right manner, as we should have made it, with a lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; we have been smitten, but have not returned to him that smote us; literally, we have not entreated the face, or, as Wintle translates it, have not deprecated the wrath, of the Lord our God. We have taken no care to make our peace with God, and reconcile ourselves to him. Daniel set his brethren a good example of praying continually, but he was sorry to see how few there were that followed his example; in their affliction it was expected they would seek God early, but they sought him not, so as to turn from their iniquities and understand his truth. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil Hebrew, watched over the evil; namely, hath taken care that his threatenings should be fulfilled, as a just judge takes care that execution be done, according to the sentence pronounced; because we have not been melted, he hath kept us still in the furnace, and watched over it to make the heat yet more intense; for when God judges he will overcome, and will be justified in all his proceedings.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the {i} curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
(i) As in De 27:15 , or the curse confirmed by an oath.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
God had poured out curses on His people because of these sins (Dan 9:11 b). He had done what He had promised He would do if Israel departed from Him (Dan 9:12; cf. Deu 28:15-68). Moses had warned the Israelites about departing from God, yet His people had not sought His favor by repenting (Dan 9:13). Therefore, calamity had descended on them, since Yahweh is righteous in all His deeds. In contrast, Israel had disobeyed His voice (Dan 9:14). In this section of his prayer, the prophet glorified God for dealing justly with His people who, Daniel acknowledged, deserved all the punishment they had received.