Bible Strands
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophecy continues a sequential account of royal successions, positioning this figure immediately after an administrator who collects taxes for royal glory and dies quietly.
The words — The Hebrew נִבְזֶה (nivzeh) literally means "a despicable person," paired with the verb עָמַד ('amad) for "he will arise," emphasizing an unmerited political ascent.
The thread — This pattern of unearned political rise and deceptive peace appears in Judges 9:1 through Abimelech’s clan-based power grab, while Psalms 55:21 and Daniel 11:34 echo the theme of smooth speech masking insincere alliances.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that political power can be seized through deception rather than legitimate succession, requiring readers to evaluate authority by its methods rather than its title.
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
King James Version
And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
Cross-references
- Daniel 11:34 Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely.
- Judges 9:1 Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,
- Psalms 55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- Daniel 8:25 Through his craft and by his hand, he will cause deceit to prosper, and in his own mind he will make himself great. In a time of peace he will destroy many, and he will even stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be broken off, but not by human hands.
- 1 Samuel 3:13 I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them.
- 2 Samuel 15:2 He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”
- Psalms 12:8 The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.
- Psalms 15:4 who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
- Isaiah 32:5 No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.
- Daniel 7:8 While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.