Daniel 11

1. In the first year of Darius the Mede. (See note on Ezra i. 1.) This verse really belongs to chap. x.

2 three kings in Persia, and the fourth. The three being Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius Hystaspis; and the fourth Xerxes, who invaded Greece with a vast army (Herodotus, vii., viii., ix.), and thus led to the overthrow of the Persian empire by the “mighty king,” Alexander (3).

4 his kingdom shall be broken. See viii. 8, and note nor according to his dominion. None of Alexander’s successors obtained an empire so extensive as his.

his kingdom shall be plucked up. By his death, which brought to an end the kingdom which he founded and sustained.

even for others beside those. i.e., given to others than his posterity.

5 the king of the south. The kingdom of Egypt under Ptolemy Soter, which was one of the most powerful of the monarchies arising out of the division of Alexander’s empire. The Jewish people, lying between this kingdom and that of the Seleucids in Syria on the north, were subject for a long period to one or the other, and suffered alternately from each.

[one] of his princes. Seleucus Nicator, who founded the mighty kingdom of Syria, had been a governor under Ptolemy.

6 in the end of years. That is, after some time. The prophecy passes on to the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus and Antiochus Theos. In order to end the wars between these kingdoms, Ptolemy gave his daughter Berenice in marriage to Antiochus; who for this purpose divorced his wife Laodice, and excluded her children from the succession. But Antiochus soon afterwards restored Laodice; who then poisoned him, that her son Seleucus Callinicus might reign. By the order of Seleucus, Berenice was put to death.

the power of the arm. That is, her strength, or influence.

neither shall he stand. That is, the king of the south and his power.

he that begat her. Some, by a slight change, render it, “her son,” who in fact was put to death with her. (So Luther, followed by Charles and Moffatt.)

7 out of a branch of her roots. One who sprang from the same root as Berenice. Her brother Ptolemy Euergetes avenged her death, by slaying Laodice, and overrunning Syria and Cilicia with an army, taking the “fortresses,” and carrying off an enormous booty: see Polybius, i. 5.

10 his sons. The sons of the king of Syria were Seleucus Ceraunus (who soon died), and Antiochus the Great, who then carried on the war alone.

his fortress. Perhaps Gaza.

12. And when he hath taken away the multitude. Or, “And the multitude (i.e., of the Egyptian army) shall be elated”: see R.V.

14 the robbers of thy people. Or, “the violent among thy people.”

16 which by his hand shall be consumed. Rather, “and in his hand shall be destruction” (R.V.).

17 and upright ones with him. A better rendering is, “and he shall make treaties with him.”

the daughter of women, corrupting her. This perhaps means Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus, whom her father instructed to betray the interests of her husband, Ptolemy Epiphanes.

18 without his own reproach he shall cause [it] to turn upon him. Rather, “and a general shall cause his reproach against him to cease, beside that he shall turn his reproach upon himself.” Antiochus dishonoured the Roman arms by invading their allies; Scipio not only wiped off that disgrace, but inflicted upon Antiochus one more severe.

19 fort. Rather, “fortresses.”

20 in his estate, etc. i.e., as his successor. A brief reference is made to Seleucus Philopator, who was poisoned after a short reign, chiefly distinguished by the taxes which he imposed for the purposes of paying tribute to the Romans (20); and then the prophecy appears to describe at length the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. Some expositors, however, do not agree in applying vers. 31-45 to Antiochus; but consider that there is here a transition to other subjects: see note on ver. 31.

22 with the arms of a flood. “The overflowing wings of Egypt were swept away before him” (Farrar).

the prince of the covenant. i.e., bound to him by treaty.

27 they shall speak lies at one table. Each party aiming to deceive the other by an appearance of friendship.

but it shall not prosper. This perhaps refers to the scheme of Antiochus to obtain possession of the whole of Egypt; in which Ptolemy concurred. But this was not accomplished. Antiochus left Egypt, and attacked Jerusalem.

the end shall be at the time appointed. All these intrigues shall not accomplish the objects of the kings, but in God’s time they shall subserve His purposes.

28 he shall do [exploits]. Rather, “he shall accomplish his purpose.” Antiochus took Jerusalem, and ravaged it, and entered and polluted the Temple (2 Macc. v. 15-21; 1 Macc. i. 21-28).

29 but it shall not be as the former, etc. The latter invasion shall not be successful like the former.

30 the ships of Chittim. See note on Numb. xxiv. 24. Ptolemy obtained the aid of the Romans, who imperiously required Antiochus to retire from Egypt.

31. And arms shall stand on his part. “And arms (i.e., forces, 6, 11) from him shall stand up, and shall profane the sanctuary, the fortress,” etc. The Temple itself was fortified, as well as the city.

they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. Cp. 1 Macc. i. 57.

32 the people that do know their God, etc. This probably refers to Mattathias and his sons and followers, the history of whose labours and sufferings is found in 1 Maccabees: see also sketch of the history of the Jews between the Old and New Testaments, at the end of the Old Testament.

35 to try them, and to purge, and to make them white. “To make trial among them, and to purify and to make white” (or clean). Suffering tends both to test and to purify.

36. And the king shall do according to his will. The Romans checked the ambitious projects of Antiochus, but not his arbitrary despotism; so that he interfered with the religion as well as the civil rights of his subjects.

37. Neither shall he regard the god (gods) of his fathers. Antiochus was under none of the restraints by which men are usually influenced: see note on ver. 36; Jer. ii. 10, 11; Mic. iv. 5.

nor the desire of women. That is, the object of their desire. Probably referring to Tammuz-

Adonis, to whose worship the Syrian women were devoted. (See Milton, Paradise Lost, i. 446-452.) The Graeco-Syrian monarchs had adopted the Eastern deities, Baal and Ashtoreth; but Antiochus regarded not “the gods of his fathers,” nor “any god,” even “the God of gods”; but aimed to establish the worship of the Roman Jupiter. It was after a baffled attempt by Antiochus to plunder the temple of Astarte (under the name of Anaitis) at Elymais, that he was attacked by his fatal illness.

38 in his estate. Or, “in his stead”; i.e., instead of another god.

the god of forces. Or, “the god of fortresses.” i.e., Jupiter Capitolinus, whose worship Antiochus introduced from Rome and enforced in Syria, and even in Judæa, where he placed his statute and altar in the Temple: see Livy, lxii. 6; xli. 20; 1 Macc. i. 39, 62.

39. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds, etc. Or, “And he does [his will] to fenced fortresses with a strange god; whoever acknowledges him he will greatly honour, and cause them to rule over many, and will divide the land for a reward.”

40 at the time of the end. This is apparently the end either of this tyrant’s reign, or of these appointed trials; and these nearly coincide. In the imperfect histories that we have of Antiochus there is no account of another war with Egypt; but Porphyry asserts the circumstantial agreement of all this description with the facts of the history, and Jerome quotes his assertion without questioning it. Some regard vers. 40-45 as a summary of the events of his reign, viewed in relation to its close.

43 the Libyans. The Libyans were almost always connected with Egypt by subjection or alliance: see 2 Chron. xii. 3.

shall be at his steps. That is, they shall follow him as his subjects.

44 tidings out of the east and out of the north. The Parthians on the east (Tacit. Hist. v. 8) and the Armenians on the north (Appian, 45) assailed the dominions of Antiochus, and compelled him to return (1 Macc. iii. 27-37).

45 the tabernacles of his palace. The royal tents. between the seas. The clause may be better rendered, “between the seas and the beautiful holy mountain” (i.e., between the Mediterranean and Jerusalem). Antiochus Epiphanes died in 164 or 163 B.C. (see 1 Macc. vi. 1-16).