Page 337 - Daniel

At the time, there was a contest for power between two of Antiochus’s
nephews, Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy Euergetes, for control of
Egypt. Antiochus supported Ptolemy VI Philometor, but only for his own
gain. Out of it, Antiochus became stronger himself.

ANTIOCHUS’S GROWTH IN POWER (11:24–26)

11:24–26 “Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the
province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’
fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods.
He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. And he

shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with
a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an
exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots
shall be devised against him. Even those who eat his food shall break
him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain.”

Always seeking to enlarge his kingdom either through military devices

or intrigue, Antiochus, like his fathers, robbed the richest places of the
country under his control (v. 24). He attacked his enemies “without
warning” in a time of security or peace when the enemy did not expect
him. Unlike his father, Antiochus IV did not use his wealth secured in
this way for personal advantage so much as to buy favor with others and
to secure their cooperation. The expression “scattering among them
plunder, spoil, and goods” indicates this distribution of the wealth he

had secured. According to 1 Maccabees 3:30, “He feared that he might
not have such funds as he had before for his expenses and for the gifts
which he used to give more lavishly than preceding kings” (RSV).

Among his military maneuvers were several expeditions against Egypt,
which are indicated in verse 25. Which of the several expeditions this
represents is of no importance, as this prophecy simply described in
general the characteristics of Antiochus’s reign. The king of Egypt was
defeated as indicated in the statement “but only for a time,” referring to

the king of the south. Even those who should have supported him
conspired against him as revealed in verse 26. The result was that,
generally speaking, Antiochus was victorious over the Egyptians.

THE EVIL OF ANTIOCHUS (11:27–28)