Daniel 11:30

11:30 The ships of Kittim ¹  will come against him, leaving him disheartened. ²  He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor ³  those who forsake the holy covenant.

Daniel 11:22

11:22 Armies ⁴  will be suddenly ⁵  swept away in defeat ⁶  before him; both they and a covenant leader ⁷  will be destroyed. ⁸ 

Daniel 11:28

11:28 Then the king of the north ⁹  will return to his own land with much property. His mind will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action, and then return to his own land.

Daniel 11:32

11:32 Then with smooth words he will defile ¹⁰  those who have rejected ¹¹  the covenant. But the people who are loyal to ¹²  their God will act valiantly. ¹³ 

Daniel 9:27

9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. ¹⁴ 

But in the middle of that week

he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt.

On the wing ¹⁵  of abominations will come ¹⁶  one who destroys,

until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”

¹ sn The name Kittim has various designations in extra-biblical literature. It can refer to a location on the island of Cyprus, or more generally to the island itself, or it can be an inclusive term to refer to parts of the Mediterranean world that lay west of the Middle East (e.g., Rome). For ships of Kittim the Greek OT (LXX) has “Romans,” an interpretation followed by a few English versions (e.g., TEV). A number of times in the Dead Sea Scrolls the word is used in reference to the Romans. Other English versions are more generic: “[ships] of the western coastlands” (NIV, NLT); “from the west” (NCV, CEV).

² sn This is apparently a reference to the Roman forces, led by Gaius Popilius Laenas, which confronted Antiochus when he came to Egypt and demanded that he withdraw or face the wrath of Rome. Antiochus wisely withdrew from Egypt, albeit in a state of bitter frustration.

³ tn Heb “show regard for.”

⁴ tn Heb “arms.”

⁵ tc The present translation reads הִשָּׁטֹף (hishatof), Niphal infinitive absolute of שָׁטַף (shataf, “to overflow”), for the MT הַשֶּׁטֶף (hashetef, “flood”).

⁶ tn The words “in defeat” are added in the translation for clarification.

⁷ tn Heb “a prince of the covenant.”

⁸ tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”

⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ tn Or “corrupt.”

¹¹ tn Heb “acted wickedly toward.”

¹² tn Heb “know.” The term “know” sometimes means “to recognize.” In relational contexts it can have the connotation “recognize the authority of, be loyal to,” as it does here.

¹³ sn This is an allusion to the Maccabean revolt, which struggled to bring about Jewish independence in the second century B.C.

¹³ tn Heb “one seven” (also later in this line).

¹⁴ tn The referent of the Hebrew word כְּנַף (kÿnaf, “wing”) is unclear here. The LXX and Theodotion have “the temple.” Some English versions (e.g., NAB, NIV) take this to mean “a wing of the temple,” but this is not clear.

¹⁵ tn The Hebrew text does not have this verb, but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.