21 "In his place a despicable person will arise , on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred , but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue . 22 "The overflowing forces will be flooded away before e him and shattered , and also the prince of the covenant . 23 "After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception , and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people . 24 "In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm , and he will accomplish what his fathers never did , nor his ancestors ; he will distribute plunder , booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds , but only for a time . 25 "He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army ; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely e large and mighty army for war ; but he will not stand , for schemes will be devised against him. 26 "Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow , but many will fall down slain . 27 "As for both kings , their hearts will be intent on evil , and they will speak lies to each other at the same table ; but it will not succeed , for the end is still to come at the appointed time . 28 "Then he will return to his land with much plunder ; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant , and he will take action and then return to his own land . 29 "At the appointed time he will return and come into the South , but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before . 30 "For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action ; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant . 31 "Forces from him will arise , desecrate the sanctuary fortress , and do away with the regular sacrifice . And they will set up the abomination of desolation . 32 "By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant , but the people who know their God will display strength and take action . 33 " Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many ; yet they will fall by sword and by flame , by captivity and by plunder for many days . 34 "Now when they fall they will be granted a little help , and many will join with them in hypocrisy . 35 "Some of those who have insight will fall , in order to refine , purge and make them pure until the end time ; because it is still to come at the appointed time . 36 "Then the king will do as he pleases , and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods ; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished , for that which is decreed will be done . 37 "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women , nor will he show regard for any other god ; for he will magnify himself above them all . 38 "But instead he will honor a god of fortresses , a god whom his fathers did not know ; he will honor him with gold , silver , costly stones and treasures . 39 "He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god ; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many , and will parcel out land for a price . 40 "At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots , with horsemen and with many ships ; and he will enter countries , overflow them and pass through . 41 "He will also enter the Beautiful Land , and many countries will fall ; but these will be rescued out of his hand : Edom , Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon . 42 "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries , and the land of Egypt will not escape . 43 "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt ; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels . 44 "But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many . 45 "He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain ; yet he will come to his end , and no one will help him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Daniel 11:21-45
Commentary on Daniel 11:1-30
(Read Daniel 11:1-30)
The angel shows Daniel the succession of the Persian and Grecian empires. The kings of Egypt and Syria are noticed: Judea was between their dominions, and affected by their contests. From verse 21, to relate to Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a cruel and violent persecutor of the Jews. See what decaying, perishing things worldly pomp and possessions are, and the power by which they are gotten. God, in his providence, sets up one, and pulls down another, as he pleases. This world is full of wars and fightings, which come from men's lusts. All changes and revolutions of states and kingdoms, and every event, are plainly and perfectly foreseen by God. No word of God shall fall to the ground; but what he has designed, what he has declared, shall infallibly come to pass. While the potsherds of the earth strive with each other, they prevail and are prevailed against, deceive and are deceived; but those who know God will trust in him, and he will enable them to stand their ground, bear their cross, and maintain their conflict.
Commentary on Daniel 11:31-45
(Read Daniel 11:31-45)
The remainder of this prophecy is very difficult, and commentators differ much respecting it. From Antiochus the account seems to pass to antichrist. Reference seems to be made to the Roman empire, the fourth monarchy, in its pagan, early Christian, and papal states. The end of the Lord's anger against his people approaches, as well as the end of his patience towards his enemies. If we would escape the ruin of the infidel, the idolater, the superstitious and cruel persecutor, as well as that of the profane, let us make the oracles of God our standard of truth and of duty, the foundation of our hope, and the light of our paths through this dark world, to the glorious inheritance above.