Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 11:13
For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
13. Twelve years after the battle of Raphia, in 205, Ptolemy Philopator died, leaving a son aged 4 years, who succeeded him on the throne as Ptolemy V. (Epiphanes). Antiochus had meanwhile been gaining the series of successes in Persia, Bactria, Asia Minor, and even in India, which earned him the epithet of the ‘Great.’ Returning from the East, in the same year in which Philopator died, he concluded an alliance with Philip, king of Macedon, for a joint attack upon the infant king of Egypt, and partition of his foreign possessions between them (Polyb. xv. 20; cf. Jer. ad loc.). Details of the war are not known, the part of Polybius’ history which described it being lost. We only learn from Justin (xxxi. 1) that he invaded Phnicia and Syria; and from Polybius (xvi. 18, 40) that he captured Gaza, after a stout resistance.
shall return, &c.] shall again raise a multitude, greater than the former, with allusion to the forces by which he achieved his successes in Persia and the East. Jerome (quoting probably from Porphyry) speaks of the immense army which he brought back with him from the East.
and he shall come on at the end of the times, (even of) years ] after 12 years, at the end of his conquests in Persia, Bactria, &c.
with much substance ] the allusion is to the baggage, implements of war, &c., belonging to a well-appointed army. The word used ( ) denotes especially such possessions as stores, furniture, implements, &c.: see 1Ch 27:31 , 2Ch 20:25 (‘riches’ of an invading army), 2Ch 21:14 (R.V.), 17; Ezr 1:4; Ezr 1:6 (‘goods’).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For the king of the north shall return – That is, he shall come again into the regions of Coelo-Syria and Palestine, to recover them if possible from the power of the Egyptian king.
And shall set forth a multitude greater than the former – Than he had in the former war when he was defeated. The fact was, that Antiochus, in this expedition, brought with him the forces with which he had successfully invaded the East, and the army had been raised for that purpose, and was much larger than that with which he had formerly attacked Ptolemy. See Prideaux, iii. 163-165.
And shall certainly come after certain years with a great army – This occurred 203 b.c., fourteen years after the former war. – Prideaux, iii. 19.
With much riches – Obtained in his conquests in Parthia and other portions of the East. See Prideaux, ut supra. The history of Antiochus corresponds precisely with the statement here.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. The king of the north shall return – after certain years] In about fourteen years Antiochus did return, Philopater being dead, and his son Ptolemy Epiphanes being then a minor. He brought a much larger army and more riches; these he had collected in a late eastern expedition.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Antiochus the Great shall raise great forces, even from Babylon and Media; Philopater being dead, and Ptolemy Epiphanes his son yet a child, under whom Agathocles, a dissolute, proud person, hated of all, governed Egypt as his viceroy.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. returnrenew the war.
after certain yearsfourteenyears after his defeat at Raphia. Antiochus, after successfulcampaigns against Persia and India, made war with Ptolemy Epiphanes,son of Philopater, a mere child.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For the king of the north shall return,…. As Antiochus king of Syria did, upon the death of Ptolemy Philopator, who was succeeded by his son Ptolemy Epiphanes, a minor of five years of age: Antiochus took the advantage of this minority, and entered into a league with Philip king of Macedon, to divide the kingdom of Egypt between them; and marched an army into Coelesyria and Palestine, and made himself master of those countries:
and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; bring a larger army into the field than he had done before, which Jerom says he brought out of the upper parts of Babylon; some say it consisted of three hundred thousand footmen, besides horsemen and elephants:
and shall certainly come (after certain years) with a great army, and with much riches; with all manner of provisions to supply his numerous army, and all proper accommodations for it; money to pay his soldiers, and beasts of burden to carry their baggage from place to place: this was about fourteen years after the former battle, as Dr. Prideaux p observes; and, according to Bishop Usher’s annals, thirteen years.
p Connexion, par. 2. B. 2. p. 140.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This thought is expanded and proved in these verses. – Dan 11:13. The king of the north returns to his own land, gathers a host together more numerous than before, and shall then, at the end of the times of years, come again with a more powerful army and with a great train. , that which is acquired, the goods, is the train necessary for the suitable equipment of the army-”the condition to a successful warlike expedition” (Kran.). The definition of time corresponding to the in Dan 11:6 is specially to be observed: ( at the end of times, years), in which is to be interpreted (as with , Dan 10:3-4, and other designations of time) as denoting that the `itiym stretch over years, are times lasting during years. , with the definite article, are in prophetic discourse the times determined by God.
Dan 11:14 In those times shall many rise up against the king of the south ( as Dan 8:20); also , the violent people of the nation (of the Jews), shall raise themselves against him. .mih ts are such as belong to the classes of violent men who break through the barriers of the divine law (Eze 18:10). These shall raise themselves , to establish the prophecy, i.e., to bring it to an accomplishment. ha`amiyd = qayeem, Eze 13:6, as = in Daniel, and generally in the later Hebrew. Almost all interpreters since Jerome have referred this to Daniel’s vision of the oppression under Antiochus Epiphanes, Dan 8:9-14, Dan 11:23. This is so far right, as the apostasy of one party among the Jews from the law of their fathers, and their adoption of heathen customs, contributed to bring about that oppression with which the theocracy was visited by Antiochus Epiphanes; but the limiting of the to those definite prophecies is too narrow. without the article is prophecy in undefined generality, and is to be extended to all the prophecies which threatened the people of Israel with severe chastisements and sufferings on account of their falling away from the law and their apostasy from their God. , they shall stumble, fall. “The falling away shall bring to them no gain, but only the sufferings and tribulation prophesied of” (Kliefoth).
Dan 11:15 In this verse, with the eht , Dan 11:13, is again assumed, and the consequence of the war announced. , to heap up an entrenchment; cf. Eze 4:2; 2Ki 19:32. , city of fortifications, without the article, also collectively of the fortresses of the kingdom of the south generally. Before such power the army, i.e., the war-strength, of the south shall not maintain its ground; even his chosen people shall not possess strength necessary for this.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Here the angel prophesies of other wars. For he first describes the war which was carried on by Antiochus against the Egyptians, after the death of Philopater, who left as his heir, a little son named Ptolemy Epiphanes. When, therefore, he perceived the land deprived of its king, he drew up an army and invaded Egypt. As the Egyptians had no strength to resist him, an embassy was sent to Rome; and we know how eager the Romans were to become involved in all the business of the world. With the view of extending their empire still further and wider, they sent immediately to Antiochus the Great, and commanded him to desist from the war; but after many trials he failed of success, until he engaged in a very desperate battle with Scopas, and at length obtained a victory. In the meantime, the Egyptians were far from idle: although they hoped to be able to subdue the empire of Antiochus by the assistance of the Senate, yet they carefully fitted out an armament of their own under their General Scopas, who was successful in many of his plans, but was finally defeated in the borders of Judea. The angel now describes this war. The king of Syria shall return, he says; meaning, after the death of Ptolemy Philopator, he rested for a while, because he had been unsuccessful with his forces, and they were so entirely disorganized that he had no confidence in the success of any expedition. But he thought Egypt would give him no trouble, as it had lost its head and was like a lifeless corpse. Then he was elevated with fresh confidence, and returned to Egypt. And he shall arrange a greater multitude than at the first He had a large and powerful army, as we have said, and a noble armament of cavalry: he had 70,000 foot, and was still collecting greater forces. The angel signifies the future arrival of the king of Syria, after the interval of a certain time. At the end of the times of the years he shall surely come, that is he shall break forth. The angel seems to use this expression for the sake of increasing its certainty; for he at first despised the Romans in consequence of their great distance from him, and he had no fear of what afterwards occurred. He never supposed they had such boldness in them as to cross the sea against him.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) Shall return.In this and the next two verses the causes are mentioned to which the failure of the southern king was due. He returns some years after his defeat to take revenge, and brings with him a larger army than he had on the previous occasion.
Much richesi.e., all that is necessary for the maintenance of a large army; literally, anything acquired. This has been explained of the invasion of Egypt by Antiochus and Philip of Macedon, some thirteen or fourteen years after the battle of Raphia, when Ptolemy Epiphanes, a mere child, had succeeded his father, Philopator. On the hypothesis that these chapters refer to this period, it is surprising that there should be no allusion to the religious persecutions to which the Jews in Egypt had been subjected by Ptolemy Philopator, who, after his victory at Raphia, attempted to enter the Holy Place, as is mentioned in the Third Book of Maccabees. It should be remembered that the Jews suffered considerably from both parties during the whole of this period; but though the prophecy is supposed to have been written for their comfort and encouragement at this very juncture, yet not a word is said which bears allusion to them.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Antiochus the Great, after thirteen years in which he had pushed his conquests even into Ionia (not “India,” as is generally supposed) and accumulated great wealth, gathered again an even greater army than before and moved against Egypt upon the death of the former Ptolemy and the accession of his young son, Ptolemy Epiphanes. The result was a complete victory and the annexation to the Syrian territory of the portions of Palestine and Philistia formerly claimed by Egypt.
Much riches R.V., “much substance.” This is a general term equivalent to “stuff” or “goods.” Its use in Dan 11:24; Dan 11:28, and elsewhere, would seem to exclude the meaning “weapons,” which many modern scholars, following Hitzig, prefer.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And the king of the north will return, and will raise a multitude greater than the former, and he will come on at the end of the times, even years, with a great army and much substance.’
Kings like Antiochus III lived to fight and conquer. Thus on his defeat he returned to his land and gathered another, even larger army, and sought victories in other directions, to the east and the north. In this he was successful and his army grew large and powerful and became well armed with weapons of war (‘much substance’). So after some years, having made an alliance with Philip of Macedon, he renewed his attack on Egypt.
‘At the end of the times, even years.’ This does not mean that ‘times’ always means years. It was, however, true in this case. (Had it always meant years it would not have had to be explained).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 11:13. The king of the north shall return, &c. The following events were not to take place till after certain years; and the peace continued between the two crowns about fourteen years. In that interval Ptolemy Philopater died, and was succeeded by his son Ptolemy Epiphanes, a child of four or five years old. Antiochus too, having taken and slain the rebel Achaeus, and reduced the eastern parts, was at leisure to prosecute any enterprize. He had acquired great riches, and collected many forces in this eastern expedition; so that he was enabled to set forth a greater multitude than the former; and he doubted not to have an easy victory over an infant king. See Newton.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 11:13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
Ver. 13. For the king of the north. ] Antiochus the Great.
Shall return,.
And shall set forth a multitude greater than the former.
And shall certainly come.
And with much riches.
a Jerome.
b Lib. ii. cap. 8.
c Lib. v. cap. 5.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the king of the north. The second king, Antiochus III.
return = renew the war.
come. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read “will come against him”. Figure of speech Polyptoton = coming he will come. App-6.
after certain years. Hebrew at the end of years, as in Dan 11:6. This was fourteen years after his defeat at Raphia.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 11:13
Dan 11:13 For the kingH4428 of the northH6828 shall return,H7725 and shall set forthH5975 a multitudeH1995 greaterH7227 thanH4480 the former,H7223 and shall certainly comeH935 H935 afterH7093 certainH6256 yearsH8141 with a greatH1419 armyH2428 and with muchH7227 riches.H7399
Dan 11:13
For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
In 202 BC, 14 years after his defeat at Raphia, Antiochus III returned with a bigger force and attacked Ptolemy V Epiphanes who was very young and had taken the throne of Egypt just two years earlier in 204 BC. Antiochus III had been successful after campaigns against Persia and India and was refortified from these conquests with the means to conduct a war.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the king: Dan 11:6, Dan 11:7
after certain years: Heb. at the end of times, even years, Dan 4:16, Dan 12:7
Reciprocal: Hos 2:9 – will I
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 11:13. This verse begins with the word for which indicates a continuation of some of the thoughts in the preceding verse. Those thoughts were regarding the success of Ptolemy Philopator against Antiochus the Great. It Is stated as verse 12 concludes, that (hose thousands of nun would not strengthen the kingdom of Phiiopator, and the present verse proceeds to tell us why It would not. And since that subject consists in the further activities and success of Antiochus (he great, my comments on the verse further will be some historical quotations:
“Antiochus, after he had ended the war beyond the Euphrates, raised a great, army in those provinces. Finding, fourteen years after the conclusion of the first war, that Ptolemy Epiph anes. who was then but five or six years of age, had succeeded Philopator his father, he united with Philip of Macedon, in order to deprive the infant king of his throne. Having defeated Scopas [a general conducting the war on behalf of the infant king] at Pallium, near the source of the river Jordan, he subjected the whole country which Philopator had conquered, by the victory he gained at Raphia. -Robin’s Ancient History, Volume 4, page 144.
“He (Antiochus III) then turned towards the eastern frontiers of his realm, against Parthia and Eaetria; penetrated into Northern India and organized a formidable army, including a hundred and fifty Indian elephants. In 204 Philopator died; and the Egyptian crown devolved on his son, Ptolemy V, (Epiphanes) a boy of five years. This circumstance Antiochus meant to utilize. He conquered CoeleSyria, Phoenicia, and Palestine, and gained a decisive victory in 198 at Paneas in CoeleSyria. Peace was then concluded.” – SchaffHerzog. Article, Antioehus III.
“Antiochus, king of Syria, and Philip, king of Macedon. thinking to serve themselves of the advantage they bad by the death of Philopator, and the succession of an infant king after him, entered into a league to divide his dominion between them, agreeing that Philip should have Carla, Libya, Oyrene. and Egypt, and Antiochus all the rest. And accordingly Antiochus forthwith marched into CoeleSyria and Palestine, and partly this year, and partly in the next, made himself master of these provinces, and all the several districts and cities in them.- Prideauxs Connexion, year 203.
“Return of Antiochus from the East, B.C. 205 and resumption of his Egyptian projects, A treaty is made with Philip of Macedon for the partition of the kingdom of Ptolemies between the two powers. War in CoeleSyria, Phoenicia, and Palestine with varied success, terminated by a great victory over Scopas near Panias, B.C. 198. Marriage of Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus, with Ptolemy V. CoeleSyria and Palestine promised as a dowery, but not delivered.-Rawlinson, Ancient History, page 254.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 11:13. For the king of the north shall return It is here foretold that the war should be renewed between the two kings of the north and south, and that it should be begun by the former, who should attempt another invasion of Egypt. This came to pass accordingly, about fourteen years after. For Antiochus, having taken and slain the rebel Achus, and put an end to the Asiatic war in which he had been engaged, and during which, by his martial exploits against the Medes, Parthians, and others, he had acquired a distinguished reputation throughout Asia and Europe; and having also reduced and settled the eastern parts in their obedience, he found himself at leisure to prosecute any enterprise he might think proper to undertake. And Ptolemy Philopater having died of intemperance and debauchery, and being succeeded by his son Ptolemy Epiphanes, now a child of only four or five years old, he judged it a favourable opportunity for recovering his lost provinces. Taking advantage, therefore, of the infancy of Ptolemy, he returned to invade Egypt, and set forth a multitude greater than the former, engaging Philip, king of Macedon, in his interest, and bringing with him powerful forces from the east; with much riches With abundant supplies of all necessary provisions for his army; and especially with beasts of burden for removing their baggage, for that is the proper sense of the word , here rendered riches. Polybius informs us, that from the king of Bactria, and from the king of India, he received so many elephants as made up his number one hundred and fifty, besides provisions and riches. Jerome affirms, from ancient authors, that he gathered together an incredible army out of the countries beyond Babylon; and, contrary to the league, he marched with his army, Ptolemy Philopater being dead, against his son, who was then a child.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Dan 11:13. This verse refers to an attack made by Antiochus upon Egypt twelve years later (205 B.C.). In the meantime Ptolemy Philopator had died and been succeeded by his son Ptolemy Epiphanes, a boy of five.at the end of the times: a reference to the interval of twelve years since the previous campaign.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
11:13 For the king of the north {b} shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
(b) After the death of Ptolemais Philopater, who left Ptolemais Epiphanes as his heir.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Antiochus III then proceeded to turn in other directions for conquests, specifically to his east and to his north. About 203 B.C., Antiochus III returned with a much larger army and repulsed the Egyptians, who were then under the rule of the child king, Ptolemy V Epiphanes (203-181 B.C.). Antiochus was able to retake Palestine as far south as Gaza.