The Meaning of Daniel 9:4 Explained

Daniel 9:4

KJV: 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;

YLT: And I pray to Jehovah my God, and confess, and say: 'I beseech Thee, O Lord God, the great and the fearful, keeping the covenant and the kindness to those loving Him, and to those keeping His commands;

Darby: and I prayed unto Jehovah my God, and made my confession, and said, Alas Lord! the great and terrible God, keeping covenant and loving-kindness with them that love him, and that keep his commandments:

ASV: And I prayed unto Jehovah my God, and made confession, and said, Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does Daniel 9:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Daniel"s prayer ( Daniel 9:4-19) began with confession. This is only the second time in the book that Daniel used the name Yahweh for God (cf. Daniel 9:2; Daniel 9:8; Daniel 9:10; Daniel 9:13-14; Daniel 9:20). He also addressed God as Adonai (master) in Daniel 9:4; Daniel 9:7. It is natural that he would do this, since this chapter describes the most intimate contact that Daniel enjoyed with His God, namely: through Bible study and prayer.

Context Summary

Daniel 9:1-15 - Intercession For A Beloved People
What a prayer is this! In many respects it is a model for us all. It was based on the divine Word. The fact that God had promised to restore the desolations of Jerusalem after seventy years, did not restrain, but prompted and inspired Daniel's prayers. God's promises are not independent of our faith, but await our appropriation. The blank checks are drawn and signed in our favor, but they must be presented at the bank for payment. It was very humble. Fasting, sackcloth, and ashes, were the outward habiliments, but notice the tone. We have sinned"¦ and have rebelled"¦; unto us [1] confusion of face. He confessed his sin and the sin of his people. There is such a thing as vicarious confession, in which some holy soul takes to himself the task of bearing the sins of his people, and pouring out the story before God, as though the sins were his own. But we hardly need go to our country or people for sins to confess, for we have plenty of our own, and the nearer we come to God's infinite light and holiness, the more we abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 9

1  Daniel, considering the time of the captivity,
3  makes confession of sins,
16  and prays for the restoration of Jerusalem
20  Gabriel informs him of the seventy weeks

What do the individual words in Daniel 9:4 mean?

And I prayed to Yahweh my God and made confession and said O Lord God great and awesome who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him and with those who keep His commandments
וָֽאֶתְפַּֽלְלָ֛ה לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהַ֖י וָאֶתְוַדֶּ֑ה וָאֹֽמְרָ֗ה אָנָּ֤א אֲדֹנָי֙ הָאֵ֤ל הַגָּדוֹל֙ וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א שֹׁמֵ֤ר הַבְּרִית֙ וְֽהַחֶ֔סֶד לְאֹהֲבָ֖יו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽיו

וָֽאֶתְפַּֽלְלָ֛ה  And  I  prayed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: פָּלַל 
Sense: to intervene, interpose, pray.
לַיהוָ֥ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהַ֖י  my  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וָאֶתְוַדֶּ֑ה  and  made  confession 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
וָאֹֽמְרָ֗ה  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָנָּ֤א  O 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אָנָּא 
Sense: ah now! I/we beseech you, oh now!, pray now! (participle of entreaty usually followed by the imperative verb).
אֲדֹנָי֙  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
הָאֵ֤ל  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
הַגָּדוֹל֙  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א  and  awesome 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
שֹׁמֵ֤ר  who  keeps 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
הַבְּרִית֙  His  covenant 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
וְֽהַחֶ֔סֶד  and  mercy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
לְאֹהֲבָ֖יו  with  those  who  love  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י  and  with  those  who  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִצְוֺתָֽיו  His  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.