Daniel 11:4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

When he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken— When he shall have stood up. These particulars have been illustrated before, chap. Daniel 8:8-22. Alexander died at Babylon, at the age of thirty-two years and eight months only, of which he reigned twelve years and eight months. In so short a time did this sun of glory rise and set! And in the space of about fifteen years after this, his family and posterity became extinct. His wife Statira was murdered soon after his death by his other wife Roxana. His brother Aridaeus, who succeeded him, was killed, together with his wife Eurydice, by the command of Olympias, the mother of Alexander, after he had been king six years and some months; and not long after, Olympias herself was slain by the soldiers in revenge. Alexander AEgus, a son by Roxana, in the fourteenth year of his age was privately murdered, together with his mother, by order of Cassander; and, two years after, Hercules, the other son of Alexander, by Barsine, was also, with his mother, privately murdered by Polysperchon. Such was the miserable end of Alexander's family! After which the governors assumed each in his province the title of king. Thus was Alexander's kingdom broken, and divided, not to his posterity; but was plucked up even for others; and divided towards the four winds of heaven; for four of his captains prevailed over the rest, as was before observed on chap. Daniel 8:8. But though the kingdom of Alexander was divided into four principal parts, yet only two of them, Egypt and Syria, have a place in this prophesy. These two were by far the greatest and most considerable; and these two at one time were in a manner the only remaining kingdoms of the four. These two likewise continued distinct kingdoms after the others were swallowed up by the Romans. But there is a more proper and peculiar reason for enlarging upon these two particularly; because Judges, lying betwixt them, was sometimes in the possession of the kings of Egypt, and sometimes of the kings of Syria: and it is in respect of their situation to Judea, that the kings of Egypt and Syria are called kings of the south and the north. See Newton. Houbigant renders the latter part of this verse thus, But not to his posterity; nor shall it be of so great power as was his: for his kingdom shall be disjointed even among others, and those four.