The Meaning of Daniel 11:2 Explained

Daniel 11:2

KJV: And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

YLT: and, now, truth I declare to thee, Lo, yet three kings are standing for Persia, and the fourth doth become far richer than all, and according to his strength by his riches he stirreth up the whole, with the kingdom of Javan.

Darby: And now will I declare unto thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall enrich himself with great riches more than all; and when he hath become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.

ASV: And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and when he is waxed strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And now will I shew  thee the truth.  Behold, there shall stand up  yet three  kings  in Persia;  and the fourth  shall be far  richer  than [they] all:  and by his strength  through his riches  he shall stir up  all against the realm  of Grecia. 

What does Daniel 11:2 Mean?

Study Notes

three kings Ahasuerus, Ezra 4:6 , Artaxerxes, Ezra 4:7 , and Darius called "Hystaspes" Ezra 4:24 .
fourth Xerxes, who invaded Greece BC 483-480.

Context Summary

Daniel 11:1-14 - The Rise And Fall Of Empires
This chapter foretells the histories of Xerxes, of Alexander the Great, the division of his kingdom on his death, and the long conflicts between the kings of Syria and Egypt. During those years of turmoil and war the eyes of God's faithful servants must often have turned to this page for guidance and comfort. The voice of the prophets was hushed between Malachi 4:1-6 and Matthew 1:1-25, and therefore the written word would be more than ordinarily precious. It must have comforted them to be assured that God knew the way they had to travel and would supply all needed help. What a weary monotony of strife, war, and misery is the history of world kingdoms! The heathen rage; the people are moved. Earth and sky are wrapped in clouds and darkness. We are reminded of the chaos of the primal condition of our earth, when it was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep. But as in creation, so in history: in the darkest hours the divine Spirit is brooding in the heart of the night, and will presently re-establish order and beauty. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 11

1  The overthrow of Persia by the king of Grecia
5  Leagues and conflicts between the kings of the south and of the north
30  The invasion and tyranny of the Romans

What do the individual words in Daniel 11:2 mean?

Now the truth I will tell you behold more three kings will arise in Persia and the fourth shall be richer riches far than [them] all and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece
וְעַתָּ֕ה אֱמֶ֖ת אַגִּ֣יד לָ֑ךְ הִנֵּה־ עוֹד֩ שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה מְלָכִ֜ים עֹמְדִ֣ים לְפָרַ֗ס וְהָֽרְבִיעִי֙ יַעֲשִׁ֤יר עֹֽשֶׁר־ גָּדוֹל֙ מִכֹּ֔ל וּכְחֶזְקָת֣וֹ בְעָשְׁר֔וֹ יָעִ֣יר הַכֹּ֔ל אֵ֖ת מַלְכ֥וּת יָוָֽן

וְעַתָּ֕ה  Now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
אֱמֶ֖ת  the  truth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
אַגִּ֣יד  I  will  tell 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
הִנֵּה־  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
עוֹד֩  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
מְלָכִ֜ים  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עֹמְדִ֣ים  will  arise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
לְפָרַ֗ס  in  Persia 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פָּרַס  
Sense: the empire Persia; encompassed the territory from India on the east to Egypt and Thrace on the west, and included, besides portions of Europe and Africa, the whole of western Asia between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian and the Jaxartes on the north, the Arabian desert, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south.
וְהָֽרְבִיעִי֙  and  the  fourth 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: רְבִיעִי 
Sense: fourth.
יַעֲשִׁ֤יר  shall  be  richer 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשַׁר  
Sense: to be or become rich or wealthy, enrich, pretend to be rich.
עֹֽשֶׁר־  riches 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹשֶׁר  
Sense: wealth, riches.
גָּדוֹל֙  far 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
מִכֹּ֔ל  than  [them]  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
וּכְחֶזְקָת֣וֹ  and  by  his  strength 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶזְקָה  
Sense: strength, strong, being strong, force.
בְעָשְׁר֔וֹ  through  his  riches 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹשֶׁר  
Sense: wealth, riches.
יָעִ֣יר  he  shall  stir  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
אֵ֖ת  against 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַלְכ֥וּת  the  realm 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מַלְכוּת  
Sense: royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom, sovereign power.
יָוָֽן  of  Greece 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָוָן  
Sense: a son of Japheth and grandson of Noah.