Daniel 11

Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.

1The angel said, "In the first year that Darius the Mede was king, I stood up. I stood there to help him and keep him strong."

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.

2Now I will tell you the truth. Three more kings will rule in Persia. Then a fourth king will come who is far richer than all of them. With his money he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

3And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

3Then a strong king will rise up. He will rule with great power. He will do just what he wants.

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.

4But once he is settled, his kingdom will break apart. It will be split four ways, like the four winds. His children will not get it. It will not be as strong as when he ruled. His kingdom will be pulled up and given to others.

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.

5The king of the South will grow strong. But one of his commanders will grow even stronger. That commander will rule his own kingdom with great power.

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.

6After some years the two kingdoms will make a deal. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North. But she will not keep her place of power. He will not stay strong either. She will be handed over. So will the people who came with her, her father, and the man who helped her.

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:

7Someone from her own family will rise up in her father's place. He will come with an army. He will get inside the strong fort of the king of the North. He will fight them and win.

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.

8He will carry their gods away to Egypt. He will take their metal statues and their fine silver and gold dishes. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone.

9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.

9Then the king of the North will march into the other king's land. After that he will go back to his own land.

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.

10But his sons will get ready for war. They will gather a huge army. It will sweep through like a flood. It will come back and fight all the way to the fort.

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.

11The king of the South will be very angry. He will march out to fight the king of the North. The king of the North will bring a big army. But that army will be handed over to his enemy.

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.

12When that army is carried off, the king of the South will feel proud. He will strike down many thousands of men. But he will not stay on top.

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.

13The king of the North will come back again. He will raise an army bigger than the first one. After some years he will march out with a great army and many supplies.

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.

14In those days many will rise up against the king of the South. Rough, violent men from your own people will rise up too. This will happen just as the vision said. But they will fail.

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.

15Then the king of the North will come. He will pile up dirt into a ramp against a city wall. He will capture the strong, walled city. The soldiers of the South will not stop him. Even their best soldiers will not be strong enough.

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.

16The one who comes will do just what he wants. No one will be able to stand up to him. He will settle in the Beautiful Land, and he will ruin it.

Note"The glorious land" or "Beautiful Land" is a name for the land of Israel.

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.

17He will decide to come with the full strength of his kingdom. He will make an agreement with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter to marry, hoping to ruin his kingdom. But the plan will not work or help him.

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.

18Then he will turn to the lands along the sea. He will capture many of them. But a commander will stop his proud insults. He will turn the shame back on him.

19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

19Then he will turn back to the forts in his own land. But he will trip and fall. He will be seen no more.

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.

20Another king will take his place. He will send out a man to collect taxes for the kingdom. But in a short time he will be destroyed. He will not die in anger or in a battle.

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.

21Then a hateful man will take his place. People will not give him the honor of a king. He will come when things seem calm. He will grab the kingdom by tricks.

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.

22Great armies will be washed away in front of him like a flood. They will be broken. A leader of the covenant will be swept away too. The covenant is the holy agreement God made with his people.

23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

23After a deal is made with him, he will lie and cheat. He will rise to power with only a few people.

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.

24When things seem calm, he will move into the richest parts of the land. He will do what his fathers and grandfathers never did. He will hand out stolen goods and riches to his men. He will make plans against strong forts. But this will last only for a while.

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.

25He will gather his power and courage against the king of the South. He will bring a great army. The king of the South will bring a huge, strong army too. But he will not hold out, because plans will be made against him.

26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.

26Men who eat food from his own table will try to destroy him. His army will be washed away. Many soldiers will fall dead.

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.

27Both kings will want to do harm. They will sit at one table and tell lies. But it will do them no good. The end will still come at the time God has set.

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.

28He will go back to his land with great riches. In his heart he will be against the holy agreement. He will do harm, and then go home.

29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

29At the set time he will go south again. But this time will not be like the time before.

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.

30Ships from Chittim will come against him. He will lose heart and turn back. He will be angry at the holy agreement and do harm. He will be kind to those who turn away from that holy agreement.

NoteChittim means the coasts and islands across the sea to the west, toward Greece and Italy.

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.

31His soldiers will come and make the temple unclean. They will stop the offering that was given every day. They will set up the hateful thing that leaves the temple empty.

NoteThe "daily sacrifice" was the offering given at the temple every morning and evening. The "abomination that maketh desolate" is a hateful thing set up in the temple that drove the worshipers away.

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.

32He will use smooth words to win over people who break the agreement. But the people who know their God will stand firm. They will act bravely.

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.

33The wise ones among the people will teach many others. But for a long time some will be killed by sword or fire. Some will be taken away, and their things will be stolen.

34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

34When they fall, they will get a little help. Many others will join them, but they will not truly mean it.

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.

35Some of the wise ones will fall. This will make them clean and pure, like cloth washed white. It will go on until the time of the end. That end will come at the set time.

36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

36The king will do just what he wants. He will lift himself up above every god. He will say terrible things against the God of gods. Things will go well for him until God's anger is finished. What God has decided will happen.

37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

37He will not care about the gods his fathers worshiped. He will not care about the one that women long for. He will not care about any god at all. He will lift himself above them all.

38But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

38Instead he will honor a god of forts. His fathers never knew this god. He will honor it with gold, silver, jewels, and fine gifts.

39Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

39He will attack the strongest forts with the help of a foreign god. He will give great honor to those who follow him. He will make them rulers over many people. He will hand out land for a price.

40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

40At the time of the end, the king of the South will attack him. The king of the North will rush at him like a windstorm. He will come with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will pour into many countries like a flood.

41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

41He will go into the Beautiful Land too. Many countries will fall. But Edom, Moab, and the main part of Ammon will get away from him.

42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

42He will reach out his hand over many countries. The land of Egypt will not get away.

43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

43He will take the gold, the silver, and all the riches of Egypt. The people of Libya and Cush will follow behind him.

44But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

44But news from the east and the north will scare him. So he will march out full of anger. He will go to destroy many people.

45And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

45He will set up his royal tents between the sea and the holy mountain. But his end will come. No one will help him.