The angel declares to Daniel many things to come, with regard to the Persian and Grecian kings: more especially with regard to Antiochus as a figure of Antichrist.
The Angel declareth what shal happen to the Iewes vnder the kinges of Persia, and by occasion of warres betwen Aegypt and Syria.
1And from the first year of Darius, the Mede, I stood up, that he might be strengthened, and confirmed.Or io fin dal primo anno di Dario il Medo lo assisteva, perchè si fortificasse, e si corroborasse.AND I from the first yeare of Darius the Mede stood that he might be strengthened, and made strong.Ego autem ab anno primo Darii Medi stabam ut confortaretur et roboraretur. 2And now I will shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand yet three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be enriched exceedingly above them all: and when he shall be grown mighty by his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.Ed ora io annunzierò a te la verità: Ecco che tre re saranno ancor nella Persia, e il quarto sorpasserà gli altri tutti in ismodata potenza, e quando sarà cresciuto in ricchezze, inciterà tutti contro il regno della Grecia.And now I wil declare the truth vnto thee. Behold three kinges as yet shal stand in Persia, and the fourth shal be inriched with exceding riches aboue al: & when he is growne mightie in his riches, he shal rayse vp al against the kingdom of Greece.Et nunc veritatem annuntiabo tibi. Ecce adhuc tres reges stabunt in Perside, et quartus ditabitur opibus nimiis super omnes: et cum invaluerit divitiis suis, concitabit omnes adversum regnum Græciæ. 3But there shall rise up a strong king, and shall rule with great power: and he shall do what he pleaseth.Ma sorgerà un re forte, il quale dominerà con possanza grande, e farà quel che vorrà.But there shal rise a strong king, and shal rule with much power: and he shal doe what shal please him.Surget vero rex fortis, et dominabitur potestate multa, et faciet quod placuerit ei. 4And when he shall come to his height, his kingdom shall be broken, and it shall be divided towards the four winds of the heaven: but not to his posterity, nor according to his power with which he ruled. For his kingdom shall be rent in pieces, even for strangers, besides these.E quand'egli sarà nella sua esaltazione, cadrà il suo regno, e sarà diviso a' quattro venti del cielo, ma non a' suoi discendenti, né avrà potenza simile a quella, con cui egli dominò: imperocchè oltre a quegli (quattro) il suo regno sarà smembrato ancor dagli esteri.And when he shal stand, his kingdom shal be broken, and it shal be diuided into the foure windes of heauen: but not vnto his posteritie, nor according to his mightines wherwith he ruled. For his kingdom shal be rent euen vnto foreners, besyde these.Et cum steterit, conteretur regnum ejus, et dividetur in quatuor ventos cæli: sed non in posteros ejus, neque secundum potentiam illius, qua dominatus est: lacerabitur enim regnum ejus etiam in externos, exceptis his.
5And the king of the south shall be strengthened, and one of his princes shall prevail over him, and he shall rule with great power: for his dominion shall be great.E il re di mezzodì sarà possente: ma uno de' principi di quello sarà di questo più forte, e sarà signore di molte genti, perchè grande sarà il suo dominio.And the king of the South shal be made strong, & there shal d of his princes preuaile aboue him, and he shal rule in dominion: for his dominion shal be much.Et confortabitur rex austri: et de principibus ejus prævalebit super eum, et dominabitur ditione: multa enim dominatio ejus. 6And after the end of years they shall be in league together: and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make friendship, but she shall not obtain the strength of the arm, neither shall her seed stand: and she shall be given up, and her young men that brought her, and they that strengthened her in these times.E passati molti anni faranno lega, e la figliuola del re di mezzogiorno anderà sposa del re di settentrione pegno di amicizia: ma ella non avrà stabile, e ferma sorte, né la sua stirpe si manterrà, e sarà messa a morte ella, e la gioventù, che la aveva accompagnata, ed erale stata di conforto in que' tempi.And after the end of yeares they shal be confederated: and the daughter of the king of the South shal come to e the king of the North to make amitie, and shal not obtayne the strength of the arme, neither shal his sede stand: and she shal be deliuered, and they that brought her, her yongmen and they that strengthened her in the times.Et post finem annorum fœderabuntur: filiaque regis austri veniet ad regem aquilonis facere amicitiam, et non obtinebit fortitudinem brachii, nec stabit semen ejus: et tradetur ipsa, et qui adduxerunt eam adolescentes ejus, et qui confortabant eam in temporibus. 7And a plant of the bud of her roots shall stand up: and he shall come with an army, and shall enter into the province of the king of the north: and he shall abuse them, and shall prevail.Ma dalla radice di lui sussisterà un germe. Ed ei verrà con un esercito ed entrerà negli stati del re di settentrione, e li desolerà, e ne diverrà padrone.And there shal stand of the bud of her rootes a plant: and he shal come with an armie, and shal enter the prouince of the king of the North: and he shal abuse them, and shal obtayne.Et stabit de germine radicum ejus plantatio: et veniet cum exercitu, et ingredietur provinciam regis aquilonis: et abutetur eis, et obtinebit. 8And he shall also carry away captive into Egypt their gods, and their graven things, and their precious vessels of gold and silver: he shall prevail against the king of the north.E condurrà prigionieri in Egitto i loro dei, e le statue, ed anche i vasi preziosi d'argento, e d'oro. Egli trionferà del re di settentrione.Moreouer also their goddes, and sculptils, the precious vessels also of gold, and siluer, he shal carie away captiue into Aegypt: he shal preuaile against the king of the North.Insuper et deos eorum, et sculptilia, vasa quoque pretiosa argenti et auri, captiva ducet in Ægyptum: ipse prævalebit adversus regem aquilonis.
9And the king of the south shall enter into the kingdom, and shall return to his own land.E rientrerà nel suo regno il re di mezzodì, e ritornerà nella sua terra.And the king of the South shal enter into the kingdom, and shal returne to his owne land.Et intrabit in regnum rex austri, et revertetur ad terram suam. 10And his sons shall be provoked, and they shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and he shall come with haste like a flood: and he shall return, and be stirred up, and he shall join battle with his force.Ma i figliuoli di quello piccati rauneranno eserciti numerosi, e uno velocemente verrà, inonderà, e ritornerà, e con grand' impeto attaccherà la mischia colle forti squadre di lui;And g his sonnes shal be prouoked, and they shal gather a multitude of very manie hostes: and he shal come hastning, and ouerflowing: and he shal returne and be stirred vp, and he shal ioyne battel with his force.Filii autem ejus provocabuntur, et congregabunt multitudinem exercituum plurimorum: et veniet properans, et inundans: et revertetur, et concitabitur, et congredietur cum robore ejus. 11And the king of the south being provoked, shall go forth, and shall fight against the king of the north, and shall prepare an exceeding great multitude, and a multitude shall be given into his hand.E il re di mezzodì provocato uscirà in campo, e combatterà il re di settentrione, e metterà in ordinanza un esercito formisura grande, e caderanno molti sotto il sue braccio.And the king of the South being prouoked shal goe forth, and shal fight against the king of the North, & shal prepare an exceding great multitude, and a multitude shal be geuen into his handes.Et provocatus rex austri egredietur, et pugnabit adversus regem aquilonis, et præparabit multitudinem nimiam, et dabitur multitudo in manu ejus. 12And he shall take a multitude, and his heart shall be lifted up, and he shall cast down many thousands: but he shall not prevail.E farà moltitudine di prigionieri, e s'innalzerà il cuore di lui, e farà macello di molte migliaia, ma non anderà più avanti;And he shal take a multitude, and his hart shal be exalted, and he shal ouerthrow manie thousands: h but he shal not preuaile.Et capiet multitudinem, et exaltabitur cor ejus, et dejiciet multa millia, sed non prævalebit. 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall prepare a multitude much greater than before: and in the end of times, and years, he shall come in haste with a great army, and much riches.Imperocché ritornerà il re del settentrione, e metterà insieme un esercito molto più grande di prima, e passato lo spazio di alcuni anni verrà in fretta con grande armata, e con somma, possanza.For the king of the North shal returne, and shal prepare a multitude much greater then before: & in the end of times, & yeares, he shal come hastining with a great host, and riches exceding much.Convertetur enim rex aquilonis, et præparabit multitudinem multo majorem quam prius: et in fine temporum annorumque veniet properans cum exercitu magno, et opibus nimiis.
14And in those times many shall rise up against the king of the south, and the children of prevaricators of thy people shall lift up themselves to fulfil the vision, and they shall fall.E in que' tempi si moveranno molti contro il re di mezzogiorno: i figliuoli eziandio dei prevaricatori del popol tuo si leveranno su, per adempiere la visione, e periranno.And in those times manie shal rise vp against the king of the South i the children also of the preuaricatours of thy people shal be extolled to fulfil the vision, and they shal fal.Et in temporibus illis multi consurgent adversus regem austri: filii quoque prævaricatorum populi tui extollentur ut impleant visionem, et corruent. 15And the king of the north shall come, and shall cast up a mount, and shall take the best fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, and his chosen ones shall rise up to resist, and they shall not have strength.E verrà il re di settentrione, e farà assedj, e prenderà le città meglio fortificate, e il valore di mezzodì non potrà stargli a petto, e i suoi campioni anderanno ad opporsegli, ma saran senza forza.And the king of the North shal come, and shal cast vp a mount, and shal take the best fensed cities: & the armes of the South shal not susteyne, and his chosen shal rise vp to resist, & there shal be no strength.Et venit rex aquilonis, et comportabit aggerem, et capiet urbes munitissimas: et brachia austri non sustinebunt, et consurgent electi ejus ad resistendum, et non erit fortitudo. 16And he shall come upon him, and do according to his pleasure, and there shall be none to stand against his face: and he shall stand in the glorious land, and it shall be consumed by his hand.E quegli venendo sopra il re di mezzodì farà quello, che gli parrà, né sarà chi regger possa davanti a lui, ed egli si poserà nella terra illustre, la quale sotto il potere di lui sarà desolata.And he shal doe coming vpon him according to his pleasure, and there shal be none to stand agaynst his face: and he shal stand in a noble land, & it shal be consumed in his hand.Et faciet veniens super eum juxta placitum suum, et non erit qui stet contra faciem ejus: et stabit in terra inclyta, et consumetur in manu ejus. 17And he shall set his face to come to possess all his kingdom, and he shall make upright conditions with him: and he shall give him a daughter of women, to overthrow it: and she shall not stand, neither shall she be for him.E dirizzerà le sue mire a venire ad occupare tutto il regno di lui, e tratterà con lui di cose giuste, e la figlia bellissima darà a lui per rovinarlo; ma non gli riuscirà, ed ella non lo favorirà.And he shal sette his face to come to possesse al his kingdom, & he shal doe right thinges with him: and he shal geue vnto him a daughter of wemen, to ouerthrow it: and she shal not stand neither shal she be his.Et ponet faciem suam ut veniat ad tenendum universum regnum ejus, et recta faciet cum eo: et filiam feminarum dabit ei, ut evertat illud: et non stabit, nec illius erit.
18And he shall turn his face to the islands, and shall take many: and he shall cause the prince of his reproach to cease, and his reproach shall be turned upon him.E si rivolgerà verso le isole, e molte ne occuperà; e farà restare ozioso l'autore della obbrobriosa sua guerra, e il suo obbrobrio ricaderà sopra di lui:And he shal turne his face to the ilands, & shal take manie: and he shal make the prince of his reproche to cease, and his reproch shal be returned vpon him.Et convertet faciem suam ad insulas, et capiet multas: et cessare faciet principem opprobrii sui, et opprobrium ejus convertetur in eum. 19And he shall turn his face to the empire of his own land, and he shall stumble, and fall, and shall not be found.E tornerà indietro nelle provincie del suo regno, e troverà un inciampo, e cadrà, e più non sarà.And he shal turne his face to the empire of his owne land, and he shal stumble, and fal, & shal not be found.Et convertet faciem suam ad imperium terræ suæ, et impinget, et corruet, et non invenietur. 20And there shall stand up in his place one most vile, and unworthy of kingly honour: and in a few days he shall be destroyed, not in rage nor in battle.E succederà a lui un vilissimo uomo, e indegno dell'onore di re, e in pochi giorni finirà non di morte violenta, né in battaglia.And there shal stand in his place one most vile, & vnworthy of kingly honour: & in few dayes he shal be destroyed, not in furie nor in battel.Et stabit in loco ejus vilissimus, et indignus decore regio: et in paucis diebus conteretur, non in furore, nec in prælio. 21And there shall stand up in his place one despised, and the kingly honour shall not be given him: and he shall come privately, and shall obtain the kingdom by fraud.E occuperà il suo luogo un principe vilipeso, e non sarà dato a lui l'onore di re: e verrà di nascosto, e s'impadronirà del regno con frode.And k there shal stand in his place one despised, and kinglie honour shal not be geuen him: and he shal come secretly, and shal obteyne the kingdom by fraude.Et stabit in loco ejus despectus, et non tribuetur ei honor regius: et veniet clam, et obtinebit regnum in fraudulentia. 22And the arms of the fighter shall be overcome before his face, and shall be broken: yea, also the prince of the covenant.E le forze di chi combatterà contro (di lui) saranno debellate, e distrutte, e di più il capo dell'alleanza.And the armes of him that fighteth shal be expugned from before his face, and shal be broken: moreouer also the prince l of the league.Et brachia pugnantis expugnabuntur a facie ejus, et conterentur: insuper et dux fœderis.
23And after friendships, he will deal deceitfully with him: and he shall go up, and shall overcome with a small people.E dopo aver fatta amicizia con lui, userà frode, e anderà innanzi, e vincerà con piccolo esercito.And after the amities, he shal worke deceite with him: and he shal goe vp, and shal ouercome with few people.Et post amicitias, cum eo faciet dolum: et ascendet, et superabit in modico populo. 24And he shall enter into rich and plentiful cities: and he shall do that which his fathers never did, nor his fathers’ fathers: he shall scatter their spoils, and their prey, and their riches, and shall forecast devices against the best fenced places: and this until a time.Ed entrerà nelle città grosse, piene di ricchezze, e farà quel, che non fecer mai i suoi padri, né i padri de' padri suoi, saccheggerà, e spoglierà, e dissiperà le loro ricchezze, e formerà disegni contro le più forti, e ciò fino a un dato tempo.And he shal enter abundant and plentiful cities: & he shal doe thinges that his fathers neuer did, & his fathers fathers: their robberies, and pray, & riches he shal dissipate, and shal deuise deuises against the best fensed: and this vntil a time.Et abundantes, et uberes urbes ingredietur: et faciet quæ non fecerunt patres ejus, et patres patrum ejus: rapinas, et prædam, et divitias eorum dissipabit, et contra firmissimas cogitationes inibit: et hoc usque ad tempus. 25And his strength, and his heart, shall be stirred up against the king of the south, with a great army: and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with many and very strong succours: and they shall not stand, for they shall form designs against him.E la sua fortezza, e il suo coraggio lo istigherà ad andare contro il re del mezzogiorno con grande esercito: e il re di mezzogiorno si farà animo alla guerra, mediante i molti, e grandi aiuti, ma non gli varranno, perchè si macchineranno insidie contro di lui.And his strength & his hart shal be stirred vp against the king of the South in a great armie: and the king of the South shal be prouoked to battel with manie aydes, and exceding strong: & they shal not stand because they shal take counsels against him.Et concitabitur fortitudo ejus, et cor ejus adversum regem austri in exercitu magno: et rex austri provocabitur ad bellum multis auxiliis, et fortibus nimis: et non stabunt, quia inibunt adversus eum consilia. 26And they that eat bread with him, shall destroy him, and his army shall be overthrown: and many shall fall down slain.E que', che mangiano alla sua mensa, saranno la sua rovina, e l'esercito di lui sarà oppresso, e moltissimi saran gli uccisi.And they that eate bread with him, shal destroy him, and his armie shal be oppressed: & there shal fal slaine very manie.Et comedentes panem cum eo, conterent illum, exercitusque ejus opprimetur: et cadent interfecti plurimi.
27And the heart of the two kings shall be to do evil, and they shall speak lies at one table, and they shall not prosper: because as yet the end is unto another time.Ed anche i due re non penseranno ad altro, che a far del male, e stando insieme a mensa parleranno con finzione, e non arriveranno a' loro fini, perocché la fine è differita ad altro tempo.The hart also of the two kinges shal be to euil, and at one table they shal speake lies, and they shal not prosper: because as yet the end vnto an other time.Duorum quoque regum cor erit ut malefaciant, et ad mensam unam mendacium loquentur: et non proficient, quia adhuc finis in aliud tempus. 28And he shall return into his land with much riches: and his heart shall be against the holy covenant, and he shall succeed, and shall return into his own land.E quegli tornerà nella sua terra con molte ricchezze, e coverà pravi di segni contro il testamento santo, e gli eseguirà, e ritornerà nella sua terra;And he shal returne into his land with much riches: and his hart against the holie testament, and he shal prosper and shal returne into his owne land.Et revertetur in terram suam cum opibus multis: et cor ejus adversum testamentum sanctum, et faciet, et revertetur in terram suam. 29At the time appointed he shall return, and he shall come to the south, but the latter time shall not be like the former.Nel tempo stabilito ritornerà, e verrà verso il mezzodì, ma questa ultima volta non avverrà come nella prima;At the time appointed he shal returne, and he shal come to the South, and the later end shal not be like to the former.Statuto tempore revertetur, et veniet ad austrum: et non erit priori simile novissimum. 30And the galleys and the Romans shall come upon him, and he shall be struck, and shall return, and shall have indignation against the covenant of the sanctuary, and he shall succeed: and he shall return, and shall devise against them that have forsaken the covenant of the sanctuary.Perocché verranno a lui le navi, e i Romani, ed ei sarà in costernazione, e se ne ritornerà; e si accenderà d'ira contro il testamento santo, e la sfogherà: e se n'anderà e volgerà l'animo contro coloro che abbandonarono il testamento santo.And there shal come vpon him galleis, and the Romanes, and he shal be strooken, and shal returne, and shal fret•e against the testament of the sanctuarie, and he shal spede: and shal returne, and shal deuise against them, that haue forsaken the testament of the sanctuarie.Et venient super eum trieres, et Romani: et percutietur, et revertetur, et indignabitur contra testamentum sanctuarii, et faciet: reverteturque, et cogitabit adversum eos qui dereliquerunt testamentum sanctuarii.
31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall defile the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice: and they shall place there the abomination unto desolation.E i suoi strumenti si presenteran con audacia, e contamineranno il santuario (di Dio) forte, e toglieranno il sacrifizio perenne, e vi porranno l'abbominazione della desolazione.And of him shal stand m armes, and shal pollute the sanctuarie of strength, and shal take away the continual sacrifice: and they shal geue abomination into desolation.Et brachia ex eo stabunt, et polluent sanctuarium fortitudinis, et auferent juge sacrificium: et dabunt abominationem in desolationem. 32And such as deal wickedly against the covenant shall deceitfully dissemble: but the people that know their God shall prevail and succeed.E gli empj useranno fraudolenta simulazione contro il testamento. Ma il popolo, che conosce il suo Dio, si terrà fermo, ed agirà.And the impious against the testament shal dissemble fraudulently: but the people that knoweth their God, shal obtayne, and shal doe.Et impii in testamentum simulabunt fraudulenter: populus autem sciens Deum suum, obtinebit, et faciet. 33And they that are learned among the people shall teach many: and they shall fall by the sword, and by fire, and by captivity, and by spoil for many days.E gli scienziati del popolo illumineranno molta gente, e correranno in contro alla spada, e alle fiamme, e alla schiavitù, e allo spogliamento delle sostanze per molti giorni;And the learned in the people shal teach very manie: and they shal fal by sword, and by flame, and by captiuitie, and by spoyle of dayes.Et docti in populo docebunt plurimos: et ruent in gladio, et in flamma, et in captivitate, et in rapina dierum. 34And when they shall have fallen, they shall be relieved with a small help: and many shall be joined to them deceitfully.E nella loro oppressione saran sol levati da piccolo soccorso: e un gran numero si unirà con essi con frode.And when they are fallen, they shal be releeued with a litle ayde: and very manie shal be ioyned to them faynedly.Cumque corruerint, sublevabuntur auxilio parvulo: et applicabuntur eis plurimi fraudulenter. 35And some of the learned shall fall, that they may be tried, and may be chosen, and made white, even to the appointed time: because yet there shall be another time.E cadranno degli scienziati, affinchè sian provati col fuoco, e purgati, e imbiancati sino al tempo già stabilito; perocché rimane tuttora altro tempo.And of the learned there shal fal, that they may be tried, and may be chosen, and made white euen to the time prefixed: because yet there shal be an other time.Et de eruditis ruent, ut conflentur, et eligantur, et dealbentur usque ad tempus præfinitum: quia adhuc aliud tempus erit.
36And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall be lifted up, and shall magnify himself against every god: and he shall speak great things against the God of gods, and shall prosper, till the wrath be accomplished. For the determination is made.E quegli farà tutto quel, ch'ei vorrà, e si leverà in superbia, e insolentirà contro tutti gli dei, e parlerà arrogantemente contro il Dio degli dei, e tutto gli anderà bene, fino a tanto che siasi sfogata l'ira (di Dio); imperocché sta fisso il decreto.And the king shal doe according to his wil, and shal be eleuated, & magnified against euerie god: and against the God of goddes he shal speake magnifical thinges, & shal be directed, til the wrath be accomplished for the determination is made.Et faciet juxta voluntatem suam rex, et elevabitur, et magnificabitur adversus omnem deum: et adversus Deum deorum loquetur magnifica, et dirigetur, donec compleatur iracundia: perpetrata quippe est definitio. 37And he shall make no account of the God of his fathers: and he shall follow the lust of women, and he shall not regard any gods: for he shall rise up against all things.Egli non farà stima del Dio de' suoi padri, e sarà dominato dalla libidine, e non terrà conto d'alcuno degli dei, perchè si metterà al di sopra di tutte le cose.And the God of his fathers he shal not account of: and he shal be in the concupiscences of wemen, neither shal he care for anie of the goddes: because he shal ryse vp against al thinges.Et Deum patrum suorum non reputabit: et erit in concupiscentiis feminarum, nec quemquam deorum curabit, quia adversum universa consurget. 38But he shall worship the god Maozim, in his place: and a god whom his fathers knew not, he shall worship with gold, and silver, and precious stones, and things of great price.Ma renderà onore al Dio Maozim nella sua residenza, e questo dio ignoto a' padri suoi onorerà con doni d'oro, d'argento, di pietre preziose, e di ricca suppellettile.But god Maozim he shal worshipe in his place: and the God whom his fathers knewe not, he shal worshipe with gold, and siluer, and precious stone, and precious thinges.Deum autem Maozim in loco suo venerabitur: et deum, quem ignoraverunt patres ejus, colet auro, et argento, et lapide pretioso, rebusque pretiosis. 39And he shall do this to fortify Maozim with a strange god, whom he hath acknowledged, and he shall increase glory, and shall give them power over many, and shall divide the land gratis.E porrà a difesa della cittadella un dio straniero, e chiunque riconoscerà questo per dio, ei lo ricolmerà, di onori, e daragli potestà sopra molti, e distribuirà a questi gratuitamente la terra.And he shal doe it to fense Maôzim with a strange god, whom he acknowledged, and he shal multiplie glorie, and shal geue them powre in manie, and shal diuide the land gratis.Et faciet ut muniat Maozim cum deo alieno, quem cognovit, et multiplicabit gloriam, et dabit eis potestatem in multis, et terram dividet gratuito.
40And at the time prefixed the king of the south shall fight against him, and the king of the north shall come against him like a tempest, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a great navy, and he shall enter into the countries, and shall destroy, and pass through.E nel tempo stabilito farà a lui guerra il re di mezzodì, e il re di settentrione si moverà contro di lui come un turbine co' suoi cocchi, co' suoi cavalieri, e con grande armata navale: ed entrerà nelle sue provincie, e distruggerà, e passerà avanti.And in the time prefixed shal the king of the South make battel against him, & as a tempest shal the king of the North come against him in charets, and in horsemen, and in a great nauie, and he shal enter the landes, and shal destroy, and passe through.Et in tempore præfinito præliabitur adversus eum rex austri, et quasi tempestas veniet contra illum rex aquilonis in curribus, et in equitibus, et in classe magna, et ingredietur terras, et conteret, et pertransiet. 41And he shall enter into the glorious land, and many shall fall: and these only shall be saved out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the principality of the children of Ammon.Ed entrerà nella terra gloriosa, e molte genti saranno oppresse; e dalle mani di lui queste sole si salveranno, Edom, e Moab, e le frontiere de' figliuoli di Ammon.And he shal enter into the glorious land, and manie shal fal: but these onlie shal be saued out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the beginning of the children of Ammon.Et introibit in terram gloriosam, et multæ corruent: hæ autem solæ salvabuntur de manu ejus, Edom, et Moab, et principium filiorum Ammon. 42And he shall lay his hand upon the lands: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.E si approprierà le provincie, e la terra d'Egitto non si salverà da lui.And he shal lay his hand vpon the landes: and the Land of Aeygpt shal not escape.Et mittet manum suam in terras: et terra Ægypti non effugiet. 43And he shall have power over the treasures of gold, and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt: and he shall pass through Lybia, and Ethiopia.E si renderà padrone de' tesori di oro, e d'argento, e di tutte le cose preziose dell'Egitto: e passerà anche peli a Libia, e pell'Etiopia.And he shal rule ouer the treasures of gold, and of siluer, and in al the precious thinges of Aegypt: through Lybia also, and Aethyopia he shal passe.Et dominabitur thesaurorum auri, et argenti, et in omnibus pretiosis Ægypti: per Libyam quoque, et Æthiopiam transibit.
44And tidings out of the east, and out of the north, shall trouble him: and he shall come with a great multitude to destroy and slay many.E daranno a lui turbamento le voci, che verran dall'oriente, e dal settentrione, e partirà con grande esercito per devastare, e per far grande strage.And a bruite shal truble him from the East, and from the North: and he shal come in a great multitude to destroy and kil very manie.Et fama turbabit eum ab oriente et ab aquilone: et veniet in multitudine magna ut conterat et interficiat plurimos. 45And he shall fix his tabernacle, Apadno, between the seas, upon a glorious and holy mountain: and he shall come even to the top thereof, and none shall help him.E pianterà il padiglione del suo palazzo trai mari sul monte illustre, e santo, e salirà sino alla sua cima, e nissuno gli recherà aiuto.And he shal pitche his tabernacle Apadno betwen the seas, vpon a mount glorious and holie: and he shal come euen to the toppe therof, and no man shal helpe him.Et figet tabernaculum suum Apadno inter maria, super montem inclytum et sanctum: et veniet usque ad summitatem ejus, et nemo auxiliabitur ei.
11:1
11:2
Challoner
Three, etc. Cambyses, Smerdis magus, and Darius the son of Hystaspes. (Challoner; Worthington)
Calmet
Cyrus had been mentioned before, Daniel 10:13, 20. Smerdis, or Artaxerxes, (1 Esdras 4:7.) was the chief of the seven magi, and usurped the throne for six months after the death of Cambyses. (Calmet)
Haydock
He had been declared king before (Haydock) by Patizites, his own brother. The news excited the fury of Cambyses, who mounting on horseback gave himself a mortal wound in the thigh. (Herod. 3:21.) See Ezechiel 38:21. (Haydock)
Challoner
Fourth: Xerxes. (Challoner)
He invaded Greece with an immense army, forcing those on the road to join him. (Just. 1:10.; Herod. vii. and viii.; Calmet)
11:3
Challoner
A strong king: Alexander. (Challoner)
The sequel clearly points him out. Before fifteen years had elapsed, his mother, brother, and children were slain. Arideus, his brother, was declared regent till it should be seen what Roxana should bring forth. After the death of those who might be heirs of Alexander, four generals took the title of kings. Others governed in different places, but were destroyed by degrees.
11:4
11:5
Worthington
South: Ptolemeus, the son of Lagus, king of Egypt, which lies south of Jerusalem. (Challoner) ---St. Irenaeus (IV. 43.) observes, that all prophecies are obscure till they be fulfilled. History shews that this relates to Ptolemy. The kingdoms of Egypt and of Syria are more noticed, as they had much to do with the Jews. (Worthington)
Challoner
His princes (that is, one of Alexander's princes) shall prevail over him; that is, shall be stronger than the king of Egypt. He speaks of Seleucus Nicator, king of Asia and Syria, whose successors are here called the kings of the north, because their dominions lay to the north in respect to Jerusalem. (Challoner)
Worthington
Nicator means a "conqueror." (Haydock) ---This king was master of all from Media and Babylonia to Jerusalem. (Appian, etc.; Calmet) ---Philadelphus was more powerful than his father. (Worthington)
11:6
St. Jerome
South. Bernice, daughter of Ptolemeus Philadelphus, given in marriage to Antiochus Theos, grandson of Seleucus, (Challoner) and king of Syria. She brought a great "dowry," and was therefore styled Phernophoros. Antiochus agreed to repudiate Laodicea; but he soon took her back. Fearing his inconstancy, she poisoned him, and slew his son by Bernice. This lady in a rage mounted her chariot, and having knocked down the cruel minister of such barbarity, trampled upon his body. The rest pretended that the infant was still living, and delivered up a part of the palace to Bernice, yet slew her as soon as they had an opportunity. (St. Jerome; Usher, year of the world 3758; V. Max. 9:10. etc; Calmet)
Haydock
Young. Hebrew, "her conductors, her child, and he that," etc. (Haydock)
Polygaen. Strat. viii
Her physician, Aristarchus, persuaded her to enter the palace. Her women and Egyptian guards defended her for some time. (Polygaen. Strat. viii.; Calmet)
11:7
Challoner
A plant, etc. Ptolemeus Evergetes, the son of Philadelphus. (Challoner)
St. Jerome
Three of Bernice's maids of honour (Haydock) covered her body, and pretended that she was only wounded, till her brother Evergetes came and seized almost all Asia, Callinicus not daring to give him battle. (St. Jerome, etc.; Vaillant. A. 79. Lagid.; Calmet)
Worthington
He laid waste Syria. (Worthington)
11:8
St. Jerome
Gods. He took back what Cambyses had conveyed out of Egypt; and it was on this account that the people styled him "benefactor." (St. Jerome; Calmet)
Challoner
North. Seleucus Callinicus. (Challoner)
Just. xvii
If Evergetes had not been recalled into Egypt by civil broils, he would have seized all the kingdom of Seleucus. (Just. xvii.)
Josephus
As he passed by Jerusalem (ver. 9.) he made great presents, and caused victims of thanksgiving to be offered up. (Josephus, contra Apion ii.)
11:10
Challoner
His sons. Seleucus Ceraunius and Antiochus the great, the sons of Callinicus. (Challoner)
Just. xxix
The former was poisoned after three years' reign, as he marched against Attalus. (Just. xxix.)
Calmet
Antiochus the great reconquered many provinces from Egypt, but was beaten at Raphia, on the confines, and lost Coelo-syria. (Calmet)
Challoner
He shall, etc. Antiochus the great. (Challoner)
Worthington
He prosecuted the war, as his brother was prevented by death. (Worthington)
11:11
Challoner
South. Ptolemeus Philopator, son of Evergetes. (Challoner)
Calmet
He was an indolent prince; but his generals gained the victory. (Calmet)
11:12
Haydock
Prevail. Many fell on both sides. (Haydock)
Just. xxx
But Antiochus did not prevail; (Worthington) or rather Philopator neglected the opportunity of dethroning his rival, (Calmet) as he might have seized all his dominions, if he had not been too fond of ease. (Just. xxx.)
Haydock
He followed the suggestions of his proud heart, when he attempted to enter the most holy place of the temple; and though he was visibly chastised by God, he would have vented his resentment on the Jews, if Providence had not miraculously protected them. (3 Machabees; Calmet) See Ecclesiasticus L. (Haydock)
11:13
Calmet
Times, seventeen years after the battle of Raphia. When Philopator was dead, and his son Epiphanes not above five years old, Antiochus and Philip of Macedon basely attempted to divide his dominions. Scopas engaged Antiochus, but lost the battle, and all that Philopator had recovered. (Calmet)
St. Jerome
Many revolted in Egypt on account of the arrogance of Agathocles, who ruled in the king's name, ver. 14. (St. Jerome)
11:14
Worthington
Vision. Many Jews, deceived by Onias, erected a temple in Egypt, falsely asserting that they fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias, 19:19. (Worthington)
Haydock
This Onias was the son of Onias III, who was slain at Antioch, Daniel 9:25. (Haydock)
Haydock
The temple of Onion was called after him. All allow that he transgressed the law, by offering sacrifice there after God had pitched upon Jerusalem. But this was done (Calmet) under Philometor, forty-seven years (Usher) or longer after those times, when Epiphanes fought against Antiochus. The rebellion of the Jews against Egypt may therefore be meant. It was decreed that they should be under Antiochus, that his son might cause them to fall, (Calmet) and punish them for their crimes. (Haydock)
11:15
11:16
Upon him. Antiochus shall come upon the king of the south.
Challoner
Land: Judea. (Challoner)
Josephus
Consumed, or "perfected." Antiochus was very favourable to the Jews; (Calmet) invited all to return to Jerusalem, and furnished what was requisite for the sacrifices. (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 12:3.)
11:17
Challoner
Kingdom, viz. all the kingdom of Ptolemeus Epiphanes, son of Philopator. (Challoner)
Calmet
The Romans interrupted Antiochus, who resolved to lull the young prince asleep, till he had subdued these enemies. (Calmet)
Of women. That is, a most beautiful woman, viz. his daughter Cleopatra.
Challoner
It, viz. the kingdom of Epiphanes; but his policy shall not succeed; for Cleopatra shall take more to heart the interest of her husband than that of her father. (Challoner)
Haydock
He came with her to Raphia, and gave her Judea, etc. for her dowry, reserving half of the revenues. Hebrew and Greek have, "to corrupt her;" (Calmet) Vulgate eam; as he wished his daughter to act perfidiously, that he might seize the whole kingdom. (Haydock)
St. Jerome
Epiphanes and his generals were on their guard, and Cleopatra took part with her husband. (St. Jerome)
11:18
Calmet
Islands, near Asia. He also went into Greece, and was master of that country when the Romans declared war against him. (Calmet)
Challoner
Of his reproach. Scipio, the Roman general, called the prince of his reproach, because he overthrew Antiochus, and obliged him to submit to very dishonourable terms, before he would cease from the war. (Challoner)
Haydock
Protestants, "for a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease, without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him." (Haydock)
Livy xxxvii
Being defeated at Magnesia, he chose the wisest plan of avoiding fresh reproach, by making peace, though (Calmet) the terms were very hard. (Livy xxxvii.)
Cicero
He jokingly observed, that he was obliged to the Romans for contracting his dominions. (Cicero, pro Dejot.)
11:19
Just. xxxii
Found. Antiochus plundered the temple of the Elymaites to procure money; but they, (St. Jerome) or the neighbouring barbarous nations, rose up and slew him. (Just. xxxii.)
11:20
Challoner
One more vile. Seleucus Philopator, who sent Heliodorus to plunder the temple; and was shortly after slain by the same Heliodorus. (Challoner)
Calmet
He reigned about twelve years; and had sent his own son, Demetrius, to be a hostage at Rome instead of Epiphanes, whom he designed to place at the head of an army to invade Egypt. Hebrew, "one who shall cause the exactor to pass over the glory of the kingdom," the temple, 2 Machabees 3:(Calmet)
11:21
Challoner
One despised; viz. Antiochus Epiphanes, who at first was despised and not received for king. What is here said of this prince, is accommodated by St. Jerome and others to antichrist, of whom this Antiochus was a figure. (Challoner)
Worthington
He lived and died basely; as the origin and end of antichrist will be ignominious. (Worthington)
Diod. in Valesius
All that follows, to the end of Daniel 12., regards Epiphanes. He had no title to the crown, which he procured by cunning, and held in the most shameful manner. He canvassed for the lowest offices, so that many styled him Epimanes, :"the madman." (Diod. in Valesius, p. 305.; Calmet)
11:22
Challoner
Fighter. That is, of them that shall oppose him, and shall fight against him. (Challoner)
Calmet
Heliodorus, who had murdered his brother and usurped the throne, and Ptolemy Epiphanes, were discomfited. The latter was making preparations against Seleucus, and said that his riches were in the purses of his friends, upon which they poisoned him. (St. Jerome) (Calmet)
Challoner
Covenant, or of the league. The chief of them that conspired against him; or the king of Egypt, his most powerful adversary. (Challoner)
Worthington
This title belongs to antichrist, who will join the Jews, and be received as their Messias. (St. Irenaeus 5:25.; St. Jerome, etc. Jo. 543.) (Worthington)
11:23
Calmet
People. Ephiphanes pretended to be tutor of Philometor. But the nobles of Egypt distrusted him; whereupon he came to a battle, near Pelusium, and the young king surrendered himself. His uncle thus took possession of Egypt with surprising facility. Yet the people of Alexandria crowned Evergetes, which occasioned a civil war. (Calmet)
11:24
Places. Theodotion reads, "Egypt," omitting the b, (Haydock) which gives a good sense.
Calmet
(Calmet)
11:25
Challoner
The king. Ptolemeus Philometor. (Challoner)
Haydock
Epiphanes came under the pretext of restoring Philometor, and gained a victory over Evergetes; but returned in Syria, that the two brothers might weaken each other, (Calmet) while the Syrians formed designs against both. (Haydock)
11:26
Slain. This was the perfidious policy of Epiphanes, who expected that the two brothers would destroy each other, so that he might easily seize Egypt, of which he kept the key, retaining the city of Pelusium. They were however reconciled, and reigned together. The Scripture often represents that as done which is only intended.
11:27
Two kings: Epiphanes and Philometor.
Calmet
Time. Epiphanes, vexed that he should thus be duped, returned again into Egypt, ver. 21.(Calmet)
11:28
Haydock
Riches, taken in Egypt (Calmet) and in Jerusalem. (Haydock)
Calmet
The people had refused to receive Jason; and Epiphanes treated them in the most barbarous manner, profaned the temple, etc., 1 Machabees 1:23., and 2 Machabees 5:21. (Calmet)
11:30
Haydock
Galleys. Hebrew, "ships of Chittim." (Haydock)
Livy xliv
The ambassadors probably came in vessels belonging to Macedonia, (Calmet) which they found at Delos. (Livy xliv.)
Challoner
Romans. Popilius and the other Roman ambassadors, who came in galleys, and obliged him to depart from Egypt. (Challoner)
Polyb. xcii
He was only four or seven miles from Alexandria, and went to meet the ambassadors, who gave him the senate's letter, ordering him to desist from the war. He said he would consult his friends: but Popilius formed a circle round him with his wand, requiring an answer before he went out of it. Hereupon the king withdrew his forces. (Polyb. xcii.; V. Max. 6:4.)
Succeed. Apollonius massacred many Jews on the sabbath, 1 Machabees 1:30.
Haydock
Against. Hebrew, "respecting." Protestant: "have intelligence with them," etc. (Haydock)
These wretches prompted him to make such edicts, for he was attached to no religion, 2 Machabees 4:9.
11:31
Calmet
Arms, (brachia) or strong men, Apollonius, Philip, etc., (2 Machabees vi.) and likewise the senator from Antioch, who executed his decrees. (Calmet)
Challoner
Abomination. The idol of Jupiter Olympius, which Antiochus ordered to be set up in the sanctuary of the temple, which is here called the sanctuary of strength, from the Almighty that was worshipped there. (Challoner)
Calmet
Other idols were set up, and the people were compelled to sacrifice. (Calmet)
Worthington
Yet even in the hottest persecutions some remain faithful. (Worthington)
11:32
Dissemble. Thus acted the officers and apostate Jews.
Know. Such were the Assideans, Eleazar, and the Machabees.
11:33
Learned; the priests, Matthathias, etc., Malachias 2:7.
11:34
Help. The victories of the Machabees were miraculous.
Calmet
Deceitfully, like those who took the spoils of idols, and were slain. Hebrew may imply, "secretly." (Calmet)
11:35
Haydock
Fall, or become martyrs. (Haydock)
Calmet
Such were Eleazar, etc. (Calmet)
Another time, after death; (Haydock) or the perfect deliverance shall take place later, ver. 27.
11:36
Every god. "He plundered many (Calmet or most; pleista.; Haydock) temples." (Polyb. Athen. 5:6.)
The Samaritans, and even the priests of the Lord, obeyed the impious decree; so that the king looked upon himself as a sort of god.
Accomplished against the Jews, when Epiphanes shall be punished.
11:37
Calmet
God. He laughed at religion, yet sometimes offered splendid presents and victims, which shewed his inconstancy. (Calmet)
St. Jerome
Women. He kept many concubines, (Diod.) and committed the greatest obscenities publicly: mimis et scortis. (St. Jerome)
Grotius
Hebrew may have quite a different sense. He had no regard for the sex, (Calmet) killing all indiscriminately. (Grotius)
11:38
Challoner
The god Maozim. That is, the god of forces or strong holds. (Challoner)
Mahuzzim denotes "strong ones," (Haydock) guardians, etc. Dr. Newton (Diss.) explains, the king (ver. 36) of the Roman state; and supposes that here the guardian saints and angels are meant, whose worship he shews "began in the Roman empire, very soon after it became Christian. This exposition seems far preferable to that which interprets" Jupiter or the heavens, and understands the idol set up by Epiphanes. See Univ. Hist. X. Parkhurst.
Haydock
If these authors speak of the inferior veneration shewn to saints and angels in the Catholic Church, it had a much earlier commencement, being coeval with religion itself. But only the blindest prejudice can represent this as idolatrous, and of course this system must fall to the ground. (Haydock)
Junius
Others suppose that Mars, Hercules, Azizus, or Jupiter, may be designated. Hebrew, "He will rise up against all, (38) and against the strong God (of Israel, ver. 31.; and Daniel 8:10.) (Calmet) he will, in his place, worship a strange god, " etc. (Junius)
Calmet
None of the ancestors of Epiphanes had ever adored Jupiter on the altar of holocausts. (Calmet)
Worthington
He and antichrist adore either the great Jupiter or their own strength. (Worthington)
11:39
Haydock
To. Hebrew, "in the most strong holds, with," etc. (Haydock)
Calmet
He built a fortress near the temple, styled Maoz, (Ezechiel 24:25.) on account of its strength. (Calmet)
Challoner
Glory. He shall bestow honours, riches, and lands, upon them that shall worship his god. (Challoner)
He will entrust the strong places to them.
11:40
Fight. Epiphanes made war on Egypt, till the Romans forced him to desist. The prophet explains his preceding attempts, to which he only alluded, ver. 29, 30.
11:41
Calmet
Land; Egypt, or rather Judea. (Calmet)
St. Jerome
Ammon. He will not divide his forces. (St. Jerome)
11:43
Ethiopia. Hebrew, "the Lubim and Cushim shall be at his steps." Theodotion reads, "in their fortresses." He had troops form these nations, or Egypt was guarded by them.
11:44
Calmet
Many. Epiphanes left three generals and half his army to destroy the Jews. (Calmet)
11:45
Challoner
Apadno. Some take it for the proper name of a place; others, from the Hebrew translate it, his palace. (Challoner)
He fixed his royal tent between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. (Worthington) ---Porphyrius explains this of the march beyond the Euphrates, which St. Jerome does not disapprove. Apadno may denote Mesopotamia, which is styled Padan Aram.
Calmet
Glorious. Hebrew Zebi, (Calmet) or Tsebi, (Haydock) may allude to Mount Taba, where the king perished, without help, 1 Machabees 6:11., and 2 Machabees 9:9. St. Jerome and many others explain all this of antichrist, and no doubt he was prefigured. The like events will probably take place again towards the end of the world. But as the particulars cannot be ascertained, we have adhered to the history of Antiochus. (Calmet)
11:2
11:3
A strong king.... Alexander.
11:5
The king of the south.... Ptolemeus the son of Lagus, king of Egypt, which lies south of Jerusalem.—Ibid. One of his princes.... that is, one of Alexander’s princes, shall prevail over him: that is, shall be stronger than the king of Egypt. He speaks of Seleucus Nicator, king of Asia and Syria, whose successors are here called the kings of the north, because their dominions lay to the north in respect to Jerusalem.
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The daughter of the king of the south.... Viz., Berenice, daughter of Ptolemeus Philadelphus, given in marriage to Antiochus Theos, grandson of Seleucus.
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A plant, etc.... Ptolemeus Evergetes, the son of Philadelphus.
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The king of the north.... Seleucus Callinicus.
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His sons.... Seleucus Ceraunius, and Antiochus the Great, the sons of Callinicus.—Ibid. He shall come.... Viz., Antiochus the Great.
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The king of the south.... Ptolemeus Philopator, son of Evergetes.
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He shall come upon him.... Viz., Antiochus shall come upon the king of the south.—Ibid. The glorious land.... Judea.
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All his kingdom.... Viz., all the kingdom of Ptolemeus Epiphanes, son of Philopator.—Ibid. A daughter of women.... That is, a most beautiful woman, viz., his daughter Cleopatra.—Ibid. To overthrow it.... Viz., the kingdom of Epiphanes: but his policy shall not succeed; for Cleopatra shall take more to heart the interest of her husband, than that of her father.
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The prince of his reproach.... Seipio the Roman general, called the prince of his reproach, because he overthrew Antiochus, and obliged him to submit to very dishonourable terms, before he would cease from the war.
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One most vile.... Seleucus Philopator, who sent Heliodorus to plunder the temple: and was shortly after slain by the same Heliodorus.
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One despised.... Viz., Antiochus Epiphanes, who at first was despised and not received for king. What is here said of this prince, is accommodated by St. Jerome and others to Antichrist; of whom this Antiochus was a figure.
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Of the fighter.... That is, of them that shall oppose him, and shall fight against him.—Ibid. The prince of the covenant.... or, of the league. The chief of them that conspired against him: or the king of Egypt his most powerful adversary.
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The king.... Ptolemeus Philometor.
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The galleys and the Romans.... Popilius, and the other Roman ambassadors, who came in galleys, and obliged him to depart from Egypt.
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They shall place there the abomination, etc.... The idol of Jupiter Olympius, which Antiochus ordered to be set up in the sanctuary of the temple: which is here called the sanctuary of strength, from the Almighty that was worshipped there.
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The god Maozim.... That is, the god of forces or strong holds.
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And he shall increase glory, etc.... He shall bestow honours, riches and lands, upon them that shall worship his god.
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Apadno.... Some take it for the proper name of a place: others, from the Hebrew, translate it his palace.
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The Angel prosecuting his speach to the prophet sheweth that he had prayed for the king of Persians, from the first time after the ouerthrow of Babylon, seing him vvel affected tovvards the levves, as vvas also the next king Cyrus, vvho in dede released them.
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Cambyses. 1. Smerdes magus. Darius Histaspis.
Xerxes. Alexander. come to his height.
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Scarsely touching other successors of Alexander, the holie scripture here prophecieth of the kinges of Aegypt on the south side of Iurie, & Syrians on the North: by whose warres the Ievves were most molested.
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Euerie prophecie (saith S. Ir•n, li. 4. c. 43) before it be fulfilled is aenigma, a ridle; or obscure proposition. But vvhen it is past may more easily sometimes certainly, be interpreted. So by histories of things now past he gathereth very probably that by this king of the south vvas vnderstood Ptolomeus sonne of Lagus king of Aegypt.
king of Aegypt.
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king of Syria.
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Concordance Isa. 19. v. 19.
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d His sonne called Ptolomeus Philadelphus excelled his father in povvre and magnificence.
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e This king of the North semeth to be Antiochus Theos king of Syria.
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f Ptolomeus Euergetes king of Aegipt inuaded and spoyled Syria.
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g Seleucus Ceraunus, and Antiochus magnus sonnes of Seleucus callinicus shal raise nevv warres against Ptolomeus Philopator king of Aegypt, but the elder brother being slaine in the way, Antiochus shal prosecute the vvarre.
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h He shal in uade and kilmanie, but not preuaile.
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i Manie Ievves deceiued by Onias fleeing into Aegypt shal erect a temple and sacrifice, falsly auouching that they fulfil the prophecie of Isaie. ch. 19. v. 19.
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Euen in the hotest persecution of Antiochus, Nero or Antichrist some shal constantly confesse true religion.
k According to the historie al expositers vnderstand this of Antiochus, Epiphanes, who liued and died basely: but mystically of Antichrist, very potent & glorious in this world, yet shal haue base beginning and an ignominious end.
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l This title Prince of the league or couenant, perteyneth directly to Antichrist: who wil ioyne himself vvith the Iewes pretending to obserue the law of Moyses and so they vvil receiue him as their Messias. Ioan. 5. v. 43. S. Ireneus li. 5. c. 25. S. Ierom. & alij.
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The God of povvre or strength, either Iupiter the Grecians great god, or their ovvne streingth, vvherin Antiochus, and Antichrist shal trust.
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His royal tabernacle or palace, betvven the dead se a and the mediteranian.
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St Hippolytus † AD 235 Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 62
… And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” And Daniel says, “And they shall place the abomination of desolation a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand two hundred and ninety-five days.”
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St Hippolytus † AD 235 On Daniel 2.32
32. But they said, “We will not come forth: neither will we do the king’s commandment; we will die in our innocency: and he slew of them a thousand souls.” The things, therefore, which were spoken to the blessed Daniel are fulfilled: “And my servants shall be afflicted, and shall fall by famine, and by sword, and by captivity.”
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St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.26
… The Jews accordingly did not receive the Lord Jesus Christ who was the Son of God and God, but receive the impostor who calls himself God . For that he will assume the name of God, the angel teaches Daniel, saying these words, Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers
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St Hippolytus † AD 235 Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 51
51. But not to confine ourselves to these words and arguments alone, for the purpose of convincing those who love to study the oracles of God, we shall demonstrate the matter by many other proofs. For Daniel says, “And these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.”
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his kingdom shall be turned against him. 19. And he shall turn his face to the empire of his own land, and shall stumble, and fall, and shall not be found. 20. And there shall stand up in his place one most vile and unworthy of kingly honour: and in a few days he shall be destroyed, not in anger, nor in battle. 21. And there shall stand up in his place one despised, and the kingly honour shall not be given him: and he shall come in secretly, and shall obtain the kingdom by fraud. 22. And the arms of the fighter shall be conquered before his face, and shall be broken: moreover also the prince of the covenant. 23. And after friendships, he shall deal deceitfully with him: and he shall go up, and shall overcome with a small people. 24. And he shall enter into the richest and most fertile cities: and shall do that which his fathers never did, nor his fathers' fathers: he shall distribute their spoils, and their prey, and their riches, and shall devise plans against the strongest fortifications: and this even until a time. 25. And his strength and his heart shall be stirred up against the king of the South with a great army: and the king of the South shall be provoked to battle with many aids: and with forces exceeding strong: and they shall not stand, because they shall devise plans against him. 26. And they that eat bread with him shall destroy him, and his army shall be overwhelmed: and many shall fall down slain. 27. And the hearts of two kings shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table, and shall not prosper: because the end is yet for another time. 28. And he shall return into his land with great riches: and his heart shall be against the holy covenant, and he shall do, and shall return into his land. 29. At the time appointed he shall return, and shall come to the South: and it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30. And the galleys and the Romans shall come upon him: and he shall be struck, and shall return, and shall have indignation against the holy covenant, and shall do: and he shall return, and shall think upon those who have forsaken the holy covenant. 31. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice: and they shall place there the abomination unto desolation. 32. And such as deal wickedly against the covenant shall deceitfully dissemble: but the people that know their God shall prevail and do. 33. And they that are learned among the people shall teach many: and they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, and by captivity, and by spoil for many days. 34. And when they shall have fallen, they shall be relieved with a small help: and many shall be joined to them deceitfully. 35. And some of the learned shall fall, that they may be tried as by fire, and may be chosen, and made white even to the time appointed: because yet there is another time. 36. And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall be lifted up, and shall magnify himself against every god: and he shall speak great things against the God of gods, and shall prosper, till the wrath be accomplished: for the determination is made. 37. And he shall not regard the God of his fathers: and he shall go after the desire of women, and he shall not care for any gods: for he shall rise up against all things. 38. But he shall honour the god Maozim in his place: and a god whom his fathers knew not, he shall worship with gold, and silver, and precious stones, and things of great price. 39. And he shall do this to fortify Maozim with a strange god, whom he hath known, and shall increase glory, and shall give them power over many, and shall divide the land freely. 40. And at the time appointed the king of the South shall fight against him, and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a great navy, and shall enter into the lands, and shall crush and pass through. 41. And he shall enter into the glorious land, and many shall fall: but these shall be saved out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42. And he shall stretch forth his hand upon the lands: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43. And he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and Ethiopians shall be in his steps. 44. And tidings from the East and from the North shall trouble him: and he shall come with a great multitude to destroy and slay many. 45. And he shall pitch the tabernacles of his palace between the seas, upon the glorious and holy mountain: and he shall come even to the top thereof, and none shall help him. 1. But I stood to strengthen him from the first year of Darius. — These are not the words of Daniel, as St. Jerome wishes, but of the angel speaking with Daniel: for the angel continues here the discourse concerning wars begun in the preceding chapter, as is evident from the very sequence of the context, especially from the end of the preceding chapter and from this verse and others following. Thus Theodoret and the Hebrews. It was not the concern of the prophet to pursue the order of history, but only to touch upon those things which pertain to his purpose. His purpose here is to describe the kingdom of the Greeks, namely of Alexander, and of his successors the Seleucids and Ptolemies. He passes therefore from Xerxes to the Greeks, because when they themselves defeated Xerxes with such an infamous disaster, then they began to raise themselves up, and to covet the wealth and kingdom of Xerxes and the Persians. that is to say, I the angel who am the guardian of the Jews, from the beginning took care that the kingdom should be transferred from the Chaldeans and Belshazzar to the Medes and Persians, namely to Darius and Cyrus. For I knew that they would be more benevolent to the Jews than the Babylonian kings, and that they themselves would send the Jews forth from Babylon into their homeland, and therefore from the beginning I helped Darius, that he might be confirmed and strengthened in the kingdom of Babylon.
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2. Behold, yet three kings shall stand in Persia. — The ignorant Jews from this place count only five kings of the Persians: for, as St. Jerome, Eusebius, Josephus, Thucydides, Diodorus, Herodotus and others teach, there were in all fourteen, namely: I. Cyrus, who reigned 30 years. II. Cambyses, son of Cyrus, reigned 7 years and 6 months. III. Smerdes the magus, a tyrant, reigned 6 months. IV. Darius Hystaspis reigned 36 years. V. Xerxes, son of Darius, reigned 20 years. VI. Artabanus the prefect, who killed Xerxes, 7 months. VII. Artaxerxes, called Longimanus, because one hand was longer than the other, son of Xerxes, reigned 40 years. VIII. Xerxes the second, a tyrant, reigned 2 months. IX. Sogdianus, a tyrant, reigned 7 months. X. Darius Nothus, namely the son of Artaxerxes Longimanus, reigned 19 years. XI. Artaxerxes, called Mnemon from the excellence of his memory, reigned 43 years. XII. Artaxerxes Ochus reigned 23 years. XIII. Arses reigned 4 years. XIV. Darius Codomannus, who was conquered by Alexander, reigned 6 years. The kingdom of Persia therefore stood for 230 years, although their monarchy lasted only 203 years. For Cyrus in the 27th year of his reign took Babylon and killed Belshazzar, and then he became a monarch, and reigned as a monarch for only three years, as I showed in I Esdras 1, 1. You will say: Who then are these four, whom Daniel here counts alone after Cyrus? For he does not count Cyrus here, because Cyrus was already reigning. For in the third year of Cyrus, Daniel received this prophecy from the angel, as is clear from chapter x, 1. I answer: They are the first four who succeeded Cyrus immediately, namely Cambyses, Smerdes, Darius and Xerxes. For Xerxes is the last of these four, who, as Daniel says, was most wealthy, and who waged war against the Greeks. The angel therefore passes over the other nine kings here, because, as St. Jerome says, to the spirit The fourth shall be enriched with riches. — All agree that this is Xerxes, whose riches and resources were so great that the rivers are said to have been dried up by his army, and he is said to have had ships numbering one million, as Justin says, book II.
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3. And a strong king shall arise. — This is Alexander of Macedon, who was in the greatest glory, but brief: for after twelve years of his reign he died in Babylon, and his kingdom was divided into four, not to his descendants, that is his sons (although he left two at his death: for he excluded them from the kingdom, and Cassander killed them by treachery), but to his generals, namely Aridaeus the brother of Alexander, Seleucus, Antigonus and Ptolemy: and besides these, Perdiccas, Craterus, Lysimachus held part of the empire; and also foreigners, such as Arsaces among the Parthians; and the Macedonians and other Greeks shortly after created other kings for themselves. The angel here speaks of Alexander, both because the Jews had dealings with him, as is clear from Josephus, XI Antiquities viii; and so that from him as a head it might descend to the Seleucids and Ptolemies; concerning whom he intends to speak expressly, so that through them it might descend to Antiochus Epiphanes, and to Antichrist, as will be clear from verse 5.
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4. It shall be divided toward the four winds, — toward the four quarters of the world, as I showed in chapter viii, 8. Kingdoms are compared to winds, as also in the dream of chapter ii, 28, because they pass away and vanish like winds. Second, because they fight among themselves like winds. Moreover, the glory of Alexander was so great that many emperors desired it, though foolishly. Antoninus Caracalla, according to Spartianus in his Life, said that the soul of Alexander had migrated into the body of Augustus Caesar, and then into himself, so that since his life had been brief, it might live longer in Augustus, and then in himself. For this reason he called himself Alexander the Eastern Augustus. Thus also Julian the Apostate wished to be believed that Alexander had migrated into himself, and that he would achieve no less a victory over the Persians than Alexander, and he believed this from the persuasion of Maximus the philosopher, as Baronius relates from ancient historians in the year of Christ 636; but he was deceived, and it was false: for Julian was conquered and killed in Persia. Alexander Severus the Emperor, according to Lampridius in his Life, took the name of Alexander, because he was born in a temple dedicated to Alexander the Great near the city of Arcaea, when by chance his father came there with his wife for the sake of the solemnities of the country: and because he was born on the same day on which Alexander the Great departed from life. He therefore wished to be another Alexander.
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5. And the king of the South shall be strengthened. — This is Ptolemy, not Philopator, as Theodoret wishes, but Lagi, the first king of Egypt after Alexander, and his son Ptolemy Philadelphus, the second king of Egypt. Thus St. Jerome. For Ptolemy Lagi was a most mighty man, and occupied not only Egypt, but also Cyprus, Phoenicia, and many other islands and regions, and moreover restored Pyrrhus, the expelled king of the Epirotes, to his kingdom. He did the same for Seleucus, the son of Antioch, whom Antigonus, king of Asia, had driven out. Note: The angel, omitting these two other successors of Alexander, namely Arideaus and Antigonus, here recounts the deeds of only the other two, namely the kings of the South, that is the Ptolemies who reigned in Egypt, which is to the south of Judaea; and the kings of the North, that is the Seleucids, that is the descendants of Seleucus, who ruled over Asia and Syria, which are to the north of Judaea, for 270 years, as Appian says. The angel does this: because Judaea lies in the middle between Syria and Egypt, and therefore was a participant in the wars waged between the Seleucids and Ptolemies; just as an isthmus lying between two seas is beaten on both sides by the waves of each sea. Thus St. Jerome. Let this therefore be fixed here: the kings of the South are the kings of Egypt, the kings of the North are the kings of Syria. He therefore recounts here the wars which were waged between these kings over 140 years, namely from the third king of Syria, who was called Antiochus Theos, up to the eighth, namely Antiochus Epiphanes, and from the second king of Egypt, who was Ptolemy Philadelphus, up to the sixth, namely Ptolemy Philometor. I shall place these kings here in order. Seleucids. I. The king of Syria, who in the 12th year after the death of Alexander, having defeated Antigonus, began to reign, was Seleucus Nicator; he reigned for 3 years. Called Nicator, or, as others say, Nicator, from the slain Nicator, or rather from the many and illustrious victories which he had. Thus Appian, in the Syrian history. II. Antiochus Soter, son of Seleucus Nicator, reigned for 19 years. III. Antiochus Theos, son of Soter, reigned for 15 years. The angel describes him, verse 5. IV. Seleucus Callinicus reigned for 20 years. The angel describes him, verse 7. V. Seleucus Ceraunius, that is the thunderbolt, because he seemed to be endowed with bold and swift genius as if he were a thunderbolt; he reigned for 3 years. The angel describes him, verse 10. VI. Antiochus the Great reigned for 37 years. The angel describes him, verse 10. VII. Seleucus Philopator reigned for 12 years. The angel describes him, verse 20. VIII. Antiochus Epiphanes reigned for 12 years. The angel describes him, verse 21 and following. This Epiphanes preceded the birth of Christ by 170 years. Ptolemies. I. After Alexander the first king of Egypt was Ptolemy, son of Lagi, a most prudent and mighty man; he reigned for 40 years. II. Ptolemy Philadelphus, who took care to have seventy interpreters translate the Hebrew Bible into the Greek language; he reigned for 38 years. The angel describes him, verse 5. III. Ptolemy Evergetes reigned for 26 years. The angel describes him, verse 7. IV. Ptolemy Philopator reigned for 17 years. The angel describes him, verse 10. V. Ptolemy Epiphanes reigned for 24 years. The angel describes him, verse 13. VI. Ptolemy Philometor reigned for 35 years. The angel describes him, verse 22. From this it is clear that Daniel predicted these wars among themselves 260 years before their beginning. For he predicted them at the end of the reign of Cyrus, who preceded Alexander the Great by 200 years. But these wars began under Antiochus, surnamed Theos, who was 69 years later than Alexander. You will ask, why does Daniel not express and name these kings clearly? I answer, because he writes prophecy, not history: for history is clear; but prophecy is symbolic and obscure. Secondly, God willed this, lest He disturb secondary causes, and the sweet disposition of His providence, which permits things, especially human things, to be done by their own motions, and allows them to their own liberty. For this order, and this liberty would be greatly hindered, if men knew beforehand those things which are to be done by themselves, or by others: or which are to happen to them. Just as, if a man knew in particular all the tribulations that would befall him throughout his life, and could see at one glance their order, number and gravity, he would lose heart, and despair: but now, since they come forth gradually, and only one is present, the others are hidden, any one is easily borne and endured. This is what the angel says to Daniel at the end of this vision, chapter viii, 4: "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book even to the time appointed." And from his princes he shall prevail over him. — Theodoret thinks that Scopas, the general of Ptolemy Philopator, is signified here; as if a war between Philopator and Antiochus the Great were being described: but the angel treats of this in verse 11. Secondly, Maldonatus understands Antiochus Epiphanes: but this is treated in verse 21. Thirdly, St. Jerome understands Ptolemy Philadelphia, who surpassed his father Ptolemy Lagus in glory and wealth: but because the Angel calls him not a son, but a prince, "of him" namely the strong king, namely Alexander the Great, of whom he treated in verse 3 and following; hence we shall better understand Antiochus, who was surnamed Theos, that is God, by the Milesians, because he had expelled Timarchus their tyrant, as Appian says. This Theos "shall prevail over him," namely the king of the South, that is of Egypt, namely against Ptolemy Philadelphia: for against him he fought successfully and vigorously with all the forces of Asia and the East. The cause of the war was that Theos was urged to it by his son-in-law Magas, who was the brother of Ptolemy Philadelphia: for this Magas had married the daughter of Antiochus, and hated his brother Philadelphia, and stirred up Antiochus against him, as Pausanias says in the Attics. Moreover Philadelphia, seeing himself inferior to Antiochus, made a treaty with him, and gave him his daughter Berenice as wife, with a very great dowry: but "he shall not obtain the strength of his arm, nor shall his seed stand," that is Berenice shall not remain long in the kingdom of Syria. For Laodice, the former wife of Antiochus, not bearing Berenice to be preferred to her, by guile killed Berenice with her son and supporters, and even Antiochus her husband by poison, and made king in his place her son by Antiochus, Seleucus Callinicus. Thus Justin, book XXVII, St. Jerome and others. Note: He calls arm the strength of the kingdom of Syria, which was strengthened by this marriage from the king of Egypt: for by the marriage, as it were an arm extended from one kingdom to another, by which the right hands of the two kings were given to confirm friendship; thus both kingdoms were as it were joined and strengthened. Thus Maldonatus.
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7. And there shall stand up from her shoot a plant. — This "plant," that is a shoot, was Ptolemy Evergetes, successor of Ptolemy Philadelphia, who was from the same shoot, because he was his brother; for he avenged the injury done to his brother Philadelphia, and at the same time the death of his niece Berenice. For entering the province of the king of the North, namely the kingdom of Syria, in which Callinicus reigned, he occupied it, and at the same time almost all of Asia, and killed Laodice, the rival of Berenice. But when he heard that a sedition was being stirred up in Egypt, plundering the kingdom of Callinicus, he took from it forty thousand talents of gold, and likewise precious vessels and images of gods to the number of two thousand five hundred, among which were also those which Cambyses, when he took Egypt, had carried thence into Persia. These, I say, Evergetes brought back, thus into his kingdom, and into his land, namely into Egypt, he returned, as the angel here says: and for this reason, on account of the gods, namely the ancestral ones, brought back by him into Egypt, the Egyptians called this Ptolemy Evergetes, that is benefactor. Thus St. Jerome. He shall abuse them. — In Hebrew, he shall do with them, supply according to his will, that is to say, he shall seize them at pleasure, plunder them, vex them, kill them. But his sons. — "His," namely not of the king of the South, but of the North, that is of Syria, namely of Seleucus Callinicus, who had fought unsuccessfully with Ptolemy Evergetes, and finally, having lost his kingdom, perished precipitated by a horse, as Justin testifies, book XXVII. For this Callinicus had two sons, Seleucus Ceraunius and Antiochus the Great, who, in order to avenge the defeat and injury inflicted on their father, gathered an army against Ptolemy the fourth, who was the son of Evergetes, and was called Philopator by antiphrasis, because he had killed his father, mother, brother, wife and sister. But when Seleucus Ceraunius, the elder son of Callinicus, was killed by guile by his own men, Antiochus the Great alone undertook the matter, and by the treachery of Theodotus, Ptolemy Philopator the parricide, and one devoted to lusts, took from him all Syria. Thus from Justin and Polybius St. Jerome; whence in the singular the angel says: "And he shall come hastening," namely Antiochus, "and overflowing," that is as a river covering the land with a multitude of soldiers.
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11. And the king of the South shall be provoked. — For when Antiochus had recovered Syria, and had come as far as Raphia, a city at the borders of Egypt, Philopator was stirred up, gathered very great forces, especially from Greece, and fought with Antiochus near Raphia in the same year in which Hannibal defeated the Romans at Lake Trasimene, in which battle Antiochus was overcome, lost his army, and fleeing through deserts was nearly captured. For, as the third book of Maccabees relates at the beginning, when a fierce battle was joined and Antiochus fought more vigorously, Arsinoe, sister of Ptolemy Philopator, walking among the troops with tears besought the soldiers to bring her aid by fighting bravely and boldly, promising two gold mines to each if they should conquer; and so the soldiers, taking heart again, defeated the forces of Antiochus, and took many of them captive.
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12. But he shall not prevail, — Philopator: because he will not be able to capture his enemy Antiochus, or strip him of his kingdom; for Antiochus, having escaped by flight, made a treaty with Ptolemy Philopator, a lover of peace and pleasures, on the condition that all Syria should be ceded and delivered to Philopator. For this Philopator, says Justin, killed Eurydice his sister and likewise his wife, and clung to Agathoclea a harlot, spending nights in debauchery and days in feasting. Agathocles therefore, brother of Agathoclea, who was also the king's concubine, ruled the king and the kingdom, who, after Philopator's death, when he wished to seize the royal treasury and kingdom, he and his sister Agathoclea were both seized by the concourse of the people and hanged.
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13. For the king of the North shall return (because Antiochus the Great, seeing the luxury and sloth of Philopator, repaired his army; and Philopator dying in the meantime) at the end of times and years, — that is, after a certain period of years had elapsed, against his son Ptolemy Epiphanes, a boy of four years, moved his camp, aided by Philip king of the Macedonians, on the condition that they should divide the kingdom of Egypt between themselves, and this is what the angel adds: "Many shall rise up against the king of the South," that is, of Egypt. Thus Justin, book XXX and XXXI. Who also adds that the Alexandrians sent legates to Rome, that they should undertake the guardianship of the orphan boy, namely Ptolemy Epiphanes, which the Romans also did, and from this arose war between the Romans and Antiochus, in which Antiochus was defeated and ceded Asia to the Romans, of which verse 18.
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14. And the sons of the transgressors, — that is, Many Jews who are transgressors of the law of God, on occasion of these wars between neighboring kings, shall defect and fall away, some to Ptolemy, some to Antiochus; and finally, after Antiochus's death, contrary to the law which commands that God be worshipped in the temple of Jerusalem alone, they shall be lifted up in pride, and shall build a temple at Heliopolis in Egypt, which shall have its own sacrifices and priests, equally as the Jerusalem temple, and this in order to fulfill the vision of Isaiah xix, 19, which says: "There shall be an altar of the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt;" fulfill it, I say, according to their perverse and wicked understanding. For Isaiah there does not speak of a Jewish temple, which God wished to be unique, and only at Jerusalem; but of temples of Christians in Egypt, and throughout the whole world to be built. The leader of these was Onias, son of Onias the high priest, who, fleeing Antiochus Epiphanes invading Judea, went into Egypt to Ptolemy Philometor, and obtained this temple at Heliopolis from him, which stood for 230 years until Vespasian, who destroyed it together with the city and the Jews utterly. And this is what Daniel says here, saying: "And they shall fall." Thus St. Jerome. See Josephus, book XIII of Antiquities, chapter vi, and book VII of the War, chapter xxx. Where note that Josephus errs in the number of years: for he puts 333 years from Philometor to Vespasian, when only 250 had elapsed, according to Eusebius.
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15. And the king of the North shall come. — Antiochus the Great, after the death of Ptolemy Philopator, came against his son Ptolemy Epiphanes with a very great army into Syria, wishing to subject to himself that which he had lost in the previous war, together with Judea; and he routed Scopas, the general of Ptolemy, near the sources of the Jordan, where afterwards Paneas, that is Caesarea Philippi, was founded, and besieged him with ten thousand soldiers in Sidon, for whose relief Ptolemy sent chosen and renowned generals, Heropus, Menocles and Damoxenus; but they were not able to raise the siege: thus at last Scopas, overcome by hunger, surrendered to Antiochus, and was dismissed with his companions. Soon also many other cities were captured by Antiochus, and this is what the angel says here: "And he shall do," Antiochus "coming upon him," that is against Scopas and Ptolemy, "according to his will, and he shall stand in the glorious land" (in Hebrew it is צבי tsebi, of which I spoke at chapter viii, 9), that is in Judea, which is most fertile and glorious in the worship of God and his temple. Whence the Syriac and Arabic versions translate: And he shall stand (remain, or endure) in the land of Israel.
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16. It shall be consumed in his hand, — that is, Judaea shall be laid waste and afflicted by Antiochus, and he shall subject it to himself, and shall do there whatever he wishes; namely, the Jews willingly surrendering themselves, receiving him with honor, and assisting him with all their power and zeal, especially in attacking the citadel of Jerusalem held by Ptolemy. Thus from Josephus and Polybius St. Jerome.
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17. And he shall make right with him, — that is, Antiochus shall feign that he wishes friendship in good faith with Ptolemy, but he shall do this deceitfully, in order to overthrow him. Whence follows: And the daughter of women. — Because Antiochus, wishing not only to take away Syria, Cilicia, Lycia and others, but also Egypt from Ptolemy Epiphanes, a boy of seven years, betrothed to him his daughter Cleopatra, that is, the most beautiful, and after six years delivered her, giving to her as a dowry the name of Coele-Syria and Judaea, hoping that his daughter might either deceive the incautious youth or kill him, and thus his kingdom might come to himself. But "it shall not stand," that is, his deceit shall not succeed: for Ptolemy Epiphanes and his commanders, perceiving the deceit of Antiochus, conducted themselves more cautiously; and Cleopatra favored the cause of her husband rather than her father. Thus from Josephus and Appian St. Jerome.
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18. He shall turn his face to the islands. — Antiochus, seeing his scheme in Egypt exposed, turned elsewhere, and took Rhodes, Samos, Colophon, Phocaea, and many other islands; but L. Scipio met him with his brother P. Scipio Africanus, who had conquered Hannibal; and finally Antiochus, defeated by L. Scipio, who was therefore called Asiaticus, promised the Romans an annual tribute of a thousand talents, and gave as a hostage his younger son Antiochus Epiphanes, who afterwards laid waste Judaea. Thus Livy book XXXVII, Plutarch in the Life of Scipio, Appian in the Syrian book, book XXXI, and from these St. Jerome. Whence follows: And he shall cause to cease the prince of his reproach. — For "prince," the Septuagint translates "princes," as if to say Antiochus shall cause to cease, that is, shall depose and cast down from his principality the princes of his reproach, that is, the hostile princes whom he himself conquered, and exposed to reproach and mockery, while he led them in triumph; but his reproach was turned back upon himself, when he himself in like manner was defeated by the Romans at Thermopylae, forced to pay them an annual tribute of a thousand talents, and became a mockery to the world. But because in Hebrew it is קצין katsin, that is, "prince" in the singular; and because the Syrian and Arabic versions translate: He shall cause to cease the prince who was afflicting him with reproach or reviling him; hence you may better understand by the prince of reproach Scipio Africanus: for he, directing by his aid and counsel L. Scipio, his brother, the commander of the war, defeated Antiochus, who scorned the most prudent counsel of Hannibal, and compelled him to flee shamefully. For Hannibal prudently advised Antiochus that, leaving his neighbors, he should invade Italy, and he himself would see to it that aid be sent to him from Carthage; Scipio and the Romans, in order to disturb Hannibal's sound counsels, frequently and familiarly dealt with him, so as to make him suspect to Antiochus, as if seeking the friendship of Scipio and the Romans. Whence among other things, Scipio asked Hannibal, whom he thought had been or was the first among commanders of war? Hannibal answered: Alexander the Great. Scipio objected: Whom second? He answered: Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, on account of his courage and boldness. Again Scipio: Whom third? To which Hannibal: Myself. Scipio perceived this, bearing it ill that he was passed over, and added: What then if you had conquered me? Hannibal, sensing that Scipio was pleased, in order to flatter and celebrate him: Before me, he said, I place you with Alexander, tacitly signifying that Scipio was beyond comparison and greater than Alexander. Antiochus understood this, and held Hannibal suspect as if flattering Scipio: at the same time, lest the glory of victory be attributed to Hannibal, not to himself, he rejected his sound counsels; and therefore was defeated and overcome by the Romans. Thus Plutarch in the Life of Scipio, Appian in the Syrian book, and Justin, book XXXI, who also adds that Hannibal gave this reason for his counsel concerning the invasion of Italy evident to Antiochus: "With the Roman," he says, "whether you shall first occupy some foreign land, or shall conquer, then even with the conquered and fallen you must struggle. Wherefore if anyone shall provoke them in Italy, they can be conquered by their own resources, their own strength, their own arms, as I myself did. But if anyone shall yield Italy to them as it were a fountain of strength, he is deceived just as much as if someone should wish not to derive all things from the very sources of the fountains themselves, but to turn away or dry up the waters already gathered in masses." Antiochus therefore, being defeated, strove to placate and reconcile Scipio, so that he would cease from further war. Now to cease is the same as to strive and endeavor to make him cease: for an inchoate act is signified, not a perfect one. And his reproach shall be turned upon him. — For Antiochus, being defeated, in order to cover his reproach with the reproach of his victorious enemy, sent back to his father the son of Scipio Africanus, whom he held captive, and sought peace. But this reproach rebounded upon him; for Africanus preferred the advantages of the republic to his own, and said, as Justin relates in book XXXI: "There are other duties of a father, other rights of the fatherland, which ought to be preferred not only to children, but even to life itself." Finally, "as was worthy of his majesty, he asserted that he would receive his son back by arms." And Livy in book XXXVII: When, he says, Antiochus's legate had promised Scipio a great weight of gold, and all the partnership of the kingdom except in name, if he could obtain an equal share through him, Scipio answered: I will repay a private favor for my son; publicly I will neither have anything from Antiochus, nor give anything. These therefore were the terms of peace which Scipio laid down for Antiochus, that Asia should be ceded to the Romans, and he himself should be content with the kingdom of Syria, that he should deliver all ships, captives and deserters, and Hannibal the instigator of war to the Romans; and that he should restore to the Romans all the expense of the war and pay tribute. When these things were announced to Antiochus, he did not yet respond that he was so defeated as to allow himself to be despoiled of his kingdom. And so, having renewed the war again, he is defeated again, with fifty thousand of his army slain and eleven thousand captured: then he was forced to seek peace on those conditions which he had previously refused: and nothing was added to them by the Romans on account of the new victory, Africanus proclaiming: "Neither do the Romans, if they are defeated, diminish in spirit; nor if they are victorious, become insolent in prosperous affairs," as Justin in book XXXI and Livy in book XXXVII relate. Yet this matter brought calumny upon Scipio. For when he himself returned to Rome, he was accused by rivals of having been corrupted by bribes and sold the public advantage: and when a day was appointed for him, he appeared not as a defendant, but as if about to celebrate a festival; and, disregarding and despising the accusation, with great confidence of conscience: "On this day, said he, O Quirites, I once conquered the Carthaginians: it is therefore right that we give thanks to the gods." Therefore, with all acclaiming, about to sacrifice and celebrate a festival, he ascended the Capitol with great pomp, and thus confounded his accusers. Thus Appian in the Syrian history, and Plutarch in his life of Scipio, who also adds that Antiochus not only sent back his son to Scipio, but also offered him his own kingdom, reserving only the title for himself, if he would be willing to protect his interests; but Scipio, having given thanks to the king, persisted in the faith of Rome: yet from that time his rivals took occasion to accuse him, and appointed him a day, but Africanus eluded the accusation in the manner I have recounted: but after that day he left the city, so that he might live in the country far from ambition and the forum; and so he betook himself to Liternum, and died there in the 54th year of his age. His epitaph exists at Caieta on a marble tomb: With Hannibal defeated, Carthage captured, and the Empire enlarged, these ashes you hold covered with marble. To whom neither Europe nor Africa once stood in the way, (Behold the affairs of men) how brief an urn confines. This surely is he to whom a little before was shouted: "Neither shall Rome fall, Scipio standing; nor shall Scipio live, the city falling." Thirdly, thus you may aptly translate from the Hebrew with Vatablus: The prince shall cause to cease, or shall restrain his reproaches, turning them back upon him without any disgrace to himself, that is, Scipio Africanus shall force Antiochus to desist from the reproach with which he was afflicting the Roman people by invading allied islands, nay he shall turn back his reproaches upon him himself, while he subdues him by war and prescribes to him the laws of peace: by which means he shall wipe away all the disgrace which could have flowed upon him from the captivity and release of his son by Antiochus. In Antiochus therefore this was true: "He harms himself, who seeks to harm another." And that elegant saying of the Italians: Well come, come to strike, was struck. Fourthly, Lyran translates: And the prince, or lord, shall turn back his reproach upon him; and by the prince, or lord, he understands God, as if to say, God shall cause the blasphemies and reproaches cast against him by Antiochus to cease, and shall turn them back upon him without any reproach or disgrace to himself. Whence also Aquinas translates: And the prince shall cause to cease him who afflicts with reproaches, lest anyone bring his reproach upon him. But the word God is not in the Hebrew, nor do we read that this Antiochus blasphemed God. Fifth, the Gloss and from it Pererius explain, that is to say, Antiochus, turning himself from Egypt to Asia and the islands, caused the prince to rest, that is Ptolemy Epiphanes, by whom he was affected with reproach, having had many cities taken from him by Scopas his general, but especially by his father, Ptolemy Philopator, by whom according to Raphia he was defeated with dishonor. But "his reproach shall be turned upon him," that is to say, The reproaches and damages which he inflicted upon the nations conquered by him shall be turned upon him: for by similar evils he himself shall be afflicted when conquered by the Romans. But truly Antiochus had already wiped away these reproaches of the Ptolemies by capturing Scopas, as I said in verse 15, and by giving his daughter as wife to Epiphanes, as he said in verse 17. Add that these were not his reproaches, that is which he himself imposed upon the conquered nations.
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19. He shall turn his face to the dominion of his own land. — Antiochus, defeated by the Romans, was ordered by them to reign within the Taurus mountain, and thence he fled to Apamea, Susa and other remote cities of his kingdom; and when he fought against the Elymaeans, he was destroyed by them with all his army. Thus St. Jerome. Although others relate his death differently, namely that he was oppressed by the inhabitants, when he wished to plunder the temple of Belus, as Strabo, or of Jupiter of Dodona, as Justin. Furthermore Antiochus, says Plutarch in the Scipio, stripped of the kingdom of Asia by the Romans: "He said that the Roman people had dealt kindly with him, in that he was freed with great care, and used the modest boundaries of a kingdom. For vast empires and excessive riches which are sought after have so many and such various troubles poured in from all sides, that Theocritus truly said: Let me not have the riches of Pelops, nor many talents: But in an empty cave free from cares let me sing, And from afar on a lookout behold the deep sea." 20. And there shall stand in his place one most vile. — Not Antiochus Epiphanes, as Theodoret wishes, for he is dealt with in the following verse; nor also Ptolemy Epiphanes, as Porphyry wishes according to St. Jerome: for he did not succeed Antiochus the Great. Nor also Tryphon, who was the guardian of Antiochus, son of Alexander Balas, and after killing him invaded the kingdom, as the Hebrews wish; for Tryphon long after, namely after Seleucus, Epiphanes, Eupator, Demetrius, Alexander, and his son Antiochus, in the sixth order occupied the kingdom: but Seleucus Philopator, the elder son of Antiochus the Great, who succeeded his father in the kingdom, and reigned for 12 years, but without any battles inglorious, says St. Jerome, avaricious and sacrilegious; whence in Hebrew it is: There shall stand in his place one passing by, making an exactor of the glory of the kingdom, that is, one who shall cause exactors to run through the whole kingdom, so that they may plunder its riches and glory. For this Seleucus, to pass over other things, although at first
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he supplied funds for the sacrifices of the temple of the Jews, as it is said in II Maccabees chapter iii, 2; yet afterwards he sent Heliodorus to Jerusalem, so that he might plunder the treasury of the temple. But Heliodorus, scourged by an angel, was scarcely saved by the prayers of Onias, as it is related in II Maccabees iii, 33. Wherefore by the just judgment of God Seleucus, now sacrilegious, and therefore "unworthy of royal glory, in a few days," was killed by the same Heliodorus; and when, after his death, Heliodorus attempted to seize the kingdom, Eumenes and Attalus, kings, drove him out, and substituted Antiochus Epiphanes, the younger son of Antiochus the Great, brother of the deceased, in the kingdom. Thus Appian in the Syrian history. 21. And there shall stand in his place one despised. — This is Antiochus Epiphanes, the younger son of Antiochus the Great, and brother of Seleucus Philopator: who, when he was held as a hostage at Rome without hope of the kingdom, thence secretly, or, as others wish, with the knowledge of the senate, escaped, and invaded the kingdom of Syria, excluding the legitimate heir Demetrius, who was his nephew through his brother. For Demetrius was the son of Seleucus Philopator: and hence among the descendants of this Demetrius and Antiochus there were perpetual wars for the kingdom, for 200 years, one slaughtering the other in turn, and reigning in his place. Concerning this Antiochus, the greatest persecutor of the Jews, the angel deals henceforth until the end of the chapter, and under his name partly allegorically, partly symbolically deals with the Antichrist. For this Antiochus was a type and precursor of the Antichrist. For just as Antiochus persecuted the Jewish Church, so the Antichrist shall persecute the Christian. Whence the angel here towards the end of the chapter says many things which are more fitting for the Antichrist than for Antiochus: see Canon IV. Hence also the ancients, as St. Jerome testifies, interpreted all these things of the Antichrist, not of Antiochus. And honor of the kingdom shall not be given to him. — Because Antiochus Epiphanes was not at first accepted as king; for by those who in Syria favored Ptolemy, royal honor was not given to him. Furthermore this Antiochus was called Epiphanes, that is Illustrious, from the undertaking of great things rather than from their accomplishment. For he was of a restless, versatile, turbulent, wandering and changeable disposition: whence he contrived many things, but brought few to a happy conclusion. So that you may better understand the character of this Antiochus, concerning whom Daniel says much here, and the books of the Maccabees more, hear what Leonicus writes, book III of Varied History, chapter xci... "Polybius in his histories reports that Antiochus, surnamed Epiphanes, was the most profligate of all kings, and was immoderately and excessively devoted to pleasure and indulgence; whom, with the name slightly altered, he sometimes calls Epimanes instead of Epiphanes, that is, mad and out of his mind. For he writes that this man squandered immense treasures of money in feasts and drinking parties, and quickly exhausted them, and was accustomed sometimes, in a playful and drunken manner, to throw large bags of money into public streets, and would then say: Let those take these whom fortune or chance has long since destined for this advantage. Sometimes also, he says, he was accustomed to wander about crowned with roses and clothed in a golden cloak, carrying stones in his lap, with which he would strike at anyone he met. Moreover (as he says), he was accustomed to bathe in public baths promiscuously with the people, and to be anointed with the most precious ointments. Whence when someone from the people once said to him: Blessed are you, O king, who smell so well! But I, he said, will immediately satisfy you in this matter, and will make you thoroughly satiated: saying which, he ordered a large vessel full of the most precious ointment to be poured over that man's head, from which so violent a fragrance arose, that it drew most people from the forum itself and even from distant parts of the city to that place, so that by the effort of those pushing themselves back and forth and the thick slipperiness of the ointment, many of the bath attendants fell to the ground, and the king himself, nearly exhausted by most profuse laughter, fell prone, and, as usually happens in a crowd, was also roughly handled and jostled. They say that at some time in contests which he celebrated at Antioch, he invited all the Greeks who were present, and received them all, anointed with the most precious ointments from golden vessels, namely with amaracus, and telinum, and cinnamon, and moreover with saffron and the most celebrated nard, in a banquet of one thousand five hundred couches, in which he himself reclined in turn, and is said to have served those reclining, and danced so freely and shamelessly with mimes and even actors, that he compelled all the guests to turn their eyes away from him in shame. This is the Antiochus who was at some time a hostage at Rome, and from there elevated to the height of kingship, declined shamefully to these marks of madness through royal license without restraint." Thus far Leonicus. Moreover, concerning the pride, avarice, cruelty, impiety and sacrileges of this Antiochus, see I Maccabees i, 11 et seq., and book II, cap. v, 11 et seq., cap. vi, cap. vii, cap. ix.
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And he shall come secretly, — he came secretly to Syria, fleeing from Rome. And he shall obtain the kingdom in deceit. — In Hebrew בהלקלקות bachalaclaqqot, that is, by blandishments, namely by simulation of benevolence and clemency: for, simulating that he wished to act as guardian of his nephew Demetrius, the heir to the kingdom, he excluded him from the kingdom, and seized the kingdom, being aided by Attalus and Eumenes, kings of Asia, as I have said. Such also shall be the Antichrist, namely the greatest hypocrite. Hear Hippolytus, tract. On the Consummation of the World: "The Antichrist," he says, "in his beginnings shall be merciful, peaceful, religious, hating injustice, detesting bribes, not admitting idolatry, loving the Scriptures, respecting priests, honoring the elderly, rejecting fornications and adulteries, not giving ear to detractors, hospitable, zealous for the poor, defending orphans and widows, making peace between those at discord, showing no concern for riches: and he shall do all these things with simulated and fraudulent counsel, by which he shall deceive all, so that they may make him king."
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22. And the arms of the fighter shall be overcome before his face. — "Arms" he calls the forces and resources of those who fought against Antiochus for Demetrius, the heir to the kingdom; but they were overcome by Antiochus. Whence in Hebrew it is: And the arms of the flood shall be flooded, that is, the aids of Demetrius, which like streams flow together from all sides, shall be overwhelmed by Antiochus, like some greater river. Thus Maldonatus. Moreover, and the leader of the covenant. — "The leader of the covenant," says Theodoret, was Onias the high priest, who was the leader of the Old Testament: for he was deprived of the high priesthood by Antiochus, with Jason, the brother of Onias, procuring this, who desired the high priesthood, as is evident from II Maccabees iv, 9. Secondly, St. Jerome: "The leader of the covenant," he says, was Judas Maccabaeus, who was the leader of the Jewish people, bound to God by covenant, whom Antiochus overcame by deceit. Thirdly and most rightly, Ptolemy Philometor is called here "the leader of the covenant," both because he made a covenant with his uncle Antiochus Epiphanes, and because he was the son of Cleopatra, the sister of Antiochus Epiphanes, whom Antiochus the Great, the father of Antiochus Epiphanes, gave in marriage to Ptolemy Epiphanes, the father of Philometor, for the sake of making a covenant. And so Ptolemy Philometor, born from that covenant, was, as it were, the bond and leader of the covenant. Thus St. Jerome. This Philometor therefore was crushed by Antiochus Epiphanes, because the leaders of Philometor were defeated in battle by Antiochus Epiphanes between Pelusium and Mount Casium.
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23. And after friendships, he shall deal deceitfully with him. — Because Antiochus after his victory, sparing the boy Philometor and feigning friendship, ascended to Memphis, and there receiving the kingdom after the manner of Egyptian kings, and saying he would provide for the boy's affairs, with a small force he subdued all the fertile and commercial cities of Egypt (which none of his fathers had done) abounding in leisure, peace and riches, as the Hebrew texts have it, and therefore secure, and he occupied and dissipated their riches; and he was so cunning that he subverted by his fraud the prudent counsels of those who were the leaders of the boy king. Then, as the angel says: "Against" fortified and "most firm," namely the cities of Egypt, "he shall devise plans, and this until the time," that is, observing a suitable time for capturing them: or rather, as Maldonatus says, that is to say, he shall press his thoughts and counsels in his mind until a convenient time shall come: for then, with war openly declared, he shall invade the kingdom of Egypt, and this is what follows: 25. And his strength shall be stirred up (namely of Antiochus Epiphanes) against the king of the South, — against Ptolemy Philometor, king of Egypt, so that now not by frauds, but by open war he shall invade him. This war is described in the first book of Maccabees, chapter 1, verse 19. And they shall not stand, — namely the forces and aids of the king of the South, namely of Philometor: because Antiochus by his fraudulent counsels subverted all things, and certain courtiers of king Philometor, who ate bread with him, he induced by great promises to defection and the ruin of their king, as follows:
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fraudulent counsels, and Egyptians some of king Philometor's courtiers, who ate bread with him, he induced by great promises to defection and the ruin of their king, as follows:
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27. And the heart of the two kings shall be, — that is to say, Antiochus and Philometor, or rather the princes of the boy Philometor, shall make a covenant, but both feigned: for each shall think of the other's destruction; but neither shall be able to utterly destroy the other, because "the end is still for another time," that is, because the time appointed by God for the end of each king and kingdom has not yet come. St. Jerome takes all these things concerning Antichrist literally. But from what precedes and follows it is clear that all these things are said primarily concerning Antiochus.
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28. And he shall return to his own land with riches, — under the pretext of guardianship of the boy he having plundered Egypt, as is said in verses 21 and 24. And his heart against the holy covenant, — Antiochus shall think to lay waste also Judea, Jerusalem and the temple, where the divine law, which is called "the holy Covenant of God," was kept. And he shall do, and shall return, — that is to say, having accomplished his desire, namely Egypt, Jerusalem and the temple having been plundered, "he shall return" to Syria.
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29. At the time appointed he shall return. — The angel signifies what historians and St. Jerome teach, that Antiochus Epiphanes entered Egypt twice: for when the first time his stratagems did not succeed entirely as he wished, returning a second time with the greatest forces he besieged King Ptolemy Philometor at Alexandria. This is indeed what follows: "And he shall come to the South," that is into Egypt; but "the last time," that is this second expedition of his, "shall not be like the first." For 30. Triremes and the Romans shall come upon him, — that is to say, legates of the Romans borne in triremes shall come against him. For Publius Popilius Laenas, a Roman legate, who had been familiar with Antiochus Epiphanes at Rome, having arrived by ship at Alexandria, drawing a circle around Antiochus with a rod in the sand, said to him: "The Senate and people of Rome command that you withdraw from Egypt, and do not make war upon the Ptolemies; and in this place give answer what counsel you have: whether you desire peace or war." At which he, being terrified, said: "If this pleases the Romans, we must withdraw." And so immediately he moved his army. Thus Josephus, book XII of the Antiquities, chapter vii, Livy, book V, decade 5, Appian in the Syrian history, Justin and others. See here in Antiochus how true is that saying: "Every kingdom under a heavier kingdom is a kingdom." Note: For Romans in Hebrew it is כתים kittim; the Septuagint translates it, Citii. Citium is a city in Cyprus; and Vatablus translates it, ships of Cyprus. Whence Theodoret thinks that it is signified here that to Antiochus fighting against Ptolemy Philometor aid was sent from Cyprus and Greece. But this does not accord with the historians, and is contrary to our Interpreter. Kittim therefore signifies Cyprus, and from thence any islands whatsoever, and overseas nations, such as were the Romans and Italians: thus also it is taken in Numbers xxiv, 21, and Ezekiel xxvii, 6. Hence also the Syriac and Arabic versions translate: Fleets from Macedonia, or from the islands of Italy shall come upon him. He shall be struck — Antiochus, not by iron, but by fear of the Romans. Whence in Hebrew it is נכאה nicha, that is he shall be weakened, and, as Vatablus translates, he shall be dismayed, and shall be affected with grief and anger, which he shall soon pour out upon the Jews. Whence follows: And he shall be angry against the covenant of the sanctuary, — that is to say, the anger which Antiochus could not pour out upon the Egyptians, he shall pour out upon the Jews, and their temple, which is here called "the Covenant of the sanctuary," that is the sanctuary of the Covenant, or the holy temple, in which the Covenant was kept, that is the law and the tables of the law. This is a hypallage. Morally learn here in the Antiochuses and Ptolemies, how kingdoms are various and changeable. Thus the Fortune of princes is golden, but glass. Hence golden Fortune was once kept in the bedchambers of Emperors, as it were the fate of the kingdom. This Emperor Severus dying commanded to be divided between his two sons in such a way that it should be with each in turn. Thus Spartianus in Severus. Thus Antoninus Pius dying, as Capitolinus says, "commended the commonwealth and his daughter to M. Antoninus in the presence of the prefects, and commanded that the golden Fortune which was wont to be placed in the bedchamber of princes be transferred to him." Rightly Tacitus, book XIII: "Nothing," he says, "of mortal things is so unstable and fleeting as power not resting on its own strength." For "you will find fortune sooner than retain it." Wherefore the Romans worshipped Fortune Viscata, so that they might bind her with birdlime or glue, and make her firm and constant for themselves. But in vain do you bind a wandering thing. For, as Philo says, in the book That God is Immutable: "It is a shadow, or a breeze, before it subsists, passing by. It comes and goes, like the Euripus and the tides of the sea." A colt of obsequious Fortune was Servius Tullius, made king of the Romans from a slave, who proclaimed to himself that the goddess Fortune was familiar, and that she glided through windows into his bedchamber to him, and therefore he dedicated in the Capitol Fortune Primigenia and Obsequent, as Plutarch says in Fortune of the Romans; but "Fortune whom she favors too much makes foolish," says Epictetus.
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And he shall think evil against them that have forsaken the covenant of the sanctuary. — Note: Certain Jews, traitors, brought in Antiochus against their fellow-citizens, and their country and their law; but him afterwards, faithless men, he likewise drove into exile or destroyed: such were Simon, Jason, Menelaus, concerning whom II Maccabees iv and following.
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31. And arms shall stand up out of him. — "Arms" are these leaders and princes whom Antiochus, after two years of his entry into Jerusalem, sent into Judaea to exact tribute, who afflicted the Jews more than Antiochus had afflicted them, I Maccabees i, 30 and 53; these profaned "the sanctuary of strength," that is the temple of God almighty and most strong. See cap. viii, vers. 10 and 11. Secondly, "of strength," because the temple was most fortified like a citadel; and because against invisible enemies, those praying in it and invoking God, it was a most firm asylum, likewise and a protection. And they shall give (that is, they shall place) an abomination (that is, a statue of Jupiter Olympius) unto desolation, — that is in the temple desolate and profaned, unto its complete desolation. See II Maccabees vi, 4 and 2. In Hebrew it is: They shall give the abomination of desolation, that is they shall place in the temple an idol of Jupiter, which shall be a sign of the desolate and of its sacred things destitute temple, and likewise a cause. Vatablus translates: They shall give the abomination of the devastator, that is of Antiochus, or that which stupefies, that is, which shall render men stupefied and astonished. Note: The Hebrews call an idol an abomination, that is a thing most abominable.
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32. And the wicked shall deal deceitfully against the covenant, — as if to say, Some of the faithless Jews, feigning themselves to burn with love of divine worship and of the Testament, that is the law, shall betray the people, the fatherland and religion to Antiochus, as I said a little before. See I Maccabees i, 42. The people that know their God shall prevail, and shall do. — In Hebrew it is: The people that know God shall strengthen, namely their heart; and shall do, that is shall act manfully, and shall constantly retain the ancestral religion unto the last breath of life, and shall overcome the tyrant, not by fighting, but by dying: for thus Antiochus was grieved that he was mocked by those seven brothers, when they were already dying, II Maccabees vii, 24 and 39.
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33. And the learned among the people. — Whom the preceding verse called the people that know their God, he now calls learned; for he who knows God well and worships him holily, he is most learned: for he understands the knowledge of the Holy Ones, as if to say, Pious Jews, such as were Mattathias, Eleazar, and others before the rest, especially priests and scribes; these shall resist Antiochus, and shall teach their own people both by word, but rather by example, to stand firmly in the law of their fathers, and therefore they shall suffer the utmost things from him, so much so that in three days alone eighty thousand of the Jews were slain by Antiochus, forty thousand bound, as many sold, as is said in II Maccabees v, 14; whence it follows: And they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, and by captivity, and by spoil of days. — He calls spoil of days the plundering of goods, which the Jews suffered from Antiochus for some days, that is years. Hear Josephus, XII Antiquities: Daily, he says, they were slain with the cruelest tortures. For being beaten severely with scourges, and their bodies lacerated, they were still living and breathing when fastened to crosses; likewise wives and circumcised children they strangled and hanged from the necks of the parents of the crucified.
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34. And when they shall have fallen (the Jews), they shall be lifted up with a small help, — with a small hand, with small forces of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, who often overthrew the greatest armies of Antiochus by God's aid, yet many fraudulently joined themselves to him; for this is what follows: "And there shall be joined to them (the Jews) many by deceit;" for many Jews, envying the glory of the Maccabees their liberators, laid snares for them. Hence it is clear that some of the Hebrews wrongly refer these things to Julian the Apostate in St. Jerome, who falsely aided the Jews in order to oppress the Christians through them. But this aid was small and of short duration: for from the context of the whole discourse it is evident that these things pertain to Antiochus and the Maccabees, not to Julian. 35. And of the learned (those knowing God, as I said in verse 32) shall fall. — In the Hebrew there is a beautiful paronomasia between משכילים maskilim, that is, the learned, and יכשלו iichscelu, that is, shall fall: for it is the part of the learned to fall, not in spirit, but in body; not by sinning, but by dying bravely for the law of God. Wherefore the Arabic version translated less correctly: And of the wise shall be overthrown, when they have sought them out. And they shall be melted (that is, as gold is cooked in fire, so that they may be proved and purified: for this is the Hebrew צרף tsaraph), and shall be chosen. — The Hebrew לברר lebarer, you may aptly translate, and shall be purified; for it follows, and shall be made white. Our version translates, shall be chosen: because things that are purified are wont to be selected and chosen from impure things; as gold in the furnace is chosen from dross. Whence the Hebrew barer signifies both to purify and to select the purified. Just as therefore gold in the furnace is first melted and cooked by the force of fire; secondly, purified and selected; thirdly, shines and gleams: so the just man in tribulation is first agitated and cooked by it; secondly, proved, purified and selected; thirdly, becomes white and gleams. And therefore, And shall be chosen, — namely for martyrdom, and for signal grace and glory, as if to say, God will permit such persecution and slaughter by Antiochus, that his elect learned in divine things shall in it as in a furnace boil, be purified, shine forth and be glorified: "For what fire is to gold, a file to iron, a fan to wheat, lye to cloth, salt to flesh; that tribulation is to just men." Cautery seems to be a wound, but it is a remedy for the wound: thus vexation seems to be an evil, but it is truly a remedy for evils. This is what Malachi says in chapter iii, 3: "God, he says, as a fire melting, and as the herb of fullers: and he shall sit melting and cleansing silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall strain them as gold and as silver, and they shall be to the Lord offering sacrifices in justice." Alchemists relate wonders about their philosopher's stone, namely that by its and fire's virtue quicksilver and metals are converted into gold. I would rather believe this speculatively than experience it practically. For I know that alchemy has reduced many rich men to poverty. But mystically it is most true: for the philosopher's stone is patience, which converts all tribulations into gold, that is, into consolations, riches, and glory present and eternal. Again, tribulation in the just consumes all carnal affections, and whatever in him is earthly and feculent, so that he may become pure, subtle, spiritual, heavenly and divine: "Men are refined by tribulations for this reason, that they may become vessels of election free from wickedness, and be filled with grace," says St. Augustine in Sentences, no. 204. Thus "poverty advanced poor Lazarus to philosophy, pain to virtue, contempt to patience," says Chrysologus, sermon 124. "Three things, says Ausonius, need no commendation to be proved or disproved: wise speech when uttered, good wine when drunk, a good man in calamities." Beautifully St. Augustine in Psalm li: "Whence you are pricked, thence is born the rose, with which you are crowned." Just as therefore from thorns the rose, so from tribulations is born consolation. Wherefore the same Augustine in Sentences, no. 23: "To the just, he says, by God's judgment power is often given to sinners, by which they persecute his saints, so that those who are moved by the Spirit of God may become brighter through the exercise of labors." I have said much about the usefulness of tribulations in Genesis xxxiii, at the end. Allegorically, this persecution of Antiochus and the patience and constancy of the Maccabees was a type of the ten persecutions of the Emperors, of the Persians, of the Goths, and of heretics; and of the constancy and triumphs of Christians in them. The first was that of Nero around the year of the Lord 68, when Rome was set on fire and burned: the occasion for which the Emperor Nero cast upon foreigners, Christians and Jews, and suddenly by his order they were cruelly tormented with questioning. Mockeries were added to those questioning, so that covered with the skins of beasts they would perish by the tearing of dogs, or affixed to crosses, or burned; and when daylight failed, they would be used for the purpose of nocturnal light. This first persecution of Christians took place in Rome: then it raged through all the provinces with equal savagery. Thus Baronius, vol. I, year 68, from Severus, lib. II of History. The Emperor Domitian succeeded to the wicked inheritance of Nero's hatred and impiety toward God. For he was the second who stirred up the fire of persecution against Christians. For he ordered John the Evangelist to be brought from Ephesus to the City, and commanded him to be cast into a vessel of boiling oil before the Latin Gate: when he came out unharmed from it, he banished him to the island of Patmos. Thus Eusebius Caesar., lib. III Eccles. Hist. cap. xiii, John Nauclerus, vol. I. Chron. gener. III, Baronius, year of Christ 93, vol. I. In the year of Christ 300, Diocletian in the East, and Maximian Herculeus in the West, exercised the tenth persecution after Nero against Christians, which more severe than all the others afflicted the Church incessantly for ten years and more: and although they always persecuted Christians before, yet in the 19th year of Diocletian's reign so cruel and so savage a persecution raged, that within one month 17,000 are found to have suffered martyrdom. For an edict went forth that all the churches which were in the world should be razed to the ground, and the sacred Scriptures everywhere burned with fire, and all who presided over churches should be placed in chains, and then forced to sacrifice to the gods with exquisite torments. For they seized, as Eusebius says, all the leaders of the churches and holy clergy, nobles and commoners, men and women together with children: and tormented them with various, unheard of and more cruel torments, as they could devise: of whom some, worn out, gave way, others kept patience unto the end. Thus John Nauclerus, vol. II Chronograph. gener. XI, from Eusebius. From these three persecutions learn what the other seven were like. In the year of Christ 420, Isdegerdes, king of the Persians, stirred up a persecution against the Church, seizing the occasion from a deed which I am about to relate. Audas the Bishop, a man adorned with many kinds of virtue, inflamed indeed with zeal not opportune, demolished a Pyreum. For the temples in which πύρ, that is their god of fire, is worshipped, the Persians call Pyrea. When the king was informed of this by the magi, he summoned Audas: and first he rebuked him gently, and ordered him to rebuild the Pyreum. When he contradicted him and denied that he would do it; the king threatened that he would destroy all the churches of Christians, and in fact he did it. For as soon as he ordered that divine man Audas to be slain, he commanded the churches to be torn down. This storm, agitated for thirty continuous years by the magi as if by certain whirlwinds, lasted. Moreover Gororanes, the son of Isdegerdes, became the successor both of his father's kingdom and of the war against piety stirred up by his father, since his father dying left these two things joined together to his son. But the kinds of torments and new cruelties inflicted on the pious by them can scarcely be described. For from some they strip the skin from the hands, from others from the back: from others they flay the skin from the forehead down to the beard: then they bind them tightly with strong cords from head to feet, and constrain each one with reeds pressed forcefully together, so that by tearing the part of skin to which the reeds had been applied, they would produce the bites of sharper pain. Indeed they even dig out lakes, join them together with the greatest care, then shut a great number of rats into them; finally they place the athletes of piety, their hands and feet bound, so that they cannot drive away the beasts, as food for the rats; but the rats, oppressed by hunger, gradually consume the flesh of the Saints, and thus bring upon them a prolonged and bitter torture. Yet by no means could they even thus blunt the fortitude and constancy of the athletes. For they ran forward of their own accord with great desire to meet death, through which the entrance to immortal life is opened, inflamed. Thus Theodoret, lib. V Eccles. Hist. cap. xxxix. Morally we are taught many things here. First, that these afflictions should not be feared by the Jews and other faithful, but happen by the judgment and counsel of God. Second, that God does not punish men in this life without measure and end, but sets a certain limit to His wrath. Third, that when men are judged by God, as St. Paul says, they are corrected by the Lord, lest they be condemned with this world. Fourth, that men are purified not only in the other life, but also in this life. Thus Maldonatus.
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Excellently St. Basil, homily 11 On Patience: "Just as, he says, a storm proves the helmsman of a ship, the stadium proves the athlete, the battle proves the soldier, and calamity proves the magnanimous man, so also temptation proves the Christian man. And just as the labors of contests draw athletes to crowns; so also the proof which descends from temptations draws Christian men to perfection, if we receive with fitting forbearance and with all thanksgiving those things which are ordained by the Lord. Are you poor? do not cast down your spirit, but place all your hope in the Lord. For He does not fail to see your distress, He has food in His hands; but yet He delays its provision, so that He may test your constancy." And a little further on: "Are you in sickness? bear it gladly: because whom the Lord bears in His eyes, Him He chastises. Are you poor? rejoice: because those good things will be conferred upon you which were once upon Lazarus. Are you afflicted with ignominy for the name of Christ? O blessed you! because your ignominy will be changed into the glory of an angel. Are you a servant? yet give thanks even thus: for you have one far inferior to you; give thanks, I say, that you pass over one thing, and that you have not been cast into the mill, and then that you are not beaten with scourges. Have chains been unjustly placed upon you? sustain yourself with the hope of future things. Have you been justly condemned? even thus give thanks." He adds examples: Pericles, who led home with a light the one beating him; Socrates, who inscribed upon his forehead the name of the one striking him; Euclid, who swore to the one threatening him with death that he would placate him, and would make him a friend out of an enemy. 36. And he shall do. — These things and those which follow thereafter until the end of the chapter, Illyricus takes of the Roman Pope, as one whom he himself asserts to be the Antichrist: but this is so absurd that it displeased even Calvin. Secondly, Calvin takes these things of the king, that is, of the kingdom of the Romans, which was before and until Christ: for the pagan Romans in that broad and proud empire of theirs worshipped gods and idols not except in appearance, but in reality only one God Maozim, that is, their own power, prudence and warlike fortune: as even now the unfaithful and political kings and princes do, who say: My right hand is God, the dart and what is missile from a book. See the sayings of Ezech. xxix, 3. Mars therefore and arms were to them the God Maozim: for gradually from empires and kings to Christ, the King of kings, of whom in the following chapter, in his manner Daniel descends. But this too is twisted and violent, as is evident: for the angel does not here act concerning the Romans, but concerning Antiochus and the Antichrist. Thirdly, therefore the Catholics, both now and formerly, as St. Jerome and Theodoret testify, teach that here the matter is not of Antiochus, but of the Antichrist, the antitype of Antiochus: for the angel flies here to the Antichrist in the prophetic manner; for he treats of him expressly in the following chapter, verses 1 and 2. But I say with Chrysostom and Maldonado: The angel here, as he began, so also he continues in recounting the deeds of Antiochus, as is evident from the very connection and context of these verses; but so that he only touches upon them in passing and lightly, and rather alludes to them parabolically as to a type, than describes them exactly: but in reality under the appearance of Antiochus he describes the Antichrist, and his customs. Thus Christ, Matt. xxiv, 25, from the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, passes over and flies to the destruction of the world. Thus Isaiah, chapter xiv, treats of the king of Babylon, as it were of Lucifer: whence he brings forth some things which suit the king more, some which suit Lucifer himself more. See Canon IV. That this is so will be evident in what follows. And he shall be directed. — In Hebrew vaiatsliach, that is, and he shall prosper, as if to say Antiochus himself will in some way overcome God, and after him the Antichrist, not by his own strength; but because God will allow Himself, on account of the sins of the people, to be overcome, as was said in chapter viii, 19. See also II Maccabees vi, 12. Until the wrath be completed (until the wrath of God, offended by the sins of His people, be satisfied, until God complete His indignation and vengeance; which being done, He will in turn rage against such enormous crimes both of Antiochus, and more of the Antichrist, whose type he was. For) it is perpetrated (that is, made and decreed) (by God this) definition, — that is, this certain prescription of time, as if to say This time in the foreknowledge and predestination of God is fixed for His punishment. Until the time prefixed (until this tempest pass, and cease at the time prefixed by God): because there will yet be another time, — namely of quiet and joy after so many sorrows and deaths, as if to say Act, hope, after the clouds Phoebus. In Hebrew it is, until the end of time, because it will yet be in the time appointed (persecution will last), as if to say This persecution will not cease before the time prescribed by God for punishing, proving, and purging the Jews shall have passed. B. Fulgentius, Bishop of Ruspe, whose most learned works are extant, when he had previously fled from the Moors who were persecuting him, fell in with the Arians, and having experienced their savage cruelty, he returned to the neighboring places of his province, choosing rather to have pagan Moors as neighbors than the most troublesome Arians. Thus the author of his Life relates. Around the year of the Lord 770, under Constantine Copronymus the iconoclast, forty-two monks, with their noses cut off and their beards smeared with pitch and burned, shut up in the vault of a bath, were there consumed by hunger and crowned with martyrdom, as the Chronicle of Sigebert has it, in the year of the Lord 770, and the Roman Martyrology on 12 January. Macedonius the heresiarch under the Emperor Constantius killed Catholics tortured with an unheard-of kind of torments. Among other things, he cut asunder the breasts of faithful women compressed between the lips of bows, and burned them with glowing iron. Thus the Roman Martyrology on 30 March. The Eutychians of Alexandria immediately after the death of the Emperor Marcian, a Catholic, killed Proterius their Bishop and Patriarch, a Catholic, together with other clergy with such cruelty that they tasted his entrails and ate his raw flesh, dragging the rest of his body through the streets of the city. Thus Evagrius, book II of the Ecclesiastical History, ix. See more things in our d'Aurout in the Catechism, chapter On the Persecution of the Faithful. These are ancient examples, to which our executioners in this age have not yielded either in cruelty, or our martyrs of England, France and Belgium in constancy, as is evident from the Theatre of Heretical Cruelty. Hear one illustrious example among many. In Delft, a city of the Batavi, Cornelius Musius was captured, and by the command of William, Prince of Orange, was thus tortured in various ways: he was hung from a very high ladder with his hands bound, and an intolerable weight was tied to his feet, so that all his joints were loosened: then his armpits were burned with burning torches. Soon he is stretched on his back, hot water is poured into his mouth, and his whole belly is filled with it, which is then beaten with clubs so that it all flowed out from every opening of his body. Afterwards, with his head turned downward, he is hung by two of the larger toes of his feet: then with his fingers of hands and feet cut off, he is dragged through the snow stained with his own blood into the city of Leiden of the Batavi, and thus finally after so many torments he is hanged by a noose. Thus the Annals of Belgium, and from them Thomas Bozius, vol. I On the Signs of the Church, book xi, chapter 1.
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Note: In Hebrew these following words can be joined to this, and thus translated contrary to the Septuagint: And in the desire of women, and over every God he shall not understand (the Syriac, shall not regard); because he shall magnify himself over all. They can also be joined to the preceding words, and thus translated with Vatablus: He shall not care even for the gods of his fathers, nor for the desire of women. 37. And the God of his fathers he shall not regard. — Not that Antiochus did not worship the gods of his fathers, for he compelled the Jews to worship them; but that he despised and persecuted the God of the Jews, whom nevertheless the former kings of Syria had so venerated that, although they still retained idols, they nevertheless adorned the temple at Jerusalem with many gifts, and supplied expenses for sacrifices, as is evident from II Maccabees iii, 2. Thus from Polycarp and Cardinal Hugh Maldonatus. Secondly and properly, Antiochus, being most arrogant, made little account of the gods of his fathers, as I shall say presently. This will be more truly of the Antichrist, who shall sit in the temple, and shall wish to be worshipped as a god. Concerning the Antichrist, his doctrine, morals, empire, miracles, etc., I have said much in II Thessalonians ii. I shall not therefore repeat those things here. And he shall be in the desires of women. — Which first thus St. Jerome and others explain, that is to say, the Antichrist, although he shall be most filthy in secret, shall nevertheless outwardly display great chastity, and shall pretend to abhor the desire of women, and shall know that saying: If not chastely, at least cautiously. Secondly and more aptly, that is to say, Antiochus and the Antichrist, although they shall be lustful, yet their ambition and cruelty shall surpass lust, so much so that they shall care neither for women nor for gods, when it is a matter of honor and extending empire, as I said of Pompey, Caesar and Antony, chapter ii, 43. Nay rather they shall be so cruel that they shall not even spare women, for whom mercy is usually shown in war: for thus Antiochus killed Jewish women equally with men, as is evident from II Maccabees chapter v, 13. Thus Maldonatus.
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But our Interpreter more aptly and truly separates and punctuates these things, and translates affirmatively: And he shall be in the desires of women; because it is certain that Antiochus was lustful even publicly; and the Antichrist will be more lustful. Whence also the Jews, among other good things of the earth, expect also a multitude of wives from this their Messiah. Hence also both the Arabic versions translate: And he shall do according to his will with women. Wherefore foolishly, or even with Calvin as an asserter, Illyricus refers these things to celibacy imposed on the clergy by the Church, as if this were a dogma and sanction of Antichrist, that is, the Pope, as he himself feigns. Nor shall he care for any of the gods. — These words fit Antiochus thinly, both because he himself did not care for the God of the Jews, who alone is truly God, but persecuted Him hostilely: thus Maldonatus; as if the angel here opposed all false gods to the true God, so that he who does not care for Him should be said to care for no God; but rather, because he himself, swollen with pride, made his gods of little account, and attributed more to himself and his own strength than to the gods themselves, thinking himself dependent on no one, and able like God to rule at pleasure, not only over men, but also over sea and mountains, as is said in II Maccabees ix, 8; for thus political men and atheists care for no God, indeed they deny all divinity. That therefore Antiochus ordered a statue of Jupiter Olympius to be set up in the temple of the Jews, he did not do so much from religion and devotion to Jupiter, as to profane the temple of the Jews and to overturn the worship of God. But truly and perfectly these things apply to the Antichrist, as I shall soon say. 38. But he shall worship the God of Maozim in his place. — Porphyrius foolishly, says St. Jerome, thought Maozim to be Modin, which was the homeland of Mattathias and the Maccabees. Note: Maozim in Hebrew signifies fortresses, citadels, strongholds, as Theodotion, Aquila, the Syriac, the Arabic, Vatablus and others translate it: thus our Interpreter takes it in the following verse. Symmachus translates it, refuges. Antiochus therefore built a citadel in Jerusalem, and in it and other cities placed strong garrisons, which in Hebrew were called Maozim: and from there Jupiter Olympius, it is evident from II Thessalonians ii, 4, as I said there; thirdly, that nevertheless he shall secretly worship his demon, by the name Maozim. Whence it is clear how foolishly the Novatians calumniate, while they assert the Roman Pope to be Antichrist: for none of these things have been done, or are done by the Popes. Hippolytus relates, in the book On the Consummation of the Age, that the Antichrist sends his legates, namely men it is evident from I Maccabees i, 57. Thus in the temple of Jerusalem he placed a statue of Jupiter Olympius, by which he wished the city, as the capital of the kingdom, to be fortified just as Rome by the Capitoline Jupiter. Thus Maldonatus. Thus Jeroboam, fearing lest the people should return to the temple and to Rehoboam, set up golden calves in Dan and Bethel. unharmed; because there the saints shall flee to deserts, and to mountains, and to caves. The beginning of the children of Ammon. — For beginning in Greek is ἀπαρχή, that is, principality, as if to say, Princes, or chief ones, or the better and best part (the Syriac, the rest, or the remnant) of the Ammonites, shall also escape his hand.
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purple, scarlet and gems, as was done with the Ephod of the high priest: which the Italians call by a similar word: Padiglione di seta e d'oro. St. Jerome places Apadno near Nicopolis, which was formerly called Emmaus, where the mountains of Judaea begin, and there Apadno is marked by Adrichomius in his Geographic Tables. But they themselves seem to have marked Apadno there not from the history or chorography of the ancients, but from the fact that Daniel here places the name Apadno between two seas; wherefore if with those who understand these things only of the Antichrist, you take Apadno as a proper name; you would say more aptly and truly that these names Maozim and Apadno have not yet been assigned to their places, but will be assigned in the time of the Antichrist from the event, when he himself will place there either his throne, or the idol of his demon Maozim. In like manner the place where the Antichrist will be slain with his followers is not yet called by name; but then it will be called from the event, namely from the slaughter of the Antichrist, Armageddon, that is the destruction of destruction, that is complete destruction, horma, or anathema, Apoc. xvi, 16. 45. And he shall fix his tabernacle at Apadno. — Porphyry thought Apadno was on Mount Elymaeus, which is situated in Elymais between two seas, that is great rivers, namely between the Tigris and Euphrates: where therefore he supposed Antiochus placed his tabernacle; and when he wished to plunder the temple of Diana there, he was put to flight by the inhabitants and died of grief. But St. Jerome rightly rejects this. For this mountain is not holy, nor in Judaea, nor between two seas: for rivers are not seas. By the same reasoning is refuted what some others suspect, that Apadno is Padan, that is Mesopotamia, so called because it is in the midst of two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates; for pasan in Hebrew is the same as par, or twin. Or certainly to be Babylon, which is near Mesopotamia, where the Tigris and Euphrates flow together. For they think the Antichrist will either be born in Babylon or will reign there. Better is St. Jerome: Apadno, he says, is not a proper name, but an appellative, signifying his palace, or his throne or seat, as the Chaldean translator rendered it, Jerem. xliii, 10. Whence Vatablus translates: And he shall pitch the tabernacles of his palace between two seas; but Symmachus and the Septuagint omit Apadno. The angel therefore signifies, not that Antiochus will build a palace in Jerusalem or Judaea, but that he will capture it by war: for to pitch one's tabernacle in some city is to capture it by war; for the name of a tabernacle is a military camp. Thus Maldonatus. To this agree the Syriac and Arabic, which likewise take Apadno as an appellative name, derived from the Syriac פדנ padan, that is two, pair. For from this Mesopotamia is called in Hebrew Padan Aram, as if to say Syria which lies between two rivers, namely the Tigris and Euphrates. Whence one might suspect Apadno to be in Mesopotamia. Furthermore the Syriac and Arabic translate this passage thus: And he shall fix his tabernacle in a level place (equal, even) between sea and mountain, and he shall keep his holiness, and the time of his end shall come, and there shall be no helper for him. Secondly and rather, Apadno seems to be a proper name of a place in Judaea, to be so called from the throne of the Antichrist, which he himself will place there; whence not only St. Jerome, but also Theodotion and Aquila translate it as Apadno; and all write Apadno with a capital A, as if it were a proper name of a place. Marinus of Brescia in his Lexicon thinks Apadno alludes to Ephod (for both are derived from the same root), as if to say: Like the precious Ephod, phodinum; for it will be made of purple, fine linen, hyacinth, scarlet and gems. Between the seas. — Thus the Hebrew, the Septuagint, Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and the Roman Latin Bible; although the Complutensian reads between two seas, namely in Judaea, and perhaps in Jerusalem, which is situated between two seas, namely between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Thus St. Jerome and Theodoret. The angel signifies that Antiochus, and much more the Antichrist, will rule over all Judaea, from one sea to the other. Upon the glorious and holy mountain. — For this mountain is either that of the temple, namely Sion and Moriah; or the Mount of Olives, says St. Jerome, from which the Antichrist is thought to be about to ascend into heaven; but he will be cast down by the angel and killed, and no one will be able to help him. Hence it appears that Apadno, and the tabernacle of the Antichrist will not be near Nicopolis, as St. Jerome wishes, but rather on Sion, or the Mount of Olives. And he shall come even to the summit thereof (of Mount Sion and the temple), and no one shall help him,—namely the mountain and temple, says Maldonatus, that is to say Antiochus, and much more Antichrist, shall take Jerusalem and Mount Sion; and neither God nor men shall defend him; as it is plain Antiochus did from the book of Maccabees. But others everywhere interpret it of Antiochus, or Antichrist: for Antiochus indeed, having taken and profaned Sion, was struck by God the avenger with a lethal disease, nor could anyone help him: much more shall Antichrist take Jerusalem and Sion, and there establish his royal seat and throne, as is plain from Apoc. xi, 8; and near it he shall be slain, nor shall anyone be able to help him, as I said a little before. For the Prophets speak concisely as if in rapture, and therefore omit many things: thus here the destruction and slaughter of Antichrist are passed over in silence. Whence Vatablus translates: When his end shall come, namely of the kingdom and life of Antichrist: No one shall help him. Note: Apoc. xix, 11 and seq., St. John saw Christ sitting upon a white horse, and wielding a sword from his mouth, and having upon his head many diadems, and a garment sprinkled with blood, coming forth from heaven with the heavenly hosts, and Antichrist with his false prophet seized alive cast down into the depths; and Gog and Magog, and all the soldiers of Antichrist slain by the sword which proceeded from his mouth. Lactantius, lib. VII, cap. xvii and xviii, seems to assert that this descent of Christ, the sword, the battle, etc., shall happen plainly according to the letter, as they sound. Hear him: "When these things, he says, are thus being done, the just and followers of truth shall separate themselves from the wicked, and shall flee into solitudes. Hither the impious king inflamed with anger shall come with a great army, and having brought all his forces shall surround the mountain in which the just shall dwell, that he may seize them. But they, when they see themselves shut in on all sides and besieged, shall cry out to God with a loud voice, and shall implore heavenly aid. God, moved by their twofold peril and pitiful lamentation, shall straightway send a liberator. Then the heaven shall be opened in the middle of a dark and stormy night, so that in the whole world the light of the descending God may appear as lightning. And before he descends, he shall give this sign: a sword shall suddenly fall from heaven, that the just may know that the leader of the holy army is descending: and he shall descend accompanied by angels into the midst of the earth. And the power of the angels shall deliver into the hands of the just that multitude which had surrounded the mountain, and it shall be cut down from the third hour until evening, and blood shall flow like a torrent, and when all the forces are destroyed the impious one alone shall escape, and his power shall depart from him. This is he who is called Antichrist: but he shall feign himself to be Christ, and shall fight against the true one, and being overcome shall flee, and shall often renew the war, and shall often be conquered, until in the fourth battle, when all the impious are destroyed, he shall at last be overcome and captured and pay the penalty of his crimes." But it seems more truly that these things were shown symbolically to John, signifying only the empire, dominion and command of Christ, by which he himself remaining in heaven through Michael, as it were his leader, accompanied by other angels, with great light as if by lightning shall strike and blast Antichrist, and thus shall deprive him of all force, strength and life, and cast him down into the depths. That this is so is plain first, because it is certain that those things which are said there of heaven opened, of white horses, of Christ's diadems and garment sprinkled with blood, of the title written on the thigh: "King of kings, and Lord of lords," shall not happen in reality, but are shown only symbolically in a vision to John to represent the mysteries of Christ, which I have explained in Apoc. xlix; therefore also the rest, since they are similar to these, are to be understood symbolically, not as things that shall happen in reality. By a similar scheme the Psalmist, Psalm xvii, describes symbolically and poetically God borne upon clouds, armed with hail, thunder, lightning, etc., descending to crush his impious enemies. Secondly, because the Apostle says in II Thessalonians ii, 8, that Christ will kill the Antichrist, not with a sword, but with the spirit, that is with the empire of his mouth, and with "brightness," that is with the splendor preceding and announcing "his coming." For with this brightness, as if with a thunderbolt sent from heaven, whether by himself or rather through Michael, he will strike down and consume the Antichrist. Thirdly, because Daniel, cap. xii, 1, says that then Michael will rise up in battle for Christ and Christians. Just as therefore a king wages war through a general and defeats the enemy: so Christ through Michael will defeat the Antichrist, for he is the governor of the Church, and therefore the general of Christ. Whence also in the Apocalypse xii, he is set forth as the general of Christian warfare, by which namely at the end of the world he will contend with Lucifer and the Antichrist for Christ and Christians, and will rout the Antichrist. Fourthly, because St. Peter, Acts cap. iii, 21, teaches that Christ after his ascension into heaven will remain there, and will not visibly descend from there except on the day of judgment when he will restore all things: therefore he will not descend to kill the Antichrist. For he will be killed over many days, and perhaps weeks and months, before the day of judgment, as I shall show in the following cap., verses 11 and 12. Fifthly, the right subordination of divine providence requires this. For God is accustomed to exercise his judgments through angels; for these are his ministering spirits, Hebrews i, 13. For the contrary would neither befit Christ nor the Antichrist; why indeed would Christ God, and Lord of all, with so many legions of angels and saints descend from heaven to defeat the Antichrist, who will be a miserable and vile little man, whom by a mere breath, indeed by a nod, he can kill, indeed annihilate? Why so many legions of angels, as if soldiers stand ready at his command for every nod of his, and from which one suffices to destroy many thousands of men? Sixthly, because the Sibyl, lib. III, predicts that the Antichrist will be blown upon with heavenly fire, namely with lightning, saying of him: "When burning power (namely fire and strong lightning) pouring forth comes upon the earth; and Belier will set on fire, and proud men, all whosoever shall have given faith to him." For Belier (that is Belial: for the letter l is often converted into r) that is the most impious man, without yoke, without bridle and law, is the Antichrist. It is proved first. Christ will kill the Antichrist, not with a sword, but with the spirit, that is with the empire of his mouth, and with "brightness," that is with the splendor preceding and announcing his coming. For with this brightness, as if with a thunderbolt sent from heaven, whether by himself or rather through Michael, he will strike down and blow upon the Antichrist, and thus will deprive him of all strength, vigor and life, and will hurl him down into the depths. Note secondly: The Antichrist, to prove himself to be Christ, like an ape of Christ will feign himself to die, and after death to rise to life, as appears in the Apocalypse xiii, 12. Hear St. Gregory lib. XI, epist. 4: "The Antichrist coming into the world will command the sabbath day and the Lord's day to be kept from all work. For because he will feign himself to die and rise again, therefore he will order the Lord's day to be held in veneration: but because he will compel the people to judaize (so that he may appear to be the Messiah promised to the Jews) so that he may restore the rites of the Mosaic law, and subject the perfidy of the Jews to himself, he will force the sabbath to be observed. After this feigned and hypocritical resurrection, he will ascend before all the people on the Mount of Olives (as Daniel here signifies), wishing
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
11:1
… Two of them, Michael (Dan. 10:13, 20-21; 11:1; 12:1) and Gabriel (Dan. 8:16; 9:21), provide for the interests of the Persians and the Greeks. …
11:4
PTOLEMIES. - Nine kings (of the "Lagid" dynasty) of Hellenistic Egypt, from 305 to 51 B.C., bore the name Πτολεμαίος; Dan. 11:4-29 alludes to them, referring to the first six Ptolemies. …
11:5
PTOLEMY I SOTER, son of Lagus (who gave the dynasty its name), a Macedonian noble, was a companion of Alexander the Great on his expedition to the East; on the conqueror's death (323) he obtained the satrapy and then (305) the throne of Egypt; Dan. 11:5, after alluding to Alexander, refers to Ptolemy I under the name of "king of the south"; it adds that one of the princes would be more powerful than he, and thus alludes to the relations …
11:6
who had Berenice and her son Antiochus slaughtered (it seems that Dan. 11:6 alludes to this).
PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHUS, born of Ptolemy I and Berenice in 309-308 on Cos, succeeded his father in 285; he married first his sister Arsinoe I and then his sister Arsinoe II; he above all promoted the arts and literature, while his generals proceeded to strengthen his power in the Mediterranean. Dan. 11:6 alludes to the marriage between Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II, and Antiochus II of Syria; the dowry was Coele-Syria, but after the death of Philadelphus Berenice was repudiated …
11:7
… who was still living at the time; once the prisoner had died, the expedition was carried through to its completion and the king of Egypt defeated his rival, but internal unrest forced him to withdraw, once again abandoning Coele-Syria to the Seleucids; Dan. 11:7-9 alludes to this.
11:10
… His reign is symbolized in Dan. 11:10-19 (cf. St. Jerome, in h. l.). In 205 he ordered a sumptuous cult throughout all the satrapies of the kingdom for himself and his wife Laodice, as gods, with high priests of both sexes …
On his death in 221 he was succeeded by his son PTOLEMY IV PHILOPATOR, who resumed the war against Syria; defeating the enemy king at Raphia in 217, he restored for a time the balance of the contending forces (cf. Dan. 11:10-12).
11:11
— A. IV (175-163 B.C.), called Epiphanés ("the manifest [god]"), but sometimes called by his subjects Epimanés, "the madman" (Athenaeus, Δειπνοσφαιστιά, 10), is the Seleucid of whom the Bible speaks most (Dan. 11:11-45; I Macc. 1:11-67; 2; 3; 6:1-16; II Macc. 4:7-9:20). He was the most execrable persecutor of Israel. …
11:13
There followed in 205-204 PTOLEMY V EPIPHANES, then five years old; when he later, in 193-192, married Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus, he received Coele-Syria as his wife's dowry (cf. Dan. 11:13-20; I Macc. 10:51-58).
11:17
The Old Testament has a very lofty concept of God. This already appears in the various names, among which the principal ones are: 'El, 'Elōhim, Jahweh; also fairly frequent is the form 'Elōah (cf. Is. 44:8; Ps. 17:32; Dan. 11:17 etc.), which designates divinity in general or is the proper name of the true God (cf. Deut. 32:15; Heb. 3:3 and often in Job). …
11:20
… Already St. Jerome (PL 25, 564 ff.), following the Greek text of Dan. 11:20, defined his reign as insignificant. …
11:21
… Haer., V, 25, 4; 28, 2) and Hippolytus already understood, of the A. ("Significari Antichristum nullus ambigit": St. Augustine, De Civ. Dei, 20, 19), whom the Apostle describes with the features of Antiochus IV expressed by Dan. 9:35-45; 11:21-12:1 (J. B. Orchard). …
… when his mother died, Antiochus IV (v.) of Syria took advantage of the occasion to begin a new war against Egypt in 169, retaking Coele-Syria and advancing as far as Alexandria; the Romans intervened, but Coele-Syria remained with the Seleucids (cf. Dan. 11:21-45; II Macc. 4:21).
11:30
… The Greeks gave the island the name of Κύπρος, which already appears in Homer, while the Phoenicians called it Kittim (= Citium), a name adopted by the Bible (Gen. 10, 4; Num. 24, 24 [and Dan. 11, 30]; Is. 23, 1. 12; Jer. 2, 10; Ez. 27, 6).
Kittim (Kittijīm, in Jer. 2, 10)
… the Sons of Darkness designates the Seleucids and the Ptolemies as K. Under the influence of the Targum (Gen. 10:14; 1 Chron. 1:7), the Vulgate translates K. as "Italy" in the oracle of Balaam (Num. 24:24) and as "Romans" (Septuagint 'Ρομώος) in Dan. 11:30.
I. ROME IN SACRED SCRIPTURE. - The Romans are perhaps spoken of in Dan. 11:30; of Rome or the Romans indirectly in 1 Macc. 1:11; 7:1, and directly in the account of the alliance requested (161 B.C.) by Judas Maccabeus to defend himself against the Syrian aggression …
11:31
no, morning and evening, called 'olat ha-tāmīd (Num. 28, 6. 10. 15. 23 ff.; Vulg. holocaustum iuge or sempiternum) and simply tāmīd in later Judaism (Dan. 8, 11-13; 11, 31; Mishnah); this rite is prescribed in Ex. 29, 38-42 and Num. 28, 3-4. 6. 8. As in these passages, hēbhes is often accompanied by the qualification ben-šanāh "[son] of a year": that …
11:36
The Syrian Baal of Byblos, Adôn-Elmun, is not named in the Bible, but allusions to his cult, which must have attracted the Israelites, are perhaps found in Dan. 11, 36, almost certainly in Is. 17, 10. For Zach. 12, 11, v. ADADREMOM.
… Having ascended the throne (175), A. was a capable king, but immeasurably proud (Dan. 11:36; II Macc. 5:21; 9:28), as his coins show (after 166), on which he gives himself the divine title of "manifestation" (of the divinity, Apollo or Zeus), of Nicephorus (victorious), of …
… In an improper sense, it is also used for the false divinities of other peoples, just as the plural 'elīm (Ex. 15, 11; Dan. 11, 36). Cf. F. Zorell, p. 51 ff.
Epistles I-II to the Thessalonians
… damned one, the adversary has been manifested (or 'the antichrist': cf. I Jn. 2:18-22: it is the synagogue in the collective sense, the Zealots, their leaders, or in particular one of these), he who opposes God and exalts himself (phrases taken from Dan. 11:36; cf. 8:10 f., spoken of the persecutor Antiochus IV Epiphanes, profaner of the Temple 'who shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god...'), to the point of taking his …
11:37
… He was "the delight of the women" of Syria (Dan. 11:37 ff.). …
11:43
and also the Vulgate adopt this twofold meaning in rendering: 1) Pâṭ (Jer. 49:9; Ex. 36:5), a territory along the coasts of the Red Sea, probably present-day Somalia; 2) Lâbhîm (Dan. 11:43; II Chron. 12:3; 16:8; cf. Lâhâbhîm of Gen. 10:13), always associated with Mîṣrâṭîm (= Egypt), designating the region west of the Nile Delta or present-day L.
11:44
Foretold in the Old Testament by the messianic prophecies (Is. 9, 6; Dan. 11, 44; Jer. 31, 31; Ez. 37, 24), the indefectibility of the Church is affirmed by Jesus Christ himself: «Tu sei Pietro e su questa pietra edificherò la mia Chiesa e le porte dell'inferno …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.