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Chain of Kings(Daniel 1112, LITV)Received: 3rd year of Cyrus, king of Persia (c. 557 BC)

... Behold! Three kings shall stand up in Persia; andthe fourth shall be rich in all greater riches. And whenhe is strong through his riches, he shall stir up allagainst the kingdom of Greece.

The three kings who rise, following Cyrus II the Great (559529 BC), are CambysII (529522 BC), Smerdis (522 BC), and Darius I the Great (522486 BC). The fourking, Xerxes I the Great (486465 BC), is the holder of exceptional wealth, whiaids him in a formidable, albeit unsuccessful, invasion of Greece in 480 BC. Thmarks the effective end of the Persian Achaemenid Empire.

And a mighty king shall stand up and shall rule withgreat authority and do according to his will.And when he stands up his kingdom shall be

shattered and shall be divided to the four winds ofthe heavens, and not to his posterity, nor according tohis authority with which he ruled. For his kingdomshall be pulled up andgiven to others besides these.

Alexander the Great (336323 BC), of Macedonia, conquers a vast empire, but, his death, the empire is divided between four of his Diadochi (Seleucus, takin

Syria and Mesopotamia, Ptolemy, taking Egypt, Lysimachus, taking Thrace anregions of Asia Minor, and Cassander, taking Macedonia and Greece).

And the king of the south shall be strong. And one ofhis rulers, even he will be strong on him, and he willrule. His rule shall be a great rule.

Ptolemy I Soter, of Egypt, initially rules the dominant empire, but his kingdosoon becomes second to that of Seleucus I Nicator (305 BC).

And at the end of the years they shall join together,and the king of the south's daughter shall come to theking of the north to make an agreement. But she shallnot keep the power of the arm. And he will not stand,nor his arm. But she and those who brought her shallbe given up, also her begetter and her supporter inthese times.

Ptolemy I Soter dies, and is succeeded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. SeleucusNicator is murdered, and is succeeded by Antiochus I Soter, followed Antiochus II Theos. Though Ptolemy II Philadelphus and Antiochus II Theos aenemies, they ultimately enter into an alliance (around 250 BC). This allianceprocured by the giving of Ptolemys daughter, Berenice, in marriage to Antiochuon condition that he leave his wife, Laodice. The alliance is short-lived, howevas Ptolemy soon dies and Antiochus leaves Berenice, taking back Laodice, wh

then gives up both Antiochus and Berenice to be murdered.But the shoots of her roots will stand in his place, andhe shall come to the army and will enter into thefortress of the king of the north. And he will actagainst them and will show strength.And he will also bring their gods with their castedimages, with silver and gold vessels of theirpossessions, into exile to Egypt. ([A]nd he doth standmore years than the king of the north - YLT).

The brother of Berenice, Ptolemy III Euergetes (246221 BC), avenges her deainvading Syria and returning to Egypt with forty thousand talents of silvprecious vessels, and twenty-four hundred images, including Egyptian idowhich Cambyses had carried from Egypt into Persia. Also, Ptolemy III Euergetsurvives Seleucus II Callinicus, successor of Antiochus II Theos, by four years.

And the king of the south will come into his kingdomand will return to his own land.But his sons shall be stirred up and shall gather amultitude of great forces. And one certainly shallcome and overflow and pass through. And he willreturn to his fortress and be stirred up.And the king of the south will be bitter and will goout and fight with him, with the king of the north.And he shall raise a great multitude, but themultitude shall be given into his hand.And having carried away the host, his heart will belifted up. And he will cause myriads to fall, but heshall not be strong.

Antiochus III the Great succeeds in forcing the Egyptians, now under Ptolemy

Philopator, back to the southern borders of Israel (219217 BC), invading Raphia, an Egyptian border-fortress. It is here where Ptolemy is initially successin holding Antiochus back, slaughtering ten thousand, and capturing a furthfour thousand, of his men. However, instead of taking Syria for himself, Ptolemmakes peace with Antiochus.

For the king of the north shall return and raise agreater host than the former. And at the end of times,years, coming he shall come with a great army andwith much equipment.And in those times many shall stand up against the

king of the south. And the sons of the violent ones ofyour people shall rise up to establish the vision, butthey shall stumble.And the king of the north shall come and pour out asiege mound and seize a fortified city. And the armsof the south shall not stand, nor his choice people, forthere will be no firmness to stand.But he who comes against him will do as he desires,and none shall stand before him. And he shall standin the glorious land, and destruction shall be in hishand.

Fourteen years after the first invasion, Antiochus III returns with a greater armwaging war with Ptolemy V Epiphanes (who is just six years old at the timAntiochus captures the fortified city of Sidon in 203 BC, and, within a further foyears, he enters Palestine, which, although he enters the land peacefully at first, later captures for himself.

And he shall set his face to go in with the might of allhis kingdom, and upright ones with him; so he shalldo. And he shall give the daughter of women to him,

to destroy it. But she shall not stand, nor be for him.

Intending to conquer Egypt, Antiochus gives the young Ptolemy V Epiphanes hdaughter, Cleopatras, hand in marriage, hoping to gain Egyptian lands throug

her. However, she sides with Ptolemy and routs her fathers plan.

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And he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shallcapture many. But a ruler shall make cease hisreproach for him, but his reproach shall return to him.And he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of hisown land, but he will stumble and fall and shall notbe found.

Antiochus III turns his attention to Asia Minor (197 BC) and Greece, including tisles (192 BC), but Cornelius Scipio is sent to turn him back. Antiochus returns Syria (188 BC) and dies the following year.

And one who passes over a tax exacter shall stand inhis place, for the glory of the kingdom. But within afew days [years NIV] he will be shattered, but not inanger and not in battle.

Antiochus III is succeeded by Seleucus IV Philopator, who sends a tax collectoHeliodorus, to Judea to plunder the Temple. He reigns for a relatively short timemere twelve years (compared to his fathers thirty-seven-year reign), befobeing assassinated by Heliodorus.

And a despised one shall stand up on his place, andthey shall not give to him the honor of the king. But

he shall come in while at ease and make strong thekingdom by intrigues.

While Demetrius I Soter, son of Seleucus IV Philopator, is the rightful heir to t

throne following the death of Antiochus III, the kingdom is, instead, seized Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175164 BC).

And the forces of the overflow shall be swept frombefore his face, and they will be shattered, and alsothe ruler of a covenant.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes invades Egypt with an overwhelming force, to the soutovertaking even the king of the covenant with the north, the king of the souPtolemy VI Philometor.

And after they join themselves to him, he will practicedeceit; for he shall come and shall be strong with afew people.

Initially, in his conquests, his forces are small. In his attempt to take EgyAntiochus IV Epiphanes enters, and gains possession of, Jerusalem with pretence of peace.

He will go in safely, even into the rich places of theprovince. And he shall do what his fathers have notdone, nor his fathers' fathers. He shall plunder andspoil and scatter goods among them. And he shalldevise his plots against the strongholds, even for a

time.

While those before him had left Jerusalem and the Temple to the Jews, AntiochIV Epiphanes does not. Soon, though he enters peaceably, he turns again

Jerusalem and plunders it.

And he will stir up his power and his heart againstthe king of the south with a great army. And the kingof the south will be stirred up to battle with a greatand very mighty army. But he shall not stand, forthey will devise plots against him.Yea, those who eat his food shall destroy him, and hisarmy shall overflow. And many will fall down slain.

Ptolemy VI Philometor demands the return of Coele-Syria, but Antiochus refusto concede and, in a sudden pre-emptive attack, invades Egypt (170 BC) withgreat army, conquering all but Alexandria.

And both of them, the kings, shall have in their heartsto do evil, and they will speak lies at one table. But itwill not prosper, for the end still shall be at theappointed time.

Antiochus and Ptolemy sit down together in an effort to form a truce, but neithis honest with the other, and no peace is reached.

And he will return to his land with great wealth. Andhis heart shall be against the holy covenant. And he

will act, and he shall return to his land.At the appointed time he will return and comeagainst the south. But it will not be as the former or asthe latter.For the Kittim ships will come against him. And hewill be pained and turn back and be furious againstthe holy covenant. And he will act, and he will returnand heed the forsakers of the holy covenant.

Antiochus attempts a second invasion of Egypt (168 BC), but is prevented by Rom(the ships of Chittim, that is, the region of Cyprus, from where the Romans camand the threat of war. He is forced to return, but, on his way back throu

Jerusalem, enraged, he plunders the city and its inhabitants.

And forces will stand away from him, and they willprofane the sanctuary, the fortress. And they shallremove the regular sacrifice, and they will place theabomination that desolates.

Returning from his defeat in Egypt, Antiochus takes Jerusalem with a force 22,000 to surround and plunder the city (the abomination of desolation), killinand taking many for slaves, and forcing the Jews there to worship Zeus. He ordethe setting up of an idol for pagan sacrifices in the Temple, defiling the sacredaily sacrifices of the Jews.

And he will defile by flatteries those who do evilagainst the covenant. But the people who know theirGod will be strong and will work.

Even as many Jews turn from their honour to follow Antiochus, a certain grouknown as the Maccabees (though more appropriately called the AsmonePrinces) rises in an ultimately successful rebellion.

And those who understand among the people willinstruct many, yet they will stumble by the sword andby flame, by exile and spoilfordays.And when they shall stumble, they will be helpedwith a little help. But many will join them withhypocrisy.

Mattathias and his family, who lead the revolt, and who are priests by thbirthright (and, thus, are divinely ordained teachers of Israel), rise againAntiochus in rebellion, but even many of them fall in their time, as do many wrefuse to observe the decrees of Antiochus. The Maccabees succeed with smforces, but many people come to them with flatteries and friendship, though thdo so deceitfully.

And many of those who understand shall stumble, torefine and to purge them, and to make white to thetime of the end. For it is yet for the appointed time.

The descendants of Mattathias, of which some fall to violent death and captivicontinue to serve as priests and teachers in Israel. This continues on to the last the Asmonean family line, Aristobulus, who is murdered at the command of kiHerod the Great.Here, the identity of the king of the north shifts from Antiochus to Herod w

very little distinction, though the jump is apparent from the context.

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And the king shall do according to his will. And heshall exalt and magnify himself above every god; heshall even speak marvelous things against the God ofgods and shall prosper until the fury is completed.For that which is decreed shall be done.He shall not regard the God of his fathers, nor thedesire of women; yea, he will not come to any god.For he shall magnify himself above all.

The king, Herod the Great (374 BC), rises through the ranks by securing tconfidence of his superiors (such as Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavius) become King of Israel, as appointed by the Roman Senate. In an effort to secure hauthority, he also instigates the slaughter of the children in Bethlehem uphearing of the birth of the Messiah (called the desire of women of Israel, whdesire to give birth to Him), who is prophesied to become Prince of the kings the earth.

But in his place he shall honor the god of forces, andhe shall honor a god whom his fathers did not know,with gold and silver and with precious stones, anddesirable things.

And he shall act in the strongholds of the fortresseswith a foreign god, whom he shall acknowledge. Heshall multiply in glory, and he shall cause them torule over many and shall divide the land for a price.

Herod the Great secures his status with the rulers of Rome by sending theextravagant gifts and establishing strongholds and fortified cities for them in th

names. Also, Herod orders the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, though has this done to provide a most prominent fortification for the Roman Empire.

And at the end time, the king of the south will engagein butting with him. And the king of the north shallcome against him like a tempest, with chariots andwith horsemen and with many ships. And he shall gointo the lands and shall overflow and pass over.And he shall enter into the glorious land, and manywill be stumbled. But these shall escape out of hishand: Edom and Moab, and the chief of the sons ofAmmon.

Describes the Actian War, initiated by the king of the south (that is, of EgypMark Antony at this time), followed by the conquests of Octavian AugustuOctavian enters many lands, including the glorious land, Judea, through which invades into Egypt. However, the lands adjacent to Judea, to the east and soutare spared his occupation, though he attempts to take them, but fails.

And his hand will stretch out against the lands, andthe land of Egypt shall not escape.But he will rule over the treasures of gold and silver,and over all Egypt's desirable things. And the Libyansand the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

Octavian Augustus conquers the land of Egypt, with its vast wealth (at the timas well as the lands of Libya and Ethiopia.

But news shall trouble him from the east and from thenorth. And he will go out with great fury to destroyand to devote many to destruction.

King Herod (he) encounters the wise men and learns of the birth of tMessiah, whom he sees as a threat to his authority. Also at about this time, hears that two of his sons have maligned him before Augustus. The latter of theforces him to respond with fury against his own sons, while the former caushim to instigate the slaughter of the children in Bethlehem (the Massacre of tInnocents, circa 5 BC).

And he shall plant his palace tents between the seas,in the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to

his end, and there is not a helper for him.

King Herod the Great has set his strongholds in Jerusalem, between the homountain and the Mediterranean and the Dead Seas. In 4 BC, he is afflicted withterrible disease, but he seeks the assistance of physicians to keep him alive rath

than that of God to provide him salvation, and, with all of his efforts, in the enhe dies.

And at that time, Michael shall stand up, the greatruler who stands for the sons of your people. Andthere shall be a time of distress, such as has not beenfrom the being of a nation until that time. ...

Christ comes and is crucified, in AD 32, followed by the ministry of His ApostlAfter this, within that generation (in AD 70), Jerusalem and the Temple adestroyed by the Roman armies under the command of the General Titus. Withis, the time of distress the oppression of the Roman Empire begins.

... And at that time, your people shall be delivered,everyone that shall be found written in the Book.And many of those sleeping in the earth's dust shallawake, some to everlasting life, and some toreproaches and to everlasting abhorrence.And those who act wisely shall shine as thebrightness of the firmament, and those turning many

to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

Along with the resurrection of Christ, the dead from the time of the Old Covenaare also raised:

And crying again with a loud voice, Jesus released His spirit. And, behold! Tveil of the temple was torn into two from above as far as below. And the earquaked, and the rocks were sheared! And the tombs were opened, and manbodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth out the tombs after His resurrection, they entered into the holy city and were reveal

to many. Matthew 27:5053

And from the time the regular sacrifice shall be takenaway, and the abomination that desolates set up, athousand, two hundred and ninety days shall occur.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes interrupts the daily sacrifice on 15 Kislev, 167 BC, whicorresponds to early December. 1290 days after this brings us to 9 Tammucorresponding to mid- to late-June, 163 BC. This is likely the time when Antiocharmies are defeated in Judea. Upon hearing of this, he falls fatally ill, repentinghis earlier transgressions before God (according to 1 Maccabees 6:113 andMaccabees 9:117).

Blessed is he who waits and comes to the thousand,three hundred and thirty five days.

Forty-five days after the defeat of his armies in Judea, Antiochus dies (note, tprecision of the forty-five days stated is conjecture based on the prophecy, itsethough 2 Maccabees 6:9 does indicate a period of ill-health for Antiochus priorhis death). This corresponds to 25 Av, or early August, 163 BC, a date whiseveral ancient sources support.