But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
But in his estate {H3653} shall he honour {H3513} the God {H433} of forces {H4581}: and a god {H433} whom his fathers {H1} knew {H3045} not shall he honour {H3513} with gold {H2091}, and silver {H3701}, and with precious {H3368} stones {H68}, and pleasant things {H2532}.
But instead, he will honor the god of strongholds; with gold, silver, precious stones and other costly things he will honor a god unknown to his ancestors.
And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.
But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things.
-
Revelation 17:1
¶ And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: -
Revelation 17:5
And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. -
Revelation 13:12
And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. -
Revelation 13:17
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. -
1 Timothy 4:1
¶ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; -
Isaiah 44:9
¶ They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. -
Revelation 18:12
The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Daniel 11:38 is part of a highly detailed prophetic chapter that describes the actions of a powerful, defiant ruler, often interpreted as having a dual fulfillment: historically in Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and ultimately in the end-times Antichrist. This verse highlights his unique form of worship and allegiance.
Context
Daniel Chapter 11 provides a remarkably accurate prophecy concerning the conflicts between the "king of the North" (Seleucid Empire) and the "king of the South" (Ptolemaic Empire) in the Hellenistic period. The prophecy then transitions to describe a vile person, specifically Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple and persecuted God's people. Verses 36-39 are widely understood by many commentators as looking beyond Antiochus to a future, ultimate fulfillment in the person of the "man of lawlessness" or Antichrist, whose characteristics align closely with this description of self-exaltation and rejection of traditional deities.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "God of forces" translates the Hebrew 'el ma'uzzim' (אֵל מָעֻזִּים). The term ma'uzzim means "fortresses," "strongholds," or "protectors." This key phrase can be interpreted in several ways:
Practical Application
This verse offers profound insights for believers today: