Daniel Chapter 11
Encyclopedia
Daniel 11 is a chapter in the Book of Daniel. It describes a series of conflicts between various unidentified combatants typically labeled the King of the North and the King of the South. The narrative begins in Chapter 10 and concludes in Chapter 12.
During the third year of Cyrus king of Persia on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, Daniel was on the banks of the Tigris River. He looked up and saw a man standing there dressed in white linen. Although his friends fled in terror, they saw nothing. Daniel faints and has a dream. The contents of the dream make up the latter part of Chapter 10, and all of chapters 11 and 12.
The angel Gabriel speaks of conflicts first between Perisa and Greece and then between fragments of the Grecian empire, most notably between kings of the North and kings of the South. Then at the 'time of the end' comes a final conflict between a king of the North and a king of the South. In Chapter 12, Michael stands up and there is a mighty time of distress, but many will be saved. But Daniel is told to seal up his book until the time of the end. Daniel then sees some beings talking about how long these things will last and then he is told to go his way. He was to rest and then receive his inheritance.
who ruled the Jews from 175–164 BC, and his desecration of the altar in the temple at Jerusalem, and consequently they date its composition to that period. In particular, the vision in Chapter 11, which focuses on a series of wars between the "King of the North" and the "King of the South", is generally interpreted as a record of Levantine history from the time of Alexander the Great down to the era of Antiochus IV, with the "Kings of the North" being the Seleucid kings of Syria
and the "Kings of the South" being the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt
.
Scottish theologian John Drane
notes that other details of the stories in the early chapters of Daniel are also similar to the prevailing conditions in the era of Antiochus. "Belshazzar for example, falls from power because he defiled the sacred objects taken from the Temple in Jerusalem (Dan. 5:1-4), in much the same way as Antiochus repeatedly robbed the Temple in Jerusalem. The worship of the great statue set up by Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 3:1-18) and the story of the Bel
found in the Septuagint highlighted the same issues as Antiochus' action in setting up an image of Zeus
in the Temple at Jerusalem. Indeed it may be implied that the images were actual statues of the kings themselves. Even the story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness (Dan. 4:19-33) may have been intended to be reminiscent of the commonly held belief that Antiochus was mad ("epimanes"). The people of a later age would also recognize those apostate Jews who collaborated with the unbelieving Seleucids in the duplicitous figures of the spies and informers who plotted against Daniel and ensured that he was shut up in the den of lions (Dan. 6:1-14). The issue of food, which features so largely in the opening story of Daniel (Dan. 1:3-16), was one of the whole crucial points in the whole argument about Hellenism
. Much of the opposition that sparked the Maccabean revolt was concerned with the unwillingness of faithful Jews to eat pork and other unclean foods
".
Even the name Nebuchadnezzar contains a veiled reference to Antiochus Epiphanes to those acquainted with Hebrew numerology. In Hebrew, as in many other ancient languages, names and words often have numerical value (see Gematria
). Nebuchadnezzar's name in cuneiform is Nabû-kudurri-uṣur which should be transliterated into Hebrew as נבוכדנאצר or Nebuwkadne'tstsar (as it is in Jer. 46:2, 39:11). It is unlikely to be a coincidence that when the numbers represented by "Nebuwkadne'tstsar" are added up, they come exactly the same figure (423) as the numbers of the name "Antiochus Epiphanes".
This conclusion regarding the date of composition was first drawn by the philosopher Porphyry of Tyros, a 3rd century pagan
and Neoplatonist
, whose fifteen-volume work Against the Christians is only known to us through Jerome
's reply. The identification of Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel, however, is a much older interpretation which seems to be reflected, for example, in 1 Maccabees 1:54 (c100 BC), where an idol of Zeus
set up upon the altar of burnt offering under Antiochus is referred to as an "abomination of desolation
" (cf. Dan. 9:27, 11:31). This identification is made explicit in Josephus' exposition of Daniel chapter eight (Antiquities 10:11, c94 AD) where he almost certainly cites a common Jewish interpretative tradition by identifying the "little horn" as Antiochus. According to British historian Bryan Rennie
, the conclusion that the Book of Daniel was written at the time of the profanation of the Temple by Antiochus IV would explain why the author is not very precise about 6th century events, why he is so precise about the time of Antiochus, and why he was never counted among the prophets. Scholars are virtually unanimous in regarding the Book of Daniel as a message of encouragement to those people(hasidim
) suffering for their faith under the oppression of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Daniel 11 begins in the court of Cyrus the Great
, the first Zoroastrian Persian emperor and founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty. Under his rule, the empire expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia, from Egypt and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest empire the world had yet seen.
His son, Cambyses II, expanded the empire into Egypt, and was succeeded for a few months by his younger brother Bardiya
.
Darius I then attempted to expand the empire into Greece. His first expedition failed. He immediately began planning a second expedition, but died before being able to carry it out, leaving the task to his son Xerxes.
Xerxes I of Persia
, the fourth king after Cyrus the Great, set out in the spring of 480 BC from Sardis with a fleet and army which Herodotus claimed was more than two million strong with at least 10,000 elite warriors named Persian Immortals. Xerxes was victorious during the initial battles. However, in spite of his international efforts against Greece, he eventually had to send part of his army to Babylon to prevent a revolt, and those left behind were defeated the following year at Plataea.
The Hellenistic period of Jewish history began in 332 BCE when Alexander the Great defeated the last Persian king Darius III and conquered Persia. Upon his death in 323 BCE, his empire was divided among his generals("Diadochi
"). The entire region of Judea was heavily contested between the successor states of Alexander's empire, the satrap
ies of the Seleucid Empire
and Ptolemaic Egypt
, during the six Syrian Wars
of the 3rd-1st centuries BCE: "After two centuries of peace under the Persians, the Hebrew state found itself once more caught in the middle of power struggles between two great empires: the Seleucid state with its capital in Syria
to the north and the Ptolemaic state, with its capital in Egypt
to the south...Between 319 and 302 BCE, Jerusalem changed hands seven times." At first, Judea was ruled by the Egyptian-Hellenic Ptolemies, but in 198 BCE, the Syrian-Hellenic Seleucid Empire
, under Antiochus III the Great
, seized control of Judea. Generally, the Jews accepted foreign rule when they were only required to pay tribute
, and otherwise allowed to govern themselves internally. Nevertheless, Jews were divided between those favoring hellenization
and those opposing it, and were divided over allegiance to the Ptolemies or Seleucids. When the High Priest Simon II
died in 175 BCE, conflict broke out between supporters of his son Onias III
(who opposed hellenization, and favored the Ptolemies) and his son Jason
(who favored hellenization, and favored the Seleucids). A period of political intrigue followed, with priests such as Jason
and Menelaus
bribing the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes
to win the high priesthood. In 170 BCE the deposed High Priest Onias III was murdered at the instigation of the high priest Menelaus, whom Antiochus IV had appointed to that position.
In 168 BCE, while Antiochus was in Egypt, Jason led an attack against Menelaus to regain the high priesthood. The result was a brief civil war
. Huge numbers of Jews flocked to Jason's side, and in 167 BCE the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes
invaded Judea, restored Menelaus and sacked the temple in reprisal for rebellion. He put a stop to the daily sacrifices and set up an altar to Zeus ("abomination of desolation
") in the Temple. Jason fled to Egypt and Antiochus IV imposed a program of forced hellenization
, requiring Jews to abandon their own religion and customs.
At this point Mattathias
and his five sons, John, Eleazar, Simon, Jonathan, and Judah Maccabee, priests of the Hasmonean
family living in the area of ancient Modi'in, assumed leadership of a bloody revolt against the Seleucids. Following the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in Elam
, Judah liberated Jerusalem in 164 BCE and restored the Temple sacrifices. In 163 BCE, Antiochus IV's regent Lysias made peace with the Jews and granted them religious freedom.
(Names in parenthesis are textually given identification of nations, names in italics are modern, interpreted identification of nations.)
There are some who view Daniel's vision describing events that occurred in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC concerning the struggle between the Ptolemies (the king of the south, cf ) and the Seleucids
(the king of the north) for the control of Judea, in which the Seleucids were eventually victorious. is devoted to the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes(the ruler of the Jews from 175-164 BCE), his rise to power, wars against Egypt, and his subsequent actions against Jerusalem, the Temple and the Jewish people. is considered very accurate. All major conflicts are mentioned, and the Sixth Syrian War is described in great detail.
However, Daniel 11:2,40-45 are considered non-historical by most scholars, who generally agree that the vaticinia ex eventu cease at Daniel 11:39 and that the remaining verses are genuine predictions, and do not accurately describe the events of the time. After describing the "desecration of the Temple
and the Maccabean revolt, the author predicts another attack from Egypt in which Antiochus will be victorious and capture the entire territory along with Libya
and Ethiopia
. There is however no historical evidence for this. Instead, Antiochus went to Armenia
, Babylonia
, and Susa
. It also claims that Antiochus will die after pitching his tents "between the seas (understood to be the Mediterranean) and the glorious mountain (understood to be Mount Zion
)" after conquering Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia (v.45). Antiochus died in Elam
near Persia in Mesopotamia, not in Judea. Further, suggests a resurrection of the dead, but this event is not recorded shortly after Antiochus's death. This resurrection was likely metaphorical.
Some Christian scholars, however, argue that v. 11:40-45 refer to Augustus Caesar, Herod
or to an antichrist
yet to come.
During the third year of Cyrus king of Persia on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, Daniel was on the banks of the Tigris River. He looked up and saw a man standing there dressed in white linen. Although his friends fled in terror, they saw nothing. Daniel faints and has a dream. The contents of the dream make up the latter part of Chapter 10, and all of chapters 11 and 12.
The angel Gabriel speaks of conflicts first between Perisa and Greece and then between fragments of the Grecian empire, most notably between kings of the North and kings of the South. Then at the 'time of the end' comes a final conflict between a king of the North and a king of the South. In Chapter 12, Michael stands up and there is a mighty time of distress, but many will be saved. But Daniel is told to seal up his book until the time of the end. Daniel then sees some beings talking about how long these things will last and then he is told to go his way. He was to rest and then receive his inheritance.
King of the North
Critical scholars have asserted that the prophecies in the Book of Daniel reflect the persecutions of the Jews by the Greek Seleucid king Antiochus IV EpiphanesAntiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC. He was a son of King Antiochus III the Great. His original name was Mithridates; he assumed the name Antiochus after he ascended the throne....
who ruled the Jews from 175–164 BC, and his desecration of the altar in the temple at Jerusalem, and consequently they date its composition to that period. In particular, the vision in Chapter 11, which focuses on a series of wars between the "King of the North" and the "King of the South", is generally interpreted as a record of Levantine history from the time of Alexander the Great down to the era of Antiochus IV, with the "Kings of the North" being the Seleucid kings of Syria
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
and the "Kings of the South" being the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
.
Scottish theologian John Drane
John Drane
John William Drane is a theologian who is probably best known for his two best-selling books on the Bible, Introducing the Old Testament and Introducing the New Testament . He studied in the University of Aberdeen where he was a student of I...
notes that other details of the stories in the early chapters of Daniel are also similar to the prevailing conditions in the era of Antiochus. "Belshazzar for example, falls from power because he defiled the sacred objects taken from the Temple in Jerusalem (Dan. 5:1-4), in much the same way as Antiochus repeatedly robbed the Temple in Jerusalem. The worship of the great statue set up by Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 3:1-18) and the story of the Bel
Bel and the Dragon
The narrative of Bel and the Dragon incorporated as chapter 14 of the extended Book of Daniel exists only in Greek in the Septuagint. This chapter, along with chapter 13, is referred to as deuterocanonical, in that it is not universally accepted among Christians as belonging to the canonical works...
found in the Septuagint highlighted the same issues as Antiochus' action in setting up an image of Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
in the Temple at Jerusalem. Indeed it may be implied that the images were actual statues of the kings themselves. Even the story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness (Dan. 4:19-33) may have been intended to be reminiscent of the commonly held belief that Antiochus was mad ("epimanes"). The people of a later age would also recognize those apostate Jews who collaborated with the unbelieving Seleucids in the duplicitous figures of the spies and informers who plotted against Daniel and ensured that he was shut up in the den of lions (Dan. 6:1-14). The issue of food, which features so largely in the opening story of Daniel (Dan. 1:3-16), was one of the whole crucial points in the whole argument about Hellenism
Hellenistic civilization
Hellenistic civilization represents the zenith of Greek influence in the ancient world from 323 BCE to about 146 BCE...
. Much of the opposition that sparked the Maccabean revolt was concerned with the unwillingness of faithful Jews to eat pork and other unclean foods
Kashrut
Kashrut is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér , meaning "fit" Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law) is termed...
".
Even the name Nebuchadnezzar contains a veiled reference to Antiochus Epiphanes to those acquainted with Hebrew numerology. In Hebrew, as in many other ancient languages, names and words often have numerical value (see Gematria
Gematria
Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...
). Nebuchadnezzar's name in cuneiform is Nabû-kudurri-uṣur which should be transliterated into Hebrew as נבוכדנאצר or Nebuwkadne'tstsar (as it is in Jer. 46:2, 39:11). It is unlikely to be a coincidence that when the numbers represented by "Nebuwkadne'tstsar" are added up, they come exactly the same figure (423) as the numbers of the name "Antiochus Epiphanes".
This conclusion regarding the date of composition was first drawn by the philosopher Porphyry of Tyros, a 3rd century pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
and Neoplatonist
Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism , is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists, with its earliest contributor believed to be Plotinus, and his teacher Ammonius Saccas...
, whose fifteen-volume work Against the Christians is only known to us through Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
's reply. The identification of Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel, however, is a much older interpretation which seems to be reflected, for example, in 1 Maccabees 1:54 (c100 BC), where an idol of Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
set up upon the altar of burnt offering under Antiochus is referred to as an "abomination of desolation
Abomination of Desolation
The abomination of desolation is a term found in the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Daniel. It also occurs in the book of 1 Maccabees and in the New Testament gospels....
" (cf. Dan. 9:27, 11:31). This identification is made explicit in Josephus' exposition of Daniel chapter eight (Antiquities 10:11, c94 AD) where he almost certainly cites a common Jewish interpretative tradition by identifying the "little horn" as Antiochus. According to British historian Bryan Rennie
Bryan Rennie
Bryan Rennie is a British historian of religions, the Vira I. Heinz Professor of Religion at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania...
, the conclusion that the Book of Daniel was written at the time of the profanation of the Temple by Antiochus IV would explain why the author is not very precise about 6th century events, why he is so precise about the time of Antiochus, and why he was never counted among the prophets. Scholars are virtually unanimous in regarding the Book of Daniel as a message of encouragement to those people(hasidim
Hasideans
The Hasideans were a Jewish religious party which commenced to play an important role in political life only during the time of the Maccabean wars, although it had existed for quite some time previous. They are mentioned only three times in the books of the Maccabees.- Account in Maccabees:In I...
) suffering for their faith under the oppression of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Daniel 11 and historic events
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II of Persia , commonly known as Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus the Elder, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much...
, the first Zoroastrian Persian emperor and founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty. Under his rule, the empire expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia, from Egypt and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest empire the world had yet seen.
His son, Cambyses II, expanded the empire into Egypt, and was succeeded for a few months by his younger brother Bardiya
Bardiya
Bardiya was a son of Cyrus the Great and the younger brother of Cambyses II, both Persian kings. There are sharply divided views on his life, he may have ruled the Achaemenid Empire for a few months in 522 BCE, or he may have been impersonated by a magus called Gaumata. -Name and sources:The...
.
Darius I then attempted to expand the empire into Greece. His first expedition failed. He immediately began planning a second expedition, but died before being able to carry it out, leaving the task to his son Xerxes.
Xerxes I of Persia
Xerxes I of Persia
Xerxes I of Persia , Ḫšayāršā, ), also known as Xerxes the Great, was the fifth king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire.-Youth and rise to power:...
, the fourth king after Cyrus the Great, set out in the spring of 480 BC from Sardis with a fleet and army which Herodotus claimed was more than two million strong with at least 10,000 elite warriors named Persian Immortals. Xerxes was victorious during the initial battles. However, in spite of his international efforts against Greece, he eventually had to send part of his army to Babylon to prevent a revolt, and those left behind were defeated the following year at Plataea.
The Hellenistic period of Jewish history began in 332 BCE when Alexander the Great defeated the last Persian king Darius III and conquered Persia. Upon his death in 323 BCE, his empire was divided among his generals("Diadochi
Diadochi
The Diadochi were the rival generals, family and friends of Alexander the Great who fought for the control of Alexander's empire after his death in 323 BC...
"). The entire region of Judea was heavily contested between the successor states of Alexander's empire, the satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
ies of the Seleucid Empire
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
and Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter invaded Egypt and declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman conquest in 30 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a powerful Hellenistic state, extending from southern Syria in the east, to...
, during the six Syrian Wars
Syrian Wars
The Syrian Wars were a series of six wars between the Successor states of the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC over the region then called Coele-Syria, one of the few avenues into Egypt...
of the 3rd-1st centuries BCE: "After two centuries of peace under the Persians, the Hebrew state found itself once more caught in the middle of power struggles between two great empires: the Seleucid state with its capital in Syria
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
to the north and the Ptolemaic state, with its capital in Egypt
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the south...Between 319 and 302 BCE, Jerusalem changed hands seven times." At first, Judea was ruled by the Egyptian-Hellenic Ptolemies, but in 198 BCE, the Syrian-Hellenic Seleucid Empire
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
, under Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great Seleucid Greek king who became the 6th ruler of the Seleucid Empire as a youth of about eighteen in 223 BC. Antiochus was an ambitious ruler who ruled over Greater Syria and western Asia towards the end of the 3rd century BC...
, seized control of Judea. Generally, the Jews accepted foreign rule when they were only required to pay tribute
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
, and otherwise allowed to govern themselves internally. Nevertheless, Jews were divided between those favoring hellenization
Hellenization
Hellenization is a term used to describe the spread of ancient Greek culture, and, to a lesser extent, language. It is mainly used to describe the spread of Hellenistic civilization during the Hellenistic period following the campaigns of Alexander the Great of Macedon...
and those opposing it, and were divided over allegiance to the Ptolemies or Seleucids. When the High Priest Simon II
Simon II (High Priest)
Simon II was a Jewish High Priest during the time of the Second Temple. He was the son of Onias II. Some identify him with Simeon the Just....
died in 175 BCE, conflict broke out between supporters of his son Onias III
Onias III
Onias III was a Jewish High Priest, the son of Simon II. He is described as a pious man who, unlike the Hellenizers, fought for Judaism. Seleucus Philopator defrayed all the expenses connected with the sanctuary and was friendly to the Jews...
(who opposed hellenization, and favored the Ptolemies) and his son Jason
Jason (high priest)
Jason of the Oniad family, brother to Onias III, was a High Priest in the Temple in Jerusalem.Jason became high priest in 175 BCE after the accession of Antiochus Epiphanes to the throne of the Seleucid Empire....
(who favored hellenization, and favored the Seleucids). A period of political intrigue followed, with priests such as Jason
Jason (high priest)
Jason of the Oniad family, brother to Onias III, was a High Priest in the Temple in Jerusalem.Jason became high priest in 175 BCE after the accession of Antiochus Epiphanes to the throne of the Seleucid Empire....
and Menelaus
Menelaus (High Priest)
Menelaus was High Priest in Jerusalem from 171 BC to about 161 BC. He was the successor of Jason, the brother of Onias III.The sources are divided as to his origin...
bribing the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC. He was a son of King Antiochus III the Great. His original name was Mithridates; he assumed the name Antiochus after he ascended the throne....
to win the high priesthood. In 170 BCE the deposed High Priest Onias III was murdered at the instigation of the high priest Menelaus, whom Antiochus IV had appointed to that position.
In 168 BCE, while Antiochus was in Egypt, Jason led an attack against Menelaus to regain the high priesthood. The result was a brief civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. Huge numbers of Jews flocked to Jason's side, and in 167 BCE the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC. He was a son of King Antiochus III the Great. His original name was Mithridates; he assumed the name Antiochus after he ascended the throne....
invaded Judea, restored Menelaus and sacked the temple in reprisal for rebellion. He put a stop to the daily sacrifices and set up an altar to Zeus ("abomination of desolation
Abomination of Desolation
The abomination of desolation is a term found in the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Daniel. It also occurs in the book of 1 Maccabees and in the New Testament gospels....
") in the Temple. Jason fled to Egypt and Antiochus IV imposed a program of forced hellenization
Hellenization
Hellenization is a term used to describe the spread of ancient Greek culture, and, to a lesser extent, language. It is mainly used to describe the spread of Hellenistic civilization during the Hellenistic period following the campaigns of Alexander the Great of Macedon...
, requiring Jews to abandon their own religion and customs.
At this point Mattathias
Mattathias
Mattathias ben Johanan was a Jewish priest whose role in the Jewish revolt against the Syrian Greeks is related in the Books of the Maccabees...
and his five sons, John, Eleazar, Simon, Jonathan, and Judah Maccabee, priests of the Hasmonean
Hasmonean
The Hasmonean dynasty , was the ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during classical antiquity. Between c. 140 and c. 116 BCE, the dynasty ruled semi-autonomously from the Seleucids in the region of Judea...
family living in the area of ancient Modi'in, assumed leadership of a bloody revolt against the Seleucids. Following the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in Elam
Elam
Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq...
, Judah liberated Jerusalem in 164 BCE and restored the Temple sacrifices. In 163 BCE, Antiochus IV's regent Lysias made peace with the Jews and granted them religious freedom.
Interpretations
Just as scholars note parallels between the prophetic chapters of Daniel, so too have historicist interpreters since the Protestant reformation. The following table is based on historicist (Seventh-day Adventist) interpretation.(Names in parenthesis are textually given identification of nations, names in italics are modern, interpreted identification of nations.)
| Chapter | Parallel sequence of prophetic elements as understood by Historicists | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Past | Present | The Future | ||||
| Daniel 2 | Head Gold (Babylon) |
Chest & 2 arms Silver |
Belly and thighs Bronze |
2 Legs Iron |
2 Feet with toes Clay & Iron |
Rock God's unending kingdom left to no other people |
| Daniel 7 | Winged Lion | Lopsided Bear | 4 Headed/4 Winged Leopard |
Iron toothed beast w/Little Horn |
Judgment scene Beast slain |
A son of man comes in clouds Given everlasting dominion He gives it to the saints. |
| Daniel 8 | 2-horned Ram (Media-Persia) |
Uni- / 4-horned Goat 4 Winds (Greece) |
Little Horn A Master of Intrigue |
Cleansing of Sanctuary Leads to: |
(Kingdom of God) | |
| Daniel 11-12 | Kings (Persia) |
North & South Kings 4 Winds (Greece) |
North & South Kings A Contemptible Person of Intrigue Pagan & Papal Rome |
North & South Kings End Times Global religio-political Government |
Michael stands up Many dead awake To everlasting life |
|
There are some who view Daniel's vision describing events that occurred in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC concerning the struggle between the Ptolemies (the king of the south, cf ) and the Seleucids
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
(the king of the north) for the control of Judea, in which the Seleucids were eventually victorious. is devoted to the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes(the ruler of the Jews from 175-164 BCE), his rise to power, wars against Egypt, and his subsequent actions against Jerusalem, the Temple and the Jewish people. is considered very accurate. All major conflicts are mentioned, and the Sixth Syrian War is described in great detail.
However, Daniel 11:2,40-45 are considered non-historical by most scholars, who generally agree that the vaticinia ex eventu cease at Daniel 11:39 and that the remaining verses are genuine predictions, and do not accurately describe the events of the time. After describing the "desecration of the Temple
Abomination of Desolation
The abomination of desolation is a term found in the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Daniel. It also occurs in the book of 1 Maccabees and in the New Testament gospels....
and the Maccabean revolt, the author predicts another attack from Egypt in which Antiochus will be victorious and capture the entire territory along with Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. There is however no historical evidence for this. Instead, Antiochus went to Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
, and Susa
Susa
Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. It is located in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris River, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers....
. It also claims that Antiochus will die after pitching his tents "between the seas (understood to be the Mediterranean) and the glorious mountain (understood to be Mount Zion
Mount Zion
Mount Zion is a place name for a site in Jerusalem, the location of which has shifted several times in history. According to the Hebrew Bible's Book of Samuel, it was the site of the Jebusite fortress called the "stronghold of Zion" that was conquered by King David, becoming his palace in the City...
)" after conquering Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia (v.45). Antiochus died in Elam
Elam
Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq...
near Persia in Mesopotamia, not in Judea. Further, suggests a resurrection of the dead, but this event is not recorded shortly after Antiochus's death. This resurrection was likely metaphorical.
Some Christian scholars, however, argue that v. 11:40-45 refer to Augustus Caesar, Herod
Herod the Great
Herod , also known as Herod the Great , was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis." He is also known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and elsewhere, including his...
or to an antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
yet to come.
Appendix
Over the centuries Bible scholars have identified specific kingdoms as fulfillment of the symbols as illustrated in the following table.| Prophecy of Kings in Daniel 11 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical Expositors of the Early Church Period: 100-457 AD | |||||||
| Kingdoms | |||||||
| Hippolytus | d. 238 | PGR-Antichrist | |||||
| Jerome Jerome Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia... |
w. 420 | Antichrist at end | |||||
| Biblical Expositors of the Early Medieval Period: 400-1200 AD | |||||||
| Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis... |
d. 1274 | Antichrist | |||||
| Biblical Expositors of the Reformation Era: 1522-1614 AD | |||||||
| Willful King | King of the North | ||||||
| Martin Luther Martin Luther Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517... |
1522 | Papacy | Papacy | ||||
| Johann Oecolampadius | 1530 | Antichrist | |||||
| Philipp Melanchthon Philipp Melanchthon Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems... |
1543 | Papacy | Papacy, Turk | ||||
| Georg Joye | 1545 | Papacy | |||||
| Heinrich Bullinger Heinrich Bullinger Heinrich Bullinger was a Swiss reformer, the successor of Huldrych Zwingli as head of the Zurich church and pastor at Grossmünster... |
1557 | Papacy | |||||
| John Jewel | 1562 | Papacy | |||||
| Nikolaus Selnecker Nikolaus Selnecker Nikolaus Selnecker was a German musician and theologian. He is now known mainly as a hymn writer. He is also known as one of the principal authors of the Formula of Concord along with Jakob Andreä and Martin Chemnitz.At a young age he was an organist in Nuremberg... |
1579 | Papacy | |||||
| Thomas Cramer | 1582 | Papacy | |||||
| Biblical Expositors of the Counter-Reformation: 1590-1604 AD | |||||||
| Robert Bellarmine | 1593 | Antiochus | |||||
| Biblical Expositors of the Post-Reformation Era—Europe: 1600-1800 AD | |||||||
| Willful King | King of the North | ||||||
| George Downham | 1603 | Papacy | |||||
| John Tillinghast John Tillinghast John Tillinghast was an English clergyman and Fifth-monarchy man. He is known for his confrontation with Oliver Cromwell, and millenarian writings.-Life:... |
1655 | Turk & Pope | |||||
| William Sherwin William Sherwin (minister) William Sherwin was an English minister. The Dictionary of National Biography suggests that he was either silenced in 1660 or ejected in 1662. He wrote a number of works on biblical and theological themes. His son became a notable engraver.-References:... |
1670 | Turks | |||||
| Thomas Beverly | 1684 | Turks | |||||
| William Whiston William Whiston William Whiston was an English theologian, historian, and mathematician. He is probably best known for his translation of the Antiquities of the Jews and other works by Josephus, his A New Theory of the Earth, and his Arianism... |
1706 | Turks | |||||
| Thomas Newton Thomas Newton Thomas Newton was an English cleric, biblical scholar and author. He served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1761 to 1782.... |
1754 | Turks | |||||
| Hans Wood | 1787 | Turks | |||||
| James Ebenezer Bicheno James Ebenezer Bicheno James Ebenezer Bicheno was a British author and colonial official.Bicheno was the son of the Rev. James Bicheno, minister of the Baptist Church in Newbury, Berkshire. He was called to the bar in 1822 but seems to have spent most of his time until 1832 in writing and natural history pursuits,... |
1793 | Turks | |||||
| Biblical Expositors of the 19th Century Advent Awakening: 1800-1845 AD | |||||||
| King of the North | |||||||
| William Hales William Hales William Hales was an Irish clergyman and scientific writer.He was born in Cork, Ireland, the son of Samuel Hales, the curate at the cathedral church there.... |
1803 | Papacy | |||||
| George Stanley Faber George Stanley Faber George Stanley Faber was an Anglican theologian and prolific author.... |
1804 | Papacy | |||||
| Thomas Scott Thomas Scott (commentator) The Rev. Thomas Scott was an influential preacher and author who is principally known for his best-selling work A Commentary On The Whole Bible and The Force of Truth, and as one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society.- Life :... |
1805 | Turkey | |||||
| Adam Clarke Adam Clarke Adam Clarke was a British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar, born in the townland of Moybeg Kirley near Tobermore in Ireland... |
1810 | Turks | |||||
| Captain Maitland | 1813 | Mohammedan | |||||
| Jonathan Bayford | 1820 | Papacy | |||||
| John Fry | 1822 | Rome | |||||
| Edward Cooper | 1825 | Rome | |||||
| Alexander Keith | 1828 | Turkey | |||||
| Alfred Addis | 1829 | Rome | |||||
| John Cox | 1832 | Turkey | |||||
| Bp Dan Wilson | 1836 | Papacy | |||||
| François Samuel Robert Louis Gaussen | 1837 | Rome | |||||
| Thomas Rawson Birks Thomas Rawson Birks Thomas Rawson Birks , theologian and controversialist, was born on 28 September 1810 at Staveley in Derbyshire, England. He figured in the debate to try to resolve theology and science. He rose to be a Knightbridge Professor of Moral Philosophy... |
1843 | Rome | |||||
| E. B. Elliot | 1844 | Turkey | |||||
| PGR=Media/Persia-Greece-Rome. M=Mohammed. [BPGR]=Implies... | |||||||