Daniel 9:27 describes a future ruler who makes a seven-year agreement with many people, then breaks it halfway through by stopping the sacrifices in the temple. The verse is part of a prophecy the angel Gabriel gave to Daniel, a Jewish exile in Babylon, about the future of Israel and Jerusalem. It was written for God’s people during a time of national grief, so it speaks first to their hope that God still holds history in his hands.
He will make a firm covenant with many for one week. In the middle of the week he will cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. On the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, wrath will be poured out on the desolate.”
Daniel 9:27 (WEB)
What Daniel 9:27 Means
The verse begins with “He will make a firm covenant with many for one week.” A “week” here is a unit of seven years, a reading that comes from the seventy weeks mentioned at the start of the passage. A powerful figure will enter an agreement that seems to bring peace and security to many people. The word “firm” signals that the deal looks solid and lasting when it is first made.
Then comes the turn: “In the middle of the week he will cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease.” After three and a half years, the same figure stops the worship practices at the temple. The verse then describes a final judgment on the desolate, which the text presents as determined and certain. What the verse does not do is give a date, a name, or a list of modern events, so it should be read with humility about how much detail the text itself provides.
The Context of Daniel 9:27
The book of Daniel is traditionally attributed to Daniel himself, who lived during the Babylonian exile in the sixth century before Christ. Chapter 9 records his prayer of confession for Israel’s sins, and the angel’s reply comes as a direct answer to that prayer. The original audience was the Jewish community that had lost Jerusalem and its temple, so the promise of restoration mattered deeply to them.
The verses just before Daniel 9:27 speak of Jerusalem being rebuilt in troubled times, and the verses that follow describe the destruction of the city and the sanctuary. Because verse 27 sits in the middle of this sequence, readers should see it as one part of a longer story about God’s purposes for his people. That wider setting keeps the verse from being pulled out as a standalone chart of coming events.
Key Phrases in Daniel 9:27
Daniel 7:25
He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
(WEB)
This verse also speaks of a powerful figure who opposes God’s people and seeks to change times and laws for a set period. Reading it alongside Daniel 9:27 shows the consistent pattern of persecution and divine timing found throughout the book.
Matthew 24:15
“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)…
(WEB)
Jesus refers back to the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, linking the prophecy to his own teaching about the future. This connection helps readers see how the New Testament builds upon the Old Testament hope.
A Short Prayer From Daniel 9:27
Lord, you know the future and you hold every season of history in your hands. When I read words about covenants and desolation, help me remember that your purposes stand firm even when human agreements fail. Give me wisdom to recognize deception, courage to stay faithful, and peace that rests in your righteous rule. Keep my heart anchored in you each day. Amen.
