And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.
Ver. 4. And when he shall stand up.] And seemeth to be best underlaid, set to live, as we say, when he standeth on his best bottom, expecting ambassadors at Babylon from all the world, requiring divine honours from his Grecians, and enjoining the Jews that their dates should be taken from his reign, and that all the priests' sons born that year should be called Alexanders.
His kingdom shall be broken.] As brittle ware is apt to be.
And shall be divided toward the four winds.] Sic transit gloria mundi. So fleeting is the fame of the world. Fitly compared to the wind, as Dan 2:35 to a dream, to a shadow, to a dream of a shadow. Great Alexander's kingdom was first broken into many pieces by twelve of his princes, until, eleven years after his death, it became quadripartite, &c. Here is foretold being divided among four of his chieftains, Cassander, Antigonus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, till at length these two last got all into their hands, and yet were ever jarring and warring, as appeareth by what here followeth.
And not to his posterity.] For all his kindred were killed by Cassander, with whom it happened accordingly.
Nor according to his dominion.] For although they were all sovereign princes, yet they fell far short of Alexander in command and warlike fame. Dan 8:22