Глава 11

Daniel 11:1. And it came to pass, says the one who appeared to the Prophet in the first summer of Kirov, that he became a power and a fortress. Immediately after Cyrus reigned and the appointed time for captivity was fulfilled, I stood strong until I obtained absolution and liberation for the people. Daniel 11:2. And now I will proclaim the truth to you. In truth I will tell you the future. Many more kingdoms will rise in Persia. After Cyrus, Cambyses reigned; the magicians who succeeded him reigned for ten months; after them Darius Istasp reigned. And the fourth, says the one who appeared, will become richer in wealth than all others. He means Xerxes, son of Darius. And after he has gained his wealth, he will rise up against the entire Hellenic kingdom. He is mentioned by everyday storytellers and writers, sophists and rhetoricians who did not accept our teaching, and they talk about his proud campaign and shameful return. Then the one who appeared, speaking briefly about the affairs of the Persians before Xerxes, and keeping silent about those who reigned after him, as less powerful kings, turns his speech to the king of Macedon and says: Daniel 11:3. And the king will arise, strong, and possessing much power, and will do according to his will. (4). “And when his kingdom comes to pass, it will be broken and divided into the four winds of heaven.” For after Alexander, as we have already talked about before, accepted the kingdom, one might say, of the whole universe, and then fell into the end common to all people; His kingdom was divided into four parts, as we have already said many times. The Divine Archangel, starting with this, also said this: And it will be divided into four winds of heaven, and not the last of its own, lower in its power, which it co-owns. And what he said has the following meaning: Alexander reigned for twelve whole years; in the last six years he crushed the kingdoms of Persia and Egypt, and conquered all the living peoples between them. Then the Archangel says that those who will reign after him will not turn out to be like Alexander, neither in strength nor in the power that he acquired in recent years. This is expressed in the words: “in the last, his own, lower in power, co-owner of it.” Before long his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others besides these. For, says the Archangel, the kingdom will not be divided among these only four, but will be given to others besides them. During their reign, the Persian Arsaces achieved royal power by force of arms and acquired some part of the Persian state. From him to the present day, the Persian kings are called Arsacids, while the former were called not Arsacids, but Achaemenids. And the Romans, when the Macedonian kingdom was divided, had great power, and it was they who took tribute from these same kings. Thus, having foretold the division, the Archangel leaves without mentioning the two kings; because the Asian and Macedonian kings existed for a short time, and besides, the Jews did not suffer anything sorrowful from them, and only mentions two kings from whom the Jews experienced grave disasters. Such is the king of Egypt, and the king who prevailed over the peoples living in the east, where the capitals were Antioch and Babylon. We must first state the content of what will be said, and then touch on the detailed interpretation. The goat that blessed Daniel saw, after breaking one horn, grew four horns, namely these four kings; from one of them came another horn, which greatly overpowered Egypt in battles, and subjected the Jewish people to thousands of disasters. This horn signifies Antiochus Epiphanes. Blessed Daniel also saw the fourth beast, which had ten horns, between which arose a small horn, which had “eyes and a mouth speaking great things,” and made war with the saints (Dan. 7:20, 21). From this we also learn that, at the end of the Roman kingdom, ten kings will rise up at the same time, who will cause each other many evils, and one kingdom will enter into confrontation with another, as the Macedonian kings did. And when this happens, the man of lawlessness will appear, the son of destruction, that is, the Antichrist. And since the latest events of the Roman kingdom are similar to the division of the kingdom of Macedon; then blessed Daniel is informed together about what will happen in both cases. Some of what will be spoken relates to the Macedonians, and some to the future ten horns and to the one that will arise between them. And we know that this is really so from the prophecy itself. Therefore, we must look carefully and properly distinguish between what is appropriate for one and what for another. As a model for this we have the Gospel teaching. For when the Lord said to the Apostles about the temple of Jerusalem: Amen, “Amen I say to you, that one stone shall not be left upon stones, that which shall not be destroyed” (Matthew 24:2), and then the Apostles asked: “When will these things be, and what is the sign of Your coming” (3); Because they asked a double question, and the Lord gives the answer inseparably, speaking together about what will happen at the end of the World. But the secrets of the divine clearly distinguish what is appropriate for both times. We will do the same here, citing appropriate evidence. Therefore, the one talking with blessed Daniel, having revealed to him that the kingdom would be divided into four parts, and keeping silent about the two kings, I mean the Macedonian and the Asian or the Hellespontian, as those who existed for a short time, and least of all caused sorrow to the Jews, continues: Daniel 11:3. And the king of the south will be strengthened, and Nan will be strengthened by his princes alone, and will have much power over his power. This means the Archangel Ptolemy Philopator, who was not content with the kingdom of Egypt, but annexed Phenicia, Samaria, and Judea to his kingdom. And he calls Osprey one of the princes, “strengthened,” which is also mentioned by the Jewish writer Joseph, and who, being a valiant military leader, conquered much that did not belong to the kingdom of Ptolomey. Making this clear, the Archangel says: “and has much power over his power,” that is, he will prevail over many peoples that were outside the limits of his power. Dan.11:6. And after his flight they will mingle, and the daughters of the king of Yuzhsk will go to the king of Seversk to make a covenant with him. After the death of Ptolemy Philopator, his son Ptolemy, called Epiphanes, reigned. The Archangel expresses this with the words: “and after his flight they will be mixed.” Showing how they will mix, he says: “The daughter of the king of Yuzhsk will go to the king of Seversk to make a covenant with him. “The King of Severus” is called by the Archangel Antiochus, not Epiphanes, but called the great, the father of Antiochus Epiphanes; because he was a contemporary of those Ptolemies. And the muscle will not hold the strength, and her tribe will fail, and she who brought her and the maiden will be betrayed, and strengthen her in time. Although the marriage, says the Archangel, will be concluded, the cohabitation will not last long; the one who has entered into marriage will be given to the one who sent her, through those who will bring her, and with everything that she brought. This is expressed by the words: “and strengthen it over time,” that is, wealth that makes marriage strong and desirable. Dan.11:7. And the root thereof shall arise from the flower of it for its preparation, saith the Archangel; that is, although she will be given to her parent, she will give birth to a king who will oppose the kingdom of the one who gave her. The Archangel calls Jerusalem by power, as being worthy of God's grace, and miracles performed from time to time, proving God's power. And this was explained to us by the third book of Maccabees. For Ptolemy, having defeated Antiochus the Great beyond all hope, came to Jerusalem and offered many valuable sacrifices to God; but, having attempted to enter the sanctuary of the church, and when the priests rejected this with their requests, not wanting to give in to them, he was struck by invisible scourges. After the threats made to the Jews, he returns to Alexandria and undertakes to do what history tells us about. This is what the prophecy predicts. He will come, it is said, in power, and will enter into the statements of the king of Seversk, and will create in them, and will conquer. The Archangel calls the cities that pay tribute to the king affirmations; because, as it were, the tributes brought in serve as confirmation and support for the kingdom, from which food is given to the military force. Daniel 11:8. And their gods with their merged ones, all their coveted vessels will bring silver and gold from captives to Egypt, and she will rise above the king of Seversk. The Ptolemies were victorious in the first and second battles, as history shows. Joseph says this: “during the reign of Antiochus the Great in Asia, both the Jews themselves suffered greatly due to the devastation of their land, and those who inhabited Coelesyria. For when Antiochus waged war with Ptolemy Philopator and with his son Ptolemy, called Epiphanes, they suffered, and suffered equally from him, both the victor and the defeated.” And after a few words Joseph continues: “Having defeated Ptolemy, Antiochus occupies Judea. After the death of Philopator, his son sent a strong army and the military commander Skopa against those who occupied Coelesyria. He took possession of many cities and our people; because wherever he brought war, everything was added to it. But soon Antiochus defeated Osprey, fighting with him at the source of the Jordan, and defeated his large army. And later, when Antiochus occupied the cities in Coelesyria that were owned by Scopa, and Samaria, the Jews voluntarily venerated Scopa. Having been allowed into the cities, they provided his army and elephants with every abundance, and the guard army left by Osprey in the Jerusalem fortress was diligently helped against the besieger. But in order not to prolong the essay beyond measure when I write it out and so on, I would like to refer you to the story of Joseph. Dan.11:9. And he will enter, it is said, into the kingdom of the king of the south, and will return to his land. Daniel 11:10. And his sons will gather a mighty people. The leaders of the army are called his sons, as all people are the sons of men, and the prophets are the sons of prophets; because this image of expression is characteristic of the Hebrew language. And He will come in and drown, that is, rushing with force and destroying everything, like a flood. And he will pass by, and sit down, and even dream of his fortress, that is, he will attack Egypt with all his might, bring the war to this country, and immediately encamp. The Archangel adds to this: Daniel 11:11. And the king of the south will become angry and come out and make war against the king of the north, and he will raise up many people, and the people will be delivered into his hand. Daniel 11:12. And he will overcome the nations, and his heart will be exalted, and will overcome the darkness, and will not be strong. The king of the south, says the Archangel, will oppose a large army, but Antiochus will win and bring many into subjection, and as a winner he will become proud and defeat many darkness; however, he will not overcome Egypt, and will not take possession of the Ptolemaic kingdom. Therefore, indignantly, as said, again Daniel 11:13. The king of Severus will return, and will bring a people much greater than before, and to the end of times, and will come in great strength, and with much wealth. Then, says the Archangel, having gathered a larger army than before, Antiochus will rush to Egypt; He will do this at the end of his reign. For this is what the words mean: “for the end of times, and he will come in with great power.” Here is the usual Hebrew aggravation of speech, and this expresses that he will make a majestic entry. The same way of expression is characteristic of both Jews and Syrians; both of them are accustomed to saying: entering, entered; coming out; eating ate, and use other similar expressions. Therefore, the translators, who observed the greatest accuracy, followed these peculiarities of the Hebrew language. Daniel 11:14. And in the summer she says the Archangel, “many people will rise up against the king of Yuzhsk.” So Ptolemy, overcome by Antiochus as already powerless, will be despised by his neighbors. And the sons of the destroyers of your people will rise up, having set up a vision, and they will be exalted, “and faint.” Here again he called destructive people sons of destroyers; for he says: wicked and evil people, who prefer an evil life to piety, will attempt, with the help of these kings, to overthrow the lawful worship, and they will be able to; because the kings, being less wicked, continued to favor the Jewish people. It is said, “The king of Severus will create a trench and raise strong cities,” that is, he will surround it, make embankments, and put siege weapons into action. And the muscles of the king of the south will not become that is, it will not have any power. And they will stand by his choice, and “there will be no fortress by any means.” Gathering the best warriors will not help yourself at all. Daniel 11:16. And he will do what he will come in to him according to his will, and there will be no one standing against his face. It will be easy for everyone to despise him, because he will not be able to confront his opponents and overcome them. According to other lists, Savaim is read on earth. Some, translating the Hebrew word into the Hellenic language, called the land of Savir the land of desire; The Archangel means the promised land, as truly the land of desire, and “Mount Zion, which you will love” (Psalm 77:68), “even if God is pleased to live in it” (67:17). And Savaim is interpreted: land of strength. Therefore, Judea is called the land of good will, or the land of power; because the Archangel above called it power, and here he calls it Savaim, or Savir, and says that the king of the north will enter this land that is, it will be successful. So Joseph showed us in his history that the Jews, having voluntarily accepted Antiochus, were in great honor with him. It is said, “set your face in the strength of your whole kingdom.” For he will attempt to appropriate the entire kingdom of the king of the south for himself. continues the Archangel, “he will do everything with him.” For he will return to him everything that he stole. And his daughter will give him wives to corrupt, and she will not abide, but he will not have any. What I said above is unclear, it is said clearly here. “For,” he says: he will give him his daughter as a wife; but soon she will be returned to the giver, and the marriage will be dissolved. This is what will happen to Egypt, continues the Archangel. Daniel 11:18. And he will turn his face to the islands, and will take away many, and the princes will destroy his reproach, otherwise his reproach will return to him. Antiochus, having subjugated many islands to his power, and deprived their rulers of their leadership, subjected them to shame. But he himself will suffer the same reproach; because the Romans, having defeated him at Thermopylae, and putting an end to his great insolence, imposed a tribute of a thousand talents on him, and forced him to pay it annually, and his son Antiochus, nicknamed Epiphanes, was taken hostage and kept in custody in Rome. And this is what the first book of Maccabees shows us. The writer thereof, speaking about those who took possession of the kingdom of Alexandrovo, added: “and from them went out the root of sin Antiochus Epiphanes, the son of King Antiochus, who was a pledge in Rome” (1 Mac. 1:10). Predicting this to Daniel, the one who talked to him said: “Otherwise his reproach will return to him.” And to this he adds: Daniel 11:19. And he will turn his face to the strength of his land. Having completed these affairs on the islands, says the Archangel, Antiochus will return to his own kingdom. And you will become exhausted and fall, and not Daniel 11:20. And the garden of the kingdom shall arise from its roots, and produce it for its preparation. The Archangel means Antiochus Epiphanes, who, having left Rome, became the successor of his brother Seleucus; because Antiochus the Great was succeeded by his son Seleucus, nicknamed Philopator, and after the death of Seleucus Antiochus Epiphanes accepted the kingdom. About him says the Archangel: “The garden of the kingdom will arise from its roots, and produce it for its preparation,” that is, one who is likened to his father in power, and is able to support the kingdom prepared for him. Explaining this, the Archangel added: that is, acting very enterprisingly. And in thy days they will be crushed, and not in persons, nor in “Rati;” because, says the Archangel, he will be able to terrify everyone and subjugate him to his power without war, without shedding blood, just by word of mouth. Daniel 11:21. And it will be according to his preparation. He will act with such power, says the Archangel, that, without entering into battle, he will prevail over the kingdom passed to the son from the father. Humble yourself and not give nan the glory of the kingdom. However, even though he was king, he was not in glory, but seemed to be an insignificant person, being kept in custody in Rome. And he will come with abundance, and will overcome the kingdom with flattery. But even in extreme humiliation, says the Archangel, he will come with great wealth, with numerous strength, and will take possession of the kingdom, with the assistance of cunning, acting more by deception. Blessed Daniel saw this in the second appearance, and heard Saint Gabriel say to him: “Flattery is in his hand, and will be magnified in his heart, and will scatter many, and will not cause destruction to many” (Dan. 8:25). And here the Archangel also says: “and he will overcome the kingdom with flattery.” Daniel 11:22. And the muscles of the one who drowns will be drowned before his face and will be crushed. And with this again the Archangel made clear the kingdom of Egypt; because the kings of Egypt were very powerful, like a flood they destroyed their opponents, brought them into inaction and insignificance, but they themselves will be drowned and crushed by Antiochus; and with them Daniel 11:23. And from copulations flattery will come to him. Here the Archangel predicts the rebellion that Jesus, otherwise Jason, and Onias the son of Menelaus will carry out against the high priest Onias. For of these, first Jason, fleeing to Antiochus, overthrew his brother from the high priesthood; and Menelaus, sent to Antiochus to carry gifts and gold, demanded that the high priesthood be transferred to him, and expelled Jason. From that time on, terrible and grave disasters befell the Jewish people. Blessed Daniel, forewarned of this, hears: “The muscles of the one who drowns will be drowned by him.” This means the Archangel of Ptolemy Philometor, who was the successor of Ptolemy Epiphanes. For this he added: “and the elder of the covenant.” He means the pious high priest brother Jason, and foretells that Antiochus will deprive him of the high priesthood. Then he reveals how he will do this: “and from copulation he will create flattery towards him,” that is, he will use as servants those who boast that they are of the same kind, and with the help of cunning he will cause thousands of evils to the people. and “and he will overcome it in a little while.” For, having deceived the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as if intending to enter the city in peace, Antiochus first ventured into the sanctuary of God's church, and then, having stolen all the decorations and vessels consecrated for worship located there, he left there; after that, having again entered the city with an army, he put eighty thousand people to death, and not yet satisfied with this, he sent his military leaders and committed thousands more new murders. Foreshadowing this, the Archangel says: “and he will overcome it in a little while.” Daniel 11:24. And he will come in abundance and to rich countries. He will come with few, says the Archangel, not because of lack, but because of pride of thoughts; because he has abundance in everything, and has countless tribes, fat, bringing rich tribute. And he will do what his fathers, and the fathers of his fathers, did not do: captivity and selfishness and their wealth to waste. All his fathers and all his ancestors honored the Jewish people; and he will do the opposite in everything, killing, robbing, taking the Jews captive, and distributing their property to his soldiers. says the Archangel, “he will think in thought even before the time,” that is, he will not prevail for long. Daniel 11:25. And his strength will rise, and his heart will rise against the king of the south with great strength. The first book of Maccabees also informs about this invasion of Antiochus into Egypt. For it is said: “Antiochus went down into Egypt as a mighty people, on chariots, and on elephants, and on horsemen, and on many ships. And make war against Ptolemy the king of Egypt: and Ptolemy was afraid from his face, and fled: and fell to the plagues of many. And he took the strong cities into the land of Egypt; and taking the gain of the land of Egypt" (1 Mac. 1:17-19). And blessed Daniel, forewarned of this, heard: And the king of the south will smite him with great and mighty force, and they will not, because they think the same thoughts, that is, they use a lot of all kinds of military tricks. Daniel 11:26. And they will take him away, says the Archangel, that is, they will deplete all the income of the king of Egypt, stealing the tribute paid to him, and appropriate it for themselves. And they will crush him, and his strength will be scattered, and many plagues will fall. Antiochus, not only the kings, but also his army, will crush like a flood, and will carry out a great murder. says the Archangel, “Their hearts are set in wickedness, and at one meal they will speak lies, and they will not prosper;” because the Romans, as the historian Josephus informs us, having learned about this campaign of Antiochus, demanded that he retreat from Egypt. Why did Antiochus, having made peace, share a meal with Ptolemy? And the one talking with Daniel, showing the pretense of this friendship, says: “both kings, their hearts are set in wickedness, and at one meal they will speak lies, and they will not prosper,” that is, the world will not be solid. that is, after this time, the kings will again take up arms and enter into battle. Daniel 11:28. “And he will return” to his land, says the Archangel, with wealth for many. However, Antiochus will then return to his own kingdom with great wealth and abundance in everything. And his heart is for the holy covenant: Finally, we must strive to do one thing: to abolish the law God gave to the Jews. Having conceived this, he will carry out his plans. And he will create and return to his land. And this is what the book of Maccabees and the story of Joseph show us. his “will return” and come to the south: “and will not be like the first and the last,” that is, Antiochus will not conquer and prevail, as in former times, but will return defeated. What was said - “for a time” means: at a time convenient for war. Daniel 11:30. And the Kites who went out will come in with him and humble themselves. Antiochus, taking with him many residents of Cyprus and other islanders (to this day there is a small city on the island of Cyprus), will rush to Egypt; but he will return defeated and humiliated. says the Archangel, “and he will be angry at the holy covenant.” All the rage aroused in him by defeat will be vomited at the holy covenant. And showing the actual matter, the Archangel says: because in the second invasion he will carry out a great murder, and will make those who fled captives. And he will return, and will make a holy covenant for those who have left him; that is, he will take every care for those who have broken the law, renounced Judaism and loved paganism. Daniel 11:31. And the muscles will arise from it, and will desecrate the shrine of power, and will put away the everlasting sacrifice, and will give in its place the abomination of desolation. “Muscles,” as we said before, the Archangel calls the military leaders who serve the king, like muscles who carry out the king’s commands. Therefore, says the Archangel, he will send people who will desecrate the “shrine of power,” that is, the church dedicated to the almighty God, and will erect an idol altar inside it; for this the Archangel calls “the abomination of desolation.” The second book of Maccabees also reveals to us, it says this: “at this time the second campaign of Antiochus is prepared for Egypt” (2 Macc. 5:1). Then the writer, having said among other things something about the rivalry of illegally appointed high priests, added: When “it was announced to the king about those who were, Judea doubted, let him not retreat: and for this reason, having come from Egypt, he was furious in soul, taking the city with weapons. And he commanded the warriors to mercilessly cut down those who met them” (11.12). After this, having recounted how the murder was spread to all ages, and the dead were counted at eighty thousand, after a few words he also says: “Have a heart that is hateful towards the Jews,” Antiochus, “the ambassador of the hated commander Apollonius with twenty-two thousand troops, commanded him to destroy everyone of every age” (24). And again, after a few words, he continues: “It was not because of many times that the king sent the elder Athenian to force the Jews to deviate from the laws of their fathers and not live according to the divine laws. Desecrate the temple in Jerusalem and call Dia Olympiago” (6, 1. 2). Foreshadowing this, the one talking with blessed Daniel said: “and the arms will arise from him, and will desecrate the shrine of power, and will put away the everlasting sacrifice,” that is, the service performed daily to God, and “will give” instead of this “the abomination of desolation,” the altar that the evil king erected to Diya, and sacrificed a pig on it. Daniel 11:32. And on the wicked,” says the Archangel, the covenant will be brought with deception, that is, by using flattering words, they will make those living in lawlessness clearly become ungodly. People who know their God will prevail and create. Here the Archangel makes clear those who followed blessed Mattathias, who, the first to oppose the orders of Antiochus, and having retired with his sons into the desert, with a small number of soldiers, entered into confrontation with his military leaders. Daniel 11:33. And people's meanings, It is said, “They will understand much.” For those who use, as they should, the knowledge given from God, will completely neglect the laws of Antiochus, and will prefer death for God’s law to wicked life. Meaning this, the Archangel added: And they will fail with swords, and with fire, and with captivity, and with the plunder of these days. For the evil king, using various kinds of torture, tried to frighten the pious, inflicting premature death on them, and, as it were, stealing from them the remaining days of life. Then the Archangel predicts what will happen with blessed Mattathias and his sons. Daniel 11:34. And when they are exhausted, he will help them with a little help; because God's grace will be given to them, and they will overcome their enemies for a time; however, the Jews in their days will not enjoy peace and deliverance from wars. Therefore, the Archangel called the cessation of military affairs, which was in the midst of wars, a small help. it is said, “many with delight.” For, seeing these valiant deeds, many of those who crawled and renounced piety, repenting, will go over to them. Daniel 11:35. And from those who understood, It is said that “many will faint.” And those who were apparently pious will turn aside. Having kindled the hedgehog, I have chosen it, and the hedgehog is open even until the end of time, as if for a while. And this, says the Archangel, will not harm the people who will live after; because they will learn from this not to rely on first successes, but to always fear and tremble, according to the advice of Blessed Paul; for he says: “Be sure to stand and be careful, lest you fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Changes in circumstances seem to inflame, subject to temptation, and separate the good from the bad; and also they whiten it like a wave, and test whether it has a natural or borrowed color, whether this color penetrates through it all, or is visible only on the surface. This, says the Archangel, happens to people privately in this life, and in the future there will be a common test for all people. Having said this about Antiochus Epiphanes, he finally moves from image to prototype. The prototype of Antiochus is the Antichrist; and the image of the Antichrist - Antiochus. How Antiochus forced the Jews to be ungodly and lead an illegal life; so “a man of iniquity, the son of perdition, exalted and exalted above all that is said to be God or worship,” as Blessed Paul says, “as if he should sit in the church of God: I will show myself that God exists” (2 Thess. 2:3.4), in all “signs and lying wonders” (9), will do everything to deceive the pious, then trying to seduce and deceive with false miracles, then acting in a sovereign manner, subjecting the pupils of piety to all kinds of punishments. If anyone, examining the order of the prophecy in all its connections, does not believe that this is really so; then let him bring to mind the teaching of the Gospel. And there the Lord simultaneously predicts both the general death and the end of Jerusalem. For, having said: “Pray, that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath” (Matthew 24:20), which refers to only the Jews, he added after this: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall it be. And if these days had not ceased, all flesh would not have been saved; But for the sake of the elect these days will cease” (21.22); and showing that all this does not concern the Jews in the least, he also said: “Then if anyone says to you, Here is Christ, or here: have no faith” (23), and having predicted something about false Christs, he continues: “For as lightning comes from the east and appears to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man” (27). And to this (I won’t go into details) everything else is like that. According to this guidance, we will understand the prophecy of Daniel, we will build from Antiochus to the Antichrist, as from an image to a prototype, and it clearly foretells (227) us about the Antichrist. Daniel 11:36. “The king will do,” says the Archangel, “according to his will; that is, it will be successful, but not completely. that is, until he inflames God's wrath to a strong degree, and brings it upon himself. He calls punishment anger, because the Divine is impassive. and jealousy “happens,” continues the Archangel. For the Antichrist, foreknowing his end, will show great zeal, calling everyone to wickedness and with the intention of having many as accomplices in the punishment awaiting him. What is added more clearly exposes the folly of those who assume that this is said about Antiochus. For the Archangel says: Daniel 11:37. And he doesn’t understand all his gods. Antiochus, as we find, filled Jerusalem and all of Judea with idol altars, and in the church of God he sacrificed to Dius, and the Jerusalem temple called the church of Dius of Olympus, and the Garisian (228) - Dius of the Stranger. But this superstitious and such a zealous idolater does not understand “about the gods of his fathers!” Antiochus did exactly the opposite; for, while honoring the gods of the fathers, he denied the God whom the Jews worshiped. Therefore, this does not befit Antiochus at all, but the Antiochus prototype himself, whose image and prototype Antiochus sought to surpass in wickedness all the former kings before him. Therefore, the Archangel says about the Antichrist that “he does not understand all the gods of his fathers.” And about the speech of women, and about every god, he will not understand. And this is also directly opposed to the morals of Antiochus; because he was not content with the wives with whom he was united by the law of marriage, and from whom he had children, Antiochus Eupator and Alexander, but had contact with indecent concubines; one of them is mentioned by the second book of Maccabees, and the writer says this: “if Tareyan and Malot happened to stir up sedition, for this reason, like Antiochide, the concubine of the king was given a gift as a gift” (2 Mac. 4:30). Therefore, is it possible that someone who has been so enslaved to lewdness that he has given so many such cities to an indecent woman, “has not understood the abuse of wives?” Therefore, this clearly exposes those who attempt to understand this about Antiochus as being in error. But we will return to where we started. It is said: “He will not understand the care of women, nor any god.” He will be exalted above all others, that is, he dreams that he is above everyone. Daniel 11:38. And he will glorify the god Maozim in his place, “And his fathers did not know his God, to honor him with silver and gold, and honest Kamyk and lust.” All his fathers recognized their own nature, and did not dare to call themselves the god of all kinds; and he calls himself a mighty and strong god; for this means the word: “Maozim.” And it is said: “in his place,” instead of: himself. Daniel 11:39. And he will create a stronghold of refuge with a strange god, whom he knows, and will increase glory, and will subdue many to them, and will divide the earth as gifts. Because, says the Archangel, he will erect churches for himself, decorate them with silver, gold and precious stones, and conquer with them many, namely those deceived by miracles, or brought into timidity by the sight of torment. He will even “divide the land as gifts;” because he will give most of the land into the possession of those who submitted and agreed to wickedly. Daniel 11:40. And at last the time,” continues the Archangel, the army will fight with the king of the south himself: and the king of the north will gather against him with chariots and horsemen and many ships; and he will enter into the earth and destroy. We have repeatedly said that the ten horns of the fourth beast, appearing together, mean ten kings who, at the end of the Roman kingdom, will reign at the same time. Therefore one of them, the king of the south, will again begin war with the one who is called the king of the north; for it is said: “from the north evil will be kindled against all who dwell on the earth” (Jer. 1:14). But Antiochus, who was his prototype, was called the king of the north. Therefore, when the king of the south enters into battle with him, he, with a numerous army, having erected strongholds on land and sea, will take up arms against the king of the south, and will win. About these battles The Lord also predicted in the Holy Gospel: “For language will rise against tongue, and kingdom against kingdom; Dan.11:41. And he will come down to earth Savir. The Archangel Savir again designated Jerusalem as the earth. that is, deceived, or horrified by severe torment. And these shall be saved from his hand, Edom and Moab, and the beginning of the children of Ammon. And this also does not apply to Antiochus; because he, having conquered these tribes, installed his own rulers over them, among whom was Timothy, the ruler of the Ammonites. But under the evil Antichrist, they will probably escape his hand, as they are not distinguished by zeal for piety; because this wicked one will, without a doubt, take up arms against the zealous. If these names should be understood in a figurative sense; then Edom is interpreted as red. For this reason Esau was named Edom, because he desired lentil stew, the color red. But blood is also red. And therefore, having been vouchsafed the Master’s blood, those who live worthy of this gift themselves bloom with the grace of the Master’s blood. And Moab is the name born of a father. For Lot's eldest daughter, having conceived from her father and then given birth, so named the child born to her. Therefore, those who are called the sons of God, “who come not from blood, nor from the lust of man, nor from the lust of the flesh, but from God” (John 1:13), are rightly called Moab. And the word: ammon means: son of the clan. For this is revealed by divine Scripture. Blessed Paul in his speech to the Athenians (231) says: “The generation of God is not to be thought of as being like the Godhead, gold or silver, or finely carved stone” (Acts 17:29). Yes, and God himself called the saints His race; for he says: “Give food to My chosen generation, and provide for them; make known My virtues” (Is. 13:20.21). Therefore, there is nothing indecent for those who, by the grace of God, have been honored with divine kinship, to be called Ammons. Therefore, if you want to understand these names in a figurative sense, then understand it that way. And if you understand them historically, then, as we said before, understand that the Antichrist will despise these tribes, because most of them live wickedly, and even those few of them who are pious are not ardently disposed towards the Divine. Daniel 11:42. And he will stretch out his hand, says the Archangel, “to the land” of Egypt, “and the land of Egypt will not be saved.” Daniel 11:43. And the sweetness will begin in the hidden gold and silver and in all the coveted objects of Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia, in their hardwoods. And this is least befitting of Antiochus; because he did not conquer either the Libyans, or the Ethiopians, or even Egypt itself; but at the command of the Romans he returned from Egypt. Here we mean those three horns that the little horn crushed. He will then destroy and conquer three great states, Egypt, Ethiopia and Libya, which are probably under the rule of three kings. Daniel 11:44. And hearings and demands will disturb him from the east and from the north, and many will come in rage, cursing and destroying many. And this does not become Antiochus; because he was forced to retreat from Egypt not by outrageous rumors, but by the order of the Romans, and coming (232) from the west, and not from the east. It is also said about this (232) that, having taken and subjugated Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia, then, embarrassed by some rumor, he will return, “and come in rage with many,” in order to curse and destroy many. And both sayings express the same thing, for “to destroy” means to deprive one of piety, and “to curse” means to declare it alien. it is said, “I make my tabernacle in Ephadano,” that is, “between the seas, on the holy mountain” Savir. We do not find that this was fulfilled under Antiochus. For let them say: Where is this place, lying between two seas, on which Antiochus pitched his tent? And they will not be able to indicate it. Therefore, none of what has been said here has yet come to fruition, but all this will happen with the common destruction of men. In a word: “Savir” the Archangel again calls the land dedicated to God; “Ephadano” is any place so called, and located not far from Jerusalem: there he will find his death. For it is said: He will even come to a part of her and deliver him. For he, having dared many great audacity, and having dreamed so much about himself, will suddenly suffer execution, and no one will be able to save him from it. Blessed Paul also clearly says this: “Him,” he says, the Lord “will kill with the word of His mouth” (2 Thess. 2:8); “and with the spirits of the lips He will kill the wicked” (Is. 11:4).