Daniel's Seventy Weeks

While Daniel was still praying, the angel Gabriel flew swiftly to him with a prophecy of seventy weeks reaching to the coming of the Messiah the Prince.

In the first year of Darius, Daniel understood from the book of Jeremiah that the desolations of Jerusalem would last seventy years, and he set his face to seek God in prayer, fasting, and confession. While he was still speaking, about the time of the evening oblation, the angel Gabriel came swiftly and touched him, saying he had come to give him skill and understanding, for Daniel was greatly beloved. Gabriel declared that seventy weeks were determined upon Daniel's people and holy city, to finish transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness. From the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince would be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks, after which Messiah would be cut off, but not for himself. Its timeline has been studied and debated by readers ever since.

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Details

Category: Exile
Dreamer: Daniel
Interpretation: A prophecy of seventy 'weeks' (sevens) set for Israel and Jerusalem, leading to the coming of the Messiah the Prince, his being cut off, and the city's later destruction.

Key Chapters

Daniel 9 Daniel's Prayer and the Seventy Weeks 6 min read In answer to Daniel's prayer of confession, Gabriel unveils God's timetable for ...

Key Passages

Seventy Weeks Are Determined

Daniel 9:20-27

In answer to Daniel's prayer of confession, Gabriel unveils God's timetable for His people and the coming Messiah.

A²⁰nd whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

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. ²² And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. ²³ At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. 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. 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. 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. 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.