Daniel 11:27
in Daniel 11And the two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And as for both these kings, their hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table: but it shall not prosper; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
KJV
And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
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This verse in Daniel 11
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief - Margin, “their hearts.” The meaning is, that their hearts were set on some evil or unjust purpose. The reference here is, evidently, to Antiochus and Ptolemy Philometor, and the time alluded to is when Ptolemy was in the possession of Antiochus, and when they were together forming their plans. Antiochus invaded the country under pretenee of aiding Ptolemy and establishing him in the government, and for the same reason, under pretence of protecting him, he had him now in his possession.
This site's exposition
shall stand up a vile person
on Daniel 11:21-28
The vile person enters without the honour of the kingdom and obtains it by flatteries, and the bench is unanimous on the near identification: Antiochus Epiphanes, the self-styled Illustrious whom his subjects renamed Epimanes, the madman. The prince of the covenant broken, the deceitful league, the scattering of prey and spoil his fathers never practiced, the lies spoken at one table between two kings: the portrait is of power exercised as fraud. His heart against the holy covenant at verse 28 turns the corridor's camera where it will stay, on what this king does to the sanctuary and the saints.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
But it says, "And he shall corrupt her, she shall not be for him." [Daniel 11:17] And truly this was fulfilled. For when Ptolemy gave him his own daughter, he turned and saw the wondrous and glorious kingdom of Alexander, of which he was very eager to have, so he spoke deceitfully to Alexander. But Scripture says, "And the kings shall speak lies to one another at one table." [Daniel 11:27] For Ptolemy desired the kingdom of Alexander and ate with him at his table, but he thought evil and did not have agreement with him. And so Scripture was fulfilled. And at this point Ptolemy, having come to Egypt and having levied a great army, came to the country when Alexander had gone to Cilicia. For it happened at that time that Tarsus and Mallus were thrown into confusion. He wished to repress them and came against them in haste, having left his own wife Cleopatra there. Accordingly, Ptolemy went up to the country and mustered a watch guard against the city. Having conquered Judea, he came to his own daughter and sent a letter to Demetrius in the islands saying, "Come out and come here and I will give to you my daughter Cleopatra to wife because Alexander sought to kill me." [1 Maccabees 10:58] But he pretended these words wishing to lay blame upon Alexander. Accordingly, Demetrius came and Ptolemy received him and gave his daughter to wife, who was the wife of Alexander. And what was spoken was fulfilled, "He shall corrupt her and she shall not be to him nor remain with him," [Daniel 11:17] because "The kings, their hearts set on evil, even spoke lies to one another at one table." [Daniel 11:27]
As the historian Josephus teaches us, the Romans learned about this army of his and commanded him to depart from Egypt. Then he made a peace treaty and shared a table with Ptolemy. The angel who addressed Daniel explained the festering wound underlying the friendship …
"And the heart of the two kings shall be to do evil, and they speak falsehood at one table, and they shall not prosper, because as yet the end is unto another time. And he shall return into his land with much riches." There is no doubt but what Antiochus did conclude a peace with Ptolemy and ate at the same table with him and devised plots against him, and yet without attaining any success thereby, since he did not obtain his kingdom but was driven out by Ptolemy's soldiers.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief,....
The kingdom of Syria, which was set up by Seleucus Nicanor, or the conqueror; he was one of Alexander's princes, and became stronger than the other, and had the greatest dominion of all, was the most powerful of all Alexander's successors. It was said that he had no fewer than seven-two kingdoms under him.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And no marvel, for the king of Egypt shall be betrayed by his own counsellors; those that feed of the portion of his meat, that eat of his bread and live upon him, being bribed by Antiochus, shall forecast devices against him, and even they shall destroy him; and what fence is there against such treachery?
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
both . . . to do mischief--each to the other. speak lies at one table--They shall, under the semblance of intimacy, at Memphis try to deceive one another (see on Da 11:3; Da 11:25). it shall not prosper--Neither of them shall carry his point at this time. yet the end shall be--"the end" of the contest between them is reserved for "the time appointed" (Da 11:29, 30).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief - That is, Antiochus, and Ptolemy Philometer, who was nephew to the former, and whose interest he now pretended to have much at heart, since the Alexandrians had renounced their allegiance to him, and set his younger brother Euergetes upon the throne. When Antiochus came to Memphis, he and Philometer had frequent conferences at the same table; and at these times they spoke lies to each other, Antiochus professing great friendship to his nephew and concern for his interests, yet in his heart designing to ruin the kingdom by fomenting the discords which already subsisted between the two brothers. On the other hand, Philometer professed much gratitude to his uncle for the interest he took in his affairs, and laid the blame of the war upon his minister Eulaeus; while at the same time he spoke lies, determining as soon as possible to accommodate matters with his brother, and join all their strength against their deceitful uncle. But it shall not prosper - Neither succeeded in his object; for the end of the appointed time was not yet come.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֤ם | usheneihem | and [the] two of them | H8147 → | 768 times |
| הַמְּלָכִים֙ | hamelakhim | the kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לְבָבָ֣ם | levavam | heart their | H3824 → | 252 times |
| לְמֵרָ֔ע | lemera' | [will be] to evil | H4827 → | |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and at | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שֻׁלְחָ֥ן | shulchan | a table | H7979 → | |
| אֶחָ֖ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| כָּזָ֣ב | kazav | falsehood | H3577 → | |
| יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ | yedaberu | they will speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִצְלָ֔ח | titzlach | it will succeed | H6743 → | 65 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ע֥וֹד | od | yet | H5750 → | 490 times |
| קֵ֖ץ | ketz | [the] end | H7093 → | 67 times |
| לַמּוֹעֵֽד׃ | lamoed | [is] to the appointed time | H4150 → | 223 times |
וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֤םand [the] two of them
usheneihemH8147 →768 times
הַמְּלָכִים֙the kings
hamelakhimH4428 →2525 times
לְבָבָ֣םheart their
levavamH3824 →252 times
לְמֵרָ֔ע[will be] to evil
lemera'H4827 →
וְעַל־and at
veal-H5921 →5755 times
שֻׁלְחָ֥ןa table
shulchanH7979 →
אֶחָ֖דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
כָּזָ֣בfalsehood
kazavH3577 →
יְדַבֵּ֑רוּthey will speak
yedaberuH1696 →1141 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תִצְלָ֔חit will succeed
titzlachH6743 →65 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
ע֥וֹדyet
odH5750 →490 times
קֵ֖ץ[the] end
ketzH7093 →67 times
לַמּוֹעֵֽד׃[is] to the appointed time
lamoedH4150 →223 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Habakkuk 2:3For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.
it leads to
- Psalms 27:14
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- Hebrews 10:36–37
You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
- Lamentations 3:25–26
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- Ezekiel 12:25
because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass,…
- Psalms 102:13
You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor— the appointed time has come.
- Psalms 27:14
Through
Daniel 11:35Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
it leads to
- Zechariah 13:9
This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They…
- Malachi 3:2–4
But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.
- Zechariah 13:9
Through
Psalms 12:2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
it leads to
- Romans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- Romans 16:18
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.47.5-9; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER ELEVEN; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 11:27.