1Imidlertid blev mederen Dareios, Xerxes’ søn, konge over det babyloniske rige.2I det første år af hans regeringstid bemærkede jeg, Daniel, det sted i skrifterne, hvor der ifølge Herrens ord til profeten Jeremias står, at Jerusalem skulle ligge øde i 70 år.3Derfor gav jeg mig til at bede inderligt til Gud Herren og bønfalde ham under faste og klædt i sæk og aske.4„Herre, du store og frygtindgydende Gud!” bad jeg. „Du bryder aldrig dit løfte om nåde mod dem, der elsker og adlyder dig.5Men hvor har vi været onde og svigtet dig! Vi har gjort oprør imod dig og ikke overholdt dine bud og forskrifter.6Vi har nægtet at lytte til dine tjenere, profeterne, som du gang på gang har sendt med budskaber til vores forfædre, konger og fyrster og til os, dit folk, som du gav Israels land i eje.7Herre, du er retfærdig, mens vi må rødme af skam, for vi er alle skyldige, både Judas ledere, Jerusalems indbyggere, og alle judæere nær og fjern, som du har sendt i landflygtighed på grund af vores troløshed imod dig.8Herre, her står vi, både kongefamilien og alle vores ledere. Vi er tyngede af skam på grund af vores synd imod dig.9Men Herre, vores Gud, du er nådig og barmhjertig, selvom vi gjorde oprør imod dig10og ikke fulgte de love, du gav os gennem dine tjenere, profeterne.11Hele Israels folk syndede imod dig. Vi vendte os fra dig og adlød ikke din vilje. Derfor straffede du os med de forbandelser, som din tjener Moses advarede os om i Toraen.12Du gjorde nøjagtigt, som du havde forudsagt. Aldrig har en lignende katastrofe ramt et folk som den, der ramte Jerusalem.13Hver eneste forbandelse nævnt i Toraen gik i opfyldelse. Vi forsøgte ikke engang at afværge straffen ved at se sandheden i øjnene og vende os fra vores synder.14Du bragte katastrofen over os, fordi vi var ulydige mod dig. Du handlede blot retfærdigt, som du altid gør.15Herre, vores Gud, du viste din vældige magt, da du i sin tid førte dit folk ud af Egypten, og det vil vi altid takke dig for. Alligevel svigtede vi dig, og vi er fulde af ondskab.16Herre, du har vist din trofasthed og nåde mod os mange gange. Derfor beder jeg dig nu om at vende din voldsomme vrede bort fra Jerusalem—din egen by, dit hellige bjerg! For som følge af vores synder og vores forfædres ondskab er Jerusalem og dit folk blevet til spot for de omkringboende folkeslag.17Hør din tjeners indtrængende bøn, Gud! For din egen æres skyld, Herre, genopret din helligdom, som i dag ligger øde hen!18Vend dit øre til mig og lyt til min bøn! Luk dine øjne op og se den vanære, der har ramt os og Jerusalem, din egen by! Vi beder om nåde, ikke fordi vi har fortjent det, men fordi du er barmhjertig.19Hør vores bøn, Herre! Tilgiv os, Herre! Lyt til os, Herre, og grib ind for din egen æres skyld. Det er jo dit folk og din by, det gælder.”
Gabriel forklarer synet nærmere
20Således bad jeg til Herren, min Gud. Jeg bekendte min og mit folks synd og bad om genoprettelse for Jerusalem.21Mens jeg bad,[1] kom Gabriel, som jeg havde set i mit tidligere syn, hen til mig. Det var ved den tid på dagen, hvor man plejede at bringe aftenofferet i Jerusalems tempel.22„Daniel,” sagde han, „jeg er kommet for at hjælpe dig til bedre at forstå det syn, du fik.23Gud sætter stor pris på dig! Så snart du begyndte at bede, blev jeg sendt af sted med en besked til dig. Hør derfor godt efter, hvad jeg fortæller dig, så du forstår betydningen.24Herren har tilmålt Jerusalem og Guds folk en periode på 70 gange 7 tidsenheder, så overtrædelserne kan ophøre, synden få ende, skylden blive betalt, en evig retfærdighed blive indført, det profetiske syn blive opfyldt, og den højhellige blive salvet.[2]25Hør nu godt efter! Fra det tidspunkt, da befalingen om Jerusalems genopbyggelse udgår, indtil den salvede konge kommer, vil der gå 7 gange 7 tidsenheder. Og i en periode på 62 gange 7 tidsenheder skal Jerusalem genopbygges med gader og torve midt i krisetider.26Efter den periode bliver den salvede konge ryddet af vejen, tilsyneladende uden at have opnået noget,[3] og en fremmed hersker og hans hær kommer som en mægtig oversvømmelse og ødelægger både byen og templet. Krig og ødelæggelse vil fortsætte indtil enden, sådan som Gud har bestemt.27Herskeren vil indgå en aftale med en stor del af folket for en periode af 7 tidsenheder. Men når den halve tid er gået, bryder han aftalen og offerhandlingerne ophører. I stedet anbringer han et afskyeligt afgudsbillede i Guds helligdom.[4] Men til den tid, som Gud har fastsat, vil den endelige dom udløses over hans ondskab.”
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— (Dan 5,30; Dan 5,31; Dan 8,20; Dan 11,1)2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. (Ez 1,1; Jer 25,12)3Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. (Neh 1,4; Dan 9,17; Dan 9,23)4I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, (5.Mos 7,9; Ez 10,1; Neh 1,5; Neh 1,6; Neh 9,32; Dan 9,20)5we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. (Klag 3,42; Dan 9,15)6We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. (2.Krøn 36,15; Ez 9,7; Ez 9,11; Neh 9,34; Zak 1,6)7To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. (3.Mos 26,40; Ester 9,20; Jer 8,3; Klag 1,18; Dan 9,14)8To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. (Dan 9,5)9To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him (Neh 9,17; Salm 86,15)10and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. (Dan 9,6)11All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. (3.Mos 26,14; 5.Mos 28,15; 1.Krøn 6,49; 2.Krøn 24,9; Neh 10,29; Es 1,4; Jer 40,3; Jer 44,22; Jer 44,23; Dan 9,5)12He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us,[1] by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. (Salm 82,2; Jer 39,16; Klag 1,12; Ez 5,9)13As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. (Dan 9,11; Hos 7,10)14Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. (Neh 9,33; Jer 1,12; Dan 9,7; Dan 9,10)15And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. (2.Mos 6,1; 2.Mos 14,18; 2.Mos 32,11; Neh 1,10; Neh 9,10; Dan 9,5)16“O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. (2.Mos 20,5; Salm 31,1; Salm 44,13; Salm 71,2; Salm 79,4; Jer 31,23; Klag 1,5; Klag 2,15; Ez 36,4; Dan 9,20; Dan 11,45; Mika 6,16; Zak 8,3)17Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,[2] make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. (4.Mos 6,25; Klag 5,18)18O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. (2.Kong 19,16; Es 37,17; Jer 25,29; Dan 9,26; Dan 9,27)19O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” (Salm 25,11; Salm 40,17; Salm 70,5; Salm 79,9; Jer 14,9; Dan 9,18)
Gabriel Brings an Answer
20While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, (Es 65,24; Dan 9,16)21while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. (2.Mos 29,39; 1.Kong 18,36; Ez 9,4; Dan 8,16; Dan 8,18)22He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. (Dan 1,4; Dan 1,17; Dan 8,16)23At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision. (Dan 9,20; Dan 10,11; Dan 10,12; Dan 10,14; Dan 10,19; Matt 24,15; Mark 13,14)
The Seventy Weeks
24“Seventy weeks[3] are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.[4] (Neh 11,1; Salm 45,7; Salm 78,38; Es 61,1; Jer 23,5; Jer 31,34; Ez 4,6; Dan 8,13; Ap G 4,26; Rom 3,25; Heb 2,17)25Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again[5] with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. (2.Krøn 36,23; Ez 1,3; Ez 4,24; Ez 6,15; Neh 4,7; Neh 4,16; Neh 6,15; Salm 51,18; Es 55,4; Dan 9,23; Joh 1,41)26And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its[6] end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. (Es 53,8; Dan 9,18; Dan 9,27; Dan 11,10; Dan 11,22; Dan 11,26; Dan 11,40; Nah 1,8; Matt 24,2; Matt 24,6; Matt 24,14; Mark 9,12; Mark 13,2; Luk 19,43; Luk 24,26)27And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week,[7] and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.” (Es 10,23; Matt 24,15; Mark 13,14; Luk 21,20)