Daniel 11:1 — Also I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. This opening verse shows God’s continued involvement in the affairs of kings and kingdoms.
Daniel 11:2 — And now I will show you the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all. By his strength through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. The fourth king after Cyrus is Xerxes, who was famous for his wealth and his determination to conquer Greece.
Daniel 11:3 — And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. This refers to Alexander the Great, who rose with power and ruled according to his own will.
Daniel 11:4 — 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. After Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Greece was divided into four parts: Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy.
Daniel 11:5 — 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. Cassander’s kingdom was taken over by Lysimachus and later by Seleucus.
Daniel 11:6 — 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. She shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. This refers to the treaty between Egypt and Syria. Ptolemy of Egypt gave his daughter Berenice to Antiochus of Syria, but Antiochus later took back Laodice, who poisoned him and Berenice.
Daniel 11:7 — 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. This branch from Berenice’s root was her brother Ptolemy Euergetes.
Daniel 11:8 — 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. Ptolemy Euergetes carried away spoils from Syria and continued longer than the king of the north.
Daniel 11:9 — So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. This follows the conflict between the southern and northern kingdoms.
Daniel 11:10 — 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. These were the sons of Syria, including Seleucus Ceraunus and Antiochus Magnus, who recovered parts of Syria.
Daniel 11:11 — 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. He shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. Ptolemy Philopator fought against Antiochus at Raphia but was defeated.
Daniel 11:12 — 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. Ptolemy did not use his victory well and later brought ruin and persecution in Alexandria.
Daniel 11:13 — 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. After years of peace, Antiochus Magnus returned with a greater army against Egypt.
Daniel 11:14 — 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. Many rose against young Ptolemy, and Rome defended the infant king.
Daniel 11:15 — So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities. This continues the advance of the northern power.
Daniel 11:16 — But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him. He shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. This points to the growing power of Rome in the region.
Daniel 11:17 — He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do. This reflects the strategic expansion of the Roman power.
Daniel 11:18 — After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many. Rome extended its reach by conquest.
Daniel 11:19 — Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. This marks the decline of that ruler.
Daniel 11:20 — 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. This refers to Augustus, the tax raiser, who succeeded in the height of Roman greatness and died in peace.
Daniel 11:21 — 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. This refers to Tiberius Caesar, who came to power by flatteries and without true honour from the people.
Daniel 11:22 — 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. Tiberius ruled during the time of Jesus and was eventually destroyed.
Daniel 11:23 — And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. Rome made a league with the Jews and later worked deceitfully.
Daniel 11:24 — 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. Rome took large provinces peacefully and advanced by policy and power.
Daniel 11:25 — And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army. This refers to Rome against Egypt in the battle of Actium.
Daniel 11:26 — Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. Antony was deserted by allies and lost the battle.
Daniel 11:27 — And both 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. Antony and Augustus were in alliance, but it was marked by deceit.
Daniel 11:28 — 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. Rome returned in glory and later opposed the holy covenant, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Daniel 11:29 — At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. The removal to Constantinople marked a decline in Rome’s prestige.
Daniel 11:30 — For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant. Chittim refers to the Mediterranean powers that resisted him.
Daniel 11:31 — 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. This is understood as the rise of papal power, which replaced paganism and used civil power to control religion.
Daniel 11:32 — 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. The pope corrupted true Christians, but the faithful stood strong.
Daniel 11:33 — 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. This describes the Dark Ages and the long years of persecution.
Daniel 11:34 — Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. The Reformation brought some help, though many joined only outwardly.
Daniel 11:35 — 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. Papal persecution continued for the appointed time.
Daniel 11:36 — 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. This is applied to atheistic France.
Daniel 11:37 — 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. This also points to atheistic France.
Daniel 11:38 — 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. France introduced the goddess of reason.
Daniel 11:39 — 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. France confiscated the land and distributed it for gain.