Daniel 11:24-26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 11:21-45

All this is a prophecy of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn spoken of before (Dan. 8:9) a sworn enemy to the Jewish religion, and a bitter persecutor of those that adhered to it. What troubles the Jews m 8000 et with in the reigns of the Persian kings were not so particularly foretold to Daniel as these, because then they had living prophets with them, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them; but these troubles in the days of Antiochus were foretold, because, before that time,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 11:24

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province ,.... Or, "into tranquillity, and the fattest places of the province" F19 בשלוה ובמשמני "in quietem et in pinguia", Montanus; "in tranquillitatem et opima", Cocceius; "in tranquillitatem et in pinguissima", Michaelis. ; that is, into such places as were in great tranquillity, and men thought themselves safe and secure, and had no suspicion of his designs upon them, and which abounded in wealth and riches: these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 11:25

And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army ,.... That is, Antiochus shall arouse himself, and exert his courage, and gather a large and powerful army, and set out with them to fight with Ptolemy Philometor, king of Egypt; this is his second expedition into Egypt, as is observed in the Apocrypha: "About the same time Antiochus prepared his second voyage into Egypt:' ( 2 Maccabees 5:1 ) before he went into Egypt more privately, with a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 11:26

Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him ,.... Those of his own household, his familiar friends, his courtiers and counsellors, and the generals of his army; his destruction, or the loss of the battle, was owing either to the bad counsels they gave him, or to their desertion of him, being corrupted by Antiochus: and his army shall overflow : that is, the army of Antiochus, like a mighty inundation of water, which carries all before it, should overflow, or bear... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:24

He shad enter peaceably even upon the fattest places - The very richest provinces - Coelesyria and Palestine. He shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers - He became profuse in his liberalities, and scattered among them the prey of his enemies, the spoil of temples, and the riches of his friends, as well as his own revenues. He spent much in public shows, and bestowed largesses among the people. We are told in 1 Maccabees 3:30, that "in the liberal giving... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:25

He shall stir up his power - Antiochus marched against Ptolemy, the king of the south, (Egypt), with a great army; and the Egyptian generals had raised a mighty force. Stirred up to battle - The two armies met between Pelusium and Mount Casius; but he (the king of the south) could not stand - the Egyptian army was defeated. The next campaign he had greater success; he routed the Egyptian army, took Memphis, and made himself master of all Egypt, except Alexandria, see 1 Maccabees 1:16-19.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:26

Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat - This is the proof of what has been last noted, that the intrigues of Antiochus, corrupting the ministers and officers of Ptolemy, were the cause of all the disasters that felt on the Egyptian king. They that fed of the portion of his meat - who were in his confidence and pay, and possessed the secrets of the state, betrayed him; and these were the means of destroying him and his army, so that he was defeated, as was before observed. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:24

Verse 24 The history is here continued: The angel shews how Antiochus in a short time and with a small band should acquire many cities, as he should come in peace upon the fatness of the province, implying his oppressing them while sleeping in security. He shews also how he should become conqueror, not by any hostile invasion of Egypt, but by cunning and stealth he should deprive King Ptolemy of his cities when he least expected it. There should be no appearance of war; hence he says, he shall... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:25

Verse 25 The angel here announces how Antiochus Epiphanes after prevailing by fraud, should become bolder in his daring. he should venture to levy a hostile army and invade Egypt openly, without any further dissimulation. He therefore says, at length he shall rouse his strength and his courage He had previously crept along through hiding-places and fastnesses, and had not roused either his strength or his courage when remaining quiet at home; meanwhile he obtained the possession of various... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:26

Verse 26 The angel predicted, yesterday, that Ptolemy should not stand forth in battle, through the treachery of his own adherents. He now expresses the kind of treachery, for his chief courtiers or counselors should be the authors of this perfidy. He opposes the common soldiers to their leaders, for in the second clause, he shews how the soldiers should discharge their duty without sparing either their life or their blood. We now understand the Holy Spirit’s intention in this verse, for he... read more

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