To understand the meaning of the vision recorded by the author of Daniel and placed by him in the mouth of his hero, it is important to remember...
To understand the meaning of the vision recorded by the author of Daniel and placed by him in the mouth of his hero, it is important to remember that it was received by an apocalyptic visionary whose name is unknown to us in the middle of the second century BC, and probably after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes (v. 45). The events mentioned in it are easily recognizable. The story begins with the confrontation between the Persian Empire and the Greek world that led to its fall (vv. 2-3; the "mighty king" is obviously Alexander the Great). Then it speaks of the breakup of Alexander's empire, in place of which arose the states created by his successors (v. 4). After that follows a brief description of the confrontation between two of the three Hellenistic states created by Alexander's successors: Syria, the "northern kingdom" and the "northern king," and Egypt, the "southern kingdom" and the "southern king" (vv. 5-20). Mention is made here of the marriage of Berenice, daughter of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II, to Antiochus II, king of Syria, and her subsequent removal from power, which led to war between the two states (vv. 5-9); the victory of Seleucus III over Egypt, which secured Judea for Syria for forty years, whereas before it had been part of Egypt (v. 10); the temporary victory in 217 BC of Ptolemy IV, who again regained the lands that had once belonged to his grandfather (vv. 11-12); and the victories of Antiochus the Great, who not only returned Judea to Syrian rule, but also seized some Asia Minor lands, the "islands" (vv. 13-19). Also mentioned is the unbearable tribute imposed on Judea by Seleucus IV, son of Antiochus the Great (v. 20).
It would seem that there is no special meaning in this listing of historical events from the past: after all, both the author of Daniel and his contemporaries were interested not so much in the past as in the present and the future. But apocalyptic is unthinkable outside history. A picture of a world where everyone is at war with everyone, where an endless and senseless war is going on, had to lead the visionary to a simple thought: in a fallen world nothing can be changed, but God does not lose sight of the fate of His people, carefully following all the turns of world history insofar as the people take part in them. But as long as these turns do not directly concern His people, He waits; He waits because the time for the coming of the Messiah and the appearing of the Kingdom has not yet come.
11 A prediction of the setting up of the Grecian monarchy, Dan 11:1-4.
Of the affairs of Egypt and Syria, Dan 11:5-20.
The rise and success of Antiochus Epiphanes, Dan 11:21-29.
The mischief he would do to the Jews, Dan 11:30-43.
His fall, Dan 11:44-45.
11:2 He - Xerxes was more potent than all the other three, because his father Darius had gathered an incredible mass for him, which he himself increased for six years together, before he made his expedition against Greece. There were more kings of Persia besides those four, but they had no concern with the people of God.
11:3 A mighty king - Alexander the great.
11:4 When he shall stand up - When he is come to his highest point.Nor according to his dominion - They did not reign as kings at first, but only as captains; and as to the extent of their dominion, it was far less than Alexander's, yea, all four fell short of his.Even for others - Some lesser commanders shared several parts of the empire.
11:5 The king of the south - This king was Ptolemy, the first king of Egypt after Alexander who is brought in, because he took Jerusalem by treachery; for the angel minds only those persons and things which related to the Jews.One of his princes - Seleucus Nicanor, who overcame Demetrius, and added Asia to his empire.
11:6 They - The successors of those first kings of Egypt and Syria. Make an agreement - Bernice shall come from Egypt and marry with Antiochus Theus, who was the son of Antiochus Soter, and nephew to Seleucus Nicanor; for her father brought her to Pelusium with an infinite sum of gold and silver for her dowry.She shall not retain - She continued not in favour and authority.Nor his arm - His power.
11:7 Shall one stand up - Of Bernice shall come Ptolemaeus Euergetes, who shall revenge the wrong done to his sister.Shall enter into the fortress - For he invaded Syria, and took many strong - holds.
11:8 He shall continue more years - He continued forty - six years.
11:9 Return - So he did with a booty of forty thousand talents of silver.
11:10 But his sons - He means the sons of the king of the north, shall be incensed with the deeds of Ptolemaeus Euergetes, and his son Ptolemaeus Philopator. One shall come - Antiochus the great, shall pass through Syria and recover what the king of Egypt took from his father. Even to his fortress - To Raphia, which was a strong fortress at the entrance of Egypt.
11:11 His hand - Into the hand of Ptolemy.
11:12 His heart shall be lifted up - He might have recovered all, but he grew proud of his victory, and returned again to his luxury.
11:16 But he - Antiochus, that comes against Ptolemy.The glorious land - Judea. Antiochus held all Judea, and with the provision and product of it, maintained his army.
11:17 He shall also set his face - He shall use all the force he can to master Egypt, and engross it to himself. Upright ones - Many of the religious Jews joined with him: the rest of his army was a profane rabble of rude Heathens. He shall give - Antiochus shall give Cleopatra his daughter to young Ptolemy, called the daughter of women, for her beauty. Corrupting her - Persuading her to betray her husband: but she stuck to her husband's interest, and not her father's.
11:18 The isles - The isles and sea - coasts of the Mediterranean and Aegean sea. But a prince - The Roman ambassador Scipio beat Antiochus at his own weapons of power and policy, and turned the reproach upon his own head.
11:19 Then - Then he turned his face home - ward, yet was he not in safety, but was quickly after killed.
11:20 A raiser of taxes - Seleucus Philopator, who peeled his subjects, and spared not to rob the temple. Within few days - For he lived not out the third part of his father's reign.Not in battle - Not by open force, but by poison.