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Prophecy

The end of the king of the North “between the seas”: the announcement that does not match the death of Antiochus IV (Daniel 11:36-45)

Antiochus IV dying, tended on his bed after his fall (2 Macc 9): artist’s impression by Noël Hallé, etching, 1738. This death does not match Dan 11:45.
Artist’s impression Antiochus IV dying, tended on his bed after his fall (2 Macc 9): artist’s impression by Noël Hallé, etching, 1738. This death does not match Dan 11:45. — Noël Hallé — Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons · CC0

⊘ Not fulfilled as written

Written c. 536 BC according to tradition; c. 167–164 BC according to historians. Event: 164 BC.

See the full entry: sources, objections, answers

In short

The announcement. The book of Daniel, in a vision dated around 536 BC (around 167–164 BC according to scholars), announces that the king of the North will conquer Egypt once more, subdue Libyans and Ethiopians, then die “between the seas, toward the glorious holy mountain”, just before a great distress and the resurrection of the dead.

What happened. It did not happen this way for Antiochus IV, the king described in the preceding verses: he died in Persia around November–December 164 BC, after a failed temple raid, and no source knows of any new conquest of Egypt. The traditional reading sees in these verses a king of the end of time, still to come.

What is still debated. either it is a prediction made around 165 BC that did not come true, or it is the announcement of a future that cannot yet be checked.

What is surprising

The Bible preserves a passage that was not fulfilled as written. For historians, this break dates the book: the author, accurate up to 167, was writing before learning of the king’s death. Tradition instead reads in it a king of the end, still to come.

Main objection (in French for now)

Polybe (31.9) rapporte qu’Antiochus voulut piller le sanctuaire d’Artémis en Élymaïde, fut repoussé et mourut à Tabae, en Perse ; 1 Maccabées 6 le fait mourir de chagrin « en terre étrangère » ; une liste royale babylonienne date sa mort de Kislev 148 (novembre-décembre 164). Rien ne correspond à une mort près de Jérusalem (Dn 11:45).

The text (World English Bible)

“At the time of the end the king of the south will contend with him; and the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships. He will enter into the countries, and will overflow and pass through. He will enter also into the glorious land, and many countries will be overthrown; but these will be delivered out of his hand: Edom, Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He will also stretch out his hand on the countries. The land of Egypt won’t escape. But he will have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. The Libyans and the Ethiopians will follow his steps. But news out of …

Dan 11:40-45

“The king will do according to his will. He will exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and will speak marvelous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the indignation is accomplished, for that which is determined will be done. He won’t regard the gods of his fathers, or the desire of women, or regard any god; for he will magnify himself above all. But in their place, he will honor the god of fortresses. He will honor a god whom his fathers didn’t know with gold, silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things. He will deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god. He will increase with glory whoever acknowledges him. He will cause them to…

Dan 11:36-39

Sources