Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

Parallels of Daniel 8 and Daniel 11

At the time this page was initially posted it was thought Doukhan's interpretation of Daniel 11 was sound. After more study this view is no longer held. Instead interpretations by Kenneth Cox and Leslie Hardinge provide the best understanding of Daniel 11. Their interpretations are summarized in a table that documents many different expositors. This table can be viewed using this URL: https://tinyurl.com/2epujw72

The following information on this page is from:

• Doukhan, J. (2019). Daniel 11 decoded: An exegetical, historical, and theological study. Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press. pp. 29-30.

These two chapters are related in terms of the specific motif of conflict. While Daniel 7 (like Dan. 2) presents a succession of kingdoms, which "frame the topic in terms of a divinely commissioned process," Daniel 8 presents the same kingdoms fighting each other in a conflict that involves cosmic forces (cf. Dan. 10:20-21). These are the only prophecies of human history in the book which describe the course of events in explicit terms of a conflict.

 
Display of Parallels 
This evidence is also confirmed and reinforced through the linguistic and thematic parallels and echoes that relate chapters 8 and 11. Amazingly, the parallelism may also be observed not only in time, with regard to the chronological sequence of the kingdoms (Persia-Greece), but also in space, with regard to the geographical motions/directions of these kingdoms. They are East-West-North-South-“Glorious Land” (tsebi), as noted in boldface type in the following table: 

Same Introduction
Same two kingdoms identified: Persia, Greece (Dan. 8:20-21 // Dan. 11:2) 
Same introductory paragraph: 
When he became strong … broken ... toward the four winds of heavens →Rome (Dan. 8:8) 
// When he has arisen ... broken ... toward the four winds of heavens →Rome (Dan. 11:4) 

Same Directions 
Persia: from East to West (Dan. 8:4; cf. Dan. 11:1-2) 
Greece: from West to East (Dan. 8:5; cf. Dan. 11:3-4a) 
Four winds of heaven; all directions (Dan. 8:8; cf. Dan. 11:4) 

Same Conclusion 
“Time of the end" (Dan. 8:17; 11:40); “not by human hand” (Dan. 8:25a) // “with no one to help" (Dan. 11:45) 

Same Language (linguistic links) 
ba': "come” (Dan. 8:5, 6; cf. Dan. 11:6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, 29, 30, 40, 41, 45) 
'amad: “rise” (Dan. 8:3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 22, 23; cf. Dan. 11:1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 25, 31; 12:1) 
we'asah: “he did” (Dan. 8:12, 24; cf. Dan. 11:7, 24, 30, 36, 39) 
'alah: “rise” (Dan. 8:3, 8; cf. Dan. 11:23) 
'emet: “truth” (Dan. 8:12, 26; cf. Dan. 11:2) 
tsapon-negeb: “north-south” (Dan. 8:4, 9; cf. Dan. 11:5-45) 
'eyn matsil miyyado: “no one to deliver him from his hand” (Dan. 8:4, 7; cf. Dan. 11:45) 
nishbar: “broken” (Dan. 8:7, 8, 22, 25; cf. Dan. 11:20, 22, 26) 
gdl: “grow great” (Dan. 8:4, 8, 9, 10, 11; cf. Dan. 11:36, 37) 
rabbim: “many” (Dan. 8:25; cf. Dan. 11:14, 18, 33, 35, 44) 
rum lebabo: “his heart exalted” (Dan. 8:25; cf. Dan. 11:12, 28, 36) 
hishkhit: “destroy” (Dan. 8:24; cf. Dan. 11:17) 
gets lamo'ed: “end for the appointed time” (Dan. 8:19; cf. Dan. 11:27, 35) 
beshalwah: “peaceably” (Dan. 8:25; cf. Dan. 11:21, 24) 
hitsliakh: “succeeded” (Dan. 8:12, 25; cf. Dan. 11:27) 
za'am: “rage” (Dan. 8:19; cf. Dan. 11:30, 37) 
nipla’ot: “wonders” (Dan. 8:24; cf. Dan. 11:36) 
nagakh: “push” (Dan. 8:4; cf. Dan. 11:40) 
mizrakh: “east” (Dan. 8:9; cf. Dan. 11:44) 
tamid: “daily” (Dan. 8:11; cf. Dan. 11:31) 
gdsh: "holy” (Dan. 8:11, 13, 14; cf. Dan. 11:28, 30, 31, 45) 
'akharit: “end” (Dan. 8:19, 23; cf. Dan. 11:4) 
yatsa': “go out” (Dan. 8:9; cf. Dan. 11:11, 43) 
et qets: “time of the end” (Dan. 8:17; cf. Dan. 11:40) 

It is clear that the structure of Daniel 11 parallels the structure of Daniel 8. This means that the text of Daniel 11 will be clarified in light of its corresponding passage in Daniel 8.  

The following information on this page is from:

• Doukhan, Jacques B. Secrets of Daniel: Wisdom and Dreams of a Jewish Prince in Exile. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000. pp. 160-162.

The three kings are of Persian origin (cf. Dan. 11:2). We are in the reign of Cyrus (with coregent Darius). Thus the three kings would be Cambyses (530-522), Darius (522-486), Xerxes, the Ahasuerus of Esther (486-465), with the fourth being Artaxerxes (465-423). Not only did Jewish tradition adopt the interpretation," history also confirms it. Artaxerxes was, as depicted in the prophecy, extremely rich. A history text describes him as the king who "was shrewdest (of all his predecessors) and bought off his allies (from the conquered Greek cities), weakening them by creating dissension among them." 

The mention of Artaxerxes at the dawn of the great conflict is particularly significant. It is he who marked the starting point of the 70-weeks and the 2300-evenings-and-mornings prophecies. Just as God led history until the coming of the Messiah in chapter 9, and until the time of the end in chapter 8, likewise He will do so for the great forthcoming conflict. 

The king mentioned after Artaxerxes is easy to recognize. The language of the angel in verses 3 and 4 is the same as in Daniel 8:8: "The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven." 

"Then a mighty king will appear, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. After he has appeared, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven" (Dan. 11:3,4). 

We are thus dealing with Alexander the Great, whose empire his four generals subsequently divided "to the four winds of heaven" upon his death. The totality of the Greek kingdom, including its colonies, is included in the word "empire" (malkuth [verses 2, 4]) as was also the case with the Persian kingdom (Dan. 10:13). The next phrase is more difficult to understand. It literally reads: "And not in its hereafter, and not according to the domination which ruled it, for its kingdom shall be torn and (handed over) to others than these" (Dan. 11:4). 

In other words, we are witnessing here a transition of power as the "kingdom" (malkuth) passes over to "others than these." The plural form of "these" (elleh) relates it to the four winds of heaven, also in the plural form. The kingdom then comes under the control of a power that arises after the division of the Hellenistic empire. This new power, as we have seen in the earlier prophecies, is Rome. 

Certain commentators interpret the expression "these" as referring to generals other than the four mentioned above. They think then of the dynasties of Armenia and Cappadocia that regained their independence 150 years after the death of Alexander. Such an interpretation does not fit the biblical text. As far as Armenia and Cappadocia were concerned, they involved only part of the empire, yet the biblical narration clearly mentions the "four winds of heaven," implying hereby the totality of the empire. Clearly, the prophecy has the kingdom of Rome itself in mind. 

As in chapter 8, Daniel 11 barely alludes to the kingdom of Rome and focuses on the next stage that will last until "the time of the end" (verse 40). 

North Versus South 

The events introduced in verse 5 come chronologically after Rome and do not apply to the Hellenistic kingdoms of the Ptolemies and the Seleucids, as the traditional line of interpretation infers. The period covered by the conflict narrated in Daniel 11:5-45 is therefore the same as that covered by the little horn in Daniel 7 and 8, and by the toes in Daniel 2. This is already implied by the structural parallelism between chapters 8 and 11. The section concerning the little horn in chapter 8 matches the section concerning the north-south conflict in chapter 11.

It must be added that the northern power as described in chapter 11 has much in common with the little horn, even down to linguistic similarities: 

1. The king of the north challenges God and seeks to usurp Him (Dan. 11:36, 37). In chapter 8 the little horn rises to the heavenly hosts (verses 10, 11) against the "Prince of princes" (verse 25). 
2. The king of the north desecrates the sanctuary and abolishes the daily sacrifice (Dan. 11:31), while in Daniel 8 the little horn desecrates the sanctuary (verse 11) and takes away the daily sacrifices (verse 12). 
3. The king of the north establishes himself in the "Beautiful Land" (tsevi), an expression symbolizing Palestine (Dan. 11:16, 41, 45), and attacks the holy covenant (verses 28, 30). The little horn grows toward the "Beautiful Land" (Dan. 8:9) and destroys the "holy people" (verse 24). 
4. Like the king of the north, the little horn of chapter 8 originates from the north (verse 9). 
5. The king of the north and the little horn die the same death. The king of the north comes to his end without the help of anyone (Dan. 11:45), while the little horn "will be destroyed, but not by human power" (Dan. 8:25; cf. 2:45).