Journal: Conservative Theological Journal
Volume: CTJ 06:17 (Mar 2002)
Article: A Study of Daniel 9:24 - 27, Part III
Author: Charles H. Ray

CTJ 6:17 (March 2002) p. 72

A Study of Daniel 9:24 - 27, Part III

Charles H. Ray

Associate Editor
Th. D. candidate, Tyndale Seminary

This article is the third of a four part series on Daniel 9:24–27. The previous article examined the last part of verse 24 and the first part of verse 25. The present article picks up in v. 25 at “to restore and rebuild” and continues on into verse 27. A bibliography will appear at the end of Part IV.

Daniel 9:25 (cont.)

Other language-related issues in verse 25

“to restore and rebuild”

Some attention will now be given to a few other linguistic matters. The phrase “to restore and rebuild” (so NASB, NIV) is from וְלִבְנוֹת לְהָשִׁיּב, and “is a rich and suggestive phrase that combines reference to the restoring of the community and the rebuilding of the city.”1 לְהָשִׁיּב (Hiph. inf. constr.) primarily means “to turn back, return,” but it is translated into numerous other English words, including “bring back,” “again,” “recovered,” and “restore.” In the Hiphil, it is literally “to cause to return.” Barnes elaborates on the significance of this matter by saying Jerusalem is to be reinstated to “its former condition as a holy city - the city where the worship of God would be celebrated..” Other occurrences of this same nuance are found in Ps. 80:3, 7, 19 and Isa. 1:26.2 The most common rendering of ולִבְנוֹת (Qal inf. constr.) is “to build,” appearing some 298 times as either “build,” “builds,” or “built.” Idiomatically it can also refer to having

CTJ 6:17 (March 2002) p. 73

children, as in Gen. 16:2.3 There is some dissension as to whether or not it can be given as “rebuild.” Goldingay thinks not, and thus the expression should read, “to build a restored Jerusalem.”4 He claims (p.229) that to obtain “to rebuild” one has to emend להשׁיּב to You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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