Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 11 · Questions · Question 33
33. Quest. Of Antiochus Epiphanes his first expedition against Egypt, v. 22, 23, 24.
Secondly the entrance of Antiochus into the kingdome beeing thus described, then followeth a declaration of his acts and exploits, which are of three sorts. 1. his practising against Egypt. 2. his persecution of the people of God. 3. his inuading of Egypt, Iudea, and other countries.
Three expeditions he made into Egypt: the first whereof is here described. In this first the meanes are shewed, which he should vse, partly violence, partly fraud: and the successe of them both.
His forcible and violent attempt together with the successe, is expressed v. 22. his attempt is compared to an ouerflowing flood: Antiochus taking aduantage of the minoritie of Ptolomeus Philometor, the sonne of Epiphanes by his sister Cleopatra, and hauing a desire to ioyne Egypt to his kingdome, commeth with a great power with chariots, horse, Elephants, and a nauie beside vntounto Pelusium, ouerflowing like a great streame: his successe was this: First, the armes and power of the Egyptians were ouercome, the chiefe captaines of Philometor Euleus and Leneus encountring with Antiochus betweene Pelusium and Casium, were there vanquished and slaine: Hierome out of Porphyrius following Suctorius▪ so also Bulling. Melancth. Osiand. Polan. Iun. with others.
The second part of this successe was, the Prince of the couenant was ouerthrowne likewise. 1. which was not Ptolomeus Epiphanes, as Hugo Cardin. who was now dead. 2. nor yet Seleucus Philopater Antiochus brother, Iun. annotat. H. Br. concent. for it is said before, v. 21. that Antiochus named a vile person, stood vp in his place: his brother Seleucus was now dead. 3. neither was it Iudas Macchabeus, as Lyran. for as yet Antiochus had nothing to doe with him. 4. nor yet Ptolome Philopator, as Melancth. Oecolamp. Pellic. Vatab. for he was yet very young, and made no couenant: and beside the Prince of the couenant here spoken of was slaine, which is expressed by the metaphor of breaking: but Philometor suruiued, and raigned long after. 5. And to applie it with Hierome to Antichrist, who shall faigne himselfe to be Prince of the couenant, that is, of the law and Testament of God, is not proper: for if Antiochus be a type of Antichrist, then is not this Prince of the couenant, which is ouercome by him, Antichrist also. 6. Wherefore this Prince of the couenant was Tryphon, who was a chiefe man in compounding and making a league with Antiochus after the former ouerthrow, that he should hauehave the tutelage of the young king of Egypt Philometor his nephew: this Tryphon the chiefe contriuer of this couenant, Antiochus causeth to be taken away, that he might worke his pleasure without any let.
Then followeth his second practise by fraud, with the successe: first Antiochus hauing now committed vntounto him the protection of his nephew, vnderunder this pretence entreth into Egypt, but with a small companie, beeing not suspected as an enemie, but held as a friend: and therefore it is said, he shall strengthen himselfe with a small people, v. 23.
His successe by this his fraudulent practising was this. 1. he shall enter into the quiet and plentifull Prouince: for he setled himselfe in Memphis in the heart of the countrey. 2. then he robbed and spoiled, as neuer any of his predecessours did in Egypt before: for he is not said simply to doe that, which his fathers had not done, but onelyonly in respect of Egypt, otherwise Seleucus Nicanor, their first founder, and Antiochus the great his father, had in other countries done more then he, Calvin. therefore this is no argument for Pererius to vnderstand this of Antichrist, and not of Antiochus, because his predecessours had beene of greater power: for, as is saide, it is not simply and absolutely so spoken, but in comparison of Egypt onelyonly, which he robbed and spoiled▪ as none of his fathers had done before him. Hierom. ex Porphyr. And these spoiles he partly carried away, partly he distributed them among the Egyptians, to make himselfe stronger. Iun. 3. Then he cunningly cast about how to get into his hand the strong holds in Egypt: and therein shewed more cunning, then the wisest among the Egyptians: he deceiued them with his wiles and politike deuises. Hierom. ex Porphyr. following Suctorius. Iun. Polan. But he did not long hold those places in Egypt, it was but for a time, as the text sheweth: for Philometor afterward recouered them againe.
Some otherwise vnderstand this whole description: that the league spoken of was made with Seleucus Philopator, who vponupon agreement with Antiochus then hostage at Rome, sent thither his owne sonne Demetrius, to be in his stead: and so Antiochus returning first practised by the meanes of Heliodorus to take away his brother Seleucus, called here the Prince of the couenant. Iun. in annotat. And this plentifull Prouince which he inuaded, some vnderstand to be Syria, Iun. Oecolampad. some Phoenice, where the rich citie Tyrus was, which Antiochus spoiled, Melancthon.
But this exposition can not stand. 1. Seleucus Philopator was dead before these things were done, and Antiochus tose vp in his stead: these things followed then after Seleucus death. And before the Prince of the couenant is taken away, it is said the armes were broken, which were the captaines with their power: but Antiochus had no open warre with his brother Seleucus, he was dead before his returne.
2. This pleasant Prouince was not Syria, but Egypt. 1. for it is saide, that he did that, which none of his fathers before him: now both Seleucus Nicanor, and Antiochus the great had done greater exploits in Syria and Phenice, then this Antiochus: but none of them had spoiled Egypt like vntounto him. 2. he held these strong places onelyonly for a while: but the strong cities of Syria & Phenicia he held and possessed as his own, as of right belonging vntounto to him: he soone lost the strong cities and holds in Egypt, which Philometor recouered againe: therefore this expedition vponupon the former reasons is better vnderstood to hauehave beene made against Egypt, then Syria.