The Meaning of Daniel 9:23 Explained

Daniel 9:23

KJV: At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

YLT: at the commencement of thy supplications hath the word come forth, and I have come to declare it, for thou art greatly desired, and understand thou concerning the matter, and consider concerning the appearance.

Darby: At the beginning of thy supplications the word went forth, and I am come to declare it; for thou art one greatly beloved. Therefore consider the word, and have understanding in the vision:

ASV: At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment went forth, and I am come to tell thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

At the beginning  of thy supplications  the commandment  came forth,  and I am come  to shew  [thee]; for thou [art] greatly beloved:  therefore understand  the matter,  and consider  the vision. 

What does Daniel 9:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 9:16-27 - Renewed Favor In God's Own Time
Daniel 9:17-19 have in them a tone of anguish which reminds us of our Lord's words as to the violence which takes the kingdom of heaven by force. God loves to see us in dead earnest. It is not long but strong prayers that prevail with Him. He sometimes seems to deny us, that He may draw us out in supplication. Notice the response to such prayer. Before it was spoken, it was granted, Daniel 9:23. Before Daniel called, he was answered, and while he was yet speaking, he was heard. Pray on! God is more eager to hear and to bless us than we are to pray. Even now the divine answer is hastening towards thee, swifter than the speed of the morning beams across the vault of space. While we are speaking in prayer, nay, before the beginning of our supplication, the angel is sent out, and he is made to fly very swiftly. Six purposes were to be effected within 490 years from a specified date. Some refer these to final Jewish restoration, but for this the last week of the seventy has to be separated from the rest and postponed till "the end of the age." It is more natural to understand the passage as describing here Christ's finished work, and thus we avoid impairing the definiteness of the prophecy by indefinitely prolonging it. "The prince that shall come" seems to refer to the Roman emperor, Vespasian, whose people destroyed Jerusalem. But many think that Daniel 9:27 refers to a future compact between Antichrist and the Jews, previous to their conversion. [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 9:23 mean?

At the beginning of your supplications went out the command and I have come to tell [you] for greatly beloved you [are] therefore understand the matter and consider the vision
בִּתְחִלַּ֨ת תַּחֲנוּנֶ֜יךָ יָצָ֣א דָבָ֗ר וַאֲנִי֙ בָּ֣אתִי לְהַגִּ֔יד כִּ֥י חֲמוּד֖וֹת אָ֑תָּה וּבִין֙ בַּדָּבָ֔ר וְהָבֵ֖ן בַּמַּרְאֶֽה

בִּתְחִלַּ֨ת  At  the  beginning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּחִלָּה  
Sense: beginning, first.
תַּחֲנוּנֶ֜יךָ  of  your  supplications 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: תַּחֲנוּן  
Sense: supplication, supplication for favour.
יָצָ֣א  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
דָבָ֗ר  the  command 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וַאֲנִי֙  and  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
בָּ֣אתִי  have  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לְהַגִּ֔יד  to  tell  [you] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
חֲמוּד֖וֹת  greatly  beloved 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָמַד 
Sense: to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in.
אָ֑תָּה  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
וּבִין֙  therefore  understand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
בַּדָּבָ֔ר  the  matter 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וְהָבֵ֖ן  and  consider 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
בַּמַּרְאֶֽה  the  vision 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.