9:26 Now after the sixty-two weeks,
an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. 1
As for the city and the sanctuary,
the people of the coming prince will destroy 2 them.
But his end will come speedily 3 like a flood. 4
Until the end of the war that has been decreed
there will be destruction.
1 sn The expression have nothing is difficult. Presumably it refers to an absence of support or assistance for the anointed one at the time of his “cutting off.” The KJV rendering “but not for himself,” apparently suggesting a vicarious death, cannot be defended.
2 tc Some witnesses (e.g., the Syriac) understand a passive verb and the preposition עִם (’im, “with) rather than the noun עַם (’am, “people”), thus reading “the city and the sanctuary will be destroyed with the coming prince.”
3 tn The words “will come speedily” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
4 sn Flood here is a metaphor for sudden destruction.
5 tn Heb “heart.”
6 sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145