Handout an Historical Key for Daniel 11
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An Historical Key for Daniel 111 Daniel 11:2–5 – 535 BC – 320s BC Introduction Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth Three . and a fourth. This follows the pattern of three shall be far richer than all of them. kings and four. 2:21–45; 7:1–8; 8:1–14 The next four kings: [1] Cambyses (530–522 BC); [2] Gaumata (522 BC); [3] Darius I Hystaspes (522–486 BC); [4] Xerxes / Ahasuerus (486–465 BC) . “There were actually more than four kings between Cyrus and Darius III [the king Alexander deposed] (c. 336–331 BC). As before, the point of the four-part scheme is to summariZe history, not count kings.” (Paul House, Daniel, 171) And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall Richer than all of them. Darius III, the one deposed by stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. Alexander he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. Darius III would provoke Philip of Macedon (359–336 BC) and his son Alexander the Great (336–323 BC). The latter would depose Darius III. 3 Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great Mighty king. Alexander the Great dominion and do as he wills. 4 And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four Broken and divided. No heirs when he died. winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be Four winds of heaven. Alexander’s kingdom split plucked up and go to others besides these. 5 “Then the king of • Cassander (Macedonia and Greece) the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be • Lysimachus (Thrace and Asia Minor) stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a • Seleucus (Syria) great authority. • Ptolemy (Egypt) Kings of the South Kings of the North King of the south, shall be strong. Ptolemy Ptolemy I Soter (323–285) Seleucus I Nicator (312– Ptolemy II (285–246) 280) BC The King of the South: The Ptolemies Ptolemy III (246–221) Antiochus I (280–261) Ptolemy IV Philopater Antiochus II (261–246) The King of the North: The Seleucids (221–204) Seleucus II Callinicus (246– Ptolemy V (204–181) 226) Ptolemy VI (181–145) Seleucus III (226–223) Antiochus III (223–187) Seleucus IV (187–175) Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164) 1 Historical dates and names sourced from the commentaries of Paul House, Daniel (2018) and Mitchell Chase, Daniel in ESV Expository Commentary (2018). Quotes cited below. Daniel 11:6–13 – 249 BC – 200 BC 6 After some years . they shall make an alliance, After some years . 320–249 BC. Make alliance. A marriage alliance. and the daughter of the king of the south [Berenice] shall Daughter of the king of the south . king of the north. In come to the king of the north [Antiochus II] to make an 249 BC, Antiochus II marries Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II. agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and Shall not endure. Berenice and her child were murdered. Her his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her father [Ptolemy II] also died that year. attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times. 7 “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his A branch from here roots . Ptolemy III, Berenice’s brother, place. He [Ptolemy III] shall come against the army and enter who sought to avenge his sisters murder. the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. enter the fortress of the king of the north. Ptolemy III waged war from 246–241 BC. 8 He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal He shall carry off to Egypt . the South proves more images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for powerful for a time. some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north [Seleucus II?]. For some years . there is pause in the warfare. 9 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the Then the latter shall come into the realm. Seleucus II pump south but shall return to his own land. fakes. 10 “His sons [Seleucus’s sons] shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. 11 Then the king of the south [Ptolemy III], moved with rage, Raise up a great multitude. Battle of Raphia, an Egyptian shall come out and fight against the king of the north outpost on the frontier of Palestine in 217. [Antiochus III]. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. 12 And when the multitude is taken Exalted . but not prevail. Ptolemy III will win the battle, away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens but in his pride he will not prevail. of thousands, but he shall not prevail. 13 For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, The king of the north will invade with a great army. greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on Antiochus III (220–187 BC) responded well to the threat of with a great army and abundant supplies. Ptolemy IV. By 200 BC, the Seleucids were on top again. Daniel 11:14–20 – 200 BC – 175 BC 14 “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, The violent among your own people. These are Jews who and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves support the Seleucids. They supported the Seleucids, up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. because of the corrupt connections between Ptolemies and the Priests.2 15 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up He shall stand in the glorious land. As a result of partnering siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the with Seleucids, the priests and Ptolemies will be overthrown, south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall and the Seleucids will enter Jerusalem and capture the city. be no strength to stand. 16 But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole Bring terms of agreement. After winning the city of kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and Jerusalem, for the sake of securing his kingdom, the king of perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to the North (Antiochus III) will make an agreement with the destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his Ptolemies. advantage. 18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall Coastlands. In seeking to expand his territory, Antiochus III capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to offended the Romans. his insolence. Indeed, he [Rome] shall turn his insolence back upon him. He shall turn back his insolence. Rome defeated him in 191 and 189 BC. 19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found. 20 “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor Exactor of tribute. In need of money, after a costly war, of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days Seleucid IV replaced Antiochus III, but he was probably he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. assassinated in 175 BC. This led to Antiochus IV. 2 “High priests of Jerusalem ruled civic and religious affairs by 200 BC. Charles (1929: 288) notes that the Ptolemies bolstered a corrupt, greedy high priest in Jerusalem, which led some Jews to support the Seleucid side. If so, the angel reveals that some Jews will invite the help of a dynasty that will eventually defile the temple and city.” (Paul House, Daniel, 173) Daniel 11:21–28 – 175 BC – 169 BC 21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal Contemptible person. Antiochus Epiphanes. majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning No royal majesty . flatteries. Fourth in line to the and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. throne, he claimed throne through intrigue, flattery, murder. 22 Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, Prince of the covenant. There is uncertainty here. even the prince of the covenant. 1. A secular king with whom A. E. is in alliance 2. More likely, a high priest appointed within term of God’s covenant. Probably, Onias III, the high priest Antiochus IV dislodged in 175 BC and killed in 171 BC (House, 174) 23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall He shall act deceitfully. After deposing Onias III, he sold HP act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small to the highest bidder – this started with Jason (2 Macc. people. 4:7–8) and led to Menelaus (2 Macc. 4:23–26) 24 Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the He shall devise plans .