Daniel 11:11

the king of the south Ptolemy Philopator.

shall be moved with choler(Daniel 8:7), and shall come forth to meet the advancing army of Antiochus (Daniel 11:10 b). In the narrative of Polybius, however, Ptolemy appears as the first in the field.

11 b 12 a. Very ambiguous. The two alternative explanations are:

(1) And he(Ptolemy) will raise a great army, and it will be placed under his (Ptolemy's) command [361], the fact being mentioned on account of Ptolemy's unwarlike nature and usual indifference, ( 12) and the multitude(the army of Ptolemy) shall lift itself up (viz. to attack: cf. Isaiah 33:10 A.V.), its[362] (or his[363], i.e. Ptolemy's) heart being exalted, i.e. elated with the prospect of success (von Lengerke, Hitzig, Ewald, Meinhold); (2) And he(Antiochus) will raise a. great army (cf. Daniel 11:13 a), but it will be given into his (Ptolemy's) hands, ( 12) and the multitude(the army of Antiochus) shall be carried away (R.V. marg.; cf. for the rend. Isaiah 8:4; Isaiah 40:24; Isaiah 41:16), and [364] his(Ptolemy's) heart shall be exalted, i.e. elated with the victory (Bev., Behrm., Keil for Daniel 11:11 b, Prince). There are objections to each of these interpretations, both on the score of Heb. usage, and relation to the context, and also on account (see above) of imperfect agreement with the history; but, on the whole, the second is preferable. To be exalted(or lifted up), of the heart, as ch.Daniel 5:20; Deuteronomy 8:14; Deuteronomy 17:20.

[361] -Give into the hand," as Genesis 32:17; Gen 39:4, 2 Samuel 10:10.

[362] Heb. text (with no -and").

[363] Heb. text (with no -and").

[364] Heb. marg. (with -and").

set forth lit. cause to stand up, i.e. raise; so Daniel 11:13.

and he(Ptolemy) shall cause tens of thousands to fall] at the battle of Raphia.

but he shall not be strong] he will gain no permanent advantage in consequence. Ptolemy by his victory recovered Cœle-Syria; but he did not pursue his success further; he again gave way to his natural indolence, and quickly resumed his dissolute life (Polyb. xiv. 12); so that when Antiochus sent to ask for terms of peace, he readily granted them. Justin (xxx. 1) writes of him, -Spoliasset regno Antiochum, si fortunam virtute iuvisset."