Daniel 9.25a-The Beginning of the Seventy Weeks
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday January 9, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 9:25-The Beginning of the Seventy Weeks
Lesson # 286
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 9:24.
Daniel 9:24 “Seventy units of seven years have been decreed for the benefit of your people as well as for the benefit of your holy city in order to put an end to the rebellion and in addition to bring sin to an end as well as to atone for iniquity likewise to bring about everlasting righteousness as well as to seal up prophetic vision and in addition to anoint the most holy place.” (My translation)
Daniel 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.” (NASB95)
“So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem” presents the result of the previous statement in verse 24.
“You are to know and discern” is composed of the verb yā∙ḏǎʿ (יָדַע) (yaw-dah), “you are to know” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the verb śā∙ḵǎl (שָׂכַל) (saw-kal), “discern.”
This verb yā∙ḏǎʿ means “to know” in these sense of possessing information about a subject, which in our context is the exact time when these 490 prophetic years relating to Israel and Jerusalem will begin and when the sixty-ninth week or 483 prophetic year will end.
The jussive conjugation denotes that Gabriel is expressing to Daniel a strong desire that he would possess information about the exact time when the seventy weeks will begin and when the sixty-ninth week will end and the adverse circumstances surrounding the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The verb śā∙ḵǎl refers to Daniel carefully considering thoughtfully the information Gabriel was going to give regarding the exact time when the seventy weeks will begin and when the sixty-ninth week will end and the adverse circumstances surrounding the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The word expresses the idea of Daniel valuing this information enough to seek to understand it.
The jussive conjugation denotes that Gabriel is expressing to Daniel a strong desire that he would carefully considered the information he was giving him regarding the exact time when the seventy weeks will begin and when the sixty-ninth week will end and the adverse circumstances surrounding the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The conjunction wa is used to join the verbs yā∙ḏǎʿ and śā∙ḵǎl in order to communicate one idea, which is called “hendiadys” which means these two verbs express one idea.
Gabriel is requesting that Daniel know, yes and more than that, he is to carefully consider the information he was giving him regarding the exact time when the seventy weeks will begin and when the sixty-ninth week will end and the adverse circumstances surrounding the rebuilding of Jerusalem..
“From the issuing of a decree” is composed of the preposition min (מִן) (min) “from” and its object is the noun mô·ṣā(ʾ) (מוֹצָא) (mo-tsaw´), “the issuing of” and then we have the noun dā∙ḇār (דָּבָר) (daw-bawr), “a decree.”
The noun dā∙ḇār means “decree, command” referring to that which a sovereign requires of his subjects and denotes an authoritative directive either written or verbal, given as instruction or prescription to a subordinate.
The noun mô·ṣā(ʾ) means “issue” referring to what which goes forth and here it refers to the “issuing” of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.
The noun mô·ṣā(ʾ) is the object of the preposition min, which is functioning as a temporal marker meaning that it is marking the starting point in which something begins.
It marks the issuing of the decree or command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem as the beginning of the seventy weeks.
“To restore and rebuild Jerusalem” is composed of the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh) and its object is the verb šûḇ (שׁוּב) (shoob), “to restore” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh) which is not translated and this time its object is the verb bā·nā(h) (בָּנָה) (baw-naw´), “rebuild” which is followed by the proper name yerû∙šā∙lǎ∙yim (יְרוּשָׁלַםִ) (yer-oo-shaw-lah-im), “Jerusalem.”
The verb šûḇ means “to restore” and refers to restoring Jerusalem in the sense of changing it back to its previous preferable state before the Babylonian invasions.
The preposition lĕ is prefixed to the infinitive construct form of šûḇ and governs it and is functioning as a marker of purpose indicating that the issuing of the command here is for the purpose of restoring Jerusalem.
The verb bā·nā(h) refers to rebuilding Jerusalem in the sense of restoring it to its state before it was attacked and left in ruins by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.
The preposition lĕ is prefixed to the infinitive construct form of bā·nā(h) and governs it and is functioning as a marker of purpose indicating that the issuing of the command here is for the purpose of rebuilding Jerusalem.
Once again, the conjunction wa is used to join two verbs together to form the figure of hendiadys indicating that these two words express one idea, namely, the restoration of Jerusalem.
The Hebrew term yerû∙šā∙lǎ∙yim means “Jerusalem” and is of course referring to the religious and political capital of Israel.
Daniel 9:25 “Therefore, please know, yes please carefully consider: From the issuing of the command to restore, yes to rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince, there will be seven units of seven years and sixty-two units of seven years. It will be restored, yes it will be rebuilt with a public square as well as a defensive trench even during distressful times.” (My translation)
Gabriel desires that Daniel know and carefully consider the exact time when these seventy units of seven years or 490 prophetic years would begin and when the sixty-ninth week would end as a result of these seventy units of seven years being decreed for Israel and Jerusalem.
“From the issuing of the command to restore, yes to rebuild Jerusalem” was the fourth of four decrees made by Persian rulers in reference to the Jews: (1) Cyrus’ decree in 538 B.C. (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4; 5:13). (2) Darius’ I decree in 520 B.C. (Ezra 6:1; 6-12). (3) Artaxerxes Longimanus’ decree in 458 B.C. (Ezra 7:11-26). (4) Artaxerxes Longimanus’ decree in 444 B.C. (Nehemiah 2:1-8).
The first three decrees say nothing about the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem itself since the first two decrees pertain to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the third relates to finances for animal sacrifices at the temple but the fourth decree granted the Jews permission to rebuild Jerusalem’s city walls.
“From the issuing of the command to restore, yes to rebuild Jerusalem” informs Daniel as to when the seventy weeks or seventy units of seven years (490 prophetic years) begin.
It will begin with the restoration and rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.
The first of the four decrees by Persian rulers was the one Cyrus issued to rebuild the temple, which occurred in 538 B.C. (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-5).
This decree resulted in the return of the Jewish exiles in Babylon to the land of promise and the rebuilding of the temple but not a complete restoration of the city of Jerusalem.
Cyrus issued the decree which brought an end to the exile and again turned the Jews toward Jerusalem.
This edict refers to the rebuilding of the temple and not to the city, thus it could not mark the beginning of the seventy weeks.
The commencement of the rebuilding began with Cyrus’ decree but the city’s complete restoration was not at that time.
The next decree in the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem was due to Tattenai, governor of Judah, who questioned the Jews’ right to rebuild the temple (Ezra 5:3-17).
Darius I had a search made of Cyrus’ decree and then issued a decree himself about 519 or 518 B.C. to confirm Cyrus’ original decree (Ezra 6:1-12).
This decree will not serve as the beginning date for the seventy weeks because it has specific reference to the temple and not to the city.
Furthermore, it really is not a new decree but only confirms a former one.
The third decree was the decree to Ezra in 458 B.C. which encouraged the return of more of the Jewish exiles with Ezra as well as the further restoration of the temple and its worship, and in addition the appointment of civil leaders (Ezra 7:11-26).
This decree did not mark the beginning of the seventy weeks because it does not contain a word about the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem but rather the temple in Jerusalem.
The decree of Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 444 B.C. to rebuild the city of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-8) is the decree being referred to here in Daniel 9:25, which marks the beginning of the seventy weeks or the seventy units of seven years (490 prophetic years).
This is indicated by the fact that this decree makes a direct reference to the restoration of the city of Jerusalem (2:3, 5) and of the city gates and walls (2:3, 8).
Also, Artaxerxes wrote a letter to Asaph to give materials to be used specifically for the walls (2:8).
Furthermore, the book of Nehemiah and Ezra 4:7-23 indicate that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem was done during tremendous adversity just as Gabriel predicted to Daniel here in Daniel 9:25.
Therefore, the only decree that adequately fits the criteria listed in Daniel 9:25 is the decree of Artaxerxes in 444 B.C. which is mentioned in the book of Nehemiah.
This decree marks the beginning of the seventy weeks.
Nehemiah 1:1 states that Nehemiah heard of Jerusalem’s desolate conditions in the month of Chislev (November/December) in Artaxerxes’ twentieth year.
Then in Nehemiah 2:1 we are told that later in Artaxerxes’ twentieth year in the month of Nisan (March/April) Nehemiah reports that he was granted permission to restore the city and build its walls.
The fact that Nisan occurs later than Chislev (in the same year) seems curious.
However, Nehemiah was using a Tishri-to-Tishri (September/October) dating method rather than the Persian Nisan to-Nisan method.
Nehemiah was following what was used by the kings of Judah earlier in their history.
The beginning of Artaxerxes’ rule can be established. First of all, his father Xerxes died shortly after December 17, 465 B.C. and he immediately succeeded him.
The accession-year system was used, thus the first year of Artaxerxes’ reign according to the Persian Nisan-to-Nisan reckoning would be Nisan 464 to Nisan 463.
It according to the Jewish Tishri-to-Tishri the first year of his reign would be reckoned as Tishri 464 to Tishri 463.
Therefore, the report to Nehemiah (1:1) took place in Chislev (NovemberDecember) of 445 B.C. and the decree of Artaxerxes recorded in Nehemiah 2:1 occurred in Nisan (MarchApril) of 444 B.C.
Thus, Nisan 444 B.C. marks the beginning of the seventy weeks of Daniel 9:24-27.
“It will be restored, yes it will be rebuilt with a public square as well as a defensive trench even during distressful times” tells Daniel that Jerusalem will be built during times of great adversity.
This was fulfilled during the days of Nehemiah as recorded in the book which bears his name.