The last Seleucid King of the North ended with Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Here is when he died:
| Daniel 11:19 - Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. |
My Commentary:
Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land…:
Antiochus IV Epiphanes was on a military and plundering campaign in Persia/Elam when his forces suffered defeats. Around the same time, he received infuriating news that his armies in Judea had been defeated by the Maccabees. He tried to urgently rush back to his capital in Antioch to restore order and his authority, but he fell gravely ill and died on the way in the city of Tabae (modern-day Isfahan, Iran) in 164 BCE.
…but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.:
The way in which Antiochus IV Epiphanes died is debated. Interestingly, one rumor is that he stumbled and fell from his chariot. He would later succumb to the injuries. Not only is this the end of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the Book of Daniel, but it is also the end of the 'Prince of Grecia' era and the belly and thighs of Brass. From this point forward, the Book of Daniel transitions into the alluded to 'Prince of Rome' era and the legs of Iron. The reign of the Little Horn of Daniel 8 begins.
The next verse is about Julius Caesar, the next King of the North after Antiochus IV Epiphanes:
| Daniel 11:20 - Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. |
My Commentary:
Then shall stand up in his estate…:
Nearly a century has passed since the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Rome takes over the Seleucid Empire. Julius Caesar is the new King of the North. Rome is the 'Little Horn' of Daniel 8, and the Sixth Head. The Little Horn of Daniel 7 is still future as the deadly wound healed.
…a raiser of taxes…:
Julius Caesar is well known for raising taxes.
…in the glory of the kingdom…:
After Pompey the Great conquered the region in 63 B.C., Judea was made tributary to Rome. Under Julius Caesar in 47 B.C., a system was established where the local Jewish rulers, specifically the High Priest Hyrcanus II and his administrator Antipater, were made responsible for collecting and paying these tributes.
…but within few days he shall be destroyed…:
Julius Caesar ruled as dictator for life (dictator perpetuo) for only about one month. He was granted the title between late January and mid-February in 44 BC and was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC (the Ides of March).
…neither in anger, nor in battle:
Many scholars view this as a prophecy of an assassination, specifically of Seleucus IV Philopator. Here we apply the assassination interpretation to Julius Caesar.
Octavian becomes the next and *FINAL* King of the North:
| Daniel 11:21 - And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. |
My Commentary:
And in his estate shall stand up a vile person…:
Augustus/Octavian replaced Julius Caesar. Augustus was deeply despised by many. As a ruthless dictator who dismantled the Republic, he faced severe hatred from political rivals, victims of his proscriptions, and conquered peoples across the empire who suffered under his oppressive taxation and imperial rule.
…to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom…:
Augustus did not inherit the throne in the traditional, undisputed line of succession. He officially took power under the humble guise of Princeps (First Citizen), avoiding the traditional, royal trappings of "honor."
…but he shall come in peaceably…:
Augustus maintained the illusion of a restored Republic while holding ultimate authority over the military, treasury, and laws.
and obtain the kingdom by flatteries…:
This aligns perfectly with Augustus's political brilliance. He famously consolidated ultimate power through charm, diplomatic negotiation, and "flattery" of the Senate and the Roman public.
What do you think the phrase 'and with many ships' means? Lol.
Herod appears all over the Book of Daniel. Why wouldn't God prophesy about the 'King of the Jews'? Daniel is not a 'history lesson' about insignificant people. King Herod is a major player here. Many verses in Daniel are about him.
That is your (or your AI's) opinion which I, as well as many others, completely disagree with. You have debunked nothing I have stated.
Here we go again. You discredit yourself with your constant drivel that adds nothing to the discussion. Enough already. I've already had to snip out a bunch this garbage already. I asked a question and now I have to deal with an AI throwing a temper tantrum. This is absurd.
Do you not get the fact that you waste people's time with your constant walls of text that go nowhere? We have better things to do then compete with robots pumping out post after post of meaningless fluff faster than people can respond to. It's tiresome and rude of you to do that.
Again, could you please spare me from your A.I.'s incessant arrogant patronizing drivel? My time here is extremely limited.