Daniel 11:26-36

26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be 1swept away, and many shall fall down slain.
27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for 2the end is yet to be at the time appointed.
28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And 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 it shall not be this time as it was before.
30 For ships of 3Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and 4be enraged and 5take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 Forces from him shall appear and 6profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And 7they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.
33 8And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, 9purified, and 10made white, until 11the time of the end, 12for it still awaits the appointed time.
36 "And the king shall 13do as he wills. 14He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, 15and shall speak astonishing things against 16the God of gods. 17He shall prosper 18till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.

Daniel 11:26-36 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 11

In this chapter the angel makes good his promise to Daniel, that he would show him what was written in the Scripture of truth, concerning the monarchies of the earth, and what would befall his people the Jews in the latter days; and after he had observed that he had strengthened and confirmed Darius the Mede, who was the first king of the then present flourishing monarchy, Da 11:1, he foretells the number of the kings of Persia, and particularly describes the fourth, Da 11:2 predicts the rise of the Grecian monarchy under Alexander the great, and the disposition of it after his death, Da 11:3,4 and then proceeds to give an account of the two principal kingdoms of that monarchy, into which it was divided, the Seleucidae and Lagidae; and of their kings, the king of Egypt, and the king of Syria, under the names of the king of the south, and the king of the north, and of their power and agreement, Da 11:5,6 and then of their various wars between themselves and others, and the success of them, Da 11:7-20, and particularly of Antiochus, his character and manner of coming to the kingdom, and of his wars with the king of Egypt, and the issue of them, Da 11:21-29 and of his persecution of the Jews, and the distress he should bring on them, and the use it should be of to the godly among them, Da 11:30-35, and then his antitype, antichrist, is described; the western antichrist, his character and actions, Da 11:36-39 then the eastern, his power, wealth and riches, hail and rain, Da 11:40-45.

Cross References 18

  • 1. ver. 10, 40
  • 2. [ver. 35]
  • 3. Genesis 10:4; Numbers 24:24
  • 4. See ver. 28
  • 5. See ver. 28
  • 6. [Daniel 12:11]
  • 7. Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; [Daniel 8:13; Daniel 12:11]
  • 8. Daniel 12:3, 10
  • 9. [Malachi 3:3, 4]
  • 10. [Revelation 7:14]
  • 11. [ver. 27, 40]
  • 12. [ver. 27, 40]
  • 13. ver. 3, 16
  • 14. [Daniel 7:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:4]
  • 15. [Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5, 6]
  • 16. Deuteronomy 10:17
  • 17. [Daniel 8:12]
  • 18. [Isaiah 10:25]; Daniel 9:27
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.