Passage
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, discerned in the books the number of the years concerning which the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the prophet for the fulfillment of the laying waste of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
Daniel 9:2 (LSB)
Nearby Context
Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, from the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—
Daniel 9:2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, discerned in the books the number of the years concerning which the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the prophet for the fulfillment of the laying waste of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
Daniel 9:3 So I gave my face to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Daniel 9:4 And I prayed to Yahweh my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "first", "year", "reign", "daniel", "discerned", "books", "number", and "years". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "first" and "year", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 1's "In the first year of Darius the..." into verse 3's "So I gave my face to the...", so "first" and "year" belong inside that flow. In Daniel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "first" and "year" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.