Daniel 11

Daniel · Chapter 11

Daniel 11:4

1Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.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.3And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.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.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.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.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: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.9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into 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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.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.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.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.23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small 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.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.26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.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.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.29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.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.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.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.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.34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.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.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.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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the authority with which he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others.And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion wherewith he ruled; for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides these.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

A speaker shows Daniel the kings to come. After three more kings in Persia, a fourth stirs up all against Grecia, and then a mighty king stands up who rules with great dominion. Once he stands, his kingdom is broken into four parts and passes not to his own family but to others. Daniel 11:2Daniel 11:3Daniel 11:4

SpeakingThe one who says he stood in the first year of Darius the Mede to confirm and strengthen him. These verses do not name him. Daniel 11:1Daniel 11:2

ToDaniel, who received this vision in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia. Daniel overview

Also involvedThe mighty king of verse 3, his heirs who do not inherit, and the 'others' who take his kingdom. The text does not name him. Daniel 11:3Daniel 11:4

The verse foretells that the great king's empire will break apart once he has risen. It will be split 'toward the four winds,' meaning in every direction. The parts will not go to his descendants or keep his power. This matches Daniel 8, where the he goat's great horn is broken and four horns rise 'toward the four winds of heaven.' There four kingdoms stand up 'but not in his power.' Daniel 11:4Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22

Daniel served in Babylon under Babylonian and then Persian kings, and one vision placed him at Shushan. This prophecy names the realms of Persia and Grecia, and the king's kingdom is split toward all four winds. Daniel overviewDaniel 11:2Daniel 11:4

BABYLONIAMEDIABabylon 1SusaUlai

The eventsThe events follow three more Persian kings and a fourth who stirs up all against Grecia. They are future from the time of the vision, in the third year of Cyrus, about 536 BC. Daniel 11:2Daniel overview

WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the final form to about 167-164 BC, though others keep the traditional date. Daniel overview

HereThe verse shows that even a king who does 'according to his will' cannot keep his kingdom. God sets up and removes kings. Daniel 11:3Daniel 11:4Daniel overview

In the whole of ScriptureDaniel repeatedly shows earthly empires rising and breaking. God's own kingdom alone 'shall never be destroyed.' Daniel overviewDaniel 8:8

For readersNo ruler's power is secure, however great. God's people can stay faithful under foreign powers, knowing 'the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.' Daniel overviewJeremiah 18:7

  • posterityאַחֲרִית
    Hebrew · a.cha.rit · H0319

    The word means 'after part, end,' and can also mean 'posterity.' Here it marks that the kingdom does not pass on to the king's own descendants. Strong's H0319Daniel 11:4

  • windsרוּחַ
    Hebrew · ru.ach · H7307H

    The word can mean wind, or a 'quarter (of wind), side.' So 'four winds of heaven' means every direction. The same phrase appears in Daniel 7:2 and 8:8. Strong's H7307HDaniel 7:2Daniel 8:8

  • plucked upנָתַשׁ
    Hebrew · na.tash · H5428

    It means to pull up or root out. Jeremiah uses 'pluck up' for God's removing of a nation or kingdom. Strong's H5428Jeremiah 12:17Jeremiah 18:7

Takeaway

The mighty king's kingdom was broken and scattered, not handed to his heirs. As Daniel 8 also shows, kingdoms rise and fall, but God rules over them all. Daniel 11:4Daniel 8:22Daniel 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
  1. 612 BC
    WarNineveh 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)

  2. 605 BC
    WarBattle 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)

  3. 597 BC
    WarJerusalem 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)

  4. 586 BC
    WarJerusalem 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

  5. c. 575 BC
    BuildingBabylon 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

  6. 562 BC
    RulersNebuchadnezzar dies

    His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34

  7. c. 553-543 BC
    RulersNabonidus 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

  8. 550 BC
    WarCyrus 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

  9. October 539 BC
    WarBabylon 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

  10. 538 BC
    God'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

  11. c. 536 BC
    God'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

  12. 334-331 BC
    WarAlexander 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

  13. 323-301 BC
    WarAlexander'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

  14. 167 BC
    WarAntiochus 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

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and just as arises heוּכְעָמְדוֹ֙u-khe-'a-me-DOH5975I
to stand: stand

עָמַד (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 …

it will be broken upתִּשָּׁבֵ֣רti-sha-VERH7665
to break

שָׁבַר (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)

kingdom hisמַלְכוּת֔וֹmal-khu-TOH4438
kingdom

מַלְכוּ (mal.khu) 1) royalty, reign, kingdom 1a) royalty, kingship, kingly authority 1b) kingdom 1c) realm (of territory) 1d) reign (of time)

and it will be dividedוְתֵחָ֕ץve-te-CHATZH2673
to divide

חָצָה (cha.tsah) 1) to divide, cut in two, cut short, live half (of one's life) 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to divide 1a2) to half, cut in two 1b) (Niphal) to be divided

to [the] fourלְאַרְבַּ֖עle-'ar-BA'H0702
four

אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) four

[the] winds ofרוּח֣וֹתru-CHOTH7307H
spirit

רוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) …

the heavensהַשָּׁמָ֑יִםha-sha-MA-yimH8064
heaven

שָׁמַיִם (sha.ma.yim) 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible heavens, sky 1a1) as abode of the stars 1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc 1b) Heaven (as the abode of God) Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065)

and notוְלֹ֣אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (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)

to posterity hisלְאַחֲרִית֗וֹle-'a-cha-ri-TOH0319
end

אַחֲרִית (a.cha.rit) 1) after part, end 1a) end, issue, event 1b) latter time (prophetic for future time) 1c) posterity 1d) last, hindermost Aramaic equivalent: a.cha.rit (אַחֲרִית "latter" H0320)

and notוְלֹ֤אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (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)

like dominion hisכְמָשְׁלוֹ֙khe-ma-she-LOH4915B
dominion

מֹ֫שֶׁל (mo.shel) dominion

whichאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (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

he had dominionמָשָׁ֔לma-SHALH4910
to rule

מָשַׁל (ma.shal) 1) to rule, have dominion, reign 1a) (Qal) to rule, have dominion 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to rule 1b2) to exercise dominion

forכִּ֤יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

it will be plucked upתִנָּתֵשׁ֙ti-na-TESHH5428
to uproot

נָתַשׁ (na.tash) 1) to pull up, expel, root out, pluck up 1a) (Qal) to pull or pluck up 1b) (Niphal) to be plucked up 1c) (Hophal) to be plucked up

kingdom hisמַלְכוּת֔וֹmal-khu-TOH4438
kingdom

מַלְכוּ (mal.khu) 1) royalty, reign, kingdom 1a) royalty, kingship, kingly authority 1b) kingdom 1c) realm (of territory) 1d) reign (of time)

and to othersוְלַאֲחֵרִ֖יםve-la-'a-che-RIMH0312
another

אַחֵר (a.cher) 1) another, other, following 1a) following, further 1b) other, different

from to besidesמִלְּבַד־mi-le-vad-H0905J
alone: pole

בַּד (bad) : pole 1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone 1a) separation, alone, by itself 1a1) only (adv) 1a2) apart from, besides (prep) 1b) part 1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

theseאֵֽלֶּה׃'E-lehH0428
these

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) 1) these 1a) used before antecedent 1b) used following antecedent Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.