The Gentile Times Reconsidered Chronology Christ

220 THE GENTILE TIMES RECONSIDERED
translate the Hebrew word l e mal’ot, “fulfilling, to fulfill”. Most
translations (including The New World Translation) are more in
conformity with the original text in this respect. 33
What Daniel discovered by reading Jeremiah’s letter, then, was
not that Jerusalem’s desolation would last for seventy years (for this
is nowhere stated in Jeremiah), but that the desolations of
Jerusalem would not cease until the seventy years “for Babylon”
had ceased. The focus of the “seventy years” was on Babylon, and
her period of dominance, rather than on Jerusalem.
The end of Babylon’s dominance would, of course, as a natural
consequence or byproduct, open up the prospect for a Jewish return to
Jerusalem. This is the simplest meaning of Daniel’s words in the
light of what was actually written in Jeremiah’s letter. As the
Babylonian supremacy suddenly had been replaced by the Medo-
Persian rule and the seventy years “for Babylon” and her
international domination had thus been completed, Daniel
understood—by the aid of Jeremiah’s letter—that the completion
of the devastations of Jerusalem was now due. This was the reason
for Daniel’s excitement and strong feelings, as expressed in his
prayer.
D: 2 CHRONICLES 36:20–23
The two books of Chronicles record the history of Israel up to the
end of the Jewish exile in Babylon. These books, therefore, must
have been finished some time after that event. The last verses of 2
Chronicles connect the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the
seventy years with the Persian conquest of Babylon and the end of
the Jewish captivity, as follows:
2 Chronicles 36:20–23:
20 Furthermore, he [Nebuchadnezzar] carried off those
remaining from the sword captive to Babylon, and they came to be
servants to him and his sons until the royalty of Persia began to
reign; 21 to fulfill Jehovah’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah, until
the land had paid off its Sabbaths. All the days of lying
desolated it kept sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
33 A detailed grammatical analysis of the Hebrew text of Dan. 9:2 has been received
from the linguist mentioned in note 27 above, which step by step clarifies the exact
meaning of the verse. In conclusion, the following translation was offered, in close
accord with the original text: “In his [Darius’] first regnal year I, Daniel,
ascertained, in the writings, that the number of years, which according to the word
of JHWH to Jeremiah the prophet would be completely fulfilled, with respect to the
desolate state of Jerusalem, were seventy years.”