Daniel 9:25

The 7 weeks and the following 62 weeks.

understand R.V. discern, the Hebrew word being the same as that rendered have discernmentin Daniel 9:13 (R.V.), and different from the one rendered understandin Daniel 9:2; Daniel 9:23.

the going forth of the word] cf. (for the expression) Daniel 9:23; Isaiah 55:11. The reference is to the Divine word spoken by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 30:18; Jeremiah 31:38 f.), the meaning of whose predictions is here interpreted (cf. Daniel 9:2).

to restore lit. to cause to returnor bring back, often used of exiles (as Jeremiah 12:15), but not used elsewhere of restoring(i.e. rebuilding) a city. To repeople(השִׁיב for הָשִׁיב), lit. to cause to sit, figuratively of a city, to cause to be inhabited, is a plausible emendation (Bevan): cf. the same word in Isaiah 44:26 (-she shall be made to be inhabited," lit. be made to sit), Jeremiah 30:18 (see R.V. marg.: lit. shall sit), Ezekiel 36:33 (lit. cause the cities to sit, followed by -and the waste places shall be builded").

unto an anointed one, a prince] The term -anointed" is used most frequently in the O.T. of the theocratic ruler of Israel (-Jehovah's anointed," -his, my, anointed," &c., 1 Samuel 12:3; Psalms 18:50, &c., but never - theanointed"); of the high-priest, Leviticus 4:3; Leviticus 4:5; Leviticus 4:16; Leviticus 6:21 (-the high-priest, the anointed one"), Malachi 1:10; Malachi 1:10; in a figurative sense also of Cyrus, as the agent commissioned by Jehovah for the restoration of His people, Isaiah 45:1, and of the patriarchs, Psalms 105:15 (-Touch not mine anointed ones"). On the rend. of A.V., see further p. 144.

prince (נגיד), properly one in front, leader, is used (a) of the chief ruler of Israel, 1Sa 9:16; 1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 13:14 and frequently; (b) of a foreign ruler, Ezekiel 28:2; (c.of some high official connected with the Temple, Jeremiah 20:1 (-who was prince-overseer in the house of Jehovah"), 1 Chronicles 9:11 2 Chronicles 31:18; 2 Chronicles 35:8; Nehemiah 11:11; (d) in the Chronicles, more generally, of a leader (1Ch 9:20; 1 Chronicles 13:1; 1 Chronicles 27:16), commander (2 Chronicles 11:11), or superintendent (1 Chronicles 26:24; 2 Chronicles 31:12). The -anointed one, the prince," who is here meant, is apparently (see more fully below) Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1), who is called in Isaiah 45:1 Jehovah's -anointed," and who, it is said in Isaiah 44:26; Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:13, will give command for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, which is here, it will be observed, just the subject of the following clause. Grätz and Bevan, however, suppose that Jeshua, son of Jozadak, the first high-priest after the restoration (Ezra 3:2; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 3:1), is intended. The date would suit in either case: the prophecies contained in Jeremiah 30-31 were delivered probably shortly before the fall of Jerusalem, about b.c. 587, and 49 years from 587 would be 538, which was just the date of the capture of Babylon by Cyrus. Jeshua is mentioned among those who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2).

shall be seven weeks: and for threescore and two weeks it shall be built again, (with) broad place and moat (?); and that, in strait of times so, according to the Heb. interpunction, in manifest agreement with what the sense requires. Seven weeks are to elapse from the -word" commanding the rebuilding of Jerusalem to the -anointed one, the prince"; then it will be built again, as a complete city, with -broad place" and moat (?), but in strait of times, with allusion, viz. to the subject, and sometimes oppressed, condition of Jerusalem from b.c. 538 to 171 (comp. for the earlier part of the period Ezra 4; Nehemiah 6; Nehemiah 9:37): Jerusalem would, indeed, be rebuilt, after the restoration in 538, with material completeness, but would not until long afterwards enjoy the splendour and independence which the prophets had promised (e.g. Isaiah 60.). A -broad place," or as we might say -a square," was a standing feature in an Eastern city: see in A.V. Jeremiah 5:1, and in R.V. 2 Chronicles 29:4; 2 Chronicles 32:6; Ezra 10:9 (one before the Temple), Nehemiah 8:1; Nehemiah 8:3; Nehemiah 8:16, unhappily, in A.V. nearly always [338], and even in R.V. often, misrendered street, and so confused with something entirely different. The word rendered -moat" does not occur elsewhere in the O.T.: the root signifies to cut, make incisions, and in the Mishna almost the same word is used of a trenchin a field or vineyard. Whether these facts justify the definite sense of moatis, perhaps, questionable, especially as -walls" and -towers" are more commonly mentioned in connexion with the defences of Jerusalem. Prof. Bevan, following the Pesh., suggests the plausible emendation, -broad place and street" (חוץ for חרוץ), two words often found in parallelism: see in A.V. Jeremiah 5:1; in R.V. Proverbs 1:20; Proverbs 7:12; Isaiah 15:3; also Song of Solomon 3:2; Amos 5:16; Nahum 2:4 (here, badly, broad ways). Whether, however, the text be altered or not, the general sense remains the same: Jerusalem will be rebuilt with the usual material completeness of an Eastern city; but will not enjoy political ease and freedom.

[338] As Genesis 19:2; Deu 13:16; 2 Samuel 21:12 (see R.V. marg.); Jeremiah 9:21; Lamentations 2:11-12; Zechariah 8:4-5.

in strait of times For the expression cf. Isaiah 33:6, -stability (i.e. security) of thy times": for -times," also, 1 Chronicles 29:30.