Daniel 8:23
And in the latter time of their kingdom
Toward the close of the kingdom of the four kings that divided
Alexander's kingdom; for though they were four distinct kings,
and had four separate kingdoms, yet these all belonged to one
kingdom or monarchy, the Grecian empire; and when that was
decreasing, and coming into the hands of the Romans, there rose
up, stood, and flourished awhile, King Antiochus, afterwards
described, who began to reign in the hundred and thirty seventh
year of the Seleucidae,
``And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed
Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at
Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year
of the kingdom of the Greeks.'' (1 Maccabees 1:10)
and 166 B.C., and the same year that he set up the abomination of
desolation in the temple at Jerusalem, as Mr. Mede
F16 has
observed, Aemilius the Roman consul conquered Perseus king of
Macedon, whereby all Greece came into the hands of the Romans; so
that this king may be truly said to arise and stand in the latter
part of the Grecian empire, when that was declining, and the Roman
empire was taking place:
when the transgressors are come to
the full;
many among the Jews, who apostatized from their religion, turned
Heathens, even some of the priests, when their number was
completed, and they had filled up the measure of their iniquities;
in the Apocrypha:
``In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who
persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the
heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them
we have had much sorrow. &c.'' (1 Maccabees 1:11)
a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark
sentences, shall
stand up;
meaning Antiochus; as is generally agreed, both by Jewish and
Christian interpreters, and to whom these characters agree: he was
"hard of face"
F17, as it may be rendered; an impudent
brasen faced man, who had no shame nor fear in him; regarded
neither God nor man; committed the most atrocious crimes in the
most public manner; and particularly was daring and impudent in his
blasphemy against God and the true religion; and it may also
signify that he was cruel, barbarous, and inhuman, especially to
the Jews, as his persecution of them abundantly proves: and his
"understanding dark sentences", or "riddles"
F18, which
he could both propose and answer, shows him to be sagacious and
cunning, well versed in wicked craft and policy; he had the art of
inveigling and deceiving men; it was by deceit and cunning he got
the kingdom from his nephew; and, by the wicked art of persuasion
he was master of, he seduced many of the Jews to relinquish their
religion, and embrace Heathenism; and so well skilled he was in
wicked politics, that he could cover his own designs, and penetrate
into the secrets of others; according to Jacchiades, he was skilful
in the art of magic and astrology. This is the little horn that was
to rise out of one of the four horns or kingdoms; as Antiochus did
from that of Seleucus, and stood and reigned more than twelve
years.