Daniel 11:27 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Daniel 11:27 kjv
And both of these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
Daniel 11:27 nkjv
Both these kings' hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.
Daniel 11:27 niv
The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.
Daniel 11:27 esv
And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.
Daniel 11:27 nlt
Seeking nothing but each other's harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for the end will come at the appointed time.
Daniel 11 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 2:1-2 | Why do the nations rage...? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD... | Wicked rulers plotting in vain against God/His plan. |
| Ps 33:10 | The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. | God thwarts the schemes of human powers. |
| Prov 19:21 | Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. | God's sovereign purpose overrules human intentions. |
| Jer 17:9 | The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? | Describes the corrupt and deceitful nature of the human heart. |
| Isa 46:9-10 | ...I am God... declaring the end from the beginning... saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’ | God's sovereign control over history and His unwavering plan. |
| Hab 2:3 | For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it... | Emphasizes that prophetic events occur at a divinely "appointed time." |
| Eccl 3:1 | For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. | Highlights God's pre-established order and timing for all events. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings... | God's ultimate authority over rulers and the course of history. |
| Lam 3:37-38 | Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and evil come? | Reinforces that nothing occurs outside of God's sovereign decree. |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable... all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur... | Reveals divine judgment against those who practice lying and deceit. |
| John 8:44 | You are of your father the devil... When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. | Identifies the devil as the origin and epitome of lies and deception. |
| Ps 5:6 | You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. | God's detestation and judgment for those who practice deceit. |
| Isa 10:7 | But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few. | Illustrates the malicious intent often hidden within powerful rulers. |
| Gen 6:5 | The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. | The innate and pervasive wickedness of the unregenerate human heart. |
| Ps 33:11 | The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. | Reaffirms the eternal stability and immutability of God's plans. |
| Isa 14:27 | For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? | Declares the impossibility of overturning God's determined purposes. |
| Ps 76:10 | Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remainder of wrath you will restrain. | God uses human wrath for His purposes or restrains its excess. |
| Amos 3:7 | For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. | Highlights God's practice of revealing future events through prophets. |
| Ps 12:2-3 | Everyone lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips... | Laments widespread deceit and hypocrisy among people. |
| Mark 13:32 | "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows... but only the Father." | Reassures that ultimate timing ("appointed time") is known only to God. |
| Gal 4:4 | But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law. | Demonstrates the precise "appointed time" of pivotal divine events (e.g., Christ's birth). |
Daniel 11 verses
Daniel 11 27 meaning
This verse describes a deceptive interaction between two powerful rulers, identified historically as Antiochus IV Epiphanes (King of the North) and Ptolemy VI Philometor (King of the South). They pretend to negotiate peacefully ("at one table"), but both harbor wicked intentions and speak lies to one another. Despite their cunning schemes and shared malice, their deceitful plans will ultimately fail because divine providence has already set an unchangeable timetable for the unfolding of events. God's ultimate purpose will prevail regardless of their machinations.
Daniel 11 27 Context
This verse is situated within Daniel 11, a detailed prophetic chapter describing successive historical conflicts primarily between the Ptolemaic (King of the South) and Seleucid (King of the North) empires. These were the primary Hellenistic powers that arose after the death of Alexander the Great, continuously vying for control over Judea, which lay as a strategic buffer between them. Daniel 11:27 specifically foretells a key moment during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (King of the North), one of the most hostile figures towards God's people in Jewish history, serving as a prefigurement of the future Antichrist. The chapter meticulously traces events leading up to Antiochus's notorious desecration of the Jerusalem Temple and intense persecution of the Jews during what is known as the Maccabean period.
Historically, this verse precisely describes an episode during the Sixth Syrian War, occurring around 169-168 BCE. After Antiochus IV had invaded Egypt, he feigned concern and proposed a treaty or resolution with his young nephew, Ptolemy VI Philometor, the Egyptian King of the South. Antiochus pretended to act in Ptolemy VI's best interest against Ptolemy VI's own brother, Ptolemy VIII Euergetes, and others disputing his rule. This "table" negotiation represents a deceptive peace summit or a pretended alliance where both monarchs, despite their outward pleasantries, harbored sinister, self-serving intentions and spoke falsely, each aiming to outmaneuver and ultimately harm the other for their own territorial and political gain.
Daniel 11 27 Word analysis
- Both these kings (אֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים, 'elleh hamməlāḵîm): This dual designation points to the specific rulers, the King of the North (Antiochus IV) and the King of the South (Ptolemy VI). "Kings" (מְלָכִים) pluralizes their power, emphasizing two distinct but intertwined destinies and their shared inclination toward evil.
- hearts (לְבָבָם, ləḇāḇām): In ancient Hebrew understanding, the "heart" signifies the entirety of one's inner being—the seat of intellect, will, plans, emotions, and moral intent. Here, it reveals the true, corrupt and malevolent nature of their secret intentions and concealed motives.
- shall be to do mischief (לַעֲשׂוֹת רָעָה, la‘aśôt rā‘â): This phrase denotes an active and deliberate intention to perpetrate evil, wickedness, or harm. Their fundamental disposition is not one of goodwill but of malicious plotting, aimed at their rival's detriment, betraying any semblance of sincere negotiation.
- at one table (וְעַל־שֻׁלְחָן אֶחָד, wə‘al-šulḥān ’eḥāḏ): The "table" (שֻׁלְחָן) symbolizes a shared space, typically for eating, fellowship, or formal negotiations and treaty-making. "At one table" illustrates a pretense of alliance, agreement, or peaceful diplomacy, creating a façade of cooperation while deeply entrenched hostilities remain.
- speak lies (יְדַבְּרוּ כָזָב, yəḏabərû kāzāḇ): This directly indicates that their communication is laden with falsehoods, deception, and treachery. "Lies" (kāzāḇ) denotes deliberate misrepresentation and breaking of trust, exposing their inherent lack of integrity in their dealings with each other.
- but it shall not prosper (וְלֹא תִצְלָח, wəlō’ tiṣlāḥ): "Prosper" (צְלָח) means to succeed, advance, or achieve one's objectives. The negation signals that their joint or individual deceitful schemes, despite their cleverness and malevolence, will ultimately fail to achieve their complete desired outcomes. Divine purpose overrides human plans.
- for yet the end shall be (כִּי עֹוד לָמוֹעֵד קֵץ, kî ‘ôḏ lā mô‘ēḏ qêṣ): "End" (קֵץ) refers to the ultimate conclusion or consummation of events. "Lā mô‘ēḏ" (לָמוֹעֵד) means "at the appointed time" or "set season." This powerful statement reveals that their failure is not arbitrary but predetermined. History is unfolding according to a sovereign divine schedule, which human efforts, even deceitful ones, cannot alter or thwart.
Daniel 11 27 Bonus section
The detailed historical fulfillments in Daniel 11, including verse 27, serve as powerful testaments to the predictive power of biblical prophecy and, by extension, to the divine inspiration of Scripture. Antiochus IV, with his particular blend of military ambition, religious desecration, and cruel persecution of God's covenant people, is a prominent "type" or foreshadowing of the eschatological Antichrist. The deceitful and treacherous behavior described in this verse characterizes the "man of lawlessness" to come, highlighting the continuous struggle between divine order and human rebellion throughout history. The promise that such evil schemes "shall not prosper" ultimately points to God's victory and the final judgment against all who oppose His kingdom at the very "time of the end."
Daniel 11 27 Commentary
Daniel 11:27 vividly portrays the moral depravity prevalent among powerful worldly rulers and, in stark contrast, the unwavering sovereignty of God. This verse finds its precise historical fulfillment in the manipulative dealings between Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Ptolemy VI Philometor. During their seemingly amicable peace negotiations, both monarchs, with their "hearts...to do mischief," harbored deeply sinister intentions and employed "lies" at "one table," showcasing a complete absence of integrity for selfish gain. This illustrates the often treacherous reality of earthly politics, characterized by double-dealing and broken trust when ambition for dominance reigns.
However, the pivotal prophetic declaration "it shall not prosper" underscores a profound theological truth: human cunning and malicious planning, regardless of how sophisticated or powerful, cannot ultimately derail God's sovereign will. Their intricate, malevolent schemes, while they might cause temporary disruption, are ultimately frustrated by a higher power. The culminating phrase, "for yet the end shall be at the appointed time," provides profound insight into divine foreordination. It asserts that every event, every rise and fall of kingdoms, and every human action—whether righteous or evil—contributes to an overarching, predetermined divine timetable. God has set an "appointed time" for the climax and consummation of history, and no king, no treaty, no lie can either accelerate or delay what He has decreed. This unwavering divine control offers immense comfort and reassurance: amidst global turmoil and political deceit, God remains firmly in command, guiding all things towards His intended purpose and ultimate "end."