Daniel 11:34

Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help,.... When the Jews shall be thus harassed and distressed by Antiochus and his armies, to the ruin of many, by the several sorts of

Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help.

i.e. God in their affliction, when it is great, wherein he never leaves himself without witness, shall raise up some succour, to be witnesses to this truth, to vindicate his honour and save his people from utter destruction, viz. by the Maccabees. Read what Mattathias and his sons did at Modin, /APC 1Mac 2, read the chapter, who would not be flattered out of their religion.

Daniel 11:34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.Ver. 34. They shall be holpen with a little help.] With the valiant Asmonians or Maccabees, who were but a handful, and yet did great exploits against the Antiochians; so did the Hussites in Bohemia against the Pontificians. But why were they helped with a little help? That, through weaker means, they might see God’ s greater strength. But many shall cleave to them with flatteries.] So did the false Samaritans. See on Daniel 11:21. And so the Donatists went to the Goths, when the Arians prevailed. Hypocrites will not sail in a storm; something they will do for God, but little or nothing it is they will suffer.

(34) Now when they shall fall.—Referring to those who suffer during this persecution, to whichever class they belong. (See last Note). These will not be entirely without help, but there will be some small assistance given them. It will be small, either compared with their present needs, or contrasted with the great help which will be given them when the tribulation attains its greatest severity. In the Maccabee persecutions help was given to the sufferers by Judas and his brethren (1Ma 3:11, &c., 1Ma 4:14, &c.). This prevented the faithful from disappearing entirely. Many shall cleave. . . .—Dissimulation will cause some to declare themselves upon the side of “those that understand.” This is a feature which will be noticed in religious persecutions; according as one party or the other gains in power, as its prospects brighten, it gains fresh adherents. This held true in the days of Antiochus. (See 1Ma 6:21, &c., 9:23.)

Verse 34. Now when they shall fall] When the storm of the tenth persecution under Diocletian, which lasted ten years, fell upon them, they were sorely oppressed. They shall be holpen with a little help] By Constantine; who, while he removed all persecution, and promoted the temporal prosperity of the Christian Church, yet added little to its spiritual perfection and strength. For many, now seeing the Christians in prosperity,- Cleave to them with flatteries.] Became Christians BECAUSE the EMPEROR was such.

34. In the midst of their trials a ‘little help’ will arise, to assist them. The allusion is to the rising of the Maccabees. First of all, Mattathias, either alone or assisted only by his sons, resisted openly Antiochus’ demands, and slew one of the officers sent to enforce them (1Ma 2:15-28): then others gradually joined themselves to him, and carried the resistance further (ib. 1Ma 2:39-48): finally, after Mattathias’ death, his son Judas Maccabaeus carried on the struggle. His first victory was gained over Apollonius, who invaded Judah with a considerable army; and shortly afterwards, Seron, commander of the host of Syria, coming to avenge Apollonius’ defeat, was routed with the loss of 800 men, by Judas at the head of a ‘small company’ (Ἰούδας … ὀλιγοστός), 1Ma 3:10-24. After this, further successes were gained by Judas over Antiochus’ generals Lysias and Gorgias (ib. 1Ma 3:38 to 1Ma 4:35), the result of which was that, by the end of b.c. 165, the Jews recovered possession of Mount Zion, and the Temple was re-dedicated (ib. 1Ma 4:36-37). The occasion was celebrated by a festival, lasting eight days (1Ma 4:59), which was observed annually afterwards, and is referred to in John 10:22 (τὰἐγκαίνια). but many shall join themselves (Isaiah 14:1; Isaiah 56:3) unto them with flatteries] or smooth sayings, i.e. plausible, but insincere, protestations of loyalty. In consequence of the severity shewn by Judas, and the leaders of the patriotic party, many joined them from mere terror, and were ready, if a favourable opportunity offered itself, to turn traitors. On the severity of Judas and the patriots towards the Hellenizing Jews, comp. allusions in 1Ma 2:44; 1Ma 3:5 a, 8, Daniel 6:21-27, Daniel 7:5-7; Daniel 7:24 (where Judas, it is said, ‘took vengeance on the men that had deserted from him’), Daniel 9:23.

Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help - By small accessions to their forces.

34. With a little help — At the beginning of the Maccabean uprising there were some surprising successes, but when the later defeats and severe sufferings came it was found that numbers who in the