1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2 in the first year of his reign, I Daniel saw diligently in the books the number of the years, of which the Lord spoke unto Jeremiah the prophet, which would conclude the desolation of Jerusalem in seventy years.
3 And I turned my face unto the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, in fasting and sackcloth, and ashes:
4 and I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said, Now O Lord, thou great God who is worthy to be feared, who keeps the covenant and the mercy with those that love thee and keep thy commandments;