Daniel 11:38
in Daniel 11And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things.
KJV
But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
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This verse in Daniel 11
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"But he shall worship the god Maozim in his place, and a god which his fathers knew not shall he worship with gold and silver and precious stones and things of great price." Instead of "the god Maozim (m'dym)," as the Hebrew has it, Aquila renders, "the God of mighty powers (fortitudinum)," whereas the Septuagint says, "the most mighty God."
This site's exposition
the king shall do according to his will
on Daniel 11:36-39
At verse 36 the readings divide, and the notes name them: the wilful king who magnifies himself above every god and speaks marvellous things against the God of gods is Antiochus continued, so part of the bench, while the older dispensational line and much of the church's reading hear a figure beyond Antiochus, the final adversary Paul's man of sin echoes (2 Thess 2:4 speaks this verse's language, exalting himself above all that is called God), positions stated with holders and no verdict. Neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women regarded, the God of forces honoured with gold in strongholds: the portrait outruns what history records of Antiochus at several points, which is the textual ground the far readings stand on, stated as evidence rather than settled.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
And so the prophet, having described what has already occurred and has been accomplished in its own time, he proclaims another mystery to us, making an indication of the end of times. For he speaks in this way, "And another shameless king shall arise and he shall be exalted over every god and shall be magnified and he shall say immoderate things and he shall prosper until the wrath is consummated. For it is to be consummated. And he shall not regard any god of his fathers nor desire women and he shall not regard any god, because he shall be magnified over all. And he shall glorify the god of Moazeim in his place and a god which his fathers did not know; he shall honor in gold and silver and precious stones and he shall multiply glory and shall subject many to them and divide the earth in gifts." [Daniel 11:36-39]
And so the prophet, having described what has already occurred and has been accomplished in its own time, he proclaims another mystery to us, making an indication of the end of times. For he speaks in this way, "And another shameless king shall arise and he shall be exalted over every god and shall be magnified and he shall say immoderate things and he shall prosper until the wrath is consummated. For it is to be consummated. And he shall not regard any god of his fathers nor desire women and he shall not regard any god, because he shall be magnified over all. And he shall glorify the god of Moazeim in his place and a god which his fathers did not know; he shall honor in gold and silver and precious stones and he shall multiply glory and shall subject many to them and divide the earth in gifts. And these shall be preserved from his hand, Edom and Moab and the chief of the sons of Ammon. And he shall stretch forth his hand upon the earth and the land of Egypt shall not be saved and he shall rule over the secret things of gold and silver and of all the desirable things of Egypt and Libya and Ethiopia in their fortresses. And he shall pitch his tent Efadano between the seas near the holy Mountain of Sabir and he shall come to his lot." [Daniel 11:36-45]
And so these things the prophet described in this way concerning the Antichrist, as he will be shameless and warlike and a tyrant daring to exalt himself over every god, who boasts in his own power and pillages the fortresses of cities, and bearing lofty things in gold and silver and precious stone, he shall speak immoderate words against God, wishing that he himself alone be worshiped as God. Concerning him all Scripture is not silent and the prophets announced beforehand his coming for the destruction of many, and the Lord has testified to these things, and the apostles taught these things concerning him, and John in the Apocalypse mystically revealed his name through a number. The Lord displayed this abomination of desolation and the apostle taught that this son of the devil arrives according to the working of Satan. This one, having struck the city of Tyre, will also desolate the land of Egypt, having waged war he will extend and destroy all the land of Libya, and he shall ruin the kingdom of the Ethiopians with his might in the slaughter of the sword. He, being lifted up over every king and every god, shall build the city of Jerusalem and he shall raise the converted Temple, he shall restore both all the land and its borders to the Jews, and having summoned their people from the slavery of the nations, he shall exhibit himself to them as king, and at this the faithless shall worship him as God and shall bend the knee to him, considering him to be the Christ, not apprehending what was spoken by the prophet, how he is a deceiver and not truth. […]
Whereas all his ancestors acknowledged their natural limitations and did not presume to name themselves as god over all things, he gives himself the title God mighty and strong (the sense of Maozeim)—hence his putting "in his place," meaning himself.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 15 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In the fourth mystery, that is, the giving of the law, the Antichrist is symbolized by Balaam, who offered the worst advice, was an idolater, and although he said many good things, yet raised pagan altars and consulted auguries. And in this it is shown …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
This seems to be Jupiter Olympius, known among the Phœnicians by the name of Baal-Semen, the lord of heaven, but never introduced among the Syrians till Antiochus introduced it. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds, in the temple of Jerusalem, which is called the sanctuary of strength (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
But in his estate shall he honour the god of forces,....
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.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Translate, "He shall honor the god of fortresses on his basis," that is, the base of the statue. NEWTON translates, "And the god 'Mahuzzim' (guardians, that is, saints adored as 'protectors' in the Greek and Roman churches) shall he honor." honour with gold, &c.--Compare Re 17:4 as to Antiochus' antitype, Antichrist.
Shall he honor the god of forces - מעזים mauzzim, or gods protectors, as in the margin; worshipping saints and angels as guardians, and protectors, and mediators; leaving out, in general, the true God, and the only Mediator, Jesus Christ. And a god whom his fathers knew not - For these gods guardians, the Virgin Mary, saints and angels, were utterly unknown as mediators and invocable guardians in the primitive apostolic Church. Shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones - How literally does this apply to the Church of Rome!
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But in his estate - The marginal reading here is, “As for the Almighty God, in his seat he shall honor, yea, he shall honor a god,” etc. The more correct rendering, however, is that in the text, and the reference is to some god which he would honor, or for which he would show respect. The rendering proposed by Lengerke is the true rendering, “But the god of forces (firm places, fastnesses - der Vesten) he shall honor in their foundation” (auf seinem Gestelle). The Vulgate renders this, “But the god Maozim shall he honor in his place.” So also the Greek. The phrase “in his estate” - על־כנו 'al-kanô - means, properly, “upon his base,” or foundation. It occurs in Dan 11:20-21, where it is applied to a monarch who would succeed another - occupying the same place, or the same seat or throne. See the notes at Dan 11:2. Here it seems to mean that he would honor the god referred to in the place which he occupied, or, as it were, on his own throne, or in his own temple. The margin is, “or stead;” but the idea is not that he would honor this god instead of another, but that he would do it in his own place. If, however, as Gesenius and De Wette suppose, the sense is, “in his place, or stead,” the correct interpretation is, that he would honor this “god of forces,” in the stead of honoring the god of his fathers, or any other god. The general idea is clear, that he would show disrespect or contempt for all other gods, and pay his devotions to this god alone. Shall he honor - Pay respect to; worship; obey. This would be his god. He would show no respect to the god of his fathers, nor to any of the idols usually worshipped, but would honor this god exclusively. The God of forces - Margin, Mauzzim, or gods protectors; or, munitions. […]
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֶאֱלֹ֙הַּ֙ | veleeloah | and <to> a god of | H433 → | 57 times |
| מָֽעֻזִּ֔ים | mauzim | strongholds | H4581 → | 36 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כַּנּ֖וֹ | kano | place its | H3653 → | 17 times |
| יְכַבֵּ֑ד | yekhabed | he will honor | H3513 → | |
| וְלֶאֱל֜וֹהַּ | veleeloah | and <to> a god | H433 → | 57 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֧ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יְדָעֻ֣הוּ | yedauhu | they knew it | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֲבֹתָ֗יו | ʾavotav | ancestors his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| יְכַבֵּ֛ד | yekhabed | he will honor | H3513 → | |
| בְּזָהָ֥ב | bezahav | with gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| וּבְכֶ֛סֶף | uvkhesef | and with silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וּבְאֶ֥בֶן | uveven | and with stone | H68 → | |
| יְקָרָ֖ה | yekarah | costly | H3368 → | |
| וּבַחֲמֻדֽוֹת׃ | uvachamudot | and with precious things | H2530 → |
וְלֶאֱלֹ֙הַּ֙and <to> a god of
veleeloahH433 →57 times
מָֽעֻזִּ֔יםstrongholds
mauzimH4581 →36 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כַּנּ֖וֹplace its
kanoH3653 →17 times
יְכַבֵּ֑דhe will honor
yekhabedH3513 →
וְלֶאֱל֜וֹהַּand <to> a god
veleeloahH433 →57 times
אֲשֶׁ֧רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יְדָעֻ֣הוּthey knew it
yedauhuH3045 →945 times
אֲבֹתָ֗יוancestors his
ʾavotavH1 →1212 times
יְכַבֵּ֛דhe will honor
yekhabedH3513 →
בְּזָהָ֥בwith gold
bezahavH2091 →389 times
וּבְכֶ֛סֶףand with silver
uvkhesefH3701 →403 times
וּבְאֶ֥בֶןand with stone
uvevenH68 →
יְקָרָ֖הcostly
yekarahH3368 →
וּבַחֲמֻדֽוֹת׃and with precious things
uvachamudotH2530 →
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
1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:1–9
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- Jude 1:18
when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12
Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
- 2 Timothy 3:1–9
Through
Isaiah 44:9All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 10:14–15
Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
- Isaiah 41:24
Behold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
- Jeremiah 10:14–15
Through
Revelation 18:12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;
it leads to
- Revelation 17:4
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual…
- Revelation 17:4
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel

This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 15; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.48.1-2; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.49.1-7; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 11:38.
