‘And by his understanding he will cause deceit to prosper by his hand, and he will magnify himself in his heart and he will destroy many in security. He will also stand up against the prince of princes. But he will be broken without hand.'
His ‘understanding' means his understanding of cunning. He used deceit to obtain victory and reap wealth. He was a man who could not be trusted. ‘Magnifying himself in his heart' may well refer to his claims of deity. Once kings magnified themselves too highly, their end was sure. Compare Daniel 8:4; Daniel 8:8. ‘Destroy many in security' probably refers to his methods such as that of pretending to come in peace and then taking men by surprise and slaughtering them (see 1Ma 1:29-30).
‘He will also stand up against the prince of princes. But he will be broken without hand.' The ‘prince of princes', that is God. Compare ‘the prince of the host' (Daniel 8:11.) This probably mainly refers to the desecration of the temple and the ban on circumcision, the Sabbath, and true worship, and the enforced destruction of the Scriptures. Thus he would die, but not by a human hand, that is not ‘naturally' or by being slain in warfare but because God had destined him for death. They need not fear for God has him in hand.