Daniel 11:5 - Meaning and Application

Here the prophecy foretells the rise and strength of two great kingdoms from what was left of Alexander the Great's conquests, Daniel 11:5.

The first is Egypt, which became important under Ptolemy Lagus, one of Alexander's generals. His descendants were later called the Lagids. He is called the king of the south, meaning Egypt, a name used again in Daniel 11:8, Daniel 11:42, and Daniel 11:43. The lands first under Ptolemy included Egypt, Phoenicia, Arabia, Libya, Ethiopia, and more. The second is Syria, set up by Seleucus Nicanor, or "the conqueror," also one of Alexander's princes. He became stronger than the others and ruled more territory than any other successor of Alexander. It was said that as many as seventy-two kingdoms were under him.

Both of these powers were strong against Judah, and the prophecy is especially focused on Judah's affairs. Ptolemy soon after taking Egypt invaded Judea and took Jerusalem on a Sabbath, while pretending to make a friendly visit. Seleucus also troubled Judea.

The prophecy then speaks of a vain effort to join these two kingdoms together, like the mixture of iron and clay in Nebuchadnezzar's image, Daniel 11:6. "After some years," about seventy after Alexander's death, the Lagids and the Seleucids would make an alliance, but not honestly. Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, would give his daughter Berenice in marriage to Antiochus Theos, king of Syria, who already had a wife named Laodice. Berenice would go to the king of the north to secure the agreement, but it would not last. She would not keep her power, and neither she nor her children would remain in the kingdom of the north. Neither Ptolemy her father nor Antiochus her husband, between whom there was to be a close alliance, would stand firm. She and those who brought her would be handed over. This unhappy marriage, meant to unite the southern and northern crowns, only brought more trouble. Antiochus later divorced Berenice, took Laodice back, and she soon poisoned him. She then arranged for Berenice and her son to be murdered and placed her own son by Antiochus on the throne. He was called Seleucus Callinicus.

Next comes a war between the two kingdoms, Daniel 11:7-8. A branch from the same family as Berenice would rise in her place. Ptolemy Euergetes, the son and successor of Ptolemy Philadelphus, would come with an army against Seleucus Callinicus, king of Syria, to avenge his sister's wrongs, and he would prevail. He would carry off a great amount of wealth and many captives into Egypt, and he would live longer than the king of the north. This Ptolemy ruled forty-six years. Justin says that if his own affairs had not called him back home, he might have taken over the whole kingdom of Syria in this war. But Daniel 11:9 says he would be forced to return to his own kingdom and land to keep peace there, so he could no longer continue the war abroad. It is common for a deceitful peace to end in a bloody war.

Then comes the long and active reign of Antiochus the Great, king of Syria. Seleucus Callinicus, that king of the north who had been defeated and died miserably, left two sons, Seleucus and Antiochus. These are the sons of the king of the north who would be stirred up and gather a large army to recover what their father had lost, Daniel 11:10. But Seleucus, the older brother, was weak and unable to lead the army. His friends poisoned him, and he ruled only two years. His brother Antiochus then took his place and ruled thirty-seven years. He was called Antiochus the Great. So, although the angel first speaks of sons, he goes on to focus on one of them only. Antiochus was only fifteen when he began to reign, yet he would surely come, sweep through the land, and at last regain what his father had lost.

In this war, the king of the south would first have great success. Ptolemy Philopater, stirred by anger over the insults done by Antiochus the Great, would go out and fight him, though he was otherwise a lazy ruler. He would bring into battle 70,000 foot soldiers, 5,000 horsemen, and seventy-three elephants. The other army, Antiochus's force of 62,000 foot soldiers, 6,000 horsemen, and 102 elephants, would be handed over to him. Polybius, who lived in the time of Scipio, gives a detailed account of the battle of Raphia. After this victory, Ptolemy Philopater became very proud. His heart was lifted up, and he even went into the temple of God at Jerusalem and, against the law, entered the most holy place. For this, God had a case against him. So, although he would strike down many thousands, he would not be strengthened by it enough to secure his power.

Then the king of the north, Antiochus the Great, would return with an even larger army. After some years, that is, after a number of years, he would come with a mighty army and great wealth against the king of the south, Ptolemy Epiphanes, who had succeeded his father Ptolemy Philopater while still a child. That made Antiochus's advance easier. In this campaign he also had strong allies. Many would rise against the king of the south, Daniel 11:14. Philip of Macedon joined Antiochus against Egypt, and so did Scopas, whom Antiochus defeated after Scopas had been sent into Syria. Antiochus destroyed much of Scopas's army. Then the Jews willingly submitted to Antiochus, joined his side, and helped him besiege Ptolemy's garrisons. They were "the robbers of your people," rising up to support the vision and help carry out this prophecy, but they would fall and come to nothing, Daniel 11:14.

After that, Daniel 11:15 says the king of the north, this same Antiochus Magnus, would carry out his plan against the king of the south in another way. He would surprise his strongholds. All that the king of Egypt had in Syria and Samaria, along with the strength of the south, would not be able to resist him. We see how changeable the course of war is. It is like buying and selling, one side wins and then loses. Sometimes one side gets the better, sometimes the other. Yet this is not by chance. It is not mere "luck" in war, as people say, but by the will and wise plan of God, who brings some low and raises others up.

He would also take possession of Judea, Daniel 11:16. The one who comes against him, that is, the king of the north, would sweep everything before him and do what he pleased. He would stand and gain a foothold in the glorious land, that is, Israel. By his hand it would be wasted and consumed, for he would use the spoil of that good land to feed his large army. Judea lay between the two powerful kingdoms of Egypt and Syria, so in every struggle between them it was bound to suffer. Both kingdoms felt bitter toward it.

Some also read this as, “By his hand it shall be accomplished,” meaning that Judea, once taken under the protection of this Antiochus, would prosper and be in better shape than before.

He would keep pressing his war against the king of Egypt, and he would set his face to attack with the full strength of his kingdom. He would take advantage of the young age of Ptolemy Epiphanes, and many of the godly Israelites would side with him (Daniel 11:17). To carry out his plan, he gave him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage, hoping, as Saul had done in giving his daughter to David, that she would become a trap and bring him harm. But she did not support her father’s side. She stood with her husband, and so his scheme failed.

His war with the Romans is also foretold here (Daniel 11:18). “He shall turn his face to the isles” (Daniel 11:18), meaning the islands of the Gentiles (Genesis 10:5), such as Greece and Italy. He took many islands near the Hellespont, including Rhodes, Samos, and Delos, and by war or treaty he brought them under his power. But a prince, or a state, that is, the Roman senate, or a leader, that is, the Roman general, would return his insult back on him, and make his shame fall on himself. This was fulfilled when the two Scipios were sent with an army against Antiochus. Hannibal was with Antiochus and urged him to invade Italy and waste it, as he had done before. But Antiochus did not follow that advice, and Scipio joined battle with him and gave him a total defeat, even though Antiochus had 70,000 men and the Romans only 30,000. In this way, the shame Antiochus had brought on others was turned back on him.

His fall came next. After he was completely beaten by the Romans and forced to give up all he had in Europe, and after a heavy tribute was imposed on him, he returned to his own land. Not knowing how else to raise money to pay the tribute, he plundered a temple of Jupiter. This so angered his own subjects that they rose against him and killed him. So he was overthrown, fell, and was no more found (Daniel 11:19).

His next successor is mentioned in Daniel 11:20. One rose up in his place, a raiser of taxes, one who sent out extortioners, or tax collectors who squeezed the people. This description fits Seleucus Philopater, the older son of Antiochus the Great. He was a harsh oppressor of his own people and forced large sums of money from them. When he was warned that this would cost him his friends, he replied that he knew no better friend than money. He also tried to rob the temple at Jerusalem, which seems to be especially in view here. But within a few days he would be destroyed, neither in anger nor in battle, but poisoned by Heliodorus, one of his own servants, after reigning only twelve years and doing nothing remarkable.

From all this, we should learn several things. God, in his providence, sets one person up and brings another down, just as he wishes. He raises some from low beginnings and brings others low, even when they were very high. Some have called great men the playthings of fortune, but they are better seen as the tools of Providence. This world is full of wars and fights that come from human desires, and it becomes a place of sin and misery.

We should also see that all the changes and revolutions of kingdoms, and every event, even the smallest and most chance-looking one, were fully foreseen by the God of heaven. Nothing is new to him. No word of God will fail. What he has planned and what he has spoken will certainly happen. Even the sins of people will be used to serve his purpose and bring his plans to pass in their time, and yet God is not the author of sin.

We also learn that, to understand some parts of Scripture rightly, it is necessary to consult heathen writers, since they help confirm and explain the fulfillment of what Scripture foretold. So we have good reason to thank God for the human learning that has helped many people serve divine truth well.