And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
And they that understand - who know and keep the truth of God (Isaiah 11:3," Of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord").
Shall instruct many - in their duty to God and the law, not to apostatize.
Yet they shall fall by the sword - as Eleazar fell, who, when 'constrained to eat swine's flesh, spit it forth, choosing rather to die gloriously,' and would not even save his life by 'bringing flesh of his own provision which it was lawful for him to use,' lest by dissembling he should lead the young to think that now, in his fourscore and tenth year, he was recanting the faith. Two women, who circumcised their infant boys, were cast down with their babes headlong from the wall: seven brethren and their mother submitted to a cruel death amidst torments, rather than deny their faith: the third said, in dying, to the king, 'Thou takest us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who have died for His laws, unto everlasting life,' (2Ma 6:18 , etc.) They shall be sorely persecuted, even to death, (Hebrews 11:35-37; 2Ma 6:1-31 ; 2Ma 7:1-42 .) Their enemies took advantage of the Sabbath to slay them on the day when they would not fight. Tregelles thinks, from comparison with Daniel 11:35, it is the people who "fall," not those of understanding. But Daniel 11:35 makes it to be the latter who "fall." Nor is this an unmeaning repetition: in Daniel 11:33 they fall (die) by persecution; in Daniel 11:35 they fall (spiritually) for a time by their own weakness.
And by flame - in caves, where they had retired to keep the Sabbath. Antiochus caused some to be roasted alive (2Ma 7:3-5 , 'The first of the seven brothers, after his tongue and extremities had been cut off, was fried to death in a heated pan').
Many days - rather, "certain days," as in Daniel 8:27. Josephus ('Antiquities,' 12: 7, 6: 7) tells us the persecution lasted for three years (1Ma 1:59 ; 1Ma 4:54 ; 2Ma 10:1-7 , 'Maccabeus and his company made another altar, and striking stones, took fire cut of them, and offered a sacrifice after two years, and set forth incense ... Upon the same day that strangers profaned the temple, upon the very same day was it cleansed again, even the 25th day of the same month, which is Casleu. And they kept eight days with gladness, remembering that not long afore ... they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts').