Daniel 11:13 · Bible study
Daniel 11:13 Commentary: The Return of the King of the North Under Antiochus III
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Daniel 11:13 details Antiochus III the Great returning with a larger army after his defeat at Raphia.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Antiochus III returns with a larger army and supplies after a set period, fulfilling a precise prophecy about the Syrian-Egyptian wars.
- Key words: “return” (shuv, H7725), “multitude” (hamon, H1995), “end of the times, years” (qets ha‘ittim shanim).
- Main debate: Nearly all classical and modern commentators identify the king of the north as Antiochus III; there is no significant debate on the identity for this verse.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereign control over the timeline of nations and the reliability of predictive prophecy.
- Best use: Demonstrating the historical accuracy of biblical prophecy to strengthen confidence in Scripture’s authority.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For the king of the North will raise another army, larger than the first, and after some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The king of the north will return, and will send out a multitude greater than the former. He will come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with abundant supplies.
KJV King James Version 1769
For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; and he shall come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with much substance.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And the king of the north hath turned back, and hath caused a multitude to stand, greater than the first, and at the end of the times a second time he doth certainly come in with a great force, and with much substance;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; and shall certainly come at the end of the times of years with a great army and with much substance.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For the king of the north shall return, and shall prepare a multitude much greater than before: and in the end of times, and years, he shall come in haste with a great army, and much riches.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el rey del norte volverá á poner en campo mayor multitud que primero, y á cabo del tiempo de años vendrá á gran priesa con grande ejército y con muchas riquezas.
E o rei do norte voltará, e porá em campo uma multidão maior que a primeira, e a fim do tempo de alguns anos avançará com grande exército e com muitos suprimentos.
Car le roi du septentrion reviendra et rassemblera une multitude plus nombreuse que la première; au bout de quelques temps, de quelques années, il se mettra en marche avec une grande armée et de grandes richesses.
Denn der König gegen Mitternacht wird wiederum einen größeren Haufen zusammenbringen, als der vorige war; und nach etlichen Jahren wird er daherziehen mit großer Heereskraft und mit großem Gut.
Want de koning van het Noorden zal wederkeren, en hij zal een groter menigte dan de eerste was, oprichten; en aan het einde van de tijden der jaren, zal hij snellijk komen met een grote heirkracht, en met groot goed.
E il re del settentrione arrolerà di nuovo una moltitudine più numerosa della prima; e in capo ad un certo numero d’anni egli si farà avanti con un grosso esercito e con molto materiale.
Bo się wróci król północny, i uszykuje większe mnóstwo niż pierwsze; lecz po wyjściu czasu kilku lat z nagła przyjdzie z wielkiem wojskiem i z wielkim dostatkiem.
Ибо царь северный возвратится и выставит войско больше прежнего, и через несколько лет быстро придет с огромным войском и большим богатством.
北方 王 必回來 擺列 大軍，比 先前的 更多。滿了 所定的 年數，他必 率領 大 軍，帶極多的 軍裝來。
And again the king of the north will get together an army greater than the first; and he will make an attack on him at the end of years, with a great army and much wealth.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Daniel 11:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators from nearly every tradition read this verse as a specific prophecy about Antiochus III (the Great), king of Syria. Barnes notes that the description matches Antiochus returning to battle in the regions of Coelo-Syria and Palestine thirteen to fourteen years after his defeat at Raphia (217 BC). Clarke adds that Antiochus used the death of Ptolemy Philopator and the minority of Ptolemy Epiphanes as his opportunity. The “multitude greater than the former” refers, according to Gill and Calvin, to the massive army Antiochus had gathered during his successful eastern campaigns against Parthia and Bactria. Keil and Delitzsch observe the phrase “at the end of the times, even of years” underscores that God determines the precise seasons for these events. The verse is not vague prediction but detailed foreknowledge of a specific historical campaign.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse describes a historical campaign by the Seleucid king Antiochus III returning with a larger army after the death of Ptolemy Philopator, a fact affirmed by both Scripture and secular history.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the king of the north | Historically, Antiochus III (the Great) of Syria is the figure intended, as nearly all commentators affirm. | A minority futurist reading applies the title to a yet-future antichrist, though this is not supported by the supplied historical commentaries. |
| Historical timing of the return | The return occurred about 13-14 years after the battle of Raphia (217 BC), aligning with the death of Ptolemy Philopator around 204 BC. | No significant debate; the interval matches both ancient records (Polybius) and modern chronology. |
| Nature of the 'multitude' | The larger army was raised during Antiochus’s eastern campaigns and included cavalry, elephants, and extensive logistic support. | Some debate exists over the exact numbers (Gill cites 300,000 footmen), but all agree it was substantially larger than the first force. |
| Meaning of 'times and years' | The phrase indicates a divinely appointed period, not merely human reckoning. Keil and Delitzsch note that 'ittim' (times) are prophetic seasons set by God. | No substantive debate; it is uniformly understood as a period of years determined by God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy of Daniel 11 unfolds the long struggle between the “king of the south” (the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt) and the “king of the north” (the Seleucid dynasty in Syria). Daniel 11:10-12 describes a previous campaign in which Antiochus III was defeated at Raphia by Ptolemy IV Philopator. Verse 13 then records Antiochus’s return.
After Raphia, Antiochus spent more than a decade rebuilding his power. He led expeditions eastward, subduing Parthia and Bactria, and even reaching the borders of India. These wars supplied him with vast treasures and a battle-hardened army, including Indian elephants. Meanwhile, Ptolemy Philopator died in 205/204 BC, leaving his five-year-old son Ptolemy Epiphanes as king under the corrupt regency of Agathocles. Antiochus saw this as the moment to strike.
Around 203 BC, he formed an alliance with Philip V of Macedon to divide the Ptolemaic possessions. He then marched south with an army far larger than his earlier force. The Greek historian Polybius records this campaign in detail, noting the size and equipment of Antiochus’s forces. The Cambridge Bible ties the events to the taking of Seleucia and the recovery of Coele-Syria. Daniel’s text uses the precise Hebrew phrase leḳēṣ hā‘ittîm šānîm, “at the end of the times, years”, indicating that this return came after a measured interval set by God, not by chance.
This historical backdrop matters because it shows that Daniel, writing centuries before, accurately described the political chessboard of the Hellenistic age. The detailed fulfillment strengthens the trust of readers in God’s sovereign control over history.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Daniel 11:13. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is cited without variation in the early translations noted in the commentaries. The only slight difference is lexical: some English versions render rekhush as “riches” (KJV, ASV) while others give “supplies” or “equipment” (WEB, BSB), but this reflects translation choice rather than a textual variant.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters such as Jerome (4th century) identified the king of the north in Daniel 11 as Antiochus III and his son Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The Reformation commentators (Calvin, Geneva Notes, Matthew Henry) continued this historical reading, emphasizing the accuracy of prophecy as a proof of divine inspiration. Jewish exegesis, reflected in the works of Josephus and later rabbinic commentaries, also connected these verses to the Seleucid period. In the 19th and 20th centuries, critical scholars (e.g., the authors of the Cambridge Bible and Lange’s Commentary) affirmed the same identification, drawing on Greek historians like Polybius for confirmation. While some dispensationalist traditions read Daniel 11 as containing a future antichrist figure, verse 13 is almost universally understood as referring to Antiochus III’s historical campaign. This broad agreement across centuries and traditions makes the verse a powerful example of fulfilled prophecy.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The pattern of human ambition. The king of the north cannot stay defeated. He gathers a larger army, comes back with more resources. This cycle, setback, regroup, return, is the rhythm of earthly power. Even when God humbles a ruler, the heart of pride rises again.
- God’s timetable overrides kings. The phrase “at the end of the times, even of years” is not vague. God has fixed seasons. Antiochus did not come when he wanted; he came when God’s clock struck the hour. Human plans operate within divine boundaries.
- Prophecy as a foundation for faith. This verse matches secular history with remarkable precision. Fourteen years later, a larger army, eastern treasure, every detail aligns. If God can write history in advance, He can be trusted with ours.
Five-point outline
- Return, the king comes back after a long interval (shuv, to turn back).
- Greater multitude, the new army outnumbers the old; he has learned from past failure.
- At the end of times and years, divine timing, not merely a calendar date.
- Great army, the strength of human military might on display.
- Abundant supplies (rekhush, movable goods, equipment), not just soldiers but the full logistical weight of a campaign.
Illustration hooks
- A local business owner who lost everything, spent years rebuilding, and returned to the marketplace stronger than before.
- An athlete who suffered a major defeat in a championship, trained for a full season, and came back with a new strategy and better resources.
- A nation that uses a period of peace to rearm and then resumes an old territorial dispute.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God give such detailed predictions about ancient kingdoms that seem irrelevant to my life?
- Does this mean that every political leader and battle is predetermined?
- How can I know that God is still writing history today, even when world events feel chaotic?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is part of a larger prophecy that tracks the clashes between two great Hellenistic empires. The details are so specific that skeptics have argued the book must have been written after the events. Christians have understood it as a demonstration of God’s ability to declare the end from the beginning.
Discussion questions
- What does the verse say the king of the north will do? List the actions described.
- How does this verse connect to the previous verses about his earlier defeat (Daniel 11:11-12)?
- The phrase “at the end of the times, even of years” repeats a pattern from Daniel 11:6. What does this tell you about how God measures history?
- Why might God include such a detailed political prophecy in a book meant for His people's faith?
- How does knowing that Antiochus III exactly fulfilled this prophecy affect your view of other, more distant prophecies in Daniel?
- In what ways does this passage remind you that God's sovereignty operates even through the ambitions of powerful rulers?
- What one truth from this verse can you carry into your week when you feel that events are spinning out of control?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Daniel 4:16 | Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him. |
| Daniel 11:6 | At the end of years they will join themselves together; and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain the strength of her arm. He will also not stand, nor will his arm; but she will be given up, with those who brought her, and he who became the father of her, and he who strengthened her in those times. |
| Daniel 11:7 | “But out of a shoot from her roots one will stand up in his place, who will come to the army and will enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and will deal against them and will prevail. |
| Daniel 12:7 | I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the return of the king of the north as Antiochus's invasion about fourteen years later, after Ptolemy Philopater's death left his young son Ptolemy Epiphanes as king. Antiochus brought a much larger army and greater wealth, gathered during a recent eastern campaign.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the king of the north returns to recover lost territory with a much larger army than his earlier failed campaign. This force, funded by riches from eastern conquests, arrives fourteen years later, and secular history confirms this precise account.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads this prophecy as a detailed prediction of the historical war between Antiochus the Great and Egypt after King Philopater's death. He highlights how the angel foretells Antiochus's initial pause, his renewed confidence when Egypt seemed leaderless, and his return with an even larger army.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator identifies the historical figures behind the prophecy's wars: Antiochus the Great and Ptolemy Philopator. While Raphia is clearly referenced, the sequence in the preceding lines may not match Polybius' account. Antiochus' death is tied to temple plundering in Elymais, seen as divine judgment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the prophetic pattern of a recurring northern foe who rebuilds his forces after defeat. After an interval of years, he launches a second invasion with even greater numbers and resources, showing that temporary setbacks do not end the threat. The detail of "certain years" marks a deliberate pause in the prophetic timeline.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the returning king of the north as Antiochus of Syria, who exploited the youth of Egypt's new ruler to invade Coelesyria and Palestine. He brought a far larger army than before, drawn from the upper regions of Babylon, and arrived about fourteen years later with vast supplies and wealth.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB specifies that the renewed war came fourteen years after Antiochus's defeat at Raphia. He highlights that Antiochus, following successful campaigns in Persia and India, now attacked Ptolemy Epiphanes while the latter was still a mere child.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that the phrase "at the end of times, years" marks divinely appointed seasons in prophetic speech, not vague intervals. They also broaden "the prophecy" beyond Antiochus Epiphanes to include all warnings of judgment on Israel for apostasy, noting that violent Jewish rebels rise to fulfill these very threats.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the unusually precise historical details in this prophecy point to later interpolations by a Maccabean writer who shaped it to match known events. He still sees genuine Danielic material, especially in the opening and closing verses, but considers the middle section too accurate to be purely predictive.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry reads these verses as a precise historical prophecy of the power struggles between the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria. He identifies the specific kings and alliances described, treating the text as God's foreordained record of the rise and fall of ancient empires.