Daniel 9:25

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. KNOW THEREFORE AND UNDERSTAND, THAT FROM THE GOING FORTH OF THE COMMANDMENT - namely, the command from God, whence originated the command of the Persian king (Ezra 6:14). Auberlen remarks, there is but one Apocalypse in each Testament. Its purpose in each is to sum up all the preceding prophecies previous to the "troublous times" of the Gentiles, in which there was to be no revelation. Daniel sums up all the previous Messianic prophecy, separating into its individual phases, what the prophets had seen in one and the same perspective, the temporary delive...

Daniel here repeats the divisions of time already mentioned. He had previously stated seventy weeks; but he now makes two portions, one of seven weeks, and the other of sixty-two. There is clearly another reason why he wished to divide into two parts the number used by the angel. One portion contains seven weeks, and the other sixty-two; a single week is omitted which will afterwards be mentioned. The Jews reject seven weeks from the rule of Herod to that of Vespasian. I confess this to be in accordance with the Jewish method of speech; instead of sixty-two and seven, they will say seven and sixty-two; thus putting the smaller number first. The years of man (says Moses) shall be twenty and a hundred, (Genesis 6:3) the Greeks and Latins would say, shall be a hundred and twenty years. I confess this to be the common phrase among the Hebrews; but here the Prophet is not relating the continu...

20-27 An answer was immediately sent to Daniel's prayer, and it is a very memorable one. We cannot now expect that God should send answers to our prayers by angels, but if we pray with fervency for that which God has promised, we may by faith take the promise as an immediate answer to the prayer; for He is faithful that has promised. Daniel had a far greater and more glorious redemption discovered to him, which God would work out for his church in the latter days. Those who would be acquainted with Christ and his grace, must be much in prayer. The evening offering was a type of the great sacrifice Christ was to offer in the evening of the world: in virtue of that sacrifice Daniel's prayer was accepted; and for the sake of that, this glorious discovery of redeeming love was made to him. We have, in verses Daniel 9:24, one of the most remarkable prophecies of Christ, of his coming and his...

Verse Daniel 9:25. _FROM THE GOING FORTH OF THE COMMANDMENT TO RESTORE AND_ _TO BUILD JERUSALEM_] The foregoing events being all accomplished by Jesus Christ, they of course determine the prophecy to him. And if we reckon back _four hundred and ninety_ years, we shall find the time of the going forth of this command. Most learned men agree that the death of Christ happened at the passover in the month _Nisan_, in the _four thousand seven hundred_ _and forty-sixth_ year of the Julian period. _Four hundred and ninety_ years, reckoned back from the above year, leads us directly to the month _Nisan_ in the _four thousand two hundred and fifty-sixth_ year of the same period; the very month and year in which _Ezra_ had his commission from _Artaxerxes Longimanus_, king of Persia, (see...

KNOW, THEREFORE, AND UNDERSTAND - Hengstenberg renders this, “and thou wilt know and understand;” and supposes that the design of Gabriel is to awaken the attention and interest of Daniel by the assurance that, if he would give attention, he would understand the subject by the explanation which he was about to give. So also Theodotion renders it in the future tense. The Hebrew is in the future tense, and would probably convey the idea that he might, or would know and understand the matter. So Lengerke renders it, “Und so mogest du wissen,” etc. The object is doubtless to call the attention of Daniel to the subject, with the assurance that he might comprehend the great points of the communication which he was about to make respecting the seventy weeks. In the previous verse, the statement was a general one; in this, the angel states the time when the period of the seventy weeks was to com...

EXPOSITION DANIEL 9:1 THE SEVENTY WEEKS. This is the chapter of Daniel which has occasioned most controversy. It was appealed to by Tertullian and the early Fathers as a demonstration of the correctness of our Lord's claims to Messiahship. It is now received by critical commentators that to our Lord this prophecy cannot refer. Many treatises have been written on the "seventy weeks" of Daniel, and none of them have entirely cleared up the difficulties; indeed, it may be doubted whether all together they have illuminated the subject very much. DANIEL 9:1, DANIEL 9:2 In the first ye

KNOW, THEREFORE, AND UNDERSTAND,.... Take notice and observe, for the clearer understanding of these seventy weeks, and the events to be fulfilled in them, what will be further said concerning them, the beginning of them, their distinct periods, and what shall be accomplished in them: THAT FROM THE TIME OF THE GOING FORTH OF THE COMMANDMENT TO RESTORE AND TO BUILD JERUSALEM; this commandment is the beginning of the seventy weeks or four hundred and ninety years, and from it they are to be reckoned; and which designs not the proclamation of Cyrus in the first year of his reign, which was only to rebuild the temple, and not the city of Jerusalem, Ezra 1:1, nor the decree of Darius Hystaspes, which also only regards the temple, and is only a confirmation of the decree of Cyrus, Ezra 6:1 and for the same reason

FROM THE GOING FORTH OF THE COMMANDMENT Three decrees concerning Jerusalem are recorded, that of Cyrus, B.C. 536 (Ussher), for the restoration of the "house of the Lord God of Israel" (2 Chronicles 36:22); (2 Chronicles 36:23); (Ezra 1:1) that of Darius (Ezekiel 6:3) B.C. 521-486), and that of Artaxerxes in his seventh year. (Ezekiel 7:7) say, B.C. 458). Artaxerxes in his twentieth year, B.C. 444 (Hales, Jahn), 446 (A.V.), 454 (Ussher, Hengstenberg), gave permission for the rebuilding of the "city," i.e, "Jerusalem" ...

CHAPTER 9 THE PROPHECY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS _ 1. The time and occasion of Daniel's prayer (Daniel 9:1)_ 2. The prayer (Daniel 9:3) 3. The answer and the prophecy of the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:20) Daniel 9:1. It was in the first year of Darius, of the seed of the Medes, that Daniel understood by the sacred writings of his people, especially by the prophecy of Jeremiah, that the end of the years of the captivity was at hand. The promises in the Word of God led him at once to seek the face of the Lord and he poured out a wonderful prayer in His presence....

The explanation of Jeremiah's prophecy. Daniel 9:21. being caused to fly swiftly: the meaning of the original is obscure; _mg_, gives an alternative rendering, being sore wearied, but neither translation is satisfactory. If fly swiftly is correct, this is the earliest reference to the later popular conception that angels possess wings. Daniel 9:24. seventy weeks: this _phrase gives_ the new principle upon which Jeremiah's prophecy is to be reinterpreted. The 70 years are to be regarded as 70 weeks of years, _i.e._ 490 years. This verse describes in general terms what is to happen during this period. SEAL UP: confirm or ratify. ANOINT THE MOST HOLY: it is doubtful whether this phrase is masculine or neuter (_cf. mg.)._ Driver thinks that it refers to the Temple