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Of the kings of

A. M. 3470.
B. C. 534.

Anno Tarquinii
Superbi,
R. Roman., 1.

DANIEL.

and one shall certainly come,

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Olymp. LXI. 3. and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, P 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.

n Isa. viii. 8; chap. ix. 26.) ( Or, then shall he be stirred up again. Ver. 7.-9 Heb. at the end of times, even years; chap. iv. 16; xii. 7.— Heb. the children of robbers.— Heb. the city of munitions.

as he came even to his fortress, to the frontiers of Egypt.

Egypt and Syria.

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Olymp. LXI. 3.

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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.

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Verse 11. The king of the south] Ptolemy Philo- hoping thereby to fulfil a prediction of Isaiah, chap. pater, who succeeded his father Euergetes.

Shall come forth and fight with him] He did come forth to Raphia, where he was met by Antiochus, when a terrible battle was fought between these two kings.

And he (Antiochus, the king of the north) shall set forth a great multitude] Amounting to sixty-two thousand foot, six thousand horse, and one hundred and two elephants; but yet the multitude was given into his hand, the hand of the king of the south; for Ptolemy gained a complete victory. Raphia, and other neighbouring towns, declared for the victor; and Antiochus was obliged to retreat with his scattered army to Antioch, from which he sent to solicit a peace. See 3 Macc. i. 1-6, and Polybius, lib. v. Verse 12. His heart shall be lifted up] Had Ptolemy improved his victory, he might have dispossessed Antiochus of his whole empire; but giving way to pride, and a criminally sensual life, he made peace on dishonourable terms; and though he had gained a great victory, yet his kingdom was not strengthened by it, for his subjects were displeased, and rebelled against him, or at least became considerably disaffected.

Verse 13. The king of the north shall return-after certain years] In about fourteen years Antiochus did return, Philopater being dead, and his son Ptolemy Epiphanes being then a minor. He brought a much larger army and more riches; these he had collected in a late eastern expedition.

Verse 14. Many stand up against the king of the south] Antiochus, and Philip king of Macedon, united together to overrun Egypt.

Also the robbers of thy people] The Jews, who revolted from their religion, and joined Ptolemy, under Scopas,

xxx. 18-25, which seemed to intimate that the Jews and the Egyptians should be one people. They now revolted from Ptolemy, and joined Antiochus; and this was the means of contributing greatly to the accomplishment of prophecies that foretold the calamities that should fall upon the Jews.

But they shall fall.] For Scopas came with a great army from Ptolemy; and, while Antiochus was engaged in other parts, reduced Cœlesyria and Palestine, subdued the Jews, placed guards on the coasts of Jerusalem, and returned with great spoils to Egypt.

Verse 15. So the king of the north] Antiochus came to recover Judea. Scopas was sent by Ptolemy to oppose him; but he was defeated near the fountains of Jordan, and was obliged to take refuge in Sidon with ten thousand men. Antiochus pursued and besieged him; and he was obliged by famine to surrender at discretion, and their lives only were spared. Antiochus afterwards besieged several of the fenced cities, and took them; in short, carried all before him; so that the king of the south, Ptolemy, and his chosen people, his ablest generals, were not able to oppose him.

Verse 16. He shall stand in the glorious land] Judea. For he reduced Palestine; and the Jews supplied him with provisions, and assisted him to reduce the garrison that Scopas had left in the citadel of Jerusalem.

Which by his hand shall be consumed] Or, which shall be perfected in his hand. For Antiochus showed the Jews great favour: he brought back those that were dispersed, and re-established them in the land; freed the priests and Levites from all tribute, &c.

Verse 17. He shall also set his face to enter] Antiochus purposed to have marched his army into Egypt; but he thought it best to proceed by fraudulence; and

Of the kings of

A. M. 3470.

B. C. 534.

CHAP. XI.

right ones with him; thus shall fort of his own land: Olymp. LXI. 3. he do: and he shall give him shall stumble and fall, Anno Tarquinii

Superbi, R. Roman., 1.

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the daughter of women, cor- be found. rupting her but she shall not stand on his side, b neither be for him...

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Egypt and Syria.

but he

e and not

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A. M. 3470. B. C. 534. Olymp. LXI. 3. Anno Tarquinii Superbi, R. Roman., 1.

20 Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the 18 After this shall he turn his face unto the kingdom: but within few days he shall be isles, and shall take many: but a prince for destroyed, neither in hanger, nor in battle. his own behalf shall cause the reproach of- 21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile fered by him to cease; without his own re-person, to whom they shall not give the honour proach he shall cause it to turn upon him. of the kingdom: but he shall come in peace19 Then he shall turn his face toward the ably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

a Heb. to corrupt.Chap. ix. 26. Heb._for him. Heb. his reproach.- Job xx. 8; Psa. xxxvii. 36; Ezek xxvi. 21.-Or, in his place; ver. 7.

therefore proposed a treaty of marriage between him and his daughter Cleopatra, called here the daughter of women, because of her great beauty and accomplishments. And this he appeared to do, having "upright ones with him." Or, as the Septuagint have it, xai sudɛia яavra μst' autou Tonds," and he will make all things straight with him; that is, he acted as if he were influenced by nothing but the most upright views. But he intended his daughter to be a snare to Ptolemy, and therefore purposed to corrupt her that she might betray her husband.

But she shall not stand on his side] On the contrary, her husband's interests became more dear to her than her father's; and by her means Ptolemy was put upon his guard against the intentions of Antiochus.

Verse 18. Shall he turn his face unto the isles] Antiochus had fitted out a great fleet of one hundred large ships and two hundred smaller, and with this fleet subdued most of the maritime places on the coast of the Mediterranean, and took many of the isles, Rhodes, Samos, Eubœa, Colophon, and others.

But a prince for his own behalf] Or, a captain. The consul Acilius Glabrio caused the reproach to cease; beat and routed his army at the straits of Thermopyle, and expelled him from Greece. So he obliged him to pay the tribute which he hoped to impose on others; for he would grant him peace only on condition of paying the expense of the war, fifteen thousand talents; five hundred on the spot,two thousand five hundred when the peace should be ratified by the senate, and the remaining twelve thousand in twelve years, each year one thousand. See Polybius in his Legations, and Appian in the Wars of Syria. And thus,

Without his own reproach] Without losing a battle, or taking a false step, Acilius caused the reproach which he was bringing upon the Romans to turn upon himself.

Verse 19. He shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land] After this shameful defeat, Antiochus fled to Sardis, thence to Apamea, and the next day got into Syria, and to Antioch, his own fort, whence he sent ambassadors to treat for peace; and was obliged to engage to pay the immense sum of money mentioned above.

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But he shall stumble and fall] Being under the greatest difficulties how to raise the stipulated sums, he marched into his eastern provinces to exact the arrears of taxes; and, attempting to plunder the temple of Jupiter Belus at Elymais, he was opposed by the populace, and he and his attendants slain. This is the account that Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, and Justin give of his death. But it is variously related by others; some saying that he was assassinated by some of his own people whom he had punished for being drunk at a feast.-So Aurelius Victor. St. Jerome says he lost his life in a battle against the inhabitants of Elymais. In short, the manner of his death is uncertain; and perhaps even this circumstance is referred to by the prophet, when he says, "He shall stumble and fall, and NOT BE FOUND."

Verse 20. Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes] Seleucus Philopater succeeded his father Antiochus. He sent his treasurer Heliodorus to seize the money deposited in the temple of Jerusalem, which is here called the glory of the kingdom, see 2 Macc. ix. 23. He was so cramped to pay the annual tax to the Romans, that he was obliged to burden his subjects with continual taxes.

He shall be destroyed, neither in anger-fighting against an enemy, nor in battle-at the head of his troops; but basely and treacherously, by the hand of Heliodorus his treasurer, who hoped to reign in his stead.

Verse 21. In his estate shall stand up a vile person] This was Antiochus, surnamed Epiphanes-the Illustrious. They did not give him the honour of the kingdom: he was at Athens, on his way from Rome, when his father died; and Heliodorus had declared himself king, as had several others. But Antiochus came in peaceably, for he obtained the kingdom by flatteries. He flattered Eumenes, king of Pergamus, and Attalus his brother, and got their assistance. He flattered the Romans, and sent ambassadors to court their favour, and pay them the arrears of the tribute. He flattered the Syrians, and gained their concurrence; and as he flattered the Syrians, so they flattered him, giving him the epithet of Epiphanes—the Illustrious. But that he was what the prophet here calls him, a vile person, is fully evident from what Polybius says of him, from Athenæus, lib. v.:

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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 Chap. viii. 10, 11, 25.

1 Ver. 10. .m

Egypt and Syria.

A. M. 3470.
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Olymp. LXI. 3.
Anno Tarquinii
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R. Roman., 1.

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 Chap. viii. 25.- Or, P1 Mac. iii. 28, &c.- -Heb. think his thoughts.- Ver. 10, into the peaceable and fat, &c. 22.8 Heb. their hearts. was every man's companion: he resorted to the common shops, and prattled with the workmen he frequented the common taverns, and ate and drank with the meanest fellows, singing debauched songs," &c., &c. On this account a contemporary writer, and others after him, instead of Epiphanes, called him Epimanes-the Madman.

Verse 22. And with the arms of a flood] The arms which were overflown before him were his competitors for the crown. They were vanquished by the forces of Eumenes and Attalus; and were dissipated by the arrival of Antiochus from Athens, whose presence disconcerted all their measures.

The prince of the covenant] This was Onias, the high priest, whom he removed, and put Jason in his place, who had given him a great sum of money; and then put wicked Menelaus in his room, who had offered him a larger sum. Thus he acted deceitfully in the league made with Jason.

Verse 23. He shall come up] From Rome, where he had been a hostage for the payment of the tax laid on his father.

Shall become strong with a small people.] At first he had but few to espouse his cause when he arrived at Antioch, the people having been greatly divided by the many claimants of the crown; but being supported by Eumenes and Attalus, his few people increased, and he became strong.

Verse 24. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places] The very richest provinces-Cœlesyria and Palestine.

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He shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers] He became profuse in his liberalities, and scattered among them the prey of his enemies, the spoil of temples, and the riches of his friends, as well as his own revenues. He spent much in public shows, and bestowed largesses among the people. We are told in 1 Macc. iii. 30, that " in the liberal giving of gifts he abounded above all the kings that went before him." These are nearly the words of the prophet; and perhaps without any design to copy them on the part of the apocryphal writer. He would sometimes go into the streets, and throw about a handful of money, crying out, "Let him take it, to whom Fortune sends it."

He shall forecast his devices] As Eulæus and Lenæus, who were the guardians of the young Egyptian king Ptolemy Philometer, demanded from Antiochus the restitution of Cœlesyria and Palestine, which he refused, he foresaw that he might have a war with that kingdom; and therefore he forecast devices—fixed a variety of plans to prevent this; visited the strong holds and frontier places to see that they were in a state of defence. And this he did for a time-he employed some years in hostile preparations against Egypt.

Verse 25. He shall stir up his power] Antiochus marched against Ptolemy, the king of the south, (Egypt,) with a great army; and the Egyptian generals had raised a mighty force.

Stirred up to battle] The two armies met between Pelusium and Mount Casius; but he (the king of the south) could not stand-the Egyptian army was defeated. The next campaign he had greater success; he routed the Egyptian army, took Memphis, and made himself master of all Egypt, except Alexandria, see 1 Macc. i. 16-19. And all these advantages he gained by forecasting devices; probably by corrupting his ministers and captains, Ptolemy. Macron gave up Cyprus to Antiochus; and the Alexandrians were led to renounce their allegiance to Ptolemy Philometer, and took Euergetes, or Physcon his younger brother, and made him king in his stead. All this was doubtless by the corruptions of Antiochus. See below.

Verse 26. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat] This is the proof of what has been last noted, that the intrigues of Antiochus, corrupting the ministers and officers of Ptolemy, were the cause of all the disasters that fell on the Egyptian king. They that fed of the portion of his meat—who were in his confidence and pay, and possessed the secrets of the state, betrayed him; and these were the means of destroying him and his army, so that he was defeated, as was before observed.

Verse 27. And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief] That is, Antiochus, and Ptolemy Philometer, who was nephew to the former, and whose interest he now pretended to have much at heart, since the Alexandrians had renounced their allegiance

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Ver. 29, 35, 40; chap. viii. 19.- -u1 Mac. i. 19. Ver. 22; Ver. 25.- —y Num. xxiv. 24; Jer. ii. 10.—————z z Ver. 28; 1 Mac. 1 Mac. i. 20, &c.; 2 Mac. v. 11, 14, &c.w Ver. 23.

to him, and set his younger brother Euergetes upon the throne. When Antiochus came to Memphis, he and Philometer had frequent conferences at the same table; and at these times they spoke lies to each other, Antiochus professing great friendship to his nephew and concern for his interests, yet in his heart designing to ruin the kingdom, by fomenting the discords which already subsisted between the two brothers. On the other hand, Philometer professed much gratitude to his uncle for the interest he took in his affairs, and laid the blame of the war upon his minister Eulæus; while at the same time he spoke lies, determining as soon as possible to accommodate matters with his brother, and join all their strength against their deceitful uncle.

But it shall not prosper] Neither succeeded in his object; for the end of the appointed time was not yet

come.

Verse 28. Then shall he return into his land with great riches] Antiochus did return, laden with riches, from the spoils that he took in Egypt; see 1 Macc. i. 19, 20. And hearing that there had been a report of his death, at which the citizens of Jerusalem had made great rejoicings,

His heart shall be against the holy covenant] He was determined to take a severe revenge, and he had an ostensible pretext for it; for Jason, who had been deprived of the high priesthood, hearing the report of the death of Antiochus, raised forces, marched against Jerusalem, took it, and obliged Menelaus, the high priest, to shut himself up in the castle. Antiochus brought a great army against Jerusalem; took it by storm; slew forty, thousand of the inhabitants; sold as many more for slaves; boiled swine's flesh, and sprinkled the temple and the altar with the broth; broke into the holy of holies; took away the golden vessels and other sacred treasures, to the value of one thousand eight hundred talents; restored Menelaus to his office; and made one Philip, a Phrygian, governor of Judea, 1 Mace. i. 24; 2 Macc. v. 21. Prideaux and Newton. These are what we term exploits; which having finished, he returned to his own land.

Verse 29. At the time appointed he shall return] Finding that his treachery was detected, and that the two brothers had united their counsel and strength for their mutual support, he threw off the mask; and having collected a great army early in the spring, he passed through Calesyria; entered Egypt; and the inhabitants of Memphis having submitted to him, he came by easy marches to Alexandria. But, says the prophet," it shall not be as the former or as the lat

i. 30, 44, &c.; 2 Mac. v. 24, &c.

ter:" he had not the same success as the former, when he overthrew the Egyptian army at Pelusium; nor as the latter, when he took Memphis, aud subdued all Egypt, except Alexandria. See the reason.

Verse 30. against him]

For the ships of Chittim shall come Chittim is well known to mean the Roman empire. Antiochus, being now in full march to besiege Alexandria, and within seven miles of that city, heard that ships were arrived there from Rome, with legates from the senate. He went to salute them. They delivered to him the letters of the senate, in which he was commanded, on pain of the displeasure of the Roman people, to put an end to the war against his nephews. Antiochus said he would go and consult his friends; on which Popilius, one of the legates, took his staff, and instantly drew a circle round Antiochus on the sand where he stood, and commanded him not to pass that circle till he had given a definitive answer. Antiochus, intimidated, said, he would do whatever the senate enjoined; and in a few days after began his march, and returned to Syria. This is confirmed by Polybius, Livy, Velleius, Paterculus, Valerius Maximus, and Justin.

Therefore he shall be grieved] "Grieving and groaning," says Polybius; both mortified, humbled, and disappointed.

Have indignation against the holy covenant] For he vented his rage against the Jews; and he sent his general, Apollonius, with twenty-two thousand men against Jerusalem, plundered and set fire to the city, pulled down the houses round about it, slew much of the people, and built a castle on an eminence that commanded the temple, and slew multitudes of the poor people who had come up to worship, polluted every place, so that the temple service was totally abandoned, and all the people fled from the city. And when he returned to Antioch he published a decree that all should conform to the Grecian worship; and the Jewish worship was totally abrogated, and the temple itself consecrated to Jupiter Olympius. How great must the wickedness of the people have been when God could tolerate this!

In the transacting of these matters he had intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant; with wicked Menelaus the high priest; and the apostate Jews united with him, who gave from time to time such information to Antiochus as excited him against Jerusalem, the temple, and the people. See 1 Macc, i. 41, 62; 2 Macc. vi. 1-9; confirmed by Josephus, War, book i. chap. 1, s. 1. The concluding reflection of Bp. Newton here is excellent :—

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Of the antichristian

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covenant.

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return, and have intelligence the people that do know their God
with them that forsake the holy shall be strong, and do exploits.
33 And they that understand
among the people shall instruct
many

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.

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"It may be proper to stand a little here, and reflect how particular and circumstantial this prophecy is, concerning Egypt and Syria, from the death of Alexander to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. There is not so concise, comprehensive, and regular an account of their kings and affairs to be found in any authors of those times. The prophecy is really more perfect than any history, and is so wonderfully exact, not only to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, but likewise equally so beyond that time, that we may conclude in the words of the inspired writer, 'No one could thus declare the times and seasons, but he who hath them in his own power.""

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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.

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of the war, A. D. 136, were banished Judea on pain of death; and thenceforth the land became desolate. See Observations on Daniel, and Bp. Newton on the Prophecies.

Verse 32. Such as do wickedly against the covenant] This is understood of the Christian Jews; for the NEW had now succeeded to the OLD, the whole of the Jewish ritual having been abolished, and Jerusalem filled with heathen temples. And he the Roman power, did all he could by flatteries, as well as threats, to corrupt the Christians, and cause them to sacrifice to the statues of the emperors.

But the people that do know their God] The genuine Christians.

Shall be strong] Shall be strengthened by his grace and Spirit.

And do exploits.] Continue steadfast in all temptations, hold fast their faith, and enjoy a good conscience.

Verse 33. And they that understand] The apostles and primitive Christians in general, who understood from the prophets, and his own actions, that JESUS was the true MESSIAH.

Instruct many] Preach the Gospel every where, and convert multitudes to the faith.

Verse 31. And arms shall stand on his part] After Antiochus, arms, that is, the Romans, shall stand up: for arms in this prophecy every where denote military power; and standing up, the power in activity and conquering. Both Sir Isaac Newton and Bp. Newton agree, that what follows is spoken of the Romans. Hitherto Daniel has described the actions of the kings of the north and of the south, that of the kings of Syria and Egypt; but, upon the conquest of Macedon by the Romans, he has left off describing the actions of the Greeks, and begun to describe those of the Romans in Greece, who conquered Macedon, Illyricum, and Epirus, in the year of the era of Nabonassar, 580. Yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by Thirty-five years after, by the will of Attalus, they captivity, and by spoil, many days.] They were exinherited all Asia westward of Mount Taurus; sixty-posed to the malice and fury of their enemies, during five years after they conquered the kingdom of Syria, and reduced it into a province; and thirty-four years after they did the same to Egypt. By all these steps the Roman arms stood up over the Greeks; and after ninety-five years more, by making war upon the Jews, they polluted the sanctuary of strength, the temple, (so called by reason of its fortifications,) and took away the daily sacrifice and placed the abomination that maketh desolate, or of the desolator; for that this abomination was thus placed after the time of Christ, appears from Matt. xxiv. 15.

In the sixteenth year of the Emperor Adrian, A. D. 132, they placed this abomination by building a temple to Jupiter Capitolinus, where the temple of God in Jerusalem stood; upon which the Jews, under Barchocab, rose up against the Romans. But in this war they had fifty cities demolished, nine hundred and fifty of their best towns destroyed, and eighty thousand men were slain by the sword; and in the end

TEN STATE PERSECUTIONS, and suffered all kinds of tortures, with but little intermission, for three hundred years.-Newton.

Verse 34. Now when they shall fall] When the storm of the tenth persecution under Diocletian, which lasted ten years, fell upon them, they were sorely oppressed.

They shall be holpen with a little help] By Constantine; who, while he removed all persecution, and promoted the temporal prosperity of the Christian Church, yet added little to its spiritual perfection and strength. For many, now seeing the Christians in prosperity,—

Cleave to them with flatteries.] Became Christians BECAUSE the EMPEROR was such.

Verse 35. And some of them of understanding] Disputes on certain points of religion soon agitated the Christian Church; and now, having no outward per secution, they began to persecute each other. And

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