11:3 Then a powerful king 1 will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases.
11:4 Shortly after his rise to power, 2 his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky 3 – but not to his posterity or with the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.
1 sn The powerful king mentioned here is Alexander the Great (ca. 336-323 B.C.).
2 tnHeb “and when he stands.”
3 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.