To understand the prophecy in Daniel 9:25, we must first clarify what is meant by "the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem."

• Word (דָּבָר, dabar): This term, translated as “word” or “decree,” generally refers to a statement or proclamation. Brown-Driver-Briggs defines the use in this passage as a "royal edict" similar to the "word of command" in Esther 1:12, Ecclesiastes 8:4, and 2 Chronicles 30:5. The decree must be publicly known and enforceable.

  • In light of the driving focus each literary unit of Daniel 9 places on the dabar (word) of Yahweh, it would be well within the realm of reasonable Biblical scholarship to first consider a dabar (word) to return and build Jerusalem described in Daniel 9:25 as a dabar of Yahweh.
    • The dabar (word) of Yahweh is the unifying theme of Daniel 9: Israel’s 70-year desolation came because they did not heed the dabar (Daniel 9:2; 2 Chronicles 36:17-23), and in his prayer Daniel confesses this disobedience, recognizing the covenantal curses Moses warned of (Deuteronomy 7:6-9), while connecting the Babylonian exile to the dabar given through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:8-13). In response, Gabriel brings another dabar (Daniel 9:23-27)—the prophecy of the seventy weeks—revealing when Yahweh’s covenant mercy, which Daniel pleaded for (Daniel 9:4-19), would be fulfilled. This mercy reflects the covenant love of Deuteronomy 7 and is rooted in Yahweh’s unilateral oath to Abraham (Genesis 22), sworn because Abraham obeyed the dabar of Yahweh, expressed as a divine “oath of sevens,” forming a theological and numerical foundation for the seventy sevens prophecy.

• Restore (שׁוּב, shub): Brown-Driver-Briggs defines the verb here as “give back, restore” a ruined city, implying a return to its former state or condition. In biblical usage, this can involve returning ownership to its rightful ruler, restoring self-governance under proper laws, and even spiritual renewal. For example, the Aramean king “restored” cities to Ahab (1 Kings 20:34), and Azariah “rebuilt and restored” Elath to Judah (2 Kings 14:22). In the context of Daniel 9:25, shub emphasizes a return to ongoing efforts rather than initiating them.

  • A possible fulfillment of this restoration is seen in the reforms enacted by Ezra, who appointed magistrates and judges to ensure that Jerusalem returned to righteousness under God’s law (Ezra 7:25-26), as foretold in Isaiah 1:26 beginning around 457–458 BC.

• Build (בָּנָה, banah): Refers to the physical reconstruction of all of the city, specifically infrastructure such as walls, plazas, and defensive systems.

  • “Plaza and Moat” (רחוב וחרוץ): Describe aspects of the rebuilding process during the 49 years (7 “weeks”) following the decree.
    • Rechov (“plaza” or “broad place”): refers to open areas or streets within the city, such as town squares (Ezra 10:9; Nehemiah 8:1, 8:3, 8:16).
    • Charuts (“moat” or “ditch”): likely refers to defensive fortifications around the city, including walls.
  • “Troubled Time” (בְּצוּק הָעִתִּים): The prophecy predicts that the rebuilding would occur during a time of opposition and difficulty.
  • Possible historical fulfillment: Many see this fulfilled as Nehemiah recorded resistance from the Samaritans on making Jerusalem making a defensible city again in 444 BC. (Nehemiah 4:1-23). These terms and descriptions align with the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, plazas, and fortifications (Nehemiah 2:17; Nehemiah 6:15).

Criteria for Identifying the Word to Restore and Rebuild Jerusalem

1. Nature of the Word (dabar)
   • Must be a public, authoritative proclamation (royal edict or divine word).
   • Should carry covenant significance, consistent with the thematic use of dabar in Daniel 9.
   • Must initiate the restoration process.
2. Scope of Restoration (shub)
   • Must allow Jerusalem to be returned to its rightful people and function.
   • Should involve self-governance under Jewish law and the reestablishment of religious/covenant identity,.
3. Scope of Building (banah)
   • Must include physical rebuilding of the city itself (walls, plazas, defenses), not just the temple.
   • Should involve comprehensive civic restoration—streets, squares, and fortifications.
4. Context of Adversity (“in troubled times”)
   • The decree’s fulfillment must occur amid opposition and resistance. Such as political opposition or social and economic hardship
   • If a decree leads to a peaceful rebuilding, it does not match Daniel 9:25.

Using Royal Decrees

Since multiple decrees were issued regarding Jerusalem’s restoration, identifying the correct one is crucial for accurately interpreting the countdown of the 70 weeks prophecy. If you use a Royal “decree” to be the one of Daniel 9:25 it is important to have it anchored to a real moment in history The narrative of Ezra and Nehemiah records a series of decrees issued by Persian monarchs over 93 years, allowing the Jews to return, rebuild the temple, and restore Jerusalem. These decrees could align with the prophecy of Daniel 9:25, which foretold the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

1. Cyrus' Decree (536/538 BC) – Cyrus granted the Jews permission to return to Jerusalem, rebuild the temple, and collect financial support for the project (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4).

   • This decree did not “restore” Jerusalem as required by Daniel 9:25,
   • Isaiah 44:28 and 45:13 state that Cyrus would set the exiles free to rebuild both Jerusalem and the temple. However, Ezra 1:1-4 records that Cyrus authorized the rebuilding of only the temple, it did not specify the restoration of the city itself, though it may be implied. Cyrus is prophetically associated with rebuilding, but Persian kings carried out the full restoration, with one ultimately issuing the decree fulfilling Daniel 9:25. Just as Nebuchadnezzar represented the Babylonian dynasty (Daniel 2:37-38), Cyrus represents the Persian rulers who followed him (@Rodriguez1994-mf). Ezra 6:14 even gives all three Persian kings credit for the restoration of the Temple.

2. Darius I’s Confirmation (521 BC) – In response to opposition from the Samaritans, Darius reaffirmed Cyrus’ decree, ensuring that the temple project resumed. Encouraged by Haggai and Zechariah, Zerubbabel and Joshua led the renewed effort in 520 B.C (Ezra 6:6-12). The temple was completed and dedicated in 515 BC (Ezra 6:15-16).

   • The decree of Darius is not significantly different from Cyrus’ edict. The only important difference is that the king ordered the Samaritans not to interfere with the project of rebuilding the temple and to impale anyone who would oppose it. If the Samaritans had to appeal to Persian authorities, Jerusalem has not yet been “restored,” as defined above.

3. Artaxerxes I’s First Decree to Ezra (457 BC) – About 58 years after the temple was completed, Artaxerxes I Longimanus issued a decree allowing Ezra to return to Jerusalem with another group of exiles to restore and rebuild the city (Ezra 7:11-26). However, Persian officials later obstructed the rebuilding efforts.

   • Of particular importance is vs. 26: “Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.” The Persian king granting imperial authority to the Torah. The Jews could now use it freely to regulate their lives and appoint magistrates and judges to enforce the law. The king restored the authority of the Jews to govern themselves on the basis of the law of God.
   • Nehemiah 1:1, 2:1 makes it clear that in computing the years of the reign of Artaxerxes he was using a fall-to fall calendar making it possible for us to identify the seventh year of the king as 457 B.C. and not 458 B.C as some date it.

4. Artaxerxes I’s Second Decree to Nehemiah (444 BC) – 13 years later, Artaxerxes renewed the decree, granting Nehemiah authority to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 2:1-8). Under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, the walls were soon completed, securing the city.

   • This did not “restore” Jerusalem to Israel as it was already restored in the last decree. Nehemiah only asked for permission to go to Jerusalem (Neh 2:5) and for wood for the walls (Neh 2:8). The permission given to him to rebuild the city was supplementary to the decree given to Ezra, an extension of that one and no where is called a "Decree" (@Rodriguez1994-mf).

Interpretation

The decree that best fits the prophecy in Daniel 9:25 is Artaxerxes I’s first decree to Ezra in 457 BC, as it authorized both the restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem. While the decree was issued in the spring (March/April), the agricultural year in Israel began in the fall, meaning the “count” would begin on Tishri 1 of 457 B.C. Adding 483 solar years arrives at Tishri 1, 27 AD This matches Jesus’ baptism and start of His ministry (Luke 3:1-3).

Using God's Decree

A compelling case can be made that the “commandment” or “decree” in Daniel 9:25 is not a secular Persian edict but rather a divine word from YHWH Himself, delivered through His prophets. Modern scholarship often defaults to the Persian decrees of Cyrus, Darius, or Artaxerxes as the starting point of the seventy weeks, but this overlooks the internal usage of dabar in Daniel 9, which strongly favors a divine—not royal—utterance.

While often translated as "commandment," the Hebrew word "dabar" (דָּבָר) primarily means "speech, word, speaking, utterance". Significantly, the vast majority of its uses in Scripture refer to YHWH's own word, speech, or utterance. In Jeremiah 29:10, the prophet tells the exiles in Babylon that their captivity will last seventy years, after which Yahweh will “visit” them and “perform His good word” (dabar) by causing them to “return” (shuwb) to Jerusalem.

Importantly, the language of dabar and shuwb in Jeremiah 29:10 mirrors the wording in Daniel 9:25, where the prophecy begins “from the going forth of the dabar to shuwb and build Jerusalem.” The Chronicler later confirms this connection in 2 Chronicles 36:22–23, explaining that Cyrus’ decree came about because Yahweh “stirred up the spirit” of the Persian king to fulfill the dabar He had spoken through Jeremiah.

• Daniel understood from Jeremiah's prophecy that the 70 years of Jerusalem's desolation were nearing an end. His prayer acknowledges Israel's sins and YHWH's righteous anger, but also pleads for YHWH's mercy upon Jerusalem, His holy mountain, and especially His desolate sanctuary. Daniel 9 itself uses "dabar" four times, three of which clearly refer to Yahweh's word.
  • The word of Yahweh through Jeremiah (9:2)
  • His words confirmed in judgment (9:12)
  • The word sent forth to Daniel via Gabriel (9:23)
  • By the time the reader reaches 9:25, the natural expectation is that dabar refers to Yahweh’s dabar, not a secular king’s.

So what was the Word from Yahweh?

In 520 BC, during Darius I’s second year, the Jewish returnees had stalled rebuilding the temple due to opposition, discouragement, and poverty (Ezra 4:4–5, 24). In response, Yahweh sent His word (dabar) through Haggai and Zechariah, commanding the people to “return and build” His house (Haggai 1:7–8; Zechariah 1:16). The Hebrew perfect tense of shuwb in Zechariah 1:16 indicates a completed action with ongoing effect, linking city restoration to temple rebuilding. This has because the temple construction was stopped after the long pause (Ezra 4:24 → 5–6) Ezra later confirms this “word” as a command or decree (Ezra 6:14–15).

In this argument, building the Temple is understood as rebuilding Jerusalem. The city was chosen as God’s dwelling (2 Chron 3:1; 1 Kings 8:15–17), Solomon's temple was the city’s heart and central to its identity (2 Kings 23:27; 25:8-9; 2 Chron 36:19). Cyrus permitted the captives to rebuild temple and city, fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy (Isa 44:26–28; 2 Chron 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4; Jer 29:1–14). From the return under Zerubbabel and Jeshua onward, enemies of Judah harassed the reconstruction (Ezra 4:1-5, 6-24).
At later times, Persian authorities issued decrees halting work, and construction stopped on both.

Daniel, in his prayer, emphasizes the desolation of Jerusalem of 70 years (Dan 9:2, 7, 12, 16-19). This is the same 70-year period Jeremiah had prophesied (Jer 25:11–12; 29:10) as God’s period of judgment on Judah, starting with the Babylonian exile. The second year of King Darius is significant because it marked the end of Yahweh's 70 years of divine indignation that began in 589 BC when His presence departed Solomon's Temple, it mentioned multiple times in Haggai and Zechariah.

Similar to the other decrees, a 520 BC start date still presents a challenge in making the 70 weeks align precisely with the traditional dates for the birth or ministry of Jesus Christ if a standard 365.24-day solar year is assumed. William Struse has argued that this 520 BC decree provides a fitting starting point for the seventy weeks. He uses symbolic calendrical cycles (e.g., a “13-lunar-cycle year”) to reach 5 BC, While his subsequent numerical system will not be adopted here, his emphasis on God’s word as a valid “decree” is worth considering as one possible interpretation of Daniel 9:25.