Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 8:24
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
24. his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power ] but rather, so it is implied in this rendering, by the permission of God (Hv., Hitz.). The rendering not by his power (but rather by intrigues) is, however, preferable: the first two clauses of the verse will thus contain an oxymoron. R.V. marg. ‘Or, with his power. See Dan 8:22 ’ seems to refer the pron. (with Ewald) to Alexander; but such a reference is here far-fetched.
destroy wonderfully ] work destruction in an extraordinary degree; the idea of ‘wonder,’ ‘wonderful’ in Heb. is properly that of something distinctive, exceptional, extraordinary. Cf. Dan 11:36, Dan 12:6.
prosper, and do ] cf. Dan 8:12.
the mighty ] them that are mighty (indef.), alluding to Antiochus’ political foes.
and the people of the holy ones (or saints)] i.e. Israel: cf. Dan 7:25 (‘and shall wear away the holy ones ( or saints) of the Most High’).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And his power shall be mighty – He shall be a powerful monarch. Though not as mighty as Alexander, yet his conquests of Egypt and other places show that he deserved to be numbered among the mighty kings of the earth.
But not by his own power – That is, it shall not be by any strength of his own, but by the power which God gives him. This is true of all kings and princes (compare Joh 19:11; Isa 10:5, following), but it seems to be referred to here particularly to show that the calamities which he was about to bring upon the Hebrew people were by Divine direction and appointment. This great power was given him in order that he might be an instrument in the Divine hand of inflicting deserved punishment on them for their sins.
And he shall destroy wonderfully – In a wonderful or extraordinary manner shall he spread desolation. This refers particularly to the manner in which he would lay waste the holy city, and the land of Judea. The history in the books of Maccabees shows that this was literally fulfilled.
And shall prosper – Antiochus was among the most successful kings in his various expeditions. Particularly was he successful in his enterprises against the holy land.
And practice – Hebrew, do. That is, he shall be distinguished not only for forming plans, but for executing them; not merely for purposing, but for doing.
And shall destroy the mighty and the holy people – The people of God – the Jewish nation. See the notes at Dan 8:9-12.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. But not by his own power] The strength of the other kingdoms consisted in themselves; but the Roman empire, as a horn or kingdom of the goat, was not mighty by its own power – was not strong by virtue of the goat, but drew its nourishment and strength from Rome and Italy. There grew the trunk and body of the tree; though the branches extended over Greece, Asia, Syria, and Egypt. – Bp. Newton.
Shall destroy wonderfully] In the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans ninety-seven thousand Jews were made captives, and eleven hundred thousand were slain. So they destroyed this once mighty and holy people!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Not by his own power; not by any heroic deeds, or truly regal qualities, but by making use of the Jewish factions, and also through the Divine permission, and commission given him to punish a backsliding, degenerate nation; lastly, by the help of Eumenes and Attalus, by whose means and help he got up to this height; who being kings, suspected the Roman power, and raised him to be a kind of cheek to them.
The holy people; he shall by force, craft, and cruelty destroy many of Gods people, from the highest to the meanest ranks of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. not by his own powerwhichin the beginning was “little” (Dan 8:9;Dan 7:8); but by gaining overothers through craft, the once little horn became “mighty”(compare Dan 8:25; Dan 11:23).To be fully realized by Antichrist. He shall act by the power ofSatan, who shall then be permitted to work through him inunrestricted license, such as he has not now (Re13:2); hence the ten kingdoms shall give the beast their power(2Th 2:9-12; Rev 17:13).
prosper and practiseprosperin all that he attempts (Da 8:12).
holy peopleHispersecutions are especially directed against the Jews.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power,…. He should possess a large kingdom, and that should be increased by conquests:
but not in his power s, the power of Alexander; he should not arrive to that greatness he did, as in Da 8:22 so Jacchiades: or, “in his own power” t; for it was not so much by his own courage and valour, by any heroic actions of Antiochus, he became so great, as by craft and deceit: through sedition he procured the death of his father and eider brother; and by fraud got the kingdom from his nephew; and through the perfidy of Menelaus and Jason, the high priests of the Jews, and other apostates, he obtained what dominion he had over the Jews; and it was by the assistance of Eumenes king of Pergamos, and his brother Attalus, that he kept the kingdom he had usurped, who stood by him, in order to check the growing power of the Romans; and more especially it was by a power given him from above, or by the permission and providence of God, who suffered him to be so great, and to prevail particularly over the Jews; because of their sins, as Aben Ezra and Saadiah observe, to chastise them for them: so his antitype, antichrist, became great and powerful, through craft and policy, and by the help of the ten kings that gave their kingdoms to him:
and he shall destroy wonderfully; or beyond all credit, countries, cities, towns, and their inhabitants; he slew fourscore thousand Jews in three days’ time, bound forty thousand, and sold as many,
“And there were destroyed within the space of three whole days fourscore thousand, whereof forty thousand were slain in the conflict; and no fewer sold than slain.” (2 Maccabees 5:14)
or, “he shall destroy wonderful things” u; the temple, and the wonderful things of worth and value in it, so Saadiah and Jacchiades; he took away the vessels of the temple, the golden lamps, the ark, and table of gold, c.:
and shall prosper and practise for a while do what he pleased, none being able to oppose and hinder him; see Da 8:12
and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people; by the “mighty” may be meant the Egyptians, Parthians, and other nations he made war with; and by the “holy people” the Jews, who were sanctified and separated from other people by the Lord, to be a peculiar people; among whom were his holy temple, his holy priests, his holy word, ordinances, and worship; multitudes of these he destroyed, as before observed. Jacchiades interprets this of the sons of Aaron, the holy priests of the Lord, whom he slew.
s “robore ipsius”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator. t “In fortitudine sua”, Pagninus, Montanus “per virtutem suam”, Munster. u “mirabilia”, Montanus, Polanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After the angel had explained the Grecian monarchy, he records the future origin of a king who should be hard of face Without the slightest doubt, he implies the iniquity of Antiochus by this phrase. He was notoriously destitute of any nobleness of mind, and remarkable for low cunning, and to this disposition was added an impudence which faltered at nothing. This is the sense in which I take the words hard of face The following phrase asserts his cunning, when it says, he shall be skilled in enigmas This is equivalent to saying, he should excel in cunning, and should not be easily deceived. By these two epithets he does not compliment, but rather defames Antiochus Epiphanes, by representing him as hardened as the wicked usually are, without the slightest particle of either reason, or equity, or shame. He next blames his craftiness and deceit, by stating he should be skilled in enigmas He afterwards adds, his power shall be strengthened, and yet not by his own might Some are of opinion that Antiochus Epiphanes is here compared to Alexander, as the angel had previously stated the inferiority of the four kings to the first; for they were prefigured by four small horns. For the most powerful of them all did not reign over a fifth part of the dominions which Alexander had acquired for himself by violence and war. Others, again, explain this passage as if the power of Antiochus would be great, but still very unlike that of Alexander, and far inferior to it, according to the sense, not in his, i.e., Alexander’s, strength,. Many, however, refer this to Antiochus, although they do not agree among themselves. Some, again, want a kind of correction, as if the angel implied that the power of Antiochus should be great, but not quite openly so. Hence his valor shall be strengthened, not meaning by “valor” that heroic spirit with which kings are usually endowed, nor any increase in magnanimity; nor yet that Antiochus should imitate such monarchs as these, but his strength should lie concealed. He should creep on by clandestine acts, and not contend in open battle according to the practice of those who excel in courage; he should secretly try many schemes, and thus stealthily extend his empire. This makes a tolerable sense. Others, again, think this ought to be referred to God, since the strength of Antiochus was not the result of his own industry or valor, but of the judgment of God, who armed him with it, because he wished to use him as a scourge to execute his punishments on the Jews. His fortitude, therefore, shall be strengthened, yet not by his own valor, as this entirely depended on the just designs and vengeance of God. Although this last sense is more profitable, and contains much useful instruction, yet I fear it is distorted. And thus the last clause is either a correction of the preceding words, meaning” because he should not increase with ingenuous earnestness,” or else, the angel is still comparing his strength with the power of Alexander. His power, therefore, shall be strengthened, and yet not bear comparison with Alexander’s; or, his power shall be strengthened, but not by habits of war nor by open magnanimity, but he shall grow great by fraudulent and clandestine arts; because he was on the one hand most impious, and on the other, of a servile disposition, as we have formerly said.
It follows, He shall make wonderful havoc, and shall prosper, and shall proceed, that is, shall execute, and shall destroy the strong, and the people of the saints. By עצומים , gnetzumim, I understand not only the Jews, but also other neighboring nations; as if the angel had said, Antiochus shall be conqueror wherever he shall extend his arms, until at length he shall subdue Judea, and miserably afflict the people of God. Wherefore, he shall strike or destroy the brave, and the people of the saints, that is, the holy people, as we saw before. And according to his understanding shall his craftiness prosper in his hand The conjunction “and may be here superfluous; in this sense the passage is usually received, thus reading it on in one context; according to his understanding he shall prosper, although there is the conjunction “and” in the way, but this is frequently superfluous in Hebrew. It means, deceit shall prosper in his hand Here the angel confirms the former assertion respecting the servile cunning of Antiochus, as he did not act with ingenuous manliness, but with his audacity and hardihood he united malicious arts and craftiness unworthy of a king. Craft, therefore, shall prosper in his hand, and that too, as far as he understands it. Some suppose the sharpness of Antiochus to be noticed here, as if the angel had said, Craftiness shall prosper in his hand, in consequence of his possessing superior ability and penetration. But the passage may be suitably explained in this way, — Antiochus shall act prosperously according to his mental perception, and shall be so assisted by’ his craftiness, as to obtain whatever he shall grasp at.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(24) Not by his own power.Not might, but cunning, will cause his success. (Comp. 1Ma. 1:10, &c.) Thus his destructive powers become astonishing.
The mighty.No special individuals are pointed out, but rulers in general.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. See Dan 8:12. Not by his own power he shall prosper, and practice (literally, do), and destroy wonderfully (or, by a slight change, utter monstrous things, as Dan 11:36), and afflict “the mighty ones and the people of the saints.” This was permitted not because he was more powerful than Jehovah, but rather because, like Pharaoh, he was being unconsciously controlled by the One who can make even the sin and wrath of man to praise him. As a double meaning is always to be looked for in an apocalyptic description there may also be a reference here to the fact that it was through outside help that he reached the throne and was confirmed upon it. Still other exegetes make prominent the fact that it was not by power but by poison that this crafty king worked his way up to the throne.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Dan 8:24. His power shall be mighty, &c. This part of the prophesy can no where be so justly applied as to the Romans. With them it quadrates exactly, and with none of the other horns or kingdoms of the goat. The strength of the other kingdoms consisted in themselves, and had its foundation in some part of the goat: but the Roman empire, as a horn, or kingdom of the goat, was not mighty by its own power, was not strong by virtue of the goat; but drew its nourishment and strength from Rome and Italy. There grew the trunk and body of the tree, though the branches extended over Greece, Asia, Syria, and Egypt. See Bishop Newton.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Ver. 24. Not by his own power. ] But by his policy rather, and by the perfidy of others. Dan 11:23
And he shall destroy wonderfully.
And shall prosper, and practice.
And shall destroy the mighty.
And the holy people.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
not by his own power. We are not told here who is the giver of the power, but we are not left in ignorance. Rev 13:2, and 2Th 2:9, 2Th 2:10, are clear on this point.
mighty = mighty ones.
holy People = People of the holy ones. These are “the holy ones of the Most High” (Dan 7:18, Dan 7:22).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 8:24
Dan 8:24 And his powerH3581 shall be mighty,H6105 but notH3808 by his own power:H3581 and he shall destroyH7843 wonderfully,H6381 and shall prosper,H6743 and practise,H6213 and shall destroyH7843 the mightyH6099 and the holyH6918 people.H5971
Dan 8:24
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Antiochus would be very powerful, but not by his own doing. God granted him that power for a divine purpose. He would destroy people to an extraordinary degree and thereby prosper from the plunder of his victims. And he did indeed destroy the mighty and the holy people. History records that when he descended on Jerusalem after his humiliation in Egypt that he destroyed over 80,000 Israelites and took that many more into slavery. Those who refused his religious demands were executed in a most horrible fashion. Antiochus IV was truly a ruthless individual. After studying this man, it is impossible not to see him in these apocalyptic lines. These descriptions paint a picture of a horrible man, bent on the annihilation of God’s people.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
but: Rev 13:3-9, Rev 17:12, Rev 17:13, Rev 17:17
shall prosper: Dan 8:12, Dan 11:36
shall destroy: Dan 8:10, Dan 8:12, Dan 7:25, Dan 11:31-36, Rev 13:10, Rev 16:6, Rev 17:6, Rev 19:2
holy people: Heb. people of the holy ones
Reciprocal: Deu 14:2 – General Deu 14:21 – an holy Psa 37:12 – plotteth Isa 63:18 – people Dan 2:40 – the fourth Dan 7:21 – General Dan 8:9 – came Dan 8:25 – through Dan 11:28 – the holy Dan 12:7 – the holy Rev 11:2 – tread Rev 11:7 – the beast Rev 13:7 – to make Rev 19:20 – the false
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 8:24. Not by his own power is explained at length at verse 12. Prosper ana practice refers to the success of Antiochus in his wicked transactions. Destroy the mighty and holy people. Antiochus was to overthrow those with whom he came in contact, whether they be the strong people of the world or the good people of God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 8:24. And his power shall be mighty His power shall increase more and more, namely, in Judea; but not by his own power This shall not be owing so much to himself, as to the wickedness and factions among the Jews. Antiochus, says Mr. Wintle, was certainly much favoured in his designs by a factious party of the Jews themselves, by the treachery of the Jewish people, according to Josephus, and, according to Appion, the perfidy of others. Eumenes, king of Pergamus, and his brother Attalus, being jealous of the Romans, desired to make the king of Syria their friend, and supported Antiochus in his kingdom. The divine displeasure also against the Jews operated to the furtherance of his designs, who was herein an agent of the vindictive justice of God. And he shall destroy wonderfully He shall cause a very great and scarcely credible desolation in Judea. Wintle renders it, He shall make astonishing havoc, and shall be successful: which prediction was accomplished when Jerusalem was taken by Antiochus, 40,000 Jews were slain, and as many were sold into slavery. And shall destroy the mighty and the holy people Or, the people of the holy God, as may be rendered, the noun plural being sometimes applied to the Deity. Or the expressions may mean, that he should destroy many of the principal and chief men, and many of the common sort, termed the holy people, as being good men, and sincere worshippers of God. With regard to the former, Grotius observes, from Josephus, that men of the greatest reputation, and of the most generous spirit, among the Jews, paid no regard to Antiochus, and therefore were harassed daily, and died under the most bitter torments. Antiochus, in his first invasion of Judea, slew and led captive 80,000 Jews; and two years afterward sent Apollonius, with an army of 22,000 men, to destroy those that assembled in their synagogues on the sabbath, 2Ma 5:14; 2Ma 5:24; and 1Ma 1:29.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not {i} by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the {k} mighty and the holy people.
(i) That is, not like Alexander’s strength.
(k) Both the Gentiles that dwelt around him, and also the Jews.