Daniel Chapter 11 – Commentary and Explanation
“A Tangled Web of Kings, Wars, and a Coming King Who Shakes Everything”
Alright, buckle up. Daniel chapter 11 is probably one of the most detailed and intricate prophetic passages in the whole Bible. And honestly? It reads like a political thriller. If you’re into history, ancient warfare, alliances, betrayals, and power-hungry kings? This chapter is for you. But if your head starts spinning after the first few verses, trust me—you’re not alone. It’s dense. But it’s powerful.
Let’s dive in together, piece by piece.
Verses 1–2: Persia in Focus
Daniel 11 opens with an angel (same one from chapter 10) continuing his message to Daniel. He’s giving Daniel the divine scoop on what’s going to happen in the future. And he starts with Persia.
“And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all…”
The three kings following Cyrus were Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis (or Bardiya), and Darius I. But the fourth? That was likely Xerxes I. He had immense wealth and launched a massive military campaign against Greece, which, spoiler alert, didn’t go great for him.
This sets the stage for something even bigger.
Verses 3–4: Enter Alexander the Great
Then comes verse 3: “And a mighty king shall stand up…” That’s our guy—Alexander the Great.
Alexander swoops in with military power like the world hadn’t seen. He conquered Persia and built an empire stretching from Greece to India. But just as quickly as he rose, he fell. He died at just 32 years old, and his kingdom was divided, not to his descendants, but to his generals (the “four winds”).
This, right here, is what makes people’s jaws drop. Daniel predicted the rise and fall of Alexander hundreds of years before it happened. And it happened just like Daniel 11:4 said it would.
Verses 5–20: The Kings of the North and South
Okay. This is where it starts to feel like a soap opera. But like, a royal one with swords and armies.
The angel starts talking about two powers: the king of the South and the king of the North. These aren’t directions on a compass for fun—they refer to real kingdoms.
And these two dynasties? They fight. Like... a lot. Over 100 years of back-and-forth battles, alliances, betrayals, and assassinations.
Let’s zoom into a few key parts.
Verse 6 – A Marriage Alliance Gone Wrong
“And in the end of years they shall join themselves together…”
This refers to a marriage alliance between Antiochus II (North) and Berenice (daughter of Ptolemy II from the South). But here’s the twist—Antiochus had to divorce his first wife, Laodice, to marry Berenice. And Laodice? She wasn’t having it. She had Antiochus and Berenice both killed and put her own son on the throne.
Told you it was dramatic.
Verses 7–9 – Revenge from the South
Berenice’s brother, now king of Egypt (Ptolemy III), was not happy about his sister being murdered. So he launched a military campaign and defeated the king of the North (Seleucus II), even looting their temples.
You’re seeing this intense tug-of-war, right?
Verses 10–19 – The North Strikes Back (Multiple Times)
Over these verses, different kings of the North try to take back power and land. One of the most notable is Antiochus III (called “the Great”), who successfully invades deep into Egyptian territory. But his plans are thwarted when a rising power shows up—Rome.
“...shall stumble and fall, and not be found.” (v.19)
This was Antiochus the Great’s fate. He died shortly after being forced to pay a heavy tribute to Rome. His son tried to raise taxes to pay off the debt but was assassinated—yep, verse 20 captures that.
Verses 21–35: Enter Antiochus Epiphanes
Now we meet one of the most wicked characters in all of biblical prophecy—Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He’s the “vile person” in verse 21. This guy is a prototype—a foreshadowing—of the Antichrist.
“He shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.” (v.21)
He wasn’t the rightful heir, but he connived his way into power. And then he unleashed terror—especially on the Jews.
Verse 31 says:
“...they shall pollute the sanctuary... and take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.”
This is referencing the horrific moment when Antiochus set up an altar to Zeus in the Jewish temple and sacrificed a pig on it. Can you imagine the desecration? The pain? That’s what the Jews had to endure.
But verses 32–35 give hope:
“...the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”
This is talking about the Maccabees—Jewish rebels who fought back and, for a time, restored temple worship. Courage in the face of evil.
Verses 36–39: Prophetic Shift – Now the Antichrist?
Here’s where scholars divide.
Some say this is still about Antiochus Epiphanes. Others say this is where the prophecy jumps to the future—to the final Antichrist.
Look at verse 36:
“And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god…”
That sounds a lot like what Paul said about the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Someone who opposes God, sets himself up as God, and demands worship. Sounds eerily similar to the future Antichrist. A global dictator rising in the last days.
Verses 40–45: The End-Time War
Now we’re definitely looking toward the end times. The kings of the South and North will once again rise. There’ll be conflict. A war so large and chaotic that it seems to span across multiple regions—Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, even toward Israel.
But this final king (Antichrist?) sets up camp in the glorious holy mountain—Jerusalem. And what’s his end?
“...yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” (v.45)
That’s it. No big battle description. No heroic end. Just... done. God wins. Evil falls. Period.
So What Do We Do With This?
Let’s be real for a second. Daniel 11 isn’t easy reading. It’s long. It’s complex. It’s like reading a mash-up of historical documents, family feuds, and end-times predictions. But here’s why it matters:
1. Prophecy Proves God’s Sovereignty
Over 135 specific prophecies in Daniel 11 have been fulfilled—accurately. That should blow our minds. God knows the end from the beginning. Nothing catches Him off guard. If He was right about ancient Persia and Greece, He’ll be right about what’s still coming.
2. History Repeats—And Points Forward
Antiochus Epiphanes was bad. But he was just a shadow of the real enemy to come. The Antichrist will be worse. That doesn’t mean we live in fear—it means we live awake. Alert. Sober-minded. Watching the signs. Rooted in Scripture.
3. God's People Are Never Forgotten
Verse 32 stuck with me hard:
“...the people that do know their God shall be strong.”
Not “might be.” Not “hopefully will be.” Shall be strong. That’s you. That’s me. If we cling to Him—if we really know Him—we will be able to stand when others fall. Whether that’s in a literal end-times scenario or just during your hardest Monday morning.
4. Our Hope Is in the King Who Doesn’t Fall
Did you notice that every single king in Daniel 11 eventually falls? Doesn’t matter how rich, how sneaky, how ruthless. They all fall. But one King won’t—Jesus Christ. He’s the King of kings, and His kingdom is unshakeable.
Final Thoughts
Daniel 11 is heavy. But it’s not hopeless. It reminds us that history is His-story. God writes the script, He directs the actors, and He controls the timeline. Evil may rise—but only for a season.
You don’t have to memorize every single king in this chapter. You don’t have to track every war or alliance (though it’s kinda fun if you’re into that). What you do need to remember is this:
God’s Word is trustworthy.
God’s people are victorious.
God’s kingdom will never fall.
Keep watching. Keep reading. Keep praying. We’re not just studying history here—we’re preparing for the future. And trust me, the best is yet to come.
Want to go deeper? Grab a study Bible and compare Daniel 11 with historical records. It’ll blow your mind how spot-on the prophecy is. And as always—don’t just study to know more. Study to love Him more.
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