Daniel 9:27
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. | And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.” | 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; 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. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedThis is the last line of Gabriel's answer to Daniel's prayer for ruined Jerusalem. Seventy weeks were set for Daniel's people and city (9:24). This verse describes the final 'one week': a covenant made strong with many, sacrifice stopped in the middle of the week, and desolation lasting until a decreed end is poured out. Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17Daniel 9:21Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:25Daniel 9:26Daniel 9:27
SpeakingThe angel Gabriel speaks. He came while Daniel was praying, to give him 'skill and understanding' (9:21-22). Daniel 9:21Daniel 9:22Daniel 9:23
ToDaniel, called 'greatly beloved.' He had been confessing Israel's sin and pleading for Jerusalem. Daniel 9:20Daniel 9:23
Also involvedDaniel's people and 'thy holy city,' Jerusalem, with its sanctuary. The 'he' of the verse is either the Messiah or 'the prince that shall come' of 9:26, and the text does not name which. Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:26Daniel 9:27
Within one week (a unit of seven), someone makes a covenant strong with many. In the middle of that week he ends sacrifice and offering. With abominations, desolation comes and lasts until the full end that has been decided is poured out on the desolate. Daniel 9:27Strong's H1396Strong's H7620IStrong's H2677Strong's H7673AStrong's H8251Strong's H3617Strong's H2782Strong's H5413
Daniel received the vision in Babylon, where he served under Babylonian and then Persian kings. The prophecy itself concerns Jerusalem and its sanctuary. Daniel overviewDaniel 9:24Daniel 9:26
The eventsThe vision came in the first year of Darius the Mede, while Daniel was reading Jeremiah's seventy years. The verse describes the 'one week' that, with the seven and sixty-two weeks of 9:25, makes up the seventy weeks of 9:24. Jesus spoke of the 'abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet' as something his hearers would yet see. Daniel 9:1Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:25Daniel 9:26Matthew 24:15Mark 13:14
WrittenTraditional: Daniel wrote it in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC under Antiochus IV, because chapter 11 describes those years in detail. Others keep the 500s BC date, pointing to Jesus' words in Matthew 24:15 and the book's knowledge of the Babylonian court. Daniel overview
HereDaniel asked God to turn his anger from Jerusalem and its desolate sanctuary. Gabriel answers that a fixed number of weeks is set for the city, ending with a final week of covenant, ended sacrifice, and desolation that runs only until a decided end. Daniel 9:16Daniel 9:17Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:27
In the whole of ScriptureThe same themes recur elsewhere in Daniel: the daily sacrifice taken away and the abomination that makes desolate (8:13, 12:11), and a set end, 'that that is determined shall be done' (11:36). Isaiah also speaks of a 'consumption, even determined' from the Lord (Isaiah 10:22-23). Jesus points to the 'abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet' as a sign for those in Judaea to flee (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Daniel 8:13Daniel 12:11Daniel 11:36Isaiah 10:22Isaiah 10:23Matthew 24:15Mark 13:14
For readersThe desolation in this verse has a limit: it lasts 'even until the consummation' that has been determined. Jesus told those who read Daniel to 'understand' and to act on it. Daniel 9:27Daniel 11:36Matthew 24:15Mark 13:14
Christians read this differently
The verse does not say who 'he' is, and no cited Scripture names him. One reading takes 'he' as the Messiah of 9:26, who is 'cut off' and brings sacrifice to an end; on this view the desolation is Jerusalem's fall to surrounding armies (Luke 21:20). A second reading takes 'he' as 'the prince that shall come' (9:26), a future ruler who makes a covenant for one week of years and stops the sacrifice halfway, matching the daily sacrifice taken away in Daniel 12:11 and the self-exalting king of Daniel 11:36. Daniel 9:26Daniel 9:27Luke 21:20Daniel 12:11Daniel 11:36
- confirmגָּבַר
The word's basic meaning is 'to be strong, prevail.' Here it is glossed 'he will make strong,' and the lexicon lists 'to confirm (a covenant)' among its senses. The verse speaks of strengthening a covenant with many. Strong's H1396Strong's H1285Strong's H7227A
- weekשָׁבוּעַ
The word means 'seven.' 'One week' is one unit of seven within the seventy weeks set out in 9:24-26. Strong's H7620IDaniel 9:24Daniel 9:25Daniel 9:26
- midstחֲצִי
The word means 'half' or 'middle.' The sacrifice is stopped halfway through the final seven. Strong's H2677Daniel 9:27
- overspreadingכָּנָף
The basic sense is 'wing,' also 'extremity' or 'edge.' The phrase rendered 'overspreading of abominations' is glossed word by word as 'and on a wing of abominations.' Strong's H3671Strong's H5921AStrong's H8251
- consummationכָּלָה
The word means 'completion, full end, complete destruction.' With the word for 'what has been decided,' it shows the desolation runs to a set limit. Isaiah 10:22-23 likewise speaks of a 'consumption, even determined.' Strong's H3617Strong's H2782Isaiah 10:22Isaiah 10:23
Takeaway
Daniel 9:27 closes God's answer to a prayer for Jerusalem. It speaks of a final seven, sacrifice ended, and desolation that lasts only until the decided end. Jesus pointed his hearers to the 'abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet' and told them to understand it. Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:27Matthew 24:15Mark 13:14
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and he will make strong | וְהִגְבִּ֥יר | ve-hig-BIR | H1396 | to prevailגָּבַר (ga.var) 1) to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be strong, mighty 1a2) to prevail 1b) (Piel) to make strong, strengthen 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to confirm, give strength 1c2) to confirm (a covenant) 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to show oneself mighty 1d2) to act proudly (toward God) |
| a covenant | בְּרִ֛ית | be-RIT | H1285 | covenantבְּרִית (be.rit) 1) covenant, alliance, pledge 1a) between men 1a1) treaty, alliance, league (man to man) 1a2) constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects) 1a3) agreement, pledge (man to man) 1a4) alliance (of friendship) 1a5) alliance (of marriage) 1b) between God and man 1b1) alliance (of friendship) 1b2) covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges) 2) (phrases) 2a) covenant making 2b) covenant keeping 2c) covenant violation |
| to the many [people] | לָרַבִּ֖ים | la-ra-BIM | H7227A | manyרַב (rav) adj 1) much, many, great 1a) much 1b) many 1c) abounding in 1d) more numerous than 1e) abundant, enough 1f) great 1g) strong 1h) greater than adv 1i) much, exceedingly |
| seven | שָׁב֣וּעַ | sha-VU-a' | H7620I | Weeksשָׁבוּעַ (sha.vu.a) Feast of Weeks, Also named: pentēkostē (πεντηκοστή "Pentecost" G4005) This name means seven, |
| one | אֶחָ֑ד | 'e-CHAD | H0259 | oneאֶחָד (e.chad) 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal) |
| and [the] middle of | וַחֲצִ֨י | va-cha-TZI | H2677 | halfחֲצִי (che.tsi) 1) half 1a) half 1b) middle |
| the seven | הַשָּׁב֜וּעַ | ha-sha-VU-a' | H7620I | Weeksשָׁבוּעַ (sha.vu.a) Feast of Weeks, Also named: pentēkostē (πεντηκοστή "Pentecost" G4005) This name means seven, |
| he will cause to cease | יַשְׁבִּ֣ית׀ | yash-BIT | H7673A | to ceaseשָׁבַת (sha.vat) 1) to cease, desist, rest 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease 1a2) to rest, desist (from labour) 1b) (Niphal) to cease 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to cease, put an end to 1c2) to exterminate, destroy 1c3) to cause to desist from 1c4) to remove 1c5) to cause to fail |
| sacrifice | זֶ֣בַח | ZE-vach | H2077 | sacrificeזֶ֫בַח (ze.vach) 1) sacrifice 1a) sacrifices of righteousness 1b) sacrifices of strife 1c) sacrifices to dead things 1d) the covenant sacrifice 1e) the passover 1f) annual sacrifice 1g) thank offering |
| and offering | וּמִנְחָ֗ה | u-min-CHAH | H4503G | offeringמִנְחָה (min.chah) : offering/sacrifice 1) gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering 1a) gift, present 1b) tribute 1c) offering (to God) 1d) grain offering |
| and on | וְעַ֨ל | ve-'AL | H5921A | uponעַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) … |
| a wing of | כְּנַ֤ף | ke-NAF | H3671 | wingכָּנָף (ka.naph) 1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt 1a) wing 1b) extremity 1b1) skirt, corner (of garment) |
| abominations | שִׁקּוּצִים֙ | shi-ku-TZIM | H8251 | abominationשִׁקּוּץ (shiq.quts) detestable thing or idol, abominable thing, abomination, idol, detested thing |
| desolating | מְשֹׁמֵ֔ם | me-sho-MEM | H8074G | be desolate: destroyedשָׁמֵם (sha.mem) : destroyed/deserted 1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled 1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate 1b2) to be appalled 1c) (Polel) 1c1) to be stunned 1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle) 1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated 1d2) to appal, show horror 1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated 1f) (Hithpolel) 1f1) to cause to be desolate 1f2) to be appalled, be astounded … |
| and until | וְעַד־ | ve-'ad- | H5704 | tillעַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705) |
| complete destruction | כָּלָה֙ | ka-LAH | H3617 | consumptionכָּלָה (ka.lah) 1) completion, termination, full end, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation 1a) completion 1a1) completely, altogether (adv) 1b) complete destruction, consumption, annihilation |
| and [what] has been decided | וְנֶ֣חֱרָצָ֔ה | ve-NE-che-ra-TZAH | H2782 | to decideחָרַץ (cha.rats) 1) to cut, sharpen, decide, decree, determine, maim, move, be decisive, be mutilated 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to cut, mutilate 1a2) to sharpen 1a3) to decide 1b) (Niphal) to be decisive |
| it will be poured forth | תִּתַּ֖ךְ | ti-TAKH | H5413 | to pourנָתַךְ (na.takh) 1) to pour out or forth, drop (or rain), be poured, be poured out, be melted, be molten 1a) (Qal) to pour forth 1b) (Niphal) to be poured, be poured out 1c) (Hiphil) to pour out, melt 1d) (Hophal) to be melted |
| on | עַל־ | 'al- | H5921A | uponעַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) … |
| [one who] is desolate | שֹׁמֵֽם׃ פ | sho-MEM | H8074G | be desolate: destroyedשָׁמֵם (sha.mem) : destroyed/deserted 1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled 1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate 1b2) to be appalled 1c) (Polel) 1c1) to be stunned 1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle) 1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated 1d2) to appal, show horror 1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated 1f) (Hithpolel) 1f1) to cause to be desolate 1f2) to be appalled, be astounded … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.