At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
Read it in contextKings of the South and North
Start reading at Daniel 11:1 (Daniel 11:1 to Daniel 11:35).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The final vision extends the conflict and hope, closing with instructions about the words and Daniel's own appointed end.
11:1Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
11:2And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.
11:3And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
11:4And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.
11:5And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.
11:6And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.
11:7But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:
11:8And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.
11:9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.
11:10But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.
11:11And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.
11:12And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.
11:13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
11:14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.
11:15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.
11:16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.
11:17He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.
11:18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but 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.
11:19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
11:20Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
11:21And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
11:22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
11:23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
11:24He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
11:25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
11:26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.
11:27And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
11:28Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.
11:29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
11:30For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
11:31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
11:32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
11:33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
11:34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
11:35And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Daniel is the traditional author and the named recorder of the later visions. Jesus refers to Daniel the prophet; the date and compilation of the book are debated in historical scholarship. Biblical references: Daniel 7:1; Daniel 8:1; Daniel 12:4; Matthew 24:15. traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Daniel 10:1–12:13): Daniel receives the heavenly message concerning his people and coming conflicts; those described in the prophecy are distinguished from Daniel as the immediate recipient. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? God's people living under foreign empires and later faithful readers seeking understanding. Within the stories, messages are also delivered to particular Babylonian and Persian rulers. Biblical references: Daniel 1:6; Daniel 4:1; Daniel 12:4. book background
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Kings of the South and North. Read Daniel 11:1 through Daniel 11:35 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The final vision extends the conflict and hope, closing with instructions about the words and Daniel's own appointed end. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The narratives and visions name rulers of Babylon and succeeding powers. Dates of visions and periods represented by symbols are different kinds of information. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The narratives are set in exile under foreign rulers, while visions portray additional realms and future conflicts. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Kings of the South and North (Daniel 11:1 to Daniel 11:35).
Start reading at Daniel 11:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Jesus uses the title Son of man and refers to Daniel. The New Testament supplies connections to Daniel's visions; precise modern identifications and timetables still require careful argument. See Daniel 7:13, Matthew 24:15, Matthew 26:64. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Remain faithful under pressure and reject confidence rooted in human power. Distinguish the book's supplied interpretations from later attempts to identify every symbol. interpretation
Cited: Daniel 11:1, Daniel 11:35, Daniel 7:13, Matthew 24:15, Matthew 26:64
Who wrote it, and how we know
DanielNamed in Scripture
What Scripture saysLarge sections are written in the first person by Daniel, and Jesus refers to Daniel the prophet. Daniel 7:2Daniel 8:1Matthew 24:15
Early traditionJewish and Christian tradition names Daniel in the sixth century B.C.
What is debatedMany critical scholars date the book to the second century B.C. because of its detailed prophecy of that period. Jesus naming Daniel as a prophet is a significant argument for the traditional view.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Daniel 11
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Daniel places its narratives and visions in the setting of foreign empires and exile. The book itself supplies some interpretations of symbols; further timetables and modern identifications require separate argument and should be labeled accordingly. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The final vision extends the conflict and hope, closing with instructions about the words and Daniel's own appointed end.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The final vision extends the conflict and hope, closing with instructions about the words and Daniel's own appointed end.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Daniel
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Daniel places its narratives and visions in the setting of foreign empires and exile. The book itself supplies some interpretations of symbols; further timetables and modern identifications require separate argument and should be labeled accordingly.