Know: it will be considered strange if not impossible in some languages to use the imperative of the verb “to know.” In some cases this can be avoided by saying “I want you to know…” or “I would like for you to be aware of this….” But others will choose a different verb such as “learn” (New Century Version) or “note” (Good News Translation).
Therefore: this Revised Standard Version rendering is much stronger than the ordinary conjunction in the original. It is left untranslated by New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, as well as Good News Translation. And this is certainly justifiable.
From the going forth of the word: that is, from the time the order is given. This is a reference to the prophecy pronounced by Jeremiah (see comments on verse 2).
An anointed one, a prince: here the word prince refers to a ruler or leader, and not the son of a ruler, which is the normal meaning of the English rendering. Compare 8.25 and comments. The word translated anointed one is the origin of our term “Messiah,” and it evokes the idea of consecration. But in the present context it is not used with all the theological meaning that the word “Messiah” has in Christian thought. Some scholars have identified this “anointed one” with Cyrus the Great, who is in fact called “the LORD’s anointed one” in Isa 45.1, and who did permit the first Jews to go back to Jerusalem. Others think that it is Zerubbabel, who is referred to by messianic titles in Haggai 2 and Zechariah 4. But the most likely candidate is Jeshua, the son of Jehozadak, who was a high priest during this period (see Ezra 2.2, 36 and Neh 7.7, 39). This man is referred to as Joshua in Hag 1.1 and Zech 6.11. In any case, this information should only be given in a footnote if at all, and the rendering should be ambiguous enough to be applied to any of the candidates. Some English versions use capital letters in the text as a way of indicating that this term refers to Christ (New International Version), and others translate “Messiah” (New American Standard Bible), but neither of these solutions is recommended.
Seven weeks: the expression used here means seven periods of seven years each. On the meaning of weeks see the previous verse. Since it may sound strange in some languages to say “seven times seven years,” it is legitimate to make the calculation and render the whole expression as “forty-nine years.” However, it may be preferable to retain the number “seven” as a number signifying completeness for the Jews.
Sixty-two weeks: again the word weeks indicates a period of seven years. Hence the Good News Translation rendering “seven times sixty-two years.” However, in keeping with the discussion of the previous verse, it may be better to say “sixty-two times seven years.” In those languages where this is unnatural, it will be possible to say “four hundred and thirty-four years.” But many feel that this is too direct and precise in the context of an apocalyptic vision, in which the number “seven” plays a symbolic role.
It shall be built: the pronoun refers to the city of Jerusalem, and the passive construction as a whole may be rendered actively by means of an indefinite subject: “they shall rebuild the city.”
With squares and moat: the Hebrew equivalent of the first of these two words usually designates a “plaza” or a space just inside the city gate, used as a forum, a market, and place for deciding court cases. But here it may be taken in the more general sense of “streets” (New American Bible, New International Version, Anchor Bible, as well as Good News Translation). The second word, rendered moat by Revised Standard Version, is literally the word for “cut” and refers to a trench cut into the rock on the exterior walls of a city in order to make the wall a more difficult obstacle for those who would attempt to attack from the outside. This is the only time in the Old Testament where the word is used in this sense. It is translated “ramparts” by New Jerusalem Bible and more generally as “strong defenses” in Good News Translation.
In a troubled time: given the present context, the translation of this expression will probably have to conserve a certain amount of vagueness, but in some languages it may be necessary to state who will experience the trouble. If this is the case, translators may consider saying “at a time when God’s people will be troubled” or “… when God’s people will suffer.”
Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .