Does the Hebrew grammar of Daniel 9:24–27 support Christian Widener’s “double seventy-weeks” interpretation?

[GloryToHisName]

Summary
Christian Widener contends that Daniel 9:24-27 outlines two distinct seventy-week (490-year) timelines—one fulfilled in Israel’s ancient restoration (Ezra/Nehemiah → Messiah), and a second fulfilled via modern Israel’s restoration leading into the eschatological age. Below you’ll find my translation (Hebrew above each English line), with grammar notes and a timeline chart for both cycles.


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Daniel 9:24-27 — Hebrew + English (My Translation, Exact Wording)

v.24

עַל־ נֶחְתַּךְ שִׁבְעִים שָׁבֻעִים עַל־עַמְּךָ וְעַל־עִיר קָדְשְׁךָ
There are divided out seventy weeks for your holy city and your people's rebellion,
לְכַלֵּא חַטָּאת וּלְחָתֵם וּלְכַפֵּר עָוֹן
for the restraining of lawlessness, which is marked out for the coming punishment of purging,
חָזוֹן וּלְחָתֵם עֹלָמִים צֶדֶק וְלִמְשֹׁחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים
for the sealing of the vision and the prophet unto the age of righteousness; and it is when the holy of holies will be anointed.

Grammar note (v.24):

נֶחְתַּךְ (Niphal Perfect of חתך) means “cut off/divided,” hence rendered “divided out” to reflect partitioned sequences.

The sequence of infinitives (restrain → seal → purge → bring in righteousness → anoint) indicates successive divine purposes—matching a two-phase fulfilment.



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v.25

תֵּדַע תַּשְׂכֵּל וְתֵדַע מִן-מֹצָא דָבָר לְהָשִׁיב וְלִבְנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם
This prophecy to some shall be made understood and known from the word that went forth for the restoration and building of Jerusalem,
נָגִיד וּמָשִׁיחַ לִירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם שָׁבוּעִים שִׁבְעָה תִּבָּנֶה
for a ruler and an anointed one for Jerusalem; it shall take the weeks, seven sevens, for it to be built,
וְתָשׁוּב בַּשְּׁנַיִם שִׁשִּׁים וְצוֹק וְחָרוּץ בְּרְחוֹב בָּעִתִּים
and it shall be returned at the second sixty; and anguish and diligence will be in their streets in those times.

Grammar note (v.25):

מִן-מֹצָא דָבָר (“from the coming forth of a word”) echoes v.23 — Gabriel’s commission — setting a divine “going out.”

בַּשְּׁנַיִם שִׁשִּׁים (“at the second sixty”) clearly signals a second marker, supporting a dual-cycle model.

The apposition נָגִיד / מָשִׁיחַ (“ruler and anointed one”) allows human (type) or Messianic reference.



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v.26

וּשְׁנַיִם וּשִׁשִּׁים שָׁבוּעִים אַחֲרֵי יִכָּרֵת מָשִׁיחַ וְאֵין לוֹ
Two and sixty weeks after—none but not being for the Messiah will be cut off,
וְעַם-נָגִיד יָבוֹא בַּשֶּׁטֶף וְהָעִיר וְהַקֹּדֶשׁ יִשָּׁחְתּוּ
and the people of the ruler shall come like a flood; the city and the sanctuary shall be destroyed.

Grammar note (v.26):

וְאֵין לוֹ (“none for him”) indicates exclusion of those not aligned with the Anointed One (Acts 3:23; Romans 11).

בַּשֶּׁטֶף (“with a flood”) conveys large-scale invasion/destruction — both historical and typological.



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v.27

וְהִגְבִּיר בְּרִית לָרַבִּים שָׁבוּעַ וְחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ
And the many of the covenant He shall cause to prevail for the week and a half of one,
וְעַל מִנְחָה וְזֶבַח יַשְׁבִּית שִׁקּוּצִים עַל-כְּנַף וְעַד הַכָּלָה תִּתַּךְ עַל-שֹׁמֵם
and upon offering and sacrifice He shall bring to an end abominations even upon wings, until the one who makes desolate pours out what is decreed for the consummation.

Grammar note (v.27):

וְהִגְבִּיר (Hiphil Perfect of גָּבַר) = “cause to prevail,” indicating active empowerment rather than treaty.

וְחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ (“and a half of one”) marks a defined midpoint in the week, enabling division into 10½ years + remaining half-week.

“Upon the offering, abominations shall cease” points to the prophetic Day of Atonement (Lev 16), when cleansing and judgment are completed. The Body of Christ, as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1), fulfills this through suffering and testimony (Rev 6:9–11) until its vindication and catching up (Rev 12:5). The “wings” signify divine preservation and the wilderness refuge (Rev 12:14).


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Interpretive Summary & Cross-References

Many of the covenant = Israel + faithful remnant prevailing against enemies.

The cutting off of v.26 = rejection/ exclusion of unbelieving Israel (Acts 3:23; Romans 11).

Week and a half of one = ~10½ years of prevailing before the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord begins.

Abominations = idolatrous temple desecration + persecution of the saints (Ezekiel 8-9; Revelation 12).

Major historical markers: 457 BC (decree), Messiah’s death ~33 AD, temple destroyed 70 AD, Jerusalem walls restored under Suleiman ~1542 CE, Jerusalem returned 1967 CE.



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Dual-Cycle Timeline (My Model)

First 70 Weeks – Ancient Fulfillment

7 weeks (49 yrs): 457 BC to 408 BC → Decree to build → completion under Ezra/Nehemiah

62 weeks (434 yrs): 408 BC → 26 AD → Prophetic preparation → arrival of Messiah

1 week (7 years): 26–33 AD → Messiah begins His ministry → the covenant people are cut off through unbelief → Christ completes His redemptive mission → first 70 fulfilled

Post-week: temple destroyed 70 AD


Second 70 Weeks – Modern Fulfillment (~490 yrs)

Beginning “word went forth”: ~1542 CE (Suleiman’s restoration of walls of Jerusalem)

“Second sixty” marker: 1967 CE (return of Jerusalem)

Week and a half (~10½ yrs): 2018 → ~2028/2029 CE — Israel and the covenant people prevail over enemies

Remaining half-week (~3½ yrs): ~2029 → ~2033 CE — Tribulation / Day of the Lord begins → abomination ends → consummation poured out.

Chart
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
✶✶ DANIEL’S TWO SEVENTY-WEEK PROPHECY CYCLES ✶✶
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

FIRST CYCLE — EZRA TO MESSIAH (COVENANT PEOPLE CUT OFF)
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
457 BCE → “Word went forth” for restoration and rebuilding
• Word from God concerning total restoration
• Ezra raised up as the anointed one; Nehemiah joins as ruler

408 BCE → Completion of wall and city renewal under Nehemiah
• 7 weeks (49 years) fulfilled

↓ 62 weeks (434 years)

26–33 CE → Appearance of the Anointed Ruler (Messiah)
• People of the covenant reject Him
• Those *not for Him are cut off* (corporate cutting-off of unbelieving Jews)

70 CE → Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
• Judgment follows the rejection — first 70 cycle completed


SECOND CYCLE — SULEIMAN TO THE END OF THE AGE
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
1542 CE → Word goes forth again: Suleiman rebuilds Jerusalem’s walls
• Beginning of the second seventy-week sequence (490 years)

1967 CE → Jerusalem returned to Israel (key prophetic hinge)
• The second 60th week, marker of the second cycle

2023 CE → “Flood war” — people of the ruler that shall come
• Hasmas / Islamic Jihad war begins, foreshadowing final conflict

2025 CE → Beginning of the 70th week (final 7 years)
• Covenant people prevail at first; rise of end-time opposition

2028.5 CE → Mid-point of the final week (3½ years in)
• Their power is broken; persecution intensifies (cf. Dan 12:7)

2032 CE → End of the 70th week (1542 + 490 = 2032)
• Purging complete; holy place anointed; kingdom age / age of righteousness begins
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
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How This Supports Christian Widener’s Theory

Widener states: “Daniel’s seventy-week prophecy properly understood repeats in two fulfillments…” (The Temple Revealed in the Garden, p. 134)

He emphasizes archaeological inscription evidence of the 16th-century rebuilding of Jerusalem (The Temple Revealed in Creation, p. 57).

My grammatical analysis shows the text can support two cycles: נֶחְתַּךְ (“given out in two”), בַּשְּׁנַיִם שִׁשִּׁים (“at the second sixty”), and וְחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ (“half the week”) all indicate division of time.

While Widener uses dates and history, this reading uses grammatical syntax to validate dual-fulfilment.



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Morph Table 2 — Key Lexical Forms

Hebrew FormRootStemGloss / Function

נֶחְתַּךְחתךNiph. Perf.“given out / divided”
לְכַלֵּאכלאPiel Inf.“restrain / confine”
חַטָּאתחטאNoun“lawlessness / sin”
וּלְחָתֵםחתםQal Inf.“to seal / mark out”
עָוֹןעוןNoun“punishment / guilt”
צֶדֶקצדקNoun“righteousness”
וְלִמְשֹׁחַמשׁחQal Inf.“to anoint”
נָגִידנגדNoun“ruler / leader”
מָשִׁיחַמשׁחNoun“anointed one / Messiah”
וְהִגְבִּירגברHiph. Perf.“cause to prevail”
וַחֲצִיחציNoun“half / midpoint of the week”
שִׁקּוּצִיםשקץNoun pl.“abominations”
שֹׁמֵםשׁמםPart.“desolator”



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Final Question for Hebrew-Grammar Experts

Given these forms—especially נֶחְתַּךְ (“given out in two”), בַּשְּׁנַיִם שִׁשִּׁים (“at the second sixty”), and וַחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ (“half the week”)—does the Hebrew syntax of Daniel 9:24-27 provide a strong linguistic basis for reading two distinct seventy-week cycles (ancient + modern) as Widener proposes and as my timeline outlines?
If yes—please identify the most compelling grammatical features.
If no—please point out the constraints (word order, semantics, singular forms, scope of ׳וְאֵין לוֹ׳) that favour a single continuous 490-year timeline.

Thank you in advance for your grammar-based analysis. I look forward to your insights.

 

[Delvianna]

Interesting, thank you for posting. I've always thought there was a duel fulfillment just based on what Jesus said in Matthew 24, " Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." Which gives the idea theres another instance that WONT be in winter or on the sabbath because, "For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again." Which is clearly the tribulation period.

(“and a half of one”) marks a defined midpoint in the week, enabling division into 10½ years + remaining half-week.

Verse 27 does not say "and a half of one" or even "and half a week" it says "in the midst of the week" I highlighted what you're mistranslating

vaḥăṣî haššāḇûaʿ ... I can see why you think that but you got to look at the root word first which is חָצָה for the word חֵצִי which holds the fundamental meaning of the word and that root word is to divide or "midst". So you can't add to it, when the root implies division (since you ADD to the root word). So I think that fundamentally messes up your conclusion when you expound on it and how it doesnt mean 10 and half a year.

 

[RandyPNW]

No, it is, in my opinion, nonsensical to read into the 70 Weeks prophecy 2 sets of 70 Weeks of years. Can you imagine if I told someone that the mail is coming in one week, but actually expect him or her to understand that as being two weeks?

 

[GloryToHisName]

Interesting, thank you for posting. I've always thought there was a duel fulfillment just based on what Jesus said in Matthew 24, " Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." Which gives the idea theres another instance that WONT be in winter or on the sabbath because, "For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again." Which is clearly the tribulation period.

Verse 27 does not say "and a half of one" or even "and half a week" it says "in the midst of the week" I highlighted what you're mistranslating

View attachment 372986

vaḥăṣî haššāḇûaʿ ... I can see why you think that but you got to look at the root word first which is חָצָה for the word חֵצִי which holds the fundamental meaning of the word and that root word is to divide or "midst". So you can't add to it, when the root implies division (since you ADD to the root word). So I think that fundamentally messes up your conclusion when you expound on it and how it doesnt mean 10 and half a year.

Daniel 9:27 — “The Week, the Half, and the One Week”

Many translations simplify Daniel 9:27 to “in the middle of the week.”
But the Hebrew text reads more intricately:

הַשָּׁבוּעַ חֲצִי הָאֶחָד שָׁבוּעַ
ha-shavua ḥetzi ha-eḥad shavua
Literal order: “the week, the half, and the one week.”

This layered structure suggests not just a single “half-week,” but a week and a half —
a full week plus the midpoint of another.


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Word-by-Word Breakdown

HebrewTransliterationMeaning

הַשָּׁבוּעַha-shavuathe week
חֲצִיḥetzithe half
הָאֶחָדha-eḥadthe one
שָׁבוּעַshavuaweek


Pattern: “the week → the half → the one week.”
That sequence naturally reads as “a week and a half (of one week).”


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Interpretive Sense

“He will cause the many of the covenant to prevail for the week and a half of the one week.”

This keeps every word of the Hebrew and shows a continuous covenant period —
a full week completed, then the half of another week where the covenant breaks
and the sacrifice and offering cease.


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Timeline

Week One → Half of Next Week → TakeAway Sacrifice Ends

This pattern fits the prophetic rhythm of Daniel’s vision —
not merely “half of one week,” but a week and a half in total,
bridging one com
plete period into the opening half of the next.

 

[GloryToHisName]

Interesting, thank you for posting. I've always thought there was a duel fulfillment just based on what Jesus said in Matthew 24, " Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." Which gives the idea theres another instance that WONT be in winter or on the sabbath because, "For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again." Which is clearly the tribulation period.

Verse 27 does not say "and a half of one" or even "and half a week" it says "in the midst of the week" I highlighted what you're mistranslating

View attachment 372986

vaḥăṣî haššāḇûaʿ ... I can see why you think that but you got to look at the root word first which is חָצָה for the word חֵצִי which holds the fundamental meaning of the word and that root word is to divide or "midst". So you can't add to it, when the root implies division (since you ADD to the root word). So I think that fundamentally messes up your conclusion when you expound on it and how it doesnt mean 10 and half a year.

Examples in Scripture

1. Exodus 24:6 —
“And Moses took half (חֲצִי) of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.”
→ Literal half-portion of something divided.


2. Joshua 8:33 —
“And all Israel… stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests… half (חֲצִי) of them over against Mount Gerizim and half of them over against Mount Ebal.”
→ Physical division of people into two halves.


3. 2 Samuel 19:40 —
“And all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half (חֲצִי) the people of Israel.”
→ Numerical half.


4. Daniel 9:27 —
“…and in the middle (חֲצִי) of the week he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease.”
→ Same word; here it means the “halfway point” of
the prophetic week.

 

[Douggg]

2025 CE → Beginning of the 70th week (final 7 years)
• Covenant people prevail at first; rise of end-time opposition

The 7 years of Daniel 9:27 coincide with the 7 years following the Gog/Magog event of Ezekiel 38-39.

The 7 years are the 7 years of Ezekiel 39:9.

So the key thing to remember is the Gog/Magog attack on Israel event, then the 7 years.

 

[Delvianna]

Examples in Scripture

1. Exodus 24:6 —
“And Moses took half (חֲצִי) of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.”
→ Literal half-portion of something divided.


2. Joshua 8:33 —
“And all Israel… stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests… half (חֲצִי) of them over against Mount Gerizim and half of them over against Mount Ebal.”
→ Physical division of people into two halves.


3. 2 Samuel 19:40 —
“And all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half (חֲצִי) the people of Israel.”
→ Numerical half.


4. Daniel 9:27 —
“…and in the middle (חֲצִי) of the week he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease.”
→ Same word; here it means the “halfway point” of
the prophetic week.

You just proved my point. So you divide the week in half (3 1/2 years) you don't ADD it to the week to make 10 and change. It's not Half + full week, it's just half OF the full week.
חֲצִי is a noun. So in the middle of what? שָׁבוּעַ the week.

 

[GloryToHisName]

The 7 years of Daniel 9:27 coincide with the 7 years following the Gog/Magog event of Ezekiel 38-39.

The 7 years are the 7 years of Ezekiel 39:9.

So the key thing to remember is the Gog/Magog attack on Israel event, then the 7 years.

I thought it was after the thousand years

 

[GloryToHisName]

You just proved my point. So you divide the week in half (3 1/2 years) you don't ADD it to the week to make 10 and change. It's not Half + full week, it's just half OF the full week.
חֲצִי is a noun. So in the middle of what? שָׁבוּעַ the week.

The word uses the word week twice.
### Hebrew–English Alignment (Daniel 9:27)

| Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal English |
|---------|------------------|-----------------|
| שָׁבוּעַ | *shavua* | week |
| חֲצִי | *ḥătsî* | half |
| אֶחָד | *eḥad* | one |
| שָׁבוּעַ | *shavua* | week |

**Literal reading:** “week – half – one – week”
**Interpretive sense:** “a week and a half of one week”

This alignment keeps the Hebrew order while allowing it to read naturally in English.
It reveals that Daniel is describing a span of *one week plus half of another*, not merely the midpoint of a single week — a structure mirrored in Daniel 12:7’s phrase *“time, times, and half.”*

 

[Douggg]

I thought it was after the thousand years

The referral to Gog and Magog in Revelation 20 after the thousand years is that the same nations that will have taken part in the Ezekiel 38-39 Gog/Magog attack on Israel - will attempt to attack Israel again.

In Ezekiel 39:9, there are 7 years that follow the Gog/Magog attack.

Differently, in Revelation 20, there are no 7 years following that Gog and Magog attack.

In Ezekiel 39:9, there are 7 years. At the end of that 7 years, In Ezekiel 39:17-20 there is a feast (by the birds) on the dead armies who try to make war on Jesus at the time of His return. Ezekiel 39:17-20 is the same as Revelation 19:17-18. Read those two passages.

In Ezekiel 39:21-29, is Jesus Himself speaking in the text having returned to this earth.

Ezekiel 39 outlines the final 7 years leading up to Jesus's return. So Gog/Magog, then the 7 years, then Jesus's return.

Fit your eschatology understanding into that framework.

 

[Delvianna]

The word uses the word week twice.
### Hebrew–English Alignment (Daniel 9:27)

| Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal English |
|---------|------------------|-----------------|
| שָׁבוּעַ | *shavua* | week |
| חֲצִי | *ḥătsî* | half |
| אֶחָד | *eḥad* | one |
| שָׁבוּעַ | *shavua* | week |

**Literal reading:** “week – half – one – week”
**Interpretive sense:** “a week and a half of one week”

This alignment keeps the Hebrew order while allowing it to read naturally in English.
It reveals that Daniel is describing a span of *one week plus half of another*, not merely the midpoint of a single week — a structure mirrored in Daniel 12:7’s phrase *“time, times, and half.”*

you're interpreting this incorrectly, as I sated. You're ignoring grammar rules also, noun + subject. Every single translation also says in the middle of, or in the midst, and you are the only one who says other wise.

Let's go more in depth...

The core word is חֲצִי (ḥăṣî), meaning "half" or "middle."

• When used in a phrase like this, it is followed by the definite article הַ (ha-) attached to the noun it modifies, which is שָּׁבוּעַ (šāḇûa‘, "week").
• The literal construction is וַחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ (wa-ḥăṣî ha-ššāḇûa‘), which literally translates to:
  • וַ (wa): and
  • חֲצִי (ḥăṣî): half (of)
  • הַשָּׁבוּעַ (ha-ššāḇûa‘): the week
  • Translation: "and the half of the week" (or "and half of the week").

In this specific context of time periods, the construction "and half of the week" is a way of expressing an action that occurs at the midpoint of that entire week.

• If the text meant a duration of 1.5 weeks (i.e., "for a week and a half"), the phrasing would be different, likely a construction that emphasizes the combined duration.
• Instead, the phrase focuses on the timing of the covenant's cessation: it will be made firm for one week (שָׁב֣וּעַ אֶחָ֑ד), and then, at the halfway point of that week (וַחֲצִ֨י הַשָּׁב֜וּעַ), the sacrifices will stop.

Your proposed translation, "a week and a half of one," does not reflect the syntax of the Hebrew:

• "a week": The first part is שָׁב֣וּעַ אֶחָ֑ד ("one week").
• "and a half": This is וַחֲצִי. This part is correct.
• "of one": The Hebrew reads הַשָּׁב֜וּעַ (haššāḇûa‘), which is "the week" (with the definite article ha), not "of one" or "of it." The presence of "the week" explicitly links the half back to the specific, aforementioned "one week."

So essentially, it's "but in the middle of the week..." or "...for one week, and the half of the week..." because the grammar emphasizes the midpoint of the single, pre-established "one week" as the timing for the cessation of the sacrifice and offering. So it's the timing of the event of t he sacrifice (3.5 years) into the final week, not the total duration if it was 10.5 years.

 

[Douggg]

@GloryToHisName

Here is a chart of the Ezekiel 39 framework, I made.