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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 11:21-45

All this is a prophecy of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn spoken of before (Dan. 8:9) a sworn enemy to the Jewish religion, and a bitter persecutor of those that adhered to it. What troubles the Jews m 8000 et with in the reigns of the Persian kings were not so particularly foretold to Daniel as these, because then they had living prophets with them, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them; but these troubles in the days of Antiochus were foretold, because, before that time,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 11:31

And arms shall stand on his part ,.... Powerful armies sent by him into Judea; garrisons of soldiers placed in Jerusalem; mighty generals and commanders who fought for him, as Lysias, Philip the Phrygian, Andronicus, Apollonius, Bacchides, and others: and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength ; the temple, which stood in Jerusalem, a fortified city, and was itself a building strong and stable; and especially it was so called, because here the mighty God had his residence, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 11:32

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall be corrupted by flatteries ,.... That forsook the law of God, the book of the covenant, and did things contrary to it; and particularly violated the covenant of circumcision, drawing on the foreskin, and becoming uncircumcised; as well as rejected other ordinances of religious worship the Jews by covenant were obliged to observe: these apostates Antiochus corrupted by good words and fair speeches, by gifts and presents; and they became his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 11:33

And they that understand among the people shall instruct many ,.... Such as had a better understanding of divine things than others, had more light and knowledge in the sacred Scriptures, in the law of God, and in his mind and will, and were capable of teaching others; and such as these the Lord raises up among his people in the worst of times, in the times of the greatest apostasy and declension; and these are enabled to perform their duty, to instruct the people in theirs, teach them what... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:31

And arms shall stand on his part - After Antiochus, arms, that is, the Romans, shall stand up: for arms in this prophecy every where denote military potter, and standing up, the power in activity and conquering. Both Sir Isaac Newton and Bp. Newton agree, that what follows is spoken of the Romans. Hitherto Daniel has described the actions of the kings of the north and of the south, that of the kings of Syria and Egypt; but, upon the conquest of Macedon by the Romans, he has left off... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:32

Such as do wickedly against the covenant - This if understood of the Christian Jews, for the New had now succeeded to the Old, the whole of the Jewish ritual having been abolished, and Jerusalem filled with heathen temples. And he - the Roman power, did all he could by flatteries, as well as threats, to corrupt the Christians, and cause them to sacrifice to the statues of the emperors. But the people that do know their God - The genuine Christians. Shall be strong - Shall be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:33

And they that understand - The apostles and primitive Christians in general, who understood from the prophets, and his own actions, that Jesus was the true Messiah. Instruct many - Preach the Gospel every where, and convert multitudes to the faith. Yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days - They were exposed to the malice and fury of their enemies, during Ten State Persecutions, and suffered all kinds of tortures, with but little... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:31

Verse 31 Here the angel describes the intestine evils of the Church, and more fully explains what he touched on in the last verse. He says, The arms shall stand up for Antiochus Some explain this of the garrison which that tyrant imposed on Jerusalem But it is seems too far-fetched. I do not hesitate to suppose the angel to refer here to the apostates and forsakers of the Law. Arms, then, shall stand up from him, meaning, he shall not contend in his own strength, but shall rely upon the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:32

Verse 32 We stated in the last Lecture, the seriousness of the test by which God proved the faithfulness of his people, in allowing Antiochus such unbounded liberty to pollute the Temple, and to abolish, for a time, all the sacrifices and services. He next set up in the midst of the Temple that abomination which cast down the spirits of the pious; for that prodigy could not be witnessed without the most profound astonishment. No one could suppose it possible, that God would expose his own... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 11:33

Verse 33 With reference to the words, they mean, those who shall be taught among the people shall make many understand Some take the first word of the verse transitively, as “those who shall instruct,” but this is wrong; and they shew their ignorance by supposing the relative pronoun understood before the next verb, as if it were, “and those who shall teach.” The simple sense is, “Those who shall be wise among the people shall teach many.” Here the Prophet, under the angel’s guidance, predicts... read more

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