Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Daniel
Ver. 20. One more vile. Seleucus Philopator, who sent Heliodorus to plunder the temple; and was shortly after slain by the same Heliodorus. (Challoner) --- He reigned about twelve years; and had sent his own son, Demetrius, to be a hostage at Rome instead of Epiphanes, whom he designed to place at the head of an army to invade Egypt. Hebrew, "one who shall cause the exactor to pass over the glory of the kingdom," the temple, 2 Machabees iii. (Calmet)
Ver. 21. One despised; viz. Antiochus Epiphanes, who at first was despised and not received for king. What is here said of this prince, is accommodated by St. Jerome and others to antichrist, of whom this Antiochus was a figure. (Challoner) --- He lived and died basely; as the origin and end of antichrist will be ignominious. (Worthington) --- All that follows, to the end of chap. xii., regards Epiphanes. He had no title to the crown, which he procured by cunning, and held in the most shameful manner. He canvassed for the lowest offices, so that many styled him Epimanes, "the madman." (Diod. in Valesius, p. 305.; Calmet)
Ver. 22. Fighter. That is, of them that shall oppose him, and shall fight against him. (Challoner) --- Heliodorus, who had murdered his brother and usurped the throne, and Ptolemy Epiphanes, were discomfited. The latter was making preparations against Seleucus, and said that his riches were in the purses of his friends, upon which they poisoned him. (St. Jerome) (Calmet) --- Covenant, or of the league. The chief of them that conspired against him; or the king of Egypt, his most powerful adversary. (Challoner) --- This title belongs to antichrist, who will join the Jews, and be received as their Messias. (St. Irenæus v. 25.; St. Jerome, &c. Jo. 543.) (Worthington)
Ver. 23. People. Epiphanes pretended to be tutor of Philometor. But the nobles of Egypt distrusted him; whereupon he came to a battle, near Pelusium, and the young king surrendered himself. His uncle thus took possession of Egypt with surprising facility. Yet the people of Alexandria crowned Evergetes, which occasioned a civil war. (Calmet)
Ver. 24. Places. Theodotion reads, "Egypt," omitting the b, (Haydock) which gives a good sense. --- (Calmet)
Ver. 25. The king. Ptolemeus Philometor. (Challoner) --- Epiphanes came under the pretext of restoring Philometor, and gained a victory over Evergetes; but returned in Syria, that the two brothers might weaken each other, (Calmet) while the Syrians formed designs against both. (Haydock)
Ver. 26. Slain. This was the perfidious policy of Epiphanes, who expected that the two brothers would destroy each other, so that he might easily seize Egypt, of which he kept the key, retaining the city of Pelusium. They were however reconciled, and reigned together. The Scripture often represents that as done which is only intended.
Ver. 27. Two kings: Epiphanes and Philometor. --- Time. Epiphanes, vexed that he should thus be duped, returned again into Egypt, ver. 21. (Calmet)
Ver. 28. Riches, taken in Egypt (Calmet) and in Jerusalem. (Haydock) --- The people had refused to receive Jason; and Epiphanes treated them in the most barbarous manner, profaned the temple, &c., 1 Machabees i. 23., and 2 Machabees v. 21. (Calmet)
Ver. 30. Galleys. Hebrew, "ships of Chittim." (Haydock) --- The ambassadors probably came in vessels belonging to Macedonia, (Calmet) which they found at Delos. (Livy xliv.) --- Romans. Popilius and the other Roman ambassadors, who came in galleys, and obliged him to depart from Egypt. (Challoner) --- He was only four or seven miles from Alexandria, and went to meet the ambassadors, who gave him the senate's letter, ordering him to desist from the war. He said he would consult his friends: but Popilius formed a circle round him with his wand, requiring an answer before he went out of it. Hereupon the king withdrew his forces. (Polyb. xcii.; V. Max. vi. 4.) --- Succeed. Apollonius massacred many Jews on the sabbath, 1 Machabees i. 30. --- Against. Hebrew, "respecting." Protestant: "have intelligence with them," &c. (Haydock) --- These wretches prompted him to make such edicts, for he was attached to no religion, 2 Machabees iv. 9.
Ver. 31. Arms, (brachia) or strong men, Apollonius, Philip, &c., (2 Machabees vi.) and likewise the senator from Antioch, who executed his decrees. (Calmet) --- Abomination. The idol of Jupiter Olympius, which Antiochus ordered to be set up in the sanctuary of the temple, which is here called the sanctuary of strength, from the Almighty that was worshipped there. (Challoner) --- Other idols were set up, and the people were compelled to sacrifice. (Calmet) --- Yet even in the hottest persecutions some remain faithful. (Worthington)
Ver. 32. Dissemble. Thus acted the officers and apostate Jews. --- Know. Such were the Assideans, Eleazar, and the Machabees.
Ver. 33. Learned; the priests, Matthathias, &c., Malachias ii. 7.
Ver. 34. Help. The victories of the Machabees were miraculous. --- Deceitfully, like those who took the spoils of idols, and were slain. Hebrew may imply, "secretly." (Calmet)
Ver. 35. Fall, or become martyrs. (Haydock) --- Such were Eleazar, &c. (Calmet) --- Another time, after death; (Haydock) or the perfect deliverance shall take place later, ver. 27.
Ver. 36. Every god. "He plundered many (Calmet or most; pleista.; Haydock) temples." (Polyb. Athen. v. 6.) --- The Samaritans, and even the priests of the Lord, obeyed the impious decree; so that the king looked upon himself as a sort of god. --- Accomplished against the Jews, when Epiphanes shall be punished.
Ver. 37. God. He laughed at religion, yet sometimes offered splendid presents and victims, which shewed his inconstancy. (Calmet) --- Women. He kept many concubines, (Diod.) and committed the greatest obscenities publicly: mimis et scortis. (St. Jerome) --- Hebrew may have quite a different sense. He had no regard for the sex, (Calmet) killing all indiscriminately. (Grotius)
Ver. 38. The god Maozim. That is, the god of forces or strong holds. (Challoner) --- Mahuzzim denotes "strong ones," (Haydock) guardians, &c. Dr. Newton (Diss.) explains, the king (ver. 36) of the Roman state; and supposes that here the guardian saints and angels are meant, whose worship he shews "began in the Roman empire, very soon after it became Christian. This exposition seems far preferable to that which interprets" Jupiter or the heavens, and understands the idol set up by Epiphanes. See Univ. Hist. x. Parkhurst. --- If these authors speak of the inferior veneration shewn to saints and angels in the Catholic Church, it had a much earlier commencement, being coeval with religion itself. But only the blindest prejudice can represent this as idolatrous, and of course this system must fall to the ground. (Haydock) --- Others suppose that Mars, Hercules, Azizus, or Jupiter, may be designated. Hebrew, "He will rise up against all, (38) and against the strong God (of Israel, ver. 31., and chap. viii. 10.; Calmet) he will, in his place, worship a strange god, " &c. (Junius) --- None of the ancestors of Epiphanes had ever adored Jupiter on the altar of holocausts. (Calmet) --- He and antichrist adore either the great Jupiter or their own strength. (Worthington)
Ver. 39. To. Hebrew, "in the most strong holds, with," &c. (Haydock) --- He built a fortress near the temple, styled Maoz, (Ezechiel xxiv. 25.) on account of its strength. (Calmet) --- Glory. He shall bestow honours, riches, and lands, upon them that shall worship his god. (Challoner) --- He will entrust the strong places to them.
Ver. 40. Fight. Epiphanes made war on Egypt, till the Romans forced him to desist. The prophet explains his preceding attempts, to which he only alluded, ver. 29, 30.
Ver. 41. Land; Egypt, or rather Judea. (Calmet) --- Ammon. He will not divide his forces. (St. Jerome)
Ver. 43. Ethiopia. Hebrew, "the Lubim and Cushim shall be at his steps." Theodotion reads, "in their fortresses." He had troops from these nations, or Egypt was guarded by them.
Ver. 44. North. Judas continued victorious. Armenia (Calmet) and Parthia rebelled. (Tacitus v. 8.) --- Many. Epiphanes left three generals and half his army to destroy the Jews. (Calmet)
Ver. 45. Apadno. Some take it for the proper name of a place; others, from the Hebrew translate it, his palace. (Challoner) --- He fixed his royal tent between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. (Worthington) --- Porphyrius explains this of the march beyond the Euphrates, which St. Jerome does not disapprove. Apadno may denote Mesopotamia, which is styled Padan Aram. --- Glorious. Hebrew Zebi, (Calmet) or Tsebi, (Haydock) may allude to Mount Taba, where the king perished, without help, 1 Machabees vi. 11., and 2 Machabees ix. 9. St. Jerome and many others explain all this of antichrist, and no doubt he was prefigured. The like events will probably take place again towards the end of the world. But as the particulars cannot be ascertained, we have adhered to the history of Antiochus. (Calmet)
Bible Text & Cross-references: The angel declares to Daniel many things to come, with regard to the Persian and Grecian kings: more especially with regard to Antiochus, as a figure of antichrist.
1 And from the first year of Darius, the Mede, I stood up, that he might be strengthened, and confirmed.