Welcome back to my study/review of The Book of Daniel. If you missed the previous parts of this study, you can find them HERE.
Daniel 11:14-19
14 “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. 15 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. 16 But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. 18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. 19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
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This seems to be very specific details. The trouble is that it doesn’t quite seem to fit perfectly with what we know about the Greek on Greek fighting in the 2nd century B.C. As a result, some have speculated that this represents an event in the future. And as we’ve mentioned a few times in this study, the third argument is that it both describes events from the 2nd century BC and also describes some future event that hasn’t happened yet. With that in mind, we’ll jump into the text using the commentaries.
From Ellicott’s Bible Commentary on verse 14:
(14) In those times.—It must be noticed that at this verse—the earliest in which there is any reference to Daniel’s people and to the vision (Daniel 10:1; Daniel 10:7-8)—we appear to be approaching the great crisis. We appear to be within “a very few days” (see Daniel 11:20) of the vile-person who corresponds to the little horn of the fourth beast. At this period the king of the south suffers from many hostile opponents, while certain others, more closely connected with the Jews, become prominent for a while, but then fail. The obscurity of the Hebrew text was felt by the LXX., and distinct historical allusions can be found by those only who are determined to find them. These are stated to be some insurrections during the early years of Ptolemy Epiphanes, and a league which some of the Jews made with Antiochus the Great against Ptolemy.
Robbers of thy people.—This difficult expression occurs only in five other passages (Psalms 17:4; Isaiah 35:9; Jeremiah 7:11; Ezekiel 7:22; Ezekiel 18:10). The words in this passage can only refer to certain Jews who committed various violent breaches of the Law, and on this occasion revolted against the king of the south.
To establish the vision.—The meaning is, the result of their acts is to bring about the accomplishment of the vision (Daniel 10:14). The significant part of the verse is the “falling” of the robbers. It seems to mean that the conduct of these men shall bring them just the reverse of what they had expected.
It’s worth remembering that Daniel 10-12 are essentially one complete section and should be read and studied together to really understand them. The note above refers back to the chapter 10, and its references of a vision:
14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
Ellicott takes the side of the historical argument that views tying the verses to historical events is strained. Specifically the notes says “The obscurity of the Hebrew text was felt by the LXX., and distinct historical allusions can be found by those only who are determined to find them.” The Pulpit Commentaries is more sure of itself in associating the passages with the 2nd century BC.
Continuing on to verse 15, this time from The Pulpit Commentaries‘ note:
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. The version of the LXX. is, “And the king of the north shall attack and turn his spears, and shall take the fortified city, and the arms of the King of Egypt shall stand with his rulers, and there shall not be strength in them to resist them.” It is difficult to imagine what Hebrew text was before the translator when he rendered, “turn his spears.” Theodotion agrees with the Massoretic in the first portion, and with the LXX. in the latter. The Peshitta rendering is not unlike the Massoretic, “And the king of the north shall come and shall lay ambuscades, and shall conquer strong fastnesses; and the arms of the south shall not stand, because there is not in them might to stand; and his chosen people shall not stand, because there is not might in them to stand.” The Vulgate, as usual, is closest to the Massoretic. The reference here is most probably to the capture of Sidon, into which Scopas, the general of Ptolemy, had thrown himself after his defeat at Paneas. Other strongholds and fortified cities were of necessity taken at the same time. The arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people. Ptolemy sent several successive armies to relieve Sidon, but was unable to compel Antiochus to give up the siege. Finally Scopas had to surrender. Neither shall there be any strength to withstand. Egypt was to all appearance helpless; there was neither wisdom in their counsels nor valour in their arms.
As a reader in the present, it’s worth seeing both sides of this debate. I definitely recommend pulling up the commentaries in their entirety (linked above for both) and also studying the underlying history as best you can. For additional resources, I provided some links to more recently written commentaries in the introduction post to this series that might also prove useful in studying the text and its historicity.
As I’ve said before though, it can be both. We see throughout the early Christian study of Scripture a “now and also later” approach to prophetic texts. Continuing now to verse 16, once more in Ellicott:
(16) But he that cometh.—We now hear of further proceedings of the northern king. He follows up the vision mentioned in the last verse, enters the glorious land (i.e., Palestine), and commits great ravages in it. The king is described in language which reminds us of Daniel 11:3. He acts just as he pleases after his entrance to the southern kingdom. This has been applied to the conduct of Antiochus the Great, but history does not speak of any acts of destruction committed by him in Palestine. On the contrary, it is recorded of him that he treated the Jews with kindness. (On the “glorious land,” see Daniel 8:9.)
Which by his hand . . .—Literally, destruction being in his hand.
The identities of the Northern King and Southern King have long been debated, both as historical figures (as the note indicates) and also if we assume that neither is exclusively represented by the Greek rulers in the 2nd century B.C. The search for these two “future” identities has been identified and re-identified over time. I would offer a word of caution regarding anyone who teaches with too much certainty on these points.
Eschatology is a thing to which it is important to maintain knowledge and awareness. It is said that 1st century Christians taking heed of Christ’s warnings (recorded in Matthew 24) fled Jerusalem before it was sacked by Rome. However, it might be the type of thing wherein we might endanger ourselves if we act with too much certainty, too soon, base don our own knowledge and understanding. Different groups of people have – over the course of time – sold their belongings and made preparations for an End Times that didn’t.. .end.
Hold on loosely, but don’t let go.
Continuing in TPC at verse 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. The LXX. renders, “And he shall set (give, δώσει) his face to enter upon (ἐπελθεῖν) his work with violence, and he shall make covenants with him, and shall give him a daughter of man to corrupt her, but she shall not obey, neither shall it be.” The translator seems to have had before him מלאכתּו, “work,” instead of מלכותו, “kingdom”—a reading not equal to the Massoretic, and מֵישָׁרִים instead of וִישׁרִים, in which case the LXX. reading is preferable. Theodotion is like the Massoretic, “And he shall set (τάξει) his face to enter with the strength of all his kingdom, and he shall make all things straight with him, and shall give him a daughter of the women to corrupt her, but she shall not continue on his side, neither be for him.” The Peshitta renders, “And he shall set his face to enter with the force of all his kingdom, and all his people shall pass over, and the daughter of men shall be given to him to corrupt her, but she shall not stand, neither be for him.” The Vulgate rendering is independent of the other versions, “And he shall set his face that he may come to lay hold of his whole kingdom, and he shall do right things with him, and he shall give to him the daughter of women that he may overturn it, but she shall not stand, neither be for him.” The events portrayed here are well known. Antiochus collected all his forces with a view to the conquest of Egypt, then, alarmed by the progress of Rome and the overthrow of Philip of Macedon, he changed his plan. He now endeavoured to get Ptolemy to be his ally, and gave him his daughter Cleopatra to wife, with Coele-Syria as a dowry. His idea was that she would remain always on his side, would be his spy in the court of her husband, and would always lead the policy of Egypt in the lines he wished. His hopes were frustrated. She was not corrupted so as to be false to her husband. In proof of this, when her father’s armies were defeated by the Romans, she joined with her husband in sending congratulations to the Senate of Rome.
Again we see the contrast between the two commentaries. Ellicott is doubtful about the historical identifications tied to this passage while TPC expresses much more confidence in those identifications (“the events portrayed here are well known.”) We’ll continue in TPC for further historical detail.
After this he shall 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. The rendering of the LXX. is nearly unintelligible, “And he shall set (δώσει) his face against the sea, and shall take many (πολλοῦς), and shall turn the wrath of their reproach in an oath against his reproach.” The translator had read לים instead of לאיים. Professor Bevan would ingeniously supply some words to the Greek. With all it seems nearly impossible to explain the relation between the Massoretic text and that used by the Septuagint. Theodotion is much briefer, “He shall turn his face to the islands, and shall take many, and shall cause rulers to cease from their reproach; but his reproach shall return upon him.” The Peshitta renders, “And he shall turn his face to the islands of the sea, and shall conquer many, and a ruler of reproach shall cause it to cease in regard to him, and his reproach shall return to him.” The Vulgate is closely related to the Peshitta. We would render the last clause, with Behrmann, “Yea, his reproach will he repay to him.” The events referred to are clear and obvious enough. Antiochus the Great took advantage of the disastrous defeat inflicted on Philip of Macedon by the Romans, to seize many of the islands of the archipelago. He not only took possession of all the Asiatic dominions of Philip, but crossed into Europe and seized Thrace. The Romans demanded that he should retire from all the former dominions of Philip. He refused, and war ensued, in which, after being driven out of Europe, he was totally defeated at Magnesia by Lucius Scipio, and compelled to surrender all his dominions west of the Taurus.
One element of the tension present in the LXX against the much later Masoretic Text should be pointed out. The LXX was translated into Greek between the 3rd and 1st centuries (i.e. during the period of time wherein we see the Holy Land besieged by warring Greek kingdoms from the north and south.) Did that play any role in some of the differences and discrepancies we see between the LXX, the Peshitta, and the later Masoretic Text? Perhaps. The Dead Sea Scrolls offered some potential clarity as to these discrepancies – which has made the last 80 years a relatively exciting and active time to be a Bible translator.
We’ll close the section with TPC’s note for verse 19:
Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. The versions do not present any occasion for remark. After his defeat, Antiochus was not only compelled to submit to the loss of much of his empire, but was adjudged to pay all the expenses of the war, estimated at eighteen thousand Euboeic talents. Justin relates thus the death of Antiochus: “Meanwhile in Syria King Antiochus, being loaded with heavy tribute after his defeat by the Romans, whether urged by want of money or impelled by avarice, flattering himself that, under the plea of necessity, he might with fair excuse commit sacrilege, assaulted with an armed force by night the temple of Jove (Bel) in Elymais But the attempt having been discovered, there was a concourse of the inhabitants, and he was slain with all his forces.” The resemblance here between the fate of Antiochus the Great and that of his son Epiphanes is so striking as to throw suspicion on one or other of them.
This isn’t a short video, but it’s a very enjoyable in-depth study of Epiphanes – who is often today viewed as a “type” of the future eschatological Antichrist. Some of you might find the history worth learning.
