Daniel 11:5-6. Daniel 11:5-The Prophecy of Ptolemy I Soter and Seleucus I Nicator

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1 Daniel 11:5-6 Daniel 11:5-The Prophecy of Ptolemy I Soter and Seleucus I Nicator Review of Daniel 11:2-4 Daniel 11:2 Now, at this present time, I must reveal to you the truth. Behold, three future kings will ascend to power for Persia. Then, the fourth will cause greater riches to make him wealthier than each and every one of these in comparison. However, when he amasses power through his wealth, the entire nation will stir up the Greek kingdom. (Author s translation) The unidentified elect angel begins to communicate to Daniel revelation of God s prophetic program for the nation of Israel during the Times of the Gentiles. He begins by issuing a prophecy regarding the Persian Empire, which in 536 B.C. was a world-wide empire. Cyrus the Persian was the ruler of the Medo-Persian Empire at that time. Persian became more dominant than the kingdom of Media, thus the angel does not mention Media. This Persian dominance is predicted in the prophecies found in Daniel chapter seven and eight. The angel informs Daniel that there will be three kings who will ascend to power immediately after the reign of Cyrus the Persian. These three will be followed immediately by a fourth who will distinguish himself from these three by accumulating more wealth than his predecessors. However, when this fourth king amasses power through his wealth, the entire Persian Empire will stir up hostilities with the Greeks. This prophecy of these four Persian rulers was fulfilled in history, which records the first as being Cambyses, who was the son of Cyrus the Persian, who reigned from B.C. He was followed by Pseudo-Smerdis, who only reigned for a short period of time in 522 B.C. Darius I Hystaspes who ruled from B.C. followed Pseudo-Smerdis. The fourth ruler was Xerxes, he was known in the book of Esther as Ahasuerus and he reigned over Persia from B.C. He was more powerful than his three predecessors and the most influential and wealthy of the four, thus fulfilling the prophecy found in Daniel 11:2. During the reign of Xerxes, he fought wars against Greece which also served to fulfill this prophecy here in Daniel 11:2. Daniel 11:3 Next, a powerful king will ascend to power so that he will rule with great authority with the result that he will do according to his desire. (Author s translation) The unidentified angel continues to present to Daniel God s prophetic program for the nation of Israel during the Times of the Gentiles and thus simultaneously during the seventy weeks or four hundred ninety prophetic years. The angelic 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

2 being informs Daniel that after the four Persian kings mentioned in verse 4 and in particular after the fourth Persian king amasses great power and his nation stirs up hostilities with the kingdom of Greece, a powerful king will ascend to power so that he will rule with great authority with the result that he will do according to his desire. History records that this mighty king was none other than Alexander the Great who reigned from B.C. before dying unexpectedly at the age of 32 from complications of malaria and alcoholism. He conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt and the Medo-Persian Empire. Not only is Alexander the Great prophesied about in Daniel 11:3 but he is also prophesied about in Daniel 8:5-8. Daniel 11:4 However, after he ascends to power, his kingdom will be broken up. Then, it will be divided towards the heaven s four winds but not for the benefit of his posterity and in addition, not according to his sovereign will which he sovereignly exercised. For his kingdom will be uprooted specifically, for the benefit of others, to the separation and exclusion of these. (Author s translation) Since history reveals that this powerful king was Alexander the Great, the fourfold division of this powerful king s empire refers to the four-fold division of Alexander s empire after his death. The four heads of the leopard in Daniel 7:6 as well as the four horns of the shaggy goat in Daniel 8:5-8 also depict this four-fold division of Alexander s empire. History records that Alexander s four generals who divided his empire after he died. To Ptolemy was given Egypt and parts of Asia Minor. Casander was given the territory of Macedonia and Greece. Lysimachus was given Thrace and parts of Asia Minor (western Bithynia, Phrygia, Mycia and Lydia). Seleucus was given the remainder of Alexander s empire which included Syria, Israel and Mesopotamia. The angelic prophecy that this powerful king s empire will not be for the benefit of his offspring or posterity was fulfilled in history since Alexander s son, Alexander Jr. who was born to Roxana after his death did not succeed his father after his death. Herakles or Hercules who was an illegitimate son by Barsina and his half-brother Philip were also possibilities to succeed Alexander but none of them inherited the throne nor did any of his descendants. The King Ruling the South Will Be Strong Daniel 11:5 Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. (NASB95) Then the king of the South will grow strong is composed of the conjunction wa ( (ו (waw), then, which is followed by the third person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb ḥā zǎq (ח ז ק) (khaw-zak ), will grow 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2

3 strong and then we have the masculine singular construct form of the noun mě lěḵ (meh-lek), a king which is modified by the articular feminine singular (מ ל ך) noun ně ḡěḇ (נ ג ב) (neh -gheb), South. wa The conjunction wa means then since this time it is functioning as a marker of a sequence of closely related events meaning that it is introducing a statement which presents the next prophetic event that will take place after the event recorded at the end of verse 4. If you recall, in verse 4, the angel informs Daniel that after the powerful king mentioned in verse 3 ascends to power, his kingdom will be broken up. The angelic being goes on to tell him that the kingdom of this powerful king will be divided towards the heaven s four winds but not for the benefit of his posterity and in addition, not according to his sovereign will which he sovereignly exercised. The angel then gives the reason that this will be the case by stating that the kingdom of this powerful king will be uprooted specifically, for the benefit of others, to the separation and exclusion of his posterity. As we noted, history records that this powerful king is Alexander the Great whose kingdom was divided up by his four generals after his death to the exclusion of his posterity. Now, here in verse 5, the angel informs Daniel that after this four-fold division of Alexander s empire the king of the South will grow strong along with one of his princes. So the conjunction wa here in verse 5 is marking this event as taking place sometime after the four-fold division of Alexander s empire by his four generals. mě lěḵ hǎ něʹ ḡěḇ The noun mě lěḵ means king and is used with reference to the governmental head of the Egyptian kingdom which was ruled by descendants of Ptolemy. The construct form of this noun means that it is governing the word which follows it, which is the noun ně ḡěḇ. The construct state expresses a genitive relation between these two words. The noun ně ḡěḇ means south referring to the compass point directly opposite the north. This word s primary meaning is a geographic region. Because this region lay to the south of the rest of Israel, the word became synonymous with dā rôm, south. The meaning south is easily understood as toward the Negeb. Here in Daniel 11:5, the noun ně ḡěḇ means south and refers to the geographical location of the kingdom which was located to the south of Israel and was ruled by the descendants of Ptolemy who was one of Alexander s generals who ruled Egypt after Alexander s death. It refers to Egypt as made clear by the angel s statements in verse William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3

4 The articular construction of this noun ně ḡěḇ marks the word as unique in its class and distinctive. Here it indicates that the distinctiveness of this kingdom which lay to the south of Israel geographically in that it will was ruled by one of those who divided up Alexander s kingdom after his death. The genitive relation between mě lěḵ and ně ḡěḇ is subordination indicating that the region which lie to the south of Israel geographically was subordinate to this king. So the idea is the king ruling the south. ḥā zǎq The verb ḥā zǎq means to be strong referring to the king ruling the south existing in the state of being strong militarily and politically and thus becoming more influential and powerful over his neighbors in the Middle East. The qal stem of this verb ḥā zǎq is stative expressing the state of the king ruling the south being strong militarily and politically. The imperfect conjugation of the verb describes this action of the king ruling the south being strong militarily and politically as taking place in the future from the perspective of Daniel in the sixth century B.C. when he received this revelation from God through an unidentified elect angel of God. One of the Subordinate Commanders of the King Ruling the South Daniel 11:5 Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. (NASB95) Along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him is composed of the conjunction wa ( (ו (waw), along with, which is followed by the preposition min (מ ן) (min) of and its object is the masculine plural construct form of the noun śǎr (שׂ ר) (sar), princes which is modified by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ) (הוּא) (who), his and then we have the conjunction wa ( (ו (waw), who, which is followed by the third person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb ḥā zǎq (ח ז ק) (khaw-zak ), will gain ascendancy and then we have the preposition ʿǎl (ע ל) (al), over and its object is the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ) (הוּא) (who), him. wa This time the conjunction wa is adjunctive meaning it is introducing one of the commanders who was subordinate to the king ruling the south as also being strong militarily and politically like the king ruling the south William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4

5 Śǎr The singular form of the noun śǎr means subordinate commander referring to one of the subordinates of the king ruling the south. It refers to a commander who was under the authority of the king ruling the south. The word is modified by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ), which means his since it is functioning as a possessive pronoun referring to the king ruling the south. The noun śǎr is also the object of the preposition min which means one of since it is used in a partitive sense meaning that its object the noun śǎr can be the whole from which a part is taken. The whole here are all the commanders under the king ruling the south. The preposition denotes that one of these commanders was strong militarily and thus politically along with the king ruling the south. wa The conjunction wa means in fact since it is introducing a statement which a statement which advances upon the previous statement and intensifies it. It is introducing a statement that says that one of the subordinate commanders of the king ruling the south will become stronger militarily and politically against him. The advancement and intensification is that the king ruling the south goes from having no rivals to having one. ḥā zǎq This time the verb ḥā zǎq means to be stronger referring to one of the subordinate commanders of the king ruling the south becoming stronger militarily, politically and territorially against him. The qal stem of this verb ḥā zǎq is stative expressing the state of one of the subordinate commanders of the king ruling the south becoming stronger than him militarily and politically and territorially. The imperfect conjugation of the verb describes this action of one of the subordinate commanders of the king ruling the south becoming stronger than him militarily and politically as taking place in the future from the perspective of Daniel in the sixth century B.C. when he received this revelation from God through an unidentified elect angel of God. ʿāl āywʹ The third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ) means him referring to the king ruling the south and is the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5

6 means than since it is functioning as a marker of comparison indicating that one of the subordinates of the king ruling the south would become stronger than him. The Subordinate Will Exercise Authority Over a Greater Dominion Daniel 11:5 Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. (NASB95) And obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed is composed of the conjunction wa ( (ו (waw), and, which is followed by the third person masculine singular qal active perfect form of the verb mā šǎl (מ שׁ ל) (mawshal ), obtain dominion and then we have the masculine singular noun mim šāl (mim-shawl ), domain which is modified by the masculine singular form (מ מ שׁ ל) of the adjective rǎḇ (ר ב) (rab), great and then we have the feminine singular construct form of the noun měm šā lā(h) (מ מ שׁ ל ה) (mem-shaw-law ), a dominion which is modified by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ) his. (who), (הוּא) wa This time the conjunction wa means because since it is functioning as a marker of cause meaning that it is presenting the reason why one of the subordinate commanders of the king ruling the south will become stronger than him. It is introducing a statement which records the angel informing Daniel that this subordinate commander will exercise authority over a greater dominion than him. Therefore, the word denotes that one of the subordinate commanders of the king ruling the south will become stronger than him because he will exercise authority over a greater dominion than him. mā šǎl The verb mā šǎl means to govern since it pertains to exercising authority over a particular territory or geographical region of a nation. Here it of course refers to one of the subordinate commanders of the king ruling the south exercising his sovereign authority over a greater geographical territory than him. The qal stem of the verb is stative expressing the state of this subordinate commander of the king ruling the south governing a greater geographical territory than him. The perfect conjugation of this verb is a stative perfect expressing the same thing as the stem William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 6

7 mim šāl The noun mim šāl means dominion referring to the nation or kingdom which is located in a particular territory or geographical region in which a king exercises his authority over. This word is modified by the adjective rǎḇ, which means greater than since the word is used in a comparative sense indicating that this subordinate commander of the king ruling the south will exercise authority over a greater dominion or territory than him. měm šā lā(h) The noun měm šā lā(h) means dominion referring to the geographical territory of a nation which a king exercises his authority over. The word is modified by the third person masculine singular pronominal suffix hû(ʾ), which means his since it is functioning as a possessive pronoun and refers to the king ruling the south. Translation of Daniel 11:5 Daniel 11:5 Then, the king ruling the south as well as one of his subordinate commanders will be strong. In fact, he will become stronger than him because he will exercise authority over a dominion greater than his dominion. Exposition of Daniel 11:5 As we noted in our overview of Daniel chapter 11, verses 1-35 contain prophecies regarding major rulers and events of the Persian and Greek Empires. This first major section of chapter 11 is broken out into four sections: (1) Prophecy of Persian Rulers (verse 2) (2) Prophecy of Alexander the Great (verses 3-4) (3) Prophecies of Seleucid and Ptolemaic rulers (verses 5-20) (4) Prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes IV (verses 21-35). We have completed a study of the first two sections of this first major section and now we will begin a study of the third by studying verse 5. Daniel 11:3-35 prophesies not only of the rise and fall of Alexander the Great but also prophecies about the descendants of these four generals. Specifically, this chapter is a prophecy about the descendants of two of these generals, namely, the descendants of Ptolemy and Seleucus. The descendants of the former ruled over Egypt whereas the descendants of the latter ruled over Syria, Israel and Mesopotamia. Throughout this prophecy in chapter eleven these descendants of 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7

8 Ptolemy who ruled Egypt are identified by the phrase the king of the South since Egypt geographically was located south of Israel. On the other hand, the descendants of Seleucid who ruled over Syria are identified by the phrase the king of the North since geographically Syria is located north of Israel. As we noted in Daniel 11:3, the angel informs Daniel that sometime after the reign of the four Persian kings has ended and specifically after the fourth king amasses power through his wealth, his kingdom will stir up hostilities with the kingdom of Greece, a powerful king will ascend to power. As a result of his power, this king will rule with great authority so that he will do as he pleases. History records that this mighty king was none other than Alexander the Great who reigned from B.C. before dying unexpectedly at the age of 32 from complications of malaria and alcoholism. He conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt and the Medo- Persian Empire. Then, in Daniel 11:4, the angel tells Daniel that sometime after this powerful king ascends to power, his kingdom will be broken up. He informs Daniel that the kingdom of this powerful king will be divided to the four points of the compass. However, this would not be for the benefit of this king s posterity. Furthermore, this four-fold division of his empire will not be according to his sovereign will. The angel then gives the reason why this will be the case. His kingdom will be uprooted specifically for the benefit of others, to the separation and exclusion of his posterity. Therefore, since history reveals that this powerful king was Alexander the Great, the four-fold division of this powerful king s empire refers to the four-fold division of Alexander s empire after his death. The four heads of the leopard in Daniel 7:6 as well as the four horns of the shaggy goat in Daniel 8:5-8 also depict this four-fold division of Alexander s empire. History records that Alexander s four generals who divided his empire after he died. To Ptolemy was given Egypt and parts of Asia Minor. Casander was given the territory of Macedonia and Greece. Lysimachus was given Thrace and parts of Asia Minor (western Bithynia, Phrygia, Mycia and Lydia). Seleucus was given the remainder of Alexander s empire which included Syria, Israel and Mesopotamia. The angelic prophecy that this powerful king s empire will not be for the benefit of his offspring or posterity was fulfilled in history since Alexander s son, Alexander Jr. who was born to Roxana after his death did not succeed his father after his death. Herakles or Hercules who was an illegitimate son by Barsina and his half-brother Philip were also possibilities to succeed Alexander but none of them inherited the throne nor did any of his descendants. Now, here in Daniel 11:5 the angel informs Daniel that after the four-fold division of the kingdom of the powerful king, the king ruling the South as well as one of his subordinate commanders will be strong militarily and politically William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8

9 History records that the king ruling the south is Ptolemy I Soter ( B.C.) who was a general who served under Alexander. As we noted he was given authority over Egypt in 323 B.C. and proclaimed king of Egypt in 304 B.C. His dynasty ended in 30 B.C. History also tells us that the subordinate commander of the king ruling the south is Seleucus I Nicator ( B.C.), who was also a general of Alexander. He was given authority over Babylon in 321 B.C. His dynasty ended in 64 B.C. In 316 B.C. Babylon came under attack by Antigonus who was another general. Wikipedia has the following comment, In the summer of 315BC Antigonus arrived in Babylon and was warmly welcomed by Seleucus. The relationship between the two soon turned cold, however. Seleucus punished one of Antigonus officers without asking permission from Antigonus. Antigonus became angry and demanded that Seleucus give him the income from the province, which Seleucus refused to do. He was, however, afraid of Antigonus and fled to Egypt with 50 horsemen. Seleucus turned to Ptolemy I Soter in Egypt for help and got it. The combined strength of Ptolemy and Seleucus defeated Antigonus at Gaza in 312 B.C. Seleucus was greatly strengthened as a result of this victory and returned to Babylon. He ruled over Babylonia, Media and Syria. He assumed the title of king in 305 B.C. Thus, Seleucus I Nicator ruled over far more territory than Ptolemy I Soter. In fact, by the end of his reign, Seleucus reigned over the territory from Punjab to the Hellenspont with great power. He gained control over the entire area from Asia Minor to India. Therefore, we can see that Daniel 11:5 was fulfilled with these two men, Ptolemy I Soter and Seleucus I Nicator. Archer writes that Seleucus originally served under Perdiccas and Antigonus in Babylon but had had a falling out with the latter in 316. Thereafter he defected to Ptolemy; and, after the defeat of Antigonus, he made his way back to Babylon (where he was well liked) with Ptolemy s sponsorship in 312, two years after which he assumed the title of king, so that 310 became the official staring date for the Seleucid Era. Since Seleucus secured control of Alexander s old domains all the way to the Indus on the east and to Syria and Phoenicia on the west, his authority far surpassed that of his sponsor, Ptolemy. Seleucus dynasty endured till 64 B.C., when Pompey delivered the coup de grace to a truncated empire that had already lost Babylon and all its eastern dominions to the Parthians. 1 Now, the emergence of Ptolemy I Soter as the king over Egypt and Seleucus I Nicator as king over Syria set the stage for the lines of these two rulers in their respective countries to become rivals or adversaries. The king of the South in this prophecy in Daniel 11 is thus a reference to those descendants of Ptolemy who 1 Archer Jr., Gleason L.; The Expositor s Bible Commentary, volume 7: Daniel-Minor Prophets; page 130; Regency Reference Library; Zondervan Publishing House; Grand Rapids, Michigan; William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9

10 would rule over Egypt. On the other hand, the king of the north in this prophecy is a reference to those descendants of Seleucus. This rivalry between these two kingdoms would adversely affect Israel because she would be caught in between their wars. Daniel 11:5 begins a detailed prophecy of the conflicts that would take place between these two kingdoms. The wars between these two factions would cause quite a bit of suffering for Daniel s people. In fact, Antiochus Epiphanes IV, the small or little horn and bold-face king of Daniel chapter 8, would be a descendant of Seleucus and would persecute the Jewish people in the second century B.C. Throughout the remainder of chap. 11 the expressions king of the south and king of the north repeatedly occur. It is clear, however, that these terms are being used generically to describe the Ptolemaic king (i.e., of the south ) or the Seleucid king (i.e., of the north ) who happens to be in power at any particular time. The specific identity of these kings can be established more or less successfully by a comparison of this chapter with the available extra-biblical records that discuss the history of the intertestamental period. In the following notes the generally accepted identifications are briefly mentioned. 2 Excursus: Ptolemy (from Anchor Bible Dictionary) Thomas Briscoe has the following article on Ptolemy, he writes, Ptolemy I Soter ( B.C.) established the dynasty which bears his name and moved the capital of Egypt from Memphis to Alexandria, the city Alexander founded. He and his successors ruled an empire that included at times Cyrenaica, Palestine, Phoenicia, Cyprus, and some parts of western Asia Minor and the Aegean. Ptolemaic policies brought great wealth to the state through taxation and trade. The Ptolemies did not force Hellenization upon native populations, but the obvious commercial, cultural, and social benefits of Ptolemaic policies led to greater acceptance of Hellenistic ideas and customs. Land was farmed out under state control, and the reserves funneled to the central government. Payment of heavy yearly taxes, however, assured a measure of local autonomy. The Ptolemies introduced a ruler cult, but permitted native religions to continue unimpeded. In addition to Ptolemy I, the most energetic of these rulers were Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( B.C.) and Ptolemy III Euergetes ( B.C.). The Ptolemies made Alexandria a center of learning and commerce. In particular the early Ptolemies supported a large group of scholars at the famous museum and developed the nucleus of the great library. The Ptolemies founded or refurbished 2 Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Da 11:5). Biblical Studies Press William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10

11 several cities in Palestine and Transjordan giving them Greek names and often endowing them with Greek features. Examples included Acco renamed Ptolemais, Bethshan now termed Scythopolis, and ancient Rabboth-Ammon refounded as Philadelphia. Ptolemaic rule directly impacted Jews both inside and outside of Palestine. During the campaigns to secure Palestine for Egypt, Ptolemy I transported large numbers of Jews from Palestine to Alexandria for settlement. This was the beginning of a large and influential Jewish community that prospered by maintaining good relations with the Ptolemies, frequently serving as mercenaries and merchants. Soon Alexandria became a major center of world Jewry. The Alexandrian Jews imbibed Hellenism much more deeply than their counterparts in Judea as evidenced by the need to translate the OT writings into Greek. This translation, known as the Septuagint, probably was begun in the reign of Ptolemy II but was not completed until about 100 B.C. The forecourt of Ptolemy IX in the temple of Horus, the Egyptian falcon-god, at Edfu in Upper Egypt William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11

12 The Ptolemies treated Judea as a temple state given over by the king in trust to the high priest at Jerusalem. Authority in religious and most civil matters was granted the high priest in lieu of a yearly tax. A wall relief showing Ptolemy I Soter (pictured twice) making offerings. During the reign of Ptolemy II the first of five wars with the Seleucids over possession of Palestine broke out. Egypt successfully resisted the Seleucid challenge under the first three Ptolemaic rulers. However Ptolemaic power began to wane under Ptolemy IV Philopator ( B.C.), a notorious womanizer. In 200 B.C. Antiochus III defeated the Egyptian army at Banyas (later Caesarea Philippi) and seized control of Palestine. Subsequently the Ptolemaic kingdom declined and increasingly came under the influence of Rome. Cleopatra VII was the last Ptolemaic ruler prior to the annexation of Egypt to Rome in 30 B.C. See Egypt; Intertestamental History and Literature. 3 K. A. Kitchen writes PTOLEMY. The name borne by the 14 kings of the purely Macedonian Greek dynasty that ruled Egypt c. 323 to 30 bc. I. The early Ptolemies After the death of Alexander the Great at Babylon in 323 bc one of his marshals, Ptolemy son of Lagus, had himself appointed as satrap of Egypt, 3 Brisco, T. V. (2003). Ptolemies. In (C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler, Eds.)Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers. c circa (Lat.), about, approximately 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12

13 recognizing the nominal reigns of Alexander s half-brother Philip Arrhidaeus and infant son Alexander the younger, as did the great conqueror s other marshals in Babylon, Syria, Asia Minor and Greece. But in 310 bc the boy Alexander had been murdered, and each marshal tried unsuccessfully to take the whole empire from his rivals, so that it was carved up between them. Ptolemy therefore took the title king of Egypt in 304 bc, reigning till 285. Under him, his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( bc), and his grandson Ptolemy III Euergetes I ( bc), Egypt became once more a power in the Near East, no longer as a pharaonic but as a Hellenistic monarchy. Ptolemy IV Philopator ( bc) was a dissolute ruler, echoes of whose Syrian wars occur in 3 Macc. 1:1 5. Like the Ptolemaic kings themselves, all their chief ministers, all the upper ranks of the vast, centralized bureaucracy now instituted to govern Egypt, the main armed forces, the official language of administration all were Greek. Egypt was the king s personal estate and run on strictly business lines to extract the maximum profit for the crown. *Alexandria was the capital, famous for its buildings, institutions ( Museum, Library, Serapeum, etc.), and its exports of grain, papyrus, perfumes, glass, etc. There was early a large community of Greek-speaking Jews in Alexandria; in the 3rd century bc the law was rendered into Greek for their use, and the rest of the OT followed, and thus was born the Septuagint version (*Texts and Versions). The Ptolemies endeavoured to retain the loyalty of the native population of Egypt by gifts of money, lands and new temple buildings to the great, traditional Egyptian priesthoods. Large new temples arose (e.g. at Edfu, Dendera, Kom Ombo) in the old pharaonic style, but the pharaohs sculptured on their walls bear in hieroglyphs the names of the Ptolemies. The long hieroglyphic texts in these temples were written in a specially intricate way by the nationalistic priests so that no foreigners should penetrate their secret traditions; they contain a vast deposit of information on Egyptian religion and mythology, much of it handed down from, and valuable for the study of, pharaonic Egypt. At first, Palestine including the Jewish community and *Coele-Syria formed part of the Ptolemaic kingdom along with Cyprus and Cyrenaica. But after a series of battles in bc Antiochus III of Syria finally drove the forces of young Ptolemy V Epiphanes ( bc) out of Syria-Palestine; this area, with its Jewish inhabitants, thus passed under Syrian (Seleucid) rule. The Rosetta Stone is a decree of Ptolemy V, c. 196 bc, inscribed in both Egyptian (hieroglyphs and demotic) and Greek; its discovery in 1799 provided the key for the decipherment of the Egyptian hieroglyphs and the founding of modern Egyptology (*Writing). II. The later Ptolemies The change from an Egyptian to a Syrian overlord was to have drastic consequences for the Jews some 30 years later, under *Antiochus IV. Down to this c circa (Lat.), about, approximately 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13

14 period, some of the clashes between the kingdoms of Egypt and Syria (of the South and North ) are foreshadowed in Dn. 11:4ff. (*Daniel, Book of). Under Ptolemy VI Philometor ( bc) dynastic strife first divided the royal family; his ruthless brother Ptolemy VII Euergetes II was for a time joint king and eventually succeeded him. Ptolemy VI favoured the Jews in Egypt and permitted the son of the dispossessed high priest, Onias III of Jerusalem, to establish a rival temple in Egypt at Leontopolis, about 16 1/2 km N of Heliopolis. Ptolemy VI s activities in Syria are mentioned in 1 Macc. 10:51 57; 11:1 18; those of Ptolemy VII ( bc) in 1 Macc. 1:18 and 15:16 (links with Rome). Other, nonroyal, Ptolemies who are named in the Apocrypha are a general of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (1 Macc. 3:38; 2 Macc. 4:45; 6:8; 8:8; and perhaps 10:12)and a son-inlaw of Simon Maccabaeus who murdered Simon and two brothers-in-law at Dok near Jericho in 135 bc (1 Macc. 16:11ff.). Under the later Ptolemies the Egyptian state steadily declined. Native revolts were more frequent; the kings and their ruthless queens (Cleopatras and Berenices) were dissolute (family murders being common), while the power of Rome grew apace. Last of the line were the brilliant but unscrupulous Cleopatra VII and her son by Julius Caesar, Ptolemy XIV Caesarion. She captivated both Caesar and Antony, but made no impression on Octavian (Augustus), and so committed suicide to avoid the humiliation of appearing in a Roman triumphal procession. So Egypt passed under the heel of Rome in 30 bc. 4 John Whitehorne has the following article on Ptolemy PTOLEMY (PERSON) [Gk Ptolemaios (Πτολεµαιος)]. A name of Macedonian origin (Gk ptolemaios warlike ) borne by the founder and, as a dynastic name, by all subsequent rulers of the line of Greek-speaking kings who ruled Egypt after the death of Alexander the Great (323 b.c.) until the country s annexation by Rome (30 b.c.). Hence the line is known as the Ptolemaic dynasty; the period of its rule is often referred to as the Ptolemaic period; and the kings are usually referred to as the Ptolemies. They are of biblical interest because the struggles of the earlier Ptolemies with the Seleucid kings of Syria for control of Palestine led them into close contact with the Jews, toward whom they were generally well-disposed. Moreover, their promotion of Alexandria as a center of literature and scholarship was to have a profound effect upon the development of scholarship and learning in the early Christian church because the Church Fathers in essence adopted the scholarly methods of the classical tradition while rejecting its pagan content. Fifteen kings and many persons outside the Ptolemaic royal house bore this popular name. Only those most relevant to the study of the Bible are treated here. 1. Ptolemy I Soter ( savior ) N North, northern 4 Kitchen, K. A. (1996). Ptolemy. In (D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, & D. J. Wiseman, Eds.)New Bible dictionary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14

15 (323 [king from 305 b.c.] 282 b.c.). Born ca. 367/366 b.c., son of the Macedonian general Lagus (hence the alternative name Lagidae for members of the dynasty) and Arsinoe, perhaps a concubine of Philip II of Macedon. After a distinguished career as one of the generals of Alexander the Great, he became satrap of Egypt in 323 b.c. and consolidated his position by hijacking Alexander s body, en route to burial in Macedonia, and taking it to Egypt. In 319 b.c. he seized Jerusalem on the Sabbath (Ant ) in a first unsuccessful attempt to annex Palestine and Coele-Syria. The Jews taken as prisoners of war on this occasion formed the nucleus of what was to become a large and important Jewish community in Alexandria, with its own citizen rights and quarter of the city (JW ). See ALEXANDRIA. They were followed later in Ptolemy s reign by many others who came as free settlers or mercenaries (AgAp ; Ant ; Let. Aris ). Subsequent struggles for power among the Diadochi (successors to Alexander) found Ptolemy giving refuge to Seleucus when he fled Babylon in 315 b.c. (Dan 11:5 refers to Seleucus as one of his princes ) and allied with Ptolemy against Antigonus, whose forces he defeated at Gaza in 312 b.c. However, the tables were turned in 306 b.c., when the Egyptian fleet was routed by Antigonus off Salamis in Cyprus and Ptolemy s attempts to establish a presence outside Egypt were temporarily halted. He declared himself king in 305/304 b.c. (the title Soter was acquired from his defense of the Rhodians in 306 b.c.). After Antigonus had been defeated and killed at Ipsus (301 b.c.), Ptolemy (although he had not been present) at last contrived to occupy Palestine and Coele-Syria (the cause of the five Syrian Wars between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids over the course of the 3d century b.c.). Later he got control also of Cyprus, the Aegean islands, and the S part of Asia Minor. In March/April 285 b.c. he took Ptolemy II, his son by his third wife Berenice, into co-regency with him (his eldest son Ptolemy Ceraunus, by his second wife Eurydice, having been excluded at the time of Ptolemy s remarriage). He died in the first half of 282 b.c. Tenacious in pursuit of his political objectives, Ptolemy was also a skilled organizer (laying down the main features of the Ptolemaic government of Egypt) and a person of learning in his own right. The (now lost) account he wrote late in life of the campaigns of Alexander the Great, although not widely read later, was admired by Arrian, who used it as a source. It was he, too, who was responsible for founding the famous museum and library in Alexandria, after he moved the capital there from Memphis ca. circa (about, approximately) Ant Josephus, Jewish Antiquities (= Antiquitates Judaicae) JW Josephus, The Jewish War (= Bellum Judaicum) AgAp Josephus, Against Apion (= Contra Apionem) Ant Josephus, Jewish Antiquities (= Antiquitates Judaicae) Let. Aris. Letter of Aristeas 3d third S south (ern) 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15

16 (ca. 313 b.c.), and for establishing there the worship of Serapis, a Greek interpretation of Osiris, the patron god of Memphis in his incarnation as the Apis bull. 2. Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( sister-loving, b.c.). Born in 308 b.c., son of Ptolemy I, with whom he was co-regent from 285 b.c., and Berenice. Married to Arsinoe I, daughter of Lysimachus (ca. 289/288 b.c.), he later divorced her and married (ca b.c.) his full sister Arsinoe II, whom he associated with him as co-ruler. Hence his title Philadelphus ( brother/sister-loving ), originally a cult title of Arsinoe but applied later also to Ptolemy himself. Overseas, his initial conflict with Antiochus I of Syria, who was challenging for control of Asia Minor (280/279 b.c.), was followed by the First Syrian War ( b.c.) over Palestine and Coele-Syria. Details are unclear except that Ptolemy retained control of these areas. The result was that the way was now open for the gradual exposure of the Jews to Greek ideas and institutions; Ptolemy was responsible for the foundation there of Philoteria on the Lake of Galilee, the Hellenization of Philadelphia on the site of Rabbath-Ammon (modern Amman) (Jerome, Commentary on Ezek 25:1 7), and the renaming of Acre in Phoenicia as Ptolemais. His generous treatment of the Jews is also reflected in the tradition (generally and rightly rejected) in the fictitious Letter of Aristeas that it was he who initiated the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek (the LXX), seventy (Gk septuaginta, seventy ) scholars being dispatched from Jerusalem, for the purpose at Ptolemy s request. Ptolemy had less military success later in his reign; interference in the Chremonidean War ( b.c.) between the Macedonians and Athens and Sparta may have led to an Egyptian naval defeat by the Macedonians (261 b.c.), while a challenge to Antiochus II soon after the latter s accession only resulted in Ptolemy s losing territory in Asia Minor (Second Syrian War, [?]b.c.). Within Egypt, Ptolemy promoted the spread of Hellenization and increased the country s prosperity by establishing Greek settlements (cleruchies) and bringing new areas under cultivation, particularly in the Fayum; and it was he who established the Ptolemaic ruler cult (both he and Arsinoe were proclaimed gods in 272/271 b.c.). He is chiefly remembered, however, for his generous patronage of science and the arts. The most notable results were a renaissance in Greek literature, with the work of the poets Apollonius of Rhodes, Callimachus, and Theocritus and the establishment of Alexandria as the new cultural capital of the Greek world. Yet along with his generosity toward the arts and sciences (in which he appears to have had a genuine interest), Ptolemy combined a vulgar and sensual extravagance. He is just as noted for the many mistresses he kept, his love of ostentatious display, and the ca. circa (about, approximately) ca. circa (about, approximately) ca. circa (about, approximately) LXX Septuagint 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16

17 magnificence of the court he established (an expense which the evidence suggests was beginning to impoverish Egypt in the last years of his reign). 3. Ptolemy III Euergetes I ( benefactor ) ( b.c.). Born ca. 284 b.c., oldest son of Ptolemy II and his first wife Arsinoe I. His marriage to Berenice II, daughter of Magas of Cyrene, resulted in the unification of Cyrenaica and Egypt. His reign began with an invasion of Syria and its territories in reprisal for the murder of his sister Berenice, wife of Antiochus II (Third Syrian [or Laodicean] War, b.c., alluded to in Dan 11:7 9). Although he is said to have advanced as far as Bactria, his success was to be shortlived when Seleucus II combined with his brother Antiochus Hierax to force him to come to terms. Ptolemy did, however, gain some territory in Asia Minor and Thrace. On his return to Egypt, he is said to have offered sacrifice in Jerusalem (AgAp ). Ptolemy s return had been prompted by a native Egyptian uprising, the result of Ptolemy II s extravagance having been compounded by the economic strain of the Syrian War and a series of poor Nile floods. Over the next decade Ptolemy s policy of reconciliation, shown in concessions to the Egyptian priesthoods and a generous program of temple building and restoration (the Horus temple at Edfu, begun in 237 b.c., was his foundation), did much to restore the country s prosperity. In the 220s b.c. Ptolemy began to look overseas again, assisting Athens after her liberation from Macedon (228 b.c.) and financially supporting Cleomenes III of Sparta for a period against Aratus of Sicyon (ca b.c.). He died probably late in 222 b.c. 4. Ptolemy IV Philopator ( father-loving ) ( b.c.). Born after 240 b.c., oldest son of Ptolemy III and Berenice II. On his accession he was challenged by Antiochus the Great, (Fourth Syrian War, b.c.) who by the winter of 218/217 b.c. had taken control of the Ptolemaic possessions in Asia and had reached Ptolemais in Phoenicia. Assisted by 20,000 native Egyptian troops, Ptolemy defeated him decisively at Raphia in Gaza on 22 June 217 b.c. (Polyb , and alluded to in Dan 11:11 12) and so regained control of Coele-Syria. A highly colored story in 3 Maccabees 1 2 tells how after the battle Ptolemy was thrown to the ground in a fit when he attempted to enter the high temple in Jerusalem; another (3 Maccabees 3 7, even more lurid in its details) recounts how on his return he vented his rage on the Jews of Alexandria, only to be thwarted again by divine intervention. Although this appears to be the etiology for a local Jewish festival, it may be that some of the Jews rights and privileges were curtailed under this king. While Ptolemy failed to capitalize upon his victory at Raphia, the role which the Egyptians had played in the battle did much to reawaken their sense of national identity. A period of serious internal unrest followed, with Upper Egypt seceding and being ruled by Nubian ca. circa (about, approximately) AgAp Josephus, Against Apion (= Contra Apionem) ca. circa (about, approximately) 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17

18 kings from 207 b.c. to 187 b.c. There is no doubt that the situation was aggravated by Philopator s weak and self-indulgent nature, and his reign is rightly identified as marking the beginning of the dynasty s decline. Yet his character is perhaps blackened to excess by Polybius (5.34) and Plutarch (Cleom. 33). 5. Ptolemy V Epiphanes ( manifest [as a god]) ( b.c.). Born 210 b.c., only son of Ptolemy IV and his sister-wife Arsinoe III. He was only a child when he became king under the regency of his ministers Sosibius and Agathocles. Antiochus the Great seized the opportunity to attack Egypt and in the Fifth Syrian War ( [?] b.c.) managed to extend Seleucid domination to the Sinai. The Egyptians rallied temporarily, but they were finally defeated at Panium (200 b.c.) and lost control of Palestine as well as most of their possessions in Asia Minor and the Aegean. Under the peace settlement Ptolemy married (194 b.c.) Antiochus daughter Cleopatra I, ostensibly with the revenues of Coele-Syria and Palestine as her dowry. In fact the Ptolemies were never again to regain permanent possession of these areas. The events of this period are alluded to in Dan 11: Within Egypt itself, however, control of Upper Egypt was regained in 187/186 b.c.; and the last native revolt in the delta was put down in 184/183 b.c. 6. Ptolemy VI Philometor ( mother-loving ) ( b.c.). Born 186 b.c., elder son of Ptolemy V and Cleopatra I. As a child, he ruled under the regency of his mother until her death in 176 b.c. In 175/174 b.c. he married his sister Cleopatra II. When Egypt was invaded by Antiochus Epiphanes (170 b.c.; referred to in 1 Macc 1:17 19), both she and his younger brother Ptolemy VIII Physcon were associated with him as co-regents ( b.c.). After Antiochus was compelled by the Roman Senate to withdraw from Egypt in 168 b.c., a struggle for power broke out between the brothers. Philometor was expelled by Physcon late in 164 b.c. but on appeal to Rome was reinstated in 163 b.c., Physcon being granted Cyrene. In the 160s b.c. Ptolemy attempted to regain a foothold in Asia by supporting the pro-ptolemaic group in Jerusalem under the high priest Onias III against the Seleucid faction there; and when Onias IV fled to Egypt (162 b.c.), Ptolemy and Cleopatra granted him permission to build a replica of the high temple in Jerusalem at Leontopolis (Ant ). Later, with the Syrians weakened by squabbles over the Seleucid succession, Ptolemy became more open in his attempts to reestablish Egyptian power in Asia. From 150 b.c. he supported the rival claimants Alexander Balas and Demetrius II in turn, marrying his daughter Cleopatra Thea first to one (Ant ; 1 Macc 10:51 56), then the other (Ant ). Invading Syria, he was hailed in Antioch as king of Asia as well as Egypt but (under the eye of Rome) wisely declined the latter title (Ant ; a Ant Josephus, Jewish Antiquities (= Antiquitates Judaicae) Ant Josephus, Jewish Antiquities (= Antiquitates Judaicae) Ant Josephus, Jewish Antiquities (= Antiquitates Judaicae) Ant Josephus, Jewish Antiquities (= Antiquitates Judaicae) 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18

19 more hostile account is in 1 Macc 11:1 19). He died (145 b.c.) of wounds received fighting in support of Demetrius against the forces of Alexander Balas in the plain of Antioch. The Jewish philosopher Aristobulus from Alexandria dedicated his work on the Pentateuch (now extant only in fragments) to this Ptolemy. 7. Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator ( new, father-loving ) (145 b.c.). Born ca. 162/161 b.c., second son of Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra II. Briefly associated in the kingship with his father in 145 b.c., he was disposed of by his uncle Ptolemy VIII Physcon after the latter s return and marriage to Cleopatra II; he was murdered in the arms of his mother at her wedding-feast according to Justin (38.8.4). 8. Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Physcon ( b.c.). Born after 182 b.c., younger son of Ptolemy V and Cleopatra I, he was nicknamed Physcon ( pot-bellied ) from his gross appearance. He was co-ruler with his brother Ptolemy VI and sister Cleopatra II in b.c., sole ruler in 164/163 b.c. after expelling his brother, and king of Cyrene ( b.c.) after Ptolemy VI s restoration. Returning to Egypt on the latter s death (145 b.c.), he married Cleopatra II and, having disposed of her son Ptolemy VII, had himself crowned sole ruler (144 b.c., although he continued to count his regnal years from 170 b.c.). His marriage (142 b.c.) to his niece Cleopatra III, without divorcing Cleopatra II, led to a rift between them and eventually to a civil war (132/131 b.c.). First Ptolemy and then Cleopatra II were forced to flee Egypt; and although Ptolemy regained Alexandria early in 130 b.c., hostilities continued. To block Cleopatra s plan to make her son-in-law (the Seleucid Demetrius II) king of Egypt, Ptolemy supported the pretender Alexander Zabinas but in 126/125 b.c. switched his alliance to Antiochus VIII Grypus, to whom he married his daughter by Cleopatra III. A reconciliation between Ptolemy and Cleopatra II was effected in 124 b.c.; and thereafter the three of them shared uneasily together in the rule, with Ptolemy bequeathing the kingdom to Cleopatra III and whichever of her two sons, Ptolemy IX and Ptolemy X, she should choose. Physcon is said to have been hostile to the Jews, and Josephus (AgAp ) tells against him the same lurid story of persecution which 3 Maccabees 3 7 attaches to Ptolemy IV. If he was (which is by no means certain; indeed the Greek translations of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) and Esther were both made in Egypt during his reign [Sir, prologue; Add Esth 11:1]), then it was on account of their political support for Cleopatra II, not on any religious grounds. 9. Ptolemy IX Soter II Lathyrus ( b.c. and b.c.). Born 143/142 b.c., elder son of Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra III, he was nicknamed Lathyrus ( chickpea ) by the Alexandrians, who made him co-ruler with his mother (116 b.c.) against her wishes. He was twice temporarily replaced as king in favor of his brother Ptolemy ca. circa (about, approximately) AgAp Josephus, Against Apion (= Contra Apionem) Sir Ecclesiasticus or Wisdom of Jesus Ben-Sira 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 19