Jeremiah 4:19-22

4:19 I said, ¹ 

“Oh, the feeling in the pit of my stomach! ² 

I writhe in anguish.

Oh, the pain in my heart! ³ 

My heart pounds within me.

I cannot keep silent.

For I hear the sound of the trumpet; ⁴ 

the sound of the battle cry pierces my soul! ⁵ 

4:20 I see ⁶  one destruction after another taking place,

so that the whole land lies in ruins.

I see our ⁷  tents suddenly destroyed,

their ⁸  curtains torn down in a mere instant. ⁹ 

4:21 “How long must I see the enemy’s battle flags

and hear the military signals of their bugles?” ¹⁰ 

4:22 The Lord answered, ¹¹ 

“This will happen ¹²  because my people are foolish.

They do not know me.

They are like children who have no sense. ¹³ 

They have no understanding.

They are skilled at doing evil.

They do not know how to do good.”

Jeremiah 6:22-24

6:22 “This is what the Lord says:

‘Beware! An army ¹⁴  is coming from a land in the north.

A mighty nation is stirring into action in faraway parts of the earth.

6:23 Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.

They are cruel and show no mercy.

They sound like the roaring sea

as they ride forth on their horses.

Lined up in formation like men going into battle

to attack you, Daughter Zion.’” ¹⁵ 

6:24 The people cry out, ¹⁶  “We have heard reports about them!

We have become helpless with fear! ¹⁷ 

Anguish grips us,

agony like that of a woman giving birth to a baby!

Jeremiah 8:15-16

8:15 We hoped for good fortune, but nothing good has come of it.

We hoped for a time of relief, but instead we experience terror. ¹⁸ 

8:16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses

is already being heard in the city of Dan.

The sound of the neighing of their stallions ¹⁹ 

causes the whole land to tremble with fear.

They are coming to destroy the land and everything in it!

They are coming to destroy ²⁰  the cities and everyone who lives in them!”

Jeremiah 47:6

47:6 How long will you cry out, ²¹  ‘Oh, sword of the Lord,

how long will it be before you stop killing? ²² 

Go back into your sheath!

Stay there and rest!’ ²³ 

Ezekiel 7:24-26

7:24 I will bring the most wicked of the nations and they will take possession of their houses. I will put an end to the arrogance of the strong, and their sanctuaries ²⁴  will be desecrated. 7:25 Terror ²⁵  is coming! They will seek peace, but find none. 7:26 Disaster after disaster will come, and one rumor after another. They will seek a vision from a prophet; priestly instruction will disappear, along with counsel from the elders.

Ezekiel 14:17-21

14:17 “Or suppose I were to bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through the land,’ and I were to kill both people and animals. 14:18 Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters – they would save only their own lives.

14:19 “Or suppose I were to send a plague into that land, and pour out my rage on it with bloodshed, killing both people and animals. 14:20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.

14:21 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments – sword, famine, wild animals, and plague – to Jerusalem ²⁶  to kill both people and animals!

Ezekiel 21:9-15

21:9 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘A sword, a sword is sharpened,

and also polished.

21:10 It is sharpened for slaughter,

it is polished to flash like lightning!

“‘Should we rejoice in the scepter of my son? No! The sword despises every tree! ²⁷ 

21:11 “‘He gave it to be polished,

to be grasped in the hand –

the sword is sharpened, it is polished –

giving it into the hand of the executioner.

21:12 Cry out and moan, son of man,

for it is wielded against my people;

against all the princes of Israel.

They are delivered up to the sword, along with my people.

Therefore, strike your thigh. ²⁸ 

21:13 “‘For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more? ²⁹  declares the sovereign Lord.’

21:14 “And you, son of man, prophesy,

and clap your hands together.

Let the sword strike twice, even three times!

It is a sword for slaughter,

a sword for the great slaughter surrounding them.

21:15 So hearts melt with fear and many stumble.

At all their gates I have stationed the sword for slaughter.

Ah! It is made to flash, it is drawn for slaughter!

Ezekiel 21:28

21:28 “As for you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says concerning the Ammonites and their coming humiliation; ³⁰  say:

“‘A sword, a sword drawn for slaughter,

polished to consume, ³¹  to flash like lightning –

Daniel 11:1-45

11:1 And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I ³²  stood to strengthen him and to provide protection for him.) 11:2 Now I will tell you the truth.

The Angel Gives a Message to Daniel

“Three ³³  more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth ³⁴  king will be unusually rich, ³⁵  more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against ³⁶  the kingdom of Greece. 11:3 Then a powerful king ³⁷  will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases. 11:4 Shortly after his rise to power, ³⁸  his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky ³⁹  – but not to his posterity or with the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.

11:5 “Then the king of the south ⁴⁰  and one of his subordinates ⁴¹  will grow strong. His subordinate ⁴²  will resist ⁴³  him and will rule a kingdom greater than his. ⁴⁴  11:6 After some years have passed, they ⁴⁵  will form an alliance. Then the daughter ⁴⁶  of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain her power, ⁴⁷  nor will he continue ⁴⁸  in his strength. ⁴⁹  She, together with the one who brought her, her child, ⁵⁰  and her benefactor will all be delivered over at that time. ⁵¹ 

11:7 “There will arise in his ⁵²  place one from her family line ⁵³  who will come against their army and will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and will move against them successfully. ⁵⁴  11:8 He will also take their gods into captivity to Egypt, along with their cast images and prized utensils of silver and gold. Then he will withdraw for some years from ⁵⁵  the king of the north. 11:9 Then the king of the north ⁵⁶  will advance against the empire of the king of the south, but will withdraw to his own land. 11:10 His sons ⁵⁷  will wage war, mustering a large army which will advance like an overflowing river and carrying the battle all the way to the enemy’s ⁵⁸  fortress. ⁵⁹ 

11:11 “Then the king of the south ⁶⁰  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. 11:12 When the army is taken away, the king of the south will become arrogant. ⁶¹  He will be responsible for the death ⁶²  of thousands and thousands of people, ⁶³  but he will not continue to prevail. 11:13 For the king of the north will again muster an army, one larger than before. At the end of some years he will advance with a huge army and enormous supplies.

11:14 “In those times many will oppose ⁶⁴  the king of the south. ⁶⁵  Those who are violent ⁶⁶  among your own people will rise up in confirmation of ⁶⁷  the vision, but they will falter. 11:15 Then the king of the north will advance and will build siege mounds and capture a well-fortified city. ⁶⁸  The forces of the south will not prevail, not even his finest contingents. ⁶⁹  They will have no strength to prevail. 11:16 The one advancing against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to stand before him. He will prevail in the beautiful land, and its annihilation will be within his power. ⁷⁰  11:17 His intention ⁷¹  will be to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, and he will form alliances. ⁷²  He will give the king of the south ⁷³  a daughter ⁷⁴  in marriage in order to destroy the kingdom, but it will not turn out to his advantage. 11:18 Then he will turn his attention ⁷⁵  to the coastal regions and will capture many of them. But a commander ⁷⁶  will bring his shameful conduct to a halt; in addition, ⁷⁷  he will make him pay for his shameful conduct. ⁷⁸  11:19 He will then turn his attention to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall, not to be found again. 11:20 There will arise after him ⁷⁹  one ⁸⁰  who will send out an exactor ⁸¹  of tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom, but after a few days he will be destroyed, ⁸²  though not in anger or battle.

11:21 “Then there will arise in his place a despicable person ⁸³  to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit. 11:22 Armies ⁸⁴  will be suddenly ⁸⁵  swept away in defeat ⁸⁶  before him; both they and a covenant leader ⁸⁷  will be destroyed. ⁸⁸  11:23 After ⁸⁹  entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force. ⁹⁰  11:24 In a time of prosperity for the most productive areas of the province he will come and accomplish what neither his fathers nor their fathers accomplished. He will distribute loot, spoils, and property to his followers, and he will devise plans against fortified cities, but not for long. ⁹¹  11:25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm ⁹²  against the king of the south ⁹³  with a large army. The king of the south will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to prevail because of the plans devised against him. 11:26 Those who share the king’s fine food will attempt to destroy him, and his army will be swept away; ⁹⁴  many will be killed in battle. 11:27 These two kings, their minds ⁹⁵  filled with evil intentions, will trade ⁹⁶  lies with one another at the same table. But it will not succeed, for there is still an end at the appointed time. 11:28 Then the king of the north ⁹⁷  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. 11:29 At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did. 11:30 The ships of Kittim ⁹⁸  will come against him, leaving him disheartened. ⁹⁹  He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor ¹⁰⁰  those who forsake the holy covenant. 11:31 His forces ¹⁰¹  will rise up and profane the fortified sanctuary, ¹⁰²  stopping the daily sacrifice. In its place they will set up ¹⁰³  the abomination that causes desolation. 11:32 Then with smooth words he will defile ¹⁰⁴  those who have rejected ¹⁰⁵  the covenant. But the people who are loyal to ¹⁰⁶  their God will act valiantly. ¹⁰⁷  11:33 These who are wise among the people will teach the masses. ¹⁰⁸  However, they will fall ¹⁰⁹  by the sword and by the flame, ¹¹⁰  and they will be imprisoned and plundered for some time. ¹¹¹  11:34 When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully. 11:35 Even some of the wise will stumble, resulting in their refinement, purification, and cleansing until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time.

11:36 “Then the king ¹¹²  will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of ¹¹³  wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur. ¹¹⁴  11:37 He will not respect ¹¹⁵  the gods of his fathers – not even the god loved by women. ¹¹⁶  He will not respect any god; he will elevate himself above them all. 11:38 What he will honor is a god of fortresses – a god his fathers did not acknowledge he will honor with gold, silver, valuable stones, and treasured commodities. 11:39 He will attack ¹¹⁷  mighty fortresses, aided by ¹¹⁸  a foreign deity. To those who recognize him he will grant considerable honor. He will place them in authority over many people, and he will parcel out land for a price. ¹¹⁹ 

11:40 “At the time of the end the king of the south will attack ¹²⁰  him. Then the king of the north will storm against him ¹²¹  with chariots, horsemen, and a large armada of ships. ¹²²  He ¹²³  will invade lands, passing through them like an overflowing river. ¹²⁴  11:41 Then he will enter the beautiful land. ¹²⁵  Many ¹²⁶  will fall, but these will escape: ¹²⁷  Edom, Moab, and the Ammonite leadership. 11:42 He will extend his power ¹²⁸  against other lands; the land of Egypt will not escape. 11:43 He will have control over the hidden stores of gold and silver, as well as all the treasures of Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians ¹²⁹  will submit to him. ¹³⁰  11:44 But reports will trouble him from the east and north, and he will set out in a tremendous rage to destroy and wipe out many. 11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas ¹³¹  toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him.

Mark 13:7-8

13:7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. ¹³²  13:8 For nation will rise up in arms ¹³³  against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines. ¹³⁴  These are but the beginning of birth pains.

Luke 21:9

21:9 And when you hear of wars and rebellions, ¹³⁵  do not be afraid. ¹³⁶  For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.” ¹³⁷ 

[4:19]  ¹ tn The words “I said” are not in the text. They are used to mark the shift from the Lord’s promise of judgment to Jeremiah’s lament concerning it.

[4:19]  ² tn Heb “My bowels! My bowels!”

[4:19]  ³ tn Heb “the walls of my heart!”

[4:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “ram’s horn,” but the modern equivalent is “trumpet” and is more readily understandable.

[4:19]  ⁵ tc The translation reflects a different division of the last two lines than that suggested by the Masoretes. The written text (the Kethib) reads “for the sound of the ram’s horn I have heard [or “you have heard,” if the form is understood as the old second feminine singular perfect] my soul” followed by “the battle cry” in the last line. The translation is based on taking “my soul” with the last line and understanding an elliptical expression “the battle cry [to] my soul.” Such an elliptical expression is in keeping with the elliptical nature of the exclamations at the beginning of the verse (cf. the literal translations of the first two lines of the verse in the notes on the words “stomach” and “heart”).

[4:20]  ⁶ tn The words, “I see” are not in the text here or at the beginning of the third line. They are supplied in the translation to show that this is Jeremiah’s vision of what will happen as a result of the invasion announced in 4:5-9, 11-17a.

[4:20]  ⁷ tn Heb “my.” This is probably not a reference to Jeremiah’s own tents since he foresees the destruction of the whole land. Jeremiah so identifies with the plight of his people that he sees the destruction of their tents as though they were his very own. It would probably lead to confusion to translate literally and it is not uncommon in Hebrew laments for the community or its representative to speak of the community as an “I.” See for example the interchange between first singular and first plural pronouns in Ps 44:4-8.

[4:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “my.”

[4:20]  ⁹ tn It is not altogether clear what Jeremiah intends by the use of this metaphor. In all likelihood he means that the defenses of Israel’s cities and towns have offered no more resistance than nomads’ tents. However, in light of the fact that the word “tent” came to be used generically for a person’s home (cf. 1 Kgs 8:66; 12:16), it is possible that Jeremiah is here referring to the destruction of their homes and the resultant feeling of homelessness and loss of even elementary protection. Given the lack of certainty the present translation is rather literal here.

[4:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the sound of ram’s horns,” but the modern equivalent is “bugles” and is more readily understandable.

[4:22]  ¹¹ tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation to show clearly the shift in speaker. Jeremiah has been speaking; now the Lord answers, giving the reason for the devastation Jeremiah foresees.

[4:22]  ¹² tn Heb “For….” This gives the explanation for the destruction envisaged in 4:20 to which Jeremiah responds in 4:19, 21.

[4:22]  ¹³ tn Heb “They are senseless children.”

[6:22]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “people.”

[6:23]  ¹⁵ sn Jerualem is personified as a young maiden helpless before enemy attackers.

[6:24]  ¹⁶ tn These words are not in the text, but, from the context, someone other than God is speaking and is speaking for and to the people (either Jeremiah or the people themselves). These words are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[6:24]  ¹⁷ tn Or “We have lost our strength to do battle”; Heb “Our hands hang limp [or helpless at our sides].” According to BDB 951 s.v. רָפָה Qal.2, this idiom is used figuratively for losing heart or energy. The best example of its figurative use of loss of strength or the feeling of helplessness is in Ezek 21:12 where it appears in the context of the heart (courage) melting, the spirit sinking, and the knees becoming like water. For other examples compare 2 Sam 4:1; Zeph 3:16. In Neh 6:9 it is used literally of the builders “dropping their hands from the work” out of fear. The words “with fear” are supplied in the translation because they are implicit in the context.

[8:15]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “[We hoped] for a time of healing but behold terror.”

[8:16]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “his stallions.”

[8:16]  ²⁰ tn The words “They are coming to destroy” are not in the text. They are inserted to break up a long sentence in conformity with contemporary English style.

[47:6]  ²¹ tn The words “How long will you cry out” are not in the text but some such introduction seems necessary because the rest of the speech assumes a personal subject.

[47:6]  ²² tn Heb “before you are quiet/at rest.”

[47:6]  ²³ sn The passage is highly figurative. The sword of the Lord, which is itself a figure of the destructive agency of the enemy armies, is here addressed as a person and is encouraged in rhetorical questions (the questions are designed to dissuade) to “be quiet,” “be at rest,” “be silent,” all of which is designed to get the Lord to call off the destruction against the Philistines.

[7:24]  ²⁴ sn Or “their holy places” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV).

[7:25]  ²⁵ tn The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT. It is interpreted based on a Syriac cognate meaning “to bristle or stiffen (in terror).”

[14:21]  ²⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:10]  ²⁷ tn Heb “Or shall we rejoice, scepter of my son, it despises every tree.” The translation understands the subject of the verb “despises,” which is a feminine form in the Hebrew text, to be the sword (which is a feminine noun) mentioned just before this. Alternatively, the line may be understood as “let us not rejoice, O tribe of my son; it despises every tree.” The same word in Hebrew may be either “rod,” “scepter,” or “tribe.” The word sometimes translated as “or” or taken as an interrogative particle may be a negative particle. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:672, n. 79.

[21:12]  ²⁸ sn This physical action was part of an expression of grief. Cp. Jer. 31:19.

[21:13]  ²⁹ tn Heb “For testing (will come) and what if also a scepter, it despises, will not be?” The translation understands the subject of the verb “despises,” which is a feminine form in the Hebrew text, to be the sword (which is a feminine noun) mentioned in the previous verses. The text is very difficult and any rendering is uncertain.

[21:28]  ³⁰ tn Heb “their reproach.”

[21:28]  ³¹ tn Heb “to contain, endure.” Since the Hebrew text as it stands makes little, if any, sense, most emend the text to read either “to consume” or “for destruction.” For discussion of options see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:693.

[11:1]  ³² sn The antecedent of the pronoun “I” is the angel, not Daniel. The traditional chapter division at this point, and the presence of a chronological note in the verse similar to ones used elsewhere in the book to position Daniel’s activities in relation to imperial affairs, sometimes lead to confusion on this matter.

[11:2]  ³³ sn Perhaps these three more kings are Cambyses (ca. 530-522 B.C.), Pseudo-Smerdis (ca. 522 B.C.), and Darius I Hystaspes (ca. 522-486 B.C.).

[11:2]  ³⁴ sn This fourth king is Xerxes I (ca. 486-465 B.C.). The following reference to one of his chiefs apparently has in view Seleucus Nicator.

[11:2]  ³⁵ tn Heb “rich with great riches.”

[11:2]  ³⁶ tn The text is difficult. The Hebrew has here אֶת (’et), the marker of a definite direct object. As it stands, this would suggest the meaning that “he will arouse everyone, that is, the kingdom of Greece.” The context, however, seems to suggest the idea that this Persian king will arouse in hostility against Greece the constituent elements of his own empire. This requires supplying the word “against,” which is not actually present in the Hebrew text.

[11:3]  ³⁷ sn The powerful king mentioned here is Alexander the Great (ca. 336-323 B.C.).

[11:4]  ³⁸ tn Heb “and when he stands.”

[11:4]  ³⁹ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[11:5]  ⁴⁰ sn The king of the south is Ptolemy I Soter (ca. 323-285 B.C.). The following reference to one of his subordinates apparently has in view Seleucus I Nicator (ca. 311-280 B.C.). Throughout the remainder of chap. 11 the expressions “king of the south” and “king of the north” repeatedly occur. It is clear, however, that these terms are being used generically to describe the Ptolemaic king (i.e., “of the south”) or the Seleucid king (i.e., “of the north”) who happens to be in power at any particular time. The specific identity of these kings can be established more or less successfully by a comparison of this chapter with the available extra-biblical records that discuss the history of the intertestamental period. In the following notes the generally accepted identifications are briefly mentioned.

[11:5]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “princes.”

[11:5]  ⁴² tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the subordinate prince mentioned in the previous clause) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:5]  ⁴³ tn Heb “be strong against.”

[11:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “greater than his kingdom.”

[11:6]  ⁴⁵ sn Here they refers to Ptolemy II Philadelphus (ca. 285-246 B.C.) and Antiochus II Theos (ca. 262-246 B.C.).

[11:6]  ⁴⁶ sn The daughter refers to Berenice, who was given in marriage to Antiochus II Theos.

[11:6]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “the strength of the arm.”

[11:6]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “stand.” So also in vv. 7, 8, 11, 13.

[11:6]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “and his arm.” Some understand this to refer to the descendants of the king of the north.

[11:6]  ⁵⁰ tc The present translation reads יַלְדָּה (yaldah, “her child”) rather than the MT יֹלְדָהּ (yolÿdah, “the one who begot her”). Cf. Theodotion, the Syriac, and the Vulgate.

[11:6]  ⁵¹ sn Antiochus II eventually divorced Berenice and remarried his former wife Laodice, who then poisoned her husband, had Berenice put to death, and installed her own son, Seleucus II Callinicus (ca. 246-227 B.C.), as the Seleucid king.

[11:7]  ⁵² sn The reference is to the king of Egypt.

[11:7]  ⁵³ tn Heb “the stock of her roots.”

[11:7]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “will deal with them and prevail.”

[11:8]  ⁵⁵ tn The Hebrew preposition מִן (min) is used here with the verb עָמַד (’amad, “to stand”). It probably has a sense of separation (“stand away from”), although it may also be understood in an adversative sense (“stand against”).

[11:9]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:10]  ⁵⁷ sn The sons of Seleucus II Callinicus were Seleucus III Ceraunus (ca. 227-223 B.C.) and Antiochus III the Great (ca. 223-187 B.C.).

[11:10]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “his”; the referent (the enemy of the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:10]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and he will certainly come and overflow and cross over and return and be aroused unto a fortress.” The translation has attempted to simplify the syntax of this difficult sequence.

[11:11]  ⁶⁰ sn This king of the south refers to Ptolemy IV Philopator (ca. 221-204 B.C.).

[11:12]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “his heart will be lifted up.” The referent (the king of the south) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:12]  ⁶² tn Heb “cause to fall.”

[11:12]  ⁶³ tn Heb “of myriads.”

[11:14]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “stand against.”

[11:14]  ⁶⁵ sn This was Ptolemy V Epiphanes (ca. 203-181 B.C.).

[11:14]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “sons of violence.” “Son(s) is sometimes used idiomatically in Hebrew to indicate that someone is characterized by a certain quality. So the expression “sons of violence” means that these individuals will be characterized by violent deeds.

[11:14]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “to cause to stand.”

[11:15]  ⁶⁸ sn This well-fortified city is apparently Sidon. Its capture from the Ptolemies by Antiochus the Great was a strategic victory for the Seleucid kingdom.

[11:15]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “choice troops” (BDB 104 s.v. מִבְחָר), or “elite troops” (HALOT 542 s.v. מִבְחָר).

[11:16]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “hand.”

[11:17]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “and he will set his face.” Cf. vv. 18, 19.

[11:17]  ⁷² tc The present translation reads מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim, “alliances”) for the MT וִישָׁרִים (viysharim, “uprightness”).

[11:17]  ⁷³ tn Heb “him”; the referent (the king of the south) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:17]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “the daughter of the women.”

[11:18]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “his face.” See v. 19 as well.

[11:18]  ⁷⁶ sn The commander is probably the Roman commander, Lucius Cornelius Scipio.

[11:18]  ⁷⁷ tn The Hebrew here is difficult in that the negative בִּלְתִּי (biltiy, “not”) is used in an unusual way. The sense is not entirely clear.

[11:18]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “his shameful conduct he will return to him.”

[11:20]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “on his place.”

[11:20]  ⁸⁰ sn The one who will send out an exactor of tribute was Seleucus IV Philopator (ca. 187-176 B.C.).

[11:20]  ⁸¹ sn Perhaps this exactor of tribute was Heliodorus (cf. 2 Maccabees 3).

[11:20]  ⁸² tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”

[11:21]  ⁸³ sn This despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ca. 175-164 B.C.).

[11:22]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “arms.”

[11:22]  ⁸⁵ tc The present translation reads הִשָּׁטֹף (hishatof), Niphal infinitive absolute of שָׁטַף (shataf, “to overflow”), for the MT הַשֶּׁטֶף (hashetef, “flood”).

[11:22]  ⁸⁶ tn The words “in defeat” are added in the translation for clarification.

[11:22]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “a prince of the covenant.”

[11:22]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”

[11:23]  ⁸⁹ tn The preposition מִן (min) is probably temporal here (so BDB 583 s.v. 7.c; cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV), although it could also be understood here as indicating means (so J. Goldingay, Daniel [WBC], 279, n. 23a; cf. TEV, NLT).

[11:23]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “nation.”

[11:24]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “and unto a time.”

[11:25]  ⁹² tn Heb “heart.”

[11:25]  ⁹³ sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145 B.C.).

[11:26]  ⁹⁴ tc The present translation reads יִשָׁטֵף (yishatef, passive) rather than the MT יִשְׁטוֹף (yishtof, active).

[11:27]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “heart.” So also in v. 28.

[11:27]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “speak.”

[11:28]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:30]  ⁹⁸ 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]  ⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “show regard for.”

[11:31]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “arms.”

[11:31]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “the sanctuary, the fortress.”

[11:31]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “will give.”

[11:32]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “corrupt.”

[11:32]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “acted wickedly toward.”

[11:32]  ¹⁰⁶ 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.

[11:32]  ¹⁰⁷ sn This is an allusion to the Maccabean revolt, which struggled to bring about Jewish independence in the second century B.C.

[11:33]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “the many.”

[11:33]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “stumble.”

[11:33]  ¹¹⁰ tn Or “by burning.”

[11:33]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “days.”

[11:36]  ¹¹² sn The identity of this king is problematic. If vv. 36-45 continue the description of Antiochus Epiphanes, the account must be viewed as erroneous, since the details do not match what is known of Antiochus’ latter days. Most modern scholars take this view, concluding that this section was written just shortly before the death of Antiochus and that the writer erred on several key points as he tried to predict what would follow the events of his own day. Conservative scholars, however, usually understand the reference to shift at this point to an eschatological figure, viz., the Antichrist. The chronological gap that this would presuppose to be in the narrative is not necessarily a problem, since by all accounts there are many chronological gaps throughout the chapter, as the historical figures intended by such expressions as “king of the north” and “king of the south” repeatedly shift.

[11:36]  ¹¹³ tn The words “the time of” are added in the translation for clarification.

[11:36]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “has been done.” The Hebrew verb used here is the perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of fulfillment.

[11:37]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “consider.”

[11:37]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “[the one] desired by women.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:39]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “act against.”

[11:39]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “with.”

[11:39]  ¹¹⁹ tn Or perhaps “for a reward.”

[11:40]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “engage in thrusting.”

[11:40]  ¹²¹ tn The referent of the pronoun is most likely the king of the south, in which case the text describes the king of the north countering the attack of the king of the south.

[11:40]  ¹²² tn Heb “many ships.”

[11:40]  ¹²³ tn This most likely refers to the king of the north who, in response to the aggression of the king of the south, launches an invasion of the southern regions.

[11:40]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “and will overflow and pass over.”

[11:41]  ¹²⁵ sn The beautiful land is a cryptic reference to the land of Israel.

[11:41]  ¹²⁶ tn This can be understood as “many people” (cf. NRSV) or “many countries” (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).

[11:41]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “be delivered from his hand.”

[11:42]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “hand.”

[11:43]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “Nubians” (NIV, NCV); Heb “Cushites.”

[11:43]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “Libyans and Cushites [will be] at his footsteps.”

[11:45]  ¹³¹ sn Presumably seas refers to the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea.

[13:7]  ¹³² tn Grk “it is not yet the end.”

[13:8]  ¹³³ tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.

[13:8]  ¹³⁴ sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.

[21:9]  ¹³⁵ tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).

[21:9]  ¹³⁶ tn This is not the usual term for fear, but refers to a deep sense of terror and emotional distress (Luke 24:37; BDAG 895 s.v. πτοέω).

[21:9]  ¹³⁷ sn The end will not come at once. This remark about timing not only indicates that there will be events before the end, but that some time will also pass before it comes.