DANIEL 11:24 The Continuing Reign of Antiochus IV, The Usurper of The Seleucid Empire (175 B.C.E. – 164 B.C.E.): His Lengthy Preparations for War with Egypt.
“He [Antiochus IV (175 B.C.E. – 164 B.C.E.)] shall enter Peaceably [By Prosperity], even upon The Fattest [The Richest] Places of The Province. And He [ Antiochus IV (171 B.C.E. – 164 B.C.E.)] shall do That Which His Fathers have not done, Nor His Father’s Fathers: He shall scatter among Them The Prey [The Plunder}, and The Spoil [Booty], and Riches. Yea! And He shall forecast His Devices [Devise His Plans] against The Strong-Holds. Even for a Time.” (Daniel 11:24) Unlike His father, Antiochus III (223 B.C.E. – 187 B.C.E.), and His Brother, Seleucus IV (187 B.C.E. -175 B.C.E.), Antiochus IV had sufficient funds to pay the last of the indemnity imposed by The Treaty of Apamea to The Roman Republic. As Verse 24 states, Antiochus IV was able to use the “plunder, booty, and riches” extorted by his father and brother to establish his own position as king, despite the fact that Seleucus IV’s son, Demetrius, who was a hostage in Rome, was the legitimate heir. The Roman Republic was impressed by Antiochus IV’s generosity and his genuine admiration for Rome (the city where he had lived as an hostage after The Treaty of Apamea). There was no attempt by The Roman Republic to aid Demetrius to his father’s throne. Antiochus IV charmed The Senators of Rome with his extravagance and generosity. Nevertheless, Antiochus IV, was not content to merely maintain the status quo of The Seleucid Empire. As Daniel II, Verse 24 states in its concluding clause, Antiochus IV was planning to attack Egypt. There were factions in The Egyptian Court who wanted to seize Coele-Syria once more for the Ptolemaic Kingdom. (Antiochus III had defeated the Ptolemies and had gained control of the coveted Coele-Syria region in The Battle of Panium 198 B.C.E. His daughter, Cleopatra I,…