Daniel 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 {H7657} weeks {H7620} are determined {H2852} upon thy people {H5971} and upon thy holy {H6944} city {H5892}, to finish {H3607} the transgression {H6588}, and to make an end {H8552}{H2856} of sins {H2403}, and to make reconciliation {H3722} for iniquity {H5771}, and to bring in {H935} everlasting {H5769} righteousness {H6664}, and to seal up {H2856} the vision {H2377} and prophecy {H5030}, and to anoint {H4886} the most {H6944} Holy {H6944}.

"Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and for your holy city for putting an end to the transgression, for making an end of sin, for forgiving iniquity, for bringing in everlasting justice, for setting the seal on vision and prophet, and for anointing the Especially Holy Place.

Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

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

Commentary on Daniel 9:24

Daniel 9:24 is a pivotal verse within the prophetic book of Daniel, introducing the renowned "seventy weeks" prophecy. This divine revelation was given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel in response to Daniel's earnest prayer for his people, Israel, and their holy city, Jerusalem, during the Babylonian exile. The verse outlines a predetermined period of time and six specific, grand purposes that would be accomplished within that period, fundamentally shaping the destiny of Israel and culminating in the work of the Messiah.

Historical and Cultural Context

The prophet Daniel had been studying the prophecies of Jeremiah, specifically the seventy years of desolation for Jerusalem (Jeremiah 29:10). As the end of this 70-year period approached, Daniel poured out a prayer of confession and petition for God's mercy upon his people and their devastated sanctuary (Daniel 9:17). In response, Gabriel appeared, not merely confirming the seventy years of exile, but revealing a far greater prophetic timeline: "seventy weeks" or "seventy sevens," addressing the ultimate spiritual and physical restoration of Israel and the arrival of their Messiah.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Sovereignty and Timing: The phrase "seventy weeks are determined" emphasizes God's precise and unalterable plan for human history, particularly concerning Israel and the coming of the Messiah. It highlights that God works according to His own perfect timetable.
  • Messianic Fulfillment: The six purposes outlined in this verse point directly to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. These are not merely political or national objectives for Israel, but spiritual accomplishments that only the Messiah could achieve.
  • Atonement and Righteousness: The core of the prophecy revolves around the resolution of sin.
    • "to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity": These phrases speak to the complete and final atonement for humanity's sin, achieved through the sacrificial death of Christ. His sacrifice provides a perfect and lasting reconciliation.
    • "and to bring in everlasting righteousness": This refers to the righteousness that believers receive through faith in Christ, which is eternal and not based on human merit. This is the righteousness of God, revealed and applied through faith (Romans 3:22).
  • Validation of Prophecy and Anointing the Most Holy:
    • "and to seal up the vision and prophecy": This signifies the fulfillment and confirmation of all Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah and His kingdom. Christ's life, death, and resurrection validate and bring to completion the prophetic word.
    • "and to anoint the most Holy": This phrase can refer to the anointing of a holy place (like the temple) or, more profoundly in this context, the anointing of the "Most Holy One" – the Messiah Himself – for His redemptive work. This points to Jesus as the divinely appointed and consecrated King and High Priest.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "seventy weeks" translates the Hebrew word shabuim (שָׁבֻעִים), which literally means "sevens." While it can refer to seven days (a week), in this prophetic context, it is widely understood to mean "sevens of years," or 490 years (70 x 7 years). This interpretation is supported by the magnitude of the events described and the direct connection to the seventy years of exile, which were years. This understanding is crucial for interpreting the subsequent verses in Daniel 9, which detail the breakdown of these weeks.

Practical Application

Daniel 9:24 offers immense comfort and assurance. It reminds us that God is sovereign over time and history, meticulously working out His redemptive plan. The verse powerfully underscores the centrality and sufficiency of Christ's work on the cross, which provided the ultimate solution for sin and established an everlasting righteousness. For believers, it deepens appreciation for Jesus' finished work of atonement and offers hope for the final fulfillment of all prophecy in His return.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hebrews 9:11

    But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

  • Hebrews 9:14

    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

  • Jeremiah 23:5

    Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

  • Jeremiah 23:6

    In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

  • Romans 5:10

    For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

  • Leviticus 25:8

    ¶ And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.

  • Numbers 14:34

    After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back