Daniel 11:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him.

NIV: Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him.

NASB: Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his taunting against him; moreover, he will repay him for his taunting.

CSB: Then he will turn his attention to the coasts and islands and capture many. But a commander will put an end to his taunting; instead, he will turn his taunts against him.

NLT: After this, he will turn his attention to the coastland and conquer many cities. But a commander from another land will put an end to his insolence and cause him to retreat in shame.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him.

Daniel's writing in this section records prophecies he received in 536 BC (Daniel 10:1), during the reign of Cyrus in Persia. This set of predictions involved various wars fought over the territory of Judea after the end of the Persian Empire (Daniel 11:2–12). Eventually, the northern Seleucid Empire established clear control over Israelite territory. Rather than fighting a two-front war with Egypt and Rome, the king of Syria, Antiochus III, attempted diplomacy. He married off his daughter to the king of Egypt. He seemed to have hoped she would weaken Egyptian hostility. However, when she died, the advisors who succeeded her soon declared war (Daniel 11:13–17).

Now Daniel speaks of wars over "coastlands," ultimately thwarted by a commander who turns the "king of the north" back. This involves some reversal of "insolence." The Hebrew word used here is from the root herpāh, which suggests contempt and scorn. In this case, it seems to mean that the king of the north is being bold and arrogant in his attacks: he is being "insolent." Then a commander will turn that same arrogance back on the king of the north.

History confirms this prophecy. The figure described here, the "king of the north," is the King of Syria, Antiochus III, or "Antiochus the Great." After his daughter's marriage to the king of Egypt, Antiochus engaged in conquest through Asia Minor and Greece, a region famous for its coastlines. This was successful, at first. Then the Romans gained naval dominance. Ultimately, Rome sent the general Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus to drive Antiochus back. This aggressive tactic eventually forced Antiochus back across Asia Minor, where he agreed to peace terms. Those included being forced to pay restitution to Rome for his attacks. He was also obligated to leave his son, Mithradates, as a political hostage. This boy would eventually become Antiochus IV Epiphanes, infamous for his spiteful persecution of Jews (Daniel 8:23–25).

The next verse predicts what came next for Antiochus the Great: a return home shortly before his death (Daniel 11:19).

Daniel 11:2–20 provides a political timeline beginning with Darius the Mede (Daniel 5:30–31). The history—given as prophecy to the prophet Daniel around 536 BC (Daniel 10:1)—involves military conflicts between Greeks and Persians and between empires ruling from Syria and Egypt. These accounts are given to Daniel by an angel, probably Gabriel (Daniel 10:18–21). Parts of these prophecies are unusually straightforward, relying much less on symbolism and plainly indicating the events which will occur.

This chapter is most easily understood in terms of the historical events which it predicts. These include the conflicts between Ptolemaic Egypt and the Seleucid Empire up through the second century BC. This mentions the infamous Antiochus IV Epiphanes and what eventually became the Maccabean Revolt. The last portion of prophecy looks to the end times: blasphemous rulers, an invasion from the north, and a major defeat.

Daniel is receiving a prophecy, in an encounter which began in chapter 10. The substance of that prophecy is mostly given in chapter 11. This predicts the major events relating to Judea leading up to the conquest of the Roman Empire. It also begins to speak of end-times events. This leads to chapter 12 and the final prophetic remarks given to Daniel. Chapter 11 connects to other prophetic segments of Scripture such as Ezekiel 38 and Joel 2. Occurrences recorded here are also used by Jesus to depict end times events (Matthew 24:15).

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.