12. And he hath confirmed, his words, &c. By bringing upon the people all that he had threatened in case of their disobe dience. Daniel saw that there was a com plete fulfilment of all that he had said would come upon them. As all this had been threatened, he could not complain; and as he had confirmed his words in re gard to the threatening, he had the same reason to think that he would in regard to his promises. What Daniel here says was true in his time, and in reference to his people will be found to be true at all times, and in reference to all people. — Nothing is more certain than that God will 'confirm' all the words that he has ever spoken, and that no sinner can hope to escape on the ground that God will be found to be false to his threatenings, or that he has forgotten them, or that ho is indifferent to them. ^[ Against our judges that judged us. Our magistrates or rulers. ^[ For under the whole heaven. — In all the world. ^ Hath not been done at hath been done upon Jerusalem. In respect to the slaughter, and the captivity, and the complete desolation. No one can show that at that time this was not literally true. The city was in a state of complete desolation; its temple was in ruins; its people had been slain or borne into cap tivity.
13. As it is written in the law of Moses. The word law was given to all the writ ings of Moses. See Notes on Luke xxiv. 44. ^[ Yet made we not our prayer before the. Lord our God. Marg., entreated we not the face of. The Hebrew word here used — rV?n — means properly to be pol ished; then to be worn down in strength,
before the Lord our God, that we might tarn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
14 Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God in righteous 3 in all his works which
he doeth; for we obeyed not his voice.
15 And now, 0 Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of -Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast b gotten theo
to be weak; then to be sick, or diseased; fer is that we have sinned. This will bo then in Piel, (the form used here) to rub or stroke the face of any one, to soothe or caress, and hence to beseech, or suppli cate. See Gesenius, Lex. Here it means, that, as a people, they had failed, when they had sinned, to call upon God for found to bo true always, and whatever calamities we suffer, it should be a fixed principle with us to "asci'ibe righteous ness to our Maker." Job xxxvi. 3.
pardon; to jonfess their sins; to implore I his mercy; to deprecate his wrath.' It would have been easy to turn aside his threatened judgments if they had been penitent, and had sought his mercy,
Andnow, 0 Lord our God, that Jiast thy people forth out of the land of but they had not done it. What s here said of them, can and will be said of
Egypt. In former daj-g. The reference to this shows that it is proper to use argu ments before God when we plead with him (Comp. Notes on Job xxiii. 4); that is, to suggest considerations or reasons why the prayer should be granted. Those, reasons must be, of course, such as will all sinners when the divine judpnent I. to Qur Qwn mindg ag 6ufficient to comes upon them, fl That ice mujht turn m^Q ifc for Qod to ^^ ^Q from our equities. That we might seek; blessi anf/ wh(jn th are presented grace to turn from our transgressions | bcfore hi H mugj. be wkh submission to which God had revealed; equivalent to saying that they might be righteous. 14. Therefore hath the Lord watched merits which it is proper to urge are those derived from the divine mercy and faith fulness; from the promises of' God; from upon the evil. The word here used, and j hig forijer dealiog; with^his poople'. from to wake; to le sleepless; to watch. it means to watch over anything, or to j bleness that his name should be glorified, be attentive to it, Jer. i. 12; xx.xi. 28; Here Daniel properly refers to the former xliv. 27. Gesenius, Lex. The meaning divine interposition in favour of the He- here is, that the Lord had not been inat tentive to the progress of things, nor un mindful of his threatening. He had never slumbered, but had carefully ob served the course of event?, and had been attentive to all that they had done, and to all that he had threatened to do. The practical truth taught here — and it is one brew people, and he pleads the fact that God had delivered them from Egypt as a reason why he should now interpose and save them. The strength of this argu ment may be supposed to consist in such things as the following: (a) in the fact that there was as much reason for in terposing now, as there was then; of great importance to sinners — is that i (6) in the fact that his interposing then God is not inattentive to their conduct, j might be considered as a proof that he though he may seem to be, and that in j intended to be regarded as their produe time he will show that he has kept an j tector, and to defend them as his peounsluuibering eye upon them. See Notes j pie; (o) in the fact that he who had on Isa. xviii. 4. ^For the Lord our God i evinced such mighty power at that is riyhteoua in all his icorks, &c. T'ris is! time, must be able to interpose and save the language of a true penitent; language them now, <fcc. ^[ And hunt gotten thvz which is always used by one who has renown. Marg., made thee a name. So right feelings when he reflects on the the Hebrew. The idea is, that that great divine dealings towards him. God is seen j event had been the means of making him to be righteous in his law and in his j known as a faithful God, and a God dealings, and the only reason why we suf-j able to deliver. As he was thus known, 31*
renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 f 0 Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our
Daniel prayed that he would again inter pose, and would now show that he was as able to deliver his people as in former times. ^[ As at this day. That is, as God was then regarded. The re membrance of his interposition had been diffused abroad, and had been transmitted from age to age. ^ We have sinned, &c. This turn in the thought shows how deeply the idea of their sinfulness pressed upon the mind of Daniel. The natural and obvious course of thought would have been, that, as God had interposed, when his people were delivered from Egyptian bondage, he would now again interpose; but, instead of that, the mind of Daniel is overwhelmed with the thought that they had sinned grievously against one who had shown that ho was a God eo great and glorious, and who had laid them under such obligations to love and serve him.
16. 0 Lord, according to all thy righte ousness. The word righteousness here seems to refer to all that was excellent and glorious in the character of God. The eye of Daniel is fixed upon what he had formerly done; upon his character of justice, and mercy, and goodness; upon the faithfulness of God to his peo ple, and, in view of all that was excellent and lovely in his character, he plead that
fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are, about us.
17 Now therefore, 0 our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate for the Lord's sake.
structian of their city, f Thy holy moun tain. Jerusalem was built on hills, and the city in general might be designated by this phrase. Or, more probably, there is allusion either to Mount Zion, or to MountMoriah. <[ Because for our sins, Ac. There is, on the part of Daniel, no dispo sition to blame God for what he had done. There is no murmuring or complaining, as if he had been unjust or severe in his dealings with his people. Jerusalem was indeed in ruins, and the people were cap tives in a distant land, but he felt and admitted that God was just in all that he had done. It was too manifest to be de nied that all these calamities had come upon them on account of their sins, and this Daniel, in the name of the people, humbly and penitently acknowledged. ^[ A reproach to all that are about us. All the surrounding nations. They reproach us with our sins, and with the judgments that have come upon us, as if we were peculiarly wicked, and were forsaken of heaven.
17. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant. In behalf of the people. He plead for his people, and country, and earnestly entreated the Lord to be merciful. His argument is based on the confession of sin; on the character of God; on the condition of the city and temple; on the former divine interpositions in behalf of the people;
character of God that is the ground of! and by all these considerations, he pleads his plea — and what else is there that can I with God to have mercy upon his people give us encouragement when we come and land. ^[ And cause thy face to shine before him in prayer? *[ Let thine anger j upon thy sanctuary. Upon the temple. and thy fury be turned away, &c. The That is, that ho would look upon it beanger which had come upon the city, and! nignly and favourably. The language which appeared to rest upon it. Jeru- I is common in the Scriptures, when favour salem was in ruins, and it seemed still to [and kindness are denoted by lifting up be lying under the wrath of God. The i the light of the countenance, and by word rendered /«>'?/, is the common one to denote wrath or indignation. It im plies no more than anger or indignation, similar phrases. The allusion is, origi nally, perhaps, to the sun, which, when it shines brightly, is an emblem of favour
;ind refers here to the divine displeasure and mercy; when it is overclouded, is an igainst their sins, manifested in the de-j emblem of wrath. ^ For the Lord's take.
18 0 my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and be hold our desolations, and the city » which is called by thy name: ^ for we do not b present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19 0 Lord, hear; 0 Lord, forgive; 0 Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, 0 my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
20 f And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my
That is, that ho would be propitious for his own sake; to wit, that his glory might be promoted; that his excellent character might be displayed; that his mercy and compassion might be shown. All true prayer has its seal in a desire that the glory of God may be promoted, and the excellence of his character displayed. That is of more consequence than our welfare, and the gratification of our wishes, and that should be uppermost in our hearts when we approach the throne of grace.
18. 0 my God, incline thine ear and hear. Pleading earnestly for his atten tion and his favour, as one does to a man. 5[ Open thine eyes. As if his eyes had been closed upon the condition of the city, and he did not see it. Of course, all this is figurative, and is the language of strong and earnest pleading when the heart is greatly interested. f[ And the city which is called by thy name. Marg., whereupon thy name is called. The mar gin expresses the sense more literally, but the meaning is, that the city had been consecrated to God, and was called his — the city of Jehovah. It was known as the place of his sanctuary — the city where his worship was celebrated, and which was regarded as his peculiar dwell ing-place on the earth. Cotnp. Ps. xlviii. 1, 2, 3; Ixxxvii. 3. This is a new ground of entreaty, that the city belonged to God, and that ho would remember the close connection between the prosperity of that city and the glory of his own name.
19. 0 Lord, hear, &c. The language in this verse does not require any parti cular explanation. The repetition — the varied forms of expression — indicate a mind intent on the object; a heart greatly interested; an earnestness that cannot be denied. It is language that is re spectful, solemn, devout, but deeply earnest. It is not vain repetition, for its force is not in the words employed, but in the manifest fervour, earnestness, and sincerity of spirit which pervade the pleading. It is earnest intercession and supplication that God would hear — that he would forgive, that he would hearken and do, that he would not defer his gra cious interposition. The sins of the peo ple; the desolation of the city; the pro mises of God; the reproach that the ra tion was suffering — all these come rushing over the soul, and prompt to the most earnest pleading that perhaps ever pro ceeded from human lips. And these things justified that earnest pleading — for the prayer was that of a prophet, a man of God, a man that loved his country, a man that was intent on the promotion of the divine glory as the supreme object of his life. Such earnest intercession; such confession of sin; such a dwelling on arguments why a prayer should be heard, is at all times acceptable to God; I and though it cannot be supposed that I the divine mind needs to be instructed,! or that our arguments will convince God j or influence him as arguments do men, i yet it is undoubtedly proper to urge them as if they would, for it may be only in this way that our own minds can be brought into a proper state. The great argument which toe are to urge why our prayers should be heard, is the sacrifice which has been made for sin by the Re deemer, and the fact that he has pur chased for us the blessings which we need; but in connection with that it is proper to urge our own sins and necessi ties; the wants of our friends or our country; our own danger and that of others; the interposition of God in times past in behalf of his people, and his own gracious promises and purposes. If we have the spirit, the faith, the penitence, the earnestness of Daniel, we may be sure that our prayers will be heard as his was.
sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication be fore the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21 Yea, while I was speaking in
*[ For the holy mountain of my God. Notes on ver. 16.
21. Yea, while I was speaking in prayer. How long the prayer continued, we are not informed. It is probable tbat we have only the substance of it, and that Daniel has recorded only the topics on which he dwelt more at length. The subject was of great importance, and it is reasonable to suppose that a day had been devoted to an examination of the prophecies, and to solemn prayer. ^[ Even the man Gabriel. Who had the appear ance of a man, and hence so called. — *« Whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning. That is, in & former vision. — See Notes on ch. viii. 16. It cannot refer to what is mentioned in this (the ninth) chapter, for (a) he had as yet had no vis ion, but all that is recorded is a prayer; (b) there is no intimation that Gabriel had appeared to him at the beginning of the prayer; and (c) it is declared that at the beginning of the prayer, Gabriel, then evi dently in heaven, had received command ment to go to Daniel, and to communicate the message to him, ver. 23. The mean ing undoubtedly is, tbat the personage who now appeared to him he recognized to be the same who had appeared in a former vision on the banks of the Ulai. The proper meaning of the Hebrew here is, ' in a vision at the beginning/ as in our translation. So the Vulgate, a principio; and so Theodotion — iv T?J dp**?. The Hebrew word rVjnn — means properly beginning, Hos. i. 2; Prov. ix. 10; but, in connection with the preposition, as here, nSnn? — it means also before, formerly, Geni xiii. 3; xli. 21; xliii. 18, 20; Isa. i. 26. ^[ Being caused to fly swiftly. Marg., with weariness, or Jlight. On the difficult He brew expression here — *!£'? 1>TP — Leng-erkc may be consulted, in loc. The words, according to Gesenius, and derived from *$;, to go swiftly, and then, to be ginning, being caused to fly a swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, 0 Daniel, I am now come forth b to give thee skill and understanding.
wearied, to faint, either with running, Jer. ii. 24, or with severe labor, Isa. xl. 28, or with sorrows, Isa. 1. 4. If derived from this word, the meaning in Hopbal, the form here used would be, wearied icith swift running, and the sense is, that Gabriel had borne the message swiftly to him, and appeared before him as one does who is wearied with a rapid course. If this be the idea, there is no direct allu sion to his flying, but the reference is to the rapidity with which he had come on the long journey, as if exhausted by his journey. The Latin Vulgate renders it cito volans — quickly flying; Theodotion, flying; the Codex Chis. ra\i\. — borne swiftly. The Syriac, ' with a swift flying he flew and came from heaven.' It cannot be determined with certainty, from the words used here, that the coming of Gabriel xvas by an act of flying as with wings. The common rep resentation of the angels in the old Testa ment is not with wings, though the Cher ubim and Seraphim (Isa. vi. 1, scq.) are represented with wings, and in Ilev. xix. 6, we have a representation of an angel flying. Probably the more exact idea here is that of a rapid course, so as to pro duce weariness, or such as would naturally produce fatigue. ^[ Touched me. Dan iel was doubtless at this time engaged in prayer. ^[ About the time of the evening oblation. The evening sacrifice. This was at the ninth hour of the day, or about! three o'clock in the afternoon.
22. And he informed me. Heb., Gave me intelligence or understanding. That ia, about the design of his visit, and abcut what would be hereafter. ^ And talked with me. Spake unto me. ^ 0 Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill.— Marg., make thee skilful of. The He brew is literally, ' to make thee skilful, or wise, in understanding.' The design was to give him information as to what was t6 occur.
23 At the beginning of thy sup plications the a commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art b greatly beloved: there-
23. At the beginning of thy supplica tions. We arc not informed at what time Daniel began to pray, but, as remarked above, it is most natural to suppose that he devoted the day to prayer, and had commenced these solemn acts of devotion in the morning. ^ The commandment came forth. Marg., word. That is, the word of God. This evidently means, in heaven •; and the idea is, that as soon as he began to pray a command was issued from God to Gabriel that he should visit Daniel, and convey to him the important message respecting future events. It is fair to conclude that he had at once left heaven in obedience to the order, and on this high embassage, and that he had passed over the amazing distance between heaven and earth in the short time during which Daniel was engaged in prayer. If so, and if heaven — the peculiar seat of God — the dwelling place of angels and of the just, is beyond the region of the fixed stars — some central place in this vast universe, then this may give us some idea of the amazing rapidity with which celes tial beings may move. It is calculated that there are stars so remote from our earth, that their light would not travel down to us for many thousand years. If so, how much more rapid may bo the movements of celestial beings than even light; perhaps more than that of the lightning's flash — than the electric fluid on telegraphic wires — though that moves at the rate of more than 200,000 miles in a second. Comp. Dick's Philosophy of a Future State, p. 220. "During the few minutes employed in uttering this prayer," says Mr. Dick, "this angelic messenger descended from the celestial regions to the country of Babylonia. This was a rapidity of motion surpass ing the comprehension of the most vig orous imagination, and far exceeding even tho amazing velocity of light." "With such a rapidity it may be our pri vilege 3'et to pass from world to world, on errands of mercy and love, or to survey in distant parts of the universe the wonderful works of God. C And fore understand the matter, and con sider the vision.
/ am come to show thee. To make thee acquainted with what will yet be. *j[ For thou art greatly beloved. Marg., as in Heb., 'a man of desires.' That is, ho was one whose happiness was greatly desired by God; or a man of God's de light; that is, as in our version, greatly beloved. It was on this account that his prayer was heard, and that God sent to I him this important message respecting what was to come. ^[ Therefore under stand the matter. The matter respecting what was yet to occur in regard to his people. «[ And consider the vision. This vision — the vision of future things which ho was now about to present to his view. From this passage describing the appear ance of Gabriel to Daniel, we may learn
(a) that our prayers, if sincere, are heard in heaven as soon as they are offered. They enter at once into the ears of God, and he regards them at the instant.
(b) A command, as it were, may bo at once issued to answer them — a« if he di rected an angel to bear the answer at once, (c) Tho angels are ready to hasten down to men, to communicate the will of God. Gabriel came evidently with plea sure on his embassage, and to a benevo lent being anywhere there is nothing more grateful than to bo commissioned to bear glad tidings to others. Possibly that may be a part of tho employment of the righteous forever, (d) The' thought is an interesting one, if we are permitted to entertain it, that good angels may be constantly employed as Gabriel was; that whenever prayer is offered on earth they may be commissioned to bring answers of peace and mercy, or dispatched to ren der aid, and that thus the universe maj be constantly traversed by these holy be ings ministering to those who are ' heirs of salvation.' Heb. i. 1, 4.
24. Seventy weeks are determined. Here commences the celebrated prophecy of tho SEVENTY WEEKS — a portion of Scripture which has excited as much at tention, and led to as great a variety of interpretation, as perhaps any other. Of this passage, Prof. Stuart (Hints on the mined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to * finish the trans- Interpretation of Prophecy, p. 104), re marks, " It would require a volume of considerable magnitude, even to give a history of the ever-varying and contra dictory opinions of critics respecting this locus vex a tissimus / and perhaps a still larger one to establish an exegesis which would stand. I am fully of opinion, that no interpretation as yet published, will stand the test of thorough grammaticohistorical criticism; and that a candid, and searching, and thorough critique here is still a desideratum. May some expo sitor, fully adequate to the task, speedily appear!" After these remarks of this eminent Biblical scholar, it is with no great confidence of success that I enter on the exposition of the passage. Yet, per haps, though all difficulties may not be removed, and though I cannot hope to contribute anything new in the exposi tion of the passage, something may be written which may relieve it of some of the perplexities attending it, and which may tend to show that its author was under the influence of divine inspiration. The passage may bo properly divided into two parts. The first, in ver. 24, contains a general statement of what would occur in the time specified — the seventy weeks; the second (vs. 25-27), contains a parti cular statement of the manner in which that would be accomplished. In this statement, the whole time of the seventy weeks is broken up in three smaller portions of seven, sixty-two and one — designating evidently some important epochs or periods, ver. 25, and the last one week is again sub-divided in such a way that, while it is said that the whole work of the Messiah in confirming the covenant would occupy the entire week, yet that he would be cut off in the middle of the week, ver 27. In the general statement (ver. 24), it is said that there wns a definite time— seventy weeks — during which the subject of the predic tion would be accomplished; that is, dur ing which all that was to be done in reference to the holy city, or in the holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, <fce., would be effected. The things specified in this verse are what was to be done, as detailed more particu larly in the subsequent verses. The de sign in this verse seems to have been to furnish a general statement of what was to occur in regard to the holy city — of that city which had been selected for the peculiar purpose of being a place where an atonement was to be made for human transgression. It is quite clear that when Daniel set apart this period for prayer, and engaged in this solemn act of devo tion, his design was not to inquire into the ultimate events which would occur in Jerusalem, but merely to pray that the purpose of God, as predicted by Jeremiah, respecting the captivity of the nation, and the rebuilding of the city and temple, might be accomplished. God took occa sion from this, however, not only to give an implied assurance about the accom plishment of these purposes, but also to state in a remarkable manner the whole ultimate design respecting the holy city, and the great event which was ever on ward to characterize it among the cities of the world. In the consideration of the whole passage (vs. 24 — 27), it will be proper, first, to examine into the literal meaning of the words and phrases, and then to inquire into the fulfilment. ^[ Sev enty iveeks. D>J?T«? D<lp"V Vulg. Septuaginta hebdomades. So Theodotion, 'E,#<5ofjifiKovra £,#<5o//d<5fj. Prof. Stuart (Hints, p. 82) renders this 'seventy sevens;' that is, seventy times seven years: on the ground that the word denoting weeks in the Hebrew is not D'gatr, but mpatf. " The form which is used here," says he, "which is a regular masculine plural, is no doubt purposely chosen to designate the plural of seven; and with great propriety here, inasmuch as there are many sevens Avhich are to be joined together in one common sum. Daniel had been meditating on the close of the seventy years of Hebrew ex ile, and the angel now discloses to him a new period of seventy times seven, in which still more important events are to take place. Seventy sevens, or (to use the Greek phraseology), seventy heptades, are deter mined upon thy people. Heptades of what? Of days, or of years? No one can doubt what the answer is. Daniel had been making diligent search respect ing the seventy years; and, in such a connection, nothing but seventy heptades be meant by the angel." The inquiry about the gender of the word, of which so I on ch. vii. 24—28. (6) Daniel had been much has been said (Hengstenberg, Chris, making inquiry respecting the seventy 11. 297,) does not seem to be very im-Uear*,«a<| it is natural to suppose that portant, since the same result is reached I the answer of the angel would have rewhether it be rendered seventy sevens, or spect to years also, and, thus understood, seventy weeks. In the former case as pro- the answer would have met the inquiry posed by Prof. Stuart, it means seventy | pertinently—" not seventy years, but a sevens of years, or 490 years; in the j week of years— seven times seventy other, seventy iceeJu of years; that is, as j years." Comp. Matt, xviii. 21, 22. "In a week of years is seven years, seventy j such a connection, nothing but seventy such weeks, or, as before, 490 years, j heptades of years could be reasonably The usual and proper meaning of the | supposed to be meant by the angel.'' word here used, however— JPU^— is a Prof. Stuart's Hints, Ac., p. 82. (c) Years,
Gesenius, Lex. From the examples where of all considerable periods of time. When the word occurs it would seem that the tne angel speaks, then, in reference to cer- masculine or the feminine forms were used indiscriminately. The word occurs only in the following passages, in all of which it is rendered week, or weeks, except in take place during seventy heptades, it is a matter of course to suppose that he means years, (d) The circumstances of the case
Ezek. xlv. 21, where it is rendered sevtn, \ demand this interpretation. Daniel was to wit, days. In the following passages Decking comfort in view of the fact that the word occurs in the masculine form tne city and temple had been desolate plural, Dan. ix. 24, 25, 26 j x. 2, 3; in the 1 now f°r a period of seventy years. The following in the feminine form plural, j angel comes to bring him consolation,
Ex.xxxiv.22; Num. xxviii.26: Deut.xvi. 9, 10, 16: 2 Chron. viii. 13; Jer. v. 24; Ezek. xlv. 21; and in the following in the singular number, common gender, ren dered week, Gen. xxix. 27, 28, and in the dual masculine in Lev. xii. 5, rendered two weeks. From these passages it is evi dent that nothing certain can be deter mined about the meaning of the word from its gender. It would seem to de note weeks, periods of seven days — hebdo mads — in either form, and is doubtless so used here. The fair translation would be weeks seventy are determined; that is, seventy times seven days, or four hundred and ninety days. But it may be asked and to give him assurances about the re building of the city, and the great events that were to occur there. But what con solation would it be to be told that the city would indeed bo rebuilt, and that it would continue seventy ordinary weeks — that is, a little more than a year, before a new destruction would come upon it? It cannot well be doubted, then, that by the time here designated, the angel meant to refer to a period of four hundred and ninety years, and if it be asked why this number was not literally and exactly spe cified in so many words, instead of choos ing a mode of designation so obscure com paratively, it may be replied, (1) that the here whether tiiis is to be taken literally j number seventy was employed by Daniel as denoting four hundred and ninety as the time respecting which he was days? If not, in what sense is it to be making inquiry, and that there was a understood? and wli3r do we understand it in a different sense? It is clear that it must be ex four hundr xplained literally, as denoting ed and ninety days, or that these days must stand for years, and that the period is four hundred and ninety years. That this latter is the true inter- propriety that there should be a reference to that fact in the reply of the angel number seventy had been fulfilled in the desolations of the city, there would be another number seventy in the events yet to occur; (2) this is in the usual pro phetic style, when there is, as Hengsten- pretation, as it has been held by all com- | berg remarks (Chris. II. 299), often a mentators, is apparent from the following j ' concealed definiteness.' It is usual to ing righteousness, and to seal up the vision and a prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
designate numbers in this way. (3) The j which Daniel belonged. This allusion is term was sufficiently clear to be under- j mado because he was inquiring about stood, or is, at all events, made clear by the close of their exile, and their restorathe result. There is no reason to doubt ' tion to their own land. ^T And upon thy that Daniel would so understand it, or j holy city. Jerusalem, usually called the that it would be so interpreted, as fixing! faoty city> because it was the place where in the minds of the Jewish people the; the worghip of Qod wag celebrated< Isa.
period when the Messiah was about to appear. The meaning, then, is, that there would be a period of four hundred and ninety years, during which the city, after the order for the rebuilding should go forth (ver. 25), until the entire con summation of the great object for which itshould be rebuilt, and that then the pur-
Hi. 1; Neh. xi. 1, 18; Matt, xxvii. 53. It is called 'thy holy city' — the city of Daniel, because he was here making es pecial inquiry respecting it, and because he was one of the Hebrew people, and the city was the capitol of their nation. As one of that nation, it could be called his. It was then, indeed, in ruing, but it was to given up to a greater to be this long period in which most im portant transactions were to occur in the city. If Are determined. The word here from Tl~n, occurs nowhere else in the Scriptures. It properly means, according to tJesenius, to cut off, to di vide; and hence, to determine, to des tine, to appoint. Theodotion renders it, u — are cutoff, decided, defined.
The meaning would seem to bo, that this portion of time — the seventy weeks — was cut ojffrom the whole of duration, or cut out of it, as it were, and set by itself for a definite purpose. It does not mean that it was cut off from the time which the city would naturally stand, or that this time was abbreviated, but that a portion of time, to wit, four hundred and ninety years — was designated or appointed with reference to the city, to accomplish the great and important object which is im-! ined by Kennicott, it is nS3. The reading mediately specified. A certain, definite! in the text is undoubtedly the correct one, period was fixed on, and when this was but still there is not absolute certainty as passed, the promised Messiah would come, to the signification of the word, whether
Hengstenberg, Christ, in loc. The true mon reading of the text — N^D, is to shut meaning seems to be, that the seventy j upj confine, restrain— as it is rendered in noting a period of time; that is, a period i wor(J found in ffianv mgg- nL,?_5g to be as if it were then a city. The meaning of ' upon thy people and city' — Sj? — is, re specting, or concerning. The purpose re specting the seventy Aveeks^e>-fcm)« to thy people and city; or there is an important period of four hundred and seventy years determined on, or designated, respecting that people and city, ^f To finish the trans gression. The angel proceeds to state what was the object to be accomplished in this purpose, or what would occur during that period. The first thing to finish the transgression. The margin is, restrain. The Vulgate renders it, ut consummetur prcevaricatio. Theodotion, rur) awTt\&iii'a.i anaprlav — to finish sin. Thompson ren ders this, 'to finish sin offerings.' The difference between the marginal reading estrain, and the text— jinifth, arises from a doubt as to the meaning of the original word. The common reading of the text is N.S?, but in 39 Codices exam- or complete. Hengstenberg, who is fol lowed in this view by Lengerke, supposes that the moaning is to ' shut up transgres sion/ and that the true reading is that in the text- — N>3 — though as that word is not used in Piel, and' as the Masorites had some doubt as to the derivation of the word, they gure to it, not its appropriate pointing in this place — which would have been sS;p, but the pointing of the other word — nSj, in the margin. According to Hengstenberg, the sense here of shutting up is derived from the general notion of restraining or hindering, belonging to the word; and he supposes that this will best accord with the other words in this number of the verse — to cover, and to seal up. The idea according to him is, that 'sin, which hitherto lay naked and open before the eyes of a righteous God, is now by his inercy shut up, scaled, and covered, so that it can no more be regarded as exist ing—a figurative description of the for giveness of sin.' So Lengerke renders it, Urn- einzKschliessen [deii\ Abfall. Bertholdt, Bis der Frevcl vollbracht. It seems most probable that the true idea here is that denoted in the margin, and that the sense is not that of finishing, but that of restraining, closing, shutting up, &c. So it is rendered by Prof. Stunrt — " to restrain transgression." Com. on Dan iel, in loc. The word is used in this sense of shutting up, or restraining, in several places in the Bible: 1 Sam. vi. 10, 'and shut up their calves at home;' Jer. xxxii. 3, ' Zedekiah had shut him up;" Ps. Ixxxviii. 8, ' I am shut up, and I cannot come forth;' Jer. xxxii. 2, 'Jeremiah the prophet was shut up.' The sense of shut ting up, or restraining, accords better with the connection than that of finishing. The reference of the whole passage is un doubtedly to the Messiah, and to what would be done sometime during the 'seventy weeks;' and the meaning here is, not that he would 'finish transgres sion' — which would not be true in any proper sense, but that he would do a work which would restrain iniquity in the world, or, more strictly, which would shut it up — enclose it — as in a prison, so that it would no more go forth and prevail. The effect would be that which occurs when one is shut up in prison, and no longer goes at large. There would be a restraining power and influence which would check the progress of sin. This
I does not, I apprehend, refer to the par ticular transgressions for which the Jew ish people had suffered in their long cap tivity, but sin ("E^n) in general — the sin of the world. There would be an influ ence which would restrain and curb it, or which would shut it up so that it would no longer reign and roam at large over the earth. It is true that this might not have been so understood by Daniel at the time, for the language is so general, that it might have suggested the idea that it referred to the sins of the Jewish people. This language, if there had been no far ther explanation of it, might have sug gested the idea that in the time specified — seventy weeks — there would be some process — some punishment — some divine discipline — by which the iniquities of that people, or their propensity to sin, for which this long captivity had come upon them, would be cohtbitcd or restrained. But the language is not such as necessa rily to confine the interpretation to that, and the subsequent statements, and the actual fulfilment in the work of the Mes siah, lead us to understand this in a much higher sense, as having reference to sin in general, and as designed to refer to some work that would ultimately be an effectual check on sin, pmd which would tend to cohibit or restrain it altogether in the world, Thus understood, the lan guage will well describe the work of tho Redeemer — that work which, through the sacrifice made on the cross, is adapted and designed to restrain sin altogether. ^[ And to make an end of sins. Marg., to seal up. The difference here in the text and the margin arises from a difference in the readings in the Hebrew. The common reading in the text is arn, from ann — to seal, to seal up. But the Hebrew mar ginal reading is a different word — ann — from CCri to complete, to perfect, to finish. The pointing in the text in the word arn is not the proper pointing of that word, which would have been a'n n, but the! Masorites, as is not unfrequently the I case, gave to the word in the text the | pointing of another word which th^y i placed in the margin. The margii.al reading is found in 55, MSS. (Len gerke), but the weight of authority is de cidedly in favour of the common reading in the Hebrew text — to scaf, and not to finith, as it is iu our translation. Ta0 marginal reading to finish, was doubtless | eubstituted by some transcribers, or j rather suggested by the Masorites because | it seemed to convey a better signification i to say that 'sin would be finished,' than to say that, it would be nealed. The Vul gate has followed the reading in the margin — et finem accipiat peccatum; Theodotion has followed the otherrending, atppayiaai a/jiapriaf. Luther also has it, to seal. Coverdale, ' that sin may have an end.' The true rendering is, doubtless, 'to seal sin;' and the idea is that of re moving it, from sight; to remove it from view. ' The expression is taken,' says j Lengerke, 'from the custom of sealing j up those things which one lays aside, I and conceals.' Thus in Job ix. 7, 'And sealeth up the stars;' that is, he so shuts them up in the heavens as to prevent their shining — so as to hide them from the view. They are concealed, hidden, made close — as the contents of a letter, a| package, seal, indicating that no one is to examine them. See Notes on that passage. So also in Job xxxvii. 7, re ferring to winter, it is said, 'He sealeth up the hand of every man, that all men \ may know his work.' That is, in the winter, when the snow is on the ground, when the streams are frozen, the labours of the husbandman must cease. The hands can no more be used in ordinary toil. Every man is prevented from going abroad to his accustomed labour, and is, as it were, sealed up in his dwelling. Comp. Jer. xxxii. 11, 14; Isa. xxix. 11; Cant. iv. 12. The idea in the passage j before us is, that the sins of our nature '• will, as it were, be sealed up, or closed, ' or hidden, so that they will not be seen, or will not develop themselves; that is, " they will be inert, inefficient, powerless." Prof. Stuart. The language is appli cable to anything that would hide them from view, or remove them from sight — as a book whose writing is so sealed that we cannot read it; a tomb that is so closed that we cannot enter it and see its contents; a package that ia so sealed, that we do not know what is within it; a room that is so shut up that we may not enter it, and see what is within. It is not to be supposed that Daniel would see clearly how this was to be done, but we, who have now a full revelation of the method by which God can remove ein, can understand the method in which it is accomplished by the blood of the atonement, to wit, that by that atonement sin is now forgiven, or is treated as if it were hidden from the view, and a seal, which may not be broken, placed on that which covers it. The language thus used, as we are now able to interpret it, is strikingly applicable to the work of the Redeemer, and to the method by which God removes sin. In not a few MSS. and editions, the word rendered sins is in the singular number. The amount of authority is in favour of the common reading — sins — though the sense is not materially varied. The work would have reference to sin, and the effect would be to seal it, and hide it from the view. ^[ And to make reconciliation for iniquity. More literally, 'and to cover iniquity.' The word which is rendered 'to make reconciliation' — 193 — kajthar, properly means to cover (whence our English word cover); to cover over, to overlay, as with pitch, Gen. vi. 14; and hence to cover over sin; that is, to atone for it, pardon it, forgive it. It is the word which is commonly used with reference to atone ment or expiation, and seems to have been so understood by our translators. It does not necessarily refer to themeana by which sin is covered over, <fec., by an atonement, but is often used in the gene ral sense of to pardon or forgive. Comp. Notes on Isa. vi. 7, and more fully, Notes on Isa. xliii. 3. Here there is no neces sary allusion to the atonement which the Messiah would make in order to cover over sin; that is, the word is of so general a character in its signification that it docs not necessarily imply this, but it is the word which would naturally be used on the supposition that it had such a refer ence. As a matter of fact, undoubtedly, the means by which this was to be done was by the atonement, and that was re ferred to by the Spirit of inspiration, but this is not essentially implied in the meaning of the word. In whatever way that should be done, this word would be properly used as expressing it. The Latin Vulgate renders thus, et deleatur iniquitas. Theodotion, anaXtufrat ras ddiKias — 'to wipe out iniquities.' Luther, 'to re concile for transgression.' Here are three things specified, therefore, in regard to sin, which would be done. Sin would be
These expressions, though not of the nature of a climax, are intensive, and show that the great work referred to pertained to sin, and would be designed to remove it. Its bearing would be on human transgression; on the way by which it might be pardoned; on the methods by which it would be removed from the view, and be kept from rising np to condemn and destroy. Such ex pressions would undoubtedly lead the inind to look forward to some method which was to be disclosed by which sin could be consistently pardoned and re moved. In the remainder of the verse, there are three additional things which •would be done as necessary to complete the work:
To bring in everlasting righteousness / To seal up the vision and prophecy; and To anoint the Most Holt/. ^[ And to bring in everlasting righteousness. The phrase ' to bring in' — literally, ' to cause to come/ refers to some direct agency by which that righteousness would be introduced into the world. It would be such an agency as would cause it to exist,1 or as would establish it in the world. The mode of doing this is not indeed here specified, and so far as the word here used is concerned, it would be applicable to any method by which this would be done — whether by making an atonement; or by setting an example; or by persuasion; or by placing the sub ject of morals on a better foundation; or by the administration of a just govern ment — or in any other way. The term is of the most general character, and its exact force here can be learned only by the subsequently revealed facts as to the j way by which this would be accomplished. The essential idea in the language is that this would be introduced by the Mes siah, that is, that he would be its author. The word righteousness here also — p"i?f, is of a general character. The fair meaning would be, that some method would be introduced by which men would become righteous. In the for mer part of the verse, the reference was to em — to the fact of its existence — to the manner in which it would be disposed of — to the truth that it would bo coerced, sealed up, covered over. Here the state ment is, that, in contradistinction from that, a method would be introduced by which man would become, in fact, righte ous and holy. But the word implies nothing as to the method by which this would be done. Whether it would be by a new mode of justification, or by an in fluence that would make men personally holy — whether this was to be as the re sult of example, or instruction, or an atoning sacrifice — is not necessarily im plied in the use of this word. That, as in the cases already referred to, could be learned only by subsequent developments. It would be, doubtless, understood that there was a reference to the Messiah — for that is specified in the next verse; and it would be inferred from this word that, under him, righteousness would reign, or that men would be righteous, but nothing could be argued from it as to the methods by which it would be done. It is hardly necessary to add, that, in the prophets, it is constantly said that righteousness would characterize the Messiah and his times; that he would come to make men righteous, and to set up a kingdom of righteousness in the earth. Yet the ex act mode in which it was to be done, would be, of course, more fully explained when the Messiah should himself actually appear. The word 'everlasting' is used here to denote that the righteousness would be permanent and perpetual. In reference to the method of becoming righteous, it would be unchanging — the standing method ever onward by which men would become holy; in re ference to the individuals who should become righteous under this system, it would be a righteousness which would continue forever. This is the character istic which is every where given of the righteousness which would be introduced by the Messiah. Thus in Isa, li. 6 — 8: " Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garinent, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner, but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the peo ple in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righte ousness shall be forever, and my salva tion from generation to generation." So Isa. xlv. 17: " For Israel shall be caved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation;! the fulfilment would, as it were, close ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded, j them up forever. Till that time they world without end." Comp. Jer. xxxi. 3. i would be open for perusal and study; The language used in the passage before [ then they would be closed up as a sealed us, moreover, is such as could not pro- j volume which one does not read, but perly be applied to any thing but that j which contains matter hidden from the righteousness which the Messiah would '• view. Comp. Notes on Isa, viii. 16: introduce. It could not be used in refer- j "Bind up the testimony; seal the law ence to the temporal prosperity of the! among my disciples." See also Dan. viii. Jews on their return to the holy land, nor j 26; xii. 4. In Isaiah (viii. 16), the meanto such righteousness as the nation had ing is, that the prophecy was complete, and in former times. The fair and proper the direction was given to bind it up. or roll meaning of the term is, that it would be! it up like a volume, and to seal it. In Dan. eternal— that which would endure forever, viii. 26, the meaning is, seal up the pro- — Dip^'y pn?. It would place righteous- j phecy, or make a permanent record of ness on a permanent and enduring foun dation; introduce that which would en dure through all changes, and exist when the heavens would be no more. In tho plan itself there would be no change; in the righteousness which any one would possess under that system there would bo fulfilled, the event may be compared with the prophecy, and it may be seen that the one corresponds with the other. In the passage before us, Gesenius (Lex.) renders it, 'to complete, to finish' — meaning that the prophecies would be fulfilled. Hengstenberg sup- perpetual duration — it would exist forever \ Poses tnat ifc means that 'as soon as tho and ever. This is the nature of that righteousness by which men are now jus tified; this is that which all who are in takes place, the prophecy, al though it retains, in other respects, its great importance, reaches the end of its terestcd in the scheme of redemption destination, in so far as the view of beactually possess. The tooy in which this ^eversJ who stand in need of consolation 'everlasting righteousness' would be in- anc^ encouragement, is no longer directed troduced, is not stated here, but is reserved to!fc> to t^le future prosperity, but to that for future revelations. Probably all that i w^ich has appeared.' Lengerke supposes the words would convey to Daniel would! tnat ifc means to confirm, corroborate, rabe, that there would be some method dis closed by which men would become righte ous, and that this would not be tempo- i-y or changing, but would be permanent and eternal. It is not improper that ice should understand it, as it is explained by the subsequent revelations in the New Testament, as to the method by which sin ners are justified before God. ^ And to seal up the vision and prophecy. Marg., as in the Heb., prophet. The evident meaning, however, here is prophecy. The word seal is found, as already explained, in the former part of the verse — ' to seal up sins.' The word vision (for its mean ing, see Notes on Isa. i. ],) need not be understood as referring particularly to the visions seen by Daniel, but should be un derstood, like the word prophecy or pro phet here, in a general sense — as denoting all the visions seen by the prophets — the series of visions relating to the future, which had been made known to the pro- tify — bekriiftigen, bestatigen; that is, 'the eternal righteousness will be given to the pious, and the predictions of the prophets will be confirmed and fulfilled.' To seal, says he, has also the idea of confirming, since the contents of a writing are se cured or made fast by a seal. After all, perhaps, the very idea here is that of making fast, as a lock or seal does — for, as is well known, a seal was often used by the ancients where a lock is with us, and the sense may be, that, as a seal or lock made fast and secure the contents of a writing or a book, so the event, when the prophecy was fulfilled, would make it fast and secure. It would be, as it were, locking it up, or sealing it, forever. It would determine all that seemed to be undetermined about it; settle all that seemed to be indefinite, and leave it nc longer uncertain what was meant. Ac cording to this interpretation, the meanwould be that the prophecies would phets. The idea seems to be that they j bo sealed UP or settled by the coming of would at that time be all sealed, in the j tho Messiah. The prophecies terminated sense that they would be closed or shut! on him (Comp. Rev. xix. 10); they would up — tio longer open matter* — but that j find their fulfilment in him; they would be completed in him — and might then be! by others the consecration of the Chriaregarded as closed and consummated — as tian church by his presence. The phrase a book that is fully written and is sealed properly means ' Holy of Holies,' or Most up. All the prophecies, and all the Holy. It is applied often in the Scripvisions, had a reference more or less! ttires to the inner sanctuary, or the pordirect to the coming of the Messiah, and tion of the tabernacle and temple conwhen he should appear they might be • taining the ark of the covenant, the two regarded as complete. The spirit of pro- j tables of stone, &c. See Notes on Matt, phecy would cease, and the facts would i xxi. 12. The phrase occurs in the folconfirm and seal all that had been written. ' lowing places in the Scripture, Ex. xxvi. ^ And to anoint the Most Holy. There 33,34; xxix. 37; xxx. 29, 36; xl. 10; has been great variety in the interpreta- I Lev. ii. 3, 10, et al — in all, in about tion of this expression. The word ren- j twenty-eight places. See the Englishdered anoint— nvi?— infinitive from ntrip: man's Hebrew Concordance. It is not —(whence the word Messiah ver. 25),! necessarily limited to the inner sanemeans properly to strike or draw the ^7 of the temple, but maJ be «Phand over any thing; to spread over with Phed to the whole house> or to anvanything, to smear, to paint, to anointJ thm° that wa??° Derated to God in It is commonly used with reference to a a manner peculiarly sacred. In a large sacred rite, to anoint, or consecrate by fenso, possibly it might apply to Jorusaunction or anointing to any office or use; '• Iem> thouSh I am not aware that!t ever as e.g. a priest, Ex. xxviii. 41; xl. 15;' occ,ur.s m tbls se.nse in tho. Scriptures, a prophet, 1 Kings xix. 16; Isa. Ixi. 1; and in a fiSuratlve sense ll miSbJ be a king, 1 Sam. x. 1; xv. 1; 2 Sam. ii.4; aPPhed undoubtedly, as Hengstenberg 1 Kings i. 34. So it is used to denote suPPoses» to the Christian church, though tho consecration of a stone or column as ifc is certain that U is not elsewhere a future sacred place, Gen. xxxi. 13; or tbus used' In reSard to tho meaning of vases and vessels as consecrated to God, i thf expression-an important and diffi- Ex. xl. 9, 11; Lev. via. 11; Num. vii. 1. < ™lfc one> as 1S admitted by all— there are The word would then denote a setting \ five P™"'ipal opinions which it may be apart to a sacred use, or consecrating a?ve11 to notice' The truth wil1 be found person or place as holy. Oil, or an un- m one of them- C1) Tbat lfc refers to the guent, prepared according to a specified consecration by oil or anointing of the rule, was commonly employed for this tomPle that would b« rebuilt after the purpose, but tho word may be used in a caPtlvltJ> bJ Zerubbabel and Joshua, figurative sense— as denoting to set apart Jhls was the °Pinion °f Michselis and or consecrate in any way without the use Jahn> But to tbls °Pinion there are inof oil— as in the case of the Messiah, i suPerable objections: (a) that, according So fur as this word, therefore, is con- to the unif°rm tradition of the Jews, tho corned, what is here referred to may have holy oil was wanting in the second ternoccurred without the literal use of oil Ple< In tbc case of tbe first temple there byanyactof consecration or dedication to IniSht have been a literal anointing, a'holyuse. The phrase 'the Most Holy'— thou£h there is no evidence of that, as,** ^p-has been very variously in- ^jiX^^l^tt terpreted. Ly some it has been under- in the secon(l ten le there ig e ey._ stood to apply uerally ^ to the Most Holy i dence that there can be, that there was place— the Holy of Holies, in the tern- no literal anointing. (I) The time here at large as a holy place; and by others, of ye or four hun(lred an/ ninety as Hengstenberg, to the Christian church 'years. This cannot bo doubted f§4 us « holy place. By some the thing here Jfotes on the firgt t of the verse) ^ be referred to is supposed to have been the the period referred to; but it is absurd consecration of the Most Holy place after to s thafc the consecration of tho the rebuilding of the temple; by others new temple would be dcferred f(,r so long the consecration of tho whole temple; by a time> a'nd thero is not the sH,,htest,,„£ others the consecration of the temple and dence that it war. This opinion, thcrenty by the presence of the Messiah, and] fore, cannot be entertained. (2) Tho second opinion is, that it refers to the ] Notes on Heb. ix. 2); but it might be re-consecrntion and cleansing of the tern- | applied to the whole temple as conseple after the abominations of Antiochus crated to the service of God. If it be Epiphanes. See Notes on ch. viii. 14. [ asked, then, what anointing, or conse- But this opinion is liable substantially to | cration is referred to here, the rep?y, as the same objections as the other. The it seems to me, is, not that it was then cleansing of the temple, or of the sane- to be set apart anew, or to be dedicated;
tuary, as it is said in ch. viii. 14, did not occur four hundred and ninety years after the order to rebuild the temple (ver. 25), but at a much earlier period. By no art of construction, if the period here referred to is four hundred and ninety years, can it be made to apply to the re-dedication of the temple after An tiochus had defiled it. (3) Other? have supposed that this refers to the Messiah himself, and that the meaning is, that he, not that it was literally to be anointed with the consecrating oil, but that it was to be consecrated in the highest and best sense by the presence of the Mes siah — that by his coming there was to be a higher and more solemn consecration of the temple to the real purpose for which it was erected, than had occurred at any time. It was reared as a holy place; it would become eminently holy by the presence of him who would come as the anointed of God, and his coming to it would accomplish the purpose for which it was erected, and with reference to which all the rites observed there had who was most holy, would then be con secrated or anointed as the Messiah. It is probable, as Hengstenberg (Christ, ii. 321, 322) has shown, that the Greek translators thus understood it, but it is a been ordained, and then, this work having sufficient objection to this that the phrase, been accomplished, the temple, and all though occurring many times in the j the rites appertaining to it, would pass Scriptures, is never applied to persons, \ away. In confirmation of this view, it unless this be an instance. Its uniform j may be remarked, that there are repeated and proper application is to things, or j allusions to the coming of the Messiah to places, and it is undoubtedly so to be un- j the second temple, reared after the return derstood in this place. (4) Hengsten- • from the captivity — as that which would berg supposes (pp. 325 — 328), that it i give a peculiar sacredness to the temple, refers to the Christian church as a holy and which would cause it to surpass in glory place, or ' the New Temple of the Lord,' j all its ancient splendour. So in Haggai ii. 'the church of the New Covenant,' as: 7 — 9: "And I will shake all nations, and consecrated and supplied with the gifts | the desire of all nations shall come; and I of the Spirit. But it is a sufficient refu- j will fill this house with glory, saith the tation of this opinion that the phrase is ( Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter nowhere else so used; that it has in the j house shall be greater than the former Old Testament a settled meaning as refer- \ saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place ring to the tabernacle or the temple; that j will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." it is nowhere employed to denote a col- j So Mai. iii. 1, 2: " The Lord, whom ye lection of people, any more than it is an > seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, individual person — an idea which Hengs- j even the messenger of the covenant whom tenberg himself expressly rejects (p. 322); | ye delight in; behold he shall come, saith and that there is no proper sense in which \ the Lord of hosts. But who may abide it can be said that the Christian church | the day of his coming? And who shall is anointed. The language is undoubtedly j stand when he appeareth? For he is to be understood as referring to some | like a refiner's fire, and like the fuller's place that is to be thus consecrated, and soap," &c. Comp. Matt. xii. 6: "But I the uniform Hebrew usage would lead to the supposition that there is reference, in some sense, to the temple at Jerusalem. (5) It seems to me, therefore, that the obvious and fair interpretation is, to refer say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple." Using the word anoint, therefore, as denoting to con secrate, to render holy, to set apart to a sacred use, and the phrase holy of it to the temple — as the holy place of to designate the temple as such, it seems God; his peculiar abode on earth. Strictly j to me most probable that the reference and properly speaking, the phrase would apply to the inner room of the temple — the sanctuary properly so called (see here is to the highest consecration which could be made of the temple in the esti mation of a Hebrew, or in fact, the prea- ence of the Messiah, as giving a sacredness to that edifice which nothing else did give or could give, and, therefore, as meet ing all the proper force of the language used here. On the supposition that it was designed that there should be a refer ence to this event, this would be such language as would have been not unnat urally employed by a Hebrew prophet. And if it be so, this may be regarded as the probable meaning of the passage. In this sense, the temple which was to be reared again, and about which Daniel felt so solicitous, would receive its highest — its truest consecration — as connected with an event which was to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and the prophecy.
commence which would result in the en tire destruction of the city. ^[ That /row* the going forth of the commandment. Heb. 'of the word' — njn. It is used, however, as in ver. 23, in the sense of command ment or order. The expression ' gone forth' — N^'c — would properly apply to the issuing Of an order or decree. So in ver. 23, — went forth.' going forth, and is applied to the rising sun, that goes forth from the east, Ps. xix. 7; then a place of going forth, as a gale, a fountain of waters, the east, &c. Ezek. xlii. 11; Is. xli. 18; Ps. Ixxv. 7. The word here has undoubted reference to the promulgation of a decree or com mand, but there is nothing in the words
Hengstenberg renders this, 'and thou to determine by whom the command wilt know and understand;' and supposes that the design of Gabriel is to awaken the attention and interest of Daniel by the assurance that, if he would give atten tion, he would understand the subject by the explanation which he was about to
So also Theodotion renders it in the future tense. The Hebrew is in the future tense, and would probably convey the idea that he might or would know and understand the matter. So Lengerke renders it, Und so mogest du wissen, &c. The object is doubtless to call the atten tion of Daniel to the subject, with the as surance that he might comprehend the great points of the communication which he was about to make respecting the seventy weeks. In the previous verse, the statement was a general one; in this, the angel states the time when the period of the seventy weeks was to commence, and then that the whole period was to be broken up or divided into three smaller portions or epochs, each evidently mark- to be issued. So far as the language is concerned, it would apply equally well to a command issued by God, or by the Per sian king, and nothing but the circum stances can determine which is referred to. Hengstenberg supposes that it is the former, and that the reference is to the divine purpose, or the command issued from 'the heavenly council' to rebuild Jerusalem. But the more natural and obvious meaning is, to understand it of the command actually issued by the Per sian monarch to restore and build the city of Jerusalem. This has been the inter' pretation given by the great body of ex positors, and the reasons for it seem to be perfectly clear: (a) This would be the interpretation affixed to it naturally, if there were no theory to support, or if it did not open a chronological difficulty not easy to settle. (6) This is the only in terpretation which can give any thing like definiteness to the passage. Its purpose is to designate some fixed and ir.g so in o important event, or constituting! certain period from which a reckoning an important era. The first period of could be made to the time when the Messeven weeks was evidently to be charac- j siah would come. But, so far as appears, terized by something in which it would be different from that which would follow, or it would reach to some important epoch, and then would follow a continu ous period of sixty two weeks, after which, during the remaining one week, to complete the whole number of seventy, the Messiah would come and would be cut off, and the series of desolations would command on the part of God; no period which can be fixed upon when he gave commandment to restore and build Jeru salem; no exact and settled point from which one could reckon as to the period when the Messiah would come. It seems to me, therefore, to be clear, that the allu sion ia to some order to rebuild the the commandment to » restore and | to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah a or, build again. city, and as this order could come only and the fair sense is, that some such order would be issued, and the reckoning of the seventy weeks must begin at the issuing of this command. The proper interpretation of the prophecy demands that that time shall be assumed in endea vouring to ascertain when the seventy from one who had at that time juris diction over Jerusalem and Juden, and who could command the resources neces sary to rebuild the ruined city, that order must be one that would emanate from the reigning power; that is, in fact, the Per sian power — for that was the power that j weeks would terminate. In doing this, had jurisdiction at the close of the sev- it is evidently required in all fairness that enty years' exile. But, as there were we should not take the time when the several orders or commands in regard to [ Messiah did appear — or the birth of the the restoration of the city and the temple, | Lord Jesus, assuming that to be the and as there has been much difficulty in! terminus ad quern — the point to which the ascertaining the exact chronology of the! seventy weeks were to extend — and then events of that remote period, it has not j to reckon backward for a space of four been easy to determine the precise order j hundred and ninety years, to see whether referred to, or to relieve the whole sub- j we cannot find some event which by ject from perplexity and difficulty. Len- j a possible construction would bear to be gerke supposes that the reference here is applied as the terminus a quo, the point the same as in ver. 2, to the promise, from which we are to begin to reckon, but made to Jeremiah, and that this is the true j we are to ascertain when, in fact, the orpoint from which the reckoning is to be der was given to rebuild Jerusalem, and to make that the terminus a quo — the starting point in the reckoning. The made. The exact edict referred to will be more properly considered at the close of the verse. All that is necessarily im- plied here is, that the time from which jmay with propriety bo reserved to the the reckoning is to be commenced is some iclose of the verse. ^ Unto the Mensiah. command or order issued to restore and |The word Messiah occurs but four times build Jerusalem. ^ To restore. Marg., | in the common version of the Scriptures: build again. The Hebrew is properly to \ — Dan. ix. 25, 26; John i. 41; iv. 25. cause to return — U"?'^. Th« word might I It is synonymous in meaning with the beapplied to the return of the captives to I?™rd ^,-^ the Anointed, Notes on Matt, their own land, but it is evidently here I1' L Messiah 1S the Hebrew word; Christ used with reference to the city of Jerusa- i the Greek. The Hebrew word— rrtro lem, and the meaning must be, to restore — occurs frequently in the Old Testait to its former condition. It was evi- ment, and with the exception of these two dently the purpose to cause it to return, j places in Daniel, it is uniformly transas it were, to its former splendour; to re- lated anointed, and is applied to priests, instate it in its former condition as a holy to prophets, and to kings, as being origicity — the city where the worship of God nally set apart to their offices by solemn would be celebrated, and it is this pur- acts of anointing. So farns the language pose which is referred to here. The word, is concerned here, it might be applied to in Hipliil, is used in this sense of restoring ' any one who sustained their offices, and to a former state, or to renew, in the fol- the proper application is to be determined lowing places, Ps. Ixxx. 3: " Turn ns \ from the connection. Our translators again — 'npnrn — and cause thy face to have introduced the article — 'unto the Bhine." So vs. 7, 19, of the same Psalm, i Messiah.' This is wanting in the He- Isa. i. 26: "And I will restore thy judges brew' and should not have been intr°- as at the first," Ac. The meaning here i duced> as lfc eives a defimteness to the would be met by the supposition that Je- ' Pr°Phecy which the original language rusalem was to be put intoits former con-! d°es not necessarily demand. Our transdition. ^ And to build Jerusalem. It lators undoubtedly understood it ns referwas then in ruins. The command, which ing to him who is known as the Messiah, is referred to here, must be one to build but this is not necessarily implied in the it up again — its houses, temple, walls;; original. All that the language fairly
the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street
conveys is, 'Until an anointed one.' j vious, since an accurate date had been Who that was to be, is to be determined j given." Christol. ii. 334, 335. The Vulfrom other circumstances than the mere i gate renders this, Usque ad Christum du- use of the language, and in the interpre tation of the language it should not be assumed that the reference is to any par ticular individual. That some eminent personage is designated, some one who by way of eminence would be properly re- cem — ' even to Christ the leader,' or ruler. The Syriac, 'to the advent of Christ the king.' Theodotion, 'ius Xpiarov $y«*p£i*« — 'to Christ the leader,' or ruler. The question whether this refers to Christ, will be more appropriately considered at gardedas anointed of God; some one who the close of the verse. The inquiry will would act so important a part as to char- then occur, also, whether this refers to his birth, or to his appearance as the which he should live; some one so! anointed one — his taking upon himself prominent that he could be referred to; publicly the office. The language would as ' anointed,' with no more definite ap-! apply to either, though it would perhaps pellation; some one who would be un- j more properly refer to the latter — to the derstood to be referred to by the mere j time when he should appear as such — or use of this language, may be fairly con- should be anointed, crowned, or set apart eluded from the expression used — for the angel clearly meant to imply this, find to direct the mind forward to some to the office, and be fully instituted in it. It could not be demonstrated that either of these applications would be a departure one who would have such a prominence from the fair interpretation of the words, in the history of the world. The ol»ject j and the application must be determined now is merely to ascertain the meaning by some other circumstances, if any are of the language. All that is fairly im- j expressed. What those are in the case, plied is, that it refers to some one who would have such aprominenceas anointed, or set apart to the office of prophet, priest, or king, that it could be understood that he was referred to by the use of this language. The reference is not to the anointed one, as of one who was already known or looked forward to as such — for then the article would have been used, but to some one who, when he appeared, would have such marked characteristics that there would be no difficulty in deter mining that he was the one intended. Hengstenberg well remarks, " We must, therefore, translate, an
Prince, and assume that the prophet, in accordance with the uniform character of his prophecy, chose the more indefinite, instead of the more definite designation, and spoke only of an anointed one, a prince, instead of the anointed one, the prince — /car' i]-ox>i* — and left his hearers to draw a deeper knowledge respecting him, from the prevailing expectations, grounded on earlier prophecies of a fu ture great king, from the remaining de clarations of the context, and from the fulfilment, the coincidence of which with the prophecy must hero be the more ob- will be considered at the close of the verse, f The Prince. TOJT. This word properly means a leader, a prefect, a prince. It is a word of very general character, and might be applied to any leader or ruler. It is applied to an overseer, or, as we should say, a secretary of the treasury, 1 Chron. xxvi. 24, 2 Chron. xxxi. 12; an overseer of the temple, 1 Chron. ix. 11, 2 Chron. xxxi. 13; of the palace, 2 Chron. xxviii. 7, and of military affairs, 1 Chron. xiii. ], 2 Chron. xxxii. 21. It is also used absolutely to denote a prince of a people, any one of royal dignity, 1 Sam. ix. 16, x. 1, xiii. 14. Gesenius. So far as this icord, therefore, is concerned, it would apply to any prince or leader, civil or military; any one of royal dignity, or who should distinguish himself, or make himself a leader in civil, ecclesiastical, or military affairs, or who should receive an appointment to any such station. It is a word which would be as applicable to the Messiah as to any other leader, but which has nothing in itself to make it necessary to apply it to him. All that can be fairly deduced from its use here is, that it would be some prominent leader; some one that would be known without any more definite de signation; some one on whom the mind would naturally rest, and some one to whom when he appeared it would be ap plied without hesitation and without dif ficulty. There can be no doubt that a Hebrew, in the circumstances of Daniel, and with the known views and expecta tions of the Hebrew people, would apply such a phrase to the Messiah. ^[ Shall be seven weeks. See Notes on ver. 24. The reason for dividing the whole period into seven weeks, sixty-two weeks, and one week, is not formally stated, and will be considered at the close of the verse. All that is necessary here in order to an explanation of the language, and of what is to be anticipated in the fulfilment, is this: (a) That according to the above in terpretation (ver. 24), the period would be forty-nine years. (6) That this was to be the first portion of the whole time, not time that would be properly taken out of any part of the whole period, (c) That there was to be some event at the end of the forty-nine years which would desig nate a period, or a natural division of the time, or that the portion which was designated by the forty-nine years was to be distinctly characterized from the next period referred to as sixty-two weeks, and the next period as one week, (d) No intimation is given in the words as to the nature of this period, or as to what would distinguish one portion from the others, and what that was to be is to be learned from subsequent explanations, or from the actual course of events. If one pe riod was characterized by war, and an other by peace; one in building the city and the walls, and the other by quiet prosperity; one by abundance, and the other by famine; one by sickness, and the other by health, all that is fairly im plied in the words would be met. It is foretold, only, that there would be some thing that would designate these periods, and serve to distinguish the one from the other. ^[ And threescore and two weeks. Sixty-two weeks; that is, as above ex plained (ver. 24), four hundred and thirtyfour years. The fair meaning is, that there would be somet'jicg which would characterize that long period, and serve to distinguish it from that which pre ceded it. It is not indeed intimated what that would be, and the nature of the case seems to require that we should look to the events — to the facts in the course of the history to determine what that was. Whether it was peace, prosperity, quiet, order, or the prevalence of religion as contrasted with the former period, all that the words fairly imply would be fulfilled in either of them, ^f The street shall be built again. This is a general assertion or prediction, which does not seem to have any special reference to the time when it would be done. The fair inter pretation of the expression does not re quire us to understand that it should be after the united period of the seven weeks and the sixty-two weeks, nor during either one of those periods; that is, the language is not such that we are necessarily re quired to affix it to any one period. It seems to be a general assurance designed to comfort Daniel with the promise that the walls and streets of Jerusalem, now desolate, would be built again, and that this would occur sometime during this pe riod. His mind was particularly anxious respecting the desolate condition of the city, and the declaration ia here made that it would be restored. So far as the lan guage — the grammatical construction, is concerned, it seems to me that this would be fulfilled if it were done either at the time of the going forth of the command ment, or during either of the periods de signated, or even after these periods. It is, however, most natural, in the connection, to understand it of the first period — the seven weeks — or the forty-nine years, since it is said that 'the commandment would go forth to restore, and to build Jerusalem/ and since, as the whole sub sequent period is divided into three por tions, it may be presumed that the thing that would characterize the first portion, or that which would first be done, would be to execute the commandment; that is, to restore and build the city. These considerations would lead us, therefore, to suppose, that the thing which would characterize the first period — the fortynine years — would be the rebuilding of the city; and the time — a time which, considering the extent and entireness of the ruins, the nature of the opposition that might be encountered, the difficulty of collecting enough from among the exiles to return and do it, the want of means, and the embarrassments which such an undertaking might be supposed to involve, cannot, probably, be regarded as too long. The word rendered street — 3iri} — means a street, so called from it*
}r«adth, and would properly, therefore, be I lent to within and without — meaning that applied to a icide street. Then it denotes i the city would be thoroughly and ena market-place, or a forum, tho broad j tirely rebuilt. The Hebrew word)*nn open place at the gates of Oriental cities I _means properly that which is cut in, or
Ezra x. 9, the word refers to the area or 1S translated thorp pointed things in Job court before the temple: "And all the j xh- 80 '> (/old, fine gold, choice gold, m Ps.
fore, may be to that area or court; or it j wall Dan ix 25; and decision, Joel iii. may be to any place of concourse, or any thoroughfare. It is such language as would be naturally used to denote that wou e naturay use o enoe a nected with the WQrd.g babl derived the city would be restored to its former from the fact of Ug bein rd f 0 _ again,' is, in the margin, return and be builded. This is in accordance with the es that it courg(?> nQt applicable here> Gesenius here means a ditch or its former state; it would, as it were, come back, and be built up again. Heng- me to be the probable signification. At all events, this has the concurrence of tho stenberg renders it, 'a street is restored j and built.' The phrase properly implies that it would assume its former condition, word doeg not } mean wall and it the word built here being used in the j ig neyer elsewhere so used< It need nofc sense of made as we speak of mak^y a j be gaid tfaat u wag com if nofc uni_
Theodotion renders it, "»<"P^£<— ll I the approach of an enemy, and such ^»- shall return,' understanding it as mean- j guage WQuld naturally be employed in rebuilt, f And the wall. Marg., ditch. Hengstenberg renders this, ' and firmly is it determined,' maintaining that the word •pnnhere means fixed, determined, re solved on, and that the idea is, that the tenberg, 'in a time of distress.' Len gerke, Im Druck der Zeiten — " in a pres sure of times." Vulg. In anyuutia tempontm. Theodotion, in the Septuagint, renders it, 'And these times shall be purpose that the city should be rebuilt was emptied out' ( Thompson) — *ai firmly resolved on in the divine mind, and aovrai ol icaipoi. The proper meaning of that the dwign of what is here said was to [ the Hebrew W0rd— p^X— is distress, troucomfort and animate the returned Hebrews! bl anguish> and the reference is, doubtin their efforts to rebuild the city, in all leggj to timeg that would be characterized the discouragements and troubles which b trouble perplexity and distress. The would attend such an undertaking. The allusion is clearly to the rebuilding of tho interpretation, however, has been it and th uge f thi language would lead us to anticipate that such an enter- that it refers" to a ditch, trench, or wall, that would be constructed at the time of the rebuilding of the city. So the Vul gate, muri, walls. So Theodotion, rti\oi — icaM. The Syriac renders it, 'Jerusa lem, and the villages, and the streets.' Luther, Mauren, walls. Lengerke ren ders it, as Hengstenberg does, ' and it is determined.' Maurer understands the two expressions, street and wall, to be equiva- prise would meet with opposition or em barrassment; that there would be diffi culty in accomplishing it; that the work would not be carried on easity, and that a considerable time would be necessary to finish it.
Having gone through with an inves tigation of the meaning of the words and phrases of this verso, we are now prepared to inquire more particularly what things are referred to, and whether the predictions have been fulfilled. The points which it is necessary to examine are the following: — To whom reference is made by the Messiah the Prince;.the time designated by the going forth of the commandment* — or the terminus a quo j the question whether the whole period extends to the birth of him here referred to as the Messiah the Prince, or to his assuming the office or appearing as such; the time embraced in the first seven weeks — and the fulfilment — or the ques tion whether, from the time of the going forth of the commandment to the appear ing of the Messiah, the period of the four hundred and ninety years can be fairly made out. These are evidently important points, and it need not be said that a great variety of opinions has prevailed in regard to them, and that they are attended with no little difficulty.
I. To whom reference is made by the Messiah the Prince. In the exposition of the meaning of the words, we have seen that there is nothing in the language itself to determine this. It is applicable to any one who should be set apart as a ruler or prince, and might be applied to Cyrus, to any anointed king, or to him who is pro perly designated now as the Messiah — the Lord Jesus. Comp. Notes on Isa. xlv. 1. It is unnecessary to show that a great variety o.f opinion has been enter tained both among the Jewish Rabbins, and among Christian commentators, re specting the question to whom this refers. Among the Jews, Jarchi and Ja-cchides supposed that it referred to Cyrus; Ben Gersoin, and others, to Zerubbabel; Aben Ezra to Nehemiah; Rabbi Azariah to Artaxcrxes. Bertholdt, Lengerke, Maurer, and this class of expositors generally, suppose that the reference is to Cyrus, who is called the Messiah, or the 'Anointed,' in Isa. xlv. 1. According to this inter pretation, it is supposed that the refer ence is to the seventy years of Jeremiah, and that the meaning is, that 'seven weeks/ or forty-nine years would elapse from the desolation of the city till the time of Cyrus. See Maurer in loc. Comp. also Lengerke, pp. 444, 445. As speci mens of the views entertained by those who deny the reference of the passage to the Messiah, and of the difficulties and absurdities of those views, wo may notice those of Eichhorn and Bertholdt. Eichhorn maintains that the numbers referred to are round numbers, and that we are not to expect to be able to make out an exact conformity between those numbers and the events. The 'commandment' mentioned in ver. 25, he supposes refers to the order of Cyrus to restore and re build the city, which order was given, according to Usher, A. M. 3468. From this point of time must the ' seven weeks,' or the forty-nine years, be reckoned; but according to his view, the reckoning must be 'backwards and forwards;' that is, it is seven weeks, or forty-nine years, back ward to Nebuchadnezzar, who is here called ' Messiah the prince,' who destroyed the temple and city, A. M. 3416— or about fifty-two years before the going forth of the edict of Cyrus. From that time, the reckoning of the sixty-two weeks must be commenced. But' again, this is not to bo computed literally from the time of Nebuchadnezxar; but since the Jews, in ac cordance with Jeremiah xxv. 11, 12, reckoned seventy years, instead of the true time, the point from which the esti mate is to begin is the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, and this occurred, ac cording to Usher, A. M. 3397. Reckon ing from this point onward, the sixtytwo weeks, or 434 years, would bring us to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes (A. M. 3829). At the end of the sixtytwo weeks, in the first year of Antiochus Epiphanes, the high priest, Onias III., | (the Messiah of ver. 26,) was displaced — I ' cut ofi'' — rn.3? — and Jason was ap pointed in his place, and Menelaus the year after removed him. Thus Onias had properly no successor, &c., &c. This ab surd opinion Bertholdt (p. 605, neq.) at tempts to set aside — a task which is very easily performed, and then proposes his own — an hypothesis not less absurd and improbable. According to his theory (p. 613, seq.), the seventy years have in deed a historical basis, and the time em braced in them extends from the destruc tion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar to the death of Antiochus Epiphanes. It is divided into three periods: (a) The seven first hebdomads extend from the destruc tion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar to king Cyrus, who gave the exiles permission to return to their land. This is the period during which Jerusalem must lie waste (ver. 2); and after the close of this, by the favour of Cyrus (ver. 25), the premise of Jeremiah (ver. 25 — -an — 'command ment') that Jerusalem shall be fulfilled, goes forth, (h) The following sixty-two weeks extend from the return of the ex iles to the beginning of the troubles and persecutions under Antiochus. This '- expectation that such a deliverer would come, and its hopes were centered on him. In all times of national trouble and calamity; in all their brightest visions of the future, they were accustomed to look to him as one who would deliver from their troubles, and who would persecutions under Antiochus. This is inem irom tneir troubles, and who would the period of the rebuilding of Jerusalem '• exalt their people to a pitch of glory and (ver. 25). (c) The last period of one of honour, such as they had never known week, extends from the time of the op- Before. Unless, therefore, there was somepressions and wrongs commenced under ' thing in the connection, which would de- Antiochus, to the death of Antiochus. j mand a different interpretation, the Ian- See this view fully explained and illus- | £uag? would be of course applied to the trated in Bertholdt, ut supra. The great! Messiah. But it cannot be pretended that mass of Christian interpreters, however, I thereisany thing in the connection that dehave supposed that the reference is to the! mands such a limitation, nor which forbids Messiah properly so called — the promised sucn an application.
. (3) So far as the an cient versions throw any lighten the sub ject, they show that this is the correct inter pretation. So the Latin Vulgate, usque ad Christum ducem. So the Syriac, 'unto Messiah, the most holy' — literally, 'holy '
Saviour of the world — the Lord Jesus. In support of this opinion, the following considerations may be suggested, which guage itself is such as is properly appli- Messiah, the most holy'— lit cable to him, and such as would naturally j °f holies.' So Theodotion —!_>,„,.„,„„ — suggest him. It is true, as we see in Isa. where there can be little doubt that the xlv. 1, that the term Messiah may be ap- i Messiah was understood to be referred •nliftfl fr» nnruhpr no if ic fV.«».a *« n,,~..~ to. The same is found in the Arabic s Codex Chis. is in utter confusion on whole passage, and nothing can be made of it. (4) All the circumstances plied to another, as it is there to Cyrus, (see the Notes on the meaning of the word in that place, and in the exposition of this verse,) but it is also true that if the term stands by itself, and with no expla- re'erred to in connection with him who nation, it would naturally suggest him i is here called 'Messiah the who, by way of eminence, is known as the Messiah. In Isa. xlv. 1, it is ex pressly limited to Cyrus, and there can be no danger of mistake. Here there is no such limitation, and it is natural, therefore, to apply it in the sense in which among the Hebrews it would be obviously understood. Even Bertholdt admits the force of this. Thus (p. 563) ho says: 'That at the words -P.JJ n>u;D — [Messiah the prince] we should be led to think of the Messiah, Jesus, and at those, ver. 26, iS f-x.i ryvy rn> [shall be cut off but not for himself], of his crucifix ion, though not absolutely necessary, is still _ very natural.' (2) This would be the interpretation which would be given to the words by the Jews. They were so much accustomed to look forward to a great prince and deliverer, who would be such as to be properly applicable to the work which the Lord Jesus came to do, and not to Cyrus, or Antiochus, or any other leader or ruler. See the Notes on ver. 25. To no other one, according to the interpretation which the passage in that verse seems to demand, can the ex pressions there used be applied. In that exposition it was shown that the verse is designed to give a general view of what would be accomplished, or of what is ex pressed more in detail in the remaining verses of the vision, and that the lan guage there used can be applied properly to the work which the Lord Jesus came to accomplish. Assuredly to no one else can the phrases ' to restrain transgres sion,' ' to seal up sins,' ' to cover over iniquity,' ' to bring in everlasting righte ousness,' 'to seal up the vision and pro phecy,' and 'to consecrate the most holy by way of eminence, the anointed of the place/ be so well applied. The same is
Lord, that, unless there was some special true of the language in the subsequent limitation or designation in the language, part of the prophecy, 'Messiah shall be
6 7. Early in the history of the Jews, cease.' Any one may see the perplexitho nation had become accustomed to the j ties in which they are involved by adopting another interpretation, by consulting [are a few points which may be regarded Bertholdt or Lengerke on the passage.. as certain. They are such as these:
(5) The expression here used — -prince' — ' (a) That the commandment referred to is T0j— is applied to the Messiah— beyond ' one that is issued by some prince or king all question in Isa. Iv. 4: "I have given having authority, and not the purpose him for a witness to the people, a leader- of God See Notes above on the first ^-and a commander to the people."; ^^Sd^ l^^S
(6) The perplexity attending any other jerusalem.' This is specified, and thereinterpretation is an additional proof of, fore would seem to be distinguished from this point. In full illustration of this, it is j a C0mmand to build the temple, or to renecessary only to refer to the views of Ber- 1 store that from its state of ruin. It is tholdt and Eichhorn as above exhibited, j true t^at the one mio-ht appear to be im- Whatever may be said about the difficul- i plied in the other, and yet this does not ties on the supposition that it refers to | necessarily follow. For various causes the Lord Jesus— the true Messiah, no | it might be permitted to the Jews to one can undertake to reconcile the apph-; rebuild their temple, and there might be cations which they have proposed with a royal ordinance commanding that, any belief of the inspiration of the pas-; while there was no purpose to restore the sage. These considerations seem to me! city to its former power and splendor, to make it clear that the prophecy had and even while there might be strong obreference to the Messiah properly so jections to it. For the use of the Jews called — the hope and the expectation of the Jewish people. There can be no doubt that Daniel would so understand who still resided in Palestine, and ibr those who were about to return, it might be a matter of policy to permit them to it; there can be no doubt that it would rebuild their temple, and even to aid be so applied by the Jews. | them in it> while yet it migllt be regarded
II. The next question is, From what! as perilous to allow them to rebuild the point are we to reckon in computing the j city, and to place it in its former condition time when the Messiah would appear — of strength and power. It was a place the terminus a quo f It is important to j easily fortified; it had cost the Babyfix this, for the whole question of the Ionian monarch much time, and had oc- fulfilment depends on it, and honesty re quires that it should be determined with- casioned them many losses, before they had been able to conquer and subdue it, out reference to the time to which four i and, even to Cyrus, it might be a matter hundred and ninety years would reach — of very questionable policy to allow it to or the terminus ad quern. It is clearly be built and fortified again. Accordingly not proper to do as Prideaux does, to as- we find that, as a matter of fact, the persume that it refers to the birth of Christ,! mission to rebuild the temple, and the and then to reckon backward to a time j permission to rebuild the city, were quite which may be made to mean the 'going j different things, and were separately forth of the commandment.' The true j granted by different sovereigns, and that method, undoubtedly, would be to fix on a the work was executed by different pertime which would accord with the expres- | sons. The former might, without imsion here, with no reference to the question! propriety, be regarded as the close of the of the fulfilment — for in that way only can captivity — or the end of the 'seventy it be determined to be a true prophecy, and years' of Jeremiah — for a permission to in that way only would it be of any use! rebuild the temple was, in fact, a permisto Daniel, or to those who succeeded him. I sion to return to their own country, and It need hardly be said, that a great ' an implied purpose to aid them in it, while variety of opinions have been mentioned a considerable interval might, and perhaps in regard to the time designated by the I probably would elapse, before a distinct 'going forth of the commandment.' Ber- j command was issued to restore and retholdt (pp. 567, 568), mentions no less j build the city itself, and even then a long than thirteen opinions which have been en-: period might intervene before it would tertained on this point, and in such a va-! be completed. Accordingly, in the edict riety of sentiment, it seems almost hope- i published by Cyrus, the permission to less to be able to ascertain the truth with rebuild the temple is the one that is careeertainty. Now, in determining this, there j fully specified: " Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an 'house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
In order to see how this interpretation accords with the facts in the case, and to determine whether such a period can be found Si'i shall properly correspond with
Who is there among you of all his peo- this interpretation, and enable us to as- ple? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord G)d of Israel (he is the God), which is at Jeru salem," Ezra i. 2, 3. In this order there is nothing said of the restoration of the city, and that in fact occurred at a different time, and under the direction of different leaders. The first enterprise was to rebuild the temple; it was still a question whether it would be a matter of policy to allow the city to be rebuilt, certain the point of time here referred to — the terminus a quo — it is proper to in quire what are the facts which history has preserved. For this purpose, I looked at this point of the investigation into Jahn's 'Hebrew Commonwealth,' (pp. 160 — 177), a work not written with any re ference to the fulfilment of this prophecy, and which, indeed, in the portion relat ing to this period of the world, makes no allusion whatever to Daniel. The in quiry which it was necessary to settle and that was in fact accomplished at a j was, whether under any of the Persian different time. These considerations kings there was any order or command seem to make it certain that the edict re- which would properly correspond with ferred to here was not that which was | what we have ascertained to be the fair issued by Cyrus, but must have been a | meaning of the passage. A very brief subsequent decree bearing particularly synopsis of the principal events recorded on the rebuilding of the city itself. It is true that the command to rebuild the tem ple would imply that either there were persons residing amidst the ruins of Jerusalem, or in the land of Palestine, who were to worship there, and that there would be inhabitants in Jerusalem, pro bably those who would go from Babylon — for otherwise the temple would be of no service, but still this might be, and there by Jahn as bearing on the restoration of the Jews to their own country, will be all that is needful to add to determine the question before us.