11:21 “Then there will arise in his place a despicable person 13 to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit. 11:22 Armies 14 will be suddenly 15 swept away in defeat 16 before him; both they and a covenant leader 17 will be destroyed. 18 11:23 After 19 entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force. 20 11:24 In a time of prosperity for the most productive areas of the province he will come and accomplish what neither his fathers nor their fathers accomplished. He will distribute loot, spoils, and property to his followers, and he will devise plans against fortified cities, but not for long. 21 11:25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm 22 against the king of the south 23 with a large army. The king of the south will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to prevail because of the plans devised against him. 11:26 Those who share the king’s fine food will attempt to destroy him, and his army will be swept away; 24 many will be killed in battle. 11:27 These two kings, their minds 25 filled with evil intentions, will trade 26 lies with one another at the same table. But it will not succeed, for there is still an end at the appointed time. 11:28 Then the king of the north 27 will return to his own land with much property. His mind will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action, and then return to his own land. 11:29 At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did. 11:30 The ships of Kittim 28 will come against him, leaving him disheartened. 29 He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor 30 those who forsake the holy covenant. 11:31 His forces 31 will rise up and profane the fortified sanctuary, 32 stopping the daily sacrifice. In its place they will set up 33 the abomination that causes desolation. 11:32 Then with smooth words he will defile 34 those who have rejected 35 the covenant. But the people who are loyal to 36 their God will act valiantly. 37 11:33 These who are wise among the people will teach the masses. 38 However, they will fall 39 by the sword and by the flame, 40 and they will be imprisoned and plundered for some time. 41 11:34 When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully. 11:35 Even some of the wise will stumble, resulting in their refinement, purification, and cleansing until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time.
11:36 “Then the king 42 will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of 43 wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur. 44 11:37 He will not respect 45 the gods of his fathers – not even the god loved by women. 46 He will not respect any god; he will elevate himself above them all. 11:38 What he will honor is a god of fortresses – a god his fathers did not acknowledge he will honor with gold, silver, valuable stones, and treasured commodities. 11:39 He will attack 47 mighty fortresses, aided by 48 a foreign deity. To those who recognize him he will grant considerable honor. He will place them in authority over many people, and he will parcel out land for a price. 49
11:40 “At the time of the end the king of the south will attack 50 him. Then the king of the north will storm against him 51 with chariots, horsemen, and a large armada of ships. 52 He 53 will invade lands, passing through them like an overflowing river. 54 11:41 Then he will enter the beautiful land. 55 Many 56 will fall, but these will escape: 57 Edom, Moab, and the Ammonite leadership. 11:42 He will extend his power 58 against other lands; the land of Egypt will not escape. 11:43 He will have control over the hidden stores of gold and silver, as well as all the treasures of Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians 59 will submit to him. 60 11:44 But reports will trouble him from the east and north, and he will set out in a tremendous rage to destroy and wipe out many. 11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas 61 toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him.