Daniel 11:29 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

At the time appointed he shall return, &c.— Antiochus perceiving that his policy was detected, and that the two brothers had provided for their mutual safety, was so offended, that he prepared war much more eagerly and maliciously against both, than he had before against one of them. Early in the spring he set forward with his army; and, passing through Coelo-Syria, came into Egypt; and the inhabitants of Memphis submitting to him, he came by easy marches down to Alexandria. But this expedition was not so successful as his former ones. The reason of which follows, Daniel 11:30. The ships of Chittim came against him; those ships of Chittim which brought the Roman ambassadors to command a peace between the contending kings. See the account of this matter in the note on chap. Daniel 8:23. The reason of the Romans acting in this imperious manner, and of Antiochus's ready obedience, was, the total conquest which Paulus AEmilius the consul had just made of the kingdom of Macedonia. It was a great mortification to Antiochus, to be thus humbled and disappointed of his prey: therefore he grieved and returned. "He led back his forces into Syria, says Polybius, grieving and groaning:" and had indignation against the holy covenant; for he vented all his anger upon the Jews; he detached Apollonius with twenty-two thousand men; who, coming to Jerusalem, slew great multitudes, plundered and set fire to the city, pulled down the houses and walls round it, and built a strong fortress on an eminence which commanded the temple: then issuing thence, they fell on those who came to worship, and shed innocent blood on every side the sanctuary, defiling it so that the temple was deserted, the whole service omitted, and the city entirely forsaken by the natives. So he did; and after his return to Antioch, he published a decree, which obliged all persons to conform to the religion of the Greeks; insomuch that the Jewish law was abrogated, the heathen worship was set up in its stead, and the temple itself consecrated to Jupiter Olympius. In the transacting of these matters, he had intelligence with them that forsook the covenant; with Menelaus and the other apostate Jews of his party, who were the king's chief instigators against their religion and country. This is asserted by the writer of Genesis 1:41, &c. Exodus 6:1; Exodus 6:9 and confirmed by Josephus de Bell. Jud. lib. 1 cap. 1: sect. 1. It may be proper to pause a little here, and reflect how particular and circumstantial this prophesy is concerning the kingdoms of Egypt and Syria, from the death of Alexander to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. There is not so concise, comprehensive, and regular an account of their kings and affairs to be found in any authors of those times. The prophesy is really more perfect than any history; and is so wonderfully exact, not only to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, but likewise equally so beyond that time, that we may conclude in the words of the inspired writer, "No one could thus know the times or the seasons, but he who hath them in his own power." See Acts 1:7 and Bishop Newton.