Daniel 11:38
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | But 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. | And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. | But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedDaniel 11:36-39 describes a king who exalts himself above every god and does not regard the God of his fathers. Verse 38 shows that he still worships something. He honours a 'God of forces' and a god his fathers never knew, and he lavishes gold, silver, precious stones and pleasant things on it. Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:37Daniel 11:38Daniel 11:39
SpeakingThe speaker is not named in these verses. He is an 'I' who says he stood to confirm and strengthen Darius the Mede in his first year, and who now shows 'the truth' about coming kings. Daniel 11:1Daniel 11:2
ToDaniel receives the vision, and he speaks in the first person in chapters 7-12. The book is written for God's people in exile and after, and it is sealed 'to the time of the end.' Daniel 11:2Daniel overview
Also involvedThree groups are in view: the self-exalting king of verse 36, the people he makes 'rule over many,' and God's faithful people, who in this time of trouble 'know their God' and 'shall be strong' (11:32-33). Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:39Daniel 11:32Daniel 11:33
The king turns from his ancestral God and honours a god of 'forces,' a word meaning strongholds or places of safety. He pours wealth on this new god. Verse 39 says he acts 'in the most strong holds with a strange god' and increases it with glory. Daniel 11:37Daniel 11:38Daniel 11:39Strong's H4581
Daniel served in Babylon under Babylonian and then Persian kings, and one vision places him at Shushan. This verse names no place. In the passage, the king's acts reach the 'strong holds,' the glorious land, Egypt, and the 'glorious holy mountain.' Daniel overviewDaniel 11:39Daniel 11:41Daniel 11:42Daniel 11:45
The eventsThe book's events run to the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, about 536 BC. This vision runs from the Persian kings through the kingdom of Grecia and its division, and on to 'the time of the end.' Daniel overviewDaniel 11:2Daniel 11:4Daniel 11:35Daniel 11:40
WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the final form to about 167-164 BC under Antiochus IV, because chapter 11 describes those years in detail. Daniel overview
HereThe verse exposes what this proud king truly trusts: strength, and the wealth he spends on it. He boasts that he is above every god, yet he ends up serving a god of power. Daniel 11:37Daniel 11:38Daniel 11:39
In the whole of ScriptureDaniel shows that the most High rules in the kingdom of men. This king prospers only 'till the indignation be accomplished.' In the end 'he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.' Daniel overviewDaniel 11:36Daniel 11:45
For readersGods honoured with gold and silver cannot save; Isaiah says such 'delectable things shall not profit.' Against a ruler like this, 'the people that do know their God shall be strong.' Isaiah 44:9Daniel 11:32
Christians read this differently
No cited Scripture names this king or the 'God of forces.' Some read verses 36-39 as still describing the 'vile person' of verses 21-35. Others read them as a future ruler at 'the time of the end,' and link him to the beast who demands worship in Revelation 13. Daniel 11:21Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:40Revelation 13:12
- forcesמָעוֹז
The word means a place or means of safety: a refuge or stronghold. The king's 'god' is tied to fortresses and strength, which matches the 'most strong holds' of verse 39. Strong's H4581Daniel 11:39
- knewיָדַע
The word means to know, including to know by experience or to acknowledge. His ancestors never knew this god. So it is a new god, and honouring it is a break with the God of his fathers that verse 37 says he does not regard. Strong's H3045Strong's H0001GDaniel 11:37
- honourכָּבֵד
The word's meanings run from 'to be heavy' or 'weighty' to 'to honour' and 'glorify,' and here it is glossed 'he will honor.' The verse ties this honour to gifts of gold, silver, precious stones and pleasant things, and verse 39 says he will 'increase' this god 'with glory.' Strong's H3513GDaniel 11:38Daniel 11:39
Takeaway
A man who boasts he is above every god still ends up serving one: power, honoured with his riches. Scripture shows such gods cannot profit, and the king who trusts them comes to his end with none to help. Daniel 11:37Daniel 11:38Isaiah 44:9Daniel 11:45
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 to a god of | וְלֶאֱלֹ֙הַּ֙ | ve-le-'e-LO-ah | H0433 | godאֱלָהּ (e.lah) 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel) |
| strongholds | מָֽעֻזִּ֔ים | ma-'u-ZIM | H4581 | securityמָעוֹז (ma.oz) 1) place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold 1a) place of safety, fastness, harbour, stronghold 1b) refuge (of God) (fig.) 1c) human protection (fig.) |
| on | עַל־ | 'al- | H5921A | uponעַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) … |
| place its | כַּנּ֖וֹ | ka-NO | H3653 | standכֵּן (ken) 1) base, stand, pedestal, office, foot, place, estate 1a) base, pedestal 1b) office, place |
| he will honor | יְכַבֵּ֑ד | ye-kha-BED | H3513G | to honor: honourכָּבֵד (ka.vad) : honour/glory 1) to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be heavy 1a2) to be heavy, be insensible, be dull 1a3) to be honoured 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made heavy, be honoured, enjoy honour, be made abundant 1b2) to get oneself glory or honour, gain glory 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to make heavy, make dull, make insensible 1c2) to make honourable, honour, glorify 1d) (Pual) to be made honourable, be honoured 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to make heavy 1e2) to make heavy, make dull, make unresponsive 1e3) to cause to be honoured … |
| and to a god | וְלֶאֱל֜וֹהַּ | ve-le-'e-LO-ah | H0433 | godאֱלָהּ (e.lah) 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel) |
| which | אֲשֶׁ֧ר | 'a-SHER | H0834A | whichאֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when |
| not | לֹא־ | lo'- | H3808 | notלֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809) |
| they knew it | יְדָעֻ֣הוּ | ye-da-'U-hu | H3045 | to knowיָדַע (ya.da) 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) … |
| ancestors his | אֲבֹתָ֗יו | 'a-vo-TAV | H0001G | fatherאָב (av) 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002) |
| he will honor | יְכַבֵּ֛ד | ye-kha-BED | H3513G | to honor: honourכָּבֵד (ka.vad) : honour/glory 1) to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be heavy 1a2) to be heavy, be insensible, be dull 1a3) to be honoured 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made heavy, be honoured, enjoy honour, be made abundant 1b2) to get oneself glory or honour, gain glory 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to make heavy, make dull, make insensible 1c2) to make honourable, honour, glorify 1d) (Pual) to be made honourable, be honoured 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to make heavy 1e2) to make heavy, make dull, make unresponsive 1e3) to cause to be honoured … |
| with gold | בְּזָהָ֥ב | be-za-HAV | H2091 | goldדְּהַב (de.hav) gold Aramaic of za.hav (זָהָב "gold" H2091) |
| and with silver | וּבְכֶ֛סֶף | uv-KHE-sef | H3701G | silver: moneyכֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents |
| and with stone | וּבְאֶ֥בֶן | uv-'E-ven | H0068G | stoneאֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) : stone 1) stone (large or small) 1a) common stone (in natural state) 1b) stone, as material 1b1) of tablets 1b2) marble, hewn stones 1c) precious stones, stones of fire 1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon 1e) weight 1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal 1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice 1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines 1i) (simile) 1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness 1i2) strength, firmness, solidity 1i3) commonness 1j) (metaph) 1j1) petrified with terror … |
| costly | יְקָרָ֖ה | ye-ka-RAH | H3368 | preciousיָקָר (ya.qar) 1) valuable, prized, weighty, precious, rare, splendid 1a) precious 1a1) costly 1a2) precious, highly valued 1a3) precious stones or jewels 1b) rare 1c) glorious, splendid 1d) weighty, influential |
| and with precious things | וּבַחֲמֻדֽוֹת׃ | u-va-cha-mu-DOT | H2530B | precious thingחֲמוּדָה (cha.mu.dah) desirableness, preciousness |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.