Daniel 11

1 “And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, stood up to strengthen and protect him.

2 Now then, I will tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. By the power of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

4 But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the authority with which he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others.

5 The king of the South will grow strong, but one of his commanders will grow even stronger and will rule his own kingdom with great authority.

6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to seal the agreement. But his daughter will not retain her position of power, nor will his strength endure. At that time she will be given up, along with her royal escort and her father and the one who supported her.

7 But one from her family line will rise up in his place, come against the army of the king of the North, and enter his fortress, fighting and prevailing.

8 He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North,

9 who will invade the realm of the king of the South and then return to his own land.

10 But his sons will stir up strife and assemble a great army, which will advance forcefully, sweeping through like a flood, and will again carry the battle as far as his fortress.

11 In a rage, the king of the South will march out to fight the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be delivered into the hand of his enemy.

12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be proud in heart and will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not triumph.

13 For the king of the North will raise another army, larger than the first, and after some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies.

14 In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they will fail.

15 Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp, and capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their best troops will not be able to resist.

16 The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.

17 He will resolve to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and will reach an agreement with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plan will not succeed or help him.

18 Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many of them. But a commander will put an end to his reproach and will turn it back upon him.

19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be no more.

20 In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collector for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or in battle.

21 In his place a despicable person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come in a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

22 Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant.

23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; for he will rise to power with only a few people.

24 In a time of peace, he will invade the richest provinces and do what his fathers and forefathers never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will plot against the strongholds—but only for a time.

25 And with a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South, who will mobilize a very large and powerful army but will not withstand the plots devised against him.

26 Those who eat from his provisions will seek to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain.

27 And the two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.

28 The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant; so he will do damage and return to his own land.

29 At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time will not be like the first.

30 Ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and rage against the holy covenant and do damage. So he will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation.

32 With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

33 Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword or flame, or be captured or plundered.

34 Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely.

35 Some of the wise will fall so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

36 Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished.

37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, nor for the one desired by women, nor for any other god, because he will magnify himself above them all.

38 And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.

39 He will attack the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing the land for a price.

40 At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, invading many countries and sweeping through them like a flood.

41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall. But these will be delivered from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites.

42 He will extend his power over many countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape.

43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt, and the Libyans and Cushites will also submit to him.

44 But news from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will go out with great fury to destroy many and devote them to destruction.

45 He will pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain, but he will meet his end with no one to help him.

1 ¶ Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, [even] I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.

2 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: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.

5 ¶ And the king of the south shall be strong, and [one] of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion [shall be] a great dominion.

6 And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in [these] times.

7 But out of a branch of her roots shall [one] stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:

8 And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, [and] with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue [more] years than the king of the north.

9 So the king of the south shall come into [his] kingdom, and shall return into his own land.

10 But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and [one] shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, [even] to his fortress.

11 And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, [even] with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.

12 [And] when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down [many] ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened [by it].

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.

14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.

15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither [shall there be any] strength to withstand.

16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.

17 He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand [on his side], neither be for him.

18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause [it] to turn upon him.

19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

20 Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes [in] the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.

21 ¶ And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

22 And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

23 And after the league [made] with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do [that] which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: [yea], and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.

25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.

26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.

27 And both these kings' hearts [shall be] to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end [shall be] at the time appointed.

28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart [shall be] against the holy covenant; and he shall do [exploits], and return to his own land.

29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].

33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, [many] days.

34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

35 And [some] of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make [them] white, [even] to the time of the end: because [it is] yet for a time appointed.

36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

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.

40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many [countries] shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, [even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps.

44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

3 After this shall a mighty king arise, and shall reign with great power: and whatsoever he will, that shall he bring to pass.

4 And when he is come to the highest, his kingdom shall be broken up, and divided into the four winds of heaven; not upon his seed, nor with such power as his was: for his kingdom shall be cut off, and given unto strangers.

5 And the king southward, which is one of his princes, shall be mighty: but against him shall one also be mighty, and shall reign, whose dominion shall be great.

6 And it shall come to pass, after a number of years, that they shall be friends one to another: and the king's daughter toward the south shall come to the king toward the north, to make an agreement. But she shall not abide in the power of the arm, neither shall her seed stand: but she shall be delivered up with them that brought her, and with the child, and him that made her mighty a while.

7 And there shall arise one of the branches of their tribe, and he shall come with host, and shall fall upon the king about the north in his stronghold; and he shall execute it, and prevail.

8 And he shall carry away their gods, and their images, and their precious things, both of silver and of brass, into Egypt, and shall stand before the king toward the north for many years.

9 And when he shall have passed through the kingdom thereof, he shall return unto his own land.

10 But his sons shall be wroth, and shall gather together great armies: and the one shall come and go like a flood, and shall provoke the other again before his feasts.

11 And the king shall be angry toward the south, and shall go out, and fight with the king toward the north: and he shall gather together such a great multitude, that that multitude shall be given into his hand.

12 And he shall lead away the same company. His heart shall be lifted up, because he hath laid so many thousands low: but he shall not be able to do it.

13 For the king shall gather again about midnight a greater company than that which was before: and after many years he shall go forth with a great army, and with great goods.

14 And it shall come to pass in that day, that many shall sit down against the king at noon: and there shall arise some of thy people that are apostates, and shall fulfil the prophecy, and shall fall.

15 So the king shall go forth toward the north, and shall make a separation, and shall gain strong cities: and the south arm shall not be able to withstand it, neither shall his best people be able to withstand it,

16 But when he cometh to him, he will work his will; and none shall be able to withstand him. He shall also come into the good land, and shall finish it by his hand.

17 And he shall set his face to come with the power of all his kingdom. And he shall deal with him, and shall give him his daughter to wife, to destroy him: but he shall not deal with him, neither shall any thing come of it.

18 Afterward he shall turn against the isles, and shall gain many of them. But a prince shall teach him to cease from reproach, and to revile him no more.

19 And he shall turn again to the strongholds of his land, and shall thrust himself, and fall, and shall not be found.

20 And in his stead shall arise one that shall sit in royal honour, as a minion. But after a few days he shall break, yet not by wrath, nor by strife.

21 There shall arise in his stead an unworthy man, to whom the honour of the kingdom was not given: he shall come, and shall prosper, and shall take the kingdom with sweet words.

22 And the arms that go down like a flood shall be overtaken before him as with a flood, and shall be broken, even the prince with whom the covenant was made.

23 For after he hath befriended him, he shall deal craftily against him; and shall come up, and overpower him with a small people.

24 And it shall come to pass, that he shall enter into the best cities of the land, and shall do that which his fathers, nor his forefathers, could not do, by spoiling, and plundering, and taking: and he shall seek the most strong cities, and that for a season.

25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king at noon with a great host. And the king shall be provoked to battle at noon with a great and mighty host. But he shall not prevail: for treacheries shall be made against him.

26 And they that eat his bread shall help to destroy him, and shall oppress his host, and many shall be slain.

27 And the hearts of both kings shall think how they have hurt one another, and shall speak falsely one to another over one table. But they shall lack; for the end is yet for another time.

28 And afterward he shall return with great substance, and shall judge his heart against the holy covenant; and he shall perform a thing, and return to his own land.

29 After this he shall go again in due season toward the south: but it shall not be for him the second time, as it was for the first.

30 For ships shall come against him out of Chittim, and he shall despair, and turn back. And he shall be enraged against the holy covenant, and shall bring it to pass: and he shall look round about, and draw them to himself that forsake the holy covenant.

31 And his anne shall stand there; and they shall profane the sanctuary of the feast, and cast off the daily sacrifice, and set up an abomination of desolation.

32 And he shall pretend, and give good words unto the wicked that transgress the covenant. But the people that know their God shall be moved, and shall perform it.

33 And the wise of the people shall teach many others: and they shall fall by the sword, and by the fire, and by the prison, and by the spoil, for a season.

34 And if they fall, yet a little help shall come to them. But many will do to them deceitfully.

35 And of them that have understanding shall fall, that they may be proved pure and clean, until there be an end: for there is yet another time.