DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 11.5

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Eleven

Daniel’s Final Vision

The Prophecy

The Ptolemaic and Seleucidae Wars

Part I

 

Introduction

History Written in Advance

As history moved forward, the emphasis of the prophecy given by the angel Gabriel to Daniel was centered on the land of Israel. Following the death of Alexander the Great, the Greek empire became divided and was plagued by wars that particularly affected the Jewish people.

 

The two key nations that emerged and gained prominence after the kingdom was divided were Syria to the north and Egypt to the south. Between verses 5 through 20, there are about 150 years of hostility and infighting between these two countries.

 

In studying the following section, the storyline reads like a mystery thriller novel or movie plot. The main characters change quickly from verse to verse and there is plenty of drama, action, and suspense. As a reminder, as the verses change quickly, so do the major players, so be cautious not to confuse the leaders in power at the time.

 

For simplification and a quick reference, the following abridged list is provided:

CAST of CHARACTERS

A. Kings of the South – The Ptolemaic Dynasty (305-30 B.C.)

1. Ptolemy I Soter [meaning saviour] (323-285 B.C.)

2. Ptolemy II Philadelphus [brother-loving] (285-246 B.C.)

3. Ptolemy III Euergetes [benefactor] (246-221 B.C.)

4. Ptolemy IV Philopator [father-loving] (221-203 B.C.)

5. Ptolemy V Epiphanes [god manifest] (203-181 B.C.)

6. Ptolemy VI Philometor [mother-loving] (180-164; 163-145 B.C.)

7. Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator [father-loving god] (145-116 B.C.)

[some dates may vary]

B. Kings of the North – The Seleucid Dynasty (312-64 B.C.)

1. Seleucus I Nicator [victor] (305-281 B.C.)

2. Antiochus I Soter [savior] (281-261 B.C.)

3. Antiochus II Theos [the Divine] (261-246 B.C.)

4. Seleucus II Callinicus [beautiful Victor] (246-225 B.C.)

5. Seleucus III Ceraunus [thunderbolt] (225-223 B.C.)

6. Antiochus III Megas [the Great] (223-187 B.C.)

7. Seleucus IV Philopator [father-loving] (187-175 B.C.) 

7. Antiochus IV Epiphanies [god manifest] (175-163 B.C.)

 

 

(Verse 5)

 

And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.

 

Prophecy of Syria and Egypt

The king of the south [Ptolemy I Soter] shall be strong [grow powerful]

From our chart, the king of the South was Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander’s generals and trusted bodyguard, who had obtained autonomous power within the four divisions of the Greek Empire.

 

Son of a Macedonian nobleman, Lagus Eordaia, Ptolemy I gained control over Egypt, Lybia, Cyrene, Ethiopia, Arabia, Phoenicia, Coelesuria, Cyprus, the isles of the Aegean Sea, and many cities in Greece. And, by treachery, he took Jerusalem.

 

Ptolemy I Soter was credited with the founding of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt and the Great Library at Alexandria. He also began the construction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. He took the title of Egypt's first king and made his fourth wife, Berenice I, his queen.

 

And one of his [Ptolemy I Soter] princes [Seleucus I Nicator]; and he [Seleucus I] shall be strong [grow stronger] above him [Potlemy I], and have dominion [reign, power]; his dominion [kingdom] shall be a great dominion

 

The Dominance of Power in the North

Known as the king of the North, Seleucus I Nicator, another trusted general of Alexander the Great’s army, led his infantry famously known as the Silvershields. He gained authority to rule Babylon as a Satrap in 321 B.C. He was proclaimed to be the king and the originator of the Seleucid dynasty.

 

Upon acquiring Media and Syria, Seleucus I Nicator was defeated at the Battle of Gaza by another general, Antigonus, who had commanded Alexander’s Greek army. Seleucus was then forced to flee Babylon. But, Seleucus I Nicator requested the help of Ptolemy I Soter, thus becoming one of Ptolemy’s princes. Together, they defeated Antigonus, and Ptolemy I Soter regained control over Babylon. 

 

In a short period, Seleucus I Nicator of the North seized control over the entire eastern part of Alexander's empire. Territorially, it was much larger than Ptolemy's, causing Seleucus I Nicator to become much stronger or mightier than Ptolemy I Soter’s. As a result, the Ptolemies and Seleucids became bitter rivals, mostly over the trade routes between Syria and Egypt, specifically the territory of Palestine.

 

 

(Verse 6)

 

And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.

 

The Ptolemies and the Seleucids

The Fate of Ptolemy I Soter

Between verses 5 and 6, the text moves forward approximately 40 years. Eventually, Ptolemy I Soter, the king of the South, died in 282 B.C., leaving the throne to his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who acted as a co-regent for about three years.

 

Ptolemy II Philadelphus

At the time, through skillful diplomacy, Ptolemy II Philadelphus moved Egypt’s capital from Memphis to Alexandria, thus making Alexandria the centre of arts and science. Scandalous however, was the fact that he banished his first wife Arsinoe I, daughter of Lysimachus of Thrace.

 

To make a long story short, Ptolemy II Philadelphus then married his sister Arsinoe II. Their daughter Berenice II, who later married Antiochus II, was of the first union between Ptolemy II and Arsinoe I.

 

The Fate of Seleucus I Nicator

Meanwhile, in the North, Seleucus I Nicator, the last surviving successor of Alexander the Great, was assassinated in 281 B.C. by Ptolemy Ceraunus (thunderbolt) over territorial disputes. He was the son of the third wife of Ptolemy I Soter, Eurydice, and the original heir to the Egyptian throne but was displaced by his younger brother Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

 

 

And in the end of years [31 years after the death of Seleucus 1 Nicator] they [king of the North, Antiochus I Soter and the king of the South,] shall join themselves together [i.e., become allies]; for the king’s daughter [Berenice II Syra] of the south shall come to the king of the north [Antiochus II] to make [seal] an agreement [an alliance in marriage]

 

The Fate of Antiochus I Soter

After a lapse of several years of instability, successor Antiochus I Soter, son of Seleucus I Nicator was killed in battle against the Galatians while fighting in Ephesus. Consequently, Antiochus II Theos, the second son of Seleucus I Nicator thus became the successor to his throne.

 

A Peace Proposition

Primarily amongst royalty, non-romantic marriages for political power, diplomatic or economic reasons were commonplace in European and Mid-Eastern cultures for many centuries. Now, the sons of Ptolemy I and Seleucid I, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, and Antiochus II Theos respectively, being the bitter enemies they were, devised a plan to resolve their long-time differences through such a union.

 

About 252 B.C., Ptolemy II Philadelphus of the southern kingdom offered his daughter Berenice II Syra, with a tremendously large dowry (lucrative revenues of Palestine held by Egypt), to wed the grandson of Seleucus I, Antiochus II Theos of the north.

 

This marriage-peace agreement would essentially have solidified a political alliance between the northern kingdom of Syria and the southern kingdom of Egypt. Such a coalition would end many years of infighting, namely the Second Syrian War at that time.

 

A Conditional Covenant

As the storyline continues, there was a condition for this wedding to take place: Antiochus II Soter had to divorce his first wife and cousin Laodice I, a very powerful political and influential figure. She was the daughter-in-law of Seleucus I Nicator and his first wife Apama said to be the daughter of Darius III.

 

Another stipulation of this agreement was that the inheritance and succession to the throne would only be transferred to the children of Berenice II Syra upon the divorce of Laodice I and the disinheritance of their children.

 

But she [Laodice I] shall not retain the power [physical or political as queen of the North] of the arm [the Syrian throne]; neither shall he [Antiochus II] stand [continue in power because of death], nor his arm [posterity]: but she [Berenice II of Syra] shall be given up [put to death], and they that brought her [her royal escorts of young women and assistants also be put to death], and he that begat her [the infant son whom she brought forth by Antiochus II], and he [Ptolemy II, father of Berenice II Syra] that strengthened her [orchestrated their marriage] in these times 

 

The Fate of Ptolemy II Philadelphus

As the drama intensified, the marriage ended in a calamity. Upon the death of Ptolemy II Philadelphus in 246 B.C., shortly thereafter, Antiochus II Theos abandoned the younger Berenice II Syra of Egypt. Even though polygamy was practiced in those days, he remarried Laodice I, who was at present living in Ephesus with their five children. Laodice I convincingly then replaced her son Seleucus II Callinicus, since he was older than Berenices, to become the legitimate heir once again to the throne.  

 

The Action of Berenice II Syra

So, upon the death of Ptolemy II Philadelphus in Egypt, in 246 B.C., Berenice II Syra immediately had her brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes placed on the throne of Egypt. His main ambitions were to avenge his sister’s disgrace and humiliation and to reclaim Egypt’s revenues that were forfeited by Berenice’s marriage to Antiochus II Theos, hence rekindling the friction between the two kingdoms. 

 

“Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned,

nor hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

[First published in 1697 from a play, The Morning Bride by William Congreve]

 

The Fate of Antiochus II Theos

Shortly before Antiochus II Theos was about to return to Berenice I, however, he was suddenly poisoned allegedly by Laodice I the same year, 246 B.C. She briefly ruled in his place thus prompting Laodice I to have her son Seleucus II Callinicus proclaimed as king of Syria. Meanwhile, as an act of revenge, the scorned Laodice I had Berenice I murdered along with her son and her attendants in 246 B.C.  

    

Commentary

The Seleucid and Ptolemaic parts of the divided Greek Empire became the hub of Hellenistic culture throughout the Middle East and the land of Israel. The angel Gabriel had presented to Daniel details of major empires after the Babylonian. But here, he focuses on details of warring events leading up to the final empire and one-world leader in relationship to Israel.

 

Note: What is remarkable regarding these dramatic episodes in history is the fact that all the particulars and pieces of the puzzle were written approximately 200 years in advance.

 

The next verse will continue the saga into the next generation of the Syrian and Egyptian powers.

 

 

 QUESTIONS:

1. Why is this section of Scripture relevant to Israel?

2. Who was the founder of the Seleucid dynasty?

3. Who was the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty?

4. Why was a north-south alliance a good deal?

5. Who were the marriage partners?

6. Why was Laodice I scorned?

7. What actions did Laodice I take?

 

 

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