Daniel 12:21

Scripture] RV 'writing,' the book of destiny. In these things] RV 'against these' (the 'princes' of Persia and Greece)

C. II. I. Darius the Mede] see on Daniel 5:31. Him] Michael.

(b) History of Persia, Greece, Syria, and Egypt (Daniel 11:2 to Daniel 12:4)

The angel describes the reigns of the first Persian kings up to the Greek wars of Xerxes I (Daniel 11:2). Then he passes to the conquests of Alexander the Great (Daniel 11:3) and the subdivision of his empire (Daniel 11:4). Next follows a very minute account of various episodes in the history of the Greek kingdoms of Syria and Egypt (the kings of the N. and S. respectively, Daniel 11:5). Finally we have a full description of the career and fate of Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 11:21), and a picture of the troubles which will follow his death and will usher in the resurrection and the reward of the righteous (Daniel 12:1).

It has been supposed by some that Daniel 11:36, on account of their resemblance to Daniel 7:25; Daniel 9:26, refer not to Antiochus, but to Antichrist, but this view does violence to the plain continuity of the sense. The resemblances only go to prove that the other passages allude not to Antichrist but to Antiochus.

Vile] RV 'contemptible.' Shall not give] RV 'had not given.' Though Antiochus seized the kingdom, the real heir was Demetrius, the son of Seleucus IV: see on Daniel 7:24.

Peaceably] RV 'in time of security'; so in Daniel 11:24 : cp. Daniel 8:25.