Daniel 11:41
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | He 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. | He will also invade the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall. But these will be delivered from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites. | He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedDaniel 11:41 continues the vision's account of a conquering king "at the time of the end" (11:40). He sweeps into the glorious land and overthrows many countries. Edom, Moab and the chief of Ammon slip out of his grasp, though Egypt does not (11:42). Daniel 11:40Daniel 11:41Daniel 11:42
SpeakingThe one speaking to Daniel in this vision. He says he stood to strengthen Darius the Mede (11:1). The text here does not give his name. Daniel 11:1
ToDaniel, who receives the vision. Beyond him, the book is for God's people in exile and after it, and it is to be sealed "to the time of the end." Daniel 11:1Daniel overview
Also involvedThe glorious land, the many countries that are overthrown, and Edom, Moab and Ammon, which escape. The verses around it call the one doing this "the king" (11:36), but the text does not give his name. Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:41
The king enters the glorious land and many countries fall before him. Edom, Moab and the chief of Ammon escape "out of his hand," that is, out of his power. His reach is wide but has limits, and later he "shall come to his end, and none shall help him" (11:45). Daniel 11:41Strong's H3027HStrong's H4422Daniel 11:45
The "glorious land" is the land of Daniel's people. The chapter speaks of "thy people" (11:14) and the sanctuary (11:31), and calls the place the "glorious holy mountain" (11:45); Daniel 8:9 calls it "the pleasant land." Edom lay south and southeast of it, Ammon east of the Jordan, and Moab between them. Daniel 11:14Daniel 11:31Daniel 11:45Daniel 8:9Daniel 11:16Strong's H0123GStrong's H5983EdomMoab 1Ammon
The eventsThe passage places these events "at the time of the end" (11:40), at "the time appointed" (11:27, 11:35). The vision itself is given in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, about 536 BC. Daniel 11:40Daniel 11:27Daniel 11:35Daniel overview
WrittenTraditional view: Daniel wrote the book in the 500s BC. Scholarly view: many critical scholars date its final form to about 167-164 BC under Antiochus IV, while others hold the 500s BC date, citing Matthew 24:15. Daniel overview
HereThe verse traces the king's march toward the south and Egypt (11:40-43). It shows that even this overwhelming power cannot take everything, and that his time is limited: "that that is determined shall be done" (11:36). Daniel 11:40Daniel 11:41Daniel 11:42Daniel 11:43Daniel 11:36
In the whole of ScriptureDaniel's message is that "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men" and sets up and removes kings. This king prospers only "till the indignation be accomplished" and then comes to his end. God's kingdom alone "shall never be destroyed." Daniel overviewDaniel 11:36Daniel 11:45
For readersNo ruler, however sweeping his conquests, has the final word. The same chapter promises that "the people that do know their God shall be strong" even while they suffer (11:32-35). Daniel 11:32Daniel 11:33Daniel 11:35Daniel 11:45
Christians read this differently
The text does not name the king of 11:36-45, and no cited Scripture identifies him. One reading sees him as the same "vile person" of 11:21-35 who polluted the sanctuary, with the account simply continuing. Another sees a future ruler at the end of the age, since the passage says "at the time of the end" (11:40). A third sees the earlier king as a pattern of a final, greater enemy. Daniel 11:21Daniel 11:31Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:40
- glorious (land)צְבִי
The word means "beauty, glory, honour." The same phrase appears in 11:16 and is joined to "holy mountain" in 11:45. It marks the land of God's people as the king's target. Strong's H6643ADaniel 11:16Daniel 11:45
- overthrownכָּשַׁל
The word means "to stumble, stagger, totter," and in one form "to cause to stumble, bring injury or ruin to, overthrow." The picture is of many countries stumbling and falling before the king. Strong's H3782Daniel 11:41
- escapeמָלַט
The word means "to slip away, escape, be delivered." It sets a limit on the king's power: some slip out of his grasp. Strong's H4422Daniel 11:41
- handיָד
The word means "hand" and also "strength, power." Escaping "out of his hand" means escaping his control. The same picture returns in 11:42, where he stretches forth his hand upon the countries. Strong's H3027HDaniel 11:42
- chiefרֵאשִׁית
The word means "first, beginning, best, chief." It points to the leading part of the children of Ammon as those who escape. Strong's H7225HDaniel 11:41
Takeaway
Even the most overwhelming conqueror in Daniel's vision cannot seize everything, and he will come to his end with none to help him. God, not any king, sets the limits and the times. Daniel 11:41Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:45Daniel 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.
Where
- Ammon regionMapAbout this place
- Canaan regionMapAbout this place
- Edom regionMapAbout this place
- Moab 1 regionMapAbout this place
Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and he will come | וּבָא֙ | u-VA' | 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 |
| in [the] land of | בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | be-'E-retz | H0776G | land: country/planetאֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth … |
| the beauty | הַצְּבִ֔י | ha-tze-VI | H6643A | beautyצְבִי (tse.vi) 1) beauty, glory, honour 1a) beauty, decoration 1b) honour |
| and many [people] | וְרַבּ֖וֹת | ve-ra-BOT | 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 |
| they will stumble | יִכָּשֵׁ֑לוּ | yi-ka-SHE-lu | H3782 | to stumbleכָּשַׁל (ka.shal) 1) to stumble, stagger, totter 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stumble 1a2) to totter 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to stumble 1b2) to be tottering, be feeble 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to stumble, bring injury or ruin to, overthrow 1c2) to make feeble, make weak 1d) (Hophal) to be made to stumble 1e) (Piel) bereave |
| and these | וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ | ve-'E-leh | H0428 | theseאֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) 1) these 1a) used before antecedent 1b) used following antecedent Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429) |
| they will escape | יִמָּלְט֣וּ | yi-mal-TU | H4422 | to escapeמָלַט (ma.lat) 1) to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered 1a)(Niphal) 1a1) to slip away 1a2) to escape 1a3) to be delivered 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to lay, let slip out (of eggs) 1b2) to let escape 1b3) to deliver, save (life) 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to give birth to 1c2) to deliver 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to slip forth, slip out, escape 1d2) to escape |
| from hand his | מִיָּד֔וֹ | mi-ya-DO | H3027H | handיָד (yad) : hand/arm[anatomy] 1) hand 1a) hand (of man) 1b) strength, power (fig.) 1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.) 1d) (various special, technical senses) 1d1) sign, monument 1d2) part, fractional part, share 1d3) time, repetition 1d4) axle-trees, axle 1d5) stays, support (for laver) 1d6) tenons (in tabernacle) 1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure) 1d8) wrists |
| Edom | אֱד֣וֹם | 'e-DOM | H0123G | Edomאֱדוֹם (e.dom) Edom = "red" land of Edom, Idumea-land south and south east of Palestine |
| and Moab | וּמוֹאָ֔ב | u-mo-'AV | H4124G | Moabמוֹאָב (mo.av) Moab = "of his father" the nation descended from the son of Lot Also named: mo.a.vi (מוֹאָבִי "Moab" H4125) |
| and [the] first of | וְרֵאשִׁ֖ית | ve-re-SHIT | H7225H | first: beginningרֵאשִׁית (re.shit) : beginning 1) first, beginning, best, chief 1a) beginning 1b) first 1c) chief 1d) choice part Also means: re.shit (רֵאשִׁית ": best" H7225H) |
| [the] people of | בְּנֵ֥י | be-NEI | H1121G | No entry |
| Ammon | עַמּֽוֹן׃ | a-MON | H5983 | Hamהָ֑ם (ham) Ham = "hot" or "sunburnt" the place where Chedorlaomer and his allies smote the Zuzim, probably in the territory of the Ammonites, east of the Jordan; site uncertain Another name of am.mon (עַמּוֹן "Ammon" H5983) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.