Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Steve Miller" <smille10 AT sbcglobal.net>]

> From: K Randolph Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 3:41 PM
> 
> Steve:
> 
> What you mention below is the most common pattern that I have
> discovered. But like any linguistic pattern, there are exceptions to
> the rule, and there are some where I have no idea how they fit any
> pattern. The majority of such terms I have yet to analyse. There may
> be other rules that I have yet to discover.
[Steve Miller] thanks Karl
> 
> As for the seven sevens and 62 sevens, were they concurrent with one
> ending before the other, or did one follow the other? The text can be
> read either way, though I think the concurrent reading is preferable.

[Steve Miller] I can't say for sure that the concurrent reading is not
possible, but surely it is not preferable. Reasons the sequential is
preferable are:
1) The 70 weeks are composed of 7 weeks, 62 weeks and 1 week, which add up
logically to 70. The concurrent interpretation has 62 weeks and 1 week. The
intervening 7 weeks are not mentioned and need to be assumed.
2) You require that there are 2 annointed one, rulers, but both words are
singular. 
3) xxxx years and xxxx years is common in Tanach as a way of expressing that
the years should be added together. (i.e. Gen 5:5,7,8). Here the base is 7,
so separating out 49 years is like separating out 100 years.
> 
> My understanding is that when a time interval with a number is
> mentioned in Tanakh, that it meant exactly that time interval. Other
> intervals, without a number, may be expanded or contracted, include
> gaps or whatsuch, but not a numbered sequence. To have a seventieth
> seven break free and be floating therefore does not make sense.

[Steve Miller] The 70 weeks are not a time interval. They are the time which
God divided to Daniel's people to accomplish 6 purposes. They are not a time
from <something> until <something>. Within the 70 weeks there are 2 explicit
time intervals: 
1)from the word to restore Jerusalem until an anointed one, a ruler, 7 weeks
and 62 weeks; 
2)A covenant confirmed for 1 week.
-Steve Miller
Detroit
www.voiceinwilderness.info