Daniel 11:11

11:11 “Then the king of the south ¹  will be enraged and will march out to fight against the king of the north, who will also muster a large army, but that army will be delivered into his hand.

Daniel 11:30

11:30 The ships of Kittim ²  will come against him, leaving him disheartened. ³  He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor ⁴  those who forsake the holy covenant.

[11:11]  ¹ sn This king of the south refers to Ptolemy IV Philopator (ca. 221-204 B.C.).

[11:30]  ² 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).

[11:30]  ³ 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.

[11:30]  ⁴ tn Heb “show regard for.”