Verses 24–27 are written in a kind of rhythmic prose and are set off as poetry by NJB and NAB. But this is not recommended to translators unless poetry is the normal form for this kind of discourse. Seventy weeks of years: literally “seventy sevens” or “seventy weeks.” Verse 2, quoting Jeremiah, speaks of “seventy years.” When Gabriel speaks of seventy weeks, he is clearly not suggesting periods of seven days, but seven years per week, or 490 years. This must somehow be expressed in the translation,