Daniel 11:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.

NASB: So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and not be found.

CSB: He will turn his attention back to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble, fall, and be no more.

NLT: He will take refuge in his own fortresses but will stumble and fall and be seen no more.

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

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

History records that between 192 and 188 BC, Antiochus the Great of the Seleucid Empire pushed across Asia Minor into Greece. This advance was stalled by naval defeats and the efforts of the Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus. Antiochus was eventually forced to cede territory gained in Asia Minor, pay restitution, and leave one of his sons as a political prisoner. Those events match the predictions recorded in 536 BC (Daniel 10:1; 11:2) as given to the prophet Daniel by an angel. Prior verses included straightforward forecasts of those events and their origins (Daniel 11:14–18).

Here, the prophet speaks about the final fate of Antiochus III, also known as Antiochus the Great; he has been labeled in these passages as the "king of the north." Daniel says this figure will turn towards home, only to fall and disappear.

Once again, history indicates that the prediction was fulfilled. After his defeat in Asia Minor, Antiochus returned to Seleucid territory. Some months after, he was dead, assassinated by an enraged mob while plundering a temple in modern-day Iran. Antiochus III had earned his title of "Great" because of his military victories prior to the war against Rome. Had he stopped there, his reputation would have been stellar. However, his overreach and failure in Asia Minor caused further rebellions among conquered territories, and greatly reduced the power of the empire he left behind.

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.