Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Daniel 9

Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

seventy years

Cf. Scofield Jeremiah 25:11, 12, note.

Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

I prayed

Bible prayers (O.T.). Jon 2:2. (Gen 15:2; Hab 3:1-16.)

Dan 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

the law of Moses

Law (of Moses). Dan 9:8-13; Mat 5:17, 18. (Exodus 19:1; Galatians 3:1-29).

Dan 9:21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

Gabriel

Dan 8:16.

Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Seventy weeks

These are "weeks" or more accurately, sevens of years; seventy weeks of seven years each. Within these "weeks" the national chastisement must be ended and the nation re-established in everlasting righteousness (Dan 9:24). The seventy weeks are divided into seven = 49 years; sixty-two = 434 years; one = 7 years (Dan 9:25-27). In the seven weeks = 49 years, Jerusalem was to be rebuilt in "troublous times." This was fulfilled, as Ezra and Nehemiah record. Sixty-two weeks = 434 years, thereafter Messiah was to come (Dan 9:25). This was fulfilled in the birth and manifestation of Christ. Dan 9:26 is obviously an indeterminate period. The date of the crucifixion is not fixed. It is only said to be "after" the threescore and two weeks. It is the first event in Dan 9:26. The second event is the destruction of the city, fulfilled A.D. 70. Then, "unto the end," a period not fixed, but which has already lasted nearly 2000 years. To Daniel was revealed only that wars and desolations should continue (cf. Mat 24:6-14.) The N.T. reveals, that which was hidden from the O.T. prophets (Mat 13:11-17; Eph 3:1-10), that during this period should be accomplished the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven (Mat 13:1-50), and the out-calling of the Church (Mat 16:18; Rom 11:25). When the Church-age will end, and the seventieth week begin, is nowhere revealed. Its duration can be but seven years. To make it more violates the principle of interpretation already confirmed by fulfilment. Dan 9:27 deals with the last week. The "he" of Dan 9:27 is the "prince that shall come" of Dan 9:26, whose people (Rome) destroyed the temple, A.D. 70. He is the same with the "little horn" of chapter 7. He will covenant with the Jews to restore their temple sacrifices for one week (seven years), but in the middle of that time he will break the covenant and fulfil Dan 12:11; 2Th 2:3, 4. Between the sixty-ninth week, after which Messiah was cut off, and the seventieth week, within which the "little horn" of Dan 7 will run his awful course, intervenes this entire Church-age. Dan 9:27 deals with the last three and a half years of the seven, which are identical with the "great tribulation" (Scofield Mat 24:15-28); "time of trouble" (Scofield Dan 12:1); "hour of temptation" (Scofield Rev 3:10). (See "Tribulation," Scofield Psalm 2:5; Revelation 7:14).

thy people

Cf. Hos 1:9. The Jews, rejected, are "thy people," i.e. Daniel's, not Jehovah's though yet to be restored.

to make an end of

There is no word in the O.T. properly rendered reconcile. In A.V. the English word is found in 1Sa 29:4; 2Ch 29:24; Lev 6:30; 8:15; 16:20; Eze 45:15, 17, 20; Dan 9:24, but always improperly; atonement is invariably the meaning. Reconciliation is a N.T. doctrine (Scofield Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21, note).

reconciliation

Hebrew kaphar, atonement. See Dan 9:24, note [above]; Scofield Exodus 29:33, note.

Dan 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.

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" (2Ch 36:22, 23; Ezr 1:1-3); that of Darius (Eze 6:3-8, B.C. 521-486), and that of Artaxerxes in his seventh year. (Ezr 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" (Neh 2:1-8). The latter decree is, obviously, that from which the "seven weeks" (49 years) run, unless by "the commandment to restore," etc. is meant the divine decree (Dan 9:23). In the present state of biblical chronology the date of the decree of Artaxerxes cannot be unanswerably fixed farther than to say that it was issued between 454 and 444 B.C. In either case we are brought to the time of Christ. Prophetic time is invariably so near as to give full warning, so indeterminate as to give no satisfaction to mere curiosity. (cf. Mat 24:36; Act 1:7). The 434 years reckon, of course, from the end of the seven weeks, so that the whole time from "the going forth of the commandment to restore," etc., "unto the Messiah" is sixty-nine weeks of years, or 483 years.

Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Messiah

Christ (First Advent). Hos 2:23. (Gen 3:15; Acts 1:9.)

cut off

Sacrifice (prophetic). Zec 13:6, 7. (Gen 3:15; Heb 10:18.)

not for himself

Literally, shall have nothing. Nothing that is, which rightly was His.

the prince

The Beast. Dan 9:26, 27; Dan 11:36-45. (Dan 7:8; Rev 19:20.)

unto the end of the war desolations are determined

Literally, unto the end wars and desolations are determined. Cf. Mat 24:6-14.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

abominations

Cf. Mat 24:15. The expression occurs three times in Daniel. In Dan 9:27 and Dan 12:11 the reference is to the "Beast," "man of sin"; (2Th 2:3, 4) and is identical with Mat 24:15. In Dan 11:31 the reference is to the act of Antiochus Epiphanes, the prototype of the man of sin, who sacrificed a sow upon the altar, and entered the holy of holies.

desolate

Literally, desolator.