Understanding the 11th chapter of Daniel has been an exceptionally difficult exercise throughout history but is certainly not impossible. In order to make referencing it easier, I have rewritten the historic portion of the chapter with the names of kings and specific events referenced so that the reader has a quick reference guide.
For further information, please see my broader interpretation of Daniel 11. In no way should this be considered a new interpretation, but rather as a historic edit.
Warring Kings of North and South
1 In the first year of Darius the Mede (Cyrus the Great), I, even I (A messenger from God), stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
2 And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings (Cambyses II, Bardiya and Darius the Great) will arise in Persia, and the fourth (Xerxes) shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all (the empire of Persia) against the realm of Greece.
3 Then a mighty king (Alexander the Great) shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
4 And when (Alexander the Great) has arisen, (Alexander’s) kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven (Lysimachus, Cassander, Seleucus and Ptolemy), but not among his (Alexander’s) (children) nor according to (Alexander’s) dominion (Greece/Macedon) with which (Alexander) ruled; for (Alexander’s) kingdom shall be uprooted, even for (the other Greek States) besides these.
5 Also (Ptolemy I) shall become strong, as well as one of (Alexander’s) princes (Seleucid, who) shall gain power over (Ptolemy) and have dominion. (Seleucid’s) dominion shall be a great dominion.
6 (Some years later, after some combat,) (they shall have a peace agreement) for (Berenice Phernophorus (“Dowry Bearer”) ) daughter of (Ptolemy II) shall go to (Antiochus II) to make an (peace) agreement; but (Berenice) shall (not survive long), and neither (Antiochus II) nor (the peace treaty) shall stand; but (Berenice) shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times (, her father, Ptolemy II).
7 But (another member of Berinice’s family, her brother, Ptolemy III) shall arise in (Ptolemy II’s) place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of (Antioch), and deal with (Berenice’s murders) and prevail.
8 And (Ptolemy III) shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall (live) more years than (Seleucus II).
9 “Also (Seleucus II) shall come to the (Egypt), but shall return to his own land (for burial when he died on campaign).
10 However (Seleucus II’s) sons (Seleucus III Callinicus and Antiochus III Megas Basileus) shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and (Antiochus III’s force) shall certainly come and overwhelm (Ptolemy IV’s defences) and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress (of Tyre) and stir up strife.
11 And (Ptolemy IV) shall be moved with rage, and go out and fight with (Antiochus III), who shall muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be (soundly defeated at the Battle of Raphia).
12 When (Ptolemy IV) has defeated (Antiochus III) , his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not (win ultimate victory).
13 For the (Antiochus III) will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come (to the Battle of Panium) at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.
14 Now in those times many shall rise up against (Ptolemy V). Also, violent (men of Israel) shall exalt themselves in fulfillment (of the prophecies that Israel will rise again), but they shall fall.
15 So (Antiochus IV) shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces of (Ptolemy) shall not withstand him. Even (Ptolemy’s) choice troops shall have no strength to resist.
16 But (Rome) shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against (it). (Rome) shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power.
17 “(Rome, Julius Caesar) shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom (into Egypt), and upright ones (diplomatic advisors) with him; thus shall he do. And (Caesar) shall give (Egypt) the daughter of women (Cleopatra VII Philopator) to destroy it (Egypt); but (Cleopatra) shall not stand with (Caesar), or be for (Marc Antony).
18 After this (Caesar) shall turn his face to the (Isles and Coastlines), and shall take many. But (as) a ruler (Caesar) shall bring (the civil war) against them to an end; and (even) with the reproach removed, (Rome) shall turn back on him.
19 Then (Caesar) shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall (be assassinated), and not be found.
20 “There shall arise in his place (not a hereditary successor) one who imposes taxes (Octavian/Caesar Augustus) on the glorious kingdom (Israel); but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle (possibly poisoned, possibly old age).
21 And in his place shall arise a vile person (Tiberius), to whom they will not give the honour of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue (not by military or untoward means but by Augustus’ scheming).
22 With the force of a flood they (anyone that opposed Rome and especially the people in Judea) shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant (Jesus Christ’s Death).
23 And after the league is made with (Constantine the Great,) he shall act deceitfully (adopting pagan practices and including them in the Christian Religion, like Sunday, Easter and Christmas), for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people.
24 (The spiritual authority of Rome) shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province (proselytising); and he shall do what his fathers have not done (rule with spiritual/religious power and not military force), nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches (though simony and bribery); and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds (to take military power), but only for a time (until the Byzantine Papacy).
25 (Pope Urban II) shall stir up his power and his courage against (Seljuk Empire) with a great army (of Crusaders). And (the Fatimid Califate) shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand (at the Battle of Ascalon), for they shall devise plans against him (to conquer Jerusalem).
26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies (the Fatamid Tax farmers) shall (stage a revolt and) destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain (at the Battle of Ramla).
27 Both these kings’ hearts (Baldwin IV, Richard I (the Lionheart) and Saladin) shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table (truce after the Siege of Acre and the retaliation at Jaffa, the Treaty of Jaffa amongst others); but it (the peace) shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.
28 While returning to his land with great riches (gold and literature from the Holy Land), his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant (Islamic practices adapted for the Christian Church and/or attacks against Jews); so he shall do damage (to Christianity) and return to his own land (cease major crusade actions against Muslims and turn them against Christians, especially the Sabbath-keeping Waldensies).
29 “At the appointed time he shall return (hold another Crusade) and go toward the south (Egypt); but it shall not be like the former or the latter (the only crusader king to directly target Egypt).
30 For ships from Cyprus (Louis IX aka Saint Louis’s Crusade) shall come against him (Egypt); therefore he (Egypt) shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage (ceased free passage for Christians, attacked Byzantine). “So he (Louis) shall return and show regard (support) for those who forsake the holy covenant (the Papacy).
Blasphemies
31 And forces shall be mustered by him (Pagan Rome’s army and Papal Rome’s false Doctrines), and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress (Pagan Rome will destroy the Sanctuary, Papal Rome introduces idol worship); then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. (Pagan Rome burned the Temple and destroyed Jerusalem, slaughtering everyone possible, Papal Rome replaced Salvation through Christ Alone with the intercession of Priests, Saints and Mary)
32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant (pagans) he shall corrupt with flattery (bring their beliefs of Christmas, Easter, Sunday worship and many others into the Church); but the people who know their God (Waldensies and other puritans who retained the Jewish view of the scriptures) shall be strong, and carry out great exploits (hold out against persecution).
33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many (Waldensies etc); yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame (be persecuted through crusades and other oppression), by captivity and plundering (loose their goods to the Church).
34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. (sectarian authorities will side with the Roman Church and rebels will join them to combat the sectarian government, not because they share their views.)
35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end (reformers will give their lives knowingly to try and bring the Church back to God’s word); because it is still for the appointed time. (the end of the 1260 days)
36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will (Holy See/Papal states has always been an absolute monarchy): he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. (Papal infallibility, instructing the divine on who is and isn’t a saint, promotion of Saints and Mary, etc)
37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers (Jewish tradition and philosophy) nor the desire of women (priestly celibacy), nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.
38 But in their place he shall honor a god of (forces) (sacred tradition); and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor (Mary) with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. (Church wealth is undisputed and excessive)
39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses (world-wide power) with a foreign god (Mary), which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. (Roman churches own their own land and are generally exempt from most civil taxes and laws.)
The Northern King’s Conquests
40 “At the time of the end (the time around when Probation has closed) the king of the South (Islamic forces) shall attack him; and the king of the North (?????) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships (a massive army and navy); and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through (defeat but not conquer).
41 He (?????) shall also enter the Glorious Land (Judea), and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon (Modern-day Jordan or powers that oppressed Israel; i.e. the ‘He’ power’s forces or allies).
42 He (?????) shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 He (?????) shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt (possibly Islamic and other religious knowledge); also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels.
44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. (indecipherable but possibly about Persia or, less likely, China)
45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain (between Jerusalem and the Ocean); yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him (when the power reaches his final fight, he will be deserted and nobody will strengthen him).
Chapter 12
At that time (When the King of the North is defeated) Michael (Jesus) shall stand up, (Take up his position as King of this world at his second coming)
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble (persecution, wars and other such horrors), Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time.
And at that time your people, (Those who are on Christ’s side)
Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life, (at the second coming, the “dead in Christ shall rise first”)
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine (those who read and understand Daniel’s writings)
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness (who teach Daniel’s word and explain it to the world)
Like the stars forever and ever.
4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.