Does Daniel 9 Reveal the Start Date of Daniel 8:14?
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Does Daniel 9 Reveal the Start Date of Daniel 8:14?
IntroducƟon
The quesƟon of “How long?” has been asked or contemplated as far back as Eve in the garden when she
supposed that her firstborn son was the promised Seed. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament, and
John the BapƟst, Peter, James, and Paul in the New Testament, it is human nature for us to apply Biblical
prophecy to our Ɵme as we quesƟon when our Messiah is coming to take us out of this sin-filled world
and deliver on the many promises to which we cling.1

In this quest, certain 19th century ChrisƟans, who became known as Millerites (named aŌer their leader
William Miller), in a diligent effort to understand the prophecies in the book of Daniel, came to
significant conclusions that formed the basis of their understanding of where they were in propheƟc
history. They understood, by historic records, that the decree to rebuild Jerusalem given by Artaxerxes in
457 BC began the “seventy sevens” of Daniel 9. They concluded that this was also the start date for the
2300 evening morning prophecy of Daniel 8:14. They also concluded that “evening morning” was a
single 24-hour period so that this meant 2300 days. They further came to believe that in symbolic Bible
prophecy a day equaled one year, leading them to the conclusion that Yeshua was returning to earth
October 22, 1844, a date that was seƩled on aŌer a few earlier dates came and went without the Second
Coming occurring. They eventually revised their explanaƟon of what happened October 22, 1844 to
Yeshua moving from the holy to the Most Holy compartment in the heavenly sanctuary, to begin the preadvent judgment.
This paper will be limited to looking at the first conclusion, that Daniel 9 gave the start date for Daniel
8:14, although the other conclusions should be revisited as they also have challenges.
To those who quesƟon our efforts to expose the problems we see with these various conclusions, we
simply remind them: truth does not suffer from close invesƟgaƟon. We encourage everyone who has
held to October 22, 1844 to be willing to fully and fearlessly examine their beliefs. If it is truth, it will
become all the more evident with close scruƟny. If it does not hold up to such scruƟny, then it is best to
discover that now so truth can be pursued rather than wait to be put under the microscope to give an
answer for their faith and discover that they cannot. We ask that you pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you
and guide you into all truth as you read this. If you believe that it is our conclusions which are in error,
we ask that you come and reason together with us, to show us from the Bible our error(s). We assure
you, we have spent many years searching out these maƩers.
In Daniel 9, Daniel begins with an earnest prayer to understand the prophecy of Jeremiah, regarding
seventy years of capƟvity, which was nearing compleƟon. The context of Daniel’s prayer is clear, that
Daniel was asking for God to deliver His people from the Babylonian exile.2
The answer that was given to
his prayer to understand Jeremiah’s seventy years went further than Daniel was asking, as Gabriel
revealed a 490-year period (“seventy sevens”) that would culminate with the First Coming of Yeshua.
1
To see many examples of this, see our video presentaƟon Ɵtled Prophecy vs. Prophet’s Understanding, Part 1:
hƩps://rumble.com/v2zq1m0-prophecy-vs.-prophets-understanding-part-1.html
2 See our video presentaƟon Ɵtled Daniel 9, His Prayer: hƩps://rumble.com/v2uwbye-daniel-9-his-prayer.html
WriƩen by Tom and Judy Stapleton, www.EndTimesProphecy.com Page 2 of 12
Daniel 9 addressed the first coming of the Messiah. Daniel was given three Second Coming prophecies in
revelaƟon of events that foretold the final few years before the Messiah’s triumphant return. To lump all
the prophecies in the book of Daniel together as end-Ɵme prophecies is not warranted by the context
and substance they contain. But it seems that the disƟncƟon between the first and second comings in
prophecy has been missed at least in part not just by the Millerites, but it was missed by all of the Old
Testament prophets, the Pharisees in the Ɵme of Yeshua, and disciples and New Testament writers (with
the excepƟon of John the Revelator when he was given addiƟonal insight not given earlier). They did not
see 2000 years between the first and second comings, and another 1000 years unƟl the end of the
millennium. They all expected that the kingdom promises would happen at the first arrival of the
Messiah.
In their study of the meaning of Daniel 8:14, the Millerites made several conclusions that caused them to
mix Daniel 9 with Daniel 8:14. This study will aƩempt to refute these conclusions, sincere though they
may have been, with the desire and intent that we conƟnue to look to the prophecies that were given
for the end Ɵmes, recognizing that they foretell sƟll future events rather than past events. No disrespect
is intended upon the sincere Bible students who formed these conclusions. This study is for current day
ChrisƟans who are sƟll relying on these conclusions who we hope to move forward in their
understanding of prophecy.3
Points that will be considered to answer the quesƟon if Daniel 9 begins the count for Daniel 8:14 in this
paper are:
1. Timing of the visions
2. The meaning of “are determined” in Daniel 9:24
3. Gabriel’s appearances in Daniel and elsewhere in prophecy
4. To which comings of the Messiah Daniel chapters 7 – 12 belong
5. To whom the “maƩer” was given
6. The Hebrew words translated as “vision” in Daniel 7 – 9
1. Timing of Daniel 7 – 12
As part of this study, it is important to keep in mind the Ɵming of the various visions along with their
subject maƩer. Historians apply the following esƟmates to the years to each prophecy:
 Daniel 7: 545 BC (with seven years of capƟvity remaining)
 Daniel 8: 543 BC (with five years of capƟvity remaining)
 Daniel 9: 538 BC (the end of Jeremiah’s 70-year prophecy, the year of the first decree of Cyrus
when some returned to Jerusalem to begin building the temple)
 Daniel 10-12: 536 BC (two years aŌer some had leŌ capƟvity)
 Decree from Artaxerxes: 457 BC (approximately 80 years aŌer Cyrus’ decree)
Those who hold to the idea that Daniel 9 is interpreƟng Daniel 8 and the Ɵming for the Second Coming
are denying not only the first coming Ɵming revealed in chapter 9, but also its correlaƟon of Ɵming to 1)
3
While the Millerites pre-dated the Seventh-day AdvenƟst church, SDAs arose out of the Millerite movement and
hold to the conclusions related to October 22, 1844 to this day.
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Daniel’s prayer for understanding Jeremiah’s vision, 2) the conclusion of Jeremiah’s prophecy of seventy
years, and 3) the release of capƟves to return to Jerusalem.
2. Seventy sevens “are determined”
One reason that the Millerites associated Daniel 9 with Daniel 8:14 is the use of the Hebrew word
translated “are determined” in Daniel 9:24:
4Dan 9:24 SeventyH7657 weeksH7620 are determinedH2852 uponH5921 thy peopleH5971 and
uponH5921 thy holyH6944 city,H5892 to finishH3607 the transgression,H6588 and to make an
endH2856 of sins,H2403 and to make reconciliaƟonH3722 for iniquity,H5771 and to bring inH935
everlasƟngH5769 righteousness,H6664 and to seal upH2856 the visionH2377 and prophecy,H5030 and
to anointH4886 the most Holy.H6944 H6944
H2852 ˂תַ חָ châthak A primiƟve root; properly to cut off, that is, (figuraƟvely) to decree: - determine.
Total KJV occurrences: 1
Any Ɵme a word occurs only once in Hebrew, it is much more difficult for naƟve English speakers to fully
grasp or for translators to avoid an unclear translaƟon. There are no other Hebrew words in the lexicon
that have the same three leƩer root, also making it difficult to fully understand the word used. A roundabout way of searching for the word in other Scripture is to see how H2852 got translated into the ABP+
and then searching that Greek word elsewhere in the ABP. In this method, the word for H2852 is G4932.
It appears five Ɵmes in the Old Testament, with four (including Daniel 9:24) being translated “rendered
concise” and the fiŌh, just two verses later in Daniel 9:26 is translated “being terminated”.
In reaching out to the Makor Hebrew FoundaƟon for more informaƟon on this word, Nelson Calvillo,
Manuscript Researcher, had the following to say:
Usually when this happens, we can look at another type of word with the same root, but it's not
just this verb, but this enƟre root is the only one! This makes it extremely difficult to translate a
word like this; basically an educated guess. When this happens, the other recourse is to look at
either other related languages, like Aramaic, or in a different Ɵme period; such as the Hebrew of
the Dead Sea Scrolls or the Hebrew of the Mishna. As it turned out, this word is in fact used
much more oŌen in the Mishnaic period.
He then went on to aƩach photos from the Jastrow DicƟonary, which used “to be cut off, severed”, and
“to be decided, decreed” to show how the word was used in the Mishna.
The Millerites took the meaning of “cut off”. [They could just have easily chosen “decreed” (also shown
in Strongs) “being terminated” (as shown in ABP), or “decided” (as shown in the Jastrow), none of which
leads to being linked to any other Ɵme period. They could have read this as: Seventy sevens were
“decreed”, seventy sevens were “terminated”, seventy sevens were “decided”.] They asked the quesƟon,
“Cut off from where?” They concluded it was from the 2300 evening mornings of Daniel 8:14, even
though there is no contextual (or linguisƟc, as discussed above) jusƟficaƟon to do so. They interpreted
2300 “evening morning” sacrifices as 24-hour days, which meant to them 2300 years, so they assigned
4
Unless specified otherwise, all Scripture quotaƟons come from the King James Version, and all words which are
numbered are with Strongs Concordance numbers.
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the same start date to each of the two Ɵme periods, believing that the 490 years were “cut off” from the
2300 years.
The quesƟon begs to be asked: did this conclusion fit the context? What does Daniel 9 indicate was cut
off (or decreed, or determined, using other Strongs meanings)? Israel was given a very specific amount
of Ɵme to accomplish a very specific set of goals – puƫng a complete end to sin and walking in the Torah
in its fullness. They were given 490 years, which included 490 annual Days of Atonement to set aside sin,
seventy shemiṭṭâh H8059 (release) cycles (the seventy “sevens”), and ten Jubilee cycles to rehearse a
complete reset. They were told plainly that the Messiah would be arriving on the scene at the end of
those days. But did they put away sin? Did they accept the Messiah? When He came to purify them, did
they repent and return? No, they did not. Instead, they murdered Him.
Daniel 9 “cut off” (decreed) a specific Ɵme period for Israel to become purified. When they failed, what
was “cut off” was Israel’s period of probaƟon, so to speak. Yeshua wept over them (Luke 19:41) and “cut
off”, ”decreed”, ”terminated” from that point onward that their house was leŌ desolate (MaƩhew
23:38). What happened in 70 AD was evidence that they were cut off, as foretold in Luke 19:44, “because
they knewest not the Ɵme of thy visitaƟon” (G1984, meaning inspecƟon) in fulfillment of Malachi 3:1-3.
The Ɵme decreed had expired, and they were caught unprepared. As a result, while Yehovah’s eternal
plan did not change, His chosen leaders, by their free will failings, did.
None of this, however, was related to the 2300 evening morning vision, which is stated is for the Ɵme of
the end and tells second coming events. Instead, it is directly for the Ɵme of the first coming.
3. Gabriel’s appearances in “the first” vision
Gabriel’s presence is another supposed link of Daniel 8 and 9. Because Gabriel is only menƟoned by
name by Daniel in these two chapters, it is asserted that the vision “at the beginning [H8462]” of Daniel
9:21 can only be a reference to Daniel 8’s vision and thus the Daniel 9 interpretaƟon can apply only to
Daniel 8. However, this asserƟon ignores that Daniel 8:1 also references a vision “at the first [H8462]”,
which clearly had to be something other than the vision that follows in the rest of Daniel 8 itself. Daniel 7
was interpreted by a being who Daniel did not name, but who he later idenƟfies in Daniel 9:21 as having
been Gabriel by the pointer word H8462.
Daniel 7:15-16 “I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions (H2376)
of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth
of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretaƟon of the things.” (No name was
given of the interpreter.)
Daniel 8:1 “In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision (H2377) appeared unto me,
even unto me Daniel, aŌer that which appeared unto me at the first (H8462). (i.e.: prior to 8:1,
which would refer to the first vision found in chapter 7).
Daniel 8:16 “And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said,
Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision (H4758)”.
Daniel 9:21 “Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the
vision (H2377) at the beginning (H8462), being caused to fly swiŌly, touched me about the Ɵme
of the evening oblaƟon.”
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NoƟce that the H4758 vision that Gabriel was interpreƟng in Daniel 8:16 was the vision of Daniel 8, yet
the H2377 vision of Daniel 9:21 is claimed to be Daniel 8 as well. This is evidence that the two words are
synonymous, a point that will be looked at in detail later in this arƟcle.
But back to the point of the beginning: Daniel 8:1 references an H8462 beginning vision. That leaves only
chapter 7 as the vision that was first/beginning. Therefore, the theory that in Daniel 9 Gabriel must be
interpreƟng Daniel 8 (a vision Gabriel had already interpreted five years prior) because Gabriel is
menƟoned by name only in those two chapters is faulty reasoning. On one hand, to make the 8 to 9
connecƟon, Daniel 7 must be excluded as “the beginning (H8462)” menƟoned in chapter 9. But on the
other hand, Daniel 8:1’s use of “the first (H8462)” vision can logically only refer to Daniel 7, as it would
not make sense that he is apply that term to the vision in this same chapter that he has not yet shared.
In other words, in light of Daniel 8:1, Daniel 7 has to be the H8462, but in the other instance (for Daniel 9
to point to Daniel 8) Daniel 7 cannot be the H8462. It is more reasonable to conclude that the being who
interpreted Daniel 7 was also Gabriel, although he is not named. Daniel says as much in 9:21 when he
states “the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning.”
The appearance of Gabriel is a red herring. In chapter 9, Gabriel is simply giving an interpretaƟon of
Daniel’s peƟƟon in chapter 9. The idea that Gabriel appearing in chapter 9 is to finish a five-year-old job
of interpreƟng chapter 8 overlooks the context of every Ɵme that Gabriel is menƟoned in Scripture: the
prophet of Messiah’s coming. Daniel 8:16, Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19 (regarding the pregnancy that would
birth John the BapƟst) and Luke 1:21 (regarding Mary’s pregnancy of Yeshua) all menƟon Gabriel. In
Daniel 8 Gabriel interprets a prophecy relaƟng to the end Ɵmes and the Second Coming of Yeshua, in the
other three Gabriel is prophesying events regarding the First Coming of Yeshua. Because Daniel 7 is also
foretelling end Ɵme events leading up to the Second Coming, it appears that Gabriel is the angel who
Yehovah uses to deliver messages related to both comings of the Messiah. Thus, it is logical to conclude
that it was Gabriel in Daniel 7 as well as in Daniel 8 and 9. Therefore, to make a conclusion linking
chapter 8 and 9 based on whether or not Gabriel was named needs to be reconsidered.
4. To which comings of the Messiah do Daniel chapters 7 – 12 belong
Daniel defines the vision in chapter 8 as being for the end of Ɵme in verses 17, 19, and 26. He idenƟfies
the related vision in chapters 10-12 as being for the end of Ɵme in Daniel 10:1, twice in verse 10:14, and
also in 12:4, 9, and 13. At least nine different Ɵmes these two visions are specified as being for the end
of Ɵme.
While Daniel 7 never specifies such end Ɵmes terms, the subject maƩer Ɵes into Daniel 8, as well as with
Yeshua being given eternal dominion over his everlasƟng kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14). As such, it is not
necessary to have been specified as end Ɵmes because the context makes that obvious. This means that
all three of the visions that Daniel personally had were end Ɵmes visions.
Similar to chapter 7, nowhere is Daniel 9 idenƟfied as for the end Ɵmes. Does that mean it is proper to
place it as the starƟng point of the Ɵme of the end? When you compare and contrast Daniel 9 with
Daniel’s three visions, bear in mind the following, which is a quote from the introducƟon to Daniel 9 in
our book The Wise Shall Understand, Daniel and RevelaƟon:
There are many features that differenƟate Daniel 9 from the rest of Daniel. The Ɵming of the
seventy-week prophecy related to events leading up to the first coming of the Messiah, while


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