SEVENTY WEEKS

The "seventy weeks" of the prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 have long been a subject of controversy in the critical schools. The conflicting views may be seen very fully in Dr. Driver's Daniel, 94;, 143;, and Dr. Pusey's Daniel the Prophet, lectionaries II, III, IV. On both sides it is agreed that the "weeks" in this prophecy are to be interpreted as "weeks of years," i.e. the 70 weeks represent 490 years. This period, commencing with "the going forth of the commandments to restore and build Jerus" (Daniel 9:25), is divided into three parts, 7 weeks (49 years), 62 weeks (434 years), and one week (7 years). The 69 weeks extend to the appearance of "an anointed one (Hebrew "Messiah"), the prince" (Daniel 9:25), who, after the 62 weeks, shall be "cut off" (Daniel 9:26), apparently in the "midst" of the 70th week (Daniel 9:27). On the traditional view (see Pusey), the 69 weeks (483 years) mark the interval from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem till the appearance of Christ; and if, with Pusey, the decree in question be taken to be that of the 7th year of Artaxerxes (457-56 B.C.; the mission of Ezra; compare Ezra 7:8;), confirmed and extended in the 20th year of the same king (mission of Nehemiah; compare Nehemiah 2:1;), the 483 years run out about 27-28 A.D., when our Lord's public ministry began. On the other hand, the view which supposes that the Book of Daniel belongs wholly to the Maccabean age, and does not here contain genuine prediction, is under the necessity of making the 490 years terminate with the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (171-164 B.C.), and this, it is admitted, cannot be done. To give time the violent expedient is adopted of dating the commencement of the 70 weeks from the prophecy of Jeremiah of the 70 years' captivity, or of the rebuilding of Jerusalem (606 or 587 B.C.), i.e. before the captivity had begun. Even this, as Dr. Driver admits (p. 146), leaves us in 171 B.C., some 67 years short of the duration of the 62 weeks, and a huge blunder of the writer of Daniel has to be assumed. The divergent reckonings are legion, and are mutually contradictory (see table in Pusey, p. 217). To invalidate the older view Dr. Driver avails himself of the altered renderings of Daniel 9:25 and 27 in the English Revised Version. It is to be noted, however, that the American Standard Revised Version does not follow the English Revised Version in these changes. Thus, whereas the English Revised Version reads in 9:25, "Unto the anointed one; the prince, shall be seven weeks: and threescore and two weeks, it shall be built again," and accordingly takes "the anointed one" of 9:26 to be a distinct person, the American Standard Revised Version (as also the English Revised Version margin) reads, as in the King James Version, "shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks." Again, where the English Revised Version reads in Daniel 9:27 "For the half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease," the American Standard Revised Version (and the English Revised Version margin) has as formerly, "In the midst of the week he shall cause" etc. (conversely, in 9:25 the American Revised Version margin gives the English Revised Version rendering). The question cannot be discussed here, but it is believed that the traditional interpretation may yet claim acceptance from those who do not accept the postulates of the newer critical writers.

See DANIEL; JUBILEES, BOOK OF.

James Orr

Fragment xvi. On the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. ...
... Books of the Chronography of Julius Africanus. Fragment XVI. On the Seventy
Weeks of Daniel.? On the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. ...
/.../africanus/the writings of julius africanus/fragment xvi on the seventy.htm

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... The seventy weeks of Daniel, beginning the first year of Cyrus, and the 3439th year
of the world, contain so many years as the world did weeks of years until ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm

"The Kingdom of God is at Hand"
... "Seventy weeks," said the angel, "are ... See Num.14:34; Ezek.4:6. The seventy weeks,
or four hundred and ninety days, represent four hundred and ninety years. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 23 the kingdom of.htm

An American Reformer.
... Jer.25:11); Nebuchadnezzar's seven times (Dan.4:13-16); and the seven weeks, threescore
and two weeks, and the one week, making seventy weeks, determined upon ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /18 an american reformer.htm

An American Reformer
... seven times (Daniel 4:13-16); and the seven weeks, threescore and two weeks, and
the one week, making seventy weeks, determined upon the Jews (Daniel 9:24-27 ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 18 an american reformer.htm

Daniel
... The question of their identity involves the further question of the precise
interpretation of the prophecy of the seventy weeks. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/daniel.htm

General Account of Jesus' Teaching.
... This prophecy tells of seventy weeks in which each day is reckoned as a year,
so that the seventy weeks equal four hundred and ninety years. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxvii general account of jesus.htm

Antichrist in Daniel
... The entire Christian dispensation (which began with the crucifixion of Christ) is
passed by unnoticed in this prophecy of the "seventy weeks." It comes in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/4 antichrist in daniel.htm

Light through Darkness.
... The preaching of the disciples in regard to time was based on the seventy weeks
of Daniel 9.. The message given by Miller and his associates announced the ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /19 light through darkness.htm

Of the Times of Christ's Birth and Passion, and of Jerusalem's ...
... on the prophecy of the seventy weeks, pp. 5, 6, 109-112. ... And for the whole question
of the seventy weeks, and of the LXX. version of Daniel, comp. ...
/.../tertullian/an answer to the jews/chapter viii of the times of.htm