Daniel 8:25

25. By peace [rather, in their security ] shall he destroy many I think with Bevan and Prince that this undoubtedly has reference to his sudden treacherous attack on Jerusalem ( 1Ma 1:30 ). The oldest Greek version seems to have had a better text than ours, and renders, “And against the saints shall be his policy, and deceit shall prosper in his hand, and his heart shall be lifted up, and by treachery he shall destroy many.”

Prince of princes That is, the divine prince of the host. (See note Daniel 8:11.) Not by the agency of some human hand, but by direct judgment from heaven, shall this little evil horn be broken. Antiochus was not killed in battle, but died suddenly from some horrible malady, just after his failure to rob a temple in Elymais. (See 1Ma 6:6-18 ; 2Ma 9:1-10 .) This was insanity or “madness of the heart,” according to some ancient authors, but according to the writer of 2 Macc. he was eaten up with worms, and “the filthiness of his smell was noisome to all his army.”