Daniel 11:41-45

Daniel 11:41

He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

 

On his march against Egypt, he seems to have bypassed the Edomites, Moabites, and the Ammonites and this bypass caused them to be saved from being conquered.  He marches through Judea which is called the glorious land.  Even after the holy land was conquered, these three nations were not conquered but left alone.

 

Daniel 11:42

He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

 

Now in his final campaign, Antiochus now overthrows Egypt completely for the final time.  Physcon was the brother of Ptolemy Philometor and a quarrel erupted between the two brothers.  Physcon was loyal to Antiochus and wanted his help in removing his brother.

 

Daniel 11:43

But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

 

The Libyans and the Ethiopians were allies of Egypt but when it was conquered, they were obedient to Antiochus who could have attacked and plundered them too.  Here we read that Antiochus had all the power over all the valuable treasures of Egypt.  The way Egypt was plundered over thousands of years, it is amazing that anything from antiquity was able to survive.

 

Daniel 11:44

But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

 

The Hebrew word for “tidings” carries with it the meaning of “news, report, or rumors.”  The Parthians were on the east and the Armenians were on the north.  Both of these countries had declared war on Antiochus IV.  Armenia went on to become the first Christian country in the world.  He fought with them the best he could.

 

Daniel 11:45

And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

 

He had attempted to plant his tents between the Mediterranean Sea and the hill of Zion in Judea but because of the uprising lead by Judas Maccabaeus half of the army of Antiochus was defeated.  The phrase “between the seas” could also refer to the Black sea and the Caspian Sea.  Antiochus Epiphanes IV had died suddenly in 164 B.C. making that the end of the Indignation and time appointed for it.

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