THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS PROPHECY
SECTION 1 A Traditional Jewish Translation, Interpretation and Calculation of DANIEL 9:24-27
24. "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish the transgression, to end sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in eternal righteousness, to seal vision and prophet and to anoint a Holy of Holies.
25. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem until [mashiach] an anointed one, a prince, shall be 7 weeks; and for 60 and 2 weeks it shall be rebuilt, street and moat, even in troublous times.
26. And after the 60 and 2 weeks shall [mashiach] an anointed one be cut off and have nothing, and the people of a prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the Sanctuary, and its end shall be with a flood. Until the end of a war desolations are decreed.
27. And he shall make a covenant with many for 1 week; and in the middle of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering;...."
To understand a passage one must always study it in context. At the beginning of Daniel 9 we find:
Daniel 9:2
"In the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood from the Sacred Books, according to the word of the L-rd to Jeremiah the Prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years":
Jeremiah 29:10 "When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will remember you, and fulfill My good word to return you to this place."
In Daniel 9:3-20, Daniel prayed for the Jewish people, praised G-d, implored Him to finish the exile and rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem.
In answer to his prayers, the angel Gabriel told Daniel that 420 years were being added to the 70 years:
Leviticus 26:18 "If after all this you will not obey Me, I will punish you 7 times more for your sins." 7 x 70 years.
When the 1st Temple ended, the 490 years began ...... Cyrus' decree was 52 years later ...... The 2nd Temple began 18 years later ...... The 2nd Temple ended 420 years later. Our year dates are listed below.
Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city,
1 day = 1 year ....... 1 week of years = 7 years ....... 70 weeks of years = 490 years:
Leviticus 25:8 "You shall count Sabbaths of years, 7 x 7 years, so that the 7 Sabbaths of years amounts to 49 years."
The 490 years began from the first destruction of Jerusalem. That occurred in our Hebrew Calendar year 3338 or 3,338 years from Creation.
They continued until the second destruction of Jerusalem (9:26).
Hence, the calculation for Daniel 9:24-27 is 3338 + 490 = 3828.
There were 3,828 years from Creation until the war against Jerusalem concluded.
That the First Temple was destroyed in the Hebrew Calendar year 3338 is derived from Scripture:
Adam died in the year 930, Flood was in 1656, Shem died in 2158, Jacob died in 2255.
Moses was born in 2368 + 80, his age at the Exodus from Egypt = 2448 (Genesis & Exodus).
The construction of the First Temple began 480 years after the Exodus = 2928 (1 Kings 6:1).
King Solomon continued to reign for another 36 years = 2964 (1 Kings 11:42).
Plus 374 years that the remaining kings reigned = 3338 (2 Chronicles 12:13-36:11).
Daniel 9:24
to finish the transgression, to end sin, to atone for iniquity, and to bring in eternal righteousness,
If the Jewish nation had properly repented, then at the end of the 490 years, directly after the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E. the Messiah would have appeared. Thus, the twice "mashiach" in 9:25-26 were different anointed officials before the Messiah could have arrived.
Daniel 9:24
and to seal vision and prophet,
During this 490 year period, vision and prophecy ceased with the Prophet Malachi.
Daniel 9:24
and to anoint a Holy of Holies [Kodesh Kodashim].
The rebuilt and functioning Second Temple (Ezekiel 45:3).
Daniel 9:25
from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem
This is referring to the word that had gone forth to Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 30:18 "The city will be rebuilt on its ruins, and the Palace (Temple) will stand on its rightful place."
The Hebrew "debar" means word. It is in Jeremiah 29:10; Daniel 9:2, 9:25 & Cyrus' decree in Ezra 1:1-3.
Artaxerxes' decree to Ezra (7:13) is the Hebrew t'aim. Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah (2:7) letters (Hebrew iggerot).
The Hebrew shuv means to restore - to bring back. The return of Jews from Babylon to Israel:
Jeremiah 30:3 "... when I will restore from captivity My people Israel and Judah. I will bring them back to the land ..."
Daniel 9:25
until [mashiach] an anointed one, a prince, shall be 7 weeks;
Seven weeks of years after the destruction of the First Temple, Cyrus the first [mashiach] "anointed one" appeared as Isaiah the Prophet had foretold some 200 years earlier:
Isaiah 45:1,13 "Thus says the L-rd to His anointed, to Cyrus...He will build My city, and set My exiles free, neither for price nor for reward, says the L-rd of hosts."
And so it was, Cyrus fulfilled the word of G-d through His Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah:
Ezra 1:1,3 "Now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the L-rd by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the L-rd stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia to make a proclamation...Whoever there is among all His people, his G-d be with him, let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the House of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel. He is the G-d Who is in Jerusalem."
Cyrus informed his governors, ruling in Syria, the details of his decree:
"I have given leave to as many of the Jews that dwell in my country as please to return to their own country, and to rebuild their city, and the Temple of G-d in Jerusalem. On the same place where it was before." (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 11, Chapter 1, Section 3)
Daniel 9:2 "...the desolations of Jerusalem will last 70 years."
In Ezra 4:12 our enemies complained that Zerubbabel and his group were rebuilding "the rebellious and bad city,"
Artaxerxes in Ezra 4:21: "Now issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order."
That was two years after Cyrus' decree (Ezra 3:8).
Daniel 9:25
and for 60 and 2 weeks it shall be rebuilt, street and moat, even in troublous times.
Jerusalem was fully constructed for 434 years (62 weeks x 7 years).
Daniel 9:26
And after the 60 and 2 weeks shall [mashiach] an anointed one be cut off and have nothing,
This second "mashiach" was King Herod Agrippa II of Judea. He was dethroned and expelled from Jerusalem. Or the High Priest Phannias ben Samuel. He was killed in the fighting.
Daniel 9:26
and the people of a prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the Sanctuary,
The Roman army, led by Titus the crown prince, destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple.
Daniel 9:26
and its end shall be with a flood. Until the end of a war desolations are decreed.
Complete destruction is so described elsewhere:
Nahum 1:8 "But with an overrunning flood, He will make a full end of its place."
Daniel 9:27
And he shall make a covenant with many for 1 week; and in the middle of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering;
Titus broke a peace agreement with the Jews after 3.5 years and prohibited sacrifices.
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SECTION 2
A Refutation of Missionary Interpretations, Calculations and Translation of DANIEL 9:24-27
24. "Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
25. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be 7 weeks, and 60 and 2 weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26. And after 60 and 2 weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for 1 week; and in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering;...."
a. The original 1611 C.E. King James Version 9:25:
"unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be 7 weeks; and 60 and 2 weeks, the street shall be built again,"
It correctly has a semicolon stop and separation after the 7 weeks - two mashiachs (9:25-26). It was changed to a comma in 1885. We were in agreement for 274 years.
b. There is no record of an event occurring at the end of their 7th week. And which year was that? They disagree:
Artaxerxes' ^7th year decree 458 or 457 B.C.E. -49 years = 409 or 408 B.C.E. (Ezra 7:1)
Artaxerxes' 20th year decree 445 or 444 B.C.E. -49 years = 396 or 395 B.C.E. (Nehemiah 2:2)
Missionaries assume it took this long to rebuild Jerusalem. But, "it was a small 2.5 hectares town" or .01 square mile.
(Persian Period Israeli Institute of Archaeology.org) The wall surrounding it was completed in only 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15). And the Temple was rebuilt before their 49 years began (Ezra 6:15).
c. The missionary translation has one event occurring after 7 weeks and 62 weeks (49 + 434 = 483 years). The arrival of their one mashiach Jesus (9:25). But, from which decree & year? And to which event & year? They disagree:
Artaxerxes' ^7th year decree 458 or 457 B.C.E. -483 years = 26 or 27 C.E. Jesus' baptism.
Artaxerxes' 20th year decree 445 or 444 B.C.E. -483 years = 32 or 33 C.E. Palm Sunday. They reduced 483 to 476.
d. The Hebrew has: "And after the weeks [ha shavuim] 60 and 2 shall ...." (9:26). Missionaries exclude "the" to make it less obvious that the 62 weeks is a distinct time period leading to the second mashiach.
Consequently, 7 and 62 weeks appear as an continuous 69 weeks of years: 69 weeks x 7 years = 483 years.
e. Conversely, the Hebrew does not have "the" before "mashiach" and "Prince" (9:25). They were inserted to stress that this is the Messiah. Compare this verse with Leviticus 4:5 in Hebrew. There the letter hey (the) which is pronounced ha does appear twice: ha-kohen ha-mashiach. Literally: "The Priest, the anointed one."
f. The Hebrew root letters: mem-shin-yud-chet (mashiach) appear in the Hebrew Scriptures 39 times. Except in 9:25-26, they translate it anointed or anointed one.
g. be cut off: "But the person who does anything defiantly ... shall be cut off from his people" (Numbers 15:30).
There are several opinions what the penalty was. Dying childless and premature death are among them.
h. but not for himself: is wrong. The Hebrew "ve ein" means - and have nothing:
Proverbs 13:7 "There is one who pretends to be rich and has nothing."
KING ARTAXERXES. WHO and WHEN?
The First Temple Destruction To The Second Temple Destruction
Rabbinic Timeline 421 B.C.E. - 70 C.E. Secular Timeline 586 B.C.E. - 70 C.E.
The following B.C.E. dates are accurate within two years:
First Temple was destroyed in 421, Persian period was in 369-317, Cyrus' decree was in 369, Zerubbabel went to Jerusalem in 369, 1st Artaxerxes' decree stopped construction in ? - 351, Darius reigned in 353-317, Second Temple was rebuilt in 351-347, 2nd Artaxerxes' decree to Ezra in 346, 3rd Artaxerxes' decree to Nehemiah in 333.
421-369 B.C.E. ...... 52 years. First Temple ends until Cyrus' decree.
369-351 B.C.E. ...... 18 years. Cyrus' decree until Second Temple begins.
421-351 B.C.E. ...... 70 years. First Temple ends until Second Temple begins.
351--70 C.E. ....... 420 years. Second Temple period.
421--70 C.E. ....... 490 years. First Temple ends until Second Temple ends.
There was a total correction period of 490 years (70 + 420). Not the missionary's 560 years (70 + 490).
Only the missionary's Secular Timeline is quoted from hereon.
King Darius Hystapses. Reigned 522-486 B.C.E. He rebuilt the 2nd Temple in 516 B.C.E.
King Artaxerxes Longimanus. Reigned 465-424 B.C.E. Or 464-423 B.C.E. Missionaries theorize that Longimanus was all three Artaxerxeses in Scripture (Ezra 4:21; 7:1 & Nehemiah 2:2).
But, Biblical scholars disagree who they were. The reason: Artaxerxes was the "throne name of several Persian kings of the Achaemenid dynasty." (Artaxerxes Encyclopedia Iranica.org)
From 465 to 330 B.C.E. there were seven Persian kings. Five were called by the name Artaxerxes. (Kings of Persia The Collector.com)
In Judges 9, Gideon, the Leader of Israel was called by the name "Jerubbaal" nine times. See Judges 6:32
Nehemiah stood before the 3rd Artaxerxes in his 20th year (Nehemiah 2:2) & returned after 12 years (13:6). This king ruled for a minimum of 32 years. Three Persian kings reigned for that long: (Monarchs of Iran Wikipedia.org)
Artaxerxes Longimanis 41 years .... Darius Hystapses 36 years .... Artaxerxes Mnemon 46 years (404-358 B.C.E.).
1. Ezra 6:14 "The Jews rebuilt the Temple according to the decree of Cyrus and Darius waw Artaxerxes."
"The conjunction waw has many meanings: and, then, & then, but, also, even, together with, that is, untranslated." (hebrewsyntax.org chapter 5, conjunction waw):
I Samuel 28:3 "... in Ramah, "waw" in his own city."
Isaiah 7:4: these two firebrands, Rezin and Aram, "waw" the son of Remaliah.
The letter waw in the above two quotes could only mean: even, ...that is, ... untranslated. Translating the "waw" in Ezra 6:14 as such, follows the scholarly opinion that Darius was the 2nd & 3rd Artaxerxes. Their reasons are:
Cyrus decreed that the Temple be rebuilt in 538 B.C.E. (Ezra 1:3-4). Darius decreed the work be restarted in 520 B.C.E. (Ezra 6:7). Between their decrees, the 1st Artaxerxes stopped its construction (Ezra 4:21). The 2nd Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:1) and 3rd Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:2) ruled after the Temple was completed.
Darius restarted the work in 520 B.C.E. Therefore, the 1st Artaxerxes stopped it before that year. Thus, he was not Artaxerxes Longimanis whose reign began 55 years later, in 465 or 464 B.C.E.
Josephus wrote that the 1st Artaxerxes was Cambyses 530-522 B.C.E. (Antiquities, Book 11, Chapter 2, Section 2). Another contender is Pseudo-Smerdis 522 B.C.E.
2. Ezra 4:23 "Then (edayin) when the copy of King Artaxerxes' decree was read... they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews & stopped them by force & power."
Ezra 4:24 "Then (edayin) the work of the House of G-d stopped & it ceased until the 2nd year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."
Ezra 4:21-24 details the chronological order of events: The 1st Artaxerxes' decree stopped the Temple & city rebuilding. Our enemies received the decree & then enforced it, until the 2nd year of Darius.
3. If Longimanus was the 2nd Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:1), then 58 years after the Temple was rebuilt (516-458 B.C.E.), he sent Ezra "to beautify the House of the L-rd in Jerusalem" (Ezra 7:27). But, Scripture has these events more closely following one another:
Ezra 7:1,6 "Now after these things, ... Ezra went up from Babylon;" Compare Esther 3:1
4. If Darius was the 2nd Artaxerxes, he sent Ezra 13 months after the Temple was rebuilt.
Temple completed - 3rd Adar, 12th month, 6th year of Darius (Ezra 6:15).
Passover - 14th Nisan, 1st month, 6th year of Darius (Ezra 6:19).
[New Year's day - 1st Tishrei, 7th month Leviticus 23:24].
Ezra was sent - 1st Nisan, 1st month, 7th year of the 2nd Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:8-9).
5. Nehemiah 12:1-8 lists the Priests and Levites who left Babylon with Zerubbabel in 538 B.C.E. But, after the 20th year of the 3rd Artaxerxes (445 B.C.E.), at least 17 of them, their names listed in the same order, signed a covenant with Nehemiah.
If the 3rd Artaxerxes was Darius, it was about 36 years later (538-502 B.C.E.).
But, if the 3rd Artaxerxes was Longimanus, it was about 93 years later. They would have been extremely old.
Those who signed were Seraiah, Jeremiah, Amariah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Meremoth, Ginnethon, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Biglai, Shemaiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel & Sherebiah (Nehemiah 10:2-13).
Floyd Nolen Jones Th.D, Ph.D The Chronology of the Old Testament Page 241 23rd Edition:
"Not having noticed the problem inherent in comparing these two registers in relation to the dates they have assigned to them, nearly all scholars have failed to fathom the true extent and depth of the perplexity."
"Unless a solution is found, the time disparity between the Nehemiah 10 and 12 lists invalidates not only Sir Robert Anderson's solution...but all other accepted scenarios in use today as well."
Anderson founded a calculation for Artaxerxes' 20th year decree. See below
ARTAXERXES' DECREES
The New Testament quotes verses from our Scriptures that Jesus allegedly fulfilled. However, it does not claim that Jesus is the mashiach foretold in Daniel 9:25-26.
It was not until 150 years after Jesus died that Irenaeus wrote the first Christian comments to Daniel 9. (Against Heresies Book 5:25.3)
The early Church authorities interpreted & computed the 70 weeks of years different from one another.
Therefore, it was inevitable that rival factions would evolve:
a. The Historical Messianic View begins the 70 weeks of years from the 2nd Artaxerxes' 7th year decree in 458 or 457 B.C.E. (Ezra 7:1).
b. The Futurist Dispensational View begins it from the 3rd Artaxerxes' 20th year decree in 445 or 444 B.C.E. (Nehemiah 2:2).
c. The Symbolic Messianic View begins it from Cyrus' decree in 538 B.C.E. to Jesus' second coming.
d. The Historical Critical View begins it from Cyrus' decree until Onias the High Priest was killed in 171 B.C.E. ("cut off").
And Antiochus Epiphanes desecrating the Temple in 167 B.C.E. ("the prince who shall come") Daniel 9:26.
There is confusion when Xerxes, the previous king was killed, and Artaxerxes began to rule. Therefore, the year that his 7th & 20th year decrees were signed & issued are not known. (Artaxerxes 1 Encyclopedia Iranica.org)
ARTAXERXES' 7th YEAR DECREE
458 or 457 B.C.E. To Jesus' Baptism + 7 Years
1st Month NISAN March-April (Spring) ****** 5th Month AV July-August (Summer)
7th Month TISHREI September-October (Fall-Autumn)
Ezra 7:1,6 "Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,... the king granted [Ezra] all he requested."
Ezra left Babylon with the decree, on the 1st day of the 1st month and arrived in Jerusalem on the 1st day of the 5th month in Artaxerxes' 7th year (Ezra 7:8-9,11). Ezra's mandate was "to beautify the House of the L-rd in Jerusalem", not to rebuild the city (Ezra 7:27).
When Artaxerxes signed and issued the decree is not known.
If the 490 years began from this date, one should expect Scripture to state it.
Inevitably, the Historical Messianic View posits different begin dates:
Opinion A1: Tishrei 458 B.C.E. - Before Ezra departed Babylon.
Opinion A2: Tishrei 457 B.C.E. - After Ezra departed Babylon. The decree "went into effect" when they gave it to the Persian officials in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.
Opinion B1: Nisan 1st, 458 B.C.E. - When Ezra departed Babylon.
Opinion B2: Nisan 1st, 457 B.C.E. - When Ezra departed Babylon.
The decree was signed and issued before Nisan. Persian law enabled preparations for the trip to begin immediately.
"A decree or statute that the king establishes can not be changed" (Daniel 6:15):
1. The organizers planned and prepared for the trip before departure.
2. The volunteers for the journey were ready before departure (Ezra 7:7).
3. The silver and gold the king "freely offered to the G-d of Israel" were prepared before departure (Ezra 7:15).
4. The silver and gold donated by the populace were collected before departure (Ezra 7:16, 8:25).
Ezra completed his initial obligations to the king swiftly. After their arrival on Av 1st, they rested for three days. On the fourth day, they brought the silver and gold to the Temple and sacrificed animals.
"And they gave the king's orders to his satraps and governors beyond the River ...." (Ezra 8:32-36).
The Persian officials received the decree in the summer, earlier than Opinion A2's Tishrei.
Artaxerxes did not need to wait until Ezra departed or arrived. His servants were able to deliver its details speedily:
Esther 8:10 "He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the signet ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, that were used in the king's service."
Opinions A1 and A2:
Tishrei 458 or 457 B.C.E. .... The Decree.
Less 483 years .... 7 weeks + 62 weeks x 7 years (Daniel 9:25).
--------------------
Tishrei 26 or 27 C.E. .... Jesus was baptized. End of the 69th week (9:25). One year is added. No year zero.
Plus 3.5 year ministry.
--------------------
Nisan 29 or 30 C.E. .... Jesus was crucified. After the 69th week (9:26).
Plus 3.5 years.
--------------------
Tishrei 33 or 34 C.E.
************
Opinion B1: Nisan 458 B.C.E. -483 years = Nisan 26 C.E. +3.5 years = Tishrei 30 C.E. +3.5 years. = Nisan 33 C.E.
Opinion B2: Nisan 457 B.C.E. -483 years = Nisan 27 C.E. +3.5 years = Tishrei 31 C.E. +3.5 years. = Nisan 34 C.E.
The months are often omitted because their crucifixion is in Tishrei. It was in Nisan, during Passover (Luke 22:15).
1. The Historical Messianic View's 70 weeks of years ended 37 years before its last event - the war against Jerusalem in 70 C.E. (Daniel 9:26).
2. Their 3.5 year ministry for Jesus is too long. Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15 & Luke 22-23 have one Passover. And Jesus was crucified on its 1st day, the 15th of Nisan. His ministry lasted a maximum 1 year.
John 19 has Jesus crucified on the 14th of Nisan, the day before Passover. He also has two other Passovers (John 2 & 6). Jesus' ministry lasted a maximum 3 years.
The University of Chicago
The Chronology of Jesus' Public Ministry. Website
"The earliest church fathers took varying views of the length of Jesus' ministry."
In the 2nd Century - 12-18 months.
In the 3rd Century - 24-30 months.
In the 4th Century - More than 3 years.
3. Jesus' ministry began when he was baptized by John the Baptist. That was "In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" (Luke 3:1-3). But, did the count begin in 12 or 14 C.E.?
California State University, Northridge
Some Dates in the Life of Jesus. Website
"Tiberius received joint power to govern the provinces with Augustus shortly after his triumph of October 23, A.D. 12 (Suetonius). The 15th year was A.D. 26 or 27."
"Tiberius was left with sole power by the death of Augustus on August 19, A.D. 14. The 15th year was A.D. 28 or 29."
4. The Historical Messianic View's:
458 B.C.E. decree begins his ministry in 26 C.E.
457 B.C.E. decree begins his ministry in 27 C.E.
The Futurist Dispensational View's: See below
445 B.C.E. decree begins his ministry in 28 C.E.
444 B.C.E. decree begins his ministry in 29 C.E.
ARTAXERXES' 20th YEAR DECREE
445 or 444 B.C.E. To Palm Sunday + 7 Years
Because Cyrus' decree was issued in 538 B.C.E., the 483 year intervening period (69 weeks x 7 years) ended before Jesus was born. Therefore, the Futurist Dispensational View chose Artaxerxes' 20th year decree in 445 or 444 B.C.
It authorized Nehemiah to rebuild the city walls (Nehemiah 2:4) & supplied the timber to do so (2:8).
But, 483 years from 445 or 444 B.C.E. ended at 39 or 40 C.E.
Since that was after Jesus died, they devised a stratagem to end 7 years earlier.
They invented a 360 day Prophetic year.
483 years x 360 days = 173,880 day intervening period.
The decree is dated:
Nehemiah 2:1 "IN THE MONTH OF NISAN, IN THE 20th YEAR OF KING ARTAXERXES,"
The day it was signed and issued is missing. If the 490 years began from this date, one should expect Scripture to state it. The Futurist Dispensational View assumed it was Nisan 1st. If it began on any other day in that month, they have a failed calculation.
Their begin day (Nisan 1st) and end day (Nisan 10th) were changed to Julian calendar dates. The other data in their calculations are not Julian. They mixed different calendars together.
Floyd Nolen Jones Th.D, Ph.D The Chronology of the Old Testament Page 225 23rd Edition:
"Each particular calendar is defined by its own set of rules. Both Anderson and Hoehner unwittingly violated the internal Julian calendar mathematics."
Robert Anderson. The Coming Prince. 1894:
March 14, 445 B.C.E. To April 6, 32 C.E. Palm Sunday.
445 B.C.E. To 32 C.E. = 476 years.
476 years x 365 days per year = 173,740 days.
March 14 To April 6 = 24 days.
Leap year days in 476 years = 116 days.
173,740 + 24 + 116 = 173,880 day intervening period.
In the Julian calendar, every 4th year is a leap year. Anderson excluded 300, 200 & 100 B.C.E.
There were 119 leap year days.
Harold Hoehner. Chronological Aspects Of The Life Of Christ. 1978:
March 5, 444 B.C.E. To March 30, 33 C.E. Palm Sunday.
444 B.C.E. To 33 C.E. = 476 years.
476 years x 365.24219879 days per year = 173,855 days.
March 5 To March 30 = 25 days.
173,855 + 25 = 173,880 day intervening period.
The Julian calendar's 365.25 days per year were not used: 476 years x 365.25 days = 173,859 days.
Julian day and civil date calculator NASA (.gov):
Anderson: March 14, 445 B.C.E. is date number 1558960 ..... April 6, 32 C.E. is date number 1732842.
A 173,883 day intervening period. Anderson's 173,880 days were 3 days early.
Hoehner: March 5, 444 B.C.E. is date number 1559316 ..... March 30, 33 C.E. is date number 1733200.
A 173,884 day intervening period. Hoehner's 173,880 days were 4 days early.
They did not succeed at ending "exactly and to the very day."
Their 173,880th day was Palm Sunday, Nisan 10th. It ended their 69th week. The crucifixion (Nisan 14th) and the war against Jerusalem were thereafter (Daniel 9:26). But, because the war was 37 years later, they placed both events
"after the 69th week but before the 70th week." This last week has not begun. Jesus' "atonement" death for sins etc. (9:24) is now ineffectively outside the 490 years. The year Palm Sunday and the crucifixion occurred is not known.
The University of Edinburgh
Dating The Death of Jesus. (Website)
"In the end, all that the evidence allows us to claim is that Jesus died some time around the Passover, perhaps a few days before the feast, anytime between 29 and 34 C.E."
Our Scriptures and Writings do not refer to a 360 day Prophetic year. But, some say its in Genesis:
The flood waters rose for 5 months. The 17th day of the 2nd month to the 17th day of the 7th month, 150 days (Genesis 7:11, 24 & 8:4). From this the Futurist Dispensational View claims that the entire Biblical period had a 30 day month (5 x 30 = 150) and a 360 day year (12 x 30 = 360).
But, this is conjectural. Nothing is known about the flood calendar:
a. How many months were in the year?
b. How many days were in each of the 5 months?
c. How many days were in each of the other months?
d. Were days added at the end of the year?
e. In our Scriptures, numbers are often not exact (Numbers 1:21-43). The 150 days could be a rounded off number.
Our year has 354 days. Each month has 29 or 30 days. To regulate it with the 365.25 day solar year, a month is added 7 times during each 19 year cycle. A year begins & ends on the same date. In their calculations, they don't:
Exodus 12:41 "At the end of the 430 years, on that same day, the hosts of the L-rd left Egypt."
TALMUD SANHEDRIN 97b
"Blasted be the bones of those who calculate the end. For people will say: since the awaited time has arrived and yet the Messiah has not come, he will never come."
Missionaries say that it forbids Jews to even read Daniel 9. But:
1. It does not say Daniel 9.
2. Nothing in our Rabbinic works forbid Daniel 9.
3. Our greatest commentators wrote extensively on Daniel 9.
4. Several leading Rabbis calculated the Messiah's arrival. They included: R' Saadiah Gaon, Rambam, Ramban, Rashi and R' Bachya.
5. The Talmud included Daniel 9 in its religious discourses:
Talmud Nazir 32b: While the destruction of the Second Temple was being discussed:
Abaye said: "And they didn't know when it would happen? Is it not written: 70 weeks have been decreed for your people and for your holy city."
