Daniel 11

Daniel · Chapter 11

Daniel 11:43

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
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.He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt, and the Libyans and Cushites will also submit to him.But 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.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

At "the time of the end" the king of the south pushes at "him," and the king of the north comes against him like a whirlwind; "he" then enters the glorious land and Egypt does not escape. This verse adds that he gains Egypt's gold, silver and precious things, and that the Libyans and Ethiopians are "at his steps." The next verses show his success does not last: news from the east and north troubles him, and he comes to his end with none to help. Daniel 11:40Daniel 11:41Daniel 11:42Daniel 11:43Daniel 11:44Daniel 11:45

SpeakingThe speaker talks to Daniel in the first person. He says he stood to confirm and strengthen Darius the Mede, and now shows Daniel "the truth" about kings to come. Daniel 11:1Daniel 11:2

ToDaniel hears the vision first. The book is written for God's people in exile and after it, and for readers looking to "the time of the end." Daniel overview

Also involvedEgypt loses its wealth. The Libyans and Ethiopians, peoples Scripture elsewhere names as Egypt's helpers, are now at the conqueror's steps. Daniel 11:42Daniel 11:43Nahum 3:9Jeremiah 46:9

The conqueror rules over Egypt's hidden stores of gold and silver and all its precious things. The Libyans and Cushites (Ethiopians) are "at his steps," a phrase like Barak's ten thousand going "at his feet" in Judges 4:10, so they go along behind him. Peoples who stood with Egypt in 2 Chronicles 12:3 and Nahum 3:9 now follow its conqueror. Daniel 11:43Strong's H4910Strong's H4362Strong's H4703Judges 4:102 Chronicles 12:3Nahum 3:9

The action is in Egypt, with the Libyans and the Cushites (Ethiopians), peoples Scripture names alongside Egypt. Libya was probably in northern Africa. This follows the king's entry into the glorious land and many other countries. Daniel 11:41Daniel 11:42Daniel 11:43EgyptStrong's H3864Strong's H3569GEzekiel 30:4Ezekiel 30:5

BABYLONIAASSYRIASYRIAJUDAHARABIAMediterranean SeaEGYPTBabylon 1JerusalemTyreDamascus

The eventsThe verse is set "at the time of the end," in the vision of chapters 10-11. That vision came in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, about 536 BC. Daniel 11:40Daniel overview

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; others keep the 500s BC date, citing Matthew 24:15 and the book's knowledge of the Babylonian court. Daniel overview

HereThe verse shows how far the conquest reaches before the fall. Even rich Egypt and its neighbors come under him, yet two verses later he comes to his end with none to help. Daniel 11:43Daniel 11:44Daniel 11:45

In the whole of ScriptureDaniel shows that "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men" and sets up and removes kings. Earthly conquerors rise high, but God's kingdom "shall never be destroyed." Daniel overview

For readersReaders under hostile rulers can see that even great conquests run only to a set limit. "The end shall be at the time appointed," "that that is determined shall be done," and the proud king comes to his end. Daniel 11:27Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:45

Christians read this differently

The wording of 11:40 leaves open who "he" is, and no cited Scripture settles it. Some read the one who enters the countries and takes Egypt's treasures as the king of the north who comes "like a whirlwind." Others read him as the self-exalting king of 11:36-39, against whom both the king of the south and the king of the north move, and who overcomes them. Daniel 11:36Daniel 11:40Daniel 11:42Daniel 11:43

  • treasuresמִכְמָן
    Hebrew · mikh.man · H4362

    The word means "hidden stores, hidden treasure." The king reaches even the wealth Egypt had stored away. Strong's H4362

  • have powerמָשַׁל
    Hebrew · ma.shal · H4910

    The verb means to rule or have dominion. He does not just raid Egypt's riches; he rules over them. Strong's H4910

  • stepsמִצְעָד
    Hebrew · mits.ad · H4703

    The word means "step." To be "at his steps" is like Barak's men "at his feet": the Libyans and Ethiopians go along behind him. Strong's H4703Judges 4:10

  • Ethiopiansכּוּשִׁי
    Hebrew · ku.shi · H3569G

    These are Cushites, people of Cush. Elsewhere they appear as Egypt's strength and fighting allies, so their following the conqueror shows Egypt's support has gone over to him. Strong's H3569GNahum 3:9Jeremiah 46:9Ezekiel 30:5

Takeaway

The conqueror gains Egypt's treasure and its neighbors, but he still comes to his end with none to help. No earthly power outlasts the God who rules the kingdoms of men. Daniel 11:43Daniel 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
  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.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he will ruleוּמָשַׁ֗לu-ma-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

over [the] treasures ofבְּמִכְמַנֵּי֙be-mikh-ma-NEIH4362
hidden

מִכְמָן (mikh.man) hidden stores, hidden treasure

the goldהַזָּהָ֣בha-za-HAVH2091
gold

דְּהַב (de.hav) gold Aramaic of za.hav (זָהָב "gold" H2091)

and the silverוְהַכֶּ֔סֶףve-ha-KE-sefH3701G
silver: money

כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents

and over allוּבְכֹ֖לu-ve-KHOLH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[the] precious things ofחֲמֻד֣וֹתcha-mu-DOTH2530B
precious thing

חֲמוּדָה (cha.mu.dah) desirableness, preciousness

Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםmitz-RA-yimH4714G
Egypt

מָצוֹר (ma.tsor) "Matsor", a name for Egypt Another spelling of mits.ra.yim (מִצְרַ֫יִם "Egypt" H4714G) This name means siege, entrenchment

and Libyansוְלֻבִ֥יםve-lu-VIMH3864
Libya

כּוּב (kuv) probably located in northern Africa; maybe same as 'Lybia' or 'Lub' Another spelling of lu.vi (לוּב "Libyan" H3864)

and Cushitesוְכֻשִׁ֖יםve-khu-SHIMH3569G
Ethiopian

כּוּשִׁי (ku.shi) Someone from Ethiopia Group of kush (כּוּשׁ "Ethiopia" H3568H) § Cushi or Ethiopian, of Cush "their blackness" inhabitant of Ethiopia, land of one of the descendants of Cush the grandson of Noah

[will be] in footsteps hisבְּמִצְעָדָֽיו׃be-mitz-'a-DAVH4703
step

מִצְעָד (mits.ad) step

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