Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Dear Samuel:

On Wed, Oct 17, 2012 at 1:01 PM, Samuel Nunez <samuelnunez1973 AT sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Dear Karl,

I agree with you that this text poses many questions and that it is difficult at first sight to understand. I do feel encouraged though by how we currently approach the text. It use to be that history dominated this field of study, now it is linguistics or a text oriented approach that is beginning to dominate the field; as you have previously indicated, linguistics questions many of the previous assumptions.

Actually, I use a combination of both: linguistics to find out exactly what is said, and history to see how it fits in. 

…

Just for context the 70 week time period comes as a response to Daniel's conundrum as the 70 years of Jeremiah were coming to an end and there was no indication that the city would be restored or that they would be able to go back to Jerusalem as promised ( Dan 9:2, 19, 20).

Neither Jeremiah 25:12 or 29:10 mention going back to Jerusalem, though a return “to this place” is mentioned.  

Now from a strictly textual standpoint this is what I understand Dan 9:24-27 to be saying regarding the anointed one:

First, I understand the text in Dan 9:25 to say that the Messiah prince would come not after the seven weeks, but after the seven weeks and 62 weeks (a total of 69 weeks).

“Anointed” משיח is used in different contexts, for kings, prophets, priests, and others, so just the use of “anointed” does not necessarily refer to the one who is sometimes called merely “Anointed”. 

Secondly, the text indicates that the Messiah would come and die between the rebuilding of the walls and streets and the destruction of the temple and the city (Dan 9:25, 26).

If you say that the 70 sevens of years started during the time of Nehemiah, then 69 sevens of years later brings us to the mid 60s AD—are you saying that “Anointed” was James, the brother of Jesus, who was killed at the beginning of the Jewish revolt?

Lastly, verse 27 describes that he would make a covenant with many and in the middle of the last week put an end to sacrifice and grain offering, which in my understanding is also thematically related to a string of infinitives found in verse 24 "to finish transgression,  make an end of sin, make atonement for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy and anoint the most holy place."

I see here at least three different people mentioned—“Anointed Leader” (Alexander the Great), “Anointed” and “Leader to come” (Titus who became emperor). The last seven of years fits the Jewish revolt starting 66 AD.

Samuel Nunez

Karl W. Randolph.