Daniel 9:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.

NIV: Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

NASB: Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

CSB: Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city -- to bring the rebellion to an end, to put a stop to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.

NLT: A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

This begins Gabriel's explanation, as given to Daniel (Daniel 9:21–23). Daniel's earlier experience with dreams and visions mostly spoke about Gentile nations (Daniel 2:19–20; 7:1; 8:1). What he's told here involves the nation of Israel. These prophecies will be some of the most important given in Scripture. While Israel's seventy-year exile is nearing an end (Jeremiah 29:10–11), this message looks much further into Israel's future. Despite changes in politics and world events, nothing can derail God's plan for His chosen people. What He has promised will certainly happen, though for now we may struggle to understand all the details.

Gabriel uses a word in this passage most often translated as "week," but which literally means "group of seven." He indicates that seventy such weeks, or groups, will be required to complete God's program for Israel and Jerusalem. It is best to consider each "week" as seven years. This would mean a total of 490 years—though as the symbolic language suggests, not all the "weeks" are consecutive.

That period will be enough to "finish the transgression." In this context, that seems to mean a completion, or a full building up, of sin and evil (Daniel 8:23). After this, sin in Israel will end and be atoned for (Zechariah 13:1), all prophecies will be fulfilled, and the nation will experience a direct relationship with the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:5). Other prophets, such as Ezekiel, cover similar time periods in their messages. The New Testament book of Revelation, recorded by John, gives further hints as to how these events will take place.

Daniel 9:24–27 is a divine look into the future. This is the Lord's timetable for making all things right pertaining to Israel. It comes in response to Daniel's heartfelt prayers on behalf of his people (Daniel 9:3–19). What's recorded in this passage is among the more important and often-examined prophecies in all of Scripture. This section includes famous references to the "seventy weeks" which relate to the appearance of the Messiah and to the schedule of the end times.

Darius became king when Babylon fell to Medo-Persia. Daniel compared this to writings from Jeremiah, and realized the exile of Israel was almost over. As he prayed for God's intervention, the angel Gabriel arrived to provide further explanation. Gabriel's prophecy ties the arrival of an "anointed one," or "Messiah," or "Christ," to a moment in history followed by a set interval of time. This prediction includes dire moments for Israel and Jerusalem.

This chapter forms part of the prophetic section of Daniel's writing. After confessing the sins of both Israel and his own life, Daniel received a visit from the angel Gabriel. Gabriel revealed a message about Israel's then-future. This includes reference to the arrival of Christ and information about the still-future end times. Chapter 10 begins the last of Daniel's prophetic messages.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.