In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:2)
Although busy amid the affairs of state, the prophet did not cease to study the Word of God. Daniel was obviously perplexed as to how to relate what had been revealed to him in the vision of ch. 8 to the events of the immediate future—the return of the Jews at the end of the 70 years (Jer. 29:10). See on Dan. 9:21.
Seventy years.
On the dating of these years see Vol. III, pp. 96, 97. This period had now almost expired. Little wonder that Daniel’s attention was focused upon the time prophecy. He was anxious lest the Lord should delay the liberation of His captive people.