Daniel 11:6

Ptolemy II. (Philadelphus), 285 247, and Antiochus II. (Theos), 261 246.

Antiochus I. (Soter), b.c. 280 261, is passed by in the survey, as a ruler whose reign was of no importance to the Jews. The allusion in Daniel 11:6 is to what happened about b.c. 249. In order to terminate his long wars with Antiochus II. (Theos), Ptolemy Philadelphus gave him in marriage his daughter, Berenice, upon condition that he should divorce his legitimate wife, Laodice, and that his two sons, Seleucus and Antiochus, should renounce all claim to the throne of Syria: in the event of Antiochus and Berenice having issue, Ptolemy hoped in this way to secure Syria as an Egyptian province. After two years, however, Ptolemy died. Antiochus then took back Laodice, and divorced Berenice. Laodice, however, dreading her husband's fickleness (-ambiguum viri animum," Jerome), and fearing lest he might again evince a preference for Berenice, before long procured his death by poison. She then persuaded her son, Seleucus, to secure the throne for himself by murdering both Berenice and her infant child (Jerome ad loc.; Appian, Syr.65; Justin xxvii. 1).

at the end of(some) years 31 years after the death of Seleucus Nicator.

join themselves together by the matrimonial alliance just described.

and the daughter of the king of the south Berenice.

come to in marriage (cf. Joshua 15:18; Judges 12:9).

to make an agreement lit. uprightness(Psalms 9:8), or equity(Psalms 98:9), i.e. (here) the equitable adjustment of a dispute. Comp. Daniel 11:17.

but she shall not retain the power of the arm fig. for, she will not be able to maintain herself against her rival, Laodice. As said above, she was first divorced by Antiochus in favour of Laodice, and afterwards murdered at her instigation.

neither shall he stand Antiochus, who was murdered by Laodice.

nor his arm his might will come to an end. Theod., Kamph., Prince, -nor his seed" (זַרְעוֹ for זְרֹעוֹ), referring to Antiochus" issue by Berenice [359].

[359] Bevan and Marti render the last three clauses, but the arm(fig. for the support afforded by Berenice) shall not retain strength, neither shall his(other) arms(supports) abide(prove effectual), altering (with Hitz.) the division and punctuation of the last two words.

but she shall be given up Berenice, put to death at the instigation of Laodice.

they that brought her either into the marriage, or to Syria. The expression is a vague one. The reference may be (Ewald, Meinh.) to Berenice's attendants, who accompanied her to Antioch, and met there the same fate as their mistress; it may be (Hitz., Keil) simply to Antiochus (the plural being generic, without reference to the number of persons actually meant; cf. Genesis 21:7; Matthew 2:20); it may even be, more generally, to the ministers of Ptolemy who supported the alliance, and who were -given up," in the sense of finding their expectations disappointed.

he that begat her and supported (Daniel 11:1) her Ptolemy Philadelphus (so Ew., Hitz., Keil). Or, he that begat her, and he that obtained (Daniel 11:21) her; i.e. Ptolemy, and Antiochus (so von Leng., Zöckl., Meinh.).

in the times at the time in question = in those times(R.V.).