And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south. A fuller detail of what was summarily stated (Daniel 11:22-24). This is the first of Antiochus' three (Daniel 11:29) open invasions of Egypt.
Against the king of the south - against Ptolemy Philometor. Subsequently, Ptolemy Physcon (the Gross), or Euergetes II, was made king by the Egyptians, as Ptolemy Philometor was in Antiochus' hands.
With a great army - as distinguished from the "small people" (Daniel 11:23) with which he first came. This was his first open expedition; he was emboldened by success to it. Antiochus 'entered Egypt with an overwhelming multitude, with chariots, elephants, and cavalry' (1Ma 1:17).
And the king of the south shall be stirred up - by the necessity, though naturally indolent.
But he shall not stand - Philometor was defeated.
For they shall forecast devices against him - his own nobles shall frame treacherous "devices" against him (see For they shall forecast devices against him - his own nobles shall frame treacherous "devices" against him (see Daniel 11:26). Euloeus and Lenoeus mal-administered his affairs. Antiochus, when checked at last at Alexandria, left Ptolemy Philometor at Memphis as king, pretending that his whole object was to support Philometor's claims against the usurper Physcon.