King James Version

What Does Daniel 9:5 Mean?

Daniel 9:5 in the King James Version says “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy prece...” — study this verse from Daniel chapter 9 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:”

Daniel 9:5 · KJV

Context

3

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

4

And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

5

We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

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.

7

O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. belongeth: or, thou hast

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Daniel's confession continues: "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments." The piling up of terms—"sinned...iniquity...wickedly...rebelled"—emphasizes comprehensive guilt from multiple angles. "Sinned" (chata, חָטָא) means missing the mark; "iniquity" (avah, עָוָה) denotes moral perversity; "wickedly" (rasha, רָשַׁע) indicates deliberate evil; "rebelled" (marad, מָרַד) describes willful defiance against authority.

The phrase "even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments" specifies the rebellion—not abstract wrongdoing but deliberate rejection of God's revealed law. "Precepts" (mitzvot, מִצְוֹת) refers to commandments; "judgments" (mishpatim, מִשְׁפָּטִים) denotes case laws and judicial decisions. Israel knew God's requirements yet deliberately chose disobedience, aggravating their guilt. This echoes Paul's teaching that the law increases accountability (Romans 2:12-13).

Daniel's corporate confession ("we") includes himself despite his personal faithfulness (Daniel 1:8, 6:10). This demonstrates covenant solidarity—identifying with the nation's sin even when personally innocent. This models intercessory prayer where believers identify with their community's guilt, confessing corporately while seeking mercy. Christ perfectly fulfilled this pattern, becoming sin for us though personally sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21), and believers share in His intercessory ministry (1 Peter 2:9).

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Historical & Cultural Context

Israel's exile resulted from centuries of covenant violation: idolatry, social injustice, ignoring prophetic warnings, and breaking Sabbath years (2 Chronicles 36:15-21). Despite knowing God's law through Moses and the prophets, they persistently rebelled. Daniel's comprehensive confession acknowledges this history, recognizing that exile wasn't divine caprice but just punishment for knowing, willful sin.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the piling up of sin-terms (sinned, iniquity, wickedly, rebelled) illustrate the comprehensive nature of human guilt before God?
  2. What does Daniel's corporate confession despite personal innocence teach about covenant solidarity and intercessory prayer?
  3. How does acknowledging that sin involves deliberate rejection of known truth (not mere ignorance) affect understanding of human guilt?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 7 words
חָטָ֥אנוּ1 of 7

“We have sinned”

H2398

properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn

וְעָוִ֖ינוּ2 of 7

“and have committed iniquity”

H5753

to crook, literally or figuratively

והִרְשַׁ֣עְנוּ3 of 7

“and have done wickedly”

H7561

to be (causatively, do or declare) wrong; by implication, to disturb, violate

וּמָרָ֑דְנוּ4 of 7

“and have rebelled”

H4775

to rebel

וְס֥וֹר5 of 7

“even by departing”

H5493

to turn off (literally or figuratively)

מִמִּצְוֹתֶ֖ךָ6 of 7

“from thy precepts”

H4687

a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the law)

וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ׃7 of 7

“and from thy judgments”

H4941

properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, ind

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Daniel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Daniel 9:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Daniel 9:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Malachi 3:7Daniel 9:11Daniel 9:15Psalms 106:6Psalms 18:21Hebrews 3:12

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