Daniel 11:31

And arms shall stand on hie part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. The render * ing of the LXX . is close to the above, "And arms shall stand by him, and shall pollute the sanctuary of fear "—probably the LXX . read מָגוֹר ( magor ), "fear," instead of מעוז ( ma ‛oz ), "fortress," a change probably due to the fact that ע sounded in Greek ears like וּ hard, γάζα for עָזָה —and they shall take away the sacrifice and place ( δώσουσι give) the abomination of desolation." Theodotion, from a mistaken vocalization, renders, "And seeds "—reading זְרָעִים instead of זְרֹעִים —"shall spring up from him and shall pollute the sanctuary of power, and shall change the continual (sacrifice), and shall place ( δώσουσι ) the abomination of things that have disappeared ( ἠφανισμένων )." The Peshitta is quite different in the firs; clause, "And their strong ones shall arise from them, and they pollute the sanctuary of strength, and they cause the sacrifice ( qorban ) to pass away, and they shall hang up the abomination in the temple." The Vulgate rendering is in accordance generally with the Massoretic, "And arms shall stand from him. and shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall remove the continual ( juge ) sacrifice, and shall place the abomination of desolation." Arms shall stand on his part. This word "arms" here is not to be understood as weapons—a misunderstanding possible in English. "Arms" here stands as the symbol of physical power generally. "On his part" is represented by the preposition מִן , which means "with" or "from;" hence we find the Septuagint translating by παρά , and Theodotion by ἐξ . Probably the most natural view is to take the preposition as equivalent to "by," that is, he shall set physical forces in motion. And they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength. That the temple in Jerusalem had all the characteristics that fitted it to become a fortress, was proved in every one of the numerous sieges it has endured. It becomes still more a fortress, of course, when the Tower Antonia was erected overlooking the temple area. There may, however, have been a reference to the fact that the collectors of tribute sent by Antiochus fortified the city of David, and used it as a basis of operations from which to assail the temple and defile its courts with blood (1 Macc. 1:35-36). And take away the daily sacrifice. The Hebrew word here used means "continual," and the substantive "sacrifice" is supplied. In Daniel 11:45 of the same chapter of 1 Macc. we are told that Antiochus forbade "burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and drink offerings in the temple." And they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. One must note here the source of δώσουσι which we find in both Greek versions, and dabit , which we find in the Vulgate. The Hebrew has וְנָתְנוּ ( venath'noo ), "and they shall give or set." It seems to refer to an altar to Jupiter, which was erected on the brazen altar (1 Macc. 1:59). This altar is spoken of in verse 54 as the "abomination of desolation ( βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως )." The Hebrew phrase has been borrowed from Daniel 9:27 ; hence the suggestion of Professor Bevan, to read here " בעלשׁיי , is not necessary