And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
It waxed great, even to the host of heaven - explained Daniel 8:24, "He shall destroy the mighty and holy people" - i:e., the Jews (Daniel 7:21) and their priests, who were so highly exalted as to privileges as to be here regarded as the Lord's heavenly "host" (cf. Isaiah 24:21). The Levites' service is called 'a warfare' (margin, Numbers 8:24-25). Great civil and religious powers are symbolized by "stars" (Matthew 24:29). See 1Ma 1:25 , etc.; 2:35, etc.; 5:2,12,13. Tregelles refers "stars" to those Jews whose portion item God is heavenly glory (Daniel 12:3), being believers in Him who is above at God's right hand, not the blinded Jews.
It cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground - so Babel, as type of Antichrist, is described (Isaiah 14:13-14, "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God"). Compare Revelation 12:4; 2Ma 9:10 , as to Antiochus. Returning from Persia Antiochus came to Ecbatana, after having, been put to flight by the people of Persepolis. 'Swelling with anger he thought to avenge upon the Jews the disgrace so done to him, and threatened proudly that he would come to Jerusalem and make it a common burying-place of the Jews. But the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, smote him with an incurable and invisible (internal) plague ... so that the man that thought a little afore he could reach to the stars of heaven, no man, could endure to carry for his intolerable stink.'