What Does Daniel 9:19 Mean in the King James?
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The prayer rests on the name the city and people bear: their need calls God to act in keeping with his own nature.
THE MEANING
This prayer gives your present urgency its words: hear and respond, release, attend, act; do not delay. Its ground is God’s own nature, carried by the city and people called by that name.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that mercy is available only when the people deserve it; the prayer appeals to God’s own name.
THE ROOT
סְלַח
sĕlaḥ
GROWS FROM
סלח
S-L-Ḥ
Pardon, forgive.
“forgive” in this verse is sĕlaḥ. Daniel asks for pardon between the pleas to hear and to act, placing it within a direct appeal for response. The same root appears beside “for thy name’s sake” in Psalm 25:11, joining pardon to the nature carried by God’s name.
ALSO GROWS
salach: Pardon or forgive; release the guilt’s claim.
סָלַח
This is the verb Daniel uses, making the plea one for release.
selichah: Forgiveness or pardon.
סְלִיחָה
The related noun names the pardon sought in the verse.
selichot: Pardons; pleas for forgiveness.
סְלִיחוֹת
This related form shows the root also names appeals for pardon.
נִקְרָא
niqra
GROWS FROM
קרא
Q-R-ʾ
Call, summon, proclaim, or name.
“called” in this verse is niqra. The verb can mean to call, summon, or name. Paired with שֵׁם (shem, name and nature), it describes a people whose identity is bound to the name they bear.
ALSO GROWS
qara: Call out, summon, or name.
קָרָא
The underlying verb holds calling and naming together.
miqra: A convocation or assembly called together.
מִקְרָא
The branch shows how a call can gather people into a shared identity.
שְׁמָעָה
shĕmāʿāh
GROWS FROM
שמע
Sh-M-ʿ
Hear and listen; hear with response when the context calls for it.
“hear” in this verse is shĕmāʿāh. The prayer moves from hearing to pardon, attention, and action. Here, hearing is asked to become response, not remain mere reception.
ALSO GROWS
shama: Hear or listen; hear and respond when response is implied.
שָׁמַע
This root gives Daniel’s opening plea its sense of attentive response.
shemuʿah: A report or news; something heard.
שְׁמוּעָה
The related noun makes the link between hearing and what is received explicit.
THE PATTERN
The plea for mercy and restoration rests on the nature carried by God’s name, even when the people’s brokenness is exposed.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.THE THREAD
For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.Psalm 25:11 uses the same Hebrew root סלח (salach, pardon or forgive) and ties it directly to “thy name’s sake.” The plea leaves the guilt explicit, “for it is great”, and locates its ground in the nature carried by God’s name.
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