Daniel 9 25

Daniel 9:25 kjv

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.

Daniel 9:25 nkjv

"Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

Daniel 9:25 niv

"Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

Daniel 9:25 esv

Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.

Daniel 9:25 nlt

Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler ? the Anointed One ? comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.

Daniel 9 verses

Daniel 9 25 meaning

Daniel 9:25 is a pivotal prophetic verse within the larger seventy-weeks prophecy. It declares a precise timetable from a specific command to rebuild Jerusalem until the advent of "Messiah the Prince." This period is divided into two parts: seven weeks for the rebuilding of Jerusalem's infrastructure (street and wall) and an additional sixty-two weeks, culminating in a total of sixty-nine "weeks" (interpreted as weeks of years, thus 483 years) leading to the Anointed Leader's arrival. It also notes that this rebuilding will occur in difficult, "troublous" times.

Daniel 9 25 Context

Daniel 9:25 comes amidst Daniel's earnest prayer of confession and supplication for Jerusalem and his people, Israel (Dan 9:1-19). He understood Jeremiah's prophecy of seventy years of exile were nearing their end. In response, the angel Gabriel delivers the "seventy weeks" prophecy (Dan 9:20-27), providing an even broader and deeper understanding of God's redemptive plan beyond the immediate restoration of the exiles. This particular verse, 9:25, outlines the initial 69 weeks of this overarching prophecy, marking the timeframe from the decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem to the appearance of the Messiah. It grounds God's prophetic plan in precise historical events, focusing not just on the Temple, but the complete restoration of Jerusalem as a functioning city. The historical setting is the Babylonian exile and the subsequent Persian Empire, with the return to Judah and the rebuilding efforts taking place under Persian authorization.

Daniel 9 25 Word analysis

• Know therefore and understand: Hebrew: yada' (know, perceive) and bin (understand, discern). This opening imperative emphasizes the crucial importance of the revelation about to be given, demanding careful consideration and intelligent comprehension from the recipient. It signals a divine imperative to grasp significant prophetic truth.
• from the going forth of the commandment: Hebrew: mim-moṣā’ ḏāḇār. "Commandment" (davar) refers to an authoritative decree. This specifies the crucial starting point for the prophetic timeline. Multiple Persian decrees relate to rebuilding the Temple or Jerusalem, notably Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4), Darius (Ezra 6:1-12), Artaxerxes I to Ezra (Ezra 7:1-26), and Artaxerxes I to Nehemiah (Neh 2:1-8). The command "to restore and build Jerusalem" strongly points to the comprehensive rebuilding of the city, which the Artaxerxes decree to Nehemiah best fits, although others relate to components.
• to restore and to build Jerusalem: Hebrew: le-hā·šîḇ ule·hiḇ·nōwṯ yerū·šā·layim. Hashiv (restore, return) and banoh (build). This clarifies the scope of the "commandment"—it is not merely for the Temple, but for the full civic and structural restoration of Jerusalem itself, including its streets and wall. This specificity is crucial for identifying the correct historical decree.
• unto the Messiah the Prince: Hebrew: ‘aḏ-mā·šî·aḥ nā·ḡîḏ.
  • Messiah (Mashiakh): "Anointed One." This is the core term for the divinely appointed deliverer and king in Old Testament prophecy, explicitly identifying Jesus Christ as the fulfillment. In Israel, kings (1 Sam 10:1, 1 Kgs 19:16), priests (Ex 29:7, Lev 4:3), and sometimes prophets (1 Kgs 19:16) were anointed. This phrase singularizes the "Anointed One" as the climactic figure of prophecy.
  • the Prince (Nagid): "Leader," "Ruler," "Commander." This title further emphasizes the Messiah's authority and royal status (cf. Isa 9:6, Acts 5:31). This pairing unequivocally points to the singular Christ.
• shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: Hebrew: šā·ḇu·‘îm šiḇ·‘āh wə·šiš·šîm u·šna·yim šā·ḇu·‘îm. "Weeks" (shavu'im) here contextually denotes "weeks of years" based on the prophetic principle seen in Num 14:34 and Ezek 4:6 (a day for a year).
  • Seven weeks: (7 x 7 = 49 years) This period is allocated specifically for the "restoring and building Jerusalem," characterized by rebuilding its physical infrastructure.
  • Threescore and two weeks: (62 x 7 = 434 years). This period immediately follows the first seven weeks.
  • Total 69 weeks: (7 + 62 = 69 weeks, which equals 69 x 7 = 483 years). This cumulative period brings us to the appearance of "Messiah the Prince." This timing aligns remarkably well with Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
• the street shall be built again, and the wall: Hebrew: re·ḥō·wḇ wə·ḥā·rūṣ tiš·šā·ḇeḥ u·ḇā·nōw.
  • Street (rehov): Public square, broad way, confirming public urban spaces.
  • Wall (charutz): The literal defensive structure, often with ditches. This phrase specifies the scope of the rebuilding, solidifying that the verse refers to the city's reconstruction rather than just the Temple, directly linking to Nehemiah's work.
• even in troublous times: Hebrew: wə·be·‘î·ṣū·qîm haz·zə·mā·nîm. ‘Itsuqe (troubles, distress, oppression) and zemanim (times, seasons). This historical detail accurately describes the opposition faced by the builders of Jerusalem, especially under Nehemiah, from surrounding adversaries like Sanballat and Tobiah (Neh 4:7-8). It attests to the historical reliability of the prophecy.

Daniel 9 25 Bonus section

The specific starting date for the 69 weeks is a subject of scholarly discussion, but a prominent interpretation calculates it from Artaxerxes' decree given to Nehemiah in the 20th year of his reign (Neh 2:1-8), typically dated to 444 BC. If using the 360-day prophetic year common in ancient calendars (not the Julian calendar), this starting date (444 BC, Nisan 1) remarkably projects to AD 32 or 33, aligning precisely with the time of Jesus' public ministry and specifically His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem shortly before His crucifixion, when He formally presented Himself as "Messiah the Prince." This exactness solidifies the messianic claim of Jesus of Nazareth and underscores the unparalleled predictive power of biblical prophecy.

Daniel 9 25 Commentary

Daniel 9:25 stands as one of the Bible's most detailed and profound Messianic prophecies, setting a chronological framework for the Messiah's first advent. God’s answer to Daniel's prayer of repentance and hope for a return to Jerusalem exceeds Daniel's immediate concerns, unveiling a precise, divinely orchestrated timeline for the redemption of Israel and humanity. The verse hinges on the identification of a starting decree (most scholars favor Artaxerxes I’s decree in 444 BC to Nehemiah to rebuild the city), from which 483 prophetic years (69 "weeks" of years) were to elapse. This period remarkably concludes around the time of Jesus Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, where He was presented as King (Matt 21:5). The prophecy underscores God’s absolute sovereignty over human history and His meticulous timing in fulfilling His redemptive promises. The mention of "troublous times" validates the historical accuracy and human cost involved in preparing for this divine intervention. This passage unequivocally points to Jesus as the Messiah, establishing His credentials through prophetic fulfillment with unparalleled specificity.