No other OT text more specifically communicates the promise of a coming Messiah, Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One, than Daniel 9:24–27. Yet only a few other texts in the OT are as difficult as this prophecy. Using brackets [ ], I have attempted to provide you with amplifying comments to provide commentary and clarity when possible. There are numerous questions that are not uniformly answered in this text among scholars:
- Are the weeks consecutive, or is there a break between weeks 69 and 70?
- Is Jesus the One being anointed in v. 24 or a physical place?
- Is the prince in v. 26 the same prince in v. 25, Jesus, or is he an enemy of God?
- Does the 70th week end with the destruction of the temple in 70AD?
- Is the “strong covenant” in v. 27 the New Covenant or an ungodly covenant between an imposter and a group identified as many?
- Is the “he” in v. 27 the Messiah or an ungodly prince?
- Was the Daniel 9 “abomination of desolation” fulfilled in 70AD?
- Are the weeks exact, approximate in length, or symbolic?
24 “Seventy weeks [70×7 = 490 years, Lev 25:8] are decreed [ordered by Yahweh] about your people [Israel] and your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression [Isa 53:5,8,12], to put an end to sin [Jer 31:34], and to atone for iniquity [Isa 53;5,6,11], to bring in everlasting righteousness [imputed righteousness, Isa 53:11], to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most Holy place[1] [or a most Holy One, John 6:69, Luke 4:18, John 2:19, Jesus, the temple].
25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem [when did this start?] to the coming of an anointed one [the Messiah], a prince [Isa 9:6], there shall be seven weeks [49 years]. Then for sixty-two weeks [62 + 7 weeks = 483 years] it [the city] shall be built again with squares [a plaza] and moat, but in a troubled time.
26 And after the sixty-two weeks [plus the 7], an anointed one [the Messiah, Jesus] shall be cut off [be crucified, Isa 53:8] and shall have nothing. And the people [Israel or Rome] of the prince who is to come [is this prince Jesus? therefore, are the people Israel or an enemy prince? and the people are Roman] shall destroy the city [Jerusalem] and the sanctuary [the temple]. Its [the city and temple] end shall come with a flood [sweeping sudden destruction], and to the end there shall be war [first Jewish-Roman War]. Desolations [destruction is] are decreed.
27 And he [the prince in v. 26] shall make a strong covenant[2] [what covenant this depends on the referent to the “he”] with many for one week [seven], and for half of the week [1/2 of 7] he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering [at the sanctuary…does Christ’s death do this?]. And on the wing of abominations [Matt 24:15] shall come one [is this the “he” of v. 27 or someone different, perhaps General Titus?] who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator” [is this the one and he?].
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[1] Both the ESV and NET Bible have a note indicating this could be a holy thing or one.
[2] There is no other reference to this covenant in the NT if it is a foreign invader making this covenant with Israel.
