Daniel 11:13
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | For 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. | For the king of the North will raise another army, larger than the first, and after some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies. | And the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; and he shall come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with much substance. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedAfter the king of the south defeats the northern king's huge army but gains no lasting strength from it (11:11-12), this verse says the king of the north will come back. Years later he will bring an even bigger army and great wealth. This sets up the southern king's defeat and the northern king's advance in the verses that follow (11:14-16). Daniel 11:11Daniel 11:12Daniel 11:13Daniel 11:14Daniel 11:15Daniel 11:16
SpeakingThe speaker is not named in these verses. He calls himself "I" and says he stood to confirm and strengthen Darius the Mede (11:1). He now shows Daniel "the truth" about the kings to come (11:2). Daniel 11:1Daniel 11:2
ToDaniel, who receives the vision and is told of what will happen to "thy people" (11:14). Daniel 11:14Daniel overview
Also involvedThe king of the north and the king of the south, whose wars fill the chapter, and Daniel's people, whose "glorious land" lies in the path of these armies (11:14, 11:16). The text does not name these kings. It places them among the kingdoms that come after Grecia's empire is broken and divided "toward the four winds" (11:2-4). Daniel 11:2Daniel 11:3Daniel 11:4Daniel 11:14Daniel 11:16
This is a prediction of war. The northern king, once beaten, will gather a larger force than before. He will return "after certain years" with a great army and much wealth to fight again. Daniel 11:11Daniel 11:12Daniel 11:13
Daniel received the vision in the Persian era, and the book was written from Babylon. The armies move between the north and the south, the south being tied to Egypt (11:8, 11:42), and they cross the "glorious land" (11:16). Daniel overviewNorthDaniel 11:8Daniel 11:16Daniel 11:42
The eventsThe events come some years after the battle in 11:11-12. The Hebrew reads literally "at the end of the times, years," much like "in the end of years" in 11:6. They belong to the long series of north-south wars that runs to "the time of the end" (11:35, 11:40). Daniel 11:6Daniel 11:12Daniel 11:13Strong's H7093Strong's H6256Strong's H8141Daniel 11:35Daniel 11:40
WrittenTraditional view: Daniel wrote it in the 500s BC, and the vision is dated to the third year of Cyrus, about 536 BC. Scholarly view: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC because chapter 11 describes those years in detail. Others keep the 500s BC date, pointing to Jesus' words in Matthew 24:15. Daniel overview
HereThe verse explains why the southern king's victory did not last (11:12). The north will return stronger, and the balance of power will shift (11:14-15). Daniel 11:12Daniel 11:13Daniel 11:14Daniel 11:15
In the whole of ScriptureThe book teaches that God sets up and removes kings (2:21) and that "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men" (4:17). The rise and fall of these armies was told beforehand, and "that that is determined shall be done" (11:36). The end comes "at the time appointed" (11:27, 11:35). Daniel overviewDaniel 11:27Daniel 11:35Daniel 11:36
For readersReaders see that no victory of earthly kings is final. God knows the course of history ahead of time. God's people are called to know their God and stay strong through such turmoil (11:32). Daniel 11:12Daniel 11:13Daniel 11:32Daniel overview
- multitudeהָמוֹן
The word means crowd, tumult, or great number, and can also mean abundance or wealth. The verse compares this new force with "the former" multitude that was given into the southern king's hand in 11:11-12. Strong's H1995ADaniel 11:11Daniel 11:12Daniel 11:13
- returnשׁוּב
The word means to turn back or come back. The chapter keeps describing kings who return (11:9, 11:10, 11:28-29), and this verse is one more turn in that back-and-forth. Strong's H7725JDaniel 11:9Daniel 11:10Daniel 11:28Daniel 11:29
- endקֵץ
"After certain years" is literally "at the end of the times, years." The word means end, especially the end of a time. The chapter later speaks of "the end" and "the time of the end" (11:27, 11:35, 11:40). Strong's H7093Strong's H6256Strong's H8141Daniel 11:27Daniel 11:35Daniel 11:40
- richesרְכוּשׁ
The word means property or movable goods, including livestock and stores. So the king comes with full supplies as well as soldiers. Strong's H7399
- armyחַ֫יִל
The word can mean strength, ability, wealth, or army. Here it is the force the king brings with him. Strong's H2428ADaniel 11:13
Takeaway
A beaten king can come back stronger, and the southern king's pride did not secure his victory (11:12-13). Daniel shows that God foretells and rules over all such wars. He has fixed their end "at the time appointed" (11:27, 11:36). Daniel 11:12Daniel 11:13Daniel 11:27Daniel 11:36Daniel overview
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and he will return | וְשָׁב֙ | ve-SHAV | H7725J | to return: returnשׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) … |
| [the] king of | מֶ֣לֶךְ | ME-lekh | H4428G | kingמֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) 1) king Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430) |
| the north | הַצָּפ֔וֹן | ha-tza-FON | H6828G | northצָפוֹן (tsa.phon) 1) north (of direction), northward 1a) north 1b) northward |
| and he will raise up | וְהֶעֱמִ֣יד | ve-he-'e-MID | H5975I | to stand: standעָמַד (a.mad) : stand/stop/establish 1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of 1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease 1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast 1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground 1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright 1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against … |
| a multitude | הָמ֔וֹן | ha-MON | H1995A | crowdהָמוֹן (ha.mon) 1) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound 1a) sound, murmur, rush, roar 1b) tumult, confusion 1c) crowd, multitude 1d) great number, abundance 1e) abundance, wealth |
| great | רַ֖ב | rav | H7227A | manyרַב (rav) adj 1) much, many, great 1a) much 1b) many 1c) abounding in 1d) more numerous than 1e) abundant, enough 1f) great 1g) strong 1h) greater than adv 1i) much, exceedingly |
| more than | מִן־ | min- | H4480A | fromמִן־ (min) prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that … |
| the first | הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן | ha-ri-SHON | H7223G | firstרִאשׁוֹן (ri.shon) : first adj 1) first, primary, former 1a) former (of time) 1a1) ancestors 1a2) former things 1b) foremost (of location) 1c) first (in time) 1d) first, chief (in degree) adv 2) first, before, formerly, at first |
| and to [the] end of | וּלְקֵ֨ץ | u-le-KETZ | H7093 | endקֵץ (qets) 1) end 1a) end, at the end of (of time) 1b) end (of space) |
| the times | הָֽעִתִּ֤ים | ha-'i-TIM | H6256 | timeעֵת (et) 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion |
| years | שָׁנִים֙ | sha-NIM | H8141 | yearשְׁנָה (she.nah) year Aramaic of sha.neh (שָׁנָה "year" H8141) |
| he will come | יָ֣בוֹא | YA-VO' | H0935G | to come (in): comeבּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put |
| certainly come | ב֔וֹא | Vo' | H0935G | to come (in): comeבּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put |
| with an army | בְּחַ֥יִל | be-CHA-yil | H2428A | strength: soldiersחַ֫יִל (cha.yil) : soldiers/army 1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army 1a) strength 1b) ability, efficiency 1c) wealth 1d) force, army |
| large | גָּד֖וֹל | ga-DOL | H1419A | great: largeגָּדוֹל (ga.dol) adj 1) great 1a) large (in magnitude and extent) 1b) in number 1c) in intensity 1d) loud (in sound) 1e) older (in age) 1f) in importance 1f1) important things 1f2) great, distinguished (of men) 1f3) God Himself (of God) subst 1g) great things 1h) haughty things 1i) greatness Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K) § Haggedolim = "the great one" (CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel |
| and with equipment | וּבִרְכ֥וּשׁ | u-vir-KHUSH | H7399 | propertyרְכוּשׁ (re.khush) 1) property, goods, possessions 1a) property, goods 1a1) general term for all movable goods 1a2) of livestock 1a3) of stores, utensils, etc |
| much | רָֽב׃ | Rav | H7227A | manyרַב (rav) adj 1) much, many, great 1a) much 1b) many 1c) abounding in 1d) more numerous than 1e) abundant, enough 1f) great 1g) strong 1h) greater than adv 1i) much, exceedingly |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.