Daniel 11:13

Study note

Setting — The prophet delivers this vision to Daniel during the Babylonian exile, charting the succession of Hellenistic wars following Alexander’s death. The statement is positioned immediately after the king of the South’s prideful but unsuccessful campaign and directly precedes the internal uprisings that will undermine him.

The words — The Hebrew phrase וְהֶעֱמִיד הָמֹן רַב מִן־הָרִאשׁוֹן (ve-he‘ĕmîd hāmôn rav mîn-hārîšôn) literally renders "and he will raise up a multitude greater than the first." The verb עמד (‘amad) here denotes the deliberate mobilization and establishment of a military force.

The thread — This sequence of military buildup and strategic delay continues the political framework established in Daniel 11:6, where a temporary alliance and marriage pact are recorded. The timeline of these escalating conflicts is later bounded by the oath of the man clothed in linen in Daniel 12:7.

Why it lands — The text records a factual update on troop numbers and supply logistics without commentary. It requires the reader to track the precise chronological markers in the vision to distinguish between the North’s temporary advantage and the South’s eventual collapse.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.