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Da 11:1-45.

This chapter is an enlargement of the eighth: THE OVERTHROW OF PERSIA BY GRECIA: THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF ALEXANDER'S KINGDOM: CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE KINGS OF THE SOUTH AND OF THE NORTH, THE PTOLEMIES AND SELEUCIDÆ: ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES.

1. I--the angel

(Da 10:18).

first year of Darius--Cyaxares II; the year of the conquest of Babylon

(Da 5:31).

Cyrus, who wielded the real power, though in name subordinate to Darius, in that year promulgated the edict for the restoration of the Jews, which Daniel was at the time praying for

(Da 9:1, 2, 21, 23).

stood--implying promptness in helping

(Ps 94:16).

strengthen him--namely, Michael; even as Michael

(Da 10:21,

"strengtheneth himself with me") helped the angel, both joining their powers in behalf of Israel [ROSENMULLER]. Or, Darius, the angel "confirming him" in his purpose of kindness to Israel.

2. three kings in Persia--Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis, and Darius Hystaspes. (Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes, and Darius, in

Ezr 4:6, 7, 24).

The Ahasuerus of Esther (see on

Da 9:1)

is identified with Xerxes, both in Greek history and in Scripture, appearing proud, self-willed, careless of contravening Persian customs, amorous, facile, and changeable

(Da 11:2).

fourth . . . riches . . . against . . . Grecia--Xerxes, whose riches were proverbial. Persia reached its climax and showed its greatest power in his invasion of Greece, 480 B.C. After his overthrow at Salamis, Persia is viewed as politically dead, though it had an existence. Therefore,

Da 11:3,

without noticing Xerxes' successors, proceeds at once to Alexander, under whom, first, the third world kingdom, Grecia, reached its culmination, and assumed an importance as to the people of God.

stir up all--Four years were spent in gathering his army out of all parts of his vast empire, amounting to two millions six hundred and forty-one thousand men. [PRIDEAUX, Connexion, 1.4. l. 410].

3. mighty king . . . do according to his will--answering to the he-goat's "notable horn"

(Da 8:6, 7, 21).

Alexander invaded Persia 334 B.C., to avenge the wrongs of Greece on Persia for Xerxes' past invasion (as Alexander said in a letter to Darius Codomanus, ARRIAN, Alexander. 2.14.7).

4. kingdom . . . divided toward . . . four winds--the fourfold division of Alexander's kingdom at his death

(Da 8:8, 22),

after the battle of Ipsus, 301 B.C.

not to his posterity--(See on

Da 8:8;

Da 8:22).

nor according to his dominion--None of his successors had so wide a dominion as Alexander himself.

others besides those--besides Alexander's sons, Hercules by Barsine, Darius' daughter, and Alexander by Roxana, who were both slain [MAURER]. Rather, besides the four successors to the four chief divisions of the empire, there will be other lesser chiefs who shall appropriate smaller fragments of the Macedonian empire [JEROME].

5. Here the prophet leaves Asia and Greece and takes up Egypt and Syria, these being in continual conflict under Alexander's successors, entailing misery on Judea, which lay between the two. Holy Scripture handles external history only so far as it is connected with God's people, Israel [JEROME]. TREGELLES puts a chasm between the fourth and fifth verses, making the transition to the final Antichrist here, answering to the chasm (in his view) at

Da 8:22, 23.

king of . . . south--literally, "of midday": Egypt

(Da 11:8, 42),

Ptolemy Soter, son of Lagus. He took the title "king," whereas Lagus was but "governor."

one of his princes--Seleucus, at first a satrap of Ptolemy Lagus, but from 312 B.C. king of the largest empire after that of Alexander (Syria, Babylon, Media, &c.), and called therefore Nicator, that is, "conqueror." Connect the words thus, "And one of his (Ptolemy's) princes, even he (Seleucus) shall be strong above him" (above Ptolemy, his former master).

6. in . . . end of years--when the predicted time shall be consummated

(Da 11:13,

Margin;

Da 8:17; 12:13).

king's daughter of the south--Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt. The latter, in order to end his war with Antiochus Theus, "king of the north" (literally, "midnight": the prophetical phrase for the region whence came affliction to Israel,

Jer 1:13-15; Joe 2:20),

that is, Syria, gave Berenice to Antiochus, who thereupon divorced his former wife, Laodice, and disinherited her son, Seleucus Callinicus. The designation, "king of the north" and "of the south," is given in relation to Judea, as the standpoint. Egypt is mentioned by name

(Da 11:8, 42),

though Syria is not; because the former was in Daniel's time a flourishing kingdom, whereas Syria was then a mere dependency of Assyria and Babylon: an undesigned proof of the genuineness of the Book of Daniel.

agreement--literally, "rights," that is, to put things to rights between the belligerents.

she shall not retain the power of the arm--She shall not be able to effect the purpose of the alliance, namely, that she should be the mainstay of peace. Ptolemy having died, Antiochus took back Laodice, who then poisoned him, and caused Berenice and her son to be put to death, and raised her own son, Seleucus Nicator, to the throne.

neither shall he stand--The king of Egypt shall not gain his point of setting his line on the throne of Syria.

his arm--that on which he relied. Berenice and her offspring.

they that brought her--her attendants from Egypt.

he that begat her--rather as Margin, "the child whom she brought forth" [EWALD]. If English Version (which MAURER approves) be retained, as Ptolemy died a natural death, "given up" is not in his case, as in Berenice's, to be understood of giving up to death, but in a general sense, of his plan proving abortive.

he that strengthened her in these times--Antiochus Theus, who is to attach himself to her (having divorced Laodice) at the times predicted [GEJER].

7. a branch of her roots . . . in his estate--Ptolemy Euergetes, brother of Berenice, succeeding in the place (Margin) of Philadelphus, avenged her death by overrunning Syria, even to the Euphrates.

deal against them--He shall deal with the Syrians at his own pleasure. He slew Laodice.

8. carry . . . into Egypt their gods, &c.--Ptolemy, on hearing of a sedition in Egypt, returned with forty thousand talents of silver, precious vessels, and twenty-four hundred images, including Egyptian idols, which Cambyses had carried from Egypt into Persia. The idolatrous Egyptians were so gratified, that they named him Euergetes, or "benefactor."

continue more years--Ptolemy survived Seleucus four years, reigning in all forty-six years. MAURER translates, "Then he for several years shall desist from (contending with) the king of the north" (compare

Da 11:9).