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 for 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 rebuild 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;...."
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, and implored Him to end the exile. And to 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
The total exile was to be 490 years. The Destruction of the "city and Sanctuary" would be its final events (9:26). The Messiah would have completed the six Messianic goals at that time (9:24).
Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and for 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 was in the Hebrew Calendar year 3338, or 3,338 years from Creation.
The 490 years ended at the Second Destruction of Jerusalem (9:26). That was in 3828.
Hence, the calculation for Daniel 9:24-27 is 3338 + 490 years = 3828.
The First Temple was destroyed in 3338:
Adam died in 930, The Flood was in 1656, Shem died in 2158, Jacob died in 2255.
Moses was born in 2368 + 80, (his age at the Exodus) = 2448 (Genesis & Exodus).
The building 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).
The remaining kings reigned for another 374 years = 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, the Messiah would have appeared at the end of the 490 years, directly after the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E.
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 rebuild 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 appears in Jeremiah 29:10; Daniel 9:2, 9:25 and 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. 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:
Isaiah 45:1,13 "Thus says the L-rd to His anointed, to Cyrus...He will rebuild 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 1:2-4 "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 gave 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).
In Ezra 4:12 our enemies complained that Zerubbabel was rebuilding "the rebellious and bad city, and are finishing its walls and the foundations were being repaired."
Ezra 4:21 Artaxerxes: "Now issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order."
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 he was 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 them.
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 made a peace agreement with the Jews after 3.5 years and prohibited sacrifices (Jewish Tradition). Thereafter, the Roman army besieged Jerusalem for 3.5 years (Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 4:5).
*************** *************** *************** ***************
SECTION 2
A Refutation of Christian 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;...."
This is the present King James Version (1885). However, 9:25 in their original 1611 Version was different (kingjamesbibleonline.org):
"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, and a connecting comma to "the street..." - two mashiachs (9:25-26). We were in agreement from 1611-1885 (274 years).
The Hebrew does not have "the" before "mashiach" and before "Prince" (9:25). They were inserted to stress this is the Messiah. The Hebrew root letters: mem-shin-yud-chet (mashiach) appear in Scripture 39 times. They translate it Messiah only in 9:25-26.
The Hebrew in 9:26 has: "And after the weeks [ha shavuim] 60 and 2 shall mashiach be cut off," The 62 weeks was a distinct period that separated the two mashiachs. But, because this timeline ran contrary to their one mashiach agenda, they left "ha" [the] untranslated.
This omission gave the impression that one mashiach would appear after an undivided period of 69 weeks or 483 years.
But, if Jesus died some 40 years before "the city and sanctuary" were destroyed in 70 C.E. (9:26), he could not be the Messiah. These events ended the 70 weeks or 490 years. The Messiah would have completed the six Messianic goals at that time (9:24).
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 = 49 years."
There is no record of an event occurring at the end of their 7th week of years:
Artaxerxes' ^7th year decree in 458/457 B.C.E. - 49 years = 409/408 B.C.E. (Ezra 7).
Artaxerxes' 20th year decree in 445/444 B.C.E. - 49 years = 396/395 B.C.E. (Nehemiah 2).
Some claim that it took 49 years 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 (516 B.C.E.) before their 49 years began (Ezra 6:15).
Which event occurred after their 7 weeks and 62 weeks (49 + 434 = 483 years)?:
Artaxerxes' ^7th year decree in 458/457 B.C.E. - 483 years = 26/27 C.E. Jesus' baptism.
Artaxerxes' 20th year decree in 445/444 B.C.E. - 483 years = 32/33 C.E. Palm Sunday.
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.
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."
NO EVENT IN THEIR 490 YEAR TIMELINES CAN BE DATED
1. The date when Jesus was baptized and began his ministry is not known:
Jesus' ministry began when he was baptized. 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."
The Historical Messianic View's:
458 B.C.E. decree has Jesus baptized, and began his ministry in 26 C.E.
457 B.C.E. decree has them in 27 C.E.
The Futurist Dispensational View's:
445 B.C.E. decree has them in 28 C.E.
444 B.C.E. decree has them in 29 C.E.
2. The length of Jesus' ministry is not known:
A 3.5 year ministry is doubtful. Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15 and Luke 22-23 have one Passover. And Jesus was crucified on its 1st day, the 15th of Nisan. His ministry lasted a maximum one 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 three 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 36 months.
3. The date when Jesus died 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."
en. Wikipedia.org
Crucifixion of Jesus.
"His crucifixion occurred in 1st Century Judaea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33."
The date of Palm Sunday is not known. It occurred four days before the crucifixion.
4. The date when Stephen died is not known:
en. Wikipedia.org
Saint Stephen
Stephen was stoned to death in Jerusalem Judaea between 33-36 C.E.
WHICH DECREE BEGAN THE 490 YEAR PROPHECY?
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).
Thus, it was inevitable that without an early authoritative Christian calculation for the 70 weeks of years, rival factions would evolve:
1. The Symbolic Messianic View begins it from Cyrus' decree in 538 B.C.E. to Jesus' "second coming".
2. The Historical Critical View begins it from Cyrus' decree in 538 B.C.E. to Onias the High Priest who was killed ("cut off") in 171 B.C.E.
And to Antiochus "the prince who shall come" in 167 B.C.E. He desecrated the Temple (Daniel 9:26).
3. The Historical Messianic View begins the 70 weeks from Artaxerxes' 7th year decree in 458/457 B.C.E. (Ezra 7).
4. The Futurist Dispensational View begins it from Artaxerxes' 20th year decree in 445/444 B.C.E. (Nehemiah 2).
Their begin dates for Artaxerxes' 7th and 20th year decrees (#3 and #4) are not known:
a. Did Artaxerxes begin to reign in 465 or 464 B.C.E.? Are 7 years and 20 years counted from 465 or 464 B.C.E.? They disagree. The reason: It is not known when Xerxes, the previous king was killed (Artaxerxes I Encyclopedia Iranica). Their dates could be wrong by one year.
b. Did the Jews follow a Spring to Spring calendar year starting Nisan 1st? Or
Did the Jews follow a Fall to Fall calendar year starting Tishrei 1st? Their dates could be wrong by another six months.
ARTAXERXES' 7th YEAR DECREE - EZRA 7
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)
Ezra 7:1,6 "Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,... the king granted [Ezra] all he requested." When was this decree issued?
Ezra left Babylon with the decree (Ezra 7:11-13; 8:36), 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).
Ezra's mandate was "to glorify the House of the L-rd in Jerusalem" (Ezra 7:27) - not to rebuild the city. The Temple was already rebuilt.
1. The Historical Messianic View is divided.
When did the decree begin and end?:
a. The decree began before Ezra left Babylon:
Fall 458 B.C.E. (decree began) + 483 years To Fall 26 C.E. (baptism) + 3.5 years (ministry)
To Spring 30 C.E. (crucifixion) + 3.5 years To Fall 33 C.E. (Stephen stoned).
b. The decree began after Ezra arrived in Jerusalem ("went into effect"):
Fall 457 B.C.E. (decree began) + 483 years To Fall 27 C.E. (baptism) + 3.5 years (ministry)
To Spring 31 C.E. (crucifixion) + 3.5 years To Fall 34 C.E. (Stephen stoned).
c. The decree began the day Ezra left Babylon:
A Spring begin date has the crucifixion in the Fall not Spring (John 19:14). Therefore, they leave out the seasons:
Spring 457 B.C.E. (decree began) + 483 years To 27 C.E. (baptism) + 3.5 years (ministry) To 31 C.E. (crucifixion) + 3.5 years To 34 C.E. (Stephen stoned).
Or they add 3.5 years to the 483 years:
Spring 458 B.C.E. (decree began) + 486.5 years To Spring 29.5 C.E. (baptism) + 3.5 years To Spring 33 C.E. (crucifixion).
2. Scripture suggests the decree began sometime before Ezra left Babylon:
a. Ezra left Babylon with the decree (Ezra 7:11-13; 8:36).
b. Ezra and the group were ready before departure (Ezra 7:7).
c. The silver and gold the king gave were prepared before departure (Ezra 7:15).
d. The silver and gold the people gave were prepared before departure (Ezra 7:16, 8:25).
Preparations could be taken without delay because a king's decree could not be revoked (Esther 8:8).
We learn from Scripture what probably transpired after Artaxerxes issued the decree:
a. His orginal decree was stored in the royal archives:
Ezra 6:2: The original decree of Cyrus was found in the fortress in Ecbatana, Media.
b. An official copy of the decree was delivered to the Persian officials in Jerusalem before Ezra arrived:
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."
Artaxerxes gave Ezra his copy before he left Babylon (Ezra 7:11).
A king's command was fulfilled promptly and flawlessly. For instance, these swift horse riders ensured that the officials had ample time to prepare for the expected 5,000-7,000 people (Ezra 8).
********
Ezra 6:14 "The Jews rebuilt and finished the Temple by the decree of G-d. And by the decree of Cyrus and Darius vav Artaxerxes".
Who was this Artaxerxes?:
a. The Ezra 4 Artaxerxes stopped the Temple building (534 B.C.E.).
b. Darius rebuilt the Temple 58 years before the Ezra 7 Artaxerxes began to reign (516-458 B.C.E.).
c. And 71 years before the Nehemiah 2 Artaxerxes began to reign (516-445 B.C.E.).
The Ezra 7 Artaxerxes may be included because he donated generously to the Temple.
Or perhaps Darius and the Ezra 7 Artaxerxes was the same person. The Hebrew "vav" can mean - and, even, that is. See below
ARTAXERXES' 20th YEAR DECREE - NEHEMIAH 2
445 or 444 B.C.E. To Palm Sunday + 7 Years
1. Because Cyrus' decree was issued in 538 B.C.E., their 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 445/444 B.C.E.
It authorized Nehemiah to rebuild the city walls and gates (Nehemiah 2).
Nehemiah 2:1 "In the month of Nisan, in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes ..."
The day this decree was issued is missing. The Futurist Dispensational View assumes it was Nisan 1st.
Their 483 years from 445/444 B.C.E. ended at 39/40 C.E. Because that was several years after Jesus died, they supplanted the Biblical year with a theoretical 360 day "prophetic year". Their intervening period was now computed in days not years:
483 prophetic years x 360 days = 173,880 days.
A Biblical year ended exactly one calendar year later. On the same day and month from when it began:
Exodus 12:41 "At the end of the 430 years, on that same day, the hosts of the L-rd left Egypt."
2. The Futurist Dispensational View is divided.
When did the decree begin and end?
How is the intervening period calculated?:
Robert Anderson. The Coming Prince. 1894:
March 14, 445 B.C.E. To April 6, 32 C.E. Palm Sunday (Julian calendar).
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.
There were 119 leap year days. Anderson excluded 300, 200 and 100 B.C.E.
Harold Hoehner. Chronological Aspects Of The Life Of Christ. 1978:
March 5, 444 B.C.E. To March 30, 33 C.E. Palm Sunday (Julian calendar).
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.
Hoehner did not use the Julian calendar's 365 days per year.
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."
3. 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.
It was a 173,883 day intervening period. Anderson's 173,880 days were three days early.
Hoehner: March 5, 444 B.C.E. is date number 1559316 ..... March 30, 33 C.E. is date number 1733200.
It was a 173,884 day intervening period. Hoehner's 173,880 days were four days early.
They did not end "exactly and to the very day 173,880 days" (The Coming Prince, Chapter 10, Page 54).
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 after the crucifixion,
they placed both events after the 69th week but before the 70th week. Because the latter has not begun, Jesus' "sin atonement" death (9:24) is outside their 70 weeks.
4. Our Scriptures and Writings do not refer to a 360 day "prophetic year". But, some claim that 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 and 8:4). From this, the Futurist Dispensational View claims that the entire Biblical period had a
30 day month (5 months x 30 days = 150 days), and a 360 day year (12 months x 30 days = 360 days).
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 other months?
c. Were days added at the end of the year?
d. In our Scriptures, numbers are often not exact (Numbers 1:21-43). The 150 days could be a rounded off number.
KING ARTAXERXES. WHO and WHEN?
The First Temple Destruction To The Second Temple Destruction
Rabbinic Timeline 423 B.C.E. - 70 C.E. Secular Timeline 586 B.C.E. - 70 C.E.
Rabbinic ....... Secular .......... Order in Scripture
372 B.C.E. .... 538 B.C.E. .... Cyrus decreed the rebuilding in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2-4).
370 B.C.E. .... 534 B.C.E. .... Artaxerxes stopped the rebuilding (Ezra 4:21-24).
353 B.C.E. .... 520 B.C.E. .... Darius began rebuilding the Temple (Ezra 6:7).
349 B.C.E. .... 516 B.C.E. .... Darius completed the Temple (Ezra 6:15).
348 B.C.E. .... 458/457 B.C.E. .... Artaxerxes sent Ezra to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:7).
335 B.C.E. .... 445/444 B.C.E. .... Artaxerxes sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:9).
All Dates Are Approximate
Rabbinic Timeline ... Chabad.org Timeline of Jewish History
Secular Timeline .... Biblehub.com Timeline
1. Although, their Secular Timeline has 89 years separating the three Artaxerxeses (534-445 B.C.E.), they claim that Artaxerxes Longimanus was all three.
The reason: The 490 years end in Jesus' lifetime, only if it began when Longimanus issued his decrees.
To close up this 89 year gap, they moved the Ezra 4 Artaxerxes stop work decree (534 B.C.E.) into the Ezra 7 Artaxerxes decree narrative (458 B.C.E.). That was 76 years later.
Their scenario: After the Ezra 7 Artaxerxes allegedly allowed Ezra to rebuild the city, he issued the Ezra 4 decree stopping it:
Ezra 4:21 "Now issue a decree to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt, until I so order."
Ezra 4:23 "Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes' decree was read... they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force and power."
However, Scripture continued:
Ezra 4:24 "Then the work of the House of G-d stopped and it ceased until the 2nd year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."
Ezra 4:21-23 supposedly occurred after 458 B.C.E. (Ezra 7).
Ezra 4:24 occurred in 520 B.C.E. (Ezra 6:7). That was about 60 years earlier.
2. Artaxerxes was not a personal name:
Artaxerxes was the "throne name of several Persian kings of the Achaemenid dynasty." It meant "whose reign is through truth" (Artaxerxes Encyclopedia Iranica).
From 550 to 329 B.C.E. there were 14 kings. Five kings were called Artaxerxes, and two kings were called Xerxes (Wikipedia Monarchs of Iran). Pharoah and Caesar were also throne names.
The 1st Century historian Josephus:
"After the death of Xerxes, the kingdom came to be transferred to his son Cyrus, whom the Greeks called Artaxerxes" (Antiquities, Book 11, chapter 6).
The Artaxerxes in Ezra 4 was Cambyses, the son of Cyrus (Ibid; Chapter 2).
3. If Darius was the Artaxerxes in Ezra 7, then 13 months after the Temple was completed in 516 B.C.E., he sent Ezra "to glorify the House of the L-rd in Jerusalem" (Ezra 7:27).
The Temple was completed on - 3rd Adar, 12th month, 6th year of Darius (Ezra 6:15).
The Passover was on - 14th Nisan, 1st month, 6th year of Darius (Ezra 6:19).
New Year's day was on - 1st Tishrei, 7th month, 7th year of Artaxerxes.
Ezra was sent on - 1st Nisan, 1st month, 7th year of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:8-9).
If Longimanus was the Artaxerxes in Ezra 7, then 58 years after the Temple was completed, he sent Ezra "to glorify the House of the L-rd in Jerusalem" (516 to 458 B.C.E.). But, these events were closer to one another:
Ezra 7:1,6 "Now after these things, ... Ezra went up from Babylon;" Compare Esther 3:1
4. Nehemiah 12:1-8 lists the Priests and Levites who left Babylon with Zerubbabel in 538 B.C.E. However, in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1), 17 of them, their names listed in the same order, signed a covenant with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:2-13).
Those who signed were: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Amariah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Meremoth, Ginnethon, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Biglai, Shemaiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel and Sherebiah.
If Darius was the Artaxerxes in Nehemiah 2, there was 36 years after they left Babylon until the covenant (538-502 B.C.E.). The 20th year of Darius was 522-502 B.C.E.
If Longimanus was the Artaxerxes in Nehemiah 2, there was 93 years after they left Babylon until the covenant (538-445 B.C.E.). They were dead. The 20th year of Longimanus was 465-445 B.C.E.
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 above
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."
Some claim that this forbids Jews from reading Daniel 9. But:
a. It does not say Daniel 9.
b. Nothing in our Rabbinic works forbid Daniel 9.
c. Our greatest commentators wrote extensively on Daniel 9.
d. Several leading Rabbis calculated the Messiah's arrival. They included: R' Saadiah Gaon, Rambam, Ramban, Rashi and R' Bachya.
e. 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: Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and for your holy city,"
