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Commentary on Daniel 11 verses 1–4
Here, 1. The angel Gabriel lets Daniel know the good service he has done to the Jewish nation (Dan 11:1): "In the first year of Darius the Mede, who destroyed Babylon and released the Jews out of that house of bondage, I stood a strength and fortress to him, that is, I was instrumental to protect him, and give him success in his ward, and, after he had conquered Babylon, to confirm him in his resolution to release the Jews," which, it is likely, met with much opposition. Thus by the angel, and at the request of the watcher, the golden head was broken, and the axe laid to the root of the tree. Note, We must acknowledge the hand of God in the strengthening of those that are friends to the church for the service they are to do it, and confirming them in their good resolutions; herein he uses the ministry of angels more than we are aware of. And the many instances we have known of God's care of his church formerly encourage us to depend upon him in further straits and difficulties. 2. He foretels the reign of four Persian kings (Dan 11:2): Now I will tell thee the truth, that is, the true meaning of the visions of the great image, and of the four beasts, and expound in plain terms what was before represented by dark types. (1.) There shall stand up three kings in Persia, besides Darius, in whose reign this prophecy is dated, Dan 9:1. Mr. Broughton makes these three to be Cyrus, Artaxasta or Artaxerxes, called by the Greeks Cambyses, and Ahasuerus that married Esther, called Darius son of Hystaspes. To these three the Persians gave these attributes - Cyrus was a father, Cambyses a master, and Darius a hoarder up. So Herodotus. (2.) There shall be a fourth, far richer than they all, that is, Xerxes, of whose wealth the Greek authors take notice. By his strength (his vast army, consisting of 800,000 men at least) and his riches, with which he maintained and paid that vast army, he stirred up all against the realm of Greece. Xerxes's expedition against Greece is famous in history, and the shameful defeat that he met with. He who when he went out was the terror of Greece in his return was the scorn of Greece. Daniel needed not to be told what disappointment he would meet with, for he was a hinderer of the building of the temple; but soon after, about thirty years after the first return from captivity, Darius, a young king, revived the building of the temple, owning the hand of God against his predecessors for hindering it, Ezr 6:7. 3. He foretels Alexander's conquests and the partition of his kingdom, Dan 11:3. He is that mighty king that shall stand up against the kings of Persia, and he shall rule with great dominion, over many kingdoms, and with a despotic power, for he shall do according to his will, and undo likewise, which, by the law of the Medes and Persians, their kings could not. When Alexander, after he had conquered Asia, would be worshipped as a god, then this was fulfilled, that he shall do according to his will. That is God's prerogative, but was his pretension. But (Dan 11:4) his kingdom shall soon be broken, and divided into four parts, but not to his posterity, nor shall any of his successors reign according to his dominion; none of them shall have such large territories nor such an absolute power. His kingdom was plucked up for others besides those of his own family. Arideus, his brother, was made king in Macedonia; Olympias, Alexander's mother, killed him, and poisoned Alexander's two sons, Hercules and Alexander. Thus was his family rooted out by its own hands. See what decaying perishing things worldly pomp and possessions are, and the powers by which they are got. Never was the vanity of the world and its greatest things shown more evidently than in the story of Alexander. All is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Verse 2. "And now I shall proclaim the truth to thee." And the meaning is this: "Because thou desirest to know what shall befall the kings of Persia, hearken thou to the order of events and hear the answer to thy request."
"And behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be enriched exceedingly above them all, and when he shall have grown mighty through his wealth, he shall stir up all men against the kingdom of Greece." He states that four kings shall arise in Persia after Cyrus, namely Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, and the Magus named Smerdis, who married Pantaptes, the daughter of Cambyses. Then, when he was slain by seven Magi and Darius had succeeeded to his throne, the same Pantaptes married Darius, and by him gave birth to Xerxes, who became a most powerful and wealthy king, and led an innumerable host against Greece and performed those deeds which are related by the Greek historians. For in the archonship of Callias he destroyed Athens by fire, and about that same time waged the war at Thermopylae and the naval battle at Salamis. It was in his time that Sophocles and Euripides became famous, and Themistocles fled in exile to Persia, where he died as a result of drinking the blood of a bull. And so that writer is in error who records as the fourth king that Darius who was defeated by Alexander, for he was not the fourth king, but the fourteenth king of the Persians after Cyrus. It was in the seventh year of his rule that Alexander defeated and slew him. Moreover it should be observed that after he has specified four kings of Persia after Cyrus, the author omits the nine others and passes right on to Alexander. For the Spirit of prophecy was not concerned about preserving historical detail but in summarizing only the most important matters.
After Cyrus, who reigned first, there were numerous kings in Persia until those three. But the angel indicates by “three kings” those who were called with the name Darius, because there were only three kings who had the same name Darius. And by revealing through whom the kingdom of the Persians would have ceased, he says, “The fourth shall be far richer than all of them,” that is, Darius, who became more powerful than all his predecessors; “and when he has become strong,” this Darius, he means, “in his homeland,” in power and riches, “he shall stir up,” that is, he will cause Alexander, of the house of the Greeks, to march against him.
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SUMMARY
Daniel 11:2 initiates a remarkably precise prophetic revelation concerning the future of the Persian Empire, specifically detailing the succession of its kings after Cyrus the Great. The angelic messenger assures Daniel of the truthfulness of this vision, predicting the rise of three subsequent Persian kings and a fourth, exceptionally wealthy monarch who would marshal vast resources to launch a monumental campaign against the Greek city-states, directly foreshadowing the historical Greco-Persian Wars. This verse underscores God's meticulous foreknowledge and sovereign control over the unfolding of human history and the destinies of nations.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Daniel 11:2 is Prophecy, specifically Predictive Prophecy. Unlike symbolic visions found elsewhere in Daniel, this verse offers a remarkably literal and historically verifiable prediction of future events, including the number of kings, their relative wealth, and their specific military actions. This precision serves to authenticate the divine origin of the message. The phrase "far richer than they all" can be seen as a form of Hyperbole or Emphasis, underscoring the extraordinary and unparalleled wealth of the fourth king, which was a key factor in his ability to launch such a massive campaign. Furthermore, the entire verse functions as a form of Foreshadowing, setting the stage for the subsequent rise of the Greek empire under Alexander the Great, which will ultimately conquer Persia, as detailed later in Daniel 11.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 11:2 serves as a profound testament to God's meticulous sovereignty over human history and the destinies of nations. The astonishing specificity of this prophecy, detailing the number of kings, their characteristics, and their military intentions centuries before their occurrence, unequivocally demonstrates God's omniscience and omnipotence. It highlights that even the most powerful earthly empires and their ambitious rulers operate within the confines of God's overarching plan. This divine control is not merely passive oversight but an active orchestration, where human choices and historical events are woven into the tapestry of His ultimate purposes. For the exiled Jewish people, this prophecy offered immense comfort and hope, assuring them that despite the rise and fall of formidable empires, God remained firmly in control, working all things toward the fulfillment of His covenant promises.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 11:2 offers profound reassurance for believers living in a world often characterized by political upheaval, shifting global powers, and the ambitions of human leaders. The detailed foreknowledge displayed in this verse reminds us that God is not a distant observer but the active orchestrator of history. Even when circumstances seem chaotic or beyond human control, this passage calls us to trust in God's unwavering providence. It encourages us to look beyond the immediate political landscape to the eternal purposes of God, knowing that His prophetic word is always true and will ultimately be fulfilled. This truth liberates us from anxiety about the future and empowers us to live faithfully, knowing that our ultimate hope rests not in earthly kingdoms, but in the unshakeable kingdom of God. It compels us to pray for our leaders, to engage with the world with wisdom, and to proclaim the good news of a God who reigns supreme over all nations and empires.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are the "three kings" and the "fourth" king mentioned in this verse?
Answer: The "three kings" are generally identified by historians and biblical scholars as Cambyses II, Smerdis (or the usurper Gaumata), and Darius I Hystaspes, who ruled the Persian Empire after Cyrus the Great. The "fourth" king, described as "far richer than they all," is widely understood to be Xerxes I. Xerxes was renowned for his immense wealth, which is also alluded to in the book of Esther, where he is known as Ahasuerus. His vast resources were instrumental in funding his ambitious military campaigns.
What does "stir up all against the realm of Grecia" refer to historically?
Answer: This phrase directly refers to the monumental Greco-Persian Wars, particularly Xerxes I's massive invasion of Greece around 480 BC. Xerxes mobilized an enormous army and navy, drawing forces from across his vast empire to attack the Greek city-states. This campaign included famous battles such as Thermopylae, Artemisium, and Salamis. The prophecy's accuracy in predicting this specific conflict, its instigator, and the scale of the mobilization, centuries before it occurred, is a remarkable testament to the divine inspiration of Daniel's prophecy.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Daniel 11:2 directly details the historical succession of Persian kings and their conflicts, its Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the broader theological framework of God's sovereign control over all earthly kingdoms, ultimately pointing to the establishment of His eternal kingdom through Jesus Christ. The precision of this prophecy, like all fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, validates the trustworthiness of God's word and His overarching plan for history, a plan that culminates in the person and work of the Messiah. The rise and fall of these earthly empires, including Persia and Greece, serve as a backdrop against which God's redemptive purposes unfold, preparing the world for the coming of the true King. Jesus Christ is the ultimate "truth" (John 14:6) revealed, the one whose kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36) yet will ultimately encompass all realms. Unlike the temporary reigns of earthly kings, Christ's dominion is eternal, a kingdom that "shall never be destroyed" (Daniel 2:44). The meticulous foreknowledge of human history demonstrated in Daniel 11:2 assures us that God's plan for salvation, centered on the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, is equally certain and will inevitably lead to the day when "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).