Daniel 11:23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; for he will rise to power with only a few people.

◄ Daniel 11:23 ►

New International Version
After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power.

New Living Translation
With deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. He will become strong despite having only a handful of followers.

English Standard Version
And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people.

Berean Standard Bible
After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; for he will rise to power with only a few people.

King James Bible
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

New King James Version
And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people.

New American Standard Bible
After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.

NASB 1995
“After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.

NASB 1977
“And after an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.

Legacy Standard Bible
And after an alliance is made with him, he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.

Amplified Bible
After an alliance is made with him he will work deceitfully, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.

Christian Standard Bible
After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation.

American Standard Version
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong, with a small people.

Contemporary English Version
He will make a treaty, but he will be deceitful and break it, even though he has only a few followers.

English Revised Version
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong, with a small people.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After an alliance has been made with him, he will act deceitfully and rise to power with only a few people.

Good News Translation
By making treaties, he will deceive other nations, and he will grow stronger and stronger, even though he rules only a small nation.

International Standard Version
From the time that an alliance is made with him, he'll act deceitfully, and he will go up and take power with only a small group of nations.

Majority Standard Bible
After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; for he will rise to power with only a few people.

NET Bible
After entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force.

New Heart English Bible
And after an alliance is made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall become strong with a small force.

Webster's Bible Translation
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

World English Bible
After the treaty made with him he will work deceitfully; for he will come up and will become strong with few people.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And after they join themselves to him, he works deceit, and has increased, and has been strong by a few of the nation.

Young's Literal Translation
And after they join themselves unto him, he worketh deceit, and hath increased, and hath been strong by a few of the nation.

Smith's Literal Translation
And from being joined to him he shall do deceit: and he came up and was strong with a small nation.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And after friendships, he will deal deceitfully with him: and he shall go up, and shall overcome with a small people.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And, after making friends, he will trick him, and he will go up and will overcome with a small people.

New American Bible
After making alliances, he shall treacherously rise to power with only a few supporters.

New Revised Standard Version
And after an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully and become strong with a small party.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And some of those who will make a league with him shall work deceitfully against him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And some of those who are joined to him shall practice deceit against him

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully; and he shall come up and become strong, with a little nation.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And because of the leagues made with him he shall work deceit: and he shall come up, and overpower them with a small nation.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Kings of the South and North
…22Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant. 23After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; for he will rise to power with only a few people. 24In a time of peace, he will invade the richest provinces and do what his fathers and forefathers never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will plot against the strongholds—but only for a time.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

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.

Daniel 9:27
And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.”

Revelation 13:5-7
The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months. / And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven. / Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

Revelation 17:12-13
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast. / These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.

Isaiah 28:15
For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”

Isaiah 28:18
Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it.

Ezekiel 17:13-19
He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land, / so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant. / But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’ ...

Ezekiel 21:25-27
And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel, the day has come for your final punishment.’ / This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted. / A ruin, a ruin, I will make it a ruin! And it will not be restored until the arrival of Him to whom it belongs, to whom I have assigned the right of judgment.’

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.

1 John 2:18
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22
Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.

Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Mark 13:22
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

Treasury of Scripture

And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

work.

Daniel 8:25
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Genesis 34:13
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:

Psalm 52:2
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully.

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Act Agreement Alliance Arms Deceit Deceitfully Deception Falsely Few Force Gain Increased Join League Nation Power Practice Rise Small Strong Themselves Time Work Worketh Working

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Daniel 11

1. The overthrow of Persia by the king of Grecia.
5. Leagues and conflicts between the kings of the south and of the north.
30. The invasion and tyranny of the Romans.

Berean Study Bible

After an alliance is made with him
This phrase indicates a strategic political maneuver. The Hebrew word for "alliance" is "חֶבֶר" (cheber), which can also mean a league or confederacy. Historically, this reflects the cunning diplomacy often seen in ancient Near Eastern politics, where alliances were frequently formed and broken. In the context of Daniel, this alliance suggests a temporary and perhaps insincere agreement, highlighting the transient nature of human political schemes compared to God's eternal plan.

he will act deceitfully
The Hebrew root for "deceitfully" is "רָמָה" (ramah), meaning to betray or deceive. This word underscores the character of the individual in question, who uses cunning and treachery to achieve his ends. In a broader biblical context, deceit is often associated with the adversary's tactics, contrasting with the truth and faithfulness of God. This serves as a reminder of the moral and spiritual battles that believers face, urging them to rely on God's wisdom and discernment.

and with only a few people
This phrase highlights the surprising and unconventional means by which this figure gains power. The Hebrew word "מְעַט" (me'at) means few or little, emphasizing the improbability of his rise. Historically, this could refer to a small but loyal group of supporters or a strategic use of limited resources. Spiritually, it reflects the biblical theme that God often uses the weak and the few to accomplish His purposes, as seen in the accounts of Gideon or David.

he will rise to power
The phrase "rise to power" is translated from the Hebrew "עָצַם" (atsam), which means to be strong or mighty. This suggests a sudden and perhaps unexpected ascent to authority. In the historical context of Daniel, this could refer to a specific ruler or kingdom that gains dominance through shrewd tactics. Scripturally, it serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly power and the ultimate sovereignty of God, who raises and deposes kings according to His will.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) He shall work.--Apparently this verse explains more fully the means by which the king succeeds in maintaining his influence. He has already destroyed those who are at peace with him. From the time that he first becomes their confederate, he works deceitfully, coming up with hostile intent, accompanied only by a few people, and in this way throwing off their guard those whom he would destroy.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. The rendering of the LXX. is, "And with the covenant and a people set in array he shall fabricate a lie, even against a strong nation with (ἐν) a small people." The rendering of Theodotion is somewhat difficult to comprehend, "By reason of leagues against him, he shall make a device, and shall ascend and master them with few people." The Peshitta is very like Theodotion, only the last clause of this verse is regarded as the first of the next. The Vulgate is closer to the Massoretic than are any of the other ancient versions, "And after friendships with him, he shall work fraud, and shall go up and conquer with a small number." The reference here is to the obscure events which attended the contest - if there was a con-test - that resulted in Epiphanes securing the throne. The alliance may refer to his league with Eumenes. Appian assigns as a reason for the help given to Epiphanes by Eumenes, that it was to gain his friendship. Only Appian mentions "Attains and Eumenes," as if they were separate sovereigns; but Attains was brother of Eumenes, and, at the time of the arrival of Epiphanes, his brother's envoy at Rome. There may be some foundation of fact, and this would explain the statement in the text. The hopes of Eumenes, if he wished to strengthen himself by an alliance with Epiphanes, were probably soon frustrated, as Epiphanes involved himself in conflict with Egypt.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

After
וּמִן־ (ū·min-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

an alliance is made
הִֽתְחַבְּר֥וּת (hiṯ·ḥab·bə·rūṯ)
Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2266: To unite, be joined, to tie a magic knot or spell, to charm

with him,
אֵלָ֖יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

he will act
יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה (ya·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

deceitfully;
מִרְמָ֑ה (mir·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4820: Deceit, treachery

for he will rise
וְעָלָ֥ה (wə·‘ā·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

to power
וְעָצַ֖ם (wə·‘ā·ṣam)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6105: To bind fast, close, powerful, numerous, to crunch the bones

with only a few
בִּמְעַט־ (bim·‘aṭ-)
Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4592: A little, fewness, a few

people.
גּֽוֹי׃ (gō·w)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

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OT Prophets: Daniel 11:23 After the league made with him he (Dan. Da Dn)