>[!bible]- [Daniel 9:1-27 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**1**In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans-- ^**2**in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was [revealed as] the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, [namely], seventy years. ^**3**So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek [Him by] prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. ^**4**I prayed to the LORD 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, ^**5**we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. ^**6**'Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land. ^**7**'Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day-- to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. ^**8**'Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. ^**9**'To the Lord our God [belong] compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; ^**10**nor have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets. ^**11**'Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. ^**12**'Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done [anything] like what was done to Jerusalem. ^**13**'As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth. ^**14**'Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice. ^**15**'And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day-- we have sinned, we have been wicked. ^**16**'O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people [have become] a reproach to all those around us. ^**17**'So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. ^**18**'O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. ^**19**'O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.' ^**20**Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, ^**21**while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in [my] extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. ^**22**He gave [me] instruction and talked with me and said, 'O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. ^**23**'At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell [you], for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision. ^**24**'Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy [place]. ^**25**'So you are to know and discern [that] from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince [there will be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. ^**26**'Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end [will come] with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. ^**27**'And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations [will come] one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.' %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% # One Of The Hardest OT Prophecies Daniel 9:24–27 stands at the heart of biblical prophecy and remains one of the most debated passages in the Old Testament. Any serious study of Daniel must grapple with these verses, for they set the stage not only for Second Temple history but for the unfolding drama of Israel’s redemption and the coming of Messiah. Scholars have marshaled their arguments into four broad camps, each locating the prophecy’s fulfillment in a distinct historical or theological context The Seventy Weeks of Daniel is widely regarded as one of the most difficult passages in the Old Testament. As noted by [[@Young1949-ra|Young]] and [[@Culver1977-zj|Robert Culver]], the interpretations of this prophecy are nearly as numerous as they are varied. Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy stands as one of the most debated and significant texts in biblical prophecy. Scholars have marshaled their arguments into four broad camps, each locating the prophecy’s fulfillment in a distinct historical or theological context: - **Historic Maccabean Fulfillment** – This view sees the prophecy culminating in the 2nd century BC, specifically in 167 BC with the martyrdom of Onias III and the desecration of the Temple under Antiochus IV Epiphanes. - **Academic/Secular** scholarship, treats the Book of Daniel as a work written in the 2nd century BC rather than in the 6th century. The seventy weeks are seen as a retrospective timetable centered on Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Rather than a prophecy of a coming Messiah or end-times, it is viewed as a coded retelling meant to encourage Jews under oppression. - **The destruction of Herod’s Temple in AD 70** – Often combined with the life and ministry of Jesus, this view places the end of the seventy weeks in the first century AD, culminating with the Roman siege and destruction of the Second Temple. - **A fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ** – Interprets the “anointed one cut off” as Jesus’ death, with His crucifixion marking the end of the sacrificial system and the inauguration of the New Covenant. (5 For example, Doukhan, 251–76; Owusu-Antwi, 79–88, 173–78; Shea, “Poetic Relations,” 277–82; idem., “Prophecy of Daniel 9:24–27,” 75–118; idem., “Unity of Daniel,” 165–255.). - **A future eschatological fulfillment** – Interprets the seventy weeks as extending beyond the immediate post-exilic or first-century context, with the final week reserved for ultimate eschatological events such as the rise of a final adversary, a time of tribulation, and the coming of God’s kingdom. - **Dispensational futurism** – A specific subset that sees Daniel’s prophecy as a blueprint for end-time chronology. It emphasizes the **gap theory**, positing a pause between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks to account for the present Church Age, and identifies the final week with the Antichrist, the tribulation, and the return of Christ. >[!warning] While many of these frameworks treat the "weeks" as **rigid chronological units** ending on specific dates (e.g., 490 literal years), other interpretations—especially symbolic and literary approaches—downplay **precise calendrical fulfillment**. ## Structure The Book of Daniel employs a double chiastic structure to emphasize key themes of God's sovereignty, the rise and fall of empires, and the ultimate fulfillment of His plans. **Daniel 9 serves as the centerpiece** of the second half of the book, focusing on the prophecy of the 70 weeks. This is the prophecy Daniel received from Gabriel in response to his prayer of confession in Dan 9. >[!INFO]- Structure Of Daniel ![[Structure Of Daniel#Chiastic Overview Of Daniel]] # These Questions Will Determine Your View Before we study this passage it is very important to clarify terms and phrases used throughout the verse using [[How To Read The Bible Notes#Exegesis|Exegesis]]. If this article wishes to present Daniel as evidence for Biblical fulfillment of prophecy we will need to establish the context and meaning of various terms without presenting a theological viewpoint. Several interrelated questions determine one’s view on the main issue of the prophecy’s fulfillment: 1. **What is the passage's primary purpose?** - What overarching themes or goals are emphasized in Daniel 9? - How do these goals relate to Israel, the Messiah, and eschatology? 2. **Are the time periods (seven weeks, 62 weeks, half a week, one week) literal or symbolic?** - If not symbolic, which calendar system applies—solar, lunar, or prophetic? - Should the 7 and 62 weeks be read as one period (69 weeks, NIV) or two distinct periods (ESV)? 3. **What decree starts the weeks?** - The text mentions "*from the going forth of the word*" (Dan 9:25), but who issues this decree? - Is it God Himself? Cyrus (539 BC), Artaxerxes (457 BC or 444 BC), or another ruler? - How do different starting points affect the timeline's conclusion? 4. **Who is the "anointed one" in Dan 9:25?** - Is this the same figure as the anointed one in Dan 9:26? - Could this refer to a historical Jewish ruler, the Messiah, or another significant figure? - What are the implications of the anointed one being "cut off"? 5. **Who makes the "strong covenant with the many" in Dan 9:27?** - Is this the same as the "Prince of the covenant" in Daniel 11? - Is this covenant confirmed by Christ, a future ruler, or another key figure? 6. **Who is "The People" and who is their "Prince"?** - Is this the Romans? - Is the prince of the people a historical leader, the Antichrist or the Messiah 7. **What is the nature of the covenant in Dan 9:27?** - Does the covenant signify a religious agreement, a political treaty, or something else? 8. **When does the 70th week begin and end?** - Does it immediately follow the 69th week, or is there a gap? - What key events mark the beginning and end of the 70th week? - How do interpretations of the 70th week influence views on the tribulation and the end times? Interpreters who agree on some questions disagree on others, creating a multiplicity of views on how to understand Daniel’s Seventy Weeks. It has been called the “*Dismal Swamp of O.T. criticism*” ([[@Boice2021-ll]]), This article may not be able to answer everything about the passage, but we should be able to start in the right direction. >[!Warning] We need to be careful about how we read this 70 weeks prophecy > This passage in **Daniel 9:24-27** has been a major point of contention between **Christian** and **Jewish** interpretations. Critics argue that *Christian translations* (KJV, NASB, and NKJV) often manipulate key phrases to align with **preconceived theological beliefs**, particularly in an effort to prove that **Jesus is the Messiah**. The New Testament itself does not explicitly reference this passage as proof of Jesus' coming, raising questions about its **actual relevance** to Christian theology. For example, the word *"Mashiach"* (**anointed one**) is often translated as *"Messiah"*, implying a direct reference to Jesus, even though the text itself does not explicitly identify the figure. Additionally, the phrase **"v’ein lo"** is sometimes mistranslated as *"but not for himself"*, rather than its more literal meaning, *"he shall have nothing"*. These are seen as deliberate attempts to reinforce Christian doctrine rather than reflect the plain meaning of the Hebrew text. Furthermore, critics highlight that Christian translations often **omit definite articles** or **rearrange sentence structures** to fit a **Messianic narrative**. For instance, some translations **ignore the division** between seven weeks and sixty-two weeks, which suggests two separate anointed figures rather than a single Messianic arrival. > Another major issue is the timeline of the Seventy Weeks prophecy. Many Christian scholars, such as **Robert Anderson** and **Harold Hoehner**, have proposed calculations that attempt to pinpoint the arrival of Jesus based on the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus. However, Jewish sources overwhelmingly support the decree of **Cyrus** as the edict allowing for the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:28, 45:13; Zechariah 1:16; Ezra 6:14) > **All of these issues will need to be addressed by this article.** # 1. What is the goal of the Passage We can answer these objections by returning to [Daniel 9:24](https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Daniel+9.24&t=NASB95) and asking, _What are the seventy weeks about?_ It’s clear from the six objectives listed in the verse that the seventy weeks are about putting an end to sin and accomplishing final redemption. However, it’s crucial to see that Gabriel’s arrival and message are also a direct response to Daniel’s prayer in verses 4–19 ([Daniel 9:20–23](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.20-23)). Daniel had just discovered by reading the words of Jeremiah that this captivity was nearing an end ([Daniel 9:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.2)). Daniel pleads for the forgiveness of Israel’s sins and the restoration of their covenant and of Jerusalem. In answer, Gabriel reveals that the seventy weeks have been decreed to accomplish these very requests. Each objective in verse 24 directly addresses the core themes of Daniel’s prayer: the plea for Jerusalem’s restoration ([Daniel 9:16–19](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.16-19)), the confession of national sin ([Daniel 9:4–6](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.4-6), [9](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.9)), and the appeal to God’s covenant mercy and righteousness ([Daniel 9:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.2), [9:15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.15)). In short, the prophecy of the seventy weeks is God’s comprehensive plan to resolve every burden Daniel laid before Him in prayer. >[!Important]- Daniels Prayer and The Covenant > ### Daniel's Prayer > #### 1. The Prompt for Prayer > Daniel’s intercession is prompted by his reading of the prophet Jeremiah and his own prophecy concerning the seventy years of desolation for Jerusalem ([Daniel 9:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.2); cf. [Jeremiah 25:11-12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.25.11-12); [29:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.29.10)). Jeremiah had foretold seventy years of Babylonian captivity, after which God would hear the prayers of a repentant people and restore them: > > > [!bible]+ [Jeremiah 29:10 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/24/29/) > > ^**10**'For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. > %% #Jeremiah #Jeremiah29 %% > > recognizing that the appointed time was nearing its completion, Daniel turns to God in prayer and takes up the role of intercessor, confessing national guilt and appealing to God’s covenant faithfulness in hopes of seeing that restoration realized. ([Jeremiah 29:12-14](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.29.12-14)). In this, Daniel acts as a **covenant intercessor**, pleading not his people’s merit but God’s mercy. > > #### 2. Covenant and Liturgical Tradition > > Daniel’s prayer participates in a rich **liturgical tradition of intercession**. Echoes of **Solomon’s dedication prayer** ([1 Kings 8](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1KI.8)), **Jeremiah’s laments** ([Jeremiah 26](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.26); [Jeremiah 32](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.32); [Jeremiah 44](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.44)), and the **confessional prayers of Ezra and Nehemiah** ([Ezra 9](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EZR.9); [Nehemiah 1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NEH.1); [Nehemiah 9](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NEH.9)). A significant portion of Daniel’s prayer consists of language drawn directly from these earlier compositions. > > Strikingly, this is the **only chapter in Daniel to use the covenant name YHWH** (LORD) — in [Daniel 9:2](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.2;esv?t=biblia), [4](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.4;esv?t=biblia), [10](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.10;esv?t=biblia), [13](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.13;esv?t=biblia), [14](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.14;esv?t=biblia), [20](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.20;esv?t=biblia). > > Daniel begins his intercession by invoking God’s covenant promise is an almost identical way with [Neh 1:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NEH.1.5),[9:32](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NEH.9.32), based ultimately on Deuteronomy ([Daniel 9:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.4)), . > > > [!bible]+ [Deuteronomy 7:9 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/5/7/) > > ^**9**'Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; > %% #Deuteronomy #Deuteronomy7 %% > > > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:4 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > > ^**4**I prayed to the LORD 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, > %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% > > > #### 3. Confession and Covenant Language > > Daniel’s prayer draws deeply from **Deuteronomic theology**, recognizing Israel’s exile as the just result of covenant infidelity ([Lev 26:14-39](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.14-39); [Deut 28](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DEU.28)). This prayer doesn't invent new theology but **repeats the vocabulary of covenant failure and hope for restoration**: > > > > | **Daniel 9** | **Corresponding Deuteronomy Passage** | **Connection** | > | ------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | > | **[Daniel 9:4](https://biblehub.com/daniel/9-4.htm)** | [Deuteronomy 7:9](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/7-9.htm), [7:21](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/7-21.htm), [10:17](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/10-17.htm) | Emphasizes God's covenant faithfulness, greatness, and steadfast love for those who obey Him. | > | **[Daniel 9:5](https://biblehub.com/daniel/9-5.htm)** | [Deuteronomy 17:20](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/17-20.htm) | Highlights Israel’s rebellion and failure to follow God's laws, leading to their downfall. | > | **[Daniel 9:10](https://biblehub.com/daniel/9-10.htm)** | [Deuteronomy 4:8](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/4-8.htm), [4:30](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/4-30.htm), [11:32](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/11-32.htm) | Reinforces the importance of obeying God's commandments and the consequences of disobedience. | > | **[Daniel 9:11](https://biblehub.com/daniel/9-11.htm)** | [Deuteronomy 29:20](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/29-20.htm), [33:1](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/33-1.htm), [34:5](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/34-5.htm) | Shows the fulfillment of covenant curses due to Israel’s disobedience, resulting in exile and suffering. | > | **[Daniel 9:12](https://biblehub.com/daniel/9-12.htm)** | [Deuteronomy 2:25](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/2-25.htm), [4:19](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/4-19.htm), [9:5](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/9-5.htm) | Illustrates God's judgment upon Israel and His sovereignty over nations, fulfilling His warnings. | > | **[Daniel 9:15](https://biblehub.com/daniel/9-15.htm)** | [Deuteronomy 6:21](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/6-21.htm) | Links Israel’s past deliverance from Egypt to their present plea for mercy, recognizing God's power in redemption. | > | **[Daniel 9:18](https://biblehub.com/daniel/9-18.htm)** | [Deuteronomy 28:10](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/28-10.htm) | Emphasizes God's reputation among the nations and the need for His mercy rather than Israel’s righteousness. | > > The prayer is indeed saturated with expressions drawn from Deuteronomy and there many **other covenant words** found here include ‘**ahab**, “_love_” ([Dan 9:4](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.4;esv?t=biblia)), **hesed**, “_covenant loyalty_” ([Dan 9:4](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.4;esv?t=biblia)), **sub**, “_turn_” ([Dan 9:13](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.13;esv?t=biblia), [16](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.16;esv?t=biblia)), and **hata**, “_sin_” ([Dan 9:5](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.5;esv?t=biblia), [8](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.8;esv?t=biblia), [11](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.11;esv?t=biblia), [15](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.15;esv?t=biblia)). > > > #### 4. A Covenant Based On God’s Character > > Daniel intercedes based not on Israel’s righteousness but on **God’s faithfulness** and concern for His name among the nations ([Dan 9:15-19](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.15-19)). Daniel knew this from a vast number of passages. The covenant God is a God of kindness ([Psalm 130:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.130.7)). He delights in it and, because of it, assures Israel that He will stand true to His covenant even when they are in exile ([Micah 7:18](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/MIC.7.18)). He is kind in His deliverance from enemies and other troubles ([Psalm 21:8](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.21.8); [143:8, 12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.143.8,12)). So men rejoice in His kindness and hope in it ([Psalm 33:18](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.33.18)). He is kind in keeping His covenant with David ([2 Samuel 7:15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2SA.7.15), [22:51](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2SA.22.51); [1 Chronicles 17:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1CH.17.13) ) and in our restoration ([Psalm 109:26](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.109.26); [119:41](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.119.41), [76](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.119.76), [88](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.119.88), [124](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.119.124), [149](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.119.149), [159](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.119.159)). He is the God who gives what Daniel what his people need—forgiveness, hope, covenant fulfillment. Scripture repeatedly affirms that this God preserves those who love Him and remain faithful to His word (e.g., [Psalm 145:20](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.145.20); [Psalm 119:17, 44](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.119.17,44)). He recalls the Exodus as a precedent for redemption and pleads for God to act once again "*for His own sake.*" Daniel follows the biblical model of intercessors like **Moses** and **Solomon** (cf. [Deut 9:26-28](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DEU.9.26-28)), where Moses likewise reminded God of His promises, reputation, and prior acts of mercy and appealed to **God’s character, not Israel’s righteousness**: > > > [!bible]+ [Deuteronomy 9:28 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/5/9/) > > ^**28**'Otherwise the land from which You brought us may say, 'Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which He had promised them and because He hated them He has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.' > %% #Deuteronomy #Deuteronomy9 %% > > This is why Daniel repeatedly acknowledges Israel’s guilt in breaking God’s commandments ([Daniel 9:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.5)) and understood the **Babylonian exile** as the fulfillment of those warnings given in the Torah ([Daniel 9:11](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.11)) The logic is covenantal: If exile was promised for disobedience, then **confession should result in restoration**—as outlined clearly in **Leviticus 26**: > > 1. **Unfaithfulness leads to exile** – [Leviticus 26:14–39](https://ref.ly/Lev%2026.14-39;esv?t=biblia) > > 2. **Confession leads to remembrance** – [Leviticus 26:40–45](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.40-45) > > Daniel echoes this pattern: confessing sin (vv.5–11), acknowledging God’s justice (vv.7, 14), and pleading for mercy based on **God’s covenant promises**. > > > #### 5. Daniel as Intercessor > > What distinguishes Daniel’s prayer is its **post-exilic placement**: he prays while still in exile, fulfilling the very **conditions for restoration** laid out in the Torah. > > > **Daniel 9:17–18** > > _“O our God, listen... For we are not presenting our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of Your great mercy.”_ > > Daniel is asking God to “listen” ([Daniel 9:17](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.17)) and remember His covenant even during times of exile and not to destroy His people ([Leviticus 26:40-45](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.40-45)). Daniel is the fulfillment of [Jeremiah 29:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.29.12) that God would listen to the prayers of the exiles and restore Israel to her land. > > #### 6. What Is This Covenant? > > > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:4 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > > ^**4**I prayed to the LORD 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, > %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% > > The covenant God whom Daniel addresses is the one who established promises to Adam ([Genesis 1:28-30](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.1.28-30), [2:15-17](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.2.15-17); [Hosea 6:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/HOS.6.7)) and Noah ([Genesis 9:8-17](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.9.8-17)). God extended the covenant and made a nation from Abraham ([Genesis 12:1-3](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.12.1-3), [7](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.12.7); [17]), ratifying it by walking alone between the sacrifices while Abraham slept ([Genesis 15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.15)) and then reaffirmed with Jacob ([Genesis 28:15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.28.15), [20](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.28.20)). Later He made a covenant and pledged an everlasting throne to David ([2 Samuel 7:15-16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2SA.7.15-16)) that even when His people fail and have to be disciplined, He would not break His promise ([Psalm 89:30-37](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.89.30-37)). When Daniel appeals to God's covenant in Daniel 9:4, he is not merely referring to the Mosaic Law or the conditions given at Sinai. Rather, he is invoking the broader **Abrahamic covenant**—the promise of blessing that ultimately finds its fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah. > In verse 16, Daniel will ask God to turn His anger and fury from “*Your city Jerusalem, **Your holy mountain***” To Daniel and the Jewish people, the “*holy mountain*” harkened back to [Genesis 22](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.22), where God made a covenant with Abraham after he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac and that Moses would receive the law. It was on these same mountains that Solomon would later build the First Temple, establishing a permanent dwelling place for God among His people. Gabriel’s response in Daniel 9:24 directly answers Daniel’s intercession for Israel, outlining a plan that resolves Israel’s sin, fulfills the covenant, and restores righteousness. Each of the six objectives in Daniel 9:24 serves as a resolution to the burdens Daniel presents—transgression will be finished, sin will be atoned for, and everlasting righteousness will be established. 1. **"To finish the transgression"** - The phrase _“to finish the transgression”_ (**לְכַלֵּא הַפֶּשַׁע**) signals the culmination or restraint of Israel’s rebellion. The singular use of _“the transgression”_ (**הַפֶּשַׁע**) may point to Israel’s collective rebellion, especially the breach of covenant that led to exile ([Daniel 9:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.5), [9-11](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.9-11)). It’s deliberate, high-handed defiance (cf. Isa 1:2; Amos 2:4).The Hebrew verb _kālā’_ can mean “*to bring to completion*” or “*to restrain*,”. - In covenantal terms, it may imply **God bringing the period of rebellion and punishment to a decisive close**, where repentance leads to God remembering the covenant. This objective is deeply tied to Daniel’s covenantal appeal ([Leviticus 26:40-42](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.40-42)) in verses 4–19. Gabriel’s message in verse 24 assures Daniel that this long-standing transgression will be definitively addressed. - Many scholars believe Daniel was aware of Isaiah’s Servant figure and intentionally integrated its theology into his vision. Both Daniel and Isaiah view sin as covenant violation. Isaiah 53 describes God’s response: The **Servant of the Lord** is described as one who suffering provided the means to end covenant unfaithfulness, fulfilling Israel’s need for restoration. The Servant is pierced “*for our transgressions*” (v.5), cut off “*for the transgression of my people*” (v.8), and ultimately bears “*the sin of many*” and “*intercedes for the transgressors*” (v.12). His suffering secures healing, intercession, and covenantal restoration. 2. **"To make an end of sin"** - The clause “*to seal up sins*” (**לַחְתֵּם חַטָּאוֹת**) means to close the ledger. this signals closure—like a scroll rolled tight and stamped shut, barring any further entries of guilt. This is he more general term for **sins**, which includes both unintentional offenses and habitual failure (see Leviticus 4–5). - Daniel had pleaded for forgiveness (Dan 9:16–19), yet the blood of the Day of Atonement that is referred to in his prayer (Lev 16) merely deferred judgment. Here, God reveals that a definitive atonement is coming—justice resolved and sin finalized. - The prophets spoke of a future cleansing—one achieved by a singular, anointed figure. Isaiah 53 foretells this through a suffering servant who bears the sins of many. Zechariah builds on this: in 3:9, God lays a Stone before Joshua that will be the promised “Branch,” through whom iniquity is removed in a single day. That Stone, engraved and watched by “*seven eyes*,” evokes the cornerstone—the foundational figure rejected yet chosen (cf. Psalm 118:22, see [[Jesus Is The Cornerstone]]) The cleansing culminates in Zechariah 13:1 as a fountain opened “*for sin and impurity.*” Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36 describe the result—Under the new covenant God “*remembers sins no more*,” sprinkles clean water on the people, and swaps out their stone hearts for living ones. the result is that obedience flows from within, no longer imposed by external law. 3. **"To make atonement for iniquity"** - The phrase _"to make atonement for iniquity"_ (**וּלְכַפֵּר עָוֹן**) uses the verb _kippēr_—a Levitical term meaning “to cover, reconcile, or purge,” for blood-based atonement: guilt is figuratively hidden from sight and the relationship repaired. The noun _ʿāwōn_ refers to the deep moral twisting of sin. Thus Gabriel is promising nothing less than a full removal of Israel’s covenant-breach. - This Addresses the need for reconciliation between God and His people, as Daniel appeals for God to turn away His wrath and forgive ([Daniel 9:16-17](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.16-17)). [Leviticus 16:30](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.16.30) highlights the Day of Atonement as a means of cleansing from sin. - Once again, the promised servant will deal decisively with sin: _“The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”_ (Isaiah 53:6). His atoning work ensures that sin’s power is broken, bringing the justice Daniel longed for. _“By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities”_ (Isaiah 53:11). - Moreover, **Zechariah 3** offers a striking parallel. In a vision of Joshua the high priest, clothed in filthy garments (symbolizing iniquity), God declares, _“I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day”_ (Zechariah 3:9). 4. **"To bring in everlasting righteousness"** - While the noun **sedeq** (“*righteousness*”) is used frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible, the exact phrase “*everlasting righteousness*” does not appear elsewhere in the Old Testament. However this word and theme is used repeatedly in Isaiah. The prophet looked forward to a day when the Lord would _“teach us concerning His ways”_ ([Isaiah 2:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.2.3)), and many passages describe how God will transform the nation in righteousness. In [Isaiah 1:26](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.1.26), Jerusalem is promised to be called _“the city of righteousness, a faithful city.”_ In [Isaiah 11](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.11), the promised shoot from the stem of Jesse—the branch—_“will judge the poor with righteousness,”_ and _“righteousness will be the belt about His loins.”_ This vision culminates in [Isaiah 62:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.62.1), where God declares, _“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent... until her righteousness goes forth like brightness.”_ Likewise, [Jeremiah 23:5–6](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.23.5-6) foretells a coming king from David’s line who will reign with righteousness and justice. - Addresses Daniel’s longing for the restoration of covenant faithfulness and divine justice (Daniel 9:7, 18). The Jews were anticipating what the Messiah, the Son of David, would accomplish for Israel and the world—ushering in a kingdom marked by righteousness ([Isaiah 16:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.16.5) cf. [Isaiah 32:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.32.1)). 5. **"To seal up vision and prophecy"** - The Hebrew phrase *laḥtōm ḥāzôn wenāḇî’* (**“לַחְתֹּם חָזוֹן וְנָבִיא”**) means “*to seal up vision and prophet*” or “*to authenticate and complete vision and prophecy*.” The verb _ḥātam_ ("*to seal*") can imply both **completion** (as when a document is finalized) and **authentication** (as in marking something with authority). This phrase implies the culmination of the prophetic era—when the visions and promises God gave through the prophets are **fulfilled**, and no further revelation is needed. The focus is not on silencing prophecy, but **bringing prophetic revelation to fulfillment**. - This anticipates the arrival of the **Messiah**, who fulfills what was foretold in the Law and the Prophets. The messianic servant in [Isaiah 42:6-7](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.42.6-7) brings God's covenant promises to the nations and opens the eyes of the blind. - Daniel prays with Jeremiah’s prophecy of 70 years in view ([Daniel 9:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.2)), longing for God's word to come to pass. This objective assures him that **God’s prophetic plan will be fully realized**, not just in ending exile, but in fulfilling **every word of the covenant promises** spoken through the prophets. 6. **"To anoint the most holy place"** (or "*Holy of Holies*") - The Hebrew phrase *welimshoaḥ qodesh qadashim* (**וְלִמְשֹׁחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים**) is typically translated “*to anoint the most holy*” or “*the most holy place*.” This phrase, _qodesh qadashim_ (lit. “holy of holies”), most often refers to the **inner sanctuary** of the tabernacle or temple—the innermost room where God's presence dwelled (e.g., Exodus 26:33–34, Leviticus 16:2). It may instead refer to the whole Temple ([Exodus 29:37](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.29.37), [Ezekiel 43:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EZK.43.12)). While the term can sometimes refer to individuals (such as priests or kings), the absence of a definite article here suggests that the phrase points more likely to a **place**—either the _Holy of Holies_ or the entire **sanctuary** as a whole. Notably, Ezekiel’s temple vision uses similar language for the entire structure being holy ([Ezekiel 43:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EZK.43.12)) and anticipates its purification and rededication in the age to come (Ezekiel 40–48). Ezekiel’s visions of a future temple (Ezekiel 40–48) end with the declaration: _“The Lord is there”_ (Ezekiel 48:35), emphasizing renewed divine presence. - Anointing, in the Torah, was used to consecrate sacred **objects** and **spaces** for service to God. For example, in Exodus 30:26–29, Moses is commanded to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark, and all related furnishings to make them “most holy.” - In [Daniel 9:17–18](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.17-18), Daniel passionately pleads for God to let His face shine again on His **desolated sanctuary**, which had been destroyed by Babylon. This objective directly responds to that plea: the "anointing of the most holy" promises that the temple will not only be **restored**, but also **consecrated anew**—set apart once more for true worship and the reestablishment of God’s presence among His people. >[!example]+ The Dual Focus Of The Passage >This prophecy functions as the **theological and structural center** of the second half of the entire Book of Daniel, framed within a complex chiastic architecture. This chiasm dual focus on “*your people*” (**Israel**) and “*your holy city*” (**Jerusalem**). This duality is emphasized through precise Hebrew parallelism: **six prophetic goals** are split evenly between Israel’s moral reconciliation (*atonement, sealing sin, bringing righteousness*) and Jerusalem’s redemptive purpose (*sealed prophecy, anointing the holy place, covenantal restoration*). Because of the already established nature of the covenant from Daniels prayer. The structure implies intentional causality—Jerusalem was rebuilt to receive the Messiah, but its destruction follows His rejection. This establishes a cause-and-effect dynamic, the authors of the NT seems to have made this connection as well in [Luke 19:44](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LUK.19.44) (The seventy weeks of Dan 9: An exegetical study). Where they connection the city and it's judgement to the rejection of the Messiah > Read more details here at [[Structure Of Daniel#Chiastic Structures|The Parallel Focus Of Daniel 9]] # 2. Are the time periods literal or symbolic? Daniel states that this prophecy is concerned with a period of 70 weeks. The term for "week" in the original text is *"šā·ḇū·a"* (**שָׁבוּעַ**) or the plural form *"šā·ḇu·‘îm"* (**שָׁבֻעִ֨ים**). This period is typically divided into three segments: 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week, collectively known as the ***70 "šā·ḇu·‘îm."***. 1. **The first seven "weeks" (49 years)** - These _weeks_ align with the Jubilee Year cycle in [Leviticus 25:1-5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.1-5), also 49 years ([[@Young-MAUnknown-rm]]). Many see this period as when Jerusalem would be rebuilt (_banah_, [link](https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1129.htm)) and restored (_shuwb_, [link](https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7725.htm)). The _banah_/**rebuilding** and _shuwb_/**restoration** of Jerusalem emphasize physical reconstruction, including the city’s walls, plazas (_rĕchob_), and defensive moats (_charuwts_) as described in Daniel 9:25. 2. **The sixty-two "weeks" (434 years)** - Following the initial 49 years, Daniel 9:25 states that another 62 _"weeks"_ will pass _"until Messiah the Prince"_. This period extends from the completion of Jerusalem’s rebuilding to the arrival of the Messiah. - The culmination of this 434-year period leads to Daniel 9:26, which foretells that the Messiah would be _“cut off”_ (**Hebrew: karath**, meaning “to be killed”) **after** this period. 3. **The final “week” (7 years)** - This critical period is marked by a covenant and is often interpreted as the week during which the Messiah would be _“cut off.”_ 4. **Aftereffects**: - Significant events affecting the sanctuary and city occur, including their destruction, as foretold in the prophecy. There are two primary ways interpreters understand Daniel’s “70 weeks”: **Symbolic interpretation**: - Sees the “seventy weeks” as a figurative framework rather than a literal timeline. The numbers are understood to convey theological completeness and divine design, similar to other symbolic periods in prophetic literature (e.g., Zech 4’s seven lamps, or the seventy elders in Exod 24). In this view, Daniel’s period of 70 weeks is a stylized expression of God’s predetermined plan to bring about the six covenant goals in verse 24, without tying them to an exact count of years. Proponents point out that ancient Hebrew often used numerical patterns for rhetorical and symbolic purposes. > [!caution]- William Struse View > An alternative approach to Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy, treats the numbers 13 and 14 as **deliberate prophetic markers** embedded in the timeline rather than literal historical years. The biblical calendar is a lunar-solar system, combining the solar year (365.24 days) and lunar month (29.53 days). To keep these two cycles synchronized, a **13th month is added ("intercalated") every three years or so**. This process of reconciliation through a 13th month as a symbol or Jesus reconciling us. > > Reason's include: > - Many biblical feasts involve **13 or 14 sacrifices**. The Passover lamb, a direct type of Chirst, is sacrificed on the **14th of Nisan** (Exodus 12:6), the Feast of Unleavened Bread requires **13 offerings consumed over 14 days**, and the Feast of Tabernacles totals **182 offerings** (13 × 14) (Numbers 29:12–38). > - The Apostle Matthew arranges Jesus’s genealogy to highlight **13 and 14 generations**, > - The arrangement of Matthew's list is similar to the countdown of sacrifices from 13 to 7 in the Feast of Tabernacles, totaling 70 sacrifices > - Matthew 1 lists 41 generations from Abraham to Jesus, which is notably congruent with the 41 Jubilee cycles from Abraham to Jesus, and even from Adam to Abraham > - If Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, His birth coincides with the **13th or 14th priestly course** (1 Chronicles 24:7–19). > - The Hebrew name David has a numerical value of **14**, and he is the 14 generation in Matthew 1, further connecting this number to kingship and the Messiah > - Lunar And Solar Cycles T > - The moon's light naturally **waxes for 13 or 14 days and then wanes for another 13 or 14 days** within each lunar cycle > - The solar year is structured with **4 seasons, each 13 weeks long**, resulting in 4 x 13 = 52 weeks in a year > - Other Uses of 13/14 > - David’s name has a numerical value of **14**, associating kingship with the Messiah (1 Samuel 16:1–13). > - Paul is the **13th apostle**, his ministry involved breaking down the "middle wall of partition" that separated Jews and Gentiles ,accessed by **14 steps and guarded by 13 gates** (Acts 9:15; Ephesians 2:14–18). > > In this framework, the calculation is divided into three main epochs, each corresponding to key events in Jesus’ life and ministry. > - **First Epoch: Seven Weeks (7 shabuwa / 70 sevens)** > - **Unit Used:** 13-lunar-cycle (515 solar years) > - **Timeline:** 520 BC → 5 BC > - **Significance:** Marks the period leading to the **conception of Jesus**, aligning with the symbolic laying of His “foundation” and the rebuilding of the temple (Haggai 2:18–20; Zechariah 1:16–17). > - **Second Epoch: Sixty-Two Weeks (62 shabuwa / 483 periods)** > - **Unit Used:** 14-lunar-cycle (546.71 solar years) > - **Timeline:** 520 BC → 28 AD > - **Significance:** Leads to the **beginning of Jesus’ public ministry**, around age thirty (Luke 3:23), fulfilling the prophetic countdown to the Messiah’s ministry. > - **Third Epoch: Seventieth Week (Final Shabuwa)** > - **Unit Used:** 14-lunar-cycle year (7.92 solar years) > - **Timeline:** Fall 28 AD → Fall 36 AD > - **Significance:** Begins with the **Transfiguration** (Matthew 17:1–9), ends near the **conversion of Paul** (Acts 9). > - **Extended View:** If increased by one magnitude, this final epoch could extend to the traditional time of John’s death, the last living eyewitness apostle. > ## Why it doesn't work > - This method treats the initial seven weeks (7) and the subsequent sixty-two weeks (62) as separate epochs requiring distinct prophetic “multipliers” (13 vs. 14 lunar cycles). See my notes on [[The 70 Weeks of Daniel#7+62 or 69 Weeks?|7+62 or 69 Weeks?]] > - Switching from 13-cycle to 14-cycle mid-prophecy (**first 7 weeks vs. next 62 weeks**) is arbitrary. The 13-lunar-cycle calculation begins at 520 BC, and then the 14-lunar-cycle calculation **restarts from the same year**, effectively “re-running the prophecy” rather than continuing it. This only works if the 7 + 62 is how it's originally supposed to be read. > - Introducing symbolic cycles risks **reading back typology into Daniel** rather than interpreting the prophecy on its own terms. While the numbers appear in biblical feasts, genealogies, and lunar cycles, the text of Daniel 9 itself **never links these numbers to prophetic timing**. Using external typology to define prophetic units risks **reading back meaning into the prophecy**, rather than letting the text define its own measure. > - Struse’s chronology rests on the premise that the Hebrew word **_shabuwa_** in Daniel 9:24–27 does not necessarily mean a "week", but rather a “group of seven.” > - In the Hebrew Bible, _shabuwa_ consistently denotes either **seven days** or a **sabbatical cycle of seven years**. Examples include [Genesis 29:27–28](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.29.27-28), [Exodus 34:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.34.22), [Leviticus 12:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.12.5). See my notes in the rest of the article > - Struse’s method switches from a **13-cycle unit** in the first epoch (7 weeks) to a **14-cycle unit** in the second epoch (62 weeks) and then **retains the 14-cycle unit** for the final epoch (the seventieth week). > - Their is weak textual evidence, and no historical evidence I am aware of that indicates that the original prophecy intended **13- and 14-year cycles**; > - Daniel 9 **does not indicate** that the unit of a “week” should change at any point, nor that the final week would adopt the same 14-cycle measure as the preceding 62 weeks. This raises questions about whether each “week” is meant to be **the same type of unit throughout** or if the cycles are arbitrarily adjusted to fit symbolic interpretations > > > Nevertheless, Daniel 9’s 70 Weeks **could allow for complementary fulfillments**, and the view might represent one such symbolic layer, potentially validating or emphasizing the prophecy. **The literal view**: - Treats the seventy weeks as actual chronological periods—specifically 490 years. Early Jewish readings, both messianic and non-messianic, before A.D. 70 consistently took the seventy weeks literally. **Josephus** (_Jewish War_ 6.312–313) and the _Seder Olam Rabbah_ 30 also placed the ending of these "weeks" around A.D. 70 and the destruction of the Second Temple ([Schäfer, 2003](https://www.amazon.com/History-Jews-Greco-Roman-World/dp/0415272608)). **Beckwith** ([1918](https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentcano00beckuoft)) identifies three main schemes: 1. the Hellenistic, in two forms—one from the Old Greek Septuagint and one from the historian Demetrius; 2. The Essene, in texts like the _Book of Jubilees_ and other mid-second century B.C. writings; 3. The Pharisaic, first attested in the _Assumption of Moses_ . These differed theologically but all calculated 490 years literally ([VanderKam, 1998](https://www.amazon.com/Book-Jubilees-Critical-Studies-Old/dp/081269402X)). Daniel’s prayer (9:4–19) is grounded in a literal seventy-year exile; God’s reply extends it to seventy times seven years. If the exile was literal, so too is the extended period ([Goldingay, 1989](https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Word-Biblical-Commentary/dp/0310287217); [Collins, 1993](https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Anchor-Yale-Bible-Commentary/dp/0300093996)). >[!FAQ] Seventy Sets Of Seven? Some scholars and Bible translations argue for a reading of **Seventy "Sevens"** or **Seventy sets of seven** in this passage ([[@Francis-Brown-Francis;Robinson-Edward;Briggs-Charles-A;Driver-SR;Brown1979-qk|Gesenius]], [[@Davidson1970-sa]], [[@ReymondUnknown-pt]], [[@Clines2009-yh]]). Of the ones cited, they only give one example of this using the same passage of Daniel 9:24, which begs the question ([[@Laiu2024-dd]]) While the most other lexicons list this word and passage to simply mean 1 week ([[@Pagnini1529-di]], [[@JastrowUnknown-vm]], [[@Kohler1953-jz]], [[@Holladay1996-td]] ) The term in Daniel 9 should be understood as "week" in the ***traditional, literal sense***, primarily based on its consistent usage in the Hebrew Bible. In numerous Old Testament passages, _šā·ḇû·aˁ_ refers to a period of seven days ([Genesis 29:27-28](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.29.27-28); [Exodus 34:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.34.22); [Leviticus 12:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.12.5); [Numbers 28:26](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NUM.28.26); [Deuteronomy 16:9, 10, 16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DEU.16.9-16); [2 Chronicles 8:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2CH.8.13); [Jeremiah 5:24](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.5.24); [Daniel 9:24, 25, 26, 27](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.24-27); [Daniel 10:2-3](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.10.2-3).) This is reinforced by the usage in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, where the term is consistently rendered as _heptá_, meaning "week." as well as in other Qumran and Rabbinic Hebrew sources ([[@Laiu2024-dd]]). >[!danger]- The Translations Of The Septuagint Also Support This! > > I found both the **Theodotion (TH)** and **Old Greek (OG)** renderings of Daniel 9:25, and in both cases, the Greek uses the plural of _ἑβδομάς_ (_hebdomás_), which literally means "a period of seven" and is most naturally understood as **a week of seven days** in ordinary Greek usage. > > - **Theodotion (TH)**: _ἕως χριστοῦ ἡγουμένου ἑβδομάδες ἑπτά καὶ ἑβδομάδες ἑξήκοντα δύο_ — "until Christ the ruler [shall be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks." Here _ἑβδομάδες_ is the nominative plural of _ἑβδομάς_, meaning "weeks" (seven-day periods). > > - **Old Greek (OG)**: _ἕως χριστοῦ ἡγουμένου ἑβδομάδες ἑπτά καὶ ἑβδομάδες ἑξήκοντα δύο_ — the same term _ἑβδομάδες_ appears, again clearly denoting literal weeks. > > > In classical and Koine Greek, _ἑβδομάς_ consistently refers to a **seven-day week** unless redefined by context. Lexicons such as **LSJ** and **BDAG** give the primary meaning as “a period of seven days, a week” (cf. LSJ, _ἑβδομάς_, p. 462; BDAG, 2nd ed., p. 270). Neither TH nor OG introduces any alternate measurement (like years) in the wording—both retain the straightforward, calendrical sense. > > Read More at [[Daniel's 70 Weeks In The Greek Septuagint (LXX)]] ## 7+62 or 69 Weeks? However, many scholars note that the first two segments (*seven + sixty-two weeks*) **are not truly separate periods** in the original structure, but were likely divided in later interpretations, meaning the prophecy may have originally presented **two** main phases rather than three. Since sabbatical cycles were a familiar concept in Jewish society, this division likely conveyed a structured timeline, emphasizing key historical events in Israel's restoration and messianic expectation. In the ancient versions the seven and sixty-two “weeks” are read as one continuous period, with the anointed one appearing only after the full sixty-nine weeks — this unified reading is reflected in the Septuagint (incl. Theodotion and related Greek witnesses) and in the Syriac Peshitta, and is likewise attested in Aquila’s stream of renderings; Jerome’s Vulgate shows no separation either, translating **נָגִיד** (_nāḡîḏ_) in a way that identifies the figure as “Christ, a leader” (_christum ducem_) — together these early textual witnesses support the view that the anointed one comes at the end of the combined period rather than midway. (LXX / Theodotion / Symmachus / Peshitta; Aquila; Jerome). ([Blue Letter Bible](https://www.blueletterbible.org/verse/lxx/dan/9/25/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Δανιήλ (Daniel) 9:25 :: Septuagint (LXX) - Blue Letter Bible"), [Digital Commons](https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1499&context=auss&utm_source=chatgpt.com "[PDF] Poetic Relations of the Time Periods in Dan 9:25"), [Brill](https://brill.com/display/book/9789004678446/BP000014.xml?language=en&srsltid=AfmBOooS1zbM_TWT_j3MmCo_beKkG5XcW40OnQylCew67KIxyJ4N7Tk6&utm_source=chatgpt.com "Chapter 2 Who is Theodotion? in: The Precursors of Aquila - Brill"), [vulgate.org](https://vulgate.org/ot/daniel_9.htm "Latin Vulgate Old Testament Bible - Daniel 9")) >[!danger]- The Translations Of The Septuagint Also Support This! > > ## The Septuagint (LXX) vs. Masoretic Text > > The **Greek** translations of _Daniel 9:24–27_ present a notable divergence from the **Masoretic Text (MT)**, which underpins most modern biblical versions. Daniel circulated in two Greek forms within the **Septuagint (LXX)** tradition: the earlier, more paraphrastic **Old Greek (OG)** and the later, more literal **Theodotion (TH)** translation, the latter closely aligned with a proto-Masoretic Hebrew text (Tov 2001: 145–47; Koch 2005: 434–36). > > A key difference involves how the period of _"seven weeks"_ and _"sixty-two weeks"_ in Daniel 9:25 are presented. In contrast, the Septuagint, especially in **Theodotion**’s translation, explicitly connects these two periods with the Greek conjunction **“kai” (και)**, which clearly indicates that the _"seven weeks"_ and _"sixty-two weeks"_ form one continuous, uninterrupted span. This continuous reading is further supported by the fact that the LXX predates the Masoretic vocalization and accentuation by centuries, suggesting the original text likely intended these to be understood as a single period. > > ### Speculations on Masoretic Bias > > Some scholars argue that the Masoretic accentuation and division might reflect theological or historical influences present at the time of their compilation, including possible **anti-Christian bias**. Since the Masoretes lived centuries after the rise of Christianity, they may have been motivated—whether consciously or unconsciously—to downplay or obscure messianic references in Daniel’s prophecy. In contrast, the **Septuagint (LXX)**, which predates these developments, preserves the unity of the time periods in Daniel 9:25. > > Notably, nineteenth-century scholar **Paul de Lagarde** and more recent researcher **Rodney Decker** observed that the uninterrupted nature of the LXX’s rendering aligns more closely with the internal logic of Daniel’s prophecy and its historical context. Leading Daniel scholar **John J. Collins** further notes that the LXX often preserves older textual traditions that the Masoretic Text later modified, whether due to intentional editorial changes or transmission variations. Similarly, **Richard D. Patterson** highlights how the LXX’s consistent use of the Greek conjunction _kai_ (**και**) explicitly ties the _“seven weeks”_ and _“sixty-two weeks”_ together, cautioning interpreters against artificially dividing the prophecy into separate or overlapping segments. > [!warning] The Masoretic Influence on Translations of Daniel 9 > The Masoretic placement of the **athnach** in Daniel 9:25 has led some modern translations (like the ESV and RSV) to read “seven weeks” and “sixty-two weeks” as two separate time periods, but historical and linguistic evidence shows this pause was a later interpretive choice, not part of the original text. Rather than marking a gap, the phrase likely describes one continuous prophetic period, which reshapes how the seventy-weeks prophecy should be understood. > > Read more at: [[The Masoretic Influence on Translations of Daniel 9]] ## Why “Weeks” in Daniel is related to Sabbatical Cycles Readers would have understood the "weeks" as **sabbatical year cycles**, periods of seven years used in Jewish tradition. ([[@WacholderUnknown-qg]]). This was because sabbatical years were a fundamental part of Israel’s covenant with God, requiring the land to rest every seventh year, as commanded in [Exodus 23:10-11](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.23.10-11) and [Leviticus 25:1-4](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.1-4). God’s covenant with Israel included blessings for obedience and severe penalties for disobedience, the greatest of which was exile. Leviticus 26 outlines this pattern: if Israel became unfaithful and broke God's commandments ([Leviticus 26:14-39](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.14-39)), He would send them into exile as punishment ([Leviticus 26:33](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.33)). However, if they confessed their iniquity while in exile ([Leviticus 26:40-41, 44](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.40-41,44)), God would remember His covenant and restore them ([Leviticus 26:42, 45](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.42,45)). A key part of this covenant was the Sabbath year cycle ([Leviticus 25:2-4](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.2-4)). Disregarding these Sabbath years carried serious consequences—every unobserved Sabbath year increased Israel’s penalty ([Leviticus 26:34-35, 43](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.34-35,43)). This principle played out in the Babylonian exile, which lasted seventy years to make up for seventy missed Sabbath years ([2 Chronicles 36:19-23](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2CH.36.19-23)). Daniel 9 shows us that the **70 weeks (490 years)** extend God’s covenant with Israel. The people was sent to Babylon for breaking the covenant, as stated in [Jeremiah 29:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.29.10) and [2 Chronicles 36:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2CH.36.21), which notes that "*the land had enjoyed its sabbaths*." In response, Daniel recognized Jeremiah's **70 years of exile** were ending ([Daniel 9:2-3](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.2-3)), confessed Israel’s sin, and pleaded for God’s covenant renewal ([Daniel 9:5-11, 18-19](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.5-11)). He called God "the Lord who keeps the covenant" ([Daniel 9:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.4)) and repeatedly used the divine name ([Daniel 9:2, 4, 10, 13, 14, 20](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.2)) .Since the exile was a consequence of violating seventy sabbatical cycles ([Leviticus 26:34-35](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.26.34-35); [2 Chronicles 36:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2CH.36.21)), Daniel’s seventy "weeks" (490 years) serve as a **redemptive counterpart**. The **70 years of exile** matched **490 years of prior disobedience**, so the **new 490 years (70 weeks)** serve as a divine restoration period. [Leviticus 25:8](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.8) directly links seven sabbatical cycles (49 years) to the Jubilee cycle, which corresponds to Daniel’s first "seven weeks" (49 years) leading to Jerusalem's restoration. The prophecy culminates in **the final seven years**, when "the covenant is confirmed" ([Daniel 9:27](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.27)). >[!tip] More Reason that support Sabbatical years >- The word "_week_" appears six times in [Daniel 9:24-27](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.24-27;esv?t=biblia) without qualification. However, in [Daniel 10:2-3](https://ref.ly/Dan%2010.2;esv?t=biblia), it is specifically qualified as "**_of days_**." This distinction suggests that in Daniel 9:24-27, "_week_" refers to weeks of years rather than days. >- Jerusalem was to be rebuilt during the “seventy weeks,” and seventy weeks of days is less than 1½ years—far too short for such a project—this must refer to weeks of years, as the reconstruction took decades. > - The Dead Sea Scrolls contain references to the concept of "weeks" (shavu‘a) as sabbatical cycles. For instance, the Qumran document _Manual of Discipline_ mentions periods “for their weeks” (לשבועיהם), and the _Zadokite Document_ alludes to cycles of year > - That the 70 weeks have to be interpreted in terms of years is indicated by the text itself. The bridge we noticed between the 70 weeks and the 70 years deciphers the word "week." The two expressions, in vs. 2 and in vs. 24, point to each other by the means of chiasmus: > ## What Calendar to Use Each interpretation of the 70 Weeks prophecy in [Daniel 9:24–27](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.24-27) draws upon various calendar systems. ### The Most Likely Calendar "Sabbatical year cycles" The most fitting calendar system for interpreting Daniel 9 appears to be the **sabbatical year cycle**, understood as a _“week of years”_—primarily aligning with a **49-year Jubilee cycle** measured in solar years. Judah used a **lunisolar calendar** for religious feasts and everyday life, but the **sabbatical cycle** was layered over that as a **seven-year agricultural rhythm**, counted in solar years. > [!Warning]- 49-Year vs. 50-Year Jubilee Cycle > > Traditionally, Daniel’s 70 weeks are understood as 490 years, but this assumes a Jubilee cycle of 49 years. The 49-year view begins with [Leviticus 25:8](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.8), which commands Israel to “_number seven sabbaths of years_” (_šabbətōt šānîm_, **שַׁבְּתוֹת שָׁנִים**) and defines the total as forty-nine years. In this interpretation, the “_fiftieth year_” (_haššānâ haḥămīššît_, **הַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִשִּׁית**) in verse 10 is counted inclusively, coinciding with the forty-ninth year—just as Pentecost’s “fifty days” in [Leviticus 23:15-16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.23.15-16) are counted over forty-nine days before the feast. > > The 50-year interpretation, however, reads [Leviticus 25:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.10) as making the Jubilee an additional year after the 49th: “_hallow the fiftieth year… it shall be a jubilee_” (_yôḇēl_, **יוֹבֵל**). In this view, the promise of a sixth-year harvest lasting “_three years_” ([Lev 25:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.21)) covers the 49th sabbatical, the separate 50th Jubilee, and the planting gap before the next harvest—allowing for two fallow years in a row. Supporters note that the Jubilee’s special functions—returning land to ancestral owners, freeing slaves, and canceling debts—set it apart from ordinary sabbatical years, suggesting it “stands outside” the regular cycle. Most classical rabbis, including Maimonides, taught this way, with Maimonides stating that the Jubilee was a full 50th year and the next cycle began in the 51st (_Mishneh Torah_, _Hilchot Shemitah ve-Yovel_ 10:2–4; en.wikipedia.org). Proponents also point to [Leviticus 25:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.3), which commands six years (_šēš šānîm_, **שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים**) of work before the land rests in the seventh; if the Jubilee coincided with the first year of the next cycle, that cycle would have only five working years before its sabbatical, breaking the pattern. > > **Issues with the 50-year cycle view include:** > 1. Most commonly proposed starting decrees in Daniel 9 do not match any historically recognized messianic, covenantal, or redemptive-historical event. > 2. Agriculturally, a separate 50th year means two years in a row without sowing—an unsustainable gap in food production. The Torah’s promise in [Leviticus 25:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.25.21) of a sixth-year harvest sufficient for “three years” fits only one sabbatical year plus the reseeding period, not two full years. > 3. Historical evidence supports the 49-year pattern: > - Josiah’s Jubilee and Ezekiel’s Jubilee were exactly forty-nine years apart. > - Continuous 7-year sabbatical cycles from Alexander the Great to the Bar Kochba revolt show no breaks for an extra Jubilee year. > - Rabbinic sources such as the **Book of Jubilees**, Rabbi Judah HaNasi, and Samaritan tradition also present the Jubilee as part of a 49-year rhythm (biblearchaeology.org; everything.explained.today). > 4. Ezekiel 4’s prophecy of 430 years of Israel’s sin fits only if the Jubilee overlaps with the first year of the next cycle—allowing for exactly 70 sabbatical/Jubilee years. A 50-year cycle would extend the total to 500 years. ### Alternative View: The Lunisolar Hebrew Calendar At the same time, ancient Israel actually lived by a **lunisolar calendar**. Months were set by the moon, giving a normal year of 354 days. To keep feasts like Passover and Sukkot in their appointed seasons, an **extra leap month** was added 7 times every 19 years. This intercalation balanced the lunar cycle with the sun’s, yielding an average year of **365.246 days**—nearly identical to the solar year (365.2422 days). Thus, while lunar months governed festivals, the sabbatical and Jubilee cycles remained tethered to the solar agricultural year. Some interpreters suggest Daniel’s “weeks” should be calculated directly in terms of this **lunisolar reckoning**, since it was the system actually used by the Jews. > [!fail]- Other Calendars Don’t Work > > 1. **Prophetic 360-day Calendar**: > This system, often used by Christian interpreters like Robert Anderson and Harold Hoehner to pinpoint exact dates for Christ's arrival and crucifixion. The idea is partly drawn from the **1260 days / 42 months / time, times, and half a time** equivalence in Revelation 11–13 and Daniel 7–12. The problem is that this reading works **backwards**—importing numbers from Revelation into Daniel 9 instead of interpreting Daniel on its own terms. Daniel never defines a “year” as 360 days, and the explicit reference in Daniel 10:2–3 to “weeks of days” implies that Daniel 9’s “weeks” are **weeks of years**, not days. > > Critics note that the 360-day system is: > - **“Unnatural” and “imaginary”** > - Lacking **direct textual support** within Daniel 9 > - **Contradictory to Jewish calendrical tradition**, which has always been lunisolar, adjusting months to keep them aligned with the solar year so feasts occur in their proper seasons. > Using this system produces wildly different and conflicting date calculations, undermining interpretive credibility(https://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/daniel-9-a-true-biblical-interpretation/ https://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/daniel-9-problem-with-christian-interpretative-credibility/). > > 2. **Lunar Calendar** > A purely lunar calendar—such as the Islamic calendar—has **12 months of 29–30 days**, totaling about **354 days per year**. Because it lacks a leap-month adjustment, its months drift through the seasons over time. This drift makes a lunar-only calendar incompatible with the biblical requirements for the **sabbatical and Jubilee cycles**, which are tied to **seasonal agricultural patterns** (planting, harvest, release). If Daniel’s 70 weeks were calculated on a pure lunar system, the sabbatical year could arrive in a completely different season over the centuries, undermining its agricultural and covenantal function. > > Since ancient Israel never used a pure lunar system for reckoning years—and Daniel is speaking in covenantal agricultural terms—the lunar calendar cannot be the prophecy’s basis. > > > 3. Regnal Calendar > A **regnal calendar** measures years based on the reign of a monarch—“in the first year of King X,” “in the twelfth year of King Y.” Ancient kingdoms (including Israel, Judah, Babylon, and Persia) used this system for administrative and historical records. While regnal dating is invaluable for **anchoring biblical events** to known historical periods, it is unsuitable for Daniel 9 because: > - The prophecy is **not tied to a single king’s reign**, but spans multiple empires and centuries. > - Regnal systems vary between nations (e.g., Judah’s accession-year system vs. Babylon’s non-accession-year system), making them unreliable for continuous long-term counting. > - The “weeks” in Daniel 9 are **self-contained covenantal units** based on God’s sabbatical pattern, not political reigns. ### When would a week start? Sabbatical years were only commanded to be observed while Israel was in its land. A Sabbatical cycle lasts 7 years, with the seventh year being a rest year for the land. According to Jewish reckoning, the agricultural year begins on **Tishri 1** (Rosh Hashanah) in the fall, so the count for a Sabbatical cycle would begin on that day and run through the end of the seventh year. Jubilee years occur after seven Sabbatical cycles. Therefore, if the seventy “weeks” in Daniel 9 are structured around actual Sabbatical cycles, it would be logical for the prophetic count to begin on the first day of a Sabbatical year—regardless of when the decree or event prompting the count was issued. # 3. Which Decree Should Be Used? > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:25 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**25**'So you are to know and discern [that] from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince [there will be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% ![[Which Decree Did Daniel 9 Refer]] # 4. Who is the “*anointed one*” of Dan 9:25? Is it the same anointed one as in Dan 9:26? The phrase _“anointed one”_ or *māšîaḫ nāgîd* (**מָשִׁיחַ נָגִּיד**) in Daniel 9:25 is considered unique in the Old Testament and specific to the Book of Daniel, along with `śār śārîm` ("Prince of princes" in Daniel 8:25). The interpretation of the _anointed one_ in Daniel 9:25–26 varies notably across Bible translations. Traditional versions like the NASB, NKJV, KJV, and NIV capitalize and translate the Hebrew _māšîaḥ_ as “**Messiah**” or “**The Anointed One**,” emphasizing a single, messianic figure. In contrast, some modern translations such as the NRSV render the term more neutrally as “***an** anointed ruler*” or “****an** anointed one*,” and sometimes imply the possibility of two distinct individuals in verses 25 and 26 (at different points in history). hile Daniel 9:25 refers to māšîaḫ nāgîd* and 9:26 to *māšîaḫ*, the close proximity of these references suggests they refer to the same individual, with the latter being an abbreviated designation (paulTanner2009-ISDANIEL'SSEVENTY-WEEKSPROPHECYMESSIANIC-PART.pdf, laiu2024-TRANSLATIONISSUESINDANIEL9-24-27.pdf) > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:25-26 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**25**'So you are to know and discern [that] from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until **Messiah the Prince** [there will be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. ^**26**'Then after the sixty-two weeks the **Messiah** will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end [will come] with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% ## Hebrew Definitions ### Messiah/Annointed The Hebrew word **māšîaḥ** (“*anointed*”) appears 31 times in the Old Testament, describing someone or something set apart for God’s service([[@Paul-Tanner2009-cp]]). This was not limited to just the Messiah, it can refer to: 1. Priests ([Leviticus 8:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.8.12), [16:32](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.16.32)) - The term **מָשִׁיחַ** (_māšîaḥ_, “anointed”) was only rarely used to designate a high priest and was not used of priests after Moses’ time (limited to [Leviticus 4:3–5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.4.3-5), [16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.4.16); [6:15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LEV.6.15)). - In the few cases where it referred to a high priest, it always occurred in the phrase **הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ** (_ha-kohen ha-māšîaḥ_), meaning “the anointed priest.” 2. Kings ([1 Samuel 10:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1SA.10.1), [16:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1SA.16.1), [16:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1SA.16.13)) - In the Davidic covenant ([2 Samuel 7:12–16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2SA.7.12-16), [Psalm 18:50](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.18.50); [20:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.20.6)), the king of Israel was often called **מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה** (_māšîaḥ Yahweh_, “the Lord’s anointed”). - More formal designations for the king of Israel include “the Lord’s anointed” or “My anointed” (1 Samuel 2:35), “Your anointed” (Psalm 132:10), and “His anointed” (1 Samuel 12:3). - Passages such as [Psalm 2:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.2.2), [Psalm 132:17–18](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.132.17-18), and [Isaiah 61:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.61.1) describe this figure as a divinely appointed ruler with worldwide dominion. Hannah's prayer finds hope in this figure ([1 Samuel 2:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1SA.2.10)) - [Acts 4:25–28](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ACT.4.25-28) explicitly connects this to Jesus, showing that NT writing also saw this connection. - Rarely used of foreign rulers—Cyrus in [Isaiah 45:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.45.1) is the sole case, where his name is directly linked to the term. Far more often, the title is tied to Israel’s kings, especially those in David’s line, in connection with God’s covenant promise of an eternal throne ([2 Samuel 7:12–16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2SA.7.12-16)) 3. Prophets ([1 Kings 19:16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1KI.19.16)) - The term **מָשִׁיחַ** (_māšîaḥ_) is used of prophets as well. 4. Consecrated objects ([Genesis 31:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.31.13)) - Objects set apart for holy use could also be described as **מְשֻׁחָה** (_məšûḥāh_), meaning “anointed” or “consecrated.” 5. Patriarchs ([1 Chronicles 16:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1CH.16.22); [Psalm 105:15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.105.15)) - The plural **מְשִׁיחִים** (_məšîḥîm_) refers collectively to the patriarchs as “*anointed ones*,” emphasizing their special covenant status and God’s protection over them. After the demise of the Davidic kingdom, **māšîaḥ** naturally evolved into an appellative or name for the future Messiah, often appearing without the definite article, a usage confirmed in post-Biblical Jewish literature (laiu2024-TRANSLATIONISSUESINDANIEL9-24-27.pdf, ) ### The Prince Hebrew words commonly translated “prince” include **נָשִׂיא** (_nāsîʾ_, often “prince/chieftain”) and **נָגִיד** (_nagîd_, “leader, ruler, governor”); translators sometimes render either as “prince.” 1. _Nagîd_ (**נָגִיד**, “leader, ruler, governor”) H5057 - The noun **נָגִיד** (_nāḡîḏ_), which appears forty-three times throughout the Old Testament, has a broad semantic range meaning “leader, ruler, prince.” Typically applied to **human rulers**, especially kings of Israel. - 1 Samuel 9:16: _“…you shall anoint him as ruler (**nagîd**) over My people Israel…”_ Also see- 1 Samuel 5:2, 10:1,13:14, 25:30; 2 Samuel 5:2;1 Chronicles 11:2 - The term also appears for priests ([1 Chronicles 9:20](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1CH.9.20)), foreign rulers ([Psalm 76:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.76.12); [Ezekiel 28:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EZK.28.2)), plural nobles ([Job 29:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JOB.29.10)), military commanders ([1 Chronicles 13:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1CH.13.1)), and tribal heads ([1 Chronicles 27:16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1CH.27.16)).] - Rarely used in prophetic literature, but notably in Isaiah 55:4 to describe the Messiah: *“Behold, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader [נָגִיד] (**nāḡîḏ**) and commander for the peoples.”* 2. _Śar_ (**שַׂר**, “prince, commander, ruler”) Strong’s H8269 - In **Daniel**, _śar_ almost always refers to **angelic or spiritual beings**. - Daniel 10:13: _“But the prince (**śar**) of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes (**śarîm**), came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.”_ - Daniel 10:21: _“However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince (**śar**).”_ - Daniel 12:1: _“Now at that time Michael, the great prince (**śar**) who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.” - Gabriel and Daniel, use **שַׂר** (_sar_, ), when referring to a foreign power and its leadership, such as in the case of Greece. Thus, the word “prince” (**נָגִיד**; _nāḡîḏ_, Strong’s ) in Daniel 9, given its own context and surrounding, is not a reference to the Roman or foreign ruler, though the term **שַׂר** (_sar_) can be applied to such rulers grammatically. The “Anointed Prince” of Daniel 9:25 is a human ruler, as indicated by the term **נָגִיד** (_nāḡîḏ_). In Daniel 9:25, the figure in view is designated with the phrase **הַנָּגִיד הַבָּא** (_hab·bā nā·ḡîḏ_), which can be rendered “the coming Prince” or “the prince, the coming one,” is a unique expression that occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament in this exact form. This same language appears in the NT in John the Baptist’s question to Jesus’ disciples while he was imprisoned: _“…Are You the one who is to come, or should we expect another?”_ ([Matthew 11:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/MAT.11.3)). Importantly, this term does not refer to a high priest, since the designation for a high priest (**ha-kohen ha-māšîaḥ**) was never used beyond the Mosaic period, and whenever it was used it was always explicitly qualified with “priest.” It is not a term for a foreign or military ruler, which Daniel elsewhere expresses with **שַׂר** (_śar_). Given its uniqueness in Daniel 9:25 and its use prophetically in Isaiah 55:4 to describe God’s appointed leader, the most logical referent for **נָגִיד** (_nāḡîḏ_) and **מָשִׁיחַ** (_māšîaḥ_) is the “Son of Man” figure of Daniel 7, a human figure representing God’s sovereign authority and rule. > [!faq]- Could The Prince Be A Supernatural Being? > > Some interpreters argue that the “*prince who is to come*” in Daniel 9:26 is a **supernatural figure** rather than a human ruler. They base this view on Daniel 10:20–21, where “*princes*” are depicted as spiritual forces associated with nations, and Michael is described as Israel’s prince. In this reading, each empire—Persia, Greece, Rome—is represented by a supernatural prince, and the prince of 9:26 symbolizes the spiritual power behind the Roman Empire during the Messianic period. Proponents suggest that because both the prince of Greece and the prince of 9:26 are described as “*to come*,” the latter is likewise a supernatural entity, distinct from the human “*he*” mentioned in Daniel 9:27. > > However the prince of Daniel 9:26 is called **nāgîd (נָגִיד)**, a term consistently applied to **human rulers** throughout the Old Testament, whereas the princes in Daniel 10–12 are described with **śar (שַׂר)**, almost always referring to angelic or spiritual beings. The textual distinction strongly suggests that the 9:26 prince is a human figure, not a supernatural force. ## Why Is The Anointed One Cut Off? > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:26 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**26**'Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end [will come] with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% The phrase in Daniel 9:26 is *weʾaḥărê haššāvuʿîm šiššîm ûšənayim yikkārēt māšîaḥ wəʾên lô* (**וְאַחֲרֵי הַשָּׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם יִכָּרֵת מָשִׁיחַ וְאֵין לוֹ**) - **Verb – cut off, _yikkārēt_ (יִכָּרֵת)** - Root: _karat_ Strong’s H3772. - Meaning: “to be cut off, destroyed, killed, eliminated.” - The Hebrew word is used in the context of making a covenant involving the death of a sacrificial animal (Genesis 15:10, 18), is applied to the death penalty (Leviticus 7:20), and always refers to an unnatural violent death (cf. Isaiah 53:8) elsewhere often implies death or a death by the agency of others such as in Gen 9:11; Exod 31:14; Ps 37:9 (Feinberg) Translating it as _“cut off/put to death”_ is strongly supported by lexical evidence. [O Bohu](https://obohu.cz/bible/index.php?hs=H3772&k=1Pa&kap=1&lang=gr&styl=WEC&utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **Phrase – and he has nothing, _wəʾên lô_ (וְאֵין לוֹ)** - Literal sense: “and there is nothing to him” / “and he has nothing.” - Possible meanings: - “and he will have nothing” (loss of inheritance, possessions, success). - “and he will have no one” (interpreted as lack of followers or heirs). - The KJV says "*but not for himself*" Both the LXX and Latin Vulgate: renders the clause in a way that has been read as “and he will not have his people / there will not be his people”, so the idea not historically without precedence. - The Latin Vulgate is, "*et non erit ejus populus, qui eum negaturus est*" - "*and they shall not be his people who shall deny him*". Some argue that the phrase “and have nothing” in Daniel 9:26 cannot describe the Son of Man, since Daniel 7:13–14 depicts him receiving universal dominion (McComiskey). However, the phrase may simply indicate that following his death, the figure did not immediately receive the promised kingdom, leaving its full realization for a later time (cf. [Luke 21:27-31](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LUK.21.27-31)). A similar nuance is found in the NT book [John 14:30](https://biblehub.com/john/14-30.htm), where Jesus says, “*for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me.*” Literally, the words mean “and he has not,” but what is lost is left indefinite. In context, it may signify that he has no claim over Jesus’ people, or that his authority as ruler is temporarily limited ([Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers](https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/daniel/9.htm)). The idea of being “cut off” yet bearing purpose is also reflected in Old Testament passages. In [Isaiah 53:8](https://biblehub.com/isaiah/53-8.htm) and [Psalm 22:6](https://biblehub.com/psalms/22-6.htm) (Dr. Apthorp) >[!danger]- The Translations Of The Septuagint Also Support This! > Both the **Theodotion (TH)** and **Old Greek (OG)** renderings of Daniel 9:26 show more evidence. In the OG, it is a anointed place that is taken away. The TH has the anointed one destroyed, but no judgement is found in him. > ### Old Greek (OG) >>[!Bible] [[Brannan, Rick, Ken M. Penner, Israel Loken, Michael Aubrey, and Isaiah Hoogendyk, eds. 2012. _The Lexham English Septuagint_. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.|Lexham English Septuagint]] ^**26**And after seven periods of seven and sixty-two periods of seven, an anointed place will be removed, and it will not be. And a kingdom from among the nations will despoil the city and the holy place along with the anointed one, and his end will come with destructive anger until the set time of the consummation. There will be war upon war. > >### Theodotion (TH) >> [!Bible] [[Rick Brannan et al., eds., The Lexham English Septuagint: Alternate Texts (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012), Da 9:24–27.|Lexham English Septuagint Alternate Texts]] > ^**26** Now, after the sixty two weeks an anointing will be destroyed, and there is no judgment in him. And he will destroy the city and the sacred place together with the coming leader. > >Both versions preserve the idea that the “anointed” is violently removed. OG uses “removed” (_taken away_), and TH uses “destroyed.” This corresponds directly to the Hebrew verb _yikkārēt_ (“cut off”). Both OG and TH link the fate of the anointed with the fate of Jerusalem and the sanctuary. This shows that early translators saw the clauses as closely connected. The KJV adds "but not for himself" Theodotion’s Greek shows that this sense—of deferred or absent benefit—was already present in early Jewish and Greek-speaking traditions. > > Read More at [[Daniel's 70 Weeks In The Greek Septuagint (LXX)]] # 5. Who makes the "strong covenant with the many" in Dan 9:27? Grammatically, the figure who “_makes the strong covenant with the many_” in Daniel 9:27 must align with the **Anointed Prince** introduced in Daniel 9:25 (see [[The Antecedent Of HE in Daniel 9]]). Therefore, based strictly on the properties of the Hebrew nouns and pronouns, the figure responsible for fortifying the covenant in verse 27 is the **Anointed Prince**, rather than the people or any other proximate subject. Also Daniel 11:22 mentions a **“prince of the covenant,”** generally identified by scholars with the “Messiah” cut off in Dan 9:26. This is reinforced by the use of the term _nāḡîḏ_ (“prince”) in both passages. # 6. Who is "The People" and who is their "Prince"? > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:26-27 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**26**'Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end [will come] with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. ^**27**'And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations [will come] one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.' %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% The prophecy in Daniel 9:26 states, "the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary". Given everything we have talked about so far it seems logical to say: 1. The **"prince"** refers to the Anointed Messiah. - The “prince” is best identified with the **Anointed Messiah**, not a foreign or angelic ruler. - Daniel typically uses **śar (שַׂר)** for angelic or foreign powers (e.g., prince of Persia, Greece), while **nāgîḏ (נָגִיד)** refers to **human rulers**, often Israel’s leaders. - The unique phrase **“the prince who is to come” (הַנָּגִיד הַבָּא)** suggests expectation of God’s appointed leader from Isaiah 55:4. These would naturally be the same **Son of Man** from figure of Daniel 7, another vision of a leader to come. - the **entire prophecy is forward-looking**, counting out "Weeks" until the arrival of a figure who will appear, be cut off, and bring covenantal implications. A “coming” prince fits that literally what he is. - Given that we already have two earlier references to the **same anointed prince**, it is far more natural to read this as a continuation of that figure rather than the sudden introduction of a new, undefined prince. - Scholars note that the **logical subject** of the verbs “confirm” (_wǝhiĝbîr_) and “cause to cease” (_yašbîṯ_) in 9:27 is this same “Prince to Come,” the Messiah. (Laicu, _Daniel’s Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks_, 2007, p. 198). 2. "**The people**" are the Jewish nation of that generation. the “people of the prince” most naturally refers to the Jewish nation—specifically the generation contemporary with the Messiah. - The word **ʿam (עַם)** often designates Israel and its tribes, conveying a personal or familial connection (HALOT 854–55; TWOT #1640). - In Daniel itself, **ʿam** overwhelmingly designates **God’s covenant people** (cf. 9:15, 9:19; 10:14; 11:14, 12:1). In contrast, when Daniel wants to speak of other nations, he typically uses **gôy** or **ʿammîm**. Reading it differently here would be an exception without strong contextual reason. - This aligns with **covenantal patterns** in the prophets: Israel’s rebellion brings about its own desolation (cf. Isa 1:7–8; Mic 3:12; Jer 26:18) - The city and sanctuary were rebuilt _for_ the Messiah, then the very **people of the coming prince** are named as those through whom destruction comes. 3. How “**the people**” bring about the **destruction** The text assigns the destruction to **the people**, not directly to the prince. This raises the question: does this mean (a) the people are the _immediate agents_ of destruction, or (b) their _corruption and rebellion_ brought it upon them? **Historical witnesses suggest both elements were in play:** - Josephus : _“I venture to affirm that the sedition destroyed the city, and the Romans destroyed the sedition.”_ He may have even linked this destruction to Daniel 9: - _“There was a **certain ancient oracle**, that the city should then be taken and the sanctuary burnt, by right of war, when a sedition should invade the Jews, and **their own hand should pollute the temple of God…they made themselves the instruments of its accomplishment.” _** [[@Josephus1927-dh|Josephus Wars, 4.6.3]]: - *“I venture to affirm that the **sedition [Jews] destroyed the city, and the Romans destroyed the sedition [Jews].” [[@Josephus1927-dh|Josephus Wars, 5.6.1]] - *You have not avoided so much as those sins that are usually done in secret; I mean thefts, and treacherous plots against men, and adulteries. You are quarreling about rapines and murders, and invent strange ways of wickedness. Nay, the temple itself is become the receptacle of all, and this **Divine place is polluted by the hands of those of our own country;”*** [[Josephus Wars, 5.9.4]]: - *Isuppose, that had the Romans made any longer delay in coming against these villains, that the city would either have been swallowed up by the ground opening upon them, or been overflowed by water, or else been destroyed by such thunder as the country of Sodom perished by, for it had brought forth a generation of men much more atheistical than were those that suffered such punishments; for by **their madness** it was that all the people **came to be destroyed.” ** [[@Josephus1927-dh|Josephus Wars, 5.13.6]]: - *“And who is there that does not know what the writings of the ancient prophets contain in them, and particularly that oracle which is just now going to be **fulfilled upon this miserable city**? For they foretold that this city should be then taken when somebody shall begin the slaughter of his own countrymen. And are not both the city and the entire temple now full of the dead bodies of your countrymen? It is God, therefore, it is God himself who is bringing on this fire, to **purge that city and temple by means of the Romans, and is going to pluck up this city, which is full of your pollutions.” ** [[@Josephus1927-dh|Josephus Wars 6.2.1]]: - Titus’ likewise accused the rebels of bringing destruction: - *I hope you, sirs, are now satiated with the miseries of your country, who have not had any just notions, either of our great power, or of your own great weakness, but have, like madmen, after a violent and inconsiderate manner, made such attempts, as have **brought your people, your city, and your holy house to destruction.” ** [[@Josephus1927-dh|Titus:Wars]] - *“When I came near your temple, I again departed from the laws of war, and **exhorted you to spare your own sanctuary, and to preserve your holy house** to yourselves. I allowed you a quiet exit out of it, and security for your preservation; nay, if you had a mind, I gave you leave to fight in another place. Yet have you still despised every one of my proposals, and **have set fire to your holy house with your own hands**. And now, vile wretches, do you desire to treat with me by word of mouth? To what purpose is it that you would save such a holy house as this was, **which is now destroyed?** What preservation can you n**ow desire after the destruction of your temple? [[@Josephus1927-dh|Titus:Wars, 6.6.2 - *And what do you do now, you pernicious villains? Why do you trample upon dead bodies in this temple? And why do you **pollute this holy house** with the blood of both foreigners and Jews themselves? I appeal to the gods of my own country, and to every god that ever had any regard to this place; (for I do not suppose it to be now regarded by any of them;) I also appeal to my own army, and to those Jews that are now with me, and even to yourselves, that **I do not force you to defile this your sanctuary**; and if you will but change the place whereon you will fight, no Roman shall either come near your sanctuary, or offer any affront to it; nay, I will endeavor to preserve you your holy house, **whether you will or not. ** [[@Josephus1927-dh|Titus Wars, 6.2.4]]]]** - Larry Wishon proposes view, thinking the word the Hebrew verb **yašḥîṯ** should be translated as "to become corrupt" and see this as the Jews (from _šāḥat_, BDB 1007; HALOT 1475). - Stronger evidence favors “destruction,”(see more below) but either way the testimonies shows corruption directly leading to catastrophic military judgment (a “flood”). ## Is The City Destroyed Or Corrupted? > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:26 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**26**'Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end [will come] with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% In Daniel 9:26, the **עַם נָגִיד הַבָּא** (_ʿam nāgîḏ habbāʾ_ – _“the people of the coming prince”_) are the subject, while **עִיר** (_ʿîr_ – _“city”_) and **קֹדֶשׁ** (_qōdeš_ – _“sanctuary”_) are the direct objects. In this verse, the verb translated “destroy” is **יַשְׁחִית** (_yašḥîṯ_)—a Hiphil imperfect form of *שָׁחַת*. Lexicons typically define the root as: - To destroy, ruin, spoil - To corrupt, pervert, act wickedly - **Alternative, less attested reading:** Some interpreters note that **יַּשְׁחִית** (_yašḥîṯ_) can also function **intransitively** (_“to act corruptly, to be corrupt”_), as seen in passages such as **Gen 6:12; Deut 4:16; Deut 31:29; Isa 1:4; Jer 6:28; 2 Chr 27:2**. In these examples, the verb carries a moral sense with no external object. On this basis, a minority view takes Daniel 9:26 to mean _“the people of the coming prince will become corrupt,”_ emphasizing moral downfall rather than physical destruction (see BDB, _Hebrew and English Lexicon_, p. 1007; HALOT, vol. 4, p. 1467). This reading is grammatically possible but far less commonly adopted. This destruction aligns with the most common biblical use of **שׁחת** (_shāḥat_) in the Hiphil to denote outward destruction (e.g., Gen 6:13Gen 13:10; Gen 19:13–14; Exod 32:7, 10; Num 16:33; 2 Sam 1:14; 2 Sam 20:20), is reflected in nearly all ancient versions (Theodotion, Vulgate, Syriac; cf. Collins, _Daniel_, 1993; Goldingay, _Daniel_, 1989), and is carried into almost every major modern translation (KJV, NASB, ESV, NIV, JPS). While *שָׁחַת* does at times refer to **moral corruption** ([Genesis 6:11-12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.6.11-12)), in [Daniel 9:26](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.9.26), it takes **two direct objects**: _“the city and the sanctuary.”_ . Every time in the Hebrew Bible that *שָׁחַת* is used in the Hiphil with a **city or sanctuary as its object**, it refers to **physical destruction**—never just moral decline ([Genesis 13:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.13.10); [Lam 2:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LAM.2.5); [Ezekiel 26:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EZK.26.4)). Even though literal destruction is in view the two ideas are **deeply connected** and reinforce each other. First, **Israel’s corruption is portrayed as the cause**. The statement before this is that the “anointed one shall be cut off,”, then what follows is not arbitrary destruction, but divine judgment. Just as in [Genesis 6](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.6), where the earth was physically judged with a flood because of human corruption, so too in Daniel 9, Israel’s spiritual rebellion and rejection of the Messiah bring about the destruction of the city and temple. The phrase, “its end shall come with a flood,” uses a metaphor frequently employed in Scripture to describe invading armies and overwhelming force ([Isaiah 8:7–8](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.8.7-8); [Daniel 11:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.11.22)). The force of the verb here fits the context of Jerusalem and its temple being overtaken and ruined, a reading long supported by Jewish and Christian exegetical traditions. This is **not the first time** this has happened in the bible, Israel has a repeated history of bringing judgment upon itself by rejecting God and breaking covenant with Him. In the days of Moses, though God had miraculously delivered them from Egypt, the people rebelled in the wilderness—worshiping the golden calf ([Exodus 32](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.32)). Their sin was so severe that God told Moses, *“Let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and that I may consume them, and I will make of you a great nation”* ([32:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.32.10)). This near-destruction was repeated in [Numbers 14](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NUM.14), after the people refused to enter the Promised Land due to fear, prompting God to again consider destroying them. These moments reveal how close Israel came to judgment—not from enemies, but directly from God—due to their **disobedience and rejection of His leadership**. The prophet Balaam even used this against Israel when advise their enemy's that if Israel could be **tempted into sin**—through idolatry and immorality with the Moabite women—**God Himself would judge them** ([Numbers 25](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NUM.25)). It was not the enemy’s power, but Israel’s disobedience, that brought destruction. The Book of Judges continues this cycle: sin, divine withdrawal, enemy invasion. Later, during the time of the prophets, Israel’s **continued idolatry, injustice, and refusal** to heed God’s word led to even greater judgment. As foretold by Jeremiah, God sent Nebuchadnezzar—whom He called “*My servant*” ([Jeremiah 25:9](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JER.25.9))—to **destroy Jerusalem and the First Temple** (See also [[The Coming and the Judgment of God]]). # 7. What is the nature of the covenant in Dan 9:27? > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:27 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**27**'And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations [will come] one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.' %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% Daniel 9 shows us the covenant must meet the following qualifications: - This covenant is confirmed with **many people** (likely referring to Israel and possibly to a broader group, depending on interpretation), not just an individual. The promise is meant to involve a significant portion of humanity (Daniel 9:27). - The covenant must be fulfilled/confirmed through the antecedent of "**He**" in Daniel 9:27. - Grammatically, the figure who “_makes the strong covenant with the many_” in Daniel 9:27 must align with the **Anointed Prince** introduced in Daniel 9:25 (see [[The Antecedent Of HE in Daniel 9]]). Therefore, based strictly on the properties of the Hebrew nouns and pronouns, the figure responsible for fortifying the covenant in verse 27 is the **Anointed Prince**, rather than the people or any other proximate subject. - A comparison of the Greek translations of Daniel 9:26–27 demonstrates that the figure making the covenant is naturally understood as the **Anointed One** (Messiah) rather than the “coming leader” or “prince of the people” introduced in verse 26. In the OG, the covenant-making action in verse 27 is not explicitly linked to the “kingdom from among the nations” or the “coming leader” mentioned in verse 26. Similarly, in TH, the “coming leader” is associated with the destruction of the city and sanctuary, but the covenant-making in verse 27 is grammatically tied to the singular masculine pronoun **he**, which aligns more naturally with the **Anointed One** introduced in verse 25. - It involves the **cessation of sacrifices and offerings**, suggesting a transition in the sacrificial system. - Ultimately, the 70 weeks prophecies goal is to bring about **atonement for iniquity**, **everlasting righteousness**, and the **anointing of the Most Holy**, the covenant's fulfillment should be aligned and related to this as this take place in the final week . >[!Tip]- Remember the Goal Of The Passage >![[The 70 Weeks of Daniel#1. What is the goal of the Passage]]). >[!example] Hebrew Words to consider > The Hebrew word for **"covenant"** is _berith_ and primarily means **covenant, pact, or agreement** throughout the Bible. It appears in treaties between individuals and nations, as well as in divine covenants between God and humanity. Even unilateral covenants (e.g., 2 Sam 5:3; Ezek 17:11–21, the word frequently carries legal and relational significance, often accompanied by signs, pledges, or obligations. For example: > > - *Covenants between people* often involve agreements, alliances, or solemn commitments. Political or military alliances include agreements such as Abraham and the Amorites (Genesis 14:13) and Israel with foreign powers (1 Kings 15:19). Legal or constitutional agreements occur between rulers and their people, as seen in David’s covenant with Israel (2 Samuel 5:3). Personal agreements and pledges include Job’s covenant with his eyes (Job 31:1) and David and Jonathan’s covenant of friendship (1 Samuel 18:3). The marriage covenant is a sacred commitment between husband and wife, referenced in Proverbs 2:17 and Malachi 2:14. > > - *God’s covenants* establish His relationship with His people, revealing His promises, commands, and expectations (Psalm 25:14 ). The Bible outlines several covenants, including those with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Phinehas, David, and the New Covenant, each marking God's promises and relationship with humanity. These covenants promise blessings, laws, and signs. > > The Hebrew verb **גָּבַר** (_gābar_) generally means **"to be strong, mighty, prevail"** and is used in various contexts to describe strength, overcoming, or confirming something. In **Daniel 9:27**, the word appears in the **Hiphil** (causative) form as **"הִגְבִּיר"** (_higbîr_), which means **"to confirm, make strong, or enforce."** The word is in the **Hiphil Perfect** form **הִגְבִּיר בְּרִית לְ** (_higbîr bĕrît lə-_) means **"he will confirm (or make strong) a covenant."** In contrast the word is used in **Hiphil Imperfect** form in [Psalm 12:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PSA.12.5), the **נַגְבִּיר לִלְשֹׁנֵנוּ** (_nagbîr lilshonenu_) can be translated as **"we will confirm a covenant with our tongue"** or alternatively **"we will give strength to our tongue."** The **Imperfect** form implies an ongoing or future action, suggesting an intention or repeated behavior. Psalm 12:5 suggests that **"confirming" a covenant** in Daniel 9:27 does not necessarily mean making a <u>brand-new</u> agreement, but could mean **enforcing, strengthening, or controlling an existing covenant**. However, the evidence of Versions attest the definition of BDB Lexicon: "*Th δυναμώσει*" (will empower, strengthen, enable), Vulgate: "*confirmavit*" (will confirm), Syriac: "*nᶜšn*" (will strengthen). > > The Hebrew word for "**many**" is *rab* (**רַב**), which appears in several passages, including. This word is commonly used to denote a large quantity or number (Daniel 12:3,10), often in contrast to "few" or "small" (מְעַט). According to Brown-Driver-Briggs, *rab* can refer to a multitude of things, such as people, days, or even qualities like wealth or abundance. In the Old Testament, *rab* can be both an adjective (meaning "many" or "much") and a noun (meaning "chief" or "master"). It is also used as a substantive in a collective sense to denote a multitude of people, such as in Exodus 23:2 and Psalm 89:51. The word can denote greatness, abundance, or excess (1 Kings 10:2, Psalm 42:7, Genesis 21:34). Additionally, the word *rab* is found in contexts where it contrasts with "few," like in Exodus 23:2, where it refers to the multitude of people or forces involved in a situation. This flexibility of **rab** in Hebrew highlights its capacity to convey both literal and figurative meanings. The Old Testament contains **several covenants** between God and humanity, each with distinct promises and conditions, including: | **Covenant** | **Scripture Reference** | **Description** | | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Adam** | [Genesis 1:28-30](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.1.28-30), [Genesis 2:15-17](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.2.15-17); [Hosea 6:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/HOS.6.7) | God's initial agreement with Adam, commanding him to steward the earth and obey God's commands, with life for obedience and death for disobedience, as seen in Genesis 1:28-30, 2:15-17, and referenced in Hosea 6:7. | | **Noah** | [Genesis 6:18](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.6.18), [9:8-17](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.9.8-17) | The first use of the word covenant in the Bible. God promises never to flood the earth again, establishing the rainbow as a sign of His faithfulness. | | **Abraham** | [Genesis 12](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.12), [15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.15), [17](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/GEN.17) | God promises Abraham a great nation, land, and blessing for all nations, with circumcision as the sign. | | **Moses** | [Exodus 19-24](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.19) | God gives Israel laws to follow, with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, including the sign of Sabbath rest. | | **Phinehas** | [Numbers 25:11-15](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NUM.25.11-15)<br> | God establishes a covenant of peace with Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, promising him and his descendants a lasting priesthood. | | **David** | [2 Samuel 7:12-16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/2SA.7.12-16) | God promises David an eternal kingdom through his descendants. | ## 7a. What covenant is being referred to? The term _berith_ occurs **seven times** in Daniel, concentrated in chapters 9 and 11. The phrase in the 70 weeks is *“and he will make a firm covenant with many for one week,”*. In the same chapter Dan 9:4–14 emphasizes **unfaithfulness to the covenant** as the cause of exile to Babylon and **Yahweh’s faithfulness** to the covenant as the basis for Daniel’s petition (Dan 9:4, 15–16), Of the six times that the word “covenant” appears in Daniel, four times it is explicitly God’s covenant with Israel ([Dan 9:4](https://ref.ly/Dan%209.4;esv?t=biblia); [11:28](https://ref.ly/Dan%2011.28;esv?t=biblia), [30](https://ref.ly/Dan%2011.30;esv?t=biblia), [32](https://ref.ly/Dan%2011.32;esv?t=biblia)). The covenant in 9:27 is most naturally read in context to also be God’s covenant with Israel even using the same language as in [Daniel 11:28](https://ref.ly/Dan%2011.28;esv?t=biblia), [30](https://ref.ly/Daniel%2011.30;esv?t=biblia) and [32](https://ref.ly/Daniel%2011.32;esv?t=biblia). ## 7b. When is this Covenant made? > [!bible]+ [Daniel 9:27 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/27/9/) > ^**27**'And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations [will come] one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.' %% #Daniel #Daniel9 %% In Daniel 9:27, the covenant is confirmed in the “middle” of the given time period. The Hebrew word **חֲצִי** (_chatsi_), rendered here as “middle,” literally means “half” or “part” and is used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible to describe a division of objects, time periods, or groups (Strong’s 2677). For example, _chatsi_ is used in [1 Kings 16:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1KI.16.21) to divide Israel into two groups and in [Isaiah 44:19](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.44.19) to describe half of an object being burned. Over 100 occurrences show that _chatsi_ typically denotes a division into two parts rather than a precise midpoint. For instance, in [1 Kings 16:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1KI.16.21), *chatsi* is used to describe the division of Israel into two groups, each following a different leader. Similarly, in [Isaiah 44:19](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.44.19), it describes "half" of an object being burned. The overwhelming context of these occurrences supports a translation of "half" rather than "middle," which tends to indicate a specific, central point rather than a mere division into two parts ([Exodus 24:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EXO.24.6); [Deuteronomy 3:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DEU.3.13); [Joshua 13:31](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/JOS.13.31); [1 Kings 10:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1KI.10.7); [Nehemiah 4:16](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/NEH.4.16); [Isaiah 44:19](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.44.19); [Ezekiel 16:51](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/EZK.16.51);). The argument here is that “half” is a more accurate translation than “middle.” If the intention were to communicate a precise central point, the Hebrew would likely use **תַּוֶּך** (_tavek_), which appears over 400 times in the Old Testament to mean “midst” or “center.” Its absence in Daniel 9:27 suggests a more general division rather than an exact midpoint. Consequently, the cessation of sacrifice and grain offering occurs in one half of the week, not necessarily at its exact center. Contextually, since Gabriel declares that “seventy weeks have been decreed,” this half of the week would fall within the latter portion of the 70th week of the prophecy. >[!danger]- The Translations Of The Septuagint Also Support This! > ![[Daniel's 70 Weeks In The Greek Septuagint (LXX)]] > [!example]- Several Translations Support This Reading > > **Christian Bibles:** > > > > * Wycliffe Bible > > * The Holy Scriptures (Myles Coverdale) > > * Douay-Rheims Bible > > * The Holy Bible (Julia E. Smith Translation) > > * *The Twenty-Four Books of the Holy Scriptures: Carefully Translated according to the Massoretic Text* (Isaac Leeser) > > * *The Old Covenant, Translated from the Septuagint* (S. F. Pells) > > * American Bible Union Version > > * English Revised Version (ERV) > > * International Standard Version (ISV) > > * New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) > > * The Lexham English Bible (LEB) > > * The Lexham English Septuagint (LES) > > > > **Jewish Translations:** > > > > * *Jewish School and Family Bible* > > * *Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic Text* (JPS 1917) > > * *Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures* (JPS 1985) > > * Masoretic Text (standard editions) > > * *The Jewish Publication Society* editions > > * *Complete Jewish Bible: An English Version of the Tanakh* (David H. Stern) > ## 7c. Sacrifices Will Cease? Daniel 9:27 explicitly states that in one half of the week, **sacrifice and grain offerings will cease** (**תַבָשׁ** *shabath*). Most English translations of [Daniel 9:27](https://bibleportal.com/passage?version=NIV&search=Daniel%209:27) describe a “he” who causes the *sacrifice and oblation* (**זבח ומנחה**) to cease. This specific phrase occurs only two other times in the Old Testament: > [!bible]+ [Psalm 40:6 - NASB](https://bolls.life/NASB/19/40/) > ^**6**Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. %% #Psalm #Psalm40 %% Related phrases appear in [1 Samuel 2:29, 15:22](https://bibleportal.com/passage?version=NIV&search=1Sam%202:29); [Amos 5:25](https://bibleportal.com/passage?version=NIV&search=Amos%205:25); [Isaiah 56:7](https://bibleportal.com/passage?version=NIV&search=Isa%2056:7); [2 Chron 29:21-31](https://bibleportal.com/passage?version=NIV&search=2Chron%2029:21)In these contexts, “sacrifice and offering” functions as a hendiadys representing the entire ceremonial and ritual system of Israel. In this light, the reference to the cessation of sacrifices **must** relate to the period of the first Temple and the old covenants. This cessation signals a significant shift in the sacrificial system and is tied directly to the covenant confirmed by the Anointed Prince. The verb _shabath_ (“cease, rest”) emphasizes a deliberate action of bringing-to-an-end (cf. Gen 2:2–3). Moreover, while verse 26 speaks of the destruction of “the city and the sanctuary,” verse 27 distinguishes itself by focusing not on the Temple’s fate, but on the cessation of ritual efficacy itself. Historical scholarship further indicates that this action is **prophetic of the Messiah’s mission**. As noted in sources such as _The Sabbath in Scripture and History_ (Review and Herald, 1982, pp. 338–42) and M. C. Wilcox’s early 20th-century works (_Questions and Answers_, 1911; _Questions Answered_, 1938), the Messiah’s work included putting an end, in the middle of the week, to the Old Testament sacrificial system. This can be seen in places where God declares that He does not ultimately desire sacrifice and offering but obedience and a listening heart (cf. [1 Sam 15:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/1SA.15.22); [Isa 1:11](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.1.11); [Amos 5:25](https://www.bible.com/bible/100/AMO.5.25)). # Objections To Christian Readings > [!warning] Antiochus IV Epiphanes as the fulfillment > Some argue the “anointed one cut off” and the cessation of sacrifices point specifically to Antiochus IV’s persecution of the Temple and the death of the high priest Onias III. This ties the prophecy to a concrete historical event in the 2nd century BC. > > Read More About This Here: [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes as the fulfillment of the 70 Weeks]] > [!error]+ Dating and authorship of Daniel > Critical scholars contend that Daniel was composed in the 2nd century BC, not the 6th, making the prophecy a retrospective account of the Maccabean crisis rather than a predictive vision of the Messiah. > > See More Here: [[The Dating of Daniel]]