Clarke's Bible Commentary - Daniel 11:24
Verse 24. He shad enter peaceably even upon the fattest places] The very richest provinces-Coelesyria and Palestine. He shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers] He became profuse in his liberalities, and scattered among them the prey of his enemies, the spoil of temples, and the riches of his friends, as well as his own revenues. He spent much in public shows, and bestowed largesses among the people. We are told in 1 Macc. iii. 30, that "in the liberal giving of gifts he abounded above all the kings that went before him." These are nearly the words of the prophet; and perhaps without any design to copy them on the part of the apocryphal writer. He would sometimes go into the streets, and throw about a handful of money, crying out, "Let him take it, to whom Fortune sends it." He shall forecast his devices] As Eulaeus and Lenaeus, who were the guardians of the young Egyptian king Ptolemy Philometer, demanded from Antiochus the restitution of Coelesyria and Palestine, which he refused, he foresaw that he might have a war with that kingdom; and therefore he forecast devices- fixed a variety of plans to prevent this; visited the strong holds and frontier places to see that they were in a state of defense. And this he did for a time-he employed some years in hostile preparations against Egypt.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 24. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province , etc.] Or, “into tranquillity, and the fattest places of the province” f547 ; that is, into such places as were in great tranquillity, and men thought themselves safe and secure, and had no suspicion of his designs upon them, and which abounded in wealth and riches: these were either the principal cities in the kingdom of Syria, which he visited in order to establish himself in their good opinion of him; or the chief places of the province of Phoenicia, where he endeavoured to make himself acceptable by his munificence; or it may be the best parts of the kingdom of Egypt are meant, the richest of them, such as Memphis, and the places about it; where, as Sutorius in Jerome says, he went; and which places being fat, producing a large increase, and abounding in wealth, invited him thither; and which wealth he took, and scattered among his friends and soldiers, as in a following clause: and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers ; none of his ancestors, more near or more remote; not Antiochus the great, nor Seleucus Ceraunus, nor Seleucus Callinicus, nor Antiochus Theos, nor Antiochus Soter, nor Seleucus Nicator, the founder of the Syrian empire; for, however greater these might be in power or riches, they were inferior to him in success; though they all, or most of them, however, had their eye upon Egypt, and would gladly have been masters of it; yet none of the kings of Syria prevailed over it, as Antiochus did; and this may also refer to what follows: he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches ; which he took from the places or rich cities he entered into; and these he plentifully and liberally dispersed among his followers, his soldiers, “the small people” he became strong with, ( Daniel 11:23), whereby he gained their affections, and attached them to his interest; and in this his liberality and munificence he is said to abound above all the kings that were before him, in the Apocrypha: “He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.” (1 Maccabees 3:30) and the character Josephus gives of him is, that he was a man of a large and liberal heart: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds ; the fortresses of Egypt; as he got into the fat and richest parts of it, and distributed the wealth of them among his favourites and followers, which answered a good purpose; so he had his eye upon the fortified places of the kingdom, and contrived ways and means to get them into his possession, as Pelusium, and other places; and how to keep them when he had got them, which he did: even for a time ; till Ptolemy Philometor was at age, and freed himself from him; or till the Romans put a stop to his power.
Matthew Henry Commentary
The vision of the Scriptures of truth.
Dan. 11:1-30 The angel shows Daniel the succession of the Persian an Grecian empires. The kings of Egypt and Syria are noticed: Judea wa between their dominions, and affected by their contests. From Dan 11:5-30, is generally considered to relate to the events which came to pass during the continuance of these governments; and from Dan. 11:21 to relate to Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a cruel and violen persecutor of the Jews. See what decaying, perishing things worldl pomp and possessions are, and the power by which they are gotten. God in his providence, sets up one, and pulls down another, as he pleases This world is full of wars and fightings, which come from men's lusts All changes and revolutions of states and kingdoms, and every event are plainly and perfectly foreseen by God. No word of God shall fall to the ground; but what he has designed, what he has declared, shal infallibly come to pass. While the potsherds of the earth strive with each other, they prevail and are prevailed against, deceive and ar deceived; but those who know God will trust in him, and he will enabl them to stand their ground, bear their cross, and maintain their conflict.
Dan. 11:31-45 The remainder of this prophecy is very difficult, an commentators differ much respecting it. From Antiochus the accoun seems to pass to antichrist. Reference seems to be made to the Roma empire, the fourth monarchy, in its pagan, early Christian, and papa states. The end of the Lord's anger against his people approaches, a well as the end of his patience towards his enemies. If we would escap the ruin of the infidel, the idolater, the superstitious and crue persecutor, as well as that of the profane, let us make the oracles of God our standard of truth and of duty, the foundation of our hope, an the light of our paths through this dark world, to the glorious inheritance above __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
בשׁלוה 7962 ובמשׁמני 4924 מדינה 4082 יבוא 935 ועשׂה 6213 אשׁר 834 לא 3808 עשׂו 6213 אבתיו 1 ואבות 1 אבתיו 1 בזה 961 ושׁלל 7998 ורכושׁ 7399 להם 1992 יבזור 967 ועל 5921 מבצרים 4013 יחשׁב 2803 מחשׁבתיו 4284 ועד 5704 עת׃ 6256
