Daniel 11:17

He will resolve to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and will reach an agreement with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plan will not succeed or help him.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The oracle addresses a northern ruler's diplomatic and military maneuvering against the southern king, positioned between his consolidation in the Beautiful Land and his subsequent campaign against the coastlands.

The words — The Hebrew phrase וְיָשֵׂם פָּנָיו לָבֹא (ve./ya.Sem Pa.na/v la./Vo') literally translates "and he will set his face to come," denoting a firm determination to advance.

The thread — This specific idiom for resolute action occurs in 2 Kings 12:17, whereas Ezekiel 4:3 and 4:7 employ a different verb to describe positioning a face toward a target.

Why it lands — The verse records that a political pact and marital concession will fail to secure the ruler's objective, requiring a reader to observe the disconnect between calculated strategy and its actual outcome.

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.

The Hebrew words

וְיָשֵׂ֣ם׀ve./ya.Semand/ he will set פָּ֠נָיוPa.na/vface/ his לָב֞וֹאla./Vo'to/ come בְּתֹ֧קֶףbe./To.kefwith/ [the] power of כָּל־kol-all מַלְכוּת֛וֹmal.khu.T/okingdom/ his וִישָׁרִ֥יםvi./sha.Rimand/ upright [things]עִמּ֖וֹi.M/owith/ him וְעָשָׂ֑הve./'a.Sahand/ he will do וּבַ֤תu./Vatand/ [the] daughter of הַנָּשִׁים֙ha./na.Shimthe/ women יִתֶּן־yi.ten-he will giveל֣וֹl/oto/ himלְהַשְׁחִיתָ֔הּle./hash.chi.Ta/hto/ destroy/ it וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not תַעֲמֹ֖דta.'a.Modit will stand וְלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ notל֥וֹl/oto/ himתִהְיֶֽה׃tih.Yehit will happen

King James Version

He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.

Cross-references

2 Kings 12:17 At that time Hazael king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 4:3 Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 4:7 You must turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared, and prophesy against it.
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
2 Chronicles 20:3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
Psalms 56:9 Then my enemies will retreat on the day I cry for help. By this I will know that God is on my side.
Proverbs 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
Ezekiel 17:17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.
Ezekiel 25:2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them.
Daniel 9:26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.