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 weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city (שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים נֶחְתַּךְ עַל־עַמְּךָ וְעַל־עִיר קָדְשֶׁךָ)—The Hebrew shavu'im shiv'im (שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים, "seventy weeks") literally means "seventy sevens," interpreted as seventy weeks of years (490 years). The verb nechtak (נֶחְתַּךְ, "determined/decreed") means "cut off" or "decisively fixed," indicating God's sovereign timetable for redemptive history. This prophecy concerns "your people" (Israel) and "your holy city" (Jerusalem), establishing its specific historical referent.
The sixfold purpose clause defines what these 490 years will accomplish:
to finish the transgression (lekalle hapesha, לְכַלֵּא הַפֶּשַׁע)—to restrain or bring rebellion to completion
to make an end of sins (ulchatom chatta'ot, וּלְחָתֹם חַטָּאת)—literally "to seal up sin," ending its power
to make reconciliation for iniquity (ulkhapper 'avon, וּלְכַפֵּר עָוֹן)—to atone for or cover iniquity through sacrifice
to bring in everlasting righteousness (ulhavi tsedek 'olamim, וּלְהָבִיא צֶדֶק עֹלָמִים)—to establish righteousness that endures forever
to seal up the vision and prophecy (velachtom chazon venavi, וְלַחְתֹּם חָזוֹן וְנָבִיא)—to authenticate and complete prophetic revelation
to anoint the most Holy (velimshoach qodesh qodashim, וְלִמְשֹׁחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים)—to anoint the Most Holy One or consecrate the Most Holy Place.
This passage is the Old Testament's most precise messianic prophecy.
Reformed interpreters have historically identified these accomplishments with Christ's first advent: His death accomplished atonement (3), His resurrection brought eternal righteousness (4), His ministry fulfilled prophecy (5), and His ascension anointed Him as eternal High Priest (6, cf. Hebrews 9:11-12). The 490 years, calculated from Artaxerxes' decree (Nehemiah 2:1-8, 445 BC), extend to Christ's ministry and the temple's destruction (AD 70), demonstrating God's meticulous sovereignty over redemptive history.
Historical Context
Daniel received this revelation around 538 BC (9:1-2) during Darius the Mede's reign, while studying Jeremiah's prophecy of 70 years' exile (Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10). His intercessory prayer (9:3-19) sought understanding of Israel's restoration. The angel Gabriel appeared with this stunning response: rather than merely 70 years, God's plan encompasses seventy weeks of years—490 years—to accomplish complete redemption. The prophecy's mathematical precision led Sir Robert Anderson (The Coming Prince, 1894) and others to calculate that the 69 weeks (483 years) extended from Artaxerxes' decree to Christ's triumphal entry. The seventieth week remains debated—some apply it to Christ's ministry and Jerusalem's destruction, others see a gap before future fulfillment. This prophecy sustained Jewish hope during intertestamental persecution and validated Jesus as Messiah through fulfilled timeline.
Questions for Reflection
How does the precision of this 490-year prophecy strengthen your confidence in Scripture's divine inspiration and Christ's messianic identity?
Which of the six accomplishments (finishing transgression, ending sin, making atonement, bringing righteousness, sealing prophecy, anointing the Holy One) most encourages you in your current spiritual struggles?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city (שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים נֶחְתַּךְ עַל־עַמְּךָ וְעַל־עִיר קָדְשֶׁךָ)—The Hebrew shavu'im shiv'im (שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים, "seventy weeks") literally means "seventy sevens," interpreted as seventy weeks of years (490 years). The verb nechtak (נֶחְתַּךְ, "determined/decreed") means "cut off" or "decisively fixed," indicating God's sovereign timetable for redemptive history. This prophecy concerns "your people" (Israel) and "your holy city" (Jerusalem), establishing its specific historical referent.
The sixfold purpose clause defines what these 490 years will accomplish:
This passage is the Old Testament's most precise messianic prophecy.
Reformed interpreters have historically identified these accomplishments with Christ's first advent: His death accomplished atonement (3), His resurrection brought eternal righteousness (4), His ministry fulfilled prophecy (5), and His ascension anointed Him as eternal High Priest (6, cf. Hebrews 9:11-12). The 490 years, calculated from Artaxerxes' decree (Nehemiah 2:1-8, 445 BC), extend to Christ's ministry and the temple's destruction (AD 70), demonstrating God's meticulous sovereignty over redemptive history.