But tidings—shall trouble him— These two verses, probably, remain yet to be fulfilled. Instead of palace, Daniel 11:45 we may read camp; and for glorious holy mountain—the mountain of delight of holiness. The Hebrew word אפדנו apadno, translated, his palace, or camp, occurs in Jonathan's Targum; on Jeremiah 43:10 and there signifies pavilion; to which same purpose it might be here rendered, He shall plant the tabernacles of his camp, between the seas, in the glorious holy mountain. In the application of this prophesy to the Ottoman empire, as these events are yet future, we cannot pretend to point them out with any certainty. The tidings from the east and north, may be those of the return of Judah and Israel from those quarters; for Judah was carried captive at first: into the east, and Israel by the Assyrians into the north. Concerning the reduction of the north, see Jeremiah 16:14-15; Jeremiah 23:8; Jeremiah 31:8. Or, if the tidings from the north may be some other thing, yet those from the east may be applied to the Jews' return, from Revelation 16:12 where the waters of the great river Euphrates are dried up, to prepare the way of the kings of the east. If this application be not admitted, yet it is universally known, that the Persians are seated to the east of the Ottoman dominions, and the Russians to the north. Persia has, indeed, of late been miserably torn by intestine divisions; but if it should unite again under one sovereign, it may become a dangerous rival to the Ottoman empire. The power of Russia is growing daily; and it is a current tradition among the common people in Turkey, that their empire shall be destroyed by the Russians. However this may be, the Porte is at all times jealous of the junction of the two powers of Persia and Russia, and exerts all its policy to prevent it. Whatever may be the motive and occasion, the Turk shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. Between the seas, in the glorious holy mountain, must denote some part of the Holy Land. There the Turk shall encamp, with all his power; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him; none shall help him effectually, or deliver him. See Bishop Newton.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The first verse properly belongs to the foregoing chapter, and declares how instrumental Gabriel had been already in farthering the restoration of the Jewish people: he stood to confirm and to strengthen Darius as soon as he had ascended the throne, in conjunction with Cyrus, in his purpose of releasing the captive Jews, when, probably, many opposed it. God's people often have friends that they little think of; and more and mightier are with them than can be against them.
2nd, The angel, as he had promised, here leads the prophet into futurity.
1. He begins with the Persian monarchy, which had just arisen: three others should succeed Darius, then on the throne; see the annotations: and a fourth, richer than all the rest, should arise, Xerxes, who by his strength and riches should stir up all his own provinces and confederates, to raise an army the most numerous that probably was ever assembled, in order to invade the Grecian territories. Of which expedition, and of his shameful defeat, heathen historians are full.
2. He passes on to the Grecian monarchy: to avenge this attack, a mighty king should arise, even Alexander; who, having subdued the Persian empire, should set up his own despotic throne, and govern with absolute sway: but his kingdom should be quickly broken and divided, not among his posterity, but among others, his four great generals; who neither ruled such extensive dominions, nor with so absolute a sway, as Alexander had alone. So poor and transitory are human possessions: he that layeth up riches, cannot tell who shall gather them!
3rdly, The angel proceeds with the account of those events in two of these divided kingdoms, with which the people of the Jews were more nearly concerned. But see the annotations. Note; The kingdoms of this world are transitory indeed; blessed be God for that which never fadeth away, where no wars disturb, nor enemies enter; but an eternal rest remaineth for the faithful.
4thly, We have a long prophesy concerning Antiochus Epiphanes, the inveterate persecutor of the Jewish people.
He is described as a vile person. He had been a hostage at Rome, and by his immoralities, debaucheries, and extravagancies, had rendered himself despicable, and gained the title of Epimanes, the Madman, though on his coming to the crown he assumed that of Epiphanes, the Illustrious. But God in his due time brought to a shameful end this great enemy of him and his people. See the annotations.
From the whole we may most justly infer, that God will interpose for his people in the time of need; and, however their enemies may seem for a while to prevail, they shall be rooted out at last.