Daniel11
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
2And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and when he is waxed strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.
3And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
4And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion wherewith he ruled; for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides these.
5And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.
6And at the end of years they shall join themselves together; and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the strength of her arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm; but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in those times.
7But out of a shoot from her roots shall one stand up in his place, who shall come unto the army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.
8And also their gods, with their molten images, and with their goodly vessels of silver and of gold, shall he carry captive into Egypt; and he shall refrain some years from the king of the north.
9And he shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but he shall return into his own land.
10And his sons shall war, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall come on, and overflow, and pass through; and they shall return and war, even to his fortress.
11And the king of the south shall be moved with anger, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north; and he shall set forth a great multitude, and the multitude shall be given into his hand.
12And the multitude shall be lifted up, and his heart shall be exalted; and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail.
13And the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; and he shall come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with much substance.
14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the children of the violent among thy people shall lift themselves up to establish the vision; but they shall fall.
15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mound, and take a well-fortified city: and the forces of the south shall not stand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to stand.
16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him; and he shall stand in the glorious land, and in his hand shall be destruction.
17And he shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and with him equitable conditions; and he shall perform them: and he shall give him the daughter of women, to corrupt her; but she shall not stand, neither be for him.
18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; yea, moreover, he shall cause his reproach to turn upon him.
19Then he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
20Then shall stand up in his place one that shall cause an exactor to pass through the glory of the kingdom; but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
21And in his place shall stand up a contemptible person, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in time of security, and shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
22And the overwhelming forces shall be overwhelmed from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong, with a small people.
24In time of security shall he come even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them prey, and spoil, and substance: yea, he shall devise his devices against the strongholds, even for a time.
25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall war in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army; but he shall not stand; for they shall devise devices against him.
26Yea, they that eat of his dainties shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain.
27And as for both these kings, their hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table: but it shall not prosper; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
28Then shall he return into his land with great substance; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do his pleasure, and return to his own land.
29At the time appointed he shall return, and come into the south; but it shall not be in the latter time as it was in the former.
30For ships of Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and shall do his pleasure: he shall even return, and have regard unto them that forsake the holy covenant.
31And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate.
32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
33And they that are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days.
34Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves unto them with flatteries.
35And some of them that are wise shall fall, to refine them, and to purify, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.
36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.
37Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.
38But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things.
39And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whosoever acknowledgeth him he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price.
40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south contend with him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass through.
41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
44But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many.
45And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Daniel 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The vision of the Scriptures of truth. (1-45).
vv1-30
The angel shows Daniel the succession of the Persian and Grecian empires. The kings of Egypt and Syria are noticed: Judea was between their dominions, and affected by their contests. From 5-30, is generally considered to relate to the events which came to pass during the continuance of these governments; and from 21, to relate to Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a cruel and violent persecutor of the Jews. See what decaying, perishing things worldly pomp and possessions are, and the power by which they are gotten. God, in his providence, sets up one, and pulls down another, as he pleases. This world is full of wars and fightings, which come from men's lusts. All changes and revolutions of states and kingdoms, and every event, are plainly and perfectly foreseen by God. No word of God shall fall to the ground; but what he has designed, what he has declared, shall infallibly come to pass. While the potsherds of the earth strive with each other, they prevail and are prevailed against, deceive and are deceived; but those who know God will trust in him, and he will enable them to stand their ground, bear their cross, and maintain their conflict.
vv31-45
The remainder of this prophecy is very difficult, and commentators differ much respecting it. From Antiochus the account seems to pass to antichrist. Reference seems to be made to the Roman empire, the fourth monarchy, in its pagan, early Christian, and papal states. The end of the Lord's anger against his people approaches, as well as the end of his patience towards his enemies. If we would escape the ruin of the infidel, the idolater, the superstitious and cruel persecutor, as well as that of the profane, let us make the oracles of God our standard of truth and of duty, the foundation of our hope, and the light of our paths through this dark world, to the glorious inheritance above.
Key Words
אֲנִי: I
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ: Darejavesh, a title (rather than name) of several Persian kings
מָדַי: a Madian or native of Madai
עֹמֶד: a spot (as being fixed)
חָזַק: to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer
מָעוֹז: a fortified place; figuratively, a defence
עַתָּה: at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive
נָגַד: properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise
Cross References
Daniel 11Directly identifies the 'mighty king' as the king of Grecia (Alexander the Great).
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels the division of Alexander's great horn into the four winds of heaven.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul's description of the Lawless One echoic of the king exalting himself above every god.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Verbal link concerning the 'time appointed' for the end of the indignation.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Predicts the cessation of daily sacrifices and the setting up of the desolating abomination.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The angel references the continuous spiritual battle and his alliance with Michael.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Alexander's choler against the ram parallel to the King of the South's choler.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The little horn waxing great toward the 'pleasant' or 'glorious land' of Judea.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Antiochus destroying many peaceably by flatteries and craft, parallel to the vile person.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Links the 'prince of the host' or 'prince of the covenant' with Antiochus's desecrations.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophesies that ships of Chittim (Rome/Greece) would afflict Asser and Eber.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reinforces the taking away of the daily sacrifice and the desolating abomination.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Uses the identical metaphor of an invading army overflowing and passing through the land.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the vile king's destructive actions against the holy covenant and holy people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels 'they that understand' with 'they that be wise' who shine.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The eschatological parallel of many being purified, made white, and tried.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Ezekiel's designation of Israel as the glory of all lands, here the 'glorious land.'
Supported by JFB
Betrayal by those who feed on his meat, sharing Psalm 41's motif.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Thematic link regarding 'forbidding to marry,' compared with 'nor the desire of women.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Demonstrates absolute sovereign autocracy, doing 'according to his will.'
Supported by Matthew Poole