Prophecy of Seventy Weeks - Daniel 9 - Literary Structure

Literary Structure

Historicist William H. Shea notes that verses 25-27 forms a chiasm:

A. Daniel 9:25a (ASV)

Jerusalem Construction:

Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem

B. Daniel 9:25b

Anointed one:

unto the anointed one, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:

C. Daniel 9:25c

Jerusalem Construction:

it shall be built again, with street and moat, even in troublous times.

D. Daniel 9:26a

Anointed one:

And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing:

C'. Daniel 9:26b

Jerusalem Destroyed:

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 even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined.

B'. Daniel 9:27a

Anointed one:

And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease;

A'. Daniel 9:27b

Jerusalem Destroyed:

and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.

A chiastic structures is a literary device to place an emphasis upon the statements at the center of the chiasm. In this chiasm the central point or apex is the death of the Messiah. Thus the chiastic structure of this prophecy emphasizes the importance of His death.