Dan 9:25-26 | TNotes | STEP | 9:25 The command ... to rebuild Jerusalem and its Temple marks the beginning of the seventy sets of seven. The event that best fits this description is the decree of Cyrus the Great in 538 BC that allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding (see 5:31 ; 9:1 ; Ezra 1:2-4 ). Less likely are the decrees of Artaxerxes I in 458 BC (see Ezra 7:12-26 ) and 445 BC (see Neh 2:5-8 ). • a ruler—the Anointed One: Many interpreters see Christ as fulfilling this prophecy, so they understand this passage as describing history from the time of Daniel to the time of Christ. However, an “anointed one” can refer to any of Israel’s kings or priests, who were ordained by anointing with oil. If the passage was fulfilled in the time of Antiochus IV, then the anointed one was probably the high priest at the time, Onias III (cp. Dan 11:22 ). • and strong defenses: The vision refers to Jerusalem as being physically rebuilt . The rebuilding of the Temple was completed in 515 BC (Ezra 3:1–6:22 ); in 445 BC , Nehemiah completed the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 2–6 ). • The perilous times can refer to the history of Jerusalem and its Temple from the time the decree was published until the end of the seventy sets of seven (see Dan 11:2-45 ).

a9:25►

b5:31►

c9:1►

dEzra 1:2-4►

eEzra 7:12-26►

fNeh 2:5-8►

gDan 11:22►

hEzra 3:1–6:22►

iNeh 2–6►

jDan 11:2-45►

k9:26►

lMatt 24:4-8►

mMark 13:5-8►

nDan 11:10►

o22►

p40►

qNah 1:8►

‏ Daniel 9:25-26

9:25 ^a The command ... to rebuild Jerusalem and its Temple marks the beginning of the seventy sets of seven. The event that best fits this description is the decree of Cyrus the Great in 538 BC that allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding (see 5:31 ^b; 9:1 ^c; Ezra 1:2-4 ^d). Less likely are the decrees of Artaxerxes I in 458 BC (see Ezra 7:12-26 ^e) and 445 BC (see Neh 2:5-8 ^f).

• a ruler—the Anointed One: Many interpreters see Christ as fulfilling this prophecy, so they understand this passage as describing history from the time of Daniel to the time of Christ. However, an “anointed one” can refer to any of Israel’s kings or priests, who were ordained by anointing with oil. If the passage was fulfilled in the time of Antiochus IV, then the anointed one was probably the high priest at the time, Onias III (cp. Dan 11:22 ^g).

• and strong defenses: The vision refers to Jerusalem as being physically rebuilt. The rebuilding of the Temple was completed in 515 BC (Ezra 3:1–6:22 ^h); in 445 BC, Nehemiah completed the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 2–6 ⁱ).

• The perilous times can refer to the history of Jerusalem and its Temple from the time the decree was published until the end of the seventy sets of seven (see Dan 11:2-45 ^j).
9:26 ^k the Anointed One (literally an anointed): Those who see the fulfillment of this passage in the time of Antiochus IV point to the murder of the high priest Onias III in 171 BC as the fulfillment of this prophecy (see study note on 11:22). Those who see the fulfillment of this passage in the time of Christ will refer this prophecy to the crucifixion of the Messiah in AD 30 or 33.

• The ruler who will arise could refer to Antiochus IV, who attempted to destroy the Jewish people and their worship in the Temple between 171 and 164 BC (see 1 Maccabees 1:20-40). Many believe, however, that the destruction of the city and the Temple refers to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 66–70.

• The end refers to the completion of the seventy sets of seven. The text implies that the very end is a later time, and that the war would continue into the future (cp. Matt 24:4-8 ^l; Mark 13:5-8 ^m).

• The image of a flood often represents an invading army (cp. Dan 11:10 ⁿ, 22 ^o, 40 ^p; Nah 1:8 ^q) or devastating destruction.