Daniel 11:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.

NIV: He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.

NASB: And he will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will boast against them all.

CSB: He will not show regard for the gods of his ancestors, the god desired by women, or for any other god, because he will magnify himself above all.

NLT: He will have no respect for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god loved by women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.

This continues a segment of Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 10:1) which appears yet to be fulfilled. The key figure is a "king" noted for self-glorification and blasphemy (Daniel 11:36). In this verse, the king is said to ignore every god, placing himself above everyone and everything else.

Scholars disagree as to whether this gives a clue to the identity of this end-times ruler. The Hebrew expression used here closely resembles other expressions referring to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:15; 2 Kings 21:22; 1 Chronicles 29:20; 2 Chronicles 7:22; 11:16; 13:12, 18). Some interpreters believe this means this king will be of Jewish descent. Under that explanation, the reference to someone "beloved by women" might imply how Jewish mothers hoped to carry the Messiah. Most English translations use the word "gods" here, which seems a strange thing to connect with the patriarchs who worshipped the One True God. The Hebrew root word used here, however, is 'elōhim, a plural word that is also translated as "God" depending on context.

Others, however, identify this figure as the same predicted by the "little horn" of an earlier prophecy (Daniel 7:8). It is also possible that the reference to women and affection signifies someone with no romantic interest at all. Or a man indifferent to other people. More important than his lineage or exact titles are this figure's actions.

Daniel 11:36–45 is part of a prophecy given to Daniel; everything he was told was to occur after his own life. Viewed from the modern perspective, most of the predictions have been fulfilled in our past. In this passage, that viewpoint shifts to the future. In the last days before the final judgment, a time of tribulation, a notable figure will honor some kind of military god. He will be attacked by armies from the north, but the leader of those armies will hastily retreat to a location between the Mediterranean Sea and Israel, where he will perish.

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.