Daniel 11:22
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. | Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant. | And the overwhelming forces shall be overwhelmed from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedDaniel 11:21 introduces a "vile person" who takes the kingdom by flatteries. Verse 22 says the forces set against him will be swept away like a flood and broken, and even "the prince of the covenant" will fall. Verse 23 goes on to say he works deceitfully after a league is made with him. Daniel 11:21Daniel 11:22Daniel 11:23
SpeakingThe one speaking to Daniel in this vision, who says he stood to confirm and strengthen Darius the Mede. Daniel records it in the first person. Daniel 11:1Daniel overview
ToDaniel. Through him the book speaks to God's people in exile and after it, and to readers looking to "the time of the end." Daniel overview
Also involvedArmies that stand against the vile person, and a leader called "the prince of the covenant." The text does not name either one. Daniel 11:21Daniel 11:22
The vile person's opponents are overwhelmed as if by a flood, swept away from before him and broken. The word "also" adds that a covenant leader is broken too. The chapter goes on to say that his heart turns "against the holy covenant." Daniel 11:22Strong's H7857Strong's H7665Strong's H1571Daniel 11:28Daniel 11:30
The book was written from Babylon, where Daniel served under Babylonian and then Persian kings. The struggle in the chapter is between the king of the north and the king of the south, reaching Egypt and "the glorious land." Daniel overviewDaniel 11:8Daniel 11:16Daniel 11:41Daniel 11:42
The eventsThe verse is set in a line of kings of the north and south that follows the kings of Persia and the breakup of a mighty king's kingdom toward the four winds. The text does not give a date for this verse. Daniel 11:2Daniel 11:3Daniel 11:4
WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC, with the events running to about 536 BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the final form to about 167-164 BC, under the Greek king Antiochus IV, because chapter 11 describes those years in detail; others keep the 500s BC date. Daniel overview
HereThe verse shows how the vile person, after gaining the throne by flattery, crushes all resistance. This sets the stage for the later attacks on the covenant people and the sanctuary. Daniel 11:21Daniel 11:22Daniel 11:31Daniel 11:32
In the whole of ScriptureDaniel teaches that God sets up and removes kings. Chapter 11 repeats that events come "at the time appointed" and that "that that is determined shall be done." Daniel overviewDaniel 11:27Daniel 11:29Daniel 11:36
For readersEven when a ruthless power floods over all opposition, God's people are told that "the people that do know their God shall be strong." Their trials are said to try and purge them until the appointed time. Daniel 11:32Daniel 11:35
Christians read this differently
The text does not say who "the prince of the covenant" is. Some take him to be a leader of God's people, since the chapter speaks of "the holy covenant" (11:28, 30, 32). Others see a ruler allied to the vile person by treaty, since the covenant word can mean a league (11:23); still others link him with the Messiah who is "cut off" in 9:26, a verse that also speaks of a flood. Daniel 11:22Daniel 11:23Daniel 11:28Daniel 11:30Daniel 11:32Strong's H1285Daniel 9:26
- overflownשָׁטַף
It means to overflow or engulf, and in this form to be swept away. The chapter uses the same picture of armies that "overflow, and pass through" (11:10, 11:40), so the image is of a military force sweeping opponents away. Strong's H7857Daniel 11:10Daniel 11:40
- floodשֶׁ֫טֶף
It means a flood or downpour. Daniel 9:26 also speaks of an end "with a flood" in a time of war, and Amos 9:5 uses a flood for overwhelming judgment. Strong's H7858Daniel 9:26Amos 9:5
- armsאֶדְרַע
It is glossed here as "forces," with the sense of arm, strength or power. "The arms of a flood" pictures overwhelming armed forces, not literal limbs. Strong's H2220
- covenantבְּרִית
It can mean a treaty or alliance between people, or a covenant between God and man. That range is part of why the identity of "the prince of the covenant" is open. Strong's H1285Daniel 11:23Daniel 11:28
- princeנָגִיד
It means a leader, ruler, captain or prince. It points to a person in authority, not necessarily a king's son. Strong's H5057
Takeaway
Daniel 11:22 shows a deceitful ruler crushing every rival and even a covenant leader. The chapter insists that his schemes run only within God's limits: "yet the end shall be at the time appointed," and "that that is determined shall be done." Daniel 11:22Daniel 11:27Daniel 11:36
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 [the] forces of | וּזְרֹע֥וֹת | u-ze-ro-'ot | H2220 | forceאֶדְרַע (ed.ra) strong, force, arm, power Aramaic of ze.ro.a (זְרוֹעַ "arm" H2220) |
| the flood | הַשֶּׁ֛טֶף | ha-SHE-tef | H7858 | floodשֶׁ֫טֶף (she.teph) flood, downpour Also means: she.tseph (שֶׁצֶף "overflowing" H8241) |
| they will be swept away | יִשָּׁטְפ֥וּ | yi-sha-te-FU | H7857 | to overflowשָׁטַף (sha.taph) 1) to wash, rinse, overflow, engulf, rinse or wash off 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to overflow 1a2) to flow, run 1a3) to rinse or wash off 1b) (Niphal) to be swept away, be rinsed out 1c) (Pual) to be rinsed, be scoured and rinsed |
| from to before him | מִלְּפָנָ֖יו | mi-le-fa-NAV | H6440G | face: beforeפָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of |
| so they may be broken | וְיִשָּׁבֵ֑רוּ | ve-yi-sha-VE-ru | H7665 | to breakשָׁבַר (sha.var) 1) to break, break in pieces 1a) (Qal) 1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench 1a2) to break, rupture (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked 1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig) 1c) (Piel) to shatter, break 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth 1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406) |
| and also | וְגַ֖ם | ve-GAM | H1571 | alsoגַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike |
| a prince of | נְגִ֥יד | ne-GID | H5057 | leaderנָגִיד (na.gid) 1) leader, ruler, captain, prince 1a) ruler, prince 1b) prince-overseer 1c) ruler (in other capacities) 1d) princely things |
| a covenant | בְּרִֽית׃ | be-RIT | H1285 | covenantבְּרִית (be.rit) 1) covenant, alliance, pledge 1a) between men 1a1) treaty, alliance, league (man to man) 1a2) constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects) 1a3) agreement, pledge (man to man) 1a4) alliance (of friendship) 1a5) alliance (of marriage) 1b) between God and man 1b1) alliance (of friendship) 1b2) covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges) 2) (phrases) 2a) covenant making 2b) covenant keeping 2c) covenant violation |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.