Daniel 11:25

11:25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm ¹  against the king of the south ²  with a large army. The king of the south will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to prevail because of the plans devised against him.

Daniel 11:30

11:30 The ships of Kittim ³  will come against him, leaving him disheartened. ⁴  He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor ⁵  those who forsake the holy covenant.

[11:25]  ¹ tn Heb “heart.”

[11:25]  ² sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145 B.C.).

[11:30]  ³ sn The name Kittim has various designations in extra-biblical literature. It can refer to a location on the island of Cyprus, or more generally to the island itself, or it can be an inclusive term to refer to parts of the Mediterranean world that lay west of the Middle East (e.g., Rome). For ships of Kittim the Greek OT (LXX) has “Romans,” an interpretation followed by a few English versions (e.g., TEV). A number of times in the Dead Sea Scrolls the word is used in reference to the Romans. Other English versions are more generic: “[ships] of the western coastlands” (NIV, NLT); “from the west” (NCV, CEV).

[11:30]  ⁴ sn This is apparently a reference to the Roman forces, led by Gaius Popilius Laenas, which confronted Antiochus when he came to Egypt and demanded that he withdraw or face the wrath of Rome. Antiochus wisely withdrew from Egypt, albeit in a state of bitter frustration.

[11:30]  ⁵ tn Heb “show regard for.”