Daniel 11 39

Daniel 11:39 kjv

Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

Daniel 11:39 nkjv

Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.

Daniel 11:39 niv

He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.

Daniel 11:39 esv

He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.

Daniel 11:39 nlt

Claiming this foreign god's help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward.

Daniel 11 verses

Daniel 11 39 meaning

Daniel 11:39 describes the actions of a powerful and prideful ruler, often identified first with Antiochus Epiphanes IV and prophetically with an ultimate end-time Antichrist figure. This king will aggressively attack and seize fortified positions not by his own inherent might but with the assistance of a new, foreign god that he introduces and promotes. He will generously reward those who acknowledge this deity, granting them authority and leadership over many. Furthermore, he will distribute land or its related benefits, not justly, but for personal gain and to solidify loyalty among his adherents, essentially buying allegiance with territory.

Daniel 11 39 Context

Daniel 11 provides a detailed prophetic historical panorama, moving from the Persian kings through the Greek empire's division after Alexander the Great, and specifically focusing on the Ptolemaic (King of the South) and Seleucid (King of the North) dynasties. Verse 39 is part of the final, extensive section (11:36-45) which describes a "willful king" or the "king of the North" who will commit unprecedented acts of self-exaltation, idolatry, and persecution. This ruler sets himself above all deities, honors a "god of fortresses" (v.38), and has no regard for the God of his ancestors or any other revered deity. Historically, these verses are primarily interpreted as referring to Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who was notorious for his desecration of the Jewish Temple and intense persecution aimed at eradicating Judaism. Prophetic understanding, however, extends this figure to represent an ultimate, end-time Antichrist, whose actions will mirror and fulfill these prophecies on an even grander, global scale. Verse 39, therefore, describes the tyrannical methods and motivations of this ruler: the use of a new, invented cult, strategic military conquest, and political bribery to gain absolute control.

Daniel 11 39 Word analysis

• Thus shall he do: This phrase connects the verse directly to the actions of the "king of the North" or the "willful king" described in the preceding verses (Dan 11:36-38). The "he" is the arrogant, blasphemous ruler who disregards all conventional gods and God, seeking to exalt himself.
• in the most strong holds: The Hebrew is 'al miḥtsārim ma'uzzīm (עַל־מִבְצְרֵי מָעֻזִּים), meaning "against fortresses of strongholds" or "over mighty fortresses." Ma'uzim (מָעֻזִּים) denotes fortifications or strong places. This indicates military campaigns and strategic conquests of well-defended cities. It can also imply symbolic strongholds of faith or tradition that this king seeks to undermine or conquer.
• with a strange god: Hebrew 'im 'Eloah nākhriy (עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ נָכְרִי). 'Eloah (אֱלוֹהַּ) is a term for God or a god, and nākhriy (נָכְרִי) means "foreign," "alien," or "strange." This is a deity not traditionally worshiped in the region or by the ruler's ancestors, often identified as a war god or a "god of fortresses" as in Dan 11:38. This implies a religious cult initiated by the king to serve his agenda, distinct from the God of Israel.
• whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: The king will not only adopt this foreign god but will also publicly recognize and lavish praise, honor, and resources upon it. This often involved erecting temples, making costly offerings, and promoting its worship as a means of legitimizing his rule and unifying his subjects under a new, state-sanctioned religion. The glory is given by the king to the god, not received from it in a divine sense.
• and he shall cause them to rule over many: "Them" refers to those who acknowledge and embrace the strange god promoted by the king. The ruler rewards their loyalty and apostasy by granting them positions of authority, governorships, or other influential roles. This is a pragmatic strategy to secure political control through collaboration and bribery.
• and shall divide the land for gain: The Hebrew phrase is we'aḍmāh yeḥallēq bi-mchīr (וַאֲדָמָה יְחַלֵּק בִּמְחִיר). Yeḥallēq means "he shall divide" or "apportion," and bi-mchīr (בִּמְחִיר) means "at a price," "for a reward," or "for gain." This signifies a mercenary approach where the king doles out conquered territories or properties—or the revenue rights associated with them—to his loyal followers. This serves as a powerful incentive for collaboration, allowing him to enrich his supporters while simultaneously consolidating his power and financing his operations through these "sales" or distributions.

Daniel 11 39 Bonus section

The concept of the "god of fortresses" mentioned in the preceding verse (Dan 11:38) likely finds its practical application here in verse 39. Whether it's Zeus Olympios, or a metaphorical "god of military power and wealth," this verse shows how that god empowers the king's actions: by assisting in the conquest of fortified places and legitimizing the king's self-serving rewards system. The phrase "divide the land for gain" points to a deeper financial motivation underlying the ruler's actions, where religious and political moves are intertwined with economic exploitation and the accumulation of wealth and power through the dispossessed. This mirrors historical instances where conquerors redistributed land to their loyalists and Roman emperors also had to be considered the Pontifex Maximus and later were made into Gods, so these actions have deep meaning and practical consequences that go beyond just worship, for those under him.

Daniel 11 39 Commentary

Daniel 11:39 details the ruthless and calculating strategies of the "willful king," first exemplified by Antiochus Epiphanes IV, and looking forward to an end-time Antichrist. This figure employs both military might, by attacking "strongholds," and spiritual corruption, by introducing a "strange god" as a tool for political control. Unlike a legitimate ruler, he exalts and legitimizes this self-invented or foreign deity to serve his own power agenda. His rule is not founded on justice but on bribery and coercion; he rewards those who adopt his imposed cult with positions of power ("cause them to rule over many") and redistributes resources, particularly "land, for gain." This establishes a system where loyalty to the king and his false religion trumps all, with material rewards as the primary incentive, exposing the utterly ungodly nature of his regime and the extent of his blasphemous arrogance. This portrays a ruler who subverts truth and true worship for worldly power.