Daniel 11:31 · Bible study
Daniel 11:31 Commentary: Abomination of Desolation in Prophecy
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Daniel 11:31 describe Antiochus, Rome, or the Antichrist? This study explores the abomination of desolation and its meaning for Christian hope.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The profanation of the temple under Antiochus foreshadows future desecration and points to God's sovereignty over persecution.
- Key words: arms (military force), sanctuary (temple), abomination (idol). The grammar uses plural verbs emphasizing a collective act of defilement.
- Main debate: Whether the verse describes only Antiochus Epiphanes or also points to Rome and/or a final Antichrist.
- Theological theme: The holiness of God's dwelling and the promise that desecration is not the final word.
- Best use: Informing Bible study on prophecy, preaching on suffering and hope, and preparing for end-times teaching.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Forces from him will profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and will take away the continual burnt offering. Then they will set up the abomination that makes desolate.
KJV King James Version 1769
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And strong ones out of him stand up, and have polluted the sanctuary, the stronghold, and have turned aside the continual sacrifice , and appointed the desolating abomination.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and shall take away the continual [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall defile the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice: and they shall place there the abomination unto desolation.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y serán puestos brazos de su parte; y contaminarán el santuario de fortaleza, y quitarán el continuo sacrificio, y pondrán la abominación espantosa.
E tropas virão da parte dele, e profanarão o santuário e a fortaleza; tirarão o contínuo sacrifício , e porão uma abominação assoladora.
Des troupes se présenteront sur son ordre; elles profaneront le sanctuaire, la forteresse, elles feront cesser le sacrifice perpétuel, et dresseront l’ abomination du dévastateur.
Und es werden seine Heere daselbst stehen; die werden das Heiligtum in der Feste entweihen und das tägliche Opfer abtun und einen Greuel der Verwüstung aufrichten.
En er zullen armen uit hem ontstaan, en zij zullen het heiligdom ontheiligen, en de sterkte, en zij zullen het gedurige offer wegnemen, en een verwoestenden gruwel stellen.
Delle forze mandate da lui si presenteranno e profaneranno il santuario, la fortezza, sopprimeranno il sacrifizio continuo, e vi collocheranno l’abominazione, che cagiona la desolazione.
A wojska wielkie przy nim stać będą, które splugawią świątnicę, i twierdze zniosą; odejmą też ustawiczną ofiarę, a postawią obrzydliwość spustoszenia.
И поставлена будет им часть войска, которая осквернит святилище могущества, и прекратит ежедневную жертву, и поставит мерзость запустения.
他 必興 兵，這兵必褻瀆 聖地，就是保障，除掉 常獻的燔祭，設立 那行毀壞 可憎的。
And armies sent by him will take up their position and they will make unclean the holy place, even the strong place, and take away the regular burned offering and put in its place an unclean thing causing fear.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Daniel 11:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators from across traditions agree that this verse records a pivotal turn in the persecution of God's people: the sanctuary is profaned, the continual burnt offering ceases, and an 'abomination that makes desolate' is set up. There is broad agreement that the immediate historical event behind this language is the desecration of the Jerusalem temple by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BC. Barnes observes that up to this verse, 'general agreement' places the reference on Antiochus. Keil and Delitzsch see the 'forces' as troops sent by the king, while Gill and the Cambridge Bible detail the pollution, the erecting of an altar to Jupiter, sacrifice of swine, and the removal of the daily lamb offering.
Where traditions divide is whether the verse looks beyond Antiochus to a larger fulfillment in Rome or the final Antichrist. Jesus' citation of this passage in Matthew 24:15 makes that question unavoidable. But all commentators agree that the verse points to a core reality: the people of God will face a moment when their worship is violently interrupted and the holy place is overrun by what is profane and desolating.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Antiochus only: The narrative in Daniel 11 runs continuously from earlier verses about Antiochus; all details fit historical records in Maccabees.
- Antiochus as type of Antichrist: Jesus' citation in Matthew 24:15 looks forward to a future event, yet he references 'spoken of by Daniel the prophet,' suggesting a pattern that repeats.
- Applied to Rome: Clarke and Newton argue that the language better fits the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the setting up of ensigns (eagle standards) in the holy place.
- Double fulfillment (both Antiochus and future): The features of the verse—temple desecration, cessation of sacrifice, abomination—occurred in 167 BC and are expected again in the end times, as seen in 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
What is clear: This verse describes a literal desecration of the Jerusalem temple, the cessation of the daily sacrifices, and the installation of an idolatrous object that leads to desolation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Historical referent | All traditions agree that the immediate background is the persecution under Antiochus IV Epiphanes (167 BC), as detailed by historians and the books of Maccabees. | Some see the prophecy as fulfilled entirely in Antiochus; others see it as a type pointing to a future Antichrist, Rome, or both (double fulfillment). |
| Identity of 'arms' (forces) | All agree the term refers to an organized military or political power acting on behalf of the king. | Calvin and others argue these are apostate Jews who side with Antiochus; Keil and Delitzsch and most modern scholars see them as his own troops, specifically the forces of Apollonius. |
| Nature of the abomination | All agree it is an idolatrous object set up in the temple, defiling it and causing desolation. | Historians identify it as an altar and image of Zeus Olympios; some interpreters (like Newton and Clarke) apply it later to Roman standards or a future Antichrist's image. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The events behind this verse belong to the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king who ruled from 175 to 164 BC. After a failed invasion of Egypt, Antiochus turned his anger on Jerusalem. According to the Cambridge Bible, he sent his general Apollonius with an armed force that fell on the city unexpectedly, breaking down the temple's fortifications. The Hebrew calls the sanctuary a 'stronghold' (ma‘oz), a fitting description for a temple complex that had been fortified with high walls.
Antiochus then issued decrees aimed at unifying his empire under Hellenistic culture. Jewish worship was outlawed. The daily sacrifice, the morning and evening lamb offerings that had continued for centuries, was halted. As 1 Maccabees records, the king ordered altars and idols set up throughout the land. The 'abomination that makes desolate' was a small altar and statue of Zeus Olympios erected on the great altar of burnt offering in the temple. Gill adds that swine were sacrificed there, a deliberate act of defilement against Jewish law.
The consequences were devastating. The temple lay desolate for three years until the Maccabean revolt cleansed and rededicated it. The phrase 'abomination that makes desolate' echoes through later prophecy (Daniel 9:27, 12:11) and becomes a key sign of end-time tribulation when Jesus quotes it in Matthew 24. The historical moment thus casts a long shadow, serving both as literal suffering and as a pattern for future trials.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants in the Hebrew of Daniel 11:31. The reading is consistent across manuscripts, with minor differences only in English translation (e.g., 'arms' vs. 'forces'). The verse stands as a stable witness within the prophetic text.
Reception History
From the early church onward, Daniel 11:31 has been read as both historical record and prophetic sign. Jerome (as Barnes notes) saw Antiochus as a type of Antichrist, a view that became common among Christian fathers. The sixteenth-century Reformers, Calvin, Gill, and others, focused on the historical fulfillment under Antiochus, using the verse to illustrate God's sovereignty over persecution. Sir Isaac Newton and Bishop Newton applied it to the Romans, connecting the 'abomination' to the Roman standards set up during the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. In modern evangelicalism, the verse is often linked to the end-times 'abomination of desolation' mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24, leading to various interpretations tied to future tribulation. Across all periods, the verse has been read as a warning against idolatry and a call to endurance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The agents of desecration, 'Forces from him' (Antiochus's army, including possibly apostate Jews) rise up to act against the holy place. The profanation is not random; it is ordered and intentional.
- The worship that is stopped, The daily sacrifice, the heart of Israel's covenant relationship with God, is forcibly removed. This is not just a ritual loss; it is an attack on communion with God.
- The abomination that is set up, In place of true worship, an idol, the ultimate sign of rebellion, is installed. The result is desolation, but the verse implies that God's purposes are not defeated.
Five-point outline
- The agents, A military force acting on the king's behalf.
- The target, The sanctuary, described as a fortress, emphasizing both its physical strength and its spiritual significance as God's dwelling.
- The act of defilement, The temple is polluted by the presence of gentiles and idols, violating its holiness.
- The cessation of sacrifice, The daily offerings stop, cutting off the prescribed worship of Israel.
- The installation of the abomination, A detestable object (an idol, an altar to Zeus) is placed in the holy place, causing desolation.
Illustration hooks
- A family heirloom, a wedding ring or a Bible that has been passed down, deliberately smashed by someone who means to hurt. The violation is personal, not just physical.
- A church building that has been loved and used for generations is closed and sold. What was once a sanctuary becomes a storage unit or a club. The sense of loss is real.
- A public space where people gathered for safety and community, a playground, a library, a hospital, turned into a place of danger. The contrast between what it was and what it becomes mirrors the defilement of the temple.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is this verse about Antiochus, about the Roman destruction in AD 70, or about a future Antichrist?
- What exactly was the 'abomination that makes desolate'?
- How does Jesus' use of this verse in Matthew 24 shape our understanding of the end times?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the heart of a prophetic passage that has stirred both hope and concern for centuries. The language is vivid and disturbing: a holy place profaned, worship stopped, an idol set up in the sanctuary. Before you explore the questions, notice that the verse does not stand alone. Jesus refers to it directly in Matthew 24:15, and the book of Revelation echoes its themes. As you discuss, keep in mind that the passage points to real events in history but also to larger patterns of suffering and deliverance.
Discussion questions
- Read Daniel 11:31 in your Bible. What images stand out to you most? Why?
- The Hebrew word for 'arms' (z e ro‘im) can mean physical arms, strength, or military forces. How does that range of meaning affect your understanding of who the agents are?
- Some interpreters see this verse fulfilled entirely in Antiochus Epiphanes; others see a double fulfillment pointing to the Antichrist. What evidence does the text itself offer for each view?
- How does Jesus' quotation of this verse in Matthew 24:15 shape the way Christians read Daniel 11:31?
- What does the phrase 'the sanctuary of strength' (the temple as a stronghold) tell us about how God's people understood their place of worship?
- The daily sacrifice represented the continual relationship between God and Israel. What does it mean when that 'continual' is taken away?
- In what ways do believers today face moments where their worship or faith is challenged by forces that seem 'abominable'? How does this verse offer comfort or perspective?
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)
| Lamentations 1:10 | The adversary has spread out his hand on all her pleasant things; for she has seen that the nations have entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom you commanded that they should not enter into your assembly. |
| Lamentations 2:7 | The Lord has cast off his altar. He has abhorred his sanctuary. He has given the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have made a noise in Yahweh’s house, as in the day of a solemn assembly. |
| Ezekiel 7:20 | As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty; but they made the images of their abominations and their detestable things therein. Therefore I have made it to them as an unclean thing. |
| Ezekiel 7:21 | I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a plunder; and they will profane it. |
| Ezekiel 9:7 | He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck in the city. |
| Ezekiel 24:21 | ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. |
| Ezekiel 24:22 | You will do as I have done. You won’t cover your lips or eat mourner’s bread. |
| Daniel 8:11 | Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the army; and it took away from him the continual burnt offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. |
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
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the "arms" in this verse as the Romans, arguing that Daniel here shifts from the Greek kingdoms to Roman power. He traces specific historical conquests from Macedon through Syria and Egypt, and connects the abomination of desolation to the temple built for Jupiter Capitolinus in Jerusalem under Emperor Hadrian.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists the verse refers directly to Antiochus Epiphanes and his general Apollonius, not to the Romans or to Antichrist. He argues that the historical record of Antiochus sending Apollonius to attack Jerusalem and pollute the temple matches the details exactly, making any other interpretation unnecessary and forced.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin identifies the "arms" rising from Antiochus not as a military garrison but as apostate Jews who willingly join him. The angel calls the temple the "sanctuary of strength" to show that God's power remains untouched, even when the building is polluted.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary pinpoints the events to Antiochus IV's suppression of Jewish worship in 168 BC. The temple was fortified and then defiled, the daily burnt offering ceased, and a heathen altar to Zeus was set up on the altar of burnt offering. The Hebrew phrase "abomination that causeth appalment" may be a contemptuous pun on the title "Baal of heaven."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note identifies the "armes" as military forces under a hostile ruler, likely Antiochus Epiphanes. These forces would defile the temple, stop the continual sacrifice, and set up an idol—the "abominable desolation" that makes worship impossible.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill details how Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled this prophecy through his generals who polluted the temple with idolatry and immorality, stopped the daily sacrifices, and set up an idol of Jupiter Olympius on the altar. He treats these events as the precise historical abomination that left Jerusalem desolate and struck the people with astonishment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees Antiochus as a prophetic type whose actions foreshadow later antichrist figures. The "arms" are human forces, not weapons, and the language describing Antiochus reaches beyond him to include Rome, Mohammed, and the final personal Antichrist. The "abomination that makes desolate" points to multiple historical fulfillments, from Antiochus's idol altar to later desecrations.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the "arms" in this verse refer to the king's own military forces, not to apostate Jews. They also interpret "the sanctuary, the fortress" as the temple serving as Israel's spiritual stronghold because God dwells there, not as a literal fortified building.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the exceedingly detailed predictions in the central portion of this chapter are so precise that they likely come from a later Maccabean writer, not the prophet Daniel. Only the opening and closing sections, which are more general, retain their original prophetic character. This view explains the striking historical accuracy without requiring supernatural foreknowledge.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the character of Antiochus Epiphanes as a "vile person" who seizes power through flattery and deceit rather than rightful honor. He observes that Antiochus directs his treachery especially against the holy covenant, using lies and betrayal to attack God's people, yet all his schemes remain under God's sovereign timetable and ultimately do not prosper.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley specifies that the "arms" include not only a foreign army but also many Jews. He identifies the sanctuary as the holy of holies itself, and the abomination as the actual statue of Jupiter set up in that most sacred place.