Daniel 11 · Verse 2

Daniel 11:2

And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.
Daniel 11:2, King James Version

Daniel 11:2 in other translations

BSBNow then, I will tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. By the power of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.
WEB“Now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings will stand up in Persia. The fourth will be far richer than all of them. When he has grown strong through his riches, he will stir up all against the realm of Greece.
ASVAnd now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and when he is waxed strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.
YLTand, now, truth I declare to thee, Lo, yet three kings are standing for Persia, and the fourth doth become far richer than all, and according to his strength by his riches he stirreth up the whole, with the kingdom of Javan.
DARBYAnd now will I declare unto thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall enrich himself with great riches more than all; and when he hath become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.
BBEAnd now I will make clear to you what is true. There are still three kings to come in Persia, and the fourth will have much greater wealth than all of them: and when he has become strong through his wealth, he will put his forces in motion against all the kingdoms of Greece.
WebsterAnd now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

What does Daniel 11:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. three kings in Persia--Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis, and Darius Hystaspes. (Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes, and Darius, in Ezr 4:6, 7, 24). The Ahasuerus of Esther (see on Da 9:1) is identified with Xerxes, both in Greek history and in Scripture, appearing proud, self-willed, careless of contravening Persian customs, amorous, facile, and changeable (Da 11:2). fourth ... riches ... against ... Grecia--Xerxes, whose riches were proverbial. Persia reached its climax and showed its greatest power in his invasion of Greece, 480 B.C. After his overthrow at Salamis, Persia is viewed as politically dead, though it had an existence. Therefore, Da 11:3, without noticing Xerxes' successors, proceeds at once to Alexander, under whom, first, the third world kingdom, Grecia, reached its culmination, and assumed an importance as to the people of God. stir up all--Four years were spent in gathering his army out of all parts of his vast empire, amounting to two millions six hundred and forty-one thousand men. [Prideaux, Connexion, 1.4. l. 410].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 There shall stand up yet three kings - Gabriel had already spoken of Cyrus, who was now reigning; and after him three others should arise. These were, 1. Cambyses, the son of Cyrus. 2. Smerdis, the Magian, who was an impostor, who pretended to be another son of Cyrus. And, 3. Darius, the son of Hystaspes, who married Mandane, the daughter of Cyrus. Cambyses reigned seven years and five months; Smerdis reigned only seven months; and Darius Hystaspes reigned thirty-six years. The fourth shall be far richer than they all - This was Xerxes, the son of Darius, of whom Justin says. "He had so great an abundance of riches in his kingdom, that although rivers were dried up by his numerous armies, yet his wealth remained unexhausted." He shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia - His military strength was such, that Herodotus, who lived in that time, informs us that his army amounted to five millions, two hundred and eighty-three thousand, two hundred and twenty men. Besides these, the Carthaginians furnished him with an army of three hundred thousand men, and a fleet of two hundred ships. He led an army against the Greeks of eight hundred thousand men, and twelve hundred and seven ships, with three banks of rowers each. As he marched along, he obliged all the people of the countries through which he passed to join him.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 11:1-30

The vision of the Scriptures of truth. Verses 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 Dn 11:5-30, is generally considered to relate to the events which came to pass during the continuance of these governments; and from Dn 11:21, to relate to Antiochus Epiphanes, who…

Read the full comment on Daniel 11:1-30 →

Daniel 11:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעַתָּ֕הve.'a.Tahand nowH6258
אֱמֶ֖ת'e.MettruthH571
אַגִּ֣יד'a.GidI will tellH5046
לָ֑ךְLakhto you
הִנֵּה\־hi.neh-there!H2009
עוֹד֩'OdyetH5750
שְׁלֹשָׁ֨הshe.lo.ShahthreeH7969
מְלָכִ֜יםme.la.KhimkingsH4428
עֹמְדִ֣ים'o.me.Dim[are] about to ariseH5975
לְפָרַ֗סle.fa.Rasfor PersiaH6539
וְהָֽרְבִיעִי֙ve.ha.re.vi.'Iand the fourth [king]H7243
יַעֲשִׁ֤ירya.'a.Shirhe will gain wealthH6238
עֹֽשֶׁר\־'o.sher-wealthH6239
גָּדוֹל֙ga.dOlgreatH1419
מִכֹּ֔לmi.Kolmore than everyoneH3605
וּכְחֶזְקָת֣וֹu.khe.chez.ka.Toand according to strength hisH2393
בְעָשְׁר֔וֹve.'a.she.Roby wealth hisH6239
יָעִ֣ירya.'Irhe will stir upH5782
הַכֹּ֔לha.Kol<the> everyoneH3605
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
מַלְכ֥וּתmal.Khut[the] kingdom ofH4438
יָוָֽן\׃ya.VanGreeceH3120

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 11:2

  • Ezra 4:5-6

    And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

  • Daniel 11:25

    And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.

  • Revelation 21:5

    And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

  • Amos 3:7

    Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

  • Daniel 8:26

    And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.

  • Psalms 73:6-7

    Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

  • Daniel 10:20-21

    Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

  • John 10:35

    If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

  • Daniel 8:4

    I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

  • John 18:37-38

    Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

  • Daniel 7:5

    And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

  • Proverbs 22:21

    That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
will I.
8:26; 10:1,21; Pr 22:21; Am 3:7; Joh 10:35; 18:37,38; Re 21:5
three.These were, Cambyses, son of Cyrus; Smerdis the Magian imposter; and Darius Hystaspes.
Ezr 4:5,6
far.
Ps 73:6,7
stir.Herodotus says the army of Xerxes consisted of 5,283,220 men, besides the Carthaginians, consisting of 300,000 men, and 200 ships.
25; 7:5; 8:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 11:1

    Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.

  • Daniel 11:2

    And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

  • Daniel 11:3

    And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

Read all of Daniel 11

Daniel 11:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ahora yo te mostraré la verdad. He aquí que aun habrá tres reyes en Persia, y el cuarto se hará de grandes riquezas más que todos; y fortificándose con sus riquezas, despertará á todos contra el reino de Javán.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et maintenant, je te déclarerai la vérité: Voici, il s’élèvera encore trois rois en Perse; et le quatrième deviendra riche de grandes richesses plus que tous, et quand il sera devenu fort par ses richesses, il excitera tout contre le royaume de Javan.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nun will ich dir die Wahrheit kundtun: Siehe, es werden noch drei Könige in Persien aufstehen, und der vierte wird größeren Reichtum erlangen als alle; und wenn er durch seinen Reichtum stark geworden ist, wird er alles gegen das Königreich Griechenland aufregen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et nunc veritatem annuntiabo tibi. Ecce adhuc tres reges stabunt in Perside, et quartus ditabitur opibus nimiis super omnes: et cum invaluerit divitiis suis, concitabit omnes adversum regnum Græciæ.