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Daniel 11
New English Translation

11 And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I[a] stood to strengthen him and to provide protection for him.) 2 Now I will tell you the truth.

The Angel Gives a Message to Daniel

“Three[b] more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth[c] king will be unusually rich,[d] more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against[e] the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a powerful king[f] will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases. 4 Shortly after his rise to power,[g] his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky[h]—but not to his posterity or with the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.

5 “Then the king of the south[i] and one of his subordinates[j] will grow strong. His subordinate[k] will resist[l] him and will rule a kingdom greater than his.[m] 6 After some years have passed, they[n] will form an alliance. Then the daughter[o] of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain her power,[p] nor will he continue[q] in his strength.[r] She, together with the one who brought her, her child,[s] and her benefactor will all be delivered over at that time.[t]

7 “There will arise in his[u] place one from her family line[v] who will come against their army and will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and will move against them successfully.[w] 8 He will also take their gods into captivity to Egypt, along with their cast images and prized utensils of silver and gold. Then he will withdraw for some years from[x] the king of the north. 9 Then the king of the north[y] will advance against the empire of the king of the south, but will withdraw to his own land. 10 His sons[z] will wage war, mustering a large army that will advance like an overflowing river and carrying the battle all the way to the enemy’s[aa] fortress.[ab]

11 “Then the king of the south[ac] will be enraged and will march out to fight against the king of the north, who will also muster a large army, but that army will be delivered into his hand. 12 When the army is taken away, the king of the south will become arrogant.[ad] He will be responsible for the death[ae] of thousands and thousands of people,[af] but he will not continue to prevail. 13 For the king of the north will again muster an army, one larger than before. At the end of some years he will advance with a huge army and enormous supplies.

14 “In those times many will oppose[ag] the king of the south.[ah] Those who are violent[ai] among your own people will rise up in confirmation of[aj] the vision, but they will falter. 15 Then the king of the north will advance and will build siege mounds and capture a well-fortified city.[ak] The forces of the south will not prevail, not even his finest contingents.[al] They will have no strength to prevail. 16 The one advancing against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to stand before him. He will prevail in the beautiful land, and its annihilation will be within his power.[am] 17 His intention[an] will be to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, and he will form alliances.[ao] He will give the king of the south[ap] a daughter[aq] in marriage in order to destroy the kingdom, but it will not turn out to his advantage. 18 Then he will turn his attention[ar] to the coastal regions and will capture many of them. But a commander[as] will bring his shameful conduct to a halt; in addition,[at] he will make him pay for his shameful conduct.[au] 19 He will then turn his attention to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall, not to be found again. 20 There will arise after him[av] one[aw] who will send out an exactor[ax] of tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom, but after a few days he will be destroyed,[ay] though not in anger or battle.

21 “Then there will arise in his place a despicable person[az] to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit. 22 Armies[ba] will be suddenly[bb] swept away in defeat[bc] before him; both they and a covenant leader[bd] will be destroyed.[be] 23 After[bf] entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force.[bg] 24 In a time of prosperity for the most productive areas of the province he will come and accomplish what neither his fathers nor their fathers accomplished. He will distribute loot, spoils, and property to his followers, and he will devise plans against fortified cities, but not for long.[bh] 25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm[bi] against the king of the south[bj] with a large army. The king of the south will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to prevail because of the plans devised against him. 26 Those who share the king’s fine food will attempt to destroy him, and his army will be swept away;[bk] many will be killed in battle. 27 These two kings, their minds[bl] filled with evil intentions, will trade[bm] lies with one another at the same table. But it will not succeed, for there is still an end at the appointed time. 28 Then the king of the north[bn] will return to his own land with much property. His mind will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action, and then return to his own land. 29 At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did. 30 The ships of Kittim[bo] will come against him, leaving him disheartened.[bp] He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor[bq] those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 His forces[br] will rise up and profane the fortified sanctuary,[bs] stopping the daily sacrifice. In its place they will set up[bt] the abomination that causes desolation. 32 Then with smooth words he will defile[bu] those who have rejected[bv] the covenant. But the people who are loyal to[bw] their God will act valiantly.[bx] 33 These who are wise among the people will teach the masses.[by] However, they will fall[bz] by the sword and by the flame,[ca] and they will be imprisoned and plundered for some time.[cb] 34 When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully. 35 Even some of the wise will stumble, resulting in their refinement, purification, and cleansing until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time.

36 “Then the king[cc] will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of[cd] wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur.[ce] 37 He will not respect[cf] the gods of his fathers—not even the god loved by women.[cg] He will not respect any god; he will elevate himself above them all. 38 What he will honor is a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not acknowledge he will honor with gold, silver, valuable stones, and treasured commodities. 39 He will attack[ch] mighty fortresses, aided by[ci] a foreign deity. To those who recognize him he will grant considerable honor. He will place them in authority over many people, and he will parcel out land for a price.[cj]

40 “At the time of the end the king of the south will attack[ck] him. Then the king of the north will storm against him[cl] with chariots, horsemen, and a large armada of ships.[cm] He[cn] will invade lands, passing through them like an overflowing river.[co] 41 Then he will enter the beautiful land.[cp] Many[cq] will fall, but these will escape:[cr] Edom, Moab, and the Ammonite leadership. 42 He will extend his power[cs] against other lands; the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 He will have control over the hidden stores of gold and silver, as well as all the treasures of Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians[ct] will submit to him.[cu] 44 But reports will trouble him from the east and north, and he will set out in a tremendous rage to destroy and wipe out many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas[cv] toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 11:1 sn The antecedent of the pronoun “I” is the angel, not Daniel. The traditional chapter division at this point, and the presence of a chronological note in the verse similar to ones used elsewhere in the book to position Daniel’s activities in relation to imperial affairs, sometimes lead to confusion on this matter.
  2. Daniel 11:2 sn Perhaps these three more kings are Cambyses (ca. 530-522 b.c.), Pseudo-Smerdis (ca. 522 b.c.), and Darius I Hystaspes (ca. 522-486 b.c.).
  3. Daniel 11:2 sn This fourth king is Xerxes I (ca. 486-465 b.c.).
  4. Daniel 11:2 tn Heb “rich with great riches.”
  5. Daniel 11:2 tn Or “All [of it] will arouse the kingdom of Greece.” The text is difficult. The text is traditionally taken to have the fourth king as the subject of the verb, making the relationship between הַכֹּל (hakkol, “all, the whole, everyone, everything”) and the kingdom of Greece difficult. Presumably “everyone” is the direct object, but the “kingdom” has the direct object marker אֶת (ʾet). This is very unlikely to be the preposition אֶת (ʾet, “with”) because the verb עוּר (ʿur, “to arouse”) uses the preposition עַל (ʿal) to mean “stir up against.” Nevertheless the meaning “against” is typically supplied or assumed from context. An alternative is to take הַכֹּל as the subject, meaning “all of it,” that is the power and wealth, will arouse [the interest] of the kingdom of Greece. This makes sense of the articular use of הַכֹּל, the parsing of the verb, and the direct object indicator, and also fits the context where in the next verse the Greek king rises up.
  6. Daniel 11:3 sn The powerful king mentioned here is Alexander the Great (ca. 336-323 b.c.).
  7. Daniel 11:4 tn Heb “and when he stands.”
  8. Daniel 11:4 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
  9. Daniel 11:5 sn The king of the south is Ptolemy I Soter (ca. 323-285 b.c.). The following reference to one of his subordinates apparently has in view Seleucus I Nicator (ca. 311-280 b.c.). Throughout the remainder of chap. 11 the expressions “king of the south” and “king of the north” repeatedly occur. It is clear, however, that these terms are being used generically to describe the Ptolemaic king (i.e., “of the south”) or the Seleucid king (i.e., “of the north”) who happens to be in power at any particular time. The specific identity of these kings can be established more or less successfully by a comparison of this chapter with the available extra-biblical records that discuss the history of the intertestamental period. In the following notes the generally accepted identifications are briefly mentioned.
  10. Daniel 11:5 tn Heb “princes.”
  11. Daniel 11:5 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the subordinate prince mentioned in the previous clause) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  12. Daniel 11:5 tn Heb “be strong against.”
  13. Daniel 11:5 tn Heb “greater than his kingdom.”
  14. Daniel 11:6 sn Here they refers to Ptolemy II Philadelphus (ca. 285-246 b.c.) and Antiochus II Theos (ca. 262-246 b.c.).
  15. Daniel 11:6 sn The daughter refers to Berenice, who was given in marriage to Antiochus II Theos.
  16. Daniel 11:6 tn Heb “the strength of the arm.”
  17. Daniel 11:6 tn Heb “stand,” as also in vv. 7, 8, 11, 13.
  18. Daniel 11:6 tn Heb “and his arm.” Some understand this to refer to the descendants of the king of the north.
  19. Daniel 11:6 tc The present translation reads יַלְדָּה (yaldah, “her child”) rather than the MT יֹלְדָהּ (yoledah, “the one who begot her”). Cf. Theodotion, the Syriac, and the Vulgate.
  20. Daniel 11:6 sn Antiochus II eventually divorced Berenice and remarried his former wife Laodice, who then poisoned her husband, had Berenice put to death, and installed her own son, Seleucus II Callinicus (ca. 246-227 b.c.), as the Seleucid king.
  21. Daniel 11:7 sn The reference is to the king of Egypt.
  22. Daniel 11:7 tn Heb “the stock of her roots.”sn The reference to one from her family line is probably to Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes (ca. 246-221 b.c.).
  23. Daniel 11:7 tn Heb “will deal with them and prevail.”
  24. Daniel 11:8 tn The Hebrew preposition מִן (min) is used here with the verb עָמַד (ʿamad, “to stand”). It probably has a sense of separation (“stand away from”), although it may also be understood in an adversative sense (“stand against”).
  25. Daniel 11:9 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  26. Daniel 11:10 sn The sons of Seleucus II Callinicus were Seleucus III Ceraunus (ca. 227-223 b.c.) and Antiochus III the Great (ca. 223-187 b.c.).
  27. Daniel 11:10 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the enemy of the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  28. Daniel 11:10 tn Heb “and he will certainly come and overflow and cross over and return and be aroused unto a fortress.” The translation has attempted to simplify the syntax of this difficult sequence.
  29. Daniel 11:11 sn This king of the south refers to Ptolemy IV Philopator (ca. 221-204 b.c.).
  30. Daniel 11:12 tn Heb “his heart will be lifted up.” The referent (the king of the south) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  31. Daniel 11:12 tn Heb “cause to fall.”
  32. Daniel 11:12 tn Heb “of myriads.”
  33. Daniel 11:14 tn Heb “stand against.”
  34. Daniel 11:14 sn This was Ptolemy V Epiphanes (ca. 203-181 b.c.).
  35. Daniel 11:14 tn Heb “sons of violence.” “Son(s)” is sometimes used idiomatically in Hebrew to indicate that someone is characterized by a certain quality. So the expression “sons of violence” means that these individuals will be characterized by violent deeds.
  36. Daniel 11:14 tn Heb “to cause to stand.”
  37. Daniel 11:15 sn This well-fortified city is apparently Sidon. Its capture from the Ptolemies by Antiochus the Great was a strategic victory for the Seleucid kingdom.
  38. Daniel 11:15 tn Or “choice troops” (BDB 104 s.v. מִבְחָר), or “elite troops” (HALOT 542 s.v. מִבְחָר).
  39. Daniel 11:16 tn Heb “hand.”
  40. Daniel 11:17 tn Heb “and he will set his face” (cf. vv. 18, 19).
  41. Daniel 11:17 tc The present translation reads מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim, “alliances”) for the MT וִישָׁרִים (viysharim, “uprightness”).
  42. Daniel 11:17 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the king of the south) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  43. Daniel 11:17 tn Heb “the daughter of the women.”sn The daughter refers to Cleopatra, the daughter of Antiochus, who was given in marriage to Ptolemy V.
  44. Daniel 11:18 tn Heb “his face,” as also in v. 19.
  45. Daniel 11:18 sn The commander is probably the Roman commander, Lucius Cornelius Scipio.
  46. Daniel 11:18 tn The Hebrew here is difficult in that the negative בִּלְתִּי (bilti, “not”) is used in an unusual way. The sense is not entirely clear.
  47. Daniel 11:18 tn Heb “his shameful conduct he will return to him.”
  48. Daniel 11:20 tn Heb “on his place.”
  49. Daniel 11:20 sn The one who will send out an exactor of tribute was Seleucus IV Philopator (ca. 187-176 b.c.).
  50. Daniel 11:20 sn Perhaps this exactor of tribute was Heliodorus (cf. 2 Macc 3).
  51. Daniel 11:20 tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”
  52. Daniel 11:21 sn This despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ca. 175-164 b.c.).
  53. Daniel 11:22 tn Heb “arms.”
  54. Daniel 11:22 tc The present translation reads הִשָּׁטֹף (hishatof), Niphal infinitive absolute of שָׁטַף (shataf, “to overflow”), for the MT הַשֶּׁטֶף (hashetef, “flood”).
  55. Daniel 11:22 tn The words “in defeat” are added in the translation for clarification.
  56. Daniel 11:22 tn Heb “a prince of the covenant.”
  57. Daniel 11:22 tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”
  58. Daniel 11:23 tn The preposition מִן (min) is probably temporal here (so BDB 583 s.v. 7.c; cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV), although it could also be understood here as indicating means (so J. Goldingay, Daniel [WBC], 279, n. 23a; cf. TEV, NLT).
  59. Daniel 11:23 tn Heb “nation.”
  60. Daniel 11:24 tn Heb “and unto a time.”
  61. Daniel 11:25 tn Heb “heart.”
  62. Daniel 11:25 sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145 b.c.).
  63. Daniel 11:26 tc The present translation reads יִשָׁטֵף (yishatef, passive) rather than the MT יִשְׁטוֹף (yishtof, active).
  64. Daniel 11:27 tn Heb “heart,” as also in v. 28.
  65. Daniel 11:27 tn Heb “speak.”
  66. Daniel 11:28 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  67. Daniel 11:30 sn The name Kittim has various designations in extra-biblical literature. It can refer to a location on the island of Cyprus, or more generally to the island itself, or it can be an inclusive term to refer to parts of the Mediterranean world that lay west of the Middle East (e.g., Rome). For ships of Kittim the Greek OT (LXX) has “Romans,” an interpretation followed by a few English versions (e.g., TEV). A number of times in the Dead Sea Scrolls the word is used in reference to the Romans. Other English versions are more generic: “[ships] of the western coastlands” (NIV, NLT); “from the west” (NCV, CEV).
  68. Daniel 11:30 sn This is apparently a reference to the Roman forces, led by Gaius Popilius Laenas, which confronted Antiochus when he came to Egypt and demanded that he withdraw or face the wrath of Rome. Antiochus wisely withdrew from Egypt, albeit in a state of bitter frustration.
  69. Daniel 11:30 tn Heb “show regard for.”
  70. Daniel 11:31 tn Heb “arms.”
  71. Daniel 11:31 tn Heb “the sanctuary, the fortress.”
  72. Daniel 11:31 tn Heb “will give.”
  73. Daniel 11:32 tn Or “corrupt.”
  74. Daniel 11:32 tn Heb “acted wickedly toward.”
  75. Daniel 11:32 tn Heb “know.” The term “know” sometimes means “to recognize.” In relational contexts it can have the connotation “recognize the authority of, be loyal to,” as it does here.
  76. Daniel 11:32 sn This is an allusion to the Maccabean revolt, which struggled to bring about Jewish independence in the second century b.c.
  77. Daniel 11:33 tn Heb “the many.”
  78. Daniel 11:33 tn Heb “stumble.”
  79. Daniel 11:33 tn Or “by burning.”
  80. Daniel 11:33 tn Heb “days.”
  81. Daniel 11:36 sn The identity of this king is problematic. If vv. 36-45 continue the description of Antiochus Epiphanes, the account must be viewed as erroneous, since the details do not match what is known of Antiochus’ latter days. Most modern scholars take this view, concluding that this section was written just shortly before the death of Antiochus and that the writer erred on several key points as he tried to predict what would follow the events of his own day. Conservative scholars, however, usually understand the reference to shift at this point to an eschatological figure, viz., the Antichrist. The chronological gap that this would presuppose to be in the narrative is not necessarily a problem, since by all accounts there are many chronological gaps throughout the chapter, as the historical figures intended by such expressions as “king of the north” and “king of the south” repeatedly shift.
  82. Daniel 11:36 tn The words “the time of” are added in the translation for clarification.
  83. Daniel 11:36 tn Heb “has been done.” The Hebrew verb used here is the perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of fulfillment.
  84. Daniel 11:37 tn Heb “consider.”
  85. Daniel 11:37 tn Heb “[the one] desired by women.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  86. Daniel 11:39 tn Heb “act against.”
  87. Daniel 11:39 tn Heb “with.”
  88. Daniel 11:39 tn Or perhaps “for a reward.”
  89. Daniel 11:40 tn Heb “engage in thrusting.”
  90. Daniel 11:40 tn The referent of the pronoun is most likely the king of the south, in which case the text describes the king of the north countering the attack of the king of the south.
  91. Daniel 11:40 tn Heb “many ships.”
  92. Daniel 11:40 tn This most likely refers to the king of the north who, in response to the aggression of the king of the south, launches an invasion of the southern regions.
  93. Daniel 11:40 tn Heb “and will overflow and pass over.”
  94. Daniel 11:41 sn The beautiful land is a cryptic reference to the land of Israel.
  95. Daniel 11:41 tn This can be understood as “many people” (cf. NRSV) or “many countries” (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).
  96. Daniel 11:41 tn Heb “be delivered from his hand.”
  97. Daniel 11:42 tn Heb “hand.”
  98. Daniel 11:43 tn Or “Nubians” (NIV, NCV); Heb “Cushites.”
  99. Daniel 11:43 tn Heb “Libyans and Cushites [will be] at his footsteps.”
  100. Daniel 11:45 sn Presumably seas refers to the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea.
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Daniel 11
New King James Version

Warring Kings of North and South

11 “Also (A)in the first year of (B)Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.) 2 And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3 Then (C)a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and (D)do according to his will. 4 And when he has arisen, (E)his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity (F)nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.

Warring Kings of North and South

5 “Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her [a]authority, and neither he nor his [b]authority shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times. 7 But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. 8 And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their [c]princes and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North.

9 “Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. 10 However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come (G)and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return (H)to his fortress and stir up strife.

11 “And the king of the South shall be (I)moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but the (J)multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. 12 When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be [d]lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. 13 For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.

14 “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, [e]violent men of your people shall exalt themselves [f]in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall (K)fall. 15 So the king of the North shall come and (L)build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the [g]forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. 16 But he who comes against him (M)shall do according to his own will, and (N)no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his [h]power.

17 “He shall also (O)set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and [i]upright ones with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, (P)or be for him. 18 After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him. 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall (Q)stumble and fall, (R)and not be found.

20 “There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle. 21 And in his place (S)shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 With the [j]force of a (T)flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, (U)and also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after the league is made with him (V)he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, [k]spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only 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 be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall [l]be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the (W)appointed time. 28 While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land.

The Northern King’s Blasphemies

29 “At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30 (X)For ships from [m]Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage.

“So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 And [n]forces shall be mustered by him, (Y)and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall [o]corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by [p]intrigue. 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, (Z)to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall (AA)exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the [q]God of his fathers nor the desire of women, (AB)nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for [r]gain.

The Northern King’s Conquests

40 “At the (AC)time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him (AD)like a whirlwind, with chariots, (AE)horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: (AF)Edom, Moab, and the [s]prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of (AG)Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow (AH)at his heels. 44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and (AI)the glorious holy mountain; (AJ)yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 11:6 Lit. arm
  2. Daniel 11:6 Lit. arm
  3. Daniel 11:8 Or molded images
  4. Daniel 11:12 Proud
  5. Daniel 11:14 Or robbers, lit. sons of breakage
  6. Daniel 11:14 Lit. to establish
  7. Daniel 11:15 Lit. arms
  8. Daniel 11:16 Lit. hand
  9. Daniel 11:17 Or bring equitable terms
  10. Daniel 11:22 Lit. arms
  11. Daniel 11:24 booty
  12. Daniel 11:26 Or overflow
  13. Daniel 11:30 Heb. Kittim, western lands, especially Cyprus
  14. Daniel 11:31 Lit. arms
  15. Daniel 11:32 pollute
  16. Daniel 11:34 Or slipperiness, flattery
  17. Daniel 11:37 Or gods
  18. Daniel 11:39 profit
  19. Daniel 11:41 Lit. chief of the sons of Ammon
Listen to Daniel 11
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Daniel 11
New International Version

11 1 And in the first year of Darius(A) the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)

The Kings of the South and the North

2 “Now then, I tell you the truth:(B) Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.(C) 3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases.(D) 4 After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven.(E) It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted(F) and given to others.

5 “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power[a] will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father[b] and the one who supported her.

7 “One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North(G) and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8 He will also seize their gods,(H) their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt.(I) For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood(J) and carry the battle as far as his fortress.

11 “Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated.(K) 12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.

14 “In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps(L) and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16 The invader will do as he pleases;(M) no one will be able to stand against him.(N) He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it.(O) 17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans[c] will not succeed(P) or help him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands(Q) and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him.(R) 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall,(S) to be seen no more.(T)

20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor.(U) In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.

21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible(V) person who has not been given the honor of royalty.(W) He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away(X) before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.(Y) 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully,(Z) and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers.(AA) He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.

25 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil,(AB) will sit at the same table and lie(AC) to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.(AD) 28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.

29 “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands(AE) will oppose him, and he will lose heart.(AF) Then he will turn back and vent his fury(AG) against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice.(AH) Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.(AI) 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist(AJ) him.

33 “Those who are wise will instruct(AK) many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.(AL) 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere(AM) will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined,(AN) purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

The King Who Exalts Himself

36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself(AO) above every god and will say unheard-of things(AP) against the God of gods.(AQ) He will be successful until the time of wrath(AR) is completed, for what has been determined must take place.(AS) 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.[d]

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South(AT) will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm(AU) out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.(AV) 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land.(AW) Many countries will fall, but Edom,(AX) Moab(AY) and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt,(AZ) with the Libyans(BA) and Cushites[e] in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at[f] the beautiful holy mountain.(BB) Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 11:6 Or offspring
  2. Daniel 11:6 Or child (see Vulgate and Syriac)
  3. Daniel 11:17 Or but she
  4. Daniel 11:39 Or land for a reward
  5. Daniel 11:43 That is, people from the upper Nile region
  6. Daniel 11:45 Or the sea and
Close NRSVCE

Daniel 11
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

11 1 As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to support and strengthen him.

2 “Now I will announce the truth to you. Three more kings shall arise in Persia. The fourth shall be far richer than all of them, and when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a warrior king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and take action as he pleases. 4 And while still rising in power, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted and go to others besides these.

5 “Then the king of the south shall grow strong, but one of his officers shall grow stronger than he and shall rule a realm greater than his own realm. 6 After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to ratify the agreement. But she shall not retain her power, and his offspring shall not endure. She shall be given up, she and her attendants and her child and the one who supported her.

“In those times 7 a branch from her roots shall rise up in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall take action against them and prevail. 8 Even their gods, with their idols and with their precious vessels of silver and gold, he shall carry off to Egypt as spoils of war. For some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north; 9 then the latter shall invade the realm of the king of the south, but will return to his own land.

10 “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall advance like a flood and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. 11 Moved with rage, the king of the south shall go out and do battle against the king of the north, who shall muster a great multitude, which shall, however, be defeated by his enemy. 12 When the multitude has been carried off, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall overthrow tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. 13 For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, larger than the former, and after some years[a] he shall advance with a great army and abundant supplies.

14 “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south. The lawless 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, not even his picked troops, for there shall be no strength to resist. 16 But he who comes against him shall take the actions he pleases, and no one shall withstand him. He shall take a position in the beautiful land, and all of it shall be in his power. 17 He shall set his mind to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of peace[b] and perform them. In order to destroy the kingdom,[c] he shall give him a woman in marriage; but it shall not succeed or be to his advantage. 18 Afterward he shall turn to the coastlands, and shall capture many. But a commander shall put an end to his insolence; indeed,[d] he shall turn his insolence back upon him. 19 Then he shall turn back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.

20 “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an official for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he shall be broken, though not in anger or in battle. 21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person on whom royal majesty had not been conferred; he shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom through intrigue. 22 Armies shall be utterly swept away and broken before him, and the prince of the covenant as well. 23 And after an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully and become strong with a small party. 24 Without warning he shall come into the richest parts[e] of the province and do what none of his predecessors had ever done, lavishing plunder, spoil, and wealth on them. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. 25 He shall stir up his power and determination against the king of the south with a great army, and the king of the south shall wage war with a much greater and stronger army. But he shall not succeed, for plots shall be devised against him 26 by those who eat of the royal rations. They shall break him, his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall slain. 27 The two kings, their minds bent on evil, shall sit at one table and exchange lies. But it shall not succeed, for there remains an end at the time appointed. 28 He shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. He shall work his will, and return to his own land.

29 “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but this time it shall not be as it was before. 30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall lose heart and withdraw. He shall be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay heed to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces sent by him shall occupy and profane the temple and fortress. They shall abolish the regular burnt offering and set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with intrigue those who violate the covenant; but the people who are loyal to their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 The wise among the people shall give understanding to many; for some days, however, they shall fall by sword and flame, and suffer captivity and plunder. 34 When they fall victim, they shall receive a little help, and many shall join them insincerely. 35 Some of the wise shall fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed,[f] until the time of the end, for there is still an interval until the time appointed.

36 “The king shall act as he pleases. He shall exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god, and shall speak horrendous things against the God of gods. He shall prosper until the period of wrath is completed, for what is determined shall be done. 37 He shall pay no respect to the gods of his ancestors, or to the one beloved by women; he shall pay no respect to any other god, for he shall consider himself greater than all. 38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these; a god whom his ancestors did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall make more wealthy, and shall appoint them as rulers over many, and shall distribute the land for a price.

The Time of the End

40 “At the time of the end the king of the south shall attack him. But the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. He shall advance against countries and pass through like a flood. 41 He shall come into the beautiful land, and tens of thousands shall fall victim, but Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites shall escape from his power. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the riches of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians[g] shall follow in his train. 44 But reports from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to bring ruin and complete destruction to many. 45 He shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with no one to help him.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 11:13 Heb and at the end of the times years
  2. Daniel 11:17 Gk: Heb kingdom, and upright ones with him
  3. Daniel 11:17 Heb it
  4. Daniel 11:18 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. Daniel 11:24 Or among the richest men
  6. Daniel 11:35 Heb made them white
  7. Daniel 11:43 Or Nubians; Heb Cushites
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