Pastor Peter's Bible Insights
Daniel Chapter Eleven
Chapter eleven is one of the most amazing chapters in Daniel’s book. He gives a detailed history of the inter-testamental period. In the absence a prophet, Jews could read this portion of Daniel and know where they stood in God’s timetable. Over 135 prophecies in this chapter have been fulfilled. Take your time studying this chapter, I have included far more details than needed for teaching or preaching. My purpose is to help students of the Bible firmly establish Daniel's prophetic accuracy.
Vs.1 Verse one rightly belongs to the previous chapter. It concludes the comments made by Gabriel to Daniel.
Vs. 2 Four Kings of Persia.
Cambyses known in the Bible as Ahasuerus (Ezra 4:6)
Pseudo-Smerdis known in the Bible as Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7-23).
Darius Hystaspes features in the Bible in Ezra 4:24.
Xerxes known as Ahasuerus in the book of Esther
Xerxes led the Persians against Greece at the land battle of Thermopylae and the sea battle at Salamis. Xerxes had his golden throne placed high above the Salamis straits to watch the Persian navy engage the Greeks. To his left he could see the city of Athens burning, but below him, he watched in horror as the Persian fleet was destroyed by Thermisticles and the Greek Triremes.
Vs. 3-4 Persia judged by Greece
No Persian King after Xerxes was powerful enough to attack Greece.
Alexander never faced a king or city that he could not take. His own troops rebelled in India. Alexander conceded and returned to Babylon, where he died.
Within fifteen years of his death all of his relatives were dead.
His half-brother Philip Aridaeus was murdered after six years.
His wife Euridice was murdered by a plot from Alexander’s own mother, Olympias.
An illegitimate son, Hercules, and his mother, Barsine, were murdered by Polysperchon.
His wife, Statire, daughter of Darius, was murdered by Roxanne.
His son, Alexander Aegus, born to Roxanne after his death, was murdered by Cassander.
His Persian wife, Roxanne, was murder at the same time with Alexander Aegus.
His mother, Olympias, was murdered.
His sister, Cleopatra, was murdered.
Twenty years after his death at the battle of Ipsus (301) his empire was divided up by four of his generals.
Cassander Macedonia
Lysimachus Asia Minor
Ptolemy Egypt
Seleucus Syria
Vs. 5 Prophecies over Egypt & Syria
Ptolemy Lagus founded a new dynasty in Egypt of whom Cleopatra was the last. Cleopatra and Mark Anthony lost their fight against Octavian (Caesar Augustus).
Ptolemy Lagus, son of Ptolemy Soter, is the king of the south in this verse.
The “prince of” Ptolemy Soter is Seleucus Nicator.
Seleucus Nicator’s story begins in Babylon, where he had been appointed as the vice-regent of Babylon following Alexander’s death. He was challenged by Antigonus who drove him out of power and the province of Babylonia. He fled to Egypt where he was received and protected by Ptolemy. During the battle of Ipsus, Seleucus served as one of Ptolemy’s commanders. Antigonus was defeated and Seleucus was restored to power in Babylon. In fact, Seleucus ended up with largest portion of Alexander’s empire. Seleucus had more territory than the combined land of the other three generals.
Vs. 6 Marriage alliance
As you study this complicated story keep in mind that:
Ptolemy II Philadelphus is the king of the south, his daughter is named Berenice.
Antiochus III Theos is the king of the north.
The relationship between Ptolemy Soter and Seleucus Nicator was peaceful. Ptolemy abdicated the throne, placing his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus on the Egyptian throne. Philadelphus was the son of his second wife Berenice. In Syria, Antiochus Soter became king.
A war broke out between Philadelphus and Antiochus Soter (Egypt and Syria).
Berenice’s son Magas married Apame, the daughter of Antiochus. Their marriage was the source of the first war and many others to come between Egypt and Syria (North and South). Magas, who was the governor of Cyrene, tried to become king of the region. He tried to seize Egypt from Ptolemy II Philadelphus. He convinced his father-in-law, Antiochus Soter, to help him. This squabble resulted in ongoing wars between Egypt and Syria.
Antiochus Soter died and was succeeded by Antiochus II Theos. Theos continued the war between Syria and Egypt. Ptolemy II Philadelphus offered Theos a bride for peace. The terms were as follows. Philadelphus would give to Theos his daugther, Berenice, in marriage and a large dowry. Theos would have to divorce his wife, Laodice, and disinherit her two sons, Seleucus and Antiochus. The weak Theos agreed to this deal.
The agreement was followed until Ptolemy II Philadelphus died. After his death, Antiochus II Theos rejected Berenice and remarried Laodice. By now Laodice distrusted her husband and poisoned him so that her son, Seleucus Callinicus, would become king. Laodice then persuaded her son to have Berenice and her attendants and her child assassinated. In the end everyone associated with this terrible scheme died.
Vs. 7 Ptolemy Euergetes takes revenge.
“But one of her descendants of her line” She is Berenice.
“One of her descendants” is her brother, Ptolemy Euergetes (“benefactor”).
Ptolemy Euergetes succeeded his father Ptolemy Philadelphus to the throne of Egypt.
He was outraged by how his sister, Berenice, was treated by Seleucus Callinicus.
He planned revenge on the Syrians and their new leader Seleucus II Callinicus.
"Enter the fortress of the king of the north.” This is Seleucus II Callinicus.
Ptolemy Euergetes attacked Seleucus II Callinicus, captured him and brought Syria under his control. He ordered Laodice to be killed. Euergetes march on to Babylon taking over most of old empire.
Vs. 8 “Their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt.”
Ptolemy Euergetes brought back from his campaign to Babylon…
4,000 talents of gold.
40,000 talents of silver.
2,500 molten idols and sacred vessels.
Cambyses had captured these idols from Egyptian temples many years ago. When these idols were returned to their original temples the priests conferred upon Ptolemy Euergetes the title “benefactor.”
Ptolemy Euergetes allowed Seleucus II Callinicus to remain on this throne and signed a ten-year treaty with him.
Vs. 9 “The latter will enter the realm of the king of the south...”
Seleucus II Callinicus, after all he had suffered, made an attempt to attack Egypt. His fleet was lost in a violent storm on the way to Egypt. His forces were defeated on land and he was driven back to Syria.
Vs. 10 Antiochus the Great
Seleucus II Callinicus injured himself, falling off of his horse, and eventually died. Two of his sons succeeded him to the throne. The first was Seleucus III Ceraunus and then three years later after his death, Antiochus III Magnus (the Great) took over. Both of Callinicus wanted to see Syrian power restored.