Daniel 11:4

And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. AND WHEN HE SHALL STAND UP, KINGDOM SHALL BE BROKEN, AND SHALL BE DIVIDED TOWARD THE FOUR WINDS - the four-fold division of Alexander's kingdom at his death (; ), after the battle of Ipsus, 301 BC AND NOT TO HIS POSTERITY - (notes, ; ). NOR ACCORDING TO HIS DOMINION WHICH HE RULED. None of his successors had so wide a dominion as Alexander himself....

This language is concise, but there is no ambiguity in the sense. First of all the angel says, After that brave king had stood up, his empire should be broken in pieces: for when Alexander had arrived at his height, he suddenly fell sick, and shortly afterwards died at Babylon. Ambassadors had assembled round him from every quarter. He was quite intoxicated by prosperity, and very probably poisoned himself. Historians, however, have viewed him as a remarkable example of singular valor, and so they have pretended and have related, because at least they thought so, that he was deceitfully poisoned by Cassander. But we all know how intemperately and immoderately he indulged in drinking; he almost buried himself in wine, and was seized with disease amidst his cups, and sank under it, because no remedy was found for him. This, then, was Alexander’s poison. Whichever way we understand it, he f...

1-30 The angel shows Daniel the succession of the Persian and Grecian empires. The kings of Egypt and Syria are noticed: Judea was between their dominions, and affected by their contests. From ver. Daniel 11:5, is generally considered to relate to the events which came to pass during the continuance of these governments; and from ver. Daniel 11:21, to relate to Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a cruel and violent persecutor of the Jews. See what decaying, perishing things worldly pomp and possessions are, and the power by which they are gotten. God, in his providence, sets up one, and pulls down another, as he pleases. This world is full of wars and fightings, which come from men's lusts. All changes and revolutions of states and kingdoms, and every event, are plainly and perfectly foreseen by God. No word of God sha...

Verse Daniel 11:4. _HIS KINGDOM SHALL BE BROKEN_] Shall, after his death, be _divided_ among his _four_ chief generals, as we have seen before. See Daniel 8:22. _AND NOT TO HIS POSTERITY_] The _family of Alexander_ had a most tragical end: 1. His wife _Statira_ was murdered soon after his death by his other wife _Roxana_. 2. His brother _Aridaeus_, who succeeded him, was killed, together with his wife _Euridice_, by command of _Olympias_, Alexander's mother, after he had been king about six years and some months. 3. _Olympias_ herself was killed by the soldiers in revenge. 4. _Alexander AEgus_, his son, together with _his_ mother _Roxana_, was slain by order of Cassander. 5. Two y

AND WHEN HE SHALL STAND UP - In the might and power of his kingdom. When his power shall be fully established. I understand this, with Rosenmuller and Havernick, as meaning, when he shall be at the height of his authority and power, then his kingdom would be broken up. The reference is, undoubtedly, to the sudden death of Alexander; and the sense is, that his empire would not “gradually” diminish and decay, but that some event would occur, the effect of which would be to rend it into four parts. HIS KINGDOM SHALL BE BROKEN - To wit, by his death. The language is such as is properly applicable to this, and indeed implies this, for it is said that it would not be “to his posterity” - an event which might be naturally expected to occur; or, in other words, the allusion to his posterity is such language as would be employed on the supposition that the reference here is to his death....

EXPOSITION DANIEL 11:1 THE KINGS OF THE NORTH AND THE KINGS OF THE SOUTH. DANIEL 11:1 ALSO I IN THE FIRST YEAR OF DARIUS THE MEDE, EVEN I, STOOD TO CONFIRM AND TO STRENGTHEN HIM. The versions show signs of great disturbance having happened here. The rendering of the LXX. is, "In the first year of Cyrus the king, he told me to be strong and to play the man." Theodotion's rendering is yet briefer, "And I, in the first year of Cyrus, stood in strength and might." The Peshitta rendering, "In the first year of Darius the Mede (he)

AND WHEN HE SHALL STAND UP, HIS KINGDOM SHALL BE BROKEN,.... When Alexander was risen up to his highest pitch of grandeur, was sole monarch of the world, in the height of his ambition, in the prime of his days, he was cut off by death; his kingdom remained no more one, but became many, was seized by different persons, his generals, and so broke to pieces: AND SHALL BE DIVIDED TOWARD THE FOUR WINDS OF HEAVEN; which seem to have respect to the four horns or kings, which came up in his place, Daniel 8:8, and among whom his kingdom was parted; Ptolemy reigned in Egypt to the south; Antigonus in Asia to the north; Seleucus in Babylon and Syria to the east; and Cassander in Macedonia to the west: AND NOT TO HIS POSTERITY; for though he had two sons, one by Barsine, whose name was Hercules, who was living at his death; and another by Roxane, born after his death, w

CHAPTER 11 THE WARS OF THE PTOLEMIES AND SELEUCIDAE PREDICTED THE COMING EVENTS OF THE END _ 1. The wars of the Ptolemies and Seleucidae (Daniel 11:1)_ 2. The time of the end and the man of sin (Daniel 11:36) Daniel 11:1. Here we have history pre-written and the greater part of this chapter (Daniel 11:2) is fulfilled historically. So accurate are these predictions and their subsequent fulfillment that the enemies of “the Scripture of truth” have declared that it could never have been written by Daniel several hundred years before these persons came into existence and fought their battles. The pagan Porphyry in t

DANIEL 11:4. HIS KINGDOM SHALL BE BROKEN: an allusion to the division of Alexander's empire after his death (Daniel 8:8 *). NOT TO POSTERITY: Alexander left no children to succeed him, and the son born after his death was murdered before he reached manhood....

BROKEN. See Daniel 8:8. DIVIDED. See Daniel 8:22. WINDS. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9. NOT TO HIS POSTERITY. But to his generals. Compare "not in his power" (Daniel 8:22). OTHERS BESIDE THOSE: i.e. beside those four. See note on Daniel 8:22. That there is. break between the past and the future is manifest from Daniel 10:14, of which this chapter is the continuation. Those who take verses: Daniel 11:5 as belonging to the past do not ag