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20 “Then in his place will arise one sending an official throughout the glory[a] of his kingdom, and in a few days[b] he will be broken, but not in anger and not in battle. 21 And in his place a despicable person will arise on whom[c] they have not conferred the majesty of the kingdom, and he will come in without warning[d] and he will seize the kingdom by deceit. 22 And before him[e] mighty military forces[f] will be utterly swept away, and they will be broken, and also the leader of the covenant. 23 And after an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully, and he will rise and he will become powerful with few people backing him. 24 In a time of ease and in the rich parts of the province, he will come and he will do what his predecessors[g] did not do; he will distribute plunder and spoil and possessions to them, and he will devise his plans against fortifications, but only for a time.[h] 25 And he will stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south and with a much greater and stronger army;[i] but he will not succeed, for they will devise plans against him. 26 And those who eat of his royal rations will break him and his army will be overwhelmed, and many will fall, slain. 27 And two of the kings[j] will bend their hearts[k] to evil. And at the same table[l] they will speak lies, but what is discussed will not succeed, for still an end is coming at the appointed time. 28 Then he will return to his land with many possessions, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant,[m] and he will take action and he will return to his land.

29 “At the appointed time he will return and he will come into the south, but it will not be as it was before.[n] 30 And the ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart, and he will turn back, and he will be enraged against the holy covenant,[o] and he will take action, and he will turn back, and he will pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.[p] 31 And military forces from him will occupy[q] and will profane[r] the sanctuary stronghold,[s] and they will abolish the regular burnt offering, and they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.

32 “And those who violate the covenant he will seduce with flattery, but the persons who know their God[t] will stand firm and will take action. 33 And those who have insight will instruct[u] the many, but they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for some time.[v] 34 And when they fall[w] they will receive little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. 35 And even some of those who have insight[x] will fall[y] in order for them to be refined by it, and to be purified and cleansed until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.

36 “Then the king will do as he pleases,[z] and he will exalt himself and will consider himself above any god, and he will speak horrendous things against[aa] the God of gods, yet he will succeed until the period of anger is finished, for what is determined will be done. 37 He will not pay respect to the gods of his ancestors,[ab] or to the darling of women, and not to any god will he pay respect, for he will consider himself great over all gods. 38 But instead[ac] he will honor the god of fortresses, a god whom his ancestors[ad] did not know. He will honor him with gold, and with silver, and with precious stones[ae] and with costly gifts. 39 And he will deal with the fortified strongholds[af] with the help of a foreign god;[ag] and he will increase wealth for whoever will acknowledge him, and he will cause them to rule[ah] over the many, and he will distribute land for a price.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 11:20 Or “splendor”
  2. Daniel 11:20 Literally “in some days”
  3. Daniel 11:21 Hebrew “him”
  4. Daniel 11:21 Literally “in ease”
  5. Daniel 11:22 Literally “to the face of him”
  6. Daniel 11:22 Literally “military forces of the flood”
  7. Daniel 11:24 Literally “his fathers and the father of his fathers”
  8. Daniel 11:24 Literally “until time”
  9. Daniel 11:25 Literally “with an army great and numerous exceedingly”
  10. Daniel 11:27 Literally “And two of them, the kings”
  11. Daniel 11:27 Literally “their heart”
  12. Daniel 11:27 Literally “one table”
  13. Daniel 11:28 Literally “covenant of holiness”
  14. Daniel 11:29 Literally “as the former and as the last”
  15. Daniel 11:30 Literally “against the covenant of holiness”
  16. Daniel 11:30 Literally “the covenant of holiness”
  17. Daniel 11:31 Literally “will stand forth”
  18. Daniel 11:31 Or “desecrate”
  19. Daniel 11:31 Literally “the sanctuary, the stronghold”
  20. Daniel 11:32 Hebrew “the ones who know his God”
  21. Daniel 11:33 Literally “make understand”
  22. Daniel 11:33 Literally “during days”
  23. Daniel 11:34 Literally “in/at their falling”
  24. Daniel 11:35 Literally “the ones who produce insight”
  25. Daniel 11:35 Or “stumble”
  26. Daniel 11:36 Literally “as his pleasure”
  27. Daniel 11:36 Literally “over”
  28. Daniel 11:37 Or “fathers”
  29. Daniel 11:38 Literally “in his place”
  30. Daniel 11:38 Or “fathers”
  31. Daniel 11:38 Hebrew “precious stone”
  32. Daniel 11:39 Literally “the fortifications of strongholds”
  33. Daniel 11:39 Literally “the god of a foreign land”
  34. Daniel 11:39 Or “appoint”

20 Then shall stand up in his place one that shall cause an exactor to pass through the glory of the kingdom; but within few days he shall be [a]destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21 And in his [b]place shall stand up a contemptible person, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in time of security, and shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22 And the overwhelming forces shall be overwhelmed from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of [c]the covenant. 23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong, with a small people. 24 In time of security shall he come even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them prey, and spoil, and substance: yea, he shall devise his devices against the strongholds, even for a time. 25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall war in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army; but he shall not stand; for they shall devise devices against him. 26 Yea, they that eat of his dainties shall [d]destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain. 27 And as for both these kings, their hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table: but it shall not prosper; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.

28 Then shall he return into his land with great substance; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do his pleasure, and return to his own land. 29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come into the south; but it shall not be in the latter time as it was in the former. 30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and shall do his pleasure: he shall even return, and have regard unto them that forsake the holy covenant. 31 And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate. 32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he [e]pervert by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33 And [f]they that are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days. 34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves unto them with flatteries. 35 And some of [g]them that are wise shall fall, to refine them, and to purify, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.

36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done. 37 Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 But in his [h]place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: [i]whosoever acknowledgeth him [j]he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 11:20 Hebrew broken.
  2. Daniel 11:21 Or, office
  3. Daniel 11:22 Or, his covenant
  4. Daniel 11:26 Hebrew break.
  5. Daniel 11:32 Hebrew make profane.
  6. Daniel 11:33 Or, the teachers of the people
  7. Daniel 11:35 Or, the teachers
  8. Daniel 11:38 Or, office
  9. Daniel 11:39 Or, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory
  10. Daniel 11:39 Or, shall increase glory

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

21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible(B) person who has not been given the honor of royalty.(C) 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(D) before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.(E) 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully,(F) 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.(G) 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,(H) will sit at the same table and lie(I) to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.(J) 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(K) will oppose him, and he will lose heart.(L) Then he will turn back and vent his fury(M) 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.(N) Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.(O) 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist(P) him.

33 “Those who are wise will instruct(Q) many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.(R) 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere(S) will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined,(T) 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(U) above every god and will say unheard-of things(V) against the God of gods.(W) He will be successful until the time of wrath(X) is completed, for what has been determined must take place.(Y) 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.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 11:39 Or land for a reward