Daniel 11:20-39
New English Translation
20 There will arise after him[a] one[b] who will send out an exactor[c] of tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom, but after a few days he will be destroyed,[d] though not in anger or battle.
21 “Then there will arise in his place a despicable person[e] 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[f] will be suddenly[g] swept away in defeat[h] before him; both they and a covenant leader[i] will be destroyed.[j] 23 After[k] entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force.[l] 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.[m] 25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm[n] against the king of the south[o] 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;[p] many will be killed in battle. 27 These two kings, their minds[q] filled with evil intentions, will trade[r] 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[s] 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[t] will come against him, leaving him disheartened.[u] He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor[v] those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 His forces[w] will rise up and profane the fortified sanctuary,[x] stopping the daily sacrifice. In its place they will set up[y] the abomination that causes desolation. 32 Then with smooth words he will defile[z] those who have rejected[aa] the covenant. But the people who are loyal to[ab] their God will act valiantly.[ac] 33 These who are wise among the people will teach the masses.[ad] However, they will fall[ae] by the sword and by the flame,[af] and they will be imprisoned and plundered for some time.[ag] 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[ah] 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[ai] wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur.[aj] 37 He will not respect[ak] the gods of his fathers—not even the god loved by women.[al] 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[am] mighty fortresses, aided by[an] 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.[ao]
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- Daniel 11:20 tn Heb “on his place.”
- Daniel 11:20 sn The one who will send out an exactor of tribute was Seleucus IV Philopator (ca. 187-176 b.c.).
- Daniel 11:20 sn Perhaps this exactor of tribute was Heliodorus (cf. 2 Macc 3).
- Daniel 11:20 tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”
- 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.).
- Daniel 11:22 tn Heb “arms.”
- Daniel 11:22 tc The present translation reads הִשָּׁטֹף (hishatof), Niphal infinitive absolute of שָׁטַף (shataf, “to overflow”), for the MT הַשֶּׁטֶף (hashetef, “flood”).
- Daniel 11:22 tn The words “in defeat” are added in the translation for clarification.
- Daniel 11:22 tn Heb “a prince of the covenant.”
- Daniel 11:22 tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”
- 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).
- Daniel 11:23 tn Heb “nation.”
- Daniel 11:24 tn Heb “and unto a time.”
- Daniel 11:25 tn Heb “heart.”
- Daniel 11:25 sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145 b.c.).
- Daniel 11:26 tc The present translation reads יִשָׁטֵף (yishatef, passive) rather than the MT יִשְׁטוֹף (yishtof, active).
- Daniel 11:27 tn Heb “heart,” as also in v. 28.
- Daniel 11:27 tn Heb “speak.”
- Daniel 11:28 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 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).
- 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.
- Daniel 11:30 tn Heb “show regard for.”
- Daniel 11:31 tn Heb “arms.”
- Daniel 11:31 tn Heb “the sanctuary, the fortress.”
- Daniel 11:31 tn Heb “will give.”
- Daniel 11:32 tn Or “corrupt.”
- Daniel 11:32 tn Heb “acted wickedly toward.”
- 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.
- 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.
- Daniel 11:33 tn Heb “the many.”
- Daniel 11:33 tn Heb “stumble.”
- Daniel 11:33 tn Or “by burning.”
- Daniel 11:33 tn Heb “days.”
- 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.
- Daniel 11:36 tn The words “the time of” are added in the translation for clarification.
- Daniel 11:36 tn Heb “has been done.” The Hebrew verb used here is the perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of fulfillment.
- Daniel 11:37 tn Heb “consider.”
- Daniel 11:37 tn Heb “[the one] desired by women.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Daniel 11:39 tn Heb “act against.”
- Daniel 11:39 tn Heb “with.”
- Daniel 11:39 tn Or perhaps “for a reward.”
Daniel 11:20-39
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
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.[a](A) 21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person on whom royal majesty had not been conferred; he shall come in suddenly and seize the kingdom through intrigue.(B) 22 Armies shall be utterly swept away and broken before him, and the prince of the covenant as well.(C) 23 And after an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully and become strong with a small party.(D) 24 Suddenly he shall come into the richest parts[b] 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.(E) 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 Those who eat of the royal rations shall break him, his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall slain.(F) 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.(G) 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 come to an understanding with those who forsake the holy covenant.(H) 31 Forces sent by him shall occupy and profane the temple and fortress. They shall abolish the regular burnt offering and set up the desolating sacrilege.(I) 32 He will flatter with smooth words those who violate the covenant, but the people who are loyal to their God shall stand firm and take action.(J) 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.(K) 34 When they fall, they shall receive a little help, and many shall join them insincerely.(L) 35 Some of the wise shall fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed,[c] until the time of the end, for there is still an interval until the time appointed.(M)
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.(N) 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 with 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.
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