And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Ver. 26. And after threescore and two weeks.] See on Daniel 9:25. Within these threescore and two weeks befell the Jews many memorable things, as may be seen in Dan 8:1-27 Daniel 11:1,45 .
Shall Messiah be cut off.] Excindetur, not abscindetur, cut off - that is, by wicked hands crucified and slain; Act 2:23 not only cast out of the synagogue, and excommunicated, as that malicious Rabbi read and sensed this text. Others of the Jewish doctors, by the evidence of these words, have been compelled to confess that Messiah is already come, and that he was that Jesus whom their forefathers crucified. See for this R. Samuel's Epistle to R. Isaak, set down at large by Dionys. Carthus. in his commentary on this text. See also R. Osea's lamentation for this inexpiable guilt of the Jewish nation, recorded by Galatinus, lib. iv. cap. 18. Polanus reporteth that he, living some time in Moravia, where he used the help of some Rabbis for the understanding of the Hebrew tongue, heard them say, that for this ninth chapter's sake, they acknowledged not Daniel to be authentic, and therefore read it not among the people, lest hereby they should be turned to Christ, finding out how they had been by them deceived.
But not for himself,] i.e., Not for any fault of his, nor yet for any good to himself, but to mankind; whence some render these words, Et non sibi vel nihil ei, There being nothing therein for him: others, When he shall have nothing, i.e., nothing more to do at Jerusalem, but shall utterly relinquish it, and call his people out of it to Pella, &c.
And the people of the prince that shall come,] i.e., Titus's soldiers, whose rage he himself could not repress, but they would needs burn down the temple, which he would fain have preserved, as one of the world's wonders. a Messiah the prince had a hand in it doubtless, whence also those Roman forces are called his armies. Mat 22:7
Shall destroy the city.] That slaughter house of the saints.
And the sanctuary.] That den of thieves.
And the end thereof shall be with a flood,] i.e., Their extirpation shall be sudden, universal, irresistible, as was Noah's flood. How this was fulfilled, see Josephus, Hegesippus, Eusebius, &c.
And unto the end of the war, &c.] The Romans shall have somewhat to do; but after tedious wars, they shall effect it.
a Joseph.