Posted by Joseph on January 21, 1998 at 22:01:32:
Dear Forum,
-Here is the proper interpretation and translation of Daniel 9 starting from verse 23. The interpretation in the midst of the translation is in brackets.
"At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment went out, and I have come to declare it; for thou art greatly loved: Therefore, look into the word; and consider the
vision. Seventy weeks
(70 periods of 7 years)
are decreed concerning thy people
(Israel)
and concerning the Holy City
(Jerusalem),
to finish the transgression, and make an end to sins and to atone for iniquity
(the destruction of the first Temple and the exile were clearly, as everyone knows- a punishment for sins),
and to bring a longlasting righteousness., and to seal up vision and prophet, and to ANOINT the most holy place
(the Temple mount).
Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
(and the Temple, of course)
until an anointed prince, shall be seven weeks
(this prince, of course, is Cyrus, who Isaiah calls the anointed prince
in Isaiah 45:1. Also see the prophecy of Jermiah in 25:11,12 and its fulfillment in Ezra 1:1 when Cyrus says that Israel can go back to Jerusalem and build the Temple- and they do. Cyrus gave this commandment. Remember many many many people are called Messsiah-translated as anointed ones- in the Bible including Israelite and Persian kings. Even the priests were called messiahs in the Bible.);
then
(after the first 7 weeks which were separated out because something important happened) for sixty-two weeks, it
(Jerusalem and the Temple)
shall be built again, with squares and moats, but in troubled times. And
(once again)
after these sixty-two weeks
(of the 70)
shall the ANOINTED
(i.e., the place anointed, the temple mount, which Cyrus the anointed prince had anointed- see above. And, of course, Cyrus, by this time was dead, so it can not refer to him, but the place he had anointed)
shall be cut off
(destroyed)
and nothing left to it; and the people of a prince
(the Roman people)
shall come and destroy the city and the sanctuary; and it shall end with a flood, and to the end of the war desolations are decreed
(Romans kicked out all the Jews and destroyed Jerusalem completely).
And a strong covenant shall be made for ONE WEEK
(here is your so called missing week):
and by half of that week the sacrifices will cease
(Temple was destroyed);
and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator
(who are the Romans- who all agree have fallen by now)."
-This interpretation fits perfectly without needing any second coming OR 1 week or 1/2 week equaling greater than 1900 years.
-Daniel is clearly talking about the the second temple and its destruction. Cyrus was directly involvedwith the Temple's production. He is the anointed prince to come in 7
weeks. That is why the verse separates out the seven from the 62.
-This translation explains why anointed and prince are sometimes separate and sometimes together because they refer to two separate things.
-This translation gives the honest translation of Kodesh Kodoshim in 9:24- especially when compared to other places in the Hebrew Bible. The quote from Chronicles 23:13 fits with my interpretation if Aharon, as the high priest, would sanctify the most holy place- especially because only Aharon and the other high priests after him could enter the most most holy of holy places (except for repairs, of course).
-This translation answers the prayers of Daniel mentioned earlier in the chapter (see earlier in Chapter 9 and look what he prays for). This translation fits with Cyrus perfectly who made a decree as stated in Daniel 9:25 and fulfilled in Ezra 1 and Ezra 6 and other places.
-This translation has no missing weeks according to my interpretation. The other translation quoted still has missing 5 "weeks" between the time Jesus/ Yahushua was killed and the time the city was destroyed by the Romans as we all admit is mentioned in the prophecy. The prophecy is being so careful with time--where are these 5 missing weeks?
-My translation has no obvious faults. The one qouted has many. For example, Verse 26 the words "Ayn low" mean nothing left of it or it has nothing or nothing left to him or he has nothing. People want it to say "Lo shelow"- "not for himself", but it does not say this. And where does the author get the word "BUT not for himself"? It clearly says "AND nothing left to it". The word "but" is completely wrong and without it the translation does not make sense.
There is absolutely no need to say that THE MESSIAH, son of David, is being mentioned here. Jesus/ Yahushua is not needed in the translation or interpretation.
Peace and only good will.
Sincerely,
Joseph
P.S. Dear D'vorah, it is nice to see that you are well.