Daniel 11:15 kjv
So 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.
Daniel 11:15 nkjv
So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist.
Daniel 11:15 niv
Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand.
Daniel 11:15 esv
Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand.
Daniel 11:15 nlt
Then the king of the north will come and lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The best troops of the south will not be able to stand in the face of the onslaught.
Daniel 11 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 11:15 | So the king of the North shall come and throw up siegeworks, and capture a well-fortified city. And the forces of the South shall not stand or even their picked troops, for there will be no strength to stand. | Northern king's military advance. |
| Isaiah 14:13 | You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north. | Pride and ambition of kings. |
| Jeremiah 51:20 | You are my war club, my weapon of war. With you I break in pieces nations and with you I destroy kingdoms. | God using kings as instruments. |
| Ezekiel 38:4 | I will turn you back and put hooks in your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them magnificent caparisons, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them brandishing swords. | Prophecy of northern forces. |
| Luke 14:31 | What king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? | Careful military consideration. |
| Revelation 6:2 | So I looked, and behold a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering, and to conquer. | Conqueror with authority. |
| Daniel 8:24 | His power will become great, but not by his own power. And he will cause fearful destruction, and he will succeed in what he does, and will destroy mighty men and the people of the holy ones. | Powerful king's destruction. |
| Daniel 7:23 | "As for the fourth beast," he said, "there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and tread it down, and break it to pieces. | Fourth kingdom's dominance. |
| Daniel 11:7 | And when he [the branch of her father] has come to the tower of the king of the South, he shall go in and rage and wage war against him. | Conflict between North and South. |
| Daniel 11:11 | The king of the South shall be stirred up with rage and shall come and wage war against the king of the North, and he shall put forth a great army, but it shall be given into his hand. | South's aggression against North. |
| Daniel 2:40 | And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because as iron crushes and shatters all things, and like iron that breaks in pieces, so shall it break in pieces and make dust of all these. | Powerful, breaking kingdom. |
| Romans 13:4 | For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. | Governmental authority as God's servant. |
| Proverbs 21:31 | The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD. | Lord's sovereignty in battles. |
| Isaiah 46:10 | ...declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' | God's foreknowledge and purpose. |
| Zechariah 1:6 | "Only my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did not overtake your fathers? And they turned back and said, 'As the LORD of hosts purposed to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so has he done to us.'" | God's justice and decree. |
| Revelation 17:12 | And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast. | Future kingdoms' power. |
| 2 Chronicles 20:15 | And he said, "Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed by this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.'" | God fighting for His people. |
| Jeremiah 20:11 | But the LORD is with me as a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail; they will be greatly shamed, for they will not understand, with perpetual dishonor which will not be forgotten. | God's protective presence. |
| Isaiah 10:5 | "Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger, the staff of my fury!" | Nations as God's instrument of judgment. |
| Revelation 19:11 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. | Righteous warfare and judgment. |
| Joshua 1:8 | This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. | Success through obedience. |
Daniel 11 verses
Daniel 11 15 Meaning
Daniel 11:15 describes a powerful northern king who successfully invades and conquers many fortified cities, bringing them under his control. The verse focuses on his military prowess and the overwhelming strength of his army that resists those who stand against them.
Daniel 11 15 Context
Daniel 11 details a series of prophecies concerning the kings of the North and the South, understood by many scholars as representing the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires, respectively, and their conflicts following the division of Alexander the Great's empire. This specific verse falls within a section that predicts escalating warfare and territorial struggles. The king of the North, identified by historical context as the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III the Great, is depicted here as launching a successful offensive against the king of the South (Ptolemy IV Philopator). The historical events of Antiochus III's campaigns in the East and his eventual conflict with the Ptolemaic kingdom align with the prophetic descriptions. The verse reflects the intense political and military rivalries of the Hellenistic period, where power was constantly sought and contested through conquest.
Daniel 11 15 Word Analysis
- וְגַם (wə-gam): "And also" or "and furthermore." This conjunction indicates a continuation of the narrative, adding another aspect to the unfolding events.
- כֹּה (kōh): "Thus," "so," or "in this manner." It signals that the following action will be performed in a specific way, emphasizing the mode of operation.
- מֶלֶךְ (meleḵ): "king." This term refers to the ruler of a kingdom.
- צָפוֹן (tsāp̱ôn): "North." It identifies the origin or dominion of the king, linking him to the northern powers in the context of the prophecy.
- יָבוֹא (yāḇōʾ): "he shall come." The imperfect verb form indicates a future action or a characteristic, ongoing behavior.
- וְיַעֲרָה (wə-yaʿărâ): "and he shall cause to overflow" or "he shall throw up." This verb, typically used for flooding or inundation, here implies a vigorous and overwhelming assault or siege works.
- עָלָיו (ʿālāyw): "against him" or "upon him." The preposition indicates direct opposition and force directed at the enemy.
- וּבְצֹר (ū-ḇə-tsoṟ): "and to a fortified place" or "and against a fortress." This points to the target of the king's offensive – strong defensive positions.
- מְצֹרָה (məṣōrâ): "a fortified city." It highlights the strength and security of the places being attacked, underscoring the significance of their capture.
- וּזְרֹעֹת (ū-zə-rōʿōṯ): "and arms" or "and forces." This refers to the military might and legions of the king.
- דָּרוֹם (dā-rôm): "South." It identifies the direction or dominion of the opposing forces.
- לֹא־יַעֲמֹדוּ (lōʾ-yaʿămōḏû): "shall not stand." This denotes an inability to resist or withstand the onslaught.
- וְלֹא־יִהְיוּ (wə-lōʾ-yi·hyû): "and shall not be" or "and there will not be." It expresses the complete failure or absence of effectiveness.
- חַיִל (ḥayil): "strength," "army," or "force." It refers to the military capability and personnel.
- לְהִתְיַצֵּב (lə-hit·yaṣ·ṣēḇ): "to stand up," "to withstand," or "to make a stand." It signifies the failure to resist effectively.
- כִּי־חֹמֶץ (kî-ḥōmeṣ): "for they were drained" or "for they were exhausted" or "for they are as thin/weak." The root meaning relates to thinning or draining. Some translations suggest a weakness or lack of substance, while others imply an aggressive, overrunning action. The Septuagint's rendition of "for they shall be drained" emphasizes the depletion of the opposing forces.
Daniel 11 15 Bonus Section
The "king of the North" in this prophecy is widely interpreted by historical and biblical scholars as Antiochus III the Great, ruler of the Seleucid Empire. His campaigns against the Ptolemaic Kingdom (the "king of the South") in the 2nd century BC included successful sieges of fortified cities and significant military victories. The phrasing "throw up siegeworks" (וְיַעֲרָה עָלָיו וּבְצֹר מְצֹרָה) accurately reflects the siege tactics of the era, involving the construction of ramps, towers, and earthworks to overcome fortified positions. The Septuagint's translation of the last part of the verse (לֹא־יַעֲמֹדוּ וְלֹא־יִהְיוּ חַיִל לְהִתְיַצֵּב כִּי־חֹמֶץ) captures the devastating effect on the opposing army, translating "for they were drained" (כִּי־חֹמֶץ). This conveys the idea that the southern forces were utterly depleted and rendered incapable of resistance, possibly due to surprise, a numerically superior foe, or strategic failures. The chapter's ongoing theme is the conflict between these dynasties, serving as a preview of historical geopolitical struggles and underscoring the theme of divine providence overseeing these earthly conflicts.
Daniel 11 15 Commentary
Daniel 11:15 vividly illustrates the overwhelming military superiority of the "king of the North" during his offensive. The verse emphasizes his decisive action, characterized by the formation of siege works and the capture of a strongly fortified city. This signifies not just brute force, but also strategic military engineering. The complete failure of the "king of the South" to resist highlights the utter inadequacy of his forces. They are depicted as unable to stand or offer any effective resistance, suggesting they were either outmaneuvered, outnumbered, or simply lacked the necessary strength and leadership. The imagery of their inability to "stand" underscores their complete defeat and inability to establish a defensive front. This military conquest by the king of the North sets the stage for further dominance and the progression of the conflict described in subsequent verses. The military prowess depicted here is not merely a human achievement but also a reflection of God's sovereign hand in orchestrating world events and using kings as instruments of His will, whether for judgment or to advance His purposes.