
Text -- Daniel 11:24 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Wesley: Dan 11:24 - -- He shall come in upon the Egyptians under pretence of peace, in a plentiful and delicious country, and among a mass of treasures which the kings succe...
He shall come in upon the Egyptians under pretence of peace, in a plentiful and delicious country, and among a mass of treasures which the kings successively had heaped up; the greatest part of which Antiochus distributed among his confidants, whereby he obliged them the faster to him. He did herein what his fathers had not done; the kings of Syria before him, could never attain to this success over Egypt.

Wesley: Dan 11:24 - -- holds - Having succeeded thus far, he shall proceed to the places of greatest strength in that kingdom.
holds - Having succeeded thus far, he shall proceed to the places of greatest strength in that kingdom.

Wesley: Dan 11:24 - -- That is 'till God put a stop to his career, for the Egyptians found means to deliver themselves from his yoke.
That is 'till God put a stop to his career, for the Egyptians found means to deliver themselves from his yoke.
JFB: Dan 11:24 - -- Literally, "unexpectedly"; under the guise of friendship he seized Ptolemy Philometer.
Literally, "unexpectedly"; under the guise of friendship he seized Ptolemy Philometer.

JFB: Dan 11:24 - -- His predecessors, kings of Syria, had always coveted Egypt, but in vain: he alone made himself master of it.
His predecessors, kings of Syria, had always coveted Egypt, but in vain: he alone made himself master of it.

JFB: Dan 11:24 - -- He shall form a studied scheme for making himself master of the Egyptian fortresses. He gained them all except Alexandria, which successfully resisted...
He shall form a studied scheme for making himself master of the Egyptian fortresses. He gained them all except Alexandria, which successfully resisted him. Retaining to himself Pelusium, he retired to Judea, where, in revenge for the joy shown by the Jews at the report of his death, which led them to a revolt, he subdued Jerusalem by storm or stratagem.

JFB: Dan 11:24 - -- His rage shall not be for ever; it is but for a time limited by God. CALVIN makes "for a time" in antithesis to "unexpectedly," in the beginning of th...
His rage shall not be for ever; it is but for a time limited by God. CALVIN makes "for a time" in antithesis to "unexpectedly," in the beginning of the verse. He suddenly mastered the weaker cities: he had to "forecast his plans" more gradually ("for a time") as to how to gain the stronger fortresses.
Clarke: Dan 11:24 - -- He shad enter peaceably even upon the fattest places - The very richest provinces - Coelesyria and Palestine
He shad enter peaceably even upon the fattest places - The very richest provinces - Coelesyria and Palestine

Clarke: Dan 11:24 - -- He shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers - He became profuse in his liberalities, and scattered among them t...
He shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers - He became profuse in his liberalities, and scattered among them the prey of his enemies, the spoil of temples, and the riches of his friends, as well as his own revenues. He spent much in public shows, and bestowed largesses among the people. We are told in 1 Maccabees 3:30, that "in the liberal giving of gifts he abounded above all the kings that went before him."These are nearly the words of the prophet; and perhaps without any design to copy them on the part of the apocryphal writer. He would sometimes go into the streets, and throw about a handful of money, crying out, "Let him take it, to whom Fortune sends it.

Clarke: Dan 11:24 - -- He shall forecast his devices - As Eulaeus and Lenaeus, who were the guardians of the young Egyptian king Ptolemy Philometer, demanded from Antiochu...
He shall forecast his devices - As Eulaeus and Lenaeus, who were the guardians of the young Egyptian king Ptolemy Philometer, demanded from Antiochus the restitution of Coelesyria and Palestine, which he refused, he foresaw that he might have a war with that kingdom; and therefore he forecast devices - fixed a variety of plans to prevent this; visited the strong holds and frontier places to see that they were in a state of defense. And this he did for a time - he employed some years in hostile preparations against Egypt.
Calvin -> Dan 11:24
Calvin: Dan 11:24 - -- The history is here continued: The angel shews how Antiochus in a short time and with a small band should acquire many cities, as he should come in ...
The history is here continued: The angel shews how Antiochus in a short time and with a small band should acquire many cities, as he should come in peace upon the fatness of the province, implying his oppressing them while sleeping in security. He shews also how he should become conqueror, not by any hostile invasion of Egypt, but by cunning and stealth he should deprive King Ptolemy of his cities when he least expected it. There should be no appearance of war; hence he says, he shall come in peace upon the fatness of the land The word “fatness” is used metaphorically for “richness.” When the Egyptians supposed all danger to be far removed, and were persuaded of the friendship of Antiochus towards them, and relied on him as an ally should any adversity arise, they indulged themselves in luxuries till Antiochus came suddenly and subdued them. He next adds, He shall despise the spoil, and prey, and goods, which belonged to them Some take the words for spoil and prey in the sense of “soldiers,” and join it with the verb
He afterwards adds, And against the fortifications shall he devise machinations, meaning, he shall lay his plans for seizing the fortified cities. For at; first he penetrated as far as certain cities, and occupied first Coelo-Syria, and afterwards Phoenica, but could not quickly possess the fortified towns; hence he deferred the execution of his plans to a more suitable time. Therefore, the angel says, he shall arrange his plans against the fortified cities, but only for the time; meaning, he shall not immediately bring forward his intentions, hoping to oppress his nephew when off his guard. Thus under the disguise of peace an access to these cities would always be open to him, and he would reconcile to himself all whom he could corrupt by either gifts or other devices. We perceive, then, how a summary is here presented to us of the arts and schemes by which Antiochus should deprive his nephew of a portion of his territory and its towns, how suddenly he should invade some of the weakest in a state of unsuspecting tranquillity; and how by degrees he should invent machinations for seizing upon the stronger towns as well as he could. He also says, for the time The cunning and malice of Antiochus was always apparent throughout these transactions. He did not engage in open warfare, but was always endeavoring to add to his possessions by indirect frauds, — a course which was not without its success.
When it is said, He shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers did, this must be restricted solely to Egypt. For Seleucus the first king of Syria enjoyed a wide extent of dominion, then he prospered in warfare, and his fame flourished even to a good old age, and though at last he was unsuccessful in battle, yet on the whole he was a superior and celebrated warrior. Besides this we know him to have been one of the chief generals of Alexander the Great. As to his son Antiochus, we have previously observed the wide extent of his dominion, and how highly he was esteemed for prudence and valor. The angel does not compare Antiochus Epiphanes generally with either his fat, her, or grandfather, or great-grandfather, but only with respect to Egypt. For his ancestors always longed after Egypt, but their designs against it were entirely frustrated; he, however, was more successful in his aggression where his ancestors had failed in their attempts. Hence it becomes manifest how God overrules the events of war, so that the conqueror and the triumphant hero is not the man who excels in counsel, or in prudence, or valor, but he who fights under the heavenly leader. It pleases God at one time to afflict nations, and at another to set over them kings who are really his servants. So he wished to punish Egypt by the hands of this robber. It afterwards follows, —
TSK -> Dan 11:24
TSK: Dan 11:24 - -- peaceably even upon the fattest : or, into the peaceable and fat, etc
he shall scatter : Jdg 9:4; Pro 17:8, Pro 19:6
forecast his devices : Heb. think...

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Dan 11:24
Barnes: Dan 11:24 - -- He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province - The margin is, "or, into the peaceable and fat."The version in the text...
He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province - The margin is, "or, into the peaceable and fat."The version in the text, however, is the more correct, and the sense is, that he would do this "unexpectedly"(Lengerke, uvermuthet ); he would make gradual and artful approaches until he had seized upon the best portions of the land. Compare Gen 27:28, Gen 27:39. The history is, that he went there with different professions than those of conquest, and one after another he took possession of the principal towns of Egypt. In his first invasion of that country, Diodorus Siculus and Josephus both say that Antiochus "availed himself of a mean artifice,"without specifying what it was. Jahn says that probably it was that he pretended to come as the friend of Ptolemy. It was to this that the allusion is here, when it is said that he would "enter peaceably"- that is, with some pretence of peace or friendship, or with some false and flattering art. Josephus (Ant. xii. ch. v. Section 2) says of Antiochus, that "he came with great forces to Pelusium, and circumvented Ptolemy Philorector "by treachery,"and seized upon Egypt."The fact stated by Diodorus and Josephus, that he took possession of Memphis and of all Egypt, as far as Alexandria, fully illustrates what is said here, that he would "enter upon the fattest places of the province."These were the most choice and fertile portions of Egypt."
And he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers - Which none of his predecessors have been able to do; to wit, in the conquest of Egypt. No one of them had it so completely in his possession; no one obtained from it so much spoil. There can be no doubt that such was the fact. The wars of his predecessors with the Egyptians had been mostly waged in Coelo-Syria and Palestine, for the possession of these provinces. Antiochus Epiphanes, however, at first took Pelusium, the key of Egypt, and then invaded Egypt itself, seized upon its strongest places, and made the king a captive. - Jahn, "Heb. Commonwealth,"p. 263. Compare 1 Macc. 1:16.
He shall scatter among them the prey ... - Among his followers. He shall reward them with the spoils of Egypt. Compare 1 Macc. 1:19: "Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils thereof.
And he shall forecast his devices - Margin, "think his thoughts."The margin is in accordance with the Hebrew. The meaning is, that he would form plans, or that this would be his aim. He would direct the war against the strongly-fortified places of Egypt.
Against the strongholds - Antiochus took possession of Pelusium, the key of Egypt; he seized upon Memphis, and he then laid siege to Alexandria, supposing that if that were reduced, the whole country would be his. - Jos. "Ant."b. xii. ch. v. Section 2.
Even for a time - Josephus (ut sup.) says that he was driven from Alexandria, and out of all Egypt, by the threatenings of the Romans, commanding him to let that country alone. There were other reasons also which, combined with this, induced him to retire from that country. He was greatly enraged by the effect which a report of his death had produced in Judea. It was said that all the Jews rejoiced at that report, and rose in rebellion; and he therefore resolved to inflict revenge on them, and left Egypt, and went to Jerusalem, and subdued it either by storm or by stratagem.
Poole -> Dan 11:24
Poole: Dan 11:24 - -- He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province he shall come in upon the Egyptians under pretence of peace, and in time of pea...
He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province he shall come in upon the Egyptians under pretence of peace, and in time of peace, to a secure people in a plentiful and delicious country, and among a mass of treasures which the kings successively had heaped up, the greatest part of which this Antiochus took and distributed among his chiefest confidants, whereby he obliged them the faster to him, for he was large-hearted and liberal. He did herein (saith the text.)
what his fathers had not done the kings of Syria before him could never attain to this success over Egypt. as he did.
He shall forecast his devices against the strong holds i.e. having succeeded thus far in the lesser places of the country, he shall proceed to the most important cities and places of greatest strength in that kingdom. Even for a time; that is, till God put a stop to his career; for he held Egypt not long, the Egyptians found means to deliver themselves from his yoke when their king grew to riper years; yet against this did Antiochus forecast his devices, as saith the text.
Haydock -> Dan 11:24
Haydock: Dan 11:24 - -- Places. Theodot. reads, "Egypt," omitting the b, (Haydock) which gives a good sense. ---
(Calmet)
Places. Theodot. reads, "Egypt," omitting the b, (Haydock) which gives a good sense. ---
(Calmet)
Gill -> Dan 11:24
Gill: Dan 11:24 - -- He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province,.... Or, "into tranquillity, and the fattest places of the province" s; that is,...
He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province,.... Or, "into tranquillity, and the fattest places of the province" s; that is, into such places as were in great tranquillity, and men thought themselves safe and secure, and had no suspicion of his designs upon them, and which abounded in wealth and riches: these were either the principal cities in the kingdom of Syria, which he visited in order to establish himself in their good opinion of him; or the chief places of the province of Phoenicia, where he endeavoured to make himself acceptable by his munificence; or it may be the best parts of the kingdom of Egypt are meant, the richest of them, such as Memphis, and the places about it; where, as Sutorius in Jerome says, he went; and which places being fat, producing a large increase, and abounding in wealth, invited him thither; and which wealth he took, and scattered among his friends and soldiers, as in a following clause:
and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; none of his ancestors, more near or more remote; not Antiochus the great, nor Seleucus Ceraunus, nor Seleucus Callinicus, nor Antiochus Theos, nor Antiochus Soter, nor Seleucus Nicator, the founder of the Syrian empire; for, however greater these might be in power or riches, they were inferior to him in success; though they all, or most of them, however, had their eye upon Egypt, and would gladly have been masters of it; yet none of the kings of Syria prevailed over it, as Antiochus did; and this may also refer to what follows:
he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches; which he took from the places or rich cities he entered into; and these he plentifully and liberally dispersed among his followers, his soldiers, "the small people" he became strong with, Dan 11:23, whereby he gained their affections, and attached them to his interest; and in this his liberality and munificence he is said to abound above all the kings that were before him, in the Apocrypha:
"He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.'' (1 Maccabees 3:30)
and the character Josephus t gives of him is, that he was a man of a large and liberal heart:
yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds; the fortresses of Egypt; as he got into the fat and richest parts of it, and distributed the wealth of them among his favourites and followers, which answered a good purpose; so he had his eye upon the fortified places of the kingdom, and contrived ways and means to get them into his possession, as Pelusium, and other places; and how to keep them when he had got them, which he did:
even for a time; till Ptolemy Philometor was at age, and freed himself from him; or till the Romans u put a stop to his power.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Dan 11:1-45
TSK Synopsis: Dan 11:1-45 - --1 The overthrow of Persia by the king of Grecia.5 Leagues and conflicts between the kings of the south and of the north.30 The invasion and tyranny of...
MHCC -> Dan 11:1-30
MHCC: Dan 11:1-30 - --The angel shows Daniel the succession of the Persian and Grecian empires. The kings of Egypt and Syria are noticed: Judea was between their dominions,...
Matthew Henry -> Dan 11:21-45
Matthew Henry: Dan 11:21-45 - -- All this is a prophecy of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn spoken of before (Dan 8:9) a sworn enemy to the Jewish religion, and a...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Dan 11:21-24
Keil-Delitzsch: Dan 11:21-24 - --
The further Unveiling of the Future
In this section we have (Dan 11:21) first the description of the prince who, in striving after supremacy, sues ...
Constable: Dan 8:1--12:13 - --III. Israel in relation to the Gentiles: God's program for Israel chs. 8--12
Two things signal the beginning of ...

Constable: Dan 10:1--12:13 - --C. Daniel's most detailed vision of the future chs. 10-12
We have observed that God's method of revealin...

Constable: Dan 11:2-35 - --2. The near future 11:2-35
The interpreting angel now explained the long anticipated (since 10:1...
