Why are the first 69 of Daniel’s 70 weeks split into two parts of 7 and 62, respectively? Is there any significance with regard to that split? In other words, why isn’t it just mentioned as 69 weeks? I can’t help thinking there may be some significance, particularly with the number 7.
There’s no specific reference I can give you on the reason for this division of time. But there seems to be a consensus among scholars that the first 7 “sevens” represent the 49 years it took Israel to rebuild Jerusalem under Nehemiah’s leadership. Since rebuilding the city was a key element of the prophecy, it makes sense to distinguish the time it required from the rest.
The remaining 62 sevens, or 434 years, cover the inter-testamentary period, from the end of Malachi to the beginning of Matthew, plus the life of Jesus. When combined, these periods of time total 483 years, the exact duration of time between the date when Persian King Artexerxes Longimonus granted Nehemiah permission to re-build Jerusalem and the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. Once again, historical events have confirmed Bible prophecy.