Daniel 9:3
New International Version
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

New Living Translation
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.

English Standard Version
Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

Berean Standard Bible
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

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

New King James Version
Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

New American Standard Bible
So I gave my attention to the Lord God, to seek Him by prayer and pleading, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

NASB 1995
So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

NASB 1977
So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Legacy Standard Bible
So I gave my face to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Amplified Bible
So I directed my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

Christian Standard Bible
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

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

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So I turned to the Lord God and looked to him for help. I prayed, pleaded, and fasted in sackcloth and ashes.

Good News Translation
And I prayed earnestly to the Lord God, pleading with him, fasting, wearing sackcloth, and sitting in ashes.

International Standard Version
"So I turned my attention to the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, accompanied with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Majority Standard Bible
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

NET Bible
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

New Heart English Bible
And I turned to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

World English Bible
I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek [by] prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

Young's Literal Translation
and I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I will give my face to Jehovah God to seek prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to ask and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

New American Bible
I turned to the Lord God, to seek help, in prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

New Revised Standard Version
Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I lifted up my face before the LORD God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and with sackcloth and with ashes;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I lifted my face before LORD JEHOVAH God to inquire in prayer, and in supplication and with fasting, and in sackcloth, and in ashes
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek him diligently by prayer and supplications, with fastings and sackcloth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Daniel's Prayer for His People
2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments,…

Cross References
Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Ezra 8:23
So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.

Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Jeremiah 29:12-13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. / You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

2 Chronicles 20:3
Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.

Matthew 6:16-18
When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. / But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, / so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Jonah 3:5-9
And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. / When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. / Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink. ...

Isaiah 58:5-9
Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD? / Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? / Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? ...

Acts 13:2-3
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

1 Kings 8:47-50
and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ / and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name, / then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause. ...

Luke 2:37
and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

Esther 4:16
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”

Acts 10:30-31
Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me / and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.

1 Samuel 7:6
When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.


Treasury of Scripture

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

I set.

Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Nehemiah 1:4
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Psalm 102:13-17
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come…

with.

Daniel 10:2,3
In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks…

Ezra 8:21
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

Ezra 9:5
And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,

Jump to Previous
Ashes Attention Dust Face Fasting Food Grace Haircloth Petition Petitions Pleaded Prayer Requesting Sackcloth Seek Seeking Supplications Turned Turning
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Ashes Attention Dust Face Fasting Food Grace Haircloth Petition Petitions Pleaded Prayer Requesting Sackcloth Seek Seeking Supplications Turned Turning
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.














So I turned my attention
The phrase "turned my attention" signifies a deliberate and conscious decision by Daniel to focus entirely on God. The Hebrew root here is "natan panim," which means to give one's face or presence. This indicates a purposeful act of devotion and a shift from the distractions of the world to the divine presence. In a historical context, this reflects the Jewish practice of seeking God with intentionality, often in times of distress or need for guidance.

to the Lord God
The title "Lord God" combines "Adonai" and "Elohim," emphasizing both the sovereignty and the power of God. "Adonai" is a term of respect and authority, while "Elohim" denotes might and creative power. This duality underscores Daniel's recognition of God's supreme authority and his reliance on God's omnipotence. Historically, this reflects the Jewish understanding of God as both a personal Lord and a universal Creator.

to seek Him
The act of seeking God, "darash" in Hebrew, implies a diligent and earnest pursuit. It is not a casual inquiry but a deep, heartfelt quest for divine presence and wisdom. This reflects the biblical principle that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). In the context of Daniel, it shows his commitment to understanding God's will and aligning himself with it.

by prayer and petition
"Prayer" (tefillah) and "petition" (tachanunim) together highlight different aspects of communication with God. "Tefillah" is a general term for prayer, encompassing praise, thanksgiving, and requests. "Tachanunim" refers specifically to supplications or pleas for mercy. This dual approach indicates a comprehensive engagement with God, combining reverence with earnest requests. Historically, this reflects the Jewish tradition of approaching God with both structured prayers and personal supplications.

with fasting
Fasting, or "tzom" in Hebrew, is a physical expression of humility and repentance. It is a way to deny oneself and focus on spiritual matters. In the biblical context, fasting is often associated with seeking God's favor or intervention in dire circumstances. For Daniel, fasting signifies his deep commitment to seeking God's guidance and his willingness to humble himself before the Almighty.

sackcloth
Sackcloth, or "saq" in Hebrew, is a coarse material traditionally worn as a sign of mourning or repentance. It symbolizes humility and penitence, reflecting a heart contrite before God. In the ancient Near Eastern culture, wearing sackcloth was a public demonstration of one's sorrow and desire for forgiveness. Daniel's use of sackcloth indicates his deep sorrow for the sins of his people and his earnest desire for God's mercy.

and ashes
Ashes, or "epher" in Hebrew, are another symbol of mourning and repentance. Sprinkling ashes on oneself was a way to express grief and acknowledge one's mortality and sinfulness. In the biblical narrative, ashes represent a return to the dust from which humanity was created, signifying humility and the need for divine grace. Daniel's use of ashes underscores his recognition of human frailty and his dependence on God's mercy.

(3) I set my face.--Comp. Daniel 6:11. Probably he prayed, as on that occasion, with his face towards Jerusalem. The prayer of Daniel bears some resemblance to those offered by Ezra and Nehemiah, while that of Baruch resembles it much more closely. (On this see Excursus F.)

Verse 3. - And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. The Septuagint Version here is slavishly close; it renders אֶתְּנָא ('etruria) in accordance with its more common meaning, ἔδωακ, and the idiomatic phrase, "to seek prayer and supplication," is rendered εὑρεῖν προσευχήν. The true rendering is, as Professor Bevan points out," to set to prayer." Theodotion is nearly as slavish; only he omits "ashes," and has "fastings." The Peshitta is close, but does not follow the change of construction in the last clause. Jerome seems to have read, "my God." The cessation of the temple-worship, with its sacrifices, was naturally fitted to bring prayer as a mode of worship into a prominence it bad not before. Yet we find prayers made while the first temple was yet standing, as the prayer of Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:15), of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:6). The comparison more naturally stands with the prayers of Ezra and Nehemiah, as the subject of their supplication is similar to that of the prayer before us.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So I turned my attention
וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה (wā·’et·tə·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the Lord
אֲדֹנָי֙ (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

God
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

to seek
לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ (lə·ḇaq·qêš)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

Him by prayer
תְּפִלָּ֖ה (tə·p̄il·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8605: Intercession, supplication, a hymn

and petition,
וְתַחֲנוּנִ֑ים (wə·ṯa·ḥă·nū·nîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8469: Supplication for favor

with fasting,
בְּצ֖וֹם (bə·ṣō·wm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6685: Fasting, a fast

sackcloth,
וְשַׂ֥ק (wə·śaq)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8242: A mesh, coarse loose cloth, sacking, a bag

and ashes.
וָאֵֽפֶר׃ (wā·’ê·p̄er)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 665: Ashes


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OT Prophets: Daniel 9:3 I set my face to the Lord (Dan. Da Dn)
Daniel 9:2
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