Daniel 11:26-30

Daniel 11:26

Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.

 

Ptolemy VI faced treachery among his ranks of commanders.  Two of which the major blame was laid.  They were Eulaeus and Lennaeeus.  Then he faced desertion by Ptolemy Macron who deserted to Antiochus IV.  The ones who fell down slain were that of the army of Ptolemy VI.

 

Daniel 11:27

And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.

 

The two kings, Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolemy VI Philometer had formed a plot against Ptolemy VII who was king of lower Egypt.  They both had hoped to take the area of lower Egypt but they failed.  They did not realize that all their plans would fail because all was in the hands of the Lord and He would determine when these countries would be dissolved or when their reigns would end.  All were at an appointed time by the Lord.

 

Daniel 11:28

Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.

 

Antiochus Epiphanes then returned from Egypt to Syria.  The reason that he had returned was because there was a revolt taking place in Cilicia.  Cilicia was located on the southern coast of Turkey and the capital was Tarsus where the Apostle Paul came from.  He had also gotten wind that rumors were spreading around Jerusalem that he was dead.  So to prove he wasn’t, on his way back from Egypt he plundered Jerusalem’s Temple and created havoc among the priests and the Temple worship.  The word “exploits” can be understood as great works for either good or evil, depending upon its usage.  Here we have Antiochus doing evil on his way back to Syria.  He installed Menelaus as Israel’s High Priest (171-161 B.C.).  Menelaus had robbed the Temple to make payments on money he owed to some people.

 

Daniel 11:29

At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

 

Notice the words “time appointed” which means that these kings did not move on their own but only in the plan of the Lord.  After Antiochus Epiphanes left Egypt, Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VII had become co-rulers and had gone to Rome to seek support.  Antiochus heard of this attempted alliance and caused him to be enraged and in 168 B.C. he launched another invasion of Egypt but this time he was successful and besieged Alexandria.  However, this invasion did not yield the great treasures the other campaigns had yielded.

 

Daniel 11:30

For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

 

The ships of the western coast lands (Chittim) were under the command of Roman General C. Popillius Laenus.  He brought a letter to Antiochus forbidding him to make war against Egypt.  Chittim or Kittim was located on the island of Cyprus.  This enraged Antiochus so much that he vented his rage toward the Jews and the Temple.  However, he showed favor to those Jews who turned away from God’s law and accepted the Greek customs and religion.  Menelaus became the leader of the apostate Jews.

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