Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 11:39
Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
39. And he will do to the fortresses of strongholds with (the help of) a foreign god ] i.e. will conquer them by his aid. But the Heb. is strange; and the sense obtained connects badly with what follows. Hitz., Meinh., and Bevan, changing a point, render, ‘And he shall procure for the fortresses of strongholds the people of a strange god,’ supposing the reference to be to the heathen soldiers and colonists settled by Antiochus in the citadel in Jerusalem, and other parts, of Judah ( 1Ma 1:33 ; 1Ma 3:36 ; 1Ma 3:45 ). The rendering ‘procure’ for is, however, not very probable here, 2Sa 15:1 , 1Ki 1:5, which are quoted in support of it, being hardly parallel. For foreign god ( ), cf. Gen 35:4, Jer 5:19 ( ), Psa 81:9 ( ).
strange ] i.e. (from Lat. ‘extraneus’) foreign, as regularly in A.V.
he whom he recognizes, will increase glory ] his favourites will be loaded by him with honours. ‘Recognize’ ( ), as Rth 2:10 (‘take knowledge of’); Jer 24:5 (‘regard’).
shall cause them to rule over the many, and shall divide land for a price ] he will give them posts as governors, and grant them estates seized, probably, from their rightful owners for a bribe. An allusion to Antiochus’ methods of government, and to the means by which he filled his empty treasuries; perhaps, also, in particular, to renegade Jews who had been thus rewarded for their apostasy. Jason, and after him Menelaus, both purchased the high-priesthood from Antiochus ( 2Ma 4:8-10 ; 2Ma 4:24 ); and Bacchides ( ib. 2Ma 9:25 ) ‘chose out the ungodly men, and made them lords over the country.’ No doubt other similar instances were known to the author.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thus shall he do in, the most strong holds – Margin, fortresses of munitions. The reference is to strongly fortified places; to those places which bad been made strong for purposes of defense. The idea is, that he would carry on his purposes against these places, as it were, under the auspices of this strange god. It was a fact, that in his wars Antiochus came into possession of the strong places, or the fortified towns of the nations which he attacked – Jerusalem, Sidon, Peluslum, Memphis – then among the strongest places in the world.
With a strange god – A foreign god whom his fathers did not acknowledge; that is, according to the supposition above, and according to the fact, with the god whom he had adored at Rome, and whose worship he was ambitious to transfer to his own empire – the Jupiter of the Capitol. He seemed to be acting under the auspices of this foreign god.
Whom he shall acknowledge – By building temples and altars to him. And increase with glory. That is, with honor. He would seem to increase or extend his dominion in the world, by introducing his worship in his own county and in the lands which he would conquer. Before, his dominion appeared to be only at Rome; Antiochus sought that it might be extended farther, over his own kingdom, and over the countries that he would conquer.
And he shall cause them to rule over many – That is, the foreign gods. Mention had been made before of only one god; but the introduction of the worship of Jupiter would be naturally connected with that of the other gods of Rome, and they are, therefore, referred to in this manner. The conquests of Antiochus would seem to be a setting up of the dominion of these gods over the lands which he subdued.
And shall divide the land for gain – Margin, a price. The reference here is, probably, to the holy land, and the idea is that it would be partitioned out among his followers for a price, or with a view to gain; that is, perhaps, that it would be farmed out for the purpose of raising revenue, and that with this view, as often occurred, it would be set up for sale to the highest bidder. This was a common way of raising revenue, by farming out a conquered province; that is, by disposing of the privilege of raising a revenue in it to the one who would offer most for it, and the consequence was, that it gave rise to vast rapacity in extorting funds from the people. Compare 1 Macc. 3:35, 36, where, speaking of Lysias, whom Antiochus had set to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt, it is said of Antiochus that he gave him (Lysias) charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Judea and Jerusalem: to wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place; and that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 39. In the most strong holds with a strange god] Bishop Newton proposed the following translation, after justly finding fault with our common Version: “Thus shall he do to the defenders of Mauzzim, together with the strange god whom he shall acknowledge: he shall multiply honour, and he shall cause him to rule over many; and the earth he shall divide for a reward.” The defenders of Mauzzim, these saint and angel gods protectors, were the monks, priests, and bishops; of whom it may be truly said, “They were increased with honour, ruled over many, and divided the land for gain.” They have been honoured and reverenced almost to adoration; their jurisdiction was extended over the purses and consciences of men; they have been enriched with the noblest buildings and largest endowments, and the choicest lands have been appropriated for Church lands. These are points of such public notoriety, that they require no proof. – Newton.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A confirmation and ingemination of what he said before, he shall use all art and authority to propagate this idolatrous worship. We have laid by the interpretation of these things of Antiochus, though Polanus, Junius, and others apply all to him; but the angel speaks of the Romans, and it is plainly verified of antichrist, who did not only take upon him to dispose of kingdoms and provinces by usurped power, for his profit, drawing incredible masses of money from them, but upon a pretended religious account appointing tutelar saints over them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
39. NEWTONtranslates, “to be defenders of Mahuzzim (the monks andpriests who uphold saint worship), together with the strange god whomhe shall acknowledge, he shall multiply honor.” EnglishVersion is better: He shall do (exploits) in the most strongholds(that is, shall succeed against them) with a strange god (under theauspices of a god which he worshipped not before, namely, JupiterCapitolinus, whose worship he imported into his empire from Rome).Antiochus succeeded against Jerusalem, Sidon, Pelusium, Memphis.
cause themAntiochus”caused” his followers and the apostates “torule over many” Jews, having “divided their land”(Judea), “for gain” (that is, as a reward for theircompliance).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,…. Or, “in the strong holds of Mahuzzim” w that is, in the temples, churches, and chapels, dedicated to angels and departed saints; deck and adorn their images with gold, silver, precious stones, and with desirable things, which is notorious; as well as commit the grossest idolatries with this strange breaden god; which they hold up in such places, cringe and bow to, and pay all religious worship and adoration to it:
whom he shall acknowledge, and increase with glory; as really God; the wafer being transubstantiated into the very body and blood of Christ, as is said; and own it as such, as very God, and heap religious honour and glory upon it, which is due to Christ:
he shall cause them to rule over many; that is, the Mahuzzim, the departed saints; one shall rule over England, and be the patron and defender of it, as St. George; another over Scotland, as St. Andrew; another over Ireland, as St. Patrick; another over France, as St. Dennis; another over Spain, as St. James:
and shall divide the land for gain; or “price” x; the whole Romish jurisdiction, all antichristian states, which are divided among those tutelar saints; each of them have their proper country assigned them they are to defend; but this is not done without gain arising to the pope of Rome from those countries, as by firstfruits, annates, Peter’s pence, &c.
w “munitionibus Mahuzim”, Pagninus, Montanus. x “pro pretio”, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With the help of this god, who was unknown to his fathers, he will so proceed against the strong fortresses that he rewards with honour, might, and wealth those who acknowledge him. This is the meaning of the verse, which has been very differently rendered. The majority of modern interpreters separate the two parts of the verse from each other, for they refer the first hemistich to the preceding, and in the second they find a new thought expressed. Hvernick and v. Lengerke supply a demonstrative , thus: – thus shall he do to the armed fortresses together with the strange gods, i.e., fill the fortified temples with treasures, and promote their worship. But the supplement is here just as arbitrary as is the interpreting of the armed fortresses of temples. Hitzig misses the object to , and seeks it by changing into : he prepares for the armed fortresses a people of a strange god; but apart from the fact that the change of the text is arbitrary, the use of the expression “people of a strange god” for colonists is most singular. Ewald translates the expression thus: “he proceeds with the strong fortresses as with the strange god,” and explains: “he loves the fortresses only just as a god;” but he has given no proof that means to love. The missing object to follows in the second hemistich, just as in Deu 31:4; Jos 8:2; Isa 10:11. means simply to do anything to one (Kran., Klief.). , with the help of the strange god ( of assistance, as in 1Sa 14:45), not: in the mind of the strange god (Kliefoth). , fortified, i.e., strong fortresses, are not the fortified walls and houses, but the inhabitants of the fortified cities. With these he does according to his will with the help of his god, i.e., of war, namely in this, that he rewards with honour and power only those who acknowledge him. , who acknowledges, sc. him, the king who made war his god. Hitzig has incorrectly interpreted: whom he acknowledges. The Keri for the Kethiv is an unnecessary emendation here, as in Isa 28:15 with . The verb is chosen to reflect upon the word . It means to recognise, properly to acknowledge him as what he is or wishes to be; cf. Deu 21:17. Such an one he shall increase with honour, confer upon him sovereignty over many, and divide the land. is not for payment, for recompense, as the contrast to ( gratuitously) (Kran.). That is not a suitable rendering here. The word rather means pro praemio , as a reward (Maur., Klief.), as a reward for the recognition accorded to him. The Vulgate renders it rightly according to the sense, gratuito . In this most modern interpreters find a reference to the circumstance that Antiochus occupied the Jewish fortresses with heathen garrisons, and rewarded his adherents with places of honour and with possessions of land (2 Macc. 4:10, 24; 5:15). But this is what all conquerors do, and it was not peculiar to Antiochus, so that it could be mentioned as characteristic of him. The words contain the altogether common thought that the king will bestow honour, power, and possessions on those who acknowledge him and conduct themselves according to his will, and they accord with the character of Antichrist in a yet higher degree than with that of Antiochus.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
He afterwards says, He shall multiply the glory This may be referred to God, but I rather approve of a different interpretation. The Romans should acquire great wealth for themselves, and should increase wonderfully in opulence, in the magnitude of their empire, and in all other sources of strength. Therefore they shall multiply the glory, meaning, they shall acquire new territories, and increase their power, and accumulate a multitude of treasures. This explanation fits in very well with the close of the verse, where he adds, he shall make them rule far and wide This is a portion of that glory which this king shall heap upon himself, for he should be superior to the kings over many lands, and should distribute the booty which he had acquired, and that, too, for a price He says, therefore, he shall make them rule over many; for the relative is without a subject, which is a frequent practice of the Hebrews. Whom, then, should the Roman king, or the Roman empire, thus cause to have dominion? Whoever rendered them any assistance should receive his reward from a stranger, as we know Eumenes to have been enriched by the booty and spoil of Antiochus. The provinces also were distributed according to their will. The island was given up to the Rhodians, while a kingdom was wrested from another, and the A Etolians enlarged their dominions. As each party labored hard for their benefit, and incurred large expenses, so the Romans conferred riches upon them. After conquering Antiochus, they became the more liberal towards Attalus and Eumenes, and thus they became masters of the greater part of Asia. Again, when they had deprived Nabis, the tyrant of Sparta, of the greater part of his territories, those who had taken care to gratify the Romans, were favored with the spoils they had seized from him. We have another instance in the favor’s conferred upon Massinissa after the conquest of Carthage; for after being expelled from his own kingdom, his dominion extended far and wide throughout the continent of Africa: after being deprived of his paternal sovereignty, he had not a spot in the world on which to plant his foot until they bestowed upon him what they had seized from the Carthaginians. And how did they manage this? They shall divide the soil for a price, says the angel; thus obliquely reproving the cunning of the senate and Roman people, because they did not give away these ample dominions gratuitously; they would willingly have devoured whatever they had acquired, but they found it better policy to sell them than to retain them. They did not sell at any fixed price — for the word “price” here need not be restricted to a definite sum of money — but displayed their avarice, and sold and distributed for the sake of gain, just as much as if all these territories had been immediately reduced into provinces of their empire. They had need of great resources; it was objectionable to continue their garrison in perpetuity in the cities of Greece, and hence they proclaim perfect freedom through them all. But what sort of liberty was this? Each state might choose its senate according to the pleasure of the Romans, and thus as each acquired rank and honor in his own nation, he would become attached and enslaved to the Roman people. And then, in this condition of affairs, if any war should spring up, they sought aid from these friends and allies. For had they been only confederate, the Romans would never have dared to exact so much from each tributary state. Let us take the case of the Carthaginians. After being reduced by many exaction’s to the lowest pitch of poverty, yet when the Romans made war against Philip and Macedon, and against Antiochus, they demanded ships from these allies. They demanded besides, as a subsidy, an immense quantity of gold, silver, provisions, garments, and armor, till at length these wretched Carthaginians, whose very life-blood the Romans had drained, still sent for the war whatever gold they had remaining, and all they could scrape together. Thus Philip king of Macedon is compelled to destroy himself, by plunging his own sword into his body; for every state of Greece was forced to contribute its own portion of the expenses of the war.
We perceive, then, how the lands were divided for a price, each with regard to its own utility, not by fixing a certain defined money value, but according to the standard of political expediency. And what kind of bargaining did they afterwards mutually execute? We have an instance of it in the prevalence of proscription among the Romans, by which they turned their rapacity against their own vitals. They had previously confiscated the goods of their enemies. Philip, for instance, was forced to pay a large sum of money to repurchase the name of king and the portion of territory which remained his own. Antiochus and the Carthaginians were subject to the same hardship. The Romans, in short, never conquered any one without exhausting both the monarch and his dominions to satisfy their insatiable avarice and cupidity. We now perceive how they divided the lands for a price, holding all kings in subjection to themselves, and bestowing largesses upon one from the property of another.
We now perceive the angel’s meaning throughout this verse, The King should be so powerful as to bestow dominion on whomsoever he pleased in many and ample territories, but not gratuitously. We have had examples of some despoiled of their royal dignity and power, and of others restored to the authority of which they had been deprived. Lucullus, for instance, chose to eject one king from his dominions, while another general restored him to his possessions. A single Roman citizen could thus create a great monarch; and thus it often happened. Claudius proposed to the people to proscribe the king of Cyprus, although he was of the royal race; his father had been the friend and ally of the Roman people, he had committed no crime against the Roman empire, and there was no reason for declaring war against him. Meanwhile he remained in security at home, while none of those ceremonies by which war is usually declared took place. He was proscribed in the market-place by a few vagabonds, and Cato is immediately sent to ravage the whole island. He took possession of it for the Romans, and this wretched man is compelled to cast himself into the sea in a fit of despair. We observe, then, how his prediction of the angel was by no means in vain; the Roman proconsuls distributed kingdoms and provinces, but yet for a price, for they seized everything in the world, and drew all riches, all treasures, and every particle of value into the whirlpool of their unsatisfied covetousness. We shall put off the remainder.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(39). A strange god.By this help he carries out his schemes, and all who acknowledge him are rewarded. (Comp. Rev. 13:4; Rev. 13:16-17.)
Divide the land.This is evidently done as a reward offered to those who join his ranks. No such conduct of Antiochus is recorded. Bribery, however, was not an unusual mode of persuasion adopted by him. (See 1Ma. 2:18; 1Ma. 3:30.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
39. R.V., “And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a strange god.” If this is a correct interpretation of this dark text our first suggestion of Dan 11:38 is excluded. Bevan, by a slight change, reads, “And he shall procure for the strong fortresses the people of a strange god” referring to the foreign colonists which he settled in Jerusalem and elsewhere ( 1Ma 3:36-45 ). Meinhold reads, “together with the strange gods;” that is, he dealt with the fortresses as he did with their gods. Instead of “by the help of,” Prince ventures to translate, “in aid of a strange god;” that is, Antiochus looted the most impregnable strongholds for the sake of the one deity he loved to honor (Dan 11:38). This latter construction of the Hebrew seems, however, too strained to be correct. The ancient versions understood the text as little as we do. Whom he shall acknowledge, etc. Rather, with R.V., “whosoever acknowledgeth him he will increase with glory.” Antiochus only promoted those who exalted himself; and even of the Jews, those who were willing to give up their religion and live like Greeks (Jason, and Menelaus, and many more), he advanced in office as long as they did as he directed and no one else outbid them for the place.
And shall divide the land for gain R.V., “for a price.” Offices were given to the man who offered the biggest bribe, and governors were appointed over provinces according to the amount of revenue they were able to promise to the crown. Or it may perhaps mean that when unable to properly compensate his court favorites with silver and gold, he would give them territory instead “for a reward.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Dan 11:39. Thus shall he dowith a strange god, &c. The worship of Mahuzzim was indeed the worship of a strange God, both to those who imposed it, and to those who received it in the church. But, for the better understanding this part of the prophesy, it may be proper to propose a more literal translation. Thus shall he do; to the defenders of Mahuzzim, together with the strange God whom he shall acknowledge, he shall multiply honour, and he shall cause them to rule over many; and the earth he shall divide for a reward. In our Bible translation it is, Thus shall he do in the most strong holds; or, as we read in the Margin, In the fortresses of munitions, with a strange god: but here Mahuzzim is not taken personally, as it was in the foregoing verse, Whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory, says our version; but there is no conjunction like and before increase, and no preposition like with before glory in the original. The latter part is nearly the same in all translations; but in our Bible version there is nothing to which them can be referred:and he shall cause them to rule over many: for it cannot well be said, that he shall cause the strong holds to rule over many. Let us now consider how these inconveniences may be wholly avoided by a new translation. Thus shall he do;so the same words are rendered Dan 11:30 but then here a stop is to be made. To the defenders of Mahuzzim, or to the priests of Mahuzzim. Here the force of the Hebrew particle is expressed; here again the abstract is used for the concrete, as in the foregoing verse; holds or fortresses for defenders, and supporters for priests, as it may be translated. It is manifest that persons must be meant, because they are said afterwards to rule over many.Together with the strange god whom he shall acknowledge: this is the most usual signification of the preposition; and if Mahuzzim be not considered as the strange god, it is difficult to say who the strange god is. He shall multiply honour: there is no conjunction or preposition inserted without authority from the original. He shall multiply honour: the noun is as the verb in the preceding verse, he shall honour. He shall multiply honour to the defenders and champions of Mahuzzim, as well as to Mahuzzim themselves. Deifying Mahuzzim, he shall glorify their priests and ministers; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and the earth he shall divide for a reward. The prophesy thus expounded, the completion becomes obvious. The defenders and champions of Mahuzzim were the monks, priests, and bishops of the Roman church; and of them it may most truly be said, That they were increased with honour, and ruled over many, and divided the land for gain. That they have been honoured, reverenced, and almost adored in former ages; that their authority and jurisdiction have extended over the purses and consciences of men; that they have been enriched with noble buildings and large endowments, and have had the choicest of the lands appropriated for church lands, are points of such public notoriety, that they require no proof. See Newton.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 11:39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
Ver. 39. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds. ] Heb., In the fortresses of munitions, i.e., both in the temple (called elsewhere, Dan 11:31 , a stronghold), and in the places of defence near unto the temple, where he set a garrison, to force the people to worship his idols.
Whom he shall ackowledge and increase with glory.
And, he shall cause them to rule over many.
And he shall divide the land,
For gain.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
do = deal.
the most strong holds = the strongest fortresses.
whom he shall acknowledge = whosoever acknowledged him.
and increase = he will increase.
gain = a price.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 11:39
Dan 11:39 Thus shall he doH6213 in the most strong holdsH4013 H4581 withH5973 a strangeH5236 god,H433 whomH834 he shall acknowledgeH5234 and increase
H7235 with glory:H3519 and he shall cause them to ruleH4910 over many,H7227 and shall divideH2505 the landH127 for gain.H4242
Dan 11:39
Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
The Roman Empire had to have money in order to function. They achieved this wealth by conquering and taxing the nations around them, adding them to the empire as a protectorate. They took their wealth and used it for the advance of power. Whoever would pay their taxes promptly and loyally was placed in positions of leadership over the provinces. The leaders of the Roman Empire appointed the boundaries of their protectorates and set leaders over them that were expected to be loyal to Rome. They did this in order to ultimately gain wealth, territory and power.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
most strong holds: Heb. fortresses of munitions
gain: Heb. a price. Rev 18:9-13
Reciprocal: Dan 11:10 – to his
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 11:39. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds Or, fortresses of Mahuzzim; with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge The temple of Jerusalem, called the sanctuary of strength, (Dan 11:31, where the same word Mahuz is used: see also Psa 27:5,) seems to be here intended by the most strong holds, or fortresses of Mahuzzim, that is, of munitions, or protections, as it is signified that he should set up the strange god there. Some read it, He shall commit the munitions of strength, that is, the city of Jerusalem, to a strange god: or, he shall put it under the protection of Jupiter Olympus. This god he shall not only acknowledge, but shall increase with glory Setting his image even upon Gods altar. And he shall cause them That minister to this idol; to rule over many Shall put them into places of power and trust; and they shall divide the land for gain Shall be maintained richly out of the profits of the country. Thus we find Antiochuss officers promising Mattathias, that if he would do according to the kings commandment, he and his house should be in the number of the kings friends, and should be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards, 1Ma 2:18. The learned Mr. Mede, Bishop Newton, and many other interpreters, think that St. Paul refers to this prophecy, 2Th 2:3-12; and 1Ti 4:1-3. And it must be acknowledged that much of what is here said is very applicable to antichrist, or the Papacy, termed by the apostle, the man of sin, that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, forbidding to marry, pretending not to regard the desire of women, and honouring saints and angels, whom his followers take for their protectors, (as the heathen of old depended on their demons,) making them presidents of several countries. But however applicable this may be to the idolatry, superstition, and tyranny of the Church of Rome, and however Antiochus might be intended to be a type of that antichristian power, the prophecy does not appear to have been primarily designed to be understood of it, but to have been meant of Antiochus himself, that great enemy of Gods ancient church. For it would be a vast transition, and not at all according to the regular series or order of time, for the prophecy to pass at once from Antiochus to antichrist. And as these prophecies, or visions, are expressly said by the angel who was sent to explain them, (Dan 11:10; Dan 11:14,) to relate to the Jewish people, or to be concerning WHAT SHOULD BEFALL THEM, and antichrist does not concern them in particular, therefore it seems most consistent with reason to interpret what is said here of Antiochus, as there is not the least appearance of the subject of the prophecy being changed. Every one, who reads this chapter without prepossession, must conclude, that the very same person is intended in this paragraph that is spoken of from Dan 11:21; and that there is no intimation in any one of these verses that any other person is primarily intended.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Dan 11:39. And he shall deal . . . strange god: many scholars emend this difficult sentence, And he shall procure for the fortresses of strongholds the people of a strange god, and think that the sentence refers to the heathen soldiers and colonists settled by Antiochus in the fortress at Jerusalem.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
11:39 Thus shall he do in {a} the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
(a) Even though in their hearts they had no religion, yet they did acknowledge the gods, and worshipped them in their temples, lest they should have been despised as atheists. But this was to increase their fame and riches, and when they gained any country, they made others the rulers of it in such a way that the profit always came to the Romans.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The foreign god referred to in this verse may be the god of military might mentioned in Dan 11:38. Alternatively, it may be some other foreign god that he uses for his own ends, or it may even be himself. As Antiochus before him, this ruler will reward those who are loyal to him, and support them by bestowing honors and positions of authority on them. Perhaps he will also take bribes, as Antiochus did, and give land to those who pay him off. Another possibility is that he will reward with lands those who are faithful to him.