The Meaning of Daniel 11:40 Explained

Daniel 11:40

KJV: And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

YLT: 'And at the time of the end, push himself forward with him doth a king of the south, and storm against him doth a king of the north, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he hath come in to the lands, and hath overflowed, and passed over,

Darby: And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and overflow and pass through.

ASV: And at the time of the end shall the king of the south contend with him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass through.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And at the time  of the end  shall the king  of the south  push  at him: and the king  of the north  shall come against him like a whirlwind,  with chariots,  and with horsemen,  and with many  ships;  and he shall enter  into the countries,  and shall overflow  and pass over. 

What does Daniel 11:40 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Finally the very end time of the seventieth week will arrive (cf. Daniel 11:27; Daniel 11:35; Daniel 12:4; Daniel 12:9). Then this king will be the focus of attack by the king of the South (cf. Daniel 11:42-43), a power south of Palestine, and the king of the North, a force to its north. Evidently these two rulers will attack him simultaneously. Apparently this king is neither the king of the South nor the king of the North himself. In view of Daniel 9:26, he will probably be a western ruler, the little horn arising out of the Roman Empire (i.e, Antichrist; Daniel 7:8; Daniel 7:24). [1] Other interpreters believe the king of the North is the Antichrist. [2] Still others hold that this king was not the Antichrist but only a minor ruler. [3]
The conflict will be great, but Hebrews , apparently the ruler described in Daniel 11:36-39 (i.e, Antichrist), will invade many countries, overwhelm them, and pass on to conquer others. The Nazis were able to do this early in World War II.
"Presumably the warfare will be carried on by armored vehicles and missiles such as are used in modern warfare-though in order to communicate with Daniel"s generation, ancient equivalents of these are used here. Likewise, the ancient names of the countries or states occupying the region where the final conflict will be carried on are used in the prediction, though most of those political units will no longer bear these names in the last days." [4]
Ezekiel described a great military force descending on Israel from the far north in the future ( Ezekiel 38-39; Ezekiel 38:15). Ezekiel did not mention a power from the South. Part of the fulfillment of Ezekiel"s prophecy is probably the same invasion Daniel recorded here. I believe part of what Ezekiel prophesied to take place in his description of the battle of Gog and Magog will find fulfillment at the end of the Tribulation and part of it at the end of the Millennium. This aspect of the fulfillment will probably occur in the second half of the Tribulation, when Israel is suffering intense persecution. One writer argued that this king of the North will be a ruler from the area that Assyria formerly occupied, not someone from farther north in the area of Russia. I believe "Gog" is a code name (meaning "Dark") describing two similar invaders who will descend on Israel at two different times: at the end of the Tribulation and at the end of the Millennium. The first of these invaders is called the King of the North here. [5]

Context Summary

Daniel 11:30-45 - Arrogance Overthrown
The career of Antiochus Epiphanes, in persecuting the people of God and plotting against Jehovah and His sanctuary, is so described as to suggest that it also includes further fulfillments, and especially that last Antichrist, of whom Antiochus was the pre-figurement. So accurate is the correspondence between this prophecy and its historical fulfillment that Porphyry, the opponent of Christianity, maintained that this description was written after the event. The abomination of Daniel 11:31 refers to the idolatrous image or emblem, which in succession has been erected on Mount Zion under the auspices of Antiochus, of the Romans, the Moslems, and shall be set up yet once more by Antichrist. The last clause of Daniel 11:32 was marvelously realized in Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren; but it represents the perennial source of strength for all who suffer or serve. The anguish of those who fail under trial has often tended to their greater purification, Daniel 11:35, and the white robe is the mark of final victory, Revelation 7:9. God will not allow His people to suffer beyond the determined time, Daniel 11:36; Matthew 24:22. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 11

1  The overthrow of Persia by the king of Grecia
5  Leagues and conflicts between the kings of the south and of the north
30  The invasion and tyranny of the Romans

What do the individual words in Daniel 11:40 mean?

And at the time of the end shall attack him the king of the south and shall come like a whirlwind against him of the North with chariots and horsemen and with ships many and he shall enter the countries and overwhelm [them] and pass through
וּבְעֵ֣ת קֵ֗ץ יִתְנַגַּ֤ח עִמּוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַנֶּ֔גֶב וְיִשְׂתָּעֵ֨ר עָלָ֜יו הַצָּפ֗וֹן בְּרֶ֙כֶב֙ וּבְפָ֣רָשִׁ֔ים וּבָאֳנִיּ֖וֹת רַבּ֑וֹת וּבָ֥א בַאֲרָצ֖וֹת וְשָׁטַ֥ף וְעָבָֽר

וּבְעֵ֣ת  And  at  the  time 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
קֵ֗ץ  of  the  end 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֵץ  
Sense: end.
יִתְנַגַּ֤ח  shall  attack 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַח  
Sense: to push, thrust, gore.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הַנֶּ֔גֶב  of  the  south 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶגֶב  
Sense: south-country, Nekeb, south.
וְיִשְׂתָּעֵ֨ר  and  shall  come  like  a  whirlwind 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂעַר 
Sense: to storm, shiver, dread, bristle (with horror), be very afraid.
עָלָ֜יו  against  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַצָּפ֗וֹן  of  the  North 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צָפֹון  
Sense: north (of direction), northward.
בְּרֶ֙כֶב֙  with  chariots 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.
וּבְפָ֣רָשִׁ֔ים  and  horsemen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פָּרָשׁ 
Sense: horse, steed, warhorse.
וּבָאֳנִיּ֖וֹת  and  with  ships 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֳנִיָּה  
Sense: ship.
רַבּ֑וֹת  many 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וּבָ֥א  and  he  shall  enter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בַאֲרָצ֖וֹת  the  countries 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְשָׁטַ֥ף  and  overwhelm  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁטַף  
Sense: to wash, rinse, overflow, engulf, rinse or wash off.
וְעָבָֽר  and  pass  through 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.