Daniel 11:20

In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collector for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or in battle.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The vision addresses a succession of rulers following a king who stumbles and falls while returning to his own fortresses. It marks the transition to a successor who will manage the kingdom's finances before a sudden end.

The words — The Hebrew phrase מַעֲבִיר נוֹגֵשׂ (ma‘ăḇîr nōḡēś) literally describes one who "sends through" or appoints an "oppressor" or tax collector. This figure acts for the הֶדֶר מַלְכ֑וּת (heḏer malḵûṯ), the "splendor of the kingdom," before being destroyed within a few days.

The thread — The appointment of a financial oppressor for royal revenue parallels the taxation recorded in 2 Kings 23:35. The motif of replacing earthly wealth with divine provision later appears in Isaiah 60:17.

Why it lands — The text records that royal administrators will be raised to fund a kingdom's glory, yet the ruler himself will fall swiftly without military defeat. It asks the reader to observe that political and financial power does not guarantee survival, as sudden destruction can come regardless of human strategy.

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

וְעָמַ֧דve./'a.Madand/ he will arise עַל־'al-on כַּנּ֛וֹka.N/oplace/ his מַעֲבִ֥ירma.'a.Vir[one who] will send through נוֹגֵ֖שׂno.Gesan oppressor הֶ֣דֶרHe.der[the] splendor of מַלְכ֑וּתmal.Khuta kingdom וּבְיָמִ֤יםu/v./ya.Mimand/ in/ days אֲחָדִים֙'a.cha.Dimone<s>יִשָּׁבֵ֔רyi.sha.Verhe will be broken וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not בְאַפַּ֖יִםve./'a.Pa.yimin/ anger<s>וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not בְמִלְחָמָֽה׃ve./mil.cha.Mahin/ battle

King James Version

Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.

Cross-references

Isaiah 60:17 Instead of bronze I will bring you gold; I will bring silver in place of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. I will appoint peace as your governor and righteousness as your ruler.
Deuteronomy 15:2 This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.
2 Kings 23:35 So Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Pharaoh Neco, but to meet Pharaoh’s demand he taxed the land and exacted the silver and the gold from the people, each according to his wealth.
Proverbs 30:33 For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
Daniel 11:7 But one from her family line will rise up in his place, come against the army of the king of the North, and enter his fortress, fighting and prevailing.
Daniel 11:21 In his place a despicable person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come in a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.