70th Week Hebrew Parallelism

In Daniel 9:25, Gabriel speaks of two time periods.

²⁵Know 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.

There is the 7 week period that was previously discussed and a 62 week period. In Daniel 9:26, Gabriel again speaks of a 62 week period.

²⁶And 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.

The difference in Daniel 9:25 and Daniel 9:26 is that Daniel 9:26 states after 62 weeks. The question that needs to answered by the reader is what week is being referred to in Daniel 9:26? One might think that the answer is obvious; however, it may not be as obvious as one assumes.

For this page, the obvious and correct answer is the 70^th week. Daniel 9:25 states that there is a period of 7 and 62 weeks. 7 plus 62 is 69. So Daniel 9:25 accounts for 69 weeks. Since Daniel 9:26 states after 69 weeks, it must be referring to the 70^th week. Now in Daniel 9:27, Gabriel states:

²⁷And 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.

The question now becomes, what week is being referred to in Daniel 9:27? Again one might think this is obvious; however, the obvious answer has been overlooked.

The unfortunate thing about Daniel 9, and it is not Daniel 9 that is unfortunate, it is the way that it has been taught by many. There is an assumption that Daniel 9:26 and Daniel 9:27 are referring to two different time periods.

If that was true then there would be 71 weeks as oppose to the 70 weeks that Gabriel stated in Daniel 9:24. To further confuse the issue, Some claim that not only are Daniel 9:26 and Daniel 9:27 two different time periods, but there is a parenthesis period of approximately 2000 years.

If that was true 70 weeks or 490 years would be approximately 2490 years. Then the prophesy would not be 70 weeks, but 356 weeks. This would then be the only place in the Bible where there is a parenthesis period. It makes the 70 weeks rather meaningless. If all this was true, it should make one wonder why God would even write it this way? Instead of bringing enlightenment, it would have brought confusion to Daniel and future believers.

Finally, one must consider the context of the vision as it was given to Daniel. The beginning of the Chapter, Daniel 9:2:

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

It was in Daniel’s time. The context is the return from Babylonian captivity and to rebuild Jerusalem after the 1^st return from exile.

Daniel 9:13

¹³As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before Yehovah our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

How does any one but Yeshua help the Children of Israel and future believers turn from their iniquities or understand the truth? Anyone or anything other than Yeshua does not resolve Daniel 9:13?

One thing that is important to keep in mind, when trying to understand the prophesy is when did the seventy weeks end. Gabriel is clear in Daniel 9:24.

²⁴Seventy 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.

The 70 weeks end with anointing the Most Holy. The question that is important is who or what is the Most Holy? There is only one, Yeshua Messiah. This happened 2000 years ago when Yeshua ended sacrifices forever. The writer of Hebrews tells the reader in Hebrews 10:14-18:

¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. ¹⁵Whereof the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ¹⁶This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith Yehovah, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; ¹⁷And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. ¹⁸Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

When Yeshua died on the cross that ended sacrifices. Therefore Daniel 9 is not about some future temple, it has already occurred. The 70^th week has long passed.

Daniel 9 is one of the greatest proofs for Messiah and his 3-1/2 year ministry. This is when Yeshua finished the transgression, made an end to sins, reconciliation for iniquity and brought in everlasting righteousness. These were all accomplished because of the work of the cross. This happened in the 1^st Century, it was Yeshua who was the focus of the prophesy.

Yet many relegate the 70^th week of Daniel to the anti-christ. Remember what Gabriel stated in Daniel 9:25:

It is unto Messiah the Prince. It means that the Messiah would fulfill the 70^th week not some other person.

The reason why many fail to see that Daniel 9:26 and Daniel 27 are referring to the same week is because they overlook that it is a Hebrew Parallelism. This means that these verses have a common meaning from a slightly different point of view.

Another reason many fail is that there is the thought that the Most Holy refers to the Temple itself. Scriptures provide a answer to that issue. This will be discussed in subsequent pages.

Next Yeshua’s Sacrifice

Back to 7 Weeks

Return to 70 Weeks of Daniel