1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
2 And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.
3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.
5 And 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.
6 And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the 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 these times.
7 But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:
8 And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.
9 So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.
10 But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.
11 And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.
12 And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.
13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.
15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.
16 But 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, which by his hand shall be consumed.
17 He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.
18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.
19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
20 Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
22 And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 He shall enter peaceably 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 the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
25 And 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 be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.
27 And both of these kings' 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.
28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.
29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
36 And 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 shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at 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 over.
41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But 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.
44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
1 Also I in the first H259 year H8141 of Darius H1867 the Mede, H4075 even I, stood H5977 to confirm H2388 and to strengthen H4581 him.
2 And now will I shew H5046 thee the truth. H571 Behold, there shall stand up H5975 yet three H7969 kings H4428 in Persia; H6539 and the fourth H7243 shall be far H6239 richer H6238 than they all: H1419 and by his strength H2393 through his riches H6239 he shall stir up H5782 all against the realm H4438 of Grecia. H3120
3 And a mighty H1368 king H4428 shall stand up, H5975 that shall rule H4910 with great H7227 dominion, H4474 and do H6213 according to his will. H7522
4 And when he shall stand up, H5975 his kingdom H4438 shall be broken, H7665 and shall be divided H2673 toward the four H702 winds H7307 of heaven; H8064 and not to his posterity, H319 nor according to his dominion H4915 which he ruled: H4910 for his kingdom H4438 shall be plucked up, H5428 even for others H312 beside those.
5 And the king H4428 of the south H5045 shall be strong, H2388 and one of his princes; H8269 and he shall be strong H2388 above him, and have dominion; H4910 his dominion H4475 shall be a great H7227 dominion. H4474
6 And in the end H7093 of years H8141 they shall join themselves together; H2266 for the king's H4428 daughter H1323 of the south H5045 shall come H935 to the king H4428 of the north H6828 to make H6213 an agreement: H4339 but she shall not retain H6113 the power H3581 of the arm; H2220 neither shall he stand, H5975 nor his arm: H2220 but she shall be given up, H5414 and they that brought H935 her, and he that begat H3205 her, and he that strengthened H2388 her in these times. H6256
7 But out of a branch H5342 of her roots H8328 shall one stand up H5975 in his estate, H3653 which shall come H935 with an army, H2428 and shall enter H935 into the fortress H4581 of the king H4428 of the north, H6828 and shall deal H6213 against them, and shall prevail: H2388
8 And shall also carry H935 captives H7628 into Egypt H4714 their gods, H430 with their princes, H5257 and with their precious H2532 vessels H3627 of silver H3701 and of gold; H2091 and he shall continue H5975 more years H8141 than the king H4428 of the north. H6828
9 So the king H4428 of the south H5045 shall come H935 into his kingdom, H4438 and shall return H7725 into his own land. H127
10 But his sons H1121 shall be stirred up, H1624 and shall assemble H622 a multitude H1995 of great H7227 forces: H2428 and one shall certainly H935 come, H935 and overflow, H7857 and pass through: H5674 then shall he return, H7725 and be stirred up, H1624 even to his fortress. H4581
11 And the king H4428 of the south H5045 shall be moved with choler, H4843 and shall come forth H3318 and fight H3898 with him, even with the king H4428 of the north: H6828 and he shall set forth H5975 a great H7227 multitude; H1995 but the multitude H1995 shall be given H5414 into his hand. H3027
12 And when he hath taken away H5375 the multitude, H1995 his heart H3824 shall be lifted up; H7311 H7311 and he shall cast down H5307 many ten thousands: H7239 but he shall not be strengthened H5810 by it.
13 For the king H4428 of the north H6828 shall return, H7725 and shall set forth H5975 a multitude H1995 greater H7227 than the former, H7223 and shall certainly H935 come H935 after H7093 certain H6256 years H8141 with a great H1419 army H2428 and with much H7227 riches. H7399
14 And in those times H6256 there shall many H7227 stand up H5975 against the king H4428 of the south: H5045 also the robbers H1121 H6530 of thy people H5971 shall exalt H5375 themselves to establish H5975 the vision; H2377 but they shall fall. H3782
15 So the king H4428 of the north H6828 shall come, H935 and cast up H8210 a mount, H5550 and take H3920 the most fenced H4013 cities: H5892 and the arms H2220 of the south H5045 shall not withstand, H5975 neither his chosen H4005 people, H5971 neither shall there be any strength H3581 to withstand. H5975
16 But he that cometh H935 against him shall do H6213 according to his own will, H7522 and none shall stand H5975 before H6440 him: and he shall stand H5975 in the glorious H6643 land, H776 which by his hand H3027 shall be consumed. H3617
17 He shall also set H7760 his face H6440 to enter H935 with the strength H8633 of his whole kingdom, H4438 and upright ones H3477 with him; thus shall he do: H6213 and he shall give H5414 him the daughter H1323 of women, H802 corrupting H7843 her: but she shall not stand H5975 on his side, neither be for him.
18 After this shall he turn H7760 H7725 his face H6440 unto the isles, H339 and shall take H3920 many: H7227 but a prince H7101 for his own behalf shall cause the reproach H2781 offered by him to cease; H7673 without H1115 his own reproach H2781 he shall cause it to turn H7725 upon him.
19 Then he shall turn H7725 his face H6440 toward the fort H4581 of his own land: H776 but he shall stumble H3782 and fall, H5307 and not be found. H4672
20 Then shall stand up H5975 in his estate H3653 a raiser H5674 of taxes H5065 in the glory H1925 of the kingdom: H4438 but within few H259 days H3117 he shall be destroyed, H7665 neither in anger, H639 nor in battle. H4421
21 And in his estate H3653 shall stand up H5975 a vile person, H959 to whom they shall not give H5414 the honour H1935 of the kingdom: H4438 but he shall come H935 in peaceably, H7962 and obtain H2388 the kingdom H4438 by flatteries. H2519
22 And with the arms H2220 of a flood H7858 shall they be overflown H7857 from before H6440 him, and shall be broken; H7665 yea, also the prince H5057 of the covenant. H1285
23 And after the league H2266 made with him he shall work H6213 deceitfully: H4820 for he shall come up, H5927 and shall become strong H6105 with a small H4592 people. H1471
24 He shall enter H935 peaceably H7962 even upon the fattest places H4924 of the province; H4082 and he shall do H6213 that which his fathers H1 have not done, H6213 nor his fathers' H1 fathers; H1 he shall scatter H967 among them the prey, H961 and spoil, H7998 and riches: H7399 yea, and he shall forecast H2803 his devices H4284 against the strong holds, H4013 even for a time. H6256
25 And he shall stir up H5782 his power H3581 and his courage H3824 against the king H4428 of the south H5045 with a great H1419 army; H2428 and the king H4428 of the south H5045 shall be stirred up H1624 to battle H4421 with a very H3966 great H1419 and mighty H6099 army; H2428 but he shall not stand: H5975 for they shall forecast H2803 devices H4284 against him.
26 Yea, they that feed H398 of the portion of his meat H6598 shall destroy H7665 him, and his army H2428 shall overflow: H7857 and many H7227 shall fall H5307 down slain. H2491
27 And both H8147 these kings' H4428 hearts H3824 shall be to do mischief, H4827 H7451 and they shall speak H1696 lies H3577 at one H259 table; H7979 but it shall not prosper: H6743 for yet the end H7093 shall be at the time appointed. H4150
28 Then shall he return H7725 into his land H776 with great H1419 riches; H7399 and his heart H3824 shall be against the holy H6944 covenant; H1285 and he shall do H6213 exploits, and return H7725 to his own land. H776
29 At the time appointed H4150 he shall return, H7725 and come H935 toward the south; H5045 but it shall not be as the former, H7223 or as the latter. H314
30 For the ships H6716 of Chittim H3794 shall come H935 against him: therefore he shall be grieved, H3512 and return, H7725 and have indignation H2194 against the holy H6944 covenant: H1285 so shall he do; H6213 he shall even return, H7725 and have intelligence H995 with them that forsake H5800 the holy H6944 covenant. H1285
31 And arms H2220 shall stand H5975 on his part, and they shall pollute H2490 the sanctuary H4720 of strength, H4581 and shall take away H5493 the daily H8548 sacrifice, and they shall place H5414 the abomination H8251 that maketh desolate. H8074
32 And such as do wickedly H7561 against the covenant H1285 shall he corrupt H2610 by flatteries: H2514 but the people H5971 that do know H3045 their God H430 shall be strong, H2388 and do H6213 exploits.
33 And they that understand H7919 among the people H5971 shall instruct H995 many: H7227 yet they shall fall H3782 by the sword, H2719 and by flame, H3852 by captivity, H7628 and by spoil, H961 many days. H3117
34 Now when they shall fall, H3782 they shall be holpen H5826 with a little H4592 help: H5828 but many H7227 shall cleave H3867 to them with flatteries. H2519
35 And some of them of understanding H7919 shall fall, H3782 to try H6884 them, and to purge, H1305 and to make them white, H3835 even to the time H6256 of the end: H7093 because it is yet for a time appointed. H4150
36 And the king H4428 shall do H6213 according to his will; H7522 and he shall exalt H7311 himself, and magnify H1431 himself above every god, H410 and shall speak H1696 marvellous things H6381 against the God H410 of gods, H410 and shall prosper H6743 till the indignation H2195 be accomplished: H3615 for that that is determined H2782 shall be done. H6213
37 Neither shall he regard H995 the God H430 of his fathers, H1 nor the desire H2532 of women, H802 nor regard H995 any god: H433 for he shall magnify H1431 himself above all.
38 But in his estate H3653 shall he honour H3513 the God H433 of forces: H4581 and a god H433 whom his fathers H1 knew H3045 not shall he honour H3513 with gold, H2091 and silver, H3701 and with precious H3368 stones, H68 and pleasant things. H2532
39 Thus shall he do H6213 in the most strong H4581 holds H4013 with a strange H5236 god, H433 whom he shall acknowledge H5234 H5234 and increase H7235 with glory: H3519 and he shall cause them to rule H4910 over many, H7227 and shall divide H2505 the land H127 for gain. H4242
40 And at the time H6256 of the end H7093 shall the king H4428 of the south H5045 push H5055 at him: and the king H4428 of the north H6828 shall come against him like a whirlwind, H8175 with chariots, H7393 and with horsemen, H6571 and with many H7227 ships; H591 and he shall enter H935 into the countries, H776 and shall overflow H7857 and pass over. H5674
41 He shall enter H935 also into the glorious H6643 land, H776 and many H7227 countries shall be overthrown: H3782 but these shall escape H4422 out of his hand, H3027 even Edom, H123 and Moab, H4124 and the chief H7225 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983
42 He shall stretch forth H7971 his hand H3027 also upon the countries: H776 and the land H776 of Egypt H4714 shall not escape. H6413
43 But he shall have power H4910 over the treasures H4362 of gold H2091 and of silver, H3701 and over all the precious H2532 things of Egypt: H4714 and the Libyans H3864 and the Ethiopians H3569 shall be at his steps. H4703
44 But tidings H8052 out of the east H4217 and out of the north H6828 shall trouble H926 him: therefore he shall go forth H3318 with great H1419 fury H2534 to destroy, H8045 and utterly to make away H2763 many. H7227
45 And he shall plant H5193 the tabernacles H168 of his palace H643 between the seas H3220 in the glorious H6643 holy H6944 mountain; H2022 yet he shall come H935 to his end, H7093 and none shall help H5826 him.
1 And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
2 And 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.
3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
4 And 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.
5 And 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.
6 And 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.
7 But 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.
8 And 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.
9 And he shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but he shall return into his own land.
10 And 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.
11 And 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.
12 And 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.
13 And 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.
14 And 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.
15 So 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.
16 But 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.
17 And 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.
18 After 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.
19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
20 Then 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.
21 And 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.
22 And the overwhelming forces shall be overwhelmed from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong, with a small people.
24 In 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.
25 And 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.
26 Yea, they that eat of his dainties shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain.
27 And 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.
28 Then 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.
29 At 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.
30 For 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.
31 And 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.
32 And 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'.
33 And 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.
34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves unto them with flatteries.
35 And 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.
36 And 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.
37 Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But 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.
39 And 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.
40 And 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.
41 He 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.
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But 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.
44 But 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.
45 And 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.
1 `And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, my standing `is' for a strengthener, and for a stronghold to him;
2 and, now, truth I declare to thee, Lo, yet three kings are standing for Persia, and the fourth doth become far richer than all, and according to his strength by his riches he stirreth up the whole, with the kingdom of Javan.
3 And a mighty king hath stood, and he hath ruled a great dominion, and hath done according to his will;
4 and according to his standing is his kingdom broken, and divided to the four winds of the heavens, and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion that he ruled, for his kingdom is plucked up -- and for others apart from these.
5 `And a king of the south -- even of his princes -- doth become strong, and doth prevail against him, and hath ruled; a great dominion `is' his dominion.
6 `And at the end of years they do join themselves together, and a daughter of the king of the south doth come in unto the king of the north to do upright things; and she doth not retain the power of the arm; and he doth not stand, nor his arm; and she is given up, she, and those bringing her in, and her child, and he who is strengthening her in `these' times.
7 `And `one' hath stood up from a branch of her roots, `in' his station, and he cometh in unto the bulwark, yea, he cometh into a stronghold of the king of the south, and hath wrought against them, and hath done mightily;
8 and also their gods, with their princes, with their desirable vessels of silver and gold, into captivity he bringeth `into' Egypt; and he doth stand more years than the king of the north.
9 `And the king of the south hath come into the kingdom, and turned back unto his own land;
10 and his sons stir themselves up, and have gathered a multitude of great forces, and he hath certainly come in, and overflowed, and passed through, and he turneth back, and they stir themselves up unto his stronghold.
11 And the king of the south doth become embittered, and hath gone forth and fought with him, with the king of the north, and hath caused a great multitude to stand, and the multitude hath been given into his hand,
12 and he hath carried away the multitude, his heart is high, and he hath caused myriads to fall, and he doth not become strong.
13 `And the king of the north hath turned back, and hath caused a multitude to stand, greater than the first, and at the end of the times a second time he doth certainly come in with a great force, and with much substance;
14 and in those times many do stand up against the king of the south, and sons of the destroyers of thy people do lift themselves up to establish the vision -- and they have stumbled.
15 `And the king of the north cometh in, and poureth out a mount, and hath captured fenced cities; and the arms of the south do not stand, nor the people of his choice, yea, there is no power to stand.
16 And he who is coming unto him doth according to his will, and there is none standing before him; and he standeth in the desirable land, and `it is' wholly in his hand.
17 And he setteth his face to go in with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; and he hath wrought, and the daughter of women he giveth to him, to corrupt her; and she doth not stand, nor is for him.
18 `And he turneth back his face to the isles, and hath captured many; and a prince hath caused his reproach of himself to cease; without his reproach he turneth `it' back to him.
19 And he turneth back his face to the strongholds of his land, and hath stumbled and fallen, and is not found.
20 `And stood up on his station hath `one' causing an exactor to pass over the honour of the kingdom, and in a few days he is destroyed, and not in anger, nor in battle.
21 `And stood up on his station hath a despicable one, and they have not given unto him the honour of the kingdom, and he hath come in quietly, and hath strengthened the kingdom by flatteries.
22 And the arms of the flood are overflowed from before him, and are broken; and also the leader of the covenant.
23 And after they join themselves unto him, he worketh deceit, and hath increased, and hath been strong by a few of the nation.
24 Peaceably even into the fertile places of the province He cometh, and he hath done that which his fathers did not, nor his fathers' fathers; prey, and spoil, and substance, to them he scattereth, and against fenced places he deviseth his devices, even for a time.
25 `And he stirreth up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great force, and the king of the south stirreth himself up to battle with a very great and mighty force, and standeth not, for they devise devices against him,
26 and those eating his portion of food destroy him, and his force overfloweth, and fallen have many wounded.
27 `And both of the kings' hearts `are' to do evil, and at one table they speak lies, and it doth not prosper, for yet the end `is' at a time appointed.
28 And he turneth back `to' his land with great substance, and his heart `is' against the holy covenant, and he hath wrought, and turned back to his land.
29 At the appointed time he turneth back, and hath come against the south, and it is not as the former, and as the latter.
30 And ships of Chittim have come in against him, and he hath been pained, and hath turned back, and hath been insolent toward the holy covenant, and hath wrought, and turned back, and he understandeth concerning those forsaking the holy covenant.
31 And strong ones out of him stand up, and have polluted the sanctuary, the stronghold, and have turned aside the continual `sacrifice', and appointed the desolating abomination.
32 And those acting wickedly `against' the covenant, he defileth by flatteries; and the people knowing their God are strong, and have wrought.
33 And the teachers of the people give understanding to many; and they have stumbled by sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil -- days.
34 And in their stumbling, they are helped -- a little help, and joined to them have been many with flatteries.
35 And some of the teachers do stumble for refining by them, and for purifying, and for making white -- till the end of the time, for `it is' yet for a time appointed.
36 `And the king hath done according to his will, and exalteth himself, and magnifieth himself against every god, and against the God of gods he speaketh wonderful things, and hath prospered till the indignation hath been completed, for that which is determined hath been done.
37 And unto the God of his fathers he doth not attend, nor to the desire of women, yea, to any god he doth not attend, for against all he magnifieth himself.
38 And to the god of strongholds, on his station, he giveth honour; yea, to a god whom his fathers knew not he giveth honour, with gold, and with silver, and with precious stone, and with desirable things.
39 And he hath dealt in the fortresses of the strongholds with a strange god whom he hath acknowledged; he multiplieth honour, and hath caused them to rule over many, and the ground he apportioneth at a price.
40 `And at the time of the end, push himself forward with him doth a king of the south, and storm against him doth a king of the north, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he hath come in to the lands, and hath overflowed, and passed over,
41 and hath come into the desirable land, and many do stumble, and these escape from his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the sons of Ammon.
42 `And he sendeth forth his hand upon the lands, and the land of Egypt is not for an escape;
43 and he hath ruled over treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt, and Lubim and Cushim `are' at his steps.
44 `And reports trouble him out of the east and out of the north, and he hath gone forth in great fury to destroy, and to devote many to destruction;
45 and he planteth the tents of his palace between the seas and the holy desirable mountain, and hath come unto his end, and there is no helper to him.
1 And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
2 And now will I declare unto thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall enrich himself with great riches more than all; and when he hath become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.
3 And a mighty king shall stand up that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of the heavens; but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion wherewith he ruled; for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside these.
5 And the king of the south, who is one of his princes, shall be strong; but [another] shall be stronger than he, and have dominion: his dominion shall be a great dominion.
6 And after the course of years they shall join affinity; and the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make equitable conditions: but she shall not retain the strength of her arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm; and she shall be given up, she and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in [those] times.
7 But out of a shoot from her roots shall one stand up in his place, who shall come to the army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shew himself mighty.
8 He shall also carry captive into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall subsist for more years than the king of the north;
9 and [the same] shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but shall return into his own land.
10 And his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through; and he shall return and carry the war even to his fortress.
11 And the king of the south shall be enraged, and shall come forth and fight with him, with the king of the north, who shall set forth a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given into his hand.
12 And when the multitude shall have been taken away, his heart shall be exalted; and he shall cast down myriads; but he shall not prevail.
13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; and shall certainly come at the end of the times of years with a great army and with much substance.
14 And in those times shall many stand up against the king of the south; and the violent of thy people will exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.
15 And the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mound, and take the well-fenced city; and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, for there shall be no strength to withstand.
16 And he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him; and he shall stand in the land of beauty, and destruction shall be in his hand.
17 And he shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; and he shall practise; and he shall give him the daughter of women, to corrupt her; but she shall not stand, neither shall she be for him.
18 And he shall turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many; but a captain for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease: he shall turn it upon him, without reproach for himself.
19 And he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; and he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
20 And in his place shall one stand up who shall cause the exactor to pass through the glory of the kingdom; but in a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle.
21 And in his place shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom; but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
22 And the overflowing forces shall be overflowed from before him, and shall be broken: yea, also the prince of the covenant.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully, and he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 In time of peace shall he enter even into 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, and he shall plan his devices against the fortified places, even for a time.
25 And 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 engage in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall plan devices against him.
26 And they that eat of his delicate food shall break him, and his army shall be dissolved; and many shall fall down slain.
27 And both these kings' hearts [shall meditate] mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
28 And he shall return into his land with great substance; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall practise, and return to his own land.
29 At the set time he shall return, and come towards the south; but not as the former time shall be the latter;
30 for ships of Chittim shall come against him; and he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant; and will practise; and he shall return and direct his attention to those that forsake the holy covenant.
31 And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and shall take away the continual [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong, and shall act.
33 And they that are wise among the people shall instruct the many; and they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, [many] days.
34 And when they fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
35 And [some] of the wise shall fall, to try them, and to purge and to make them white, to the time of the end: for it shall yet be for the time appointed.
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every ùgod, and speak monstrous things against the ùGod of ùgods; and he shall prosper until the indignation be accomplished: for that which is determined shall be done.
37 And he will not regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women; nor regard any +god: for he will magnify himself above all.
38 And in his place will he honour the +god of fortresses; and a +god whom his fathers knew not will he honour with gold and silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things.
39 And he will practise in the strongholds of fortresses with a strange +god: whoso acknowledgeth him will he increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over the many, and shall divide the land [to them] for a reward.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at 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 overflow and pass through.
41 And he shall enter into the land of beauty, and many [countries] shall be overthrown; but these shall escape out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
42 And he shall stretch forth his hand upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 And 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.
44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with great fury to exterminate, and utterly to destroy many.
45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the mountain of holy beauty; and he shall come to his end, and there shall be none to help him.
1 "As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
2 Now will I show you 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 has grown strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.
3 A mighty king shall stand up, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
4 When he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of the sky, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides these.
5 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.
6 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 those who brought her, and he who became the father of her, and he who strengthened her in those times.
7 But out of a shoot from her roots shall one stand up in his place, who shall come to the army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.
8 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.
9 He shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but he shall return into his own land.
10 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.
11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 In those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the children of the violent among your people shall lift themselves up to establish the vision; but they shall fall.
15 So 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.
16 But he who comes 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.
17 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.
18 After this shall he turn his face to the isles, and shall take many: but a prince shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; yes, moreover, he shall cause his reproach to turn on him.
19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
20 Then shall stand up in his place one who shall cause a tax collector to pass through the kingdom to maintain its glory; but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
21 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.
22 The overwhelming forces shall be overwhelmed from before him, and shall be broken; yes, also the prince of the covenant.
23 After the league made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong, with a small people.
24 In time of security shall he come even on 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: yes, he shall devise his devices against the strongholds, even for a time.
25 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.
26 Yes, they who eat of his dainties shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain.
27 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.
28 Then 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.
29 At 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.
30 For 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 to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 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 makes desolate.
32 Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].
33 Those who 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.
34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves to them with flatteries.
35 Some of those who 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.
36 The king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper until the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers didn't know shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whoever acknowledges [him] he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price.
40 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.
41 He 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.
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also on the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But 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.
44 But news 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.
45 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.
1 And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede I was on his side to make his position safe and make him strong.
2 And now I will make clear to you what is true. There are still three kings to come in Persia, and the fourth will have much greater wealth than all of them: and when he has become strong through his wealth, he will put his forces in motion against all the kingdoms of Greece.
3 And a strong king will come to power, ruling with great authority and doing whatever is his pleasure.
4 And when he has become strong, his kingdom will be broken and parted to the four winds of heaven; but not to his offspring, for it will be uprooted; and his kingdom will be for the others and not for these: but not with the same authority as his.
5 And the king of the south will be strong, but one of his captains will be stronger than he and will be ruler; and his rule will be a great rule.
6 And at the end of years they will be joined together; and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she will not keep the strength of her arm; and his offspring will not keep their place; but she will be uprooted, with those who were the cause of her coming, and her son, and he who took her in those times.
7 But out of a branch from her roots one will come up to take his place, who will come against the army, forcing his way into the strong place of the king of the north, and he will take them in hand and overcome them:
8 And their gods and their metal images and their fair vessels of silver and gold he will take away into the south; and for some years he will keep away from the king of the north.
9 And he will come into the kingdom of the king of the south, but he will go back to his land.
10 And his son will make war, and will get together an army of great forces, and he will make an attack on him, overflowing and going past: and he will again take the war even to his strong place.
11 And the king of the south will be moved with wrath, and will come out and make war on him, on this same king of the north: and he will get together a great army, but the army will be given into his hand.
12 And the army will be taken away, and his heart will be uplifted: he will be the cause of the downfall of tens of thousands, but he will not be strong.
13 And again the king of the north will get together an army greater than the first; and he will make an attack on him at the end of years, with a great army and much wealth.
14 In those times, a number will take up arms against the king of the south: and the children of the violent among your people will be lifting themselves up to make the vision come true; but it will be their downfall.
15 So the king of the north will come, and put up earthworks and take a well-armed town: and the forces of the king of the south will make an attempt to keep their position, even the best of his army, but they will not have strength to do so.
16 And he who comes against him will do his pleasure, and no one will be able to keep his place before him: he will take up his position in the beautiful land and in his hand there will be destruction.
17 And it will be his purpose to come with the strength of all his kingdom, but in place of this he will make an agreement with him; and he will give him the daughter of women to send destruction on it; but this will not take place or come about.
18 After this, his face will be turned to the islands, and he will take a number of them: but a chief, by his destruction, will put an end to the shame offered by him; and more than this, he will make his shame come back on him.
19 Then his face will be turned to the strong places of his land: but his way will be stopped, causing his downfall, and he will not be seen again.
20 Then his place will be taken by one who will send out a man with the glory of a king to get wealth together; but after a short time destruction will overtake him, but not in wrath or in the fight.
21 And his place will be taken by a low person, to whom the honour of the kingdom had not been given: but he will come in time of peace and will get the kingdom by fair words.
22 And his forces will be completely taken away from before him and broken; and even the ruler of the agreement will have the same fate.
23 And from the time when they make an agreement with him, he will be working falsely: for he will take up arms suddenly with a small force,
24 Against fertile places, and will make waste a part of the country; and he will do what his fathers have not done, or his fathers' fathers; he will make distribution among them of goods taken in war and by force, and of property: he will even make designs against the strong places for a time.
25 And he will put in motion his power and his strength against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south will go to war with a very great and strong army: but he will be forced to give way, because of their designs against him;
26 And his fears will overcome him and be the cause of his downfall, and his army will come to complete destruction, and a great number will be put to the sword.
27 And as for these two kings, their hearts will be fixed on doing evil and they will say false words at one table; but it will come to nothing: for the end will be at the time fixed.
28 And he will go back to his land with great wealth; and his heart will be against the holy agreement; and he will do his pleasure and go back to his land.
29 At the time fixed he will come back and come into the south; but in the later time it will not be as it was before.
30 For those who go out from the west will come against him, and he will be in fear and will go back, full of wrath against the holy agreement; and he will do his pleasure: and he will go back and be united with those who have given up the holy agreement.
31 And armies sent by him will take up their position and they will make unclean the holy place, even the strong place, and take away the regular burned offering and put in its place an unclean thing causing fear.
32 And those who do evil against the agreement will be turned to sin by his fair words: but the people who have knowledge of their God will be strong and do well.
33 And those who are wise among the people will be the teachers of the mass of the people: but they will come to their downfall by the sword and by the flame, being made prisoners and undergoing loss for a long time.
34 Now at the time of their downfall they will have a little help, but numbers will be joined to them in the town, and in their separate heritages.
35 And some of those who are wise will have wisdom in testing themselves and making themselves clean, till the time of the end: for it is still for the fixed time.
36 And the king will do his pleasure; he will put himself on high, lifting himself over every god, and saying things to be wondered at against the God of gods; and all will be well for him till the wrath is complete; for what has been purposed will be done.
37 He will have no respect for the gods of his fathers or for the god desired by women; he will have no respect for any god: for he will put himself on high over all.
38 But in place of this he will give honour to the god of armed places, and to a god of whom his fathers had no knowledge he will give honour with gold and silver and jewels and things to be desired.
39 And he will make use of the people of a strange god to keep his strongest places; to those whom he takes note of he will give high honour: and he will make them rulers over the mass of the people, and will make division of the land for a price.
40 And at the time of the end, the king of the south will make an attack on him: and the king of the north will come against him like a storm-wind, with war-carriages and horsemen and numbers of ships; and he will go through many lands like overflowing waters.
41 And he will come into the beautiful land, and tens of thousands will be overcome: but these will be kept from falling into his hands: Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon.
42 And his hand will be stretched out on the countries: and the land of the south will not be safe from him.
43 But he will have power over the stores of gold and silver, and over all the valued things of the south: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his steps.
44 But he will be troubled by news from the east and from the north; and he will go out in great wrath, to send destruction on, and put an end to, great numbers.
45 He will put the tents of his great house between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain: but he will come to his end with no helper.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Daniel 11
Commentary on Daniel 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
The angel Gabriel, in this chapter, performs his promise made to Daniel in the foregoing chapter, that he would "show him what should befal his people in the latter days,' according to that which was "written in the scriptures of truth:' very particularly does he here foretel the succession of the kings of Persia and Grecia, and the affairs of their kingdoms, especially the mischief which Antiochus Epiphanes did in his time to the church, which was foretold before (ch. 8:11-12). Here is,
Dan 11:1-4
Here,
Dan 11:5-20
Here are foretold,
Dan 11:21-45
All this is a prophecy of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn spoken of before (ch. 8:9) a sworn enemy to the Jewish religion, and a bitter persecutor of those that adhered to it. What troubles the Jews met with in the reigns of the Persian kings were not so particularly foretold to Daniel as these, because then they had living prophets with them, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them; but these troubles in the days of Antiochus were foretold, because, before that time, prophecy would cease, and they would find it necessary to have recourse to the written word. Some things in this prediction concerning Antiochus are alluded to in the New-Testament predictions of the antichrist, especially v. 36, 37. And as it is usual with the prophets, when they foretel the prosperity of the Jewish church, to make use of such expressions as were applicable to the kingdom of Christ, and insensibly to slide into a prophecy of that, so, when they foretel the troubles of the church, they make use of such expressions as have a further reference to the kingdom of the antichrist, the rise and ruin of that. Now concerning Antiochus, the angel foretels here,
-
1. He had a rooted antipathy to the Jews' religion: His heart was against the holy covenant, v. 28. And (v. 30) he had indignation against the holy covenant, that covenant of peculiarity by which the Jews were incorporated a people distinct from all other nations, and dignified above them. He hated the law of Moses and the worship of the true God, and was vexed at the privileges of the Jewish nation and the promises made to them. Note, That which is the hope and joy of the people of God is the envy of their neighbours, and that is the holy covenant. Esau hated Jacob because he had got the blessing. Those that are strangers to the covenant are often enemies to it.
-
2. He carried on his malicious designs against the Jews by the assistance of some perfidious apostate Jews. He kept up intelligence with those that forsook the holy covenant (v. 30), some of the Jews that were false to their religion, and introduced the customs of the heathen, with whom they made a covenant. See the fulfilling of this, 1 Mac. 1:11-15, where it is expressly said, concerning those renegado Jews, that they made themselves uncircumcised and forsook the holy covenant. We read (2 Mac. 4:9) of Jason, the brother of Onias the high priest, who by the appointment of Antiochus set up a school at Jerusalem, for the training up of youth in the fashions of the heathen; and (2 Mac. 4:23, etc.) of Menelaus, who fell in with the interests of Antiochus, and was the man that helped him into Jerusalem, now in his last return from Egypt. We read much in the book of the Maccabees of the mischief done to the Jews by these treacherous men of their own nation, Jason and Menelaus, and their party. These upon all occasions he made use of. "Such as do wickedly against the covenant, such as throw up their religion, and comply with the heathen, he shall corrupt with flatteries, to harden them in their apostasy, and to make use of them as decoys to draw in others,' v. 32. Note, It is not strange if those who do not live up to their religion, but in their conversations do wickedly against the covenant, are easily corrupted by flatteries to quit their religion. Those that make shipwreck of a good conscience will soon make shipwreck of the faith.
-
3. He profaned the temple. Arms stand on his part (v. 31), not only his own army which he now brought from Egypt, but a great party of deserters from the Jewish religion that joined with them; and they polluted the sanctuary of strength, not only the holy city, but the temple. The story of this we have, 1 Mac. 1:21, etc. He entered proudly into the sanctuary, took away the golden altar, and the candlestick, etc. And therefore (v. 25) there was a great mourning in Israel; the princes and elders mourned, etc. And (2 Mac. 5:15, etc.) Antiochus went into the most holy temple, Menelaus, that traitor to the laws and to his own country, being his guide. Antiochus, having resolved to bring all about him to be of his religion, took away the daily sacrifice, v. 31. Some observe that the word Tammidh, which signifies no more than daily, is only here, and in the parallel place, used for the daily sacrifice, as if there were a designed liberty left to supply it either with sacrifice, which was suppressed by Antiochus, or with gospel-worship, which was suppressed by the Antichrist. Then he set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar (1 Mac. 1:54), even an idol altar (v. 59), and called the temple the temple of Jupiter Olympius, 2 Mac. 6:2.
-
4. He persecuted those who retained their integrity. Though there are many who forsake the covenant and do wickedly against it, yet there is a people who do know their God and retain the knowledge of him, and they shall be strong and do exploits, v. 32. When others yield to the tyrant's demands, and surrender their consciences to his impositions, they bravely keep their ground, resist the temptation, and make the tyrant himself ashamed of his attempt upon them. Good old Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, when he had swine's flesh thrust into his mouth, did bravely spit it out again, though he knew he must be tormented to death for so doing, and was so, 2 Mac. 6:19. The mother and her seven sons were put to death for adhering to their religion, 2 Mac. 7. This might well be called doing exploits; for to choose suffering rather than sin is a great exploit. And it was by faith, by being strong in faith, that they did those exploits, that they were tortured, not accepting deliverance, as the apostle speaks, probably with reference to that story, Heb. 11:35. Or it may refer to the military courage and achievements of Judas Maccabaeus and others in opposition to Antiochus. Note, The right knowledge of God is, and will be, the strength of the soul, and, in the strength of that, gracious souls do exploits. Those that know his name will put their trust in him, and by that trust will do great things. Now, concerning this people that knew their God, we are here told,
-
(1.) That they shall instruct many, v. 33. They shall make it their business to show others what they have learned themselves of the difference between truth and falsehood, good and evil. Note, Those that have the knowledge of God themselves should communicate their knowledge to those about them, and this spiritual charity must be extensive: they must instruct many. Some understand this of a society newly erected for the propagating of divine knowledge, called Assideans, godly men, pietists (so the name signifies), that were both knowing and zealous in the law; these instructed many. Note, In times of persecution and apostasy, which are trying times, those that have knowledge ought to make use of it for the strengthening and establishing of others. Those that understand aright themselves ought to do what they can to bring others to understand; for knowledge is a talent that must be traded with. Or, They shall instruct many by their perseverance in their duty and their patient suffering for it. Good examples instruct many, and with many are the most powerful instructions.
-
(2.) They shall fall by the cruelty of Antiochus, shall be put to the torture, and put to death, by his rage. Though they are so excellent and intelligent themselves, and so useful and serviceable to others, yet Antiochus shall show them no mercy, but they shall fall for some days; so it may be read, Rev. 2:10, Thou shalt have tribulation ten days. We read much, in the books of the Maccabees, of Antiochus's barbarous usage of the pious Jews, how many he slew in wars and how many he murdered in cold blood. Women were put to death for having their children circumcised, and their infants were hanged about their necks, 1 Mac. 1:60, 61. But why did God suffer this? How can this be reconciled with the justice and goodness of God? I answer, Very well, if we consider what it was that God aimed at in this (v. 35): Some of those of understanding shall fall, but it shall be for the good of the church and for their own spiritual benefit. It shall be to try them, and to purge, and to make them white. They needed these afflictions themselves. The best have their spots, which must be washed off, their dross, which must be purged out; and their troubles, particularly their share in the public troubles, help to do this; being sanctified to them by the grace of God, they are means of mortifying their corruptions, weaning them from the world, and awakening them to greater seriousness and diligence in religion. They try them, as silver in the furnace is refined from its dross; they purge them, as wheat in the barn is winnowed from the chaff; and they make them white, as cloth by the fuller is cleared from its spots. See 1 Pt. 1:7. Their sufferings for righteousness' sake would try and purge the nation of the Jews, would convince them of the truth, excellency, and power of that holy religion which these understanding men died for their adherence to. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church; it is precious blood, and not a drop of it should be shed but upon such a valuable consideration.
-
(3.) The cause of religion, though it be thus run upon, shall not be run down. When they shall fall they shall not be utterly cast down, but they shall be holpen with a little help, v. 34. Judas Maccabaeus, and his brethren, and a few with them, shall make head against the tyrant, and assert the injured cause of their religion; they pulled down the idolatrous altars, circumcised the children that they found uncircumcised, recovered the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and the work prospered in their hands, 1 Mac. 2:45, etc. Note, Those that stand by the cause of religion when it is threatened and struck at, though they may not immediately be delivered and made victorious, shall yet have present help. And a little help must not be despised; but, when times are very bad, we must be thankful for some reviving. It is likewise foretold that many shall cleave to them with flatteries; when they see the Maccabees prosper some Jews shall join with them that are no true friends to religion, but will only pretend friendship either with design to betray them or in hope to rise with them; but the fiery trial (v. 35) will separate between the precious and the vile, and by it those that are perfect will be made manifest and those that are not.
-
(4.) Though these troubles may continue long, yet they will have an end. They are for a time appointed, a limited time, fixed in the divine counsels. This warfare shall be accomplished. Hitherto the power of the enemy shall come, and no further; here shall its proud waves be stayed.
-
5. He grew very proud, insolent, and profane, and, being puffed up with his conquests, bade defiance to Heaven, and trampled upon every thing that was sacred, v. 36, etc. And here some think begins a prophecy of the antichrist, the papal kingdom. It is plain that St. Paul, in his prophecy of the rise and reign of the man of sin, alludes to this (2 Th. 2:4), which shows that Antiochus was a type and figure of that enemy, as Babylon also was; but, this being joined in a continued discourse with the foregoing prophecies concerning Antiochus, to me it seems probably that it principally refers to him, and in him had its primary accomplishment, and has reference to the other only by way of accommodation.
-
(1.) He shall impiously dishonour the God of Israel, the only living and true God, called here the God of gods. He shall, in defiance of him and his authority, do according to his will against his people and his holy religion; he shall exalt himself above him, as Sennacherib did, and shall speak marvellous things against him and against his laws and institutions. This was fulfilled when Antiochus forbade sacrifices to be offered in God's temple, and ordered the sabbaths to be profaned, the sanctuary and the holy people to be polluted, etc., to the end that they might forget the law and change all the ordinances, and this upon pain of death, 1 Mac. 1:45.
-
(2.) He shall proudly put contempt upon all other gods, shall magnify himself above every god, even the gods of the nations. Antiochus wrote to his own kingdom that every one should leave the gods he had worshipped, and worship such as he ordered, contrary to the practice of all the conquerors that went before him, 1 Mac. 1:41, 42. And all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king; fond as they were of their gods, they did not think them worth suffering for, but, their gods being idols, it was all alike to them what gods they worshipped. Antiochus did not regard any god, but magnified himself above all, v. 37. He was so proud that he thought himself above the condition of a mortal man, that he could command the waves of the sea, and reach to the stars of heaven, as his insolence and haughtiness are expressed, 2 Mac. 9:8, 10. Thus he carried all before him, till the indignation was accomplished (v. 36), till he had run his length, and filled up the measure of his iniquity; for that which is determined shall be done, and nothing more, nothing short.
-
(3.) He shall, contrary to the way of the heathen, disregard the god of his fathers, v. 37. Though an affection to the religion of their ancestors was, among the heathen, almost as natural to them as the desire of women (for, if you search through the isles of Chittim, you will not find an instance of a nation that has changed its gods, Jer. 2:10, 11), yet Antiochus shall not regard the god of his fathers; he made laws to abolish the religion of his country, and to bring in the idols of the Greeks. And though his predecessors had honoured the God of Israel, and given great gifts to the temple at Jerusalem (2 Mac. 3:2, 3), he offered the greatest indignities to God and his temple. His not regarding the desire of women may denote his barbarous cruelty (he shall spare no age or sex, no, not the tender ones) or his unnatural lusts, or, in general, his contempt of every thing which men of honour have a concern for, or it might be accomplished in something we meet not with in history. Its being joined to his not regarding the god of his fathers intimates that the idolatries of his country had in them more of the gratifications of the flesh than those of other countries (Lucian has written of the Syrian goddesses), and yet that would not prevail to keep him to them.
-
(4.) He shall set up an unknown god, a new god, v. 38. In his estate, in the room of the god of his fathers (Apollo and Diana, deities of pleasure), he shall honour the god of forces, a supposed deity of power, a god whom his fathers knew not, nor worshipped; because he will be thought in wisdom and strength to excel his fathers, he shall honour this god with gold, and silver, and precious stones, thinking nothing too good for the god he has taken a fancy to. This seems to be Jupiter Olympius, known among the Phoenicians by the name of Baal-Semen, the lord of heaven, but never introduced among the Syrians till Antiochus introduced it. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds, in the temple of Jerusalem, which is called the sanctuary of strength (v. 31), and here the fortresses of munitions; there he shall set up the image of this strange god. Some read it, He shall commit the munitions of strength, or of the most strong God (that is, the city Jerusalem), to a strange god; he put it under the protection and government of Jupiter Olympius. This god he shall not only acknowledge, but shall increase with glory, by setting his image even upon God's altar. And he shall cause those that minister to this idol to rule over many, shall put them into places of power and trust, and they shall divide the land for gain, shall be maintained richly out of the profits of the country. Some by the Mahuzzim, or god of forces, that Antiochus shall worship, understand money, which is said to answer all things, and which is the great idol of worldly people.
Now here is very much that is applicable to the man of sin; he exalts himself above all that is called god or that is worshipped; magnifies himself above all; his flatterers call him our lord god the pope. By forbidding marriage, and magnifying the single life, he pretends not to regard the desire of women; and honours the god of forces, the god Mahuzzim, or strong holds, saints and angels, whom his followers take for their protectors, as the heathen did of old their demons; these they make presidents of several countries, etc. These they honour with vast treasures dedicated to them, and therein the learned Mr. Mede thinks that this prophecy was fulfilled, and that it is referred to 1 Tim. 4:1, 2.Of the kings that came after Antiochus nothing is here prophesied, for that was the most malicious mischievous enemy to the church, that was a type of the son of perdition, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming, and none shall help him.