Introduction:
1. This chapter details the inter-testamental period of 450+ years from the Babylonian captivity to Augustus.
b. This chapter is a very detailed history of the Seleucid-Ptolemy wars and the rise of Herod and Rome.
c. Seventy weeks were determined upon Daniel's people in chapter nine, but here are all the details.
d. The ram, he goat, and little horn of Daniel 8 caused Daniel to faint (8:27), but here are more details
b. Prophecy is an important proof of divine inspiration of the Bible, no wonder Daniel 11 is confused.
c. Higher critics and textual critics make many attacks on this book to discredit these glorious prophecies.
b. Caught in between these two powers is Israel look at a map, so these conflicts are very important.
c. A principal antagonist of Israel, Antiochus Epiphanes, seen in chapter eight, is seen again here.
b. With use of the Internet, a reader has the ability to confirm and expand this witness almost infinitely.
c. It is now easy to exceed previous generations by a factor of ten in research with only a tenth of the time!
d. Primary sources should include the apocryphal books of the Maccabees and Josephus's Antiquities.
6. Most expositors agree for the first 30-35 verses, but they branch off drastically at 11:36 through 12:13.
c. The period 165 BC to AD 70 have the greatest events in Israel's history, how could they be skipped?
d. This prophecy is to give Daniel the details of the second stage of the nation of Israel, after Babylon.
a. Believing Bible study is believing these points and looking for historical fulfillment that satisfies them.
b. Any man who concocts an interpretation outside these limitations has made God a liar. Follow scripture!
c. We do the very same thing in Matthew 24, where we submit to our Lord's perfectly plain limitation of
The Persians and Greeks (11:1-4)
11:1
1. Some say this verse belongs to the tenth chapter, but God rhetorically asks, "Where is the scribe?"
2. These things would surely come to pass, as Gabriel had assisted Darius in defeating the Chaldeans.
3. It was angelic power that strengthened the Medes and Persians to defeat the enemies of the church.
4. We underestimate the role that holy and wicked angels play in politics (10:13,20; I Chron 21:1).
1. Gabriel promises Daniel the truth. What a blessing! It is too bad men do not accept this given truth.
2. The vision of the future begins here with the Persian Empire, so we are retracing chapter eight,
4. There were many more Persian kings, but only these had any importance or dealings with the Jews.
5. Since Cyrus was reigning (10:1), we have Cambyses, Smerdis (Gomates), and Darius Hystaspes.
7. It does not matter; Xerxes is the rich king. Gomates, a fraud, reigned 7 months, so he is disposable.
8. Xerxes spent much of his reign raising money to finance an army and expedition against the Greeks.
9. It was his burning of Athens and other offences against Greece that brought the choler of Alexander.
10. After the Greeks defeated Xerxes, the Persian Empire was weak and ready for the picking.
1. We jump over many Persian rulers to Alexander, for the Persian Empire had become impotent.
2. The Persian Empire reached its zenith in the riches, army, and navy of Xerxes, and then it declined.
3. Alexander the Great conquered with might, speed, and dominion; he exactly fulfilled these words.
4. Whatever Alexander chose to do, he could do. He was invincible in battle, even with horrible odds.
1. No sooner had Alexander reached the height of his power than he died and left all in great turmoil.
2. Within fifteen years Alexanders's brother, mother, wives, and sons had all been murdered, which
4. There were other small divisions beyond the four, so that the empire was truly plucked up from him.
5. There was fighting among the generals, caused principally by Antigonus, lasting for over 20 years.
The Seleucid-Ptolemy Wars (11:5-20)
11:5
1. We have been told in the previous verse that Alexander's empire was divided to the four winds of
5. This is not a redundant statement that Ptolemy was one of Alexander's princes. That is obvious (4).
6. The king of the north is Seleucus Nicator, the conqueror, who had the largest and strongest empire,
8. Ptolemais Lagus invaded Judea and took it, which includes him in the prophecy of Daniel's people.
9. The four kingdoms with their rulers claiming to be kings was solidified approximately B.C. 300.
10. Tregelles places a prophetic gap before this verse, making the chapter tell of Futurism's antichrist.
1. Many historical events and much fighting between Alexander's generals are passed over as trivial.
2. Ptolemy II Philadelphus sent his daughter Berenice to Antiochius II Theos to unite the kingdoms.
3. Antiochus put away his true wife, Laodice, to marry Berenice, until Ptolemy Philadelphus died.
4. Then he remarried Laodice, but she was now a woman spurned and murdered him by poison!
5. She then convinced her son, Seleucus Callinicus, to kill both Berenice and her son.
6. So the Ptolemy king of the south, the Seleucid king of the north, the daughter, and her son are dead.
1. He sent armies to Syria and was not resisted by Seleucus Callinicus, son of Antiochus and Laodice.
2. He was entirely successful in his campaign, for the time, and prevailed at taking all he wanted.
3. Without resistance, he was able to enter even the capital city of Seleucia and leave a garrison there.
1. Cambyses of Persian had taken many of these idols from the Egyptians many years earlier.
2. How about 4,000 talents of gold, 40,000 talents of silver, and 2,500 images and gods to confirm it.
3. For this great return of their gods to their temples, the people called him Euergetes (the Benefactor).
1. He entered into the kingdom of the Seleucids in just revenge for the treacherous murder of Berenice.
2. If he had not been called home to crush sedition, he would have taken the whole Seleucid kingdom.
2. Seleucus, the older brother, died while preparations were being made against Ptolemaic Egypt.
3. These two sons of Seleucus Callinicus are Seleucus Araunus and Antiochus III the Great.
4. Notice the Bible's incredible accuracy in noting that only Antiochus was able to prosecute the war.
5. He recovered all the territory lost to Ptolemy III Euergetes and approached even to Caesarea.
6. After a four-month treaty, he approached Ptolemy's border fortress of Raphia near Gaza.
2. Antiochus set forth a great army of 62,000 footmen and 6,000 horsemen and 102 elephants.
3. But Ptolemy defeated the great army, killing 10,000 footmen and taking 4,000 prisoners.
4. Antiochus III the Great was forced to retreat to Antioch, where he sued for peace with Ptolemy.
2. Though he has great success against the armies of the Syrians, he does not use his great advantage.
3. He entered upon a life of criminal and sensual luxury and accepted unfavorable terms of peace.
2. Ptolemy V Epiphanes is but five years old at his father's death, so Egypt is ruled by Agathocles.
2. Greeks, Arabians, Edomites, and internal strife and ambition (with a five year old king) hurt Egypt.
3. The greedy bandits of Daniel's people the Jews will try to assist Antiochus against Egypt.
4. But their efforts with Antiochus III against Ptolemy V did not succeed, for Scopas took Judea.
2. He set up mounts against the walled and fenced cities of Palestine and took them victoriously.
3. Though Egypt sent its best generals to rescue Scopas, he surrendered at Sidon with 10,000 men.
2. Since much of the battle was fought in Judea, the large army consumed much of Israel's wealth.
2. To save his armies for fighting Rome, he sends Cleopatra I of Syria to Epiphanes with a dowry.
3. Cleopatra chose to love her husband Ptolemy V instead, turning against her father, Antiochus III.
2. He took many islands of the Mediterranean and Aegean with 100 large ships and 200 small ones.
3. But the Roman consul Lucuis Scipio Asiaticus performed valiantly for his own glory in victory.
4. Antiochus's incursions against the Romans were turned on him in defeat and total reparations.
5. He was forced to pay for the Roman war costs at the rate of about 1000 talents per year for 12 years.
2. He who was named Great, Antiochus III, was assassinated for trying to plunder a pagan temple.
2. He spent much time raising taxes to pay 1000 talents a year to Rome for his father's defeat.
3. He was assassinated in treachery by Heliodorus who sought to be king with Epiphanes in Rome.
4. III Maccabees 3:7; 9:23 indicate Seleucus sent Heliodorus to raid the temple treasures in Jerusalem.
11:21 Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a profane man, took the Seleucid throne by outside assistance and flatteries.
2. He may have been involved in the treacherous assassination of his brother, Seleucus IV Philopater.
3. The nation did not give him the throne, as they saw it belonged to Demetrius, son of Seleucus IV.
4. He used Eumenes and Attalus of Pergamos to assist him in taking the kingdom "for his nephew."
5. He flattered the populace as he had seen in Rome, with modern personal politicking for popularity.
6. He called himself Ephiphanes (the Illustrious), but others called him Epimanes (the madman).
2. He broke his opposition, including the rightful prince, Demetrius I Soter, who reigned after him.
3. The "covenant" here refers to his flattering claim that he was protecting the throne for Demetrius.
2. He moved through Syria and Palestine into Egypt with a small but formidable force to seize it.
2. Superior to all the Seleucid kings before him, Antiochus makes great progress toward all Egypt.
3. One of his policies was liberal distribution of military spoil to buy the souls of nobles and generals.
4. With crafty guile, he devised strategies against the strongholds of Egypt to take it easily, if possible.
5. This subtle form of conquest would last for a while, until the time was ripe for an all out assault.
6. We consider this his first assault upon Egypt, for we have Biblical record of three separate assaults.
2. Young Ptolemy Philometer is defeated, not by military strength, but treason through Antiochus.
11:27 Ptolemy, now the captive of Antiochus, invites him to a great banquet at Memphis, subject to the Lord.
2. Ptolemy lies to his uncle of thanks for his care, while he plans to unite with Euergetes, his brother.
3. The end of either or both kingdoms is not yet, though Antiochus has a serious advantage presently.
2. The Jews, having heard a false rumor that Antiochus was dead, celebrated, which enraged him.
3. He entered Jerusalem slaying 80,000 of any age or sex, plundered the temple, and desecrated it.
2. Antiochus returned to Egypt in God's timing, for a prophecy of 2300 days was running (8:14-15).
3. This campaign was not as successful as the first two, for he was defeated by a mere Roman threat.
2. Ptolemy VI Philometer and his brother Ptolemy VIII Euergetes had sought the assistance of Rome.
3. The Roman ambassador Popilius Loenas drew a circle in the sand and demanded his withdrawal.
4. Grieved horribly at the treatment by his former friend the Roman ambassador, he is full of wrath.
5. He intends to take out all his frustration, grief, and hate on the Jews, who were in his return path.
6. He sends his general with 22,000 soldiers to desolate and desecrate the city until it is quite empty.
7. He has friends among the apostates of that rebellious people who assist his overthrow of religion.
2. He forbid Jewish sacrifices and established revelry with harlots within the temple confines itself.
3. He set up his idol god Jupiter Olympius on the altar of burnt offering of the God of Israel.
4. There are no further words here about Antiochus, as his personal end was already told (8:25).
11:32 Two factions in Israel appear, one friendly to Antiochus, and the other committed to his destruction.
2. The faithful Jews, including the family of Mattathias (Maccabees), did exploits for their God.
3. This Hasmonean family (from Hasmon) had a father (Mattathias) and five accomplished sons.
4. Their nickname Maccabees was first applied to Judas, meaning, "Hammer of God, and then to all.
5. The exploits of the greatly outnumbered Maccabees are stories indeed of zeal and divine blessing.
6. Both of these factions may be read about in the apocryphal Maccabees and Josephus's Antiquities.
7. This family and their descendants ruled Israel as ruler-priests for 130 years, from 167 BC to 37 BC.
2. Their conflict was difficult due to their very small numbers and arms, and they suffered greatly.
3. The story of the ninety-year-old scribe Eleazar and his refusal to eat pork is an excellent example.
2. They had imposters, apostates, and seditious Jews and others using them and undermining them.
2. The horrible persecution and difficulties of these people, indicated by falling, is repeated (33-35).
3. They were tried, purged, and perfected through martyrdom, as they declined into the reign of Herod.
3. One of Herod's first acts of business was to kill his brother-in-law, Aristobulus, the high priest.
4. The "time of the end" here is the "appointed" duration of the Maccabean rule and suffering.
5. Even if "time of the end" is applied to the end of Israel as a nation, we now come to its last stage.
6. The duration of the Maccabees was from Mattathias (167 BC) to Herod as king of Judea (37 BC).
Herod the Great (11:36-39)
11:36 The Herods, very important in relation to Daniel's people, prospered until the indignation was done.
2. Once a man puts a gap in the 70 weeks in Daniel 9, he feels justified to put gaps anywhere else.
3. They "gap" here to deny us God's wonderful fulfillments, demote Jesus and the apostles, and keep
6. Reason #1: the prophecy is of "latter days" of the Jews, a second period of existence (10:14; 11:2).
7. Reason #2: the prophecy is of Daniel's people up to their scattering in AD 70 (11:2; 12:1,7).
8. Reason #3: the only king still in power when the indignation was finished was Herod, Agrippa II.
9. Reason #4: the prophecy has run as a continuous, chronological narrative of politics affecting Israel.
10. Reason #5: the new verse is introduced with the conjunction "and," indicating further continuity.
11. Reason #6: the "king" here is not designated as of the north or south; he is a new and different king.
12. Reason #7: the designation is "the king," by which the definite article focuses on an obvious king.
13. Reason #8: a very real and important king came on the scene right as the Asmonean period ended.
14. Reason #9: the king here, without modifier, must be a king of Daniel's people, a "king of the Jews."
15. Reason #10: the Jews had no king after Babylon, until Herod the king, who needs no explanation.
16. Reason #11: though a vassal king of the Romans, the Scriptures call him "the king" (Matt 2:1,3,9).
17. Reason #12: Herod "the king" affected Daniel's people and church more than the others combined.
18. Reason #13: with details about Berenice (11:6), Antiochus IV, and others, Herod cannot be ignored.
19. Reason #14: Herod the Great, and his dynasty, are very important in Biblical and secular history.
20. Reason #15: the primary subject is the nation of Israel, not Syria or Egypt, so Herod's importance.
21. Reason #16: the temple, which plays a large role in the New Testament, was built by "the king."
22. Reason #17: the given details are fulfilled perfectly in the life of Herod the Great and his family.
23. Reason #18: having been introduced to the Roman power earlier (chapters 2,7,9), it must be here.
24. Reason #19: Antony's (of the south) loss to Octavian (of the north) of 31 BC in 11:40 is still ahead.
26. Reason #21: the following verses list chariots and horsemen, not cruise missiles and CIA drones.
27. Reason #22: the following verses list countries like Edom and Moab, which disappeared long ago.
28. Reason #23: the great wealth of Egypt is described (11:43), which is 2000 years gone (Ezek 29:15).
29. Reason #24: the antichrist, or man of sin, is not here; the pope did not come for 500 years (7:23-25).
30. Reason #25: he cannot be Antiochus, for (a) he did not do according to his will after 11:30; (b) he
32. Herod did according to his will in great building projects, horrible atrocities, and in wealth/power.
33. Herod did according to his will in that no one stopped or hindered any of his varied ambitions.
34. Herod exalted himself; he was not made king; he asked it of Antony, Octavian, and the Senate.
35. Herod magnified himself above every god [ruler]; he appointed, deposed, and killed even priests.
36. Herod spoke marvelous things against Jehovah, for he promoted Greek/Roman deities and Caesar.
37. Herod spoke marvelous things against Jehovah, for he diligently inquired to find and kill His Son!
38. Herod prospered through his dynasty until the indignation God had determined was done in AD 70.
39. If this indignation is limited to Herod the great, in his last year he destroyed Bethlehem's babies.
Compare this construction with the same object our Lord Jesus in Haggai 2:7, were we read of
the "desire of all nations," where nations desire a Saviour, not political ambitions desire nations.
6. Isn't it fantastic how the coming Antichrist will be celibate or neuter from this phrase about Herod!
7. He regarded no god [ruler] at all, though he did regard gods [pagan deities] throughout the nation.
8. Herod's father was Antipater, a friend of John Hyrcanus II, the last Hasmonean ruler priest of Israel.
9. Herod executed directly or indirectly all the Asmoneans, John Hyrcanus II, Aristobulus III,
12. He murdered his beloved wife Mariamne, his children, relatives, and any suspected competitor.
13. Caesar Augustus, his friend and patron, said of Herod, "I would rather be Herod's pig than his son."
14. He had his own groupies or followers called Herodians, who counted him as the Messiah of Israel.
2. When chased from Judea by Antigonus and the Parthians in 40 BC, he went right to Rome for help.
3. He did not honor the true God of forces, Jehovah, but the political God of forces, the Roman rulers.
4. He put his trust, from beginning to end, in military might and force in eliminating any competitors.
5. Julius Caesar was made Pontifex Maximus, Supreme Priest, in 63 BC, and Augustus in 12 BC.
6. Julius Caesar was called a god after 44 BC, when a comet appeared at games in his honor; and
8. He is known in history for building many forts and fortresses, even some attached to the temple.
9. He bought his support with great gifts to Antony, and then Augustus, when he defeated Antony.
10. A great tower in the temple was called Antonia; a seaport became Caesarea; and there was Masada.
11. He built temples and palaces all over in honor to Augustus; new cities were called his caesareas.
12. His showering of gifts and honors upon the rulers of Rome are legendary, thus the fulfillment.
3. He promoted the Roman god to the extent he placed their eagle ensign over the temple entrance.
4. He promoted the Romans as a people, a nation, and authority over the peoples that he ruled.
5. The strange god that Herod promoted was Caesar Augustus, whom he honored abundantly.
6. He built and named forts (Antonia in Jerusalem after Antony) and cities (Caesarea after Augustus).
7. He appointed and deposed deputies, priests, and any other ruler as he saw fit for his own gain.
8. He doled out lands and authority to those who supported him in order to secure their allegiance.
Caesar Augustus (11:40-43)
11:40 The final end of the Greek kingdoms is brought about by the battle of Actium of Antony and Octavian.
players are mentioned is due to (a) the proximity of Egypt to Israel, (b) Augustus entered the
glorious land on his way to Egypt, and (c) and to reveal the Caesar we find in the New Testament.
3. Cleopatra, with Antony's assistance, did push at Herod, taking some of his territory. Herod and
Herod to fight the Arabians for her, which kept him from fighting Octavian, but cost him territory.
5. The king of the south is the combined political/military might of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII.
6. Rome is called the king of the north, for they came from the north and were in control of Syria,
8. Cleopatra VII wanted to expand her empire and tried so first with Julius Caesar and then Antony.
9. Herod at this time is listed in the supplying kings of Mark Antony, also according to Plutarch.
10. Octavian, the nephew of Julius Caesar, another lover of Cleopatra, defeated him to take the Empire.
11. Marc Antony, obsessed with his Cleopatra, engaged Octavian in a naval battle and was defeated.
12. They retired to Alexandria, Egypt, where Antony committed suicide, and then Cleopatra did also.
13. The reference to ships, horsemen, and chariots is a precise fulfillment of Actium and Alexandria.
14. An infantry battle was not fought. Fighting was with ships and cavalry. Antony was better on land.
15. Octavian took provinces from Illyria to Syria to Africa. There were also many defections to him.
16. He was like a flood nothing stood in his way. He was very successful in his military progress.
2. He brought many countries under dominion that had some independence since Alexander's death.
3. Octavian sent Aelius Gallus along with troops from Herod against Edom, Moab, and Ammon; but
2. The power and history of the Ptolemies, wealth of Cleopatra, and soldiers and skill of Antony failed.
3. He took possession of Egypt, which had not been done by a "king of the north," since Alexander.
2. Cleopatra conspired to draw her ships over the isthmus into the Red Sea and sail away with Egypt's
4. He celebrated his triumph in Rome in 29 BC; interest rates fell greatly due to the influx of booty.
5. Though Octavian did not take Libya and Ethiopia himself, his general Cornelius Balbus did so.
6. Octavian returned victorious to Rome, became emperor, and was given the title "Augustus."
7. This is that king of whom we read, "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus" (Luke 2:1).
Herod the Great (11:44-45)
11:44 Herod the Great at the end of his life was greatly troubled and angered by tidings from east and north.
2. The parenthesis of politics in the rest of the world behind us; we now return to Herod "the king."
3. The antecedents of pronouns, in all writings, are identified by context, not necessarily by proximity.
4. Horrible tidings came from the east to Herod news that a king of the Jews was born (Matt 2:1-18)!
5. Herod and all Jerusalem were "troubled" with the things they heard from wise men from the east!
6. When mocked by the wise men, Herod was "exceeding wroth" and issued his atrocious decree.
7. He went forth with great fury and killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem and neighboring areas.
8. His depraved, oldest son Antipater, who was in Rome (the north), spread seditious lies about him
10. He gathered all the principal leaders of Israel together and had them retained in the hippodrome, and
2. The glorious holy mountain is Mount Zion (Moriah), upon which Jerusalem was built (Ps 48:1-3).
3. Herod's palace was a magnificent fortress attached to the temple with a secret passage into it.
4. Herod died lonely and hated by everyone, for he had butchered his own family and nation for gain.
5. He died of the most horrible afflictions and diseases, which could not be retarded or alleviated at all.
6. He died in absolute torment of a combination of rage and fear. Josephus says "paroxysms of fury."
7. He died in one year from having slain the babies of Bethlehem, as God brought judgment on him.
Conclusion:
1. A study of this chapter, in particular 11:36-45, owes much to the providence of God in discovering two
been helped by James Farquharson, who had printed in 1838 in Aberdeen, Scotland a book entitled,
"Daniel's Last Vision and Prophecy, respecting which Commentators have greatly differed from each other,
showing its Fulfilment in events recorded in authentic history.
variety of sources with as much evidence as a fair person could want, and all this for a click of the mouse!
For further reading:
1. History charts from 333 B.C. to A.D.
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