Daniel 11:3
New International Version
Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases.

New Living Translation
“Then a mighty king will rise to power who will rule with great authority and accomplish everything he sets out to do.

English Standard Version
Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills.

Berean Standard Bible
Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

King James Bible
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

New King James Version
Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

New American Standard Bible
And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

NASB 1995
“And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

NASB 1977
“And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

Legacy Standard Bible
And a mighty king will stand, and he will dominate with great domination and do as he pleases.

Amplified Bible
Then a mighty [warlike, threatening] king will arise who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

Christian Standard Bible
Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants.

American Standard Version
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

Contemporary English Version
Then a mighty king will come to power and will be able to do whatever he pleases.

English Revised Version
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Then a warrior-king will come. He will rule a vast empire and do as he pleases.

Good News Translation
"Then a heroic king will appear. He will rule over a huge empire and do whatever he wants.

International Standard Version
"'A mighty king will come to power, and he'll rule with awesome energy, doing whatever he pleases.

Majority Standard Bible
Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

NET Bible
Then a powerful king will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases.

New Heart English Bible
And a powerful king shall arise, who shall rule an extensive empire, and do as he pleases.

Webster's Bible Translation
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

World English Bible
A mighty king will stand up, who will rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And a mighty king has stood, and he has ruled a great dominion, and has done according to his will;

Young's Literal Translation
And a mighty king hath stood, and he hath ruled a great dominion, and hath done according to his will;

Smith's Literal Translation
And a strong king stood up, and he ruled from much dominion, and he did according to his will.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But there shall rise up a strong king, and shall rule with great power: and he shall do what he pleaseth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But there will rise up a strong king, and he will rule with great power, and he will do what he pleases.

New American Bible
But a powerful king shall appear and rule with great might, doing as he wills.

New Revised Standard Version
Then a warrior king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and take action as he pleases.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And a mighty king shall arise, and he shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And a hero King shall arise, and he shall rule in great authority, and he shall do according to his pleasure
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
An there shall rise up a mighty king, and he shall be lord of a great empire, and shall do according to his will.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Prophecies about Persia and Greece
2Now then, I will tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. By the power of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. 3Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. 4But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the authority with which he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others.…

Cross References
Daniel 8:5-8
As I was contemplating all this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came out of the west, crossing the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. / He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with furious power. / I saw him approach the ram in a rage against him, and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him, and the goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and no one could deliver the ram from his power. ...

Daniel 7:6
Next, as I watched, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.

Daniel 2:39
But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth.

Revelation 6:2
So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.

Revelation 13:2
The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Revelation 17:12-14
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. / They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

Zechariah 9:13-16
For I will bend Judah as My bow and fit it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece. I will make you like the sword of a mighty man. / Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south. / The LORD of Hosts will shield them. They will destroy and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and roar as with wine. And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls, drenched like the corners of the altar. ...

Isaiah 41:2-3
Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow. / He pursues them, going on safely, hardly touching the path with his feet.

Isaiah 45:1-3
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut: / “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. / I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.

Jeremiah 51:20-23
“You are My war club, My weapon for battle. With you I shatter nations; with you I bring kingdoms to ruin. / With you I shatter the horse and rider; with you I shatter the chariot and driver. / With you I shatter man and woman; with you I shatter the old man and the youth; with you I shatter the young man and the maiden. ...

Ezekiel 26:7-11
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops. / He will slaughter the villages of your mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp to your walls, and raise his shields against you. / He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his axes. ...

Habakkuk 1:6-11
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own. / They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty. / Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour. ...

Matthew 24:6-7
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. / Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Luke 21:10-11
Then He told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. / There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.


Treasury of Scripture

And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

a mighty.

Daniel 7:6
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

Daniel 8:5-8,21
And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes…

do.

Daniel 11:16,36
But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed…

Daniel 4:35
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Daniel 5:19
And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

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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.














Then a mighty king will arise
The phrase "mighty king" refers to a powerful and influential ruler. In the historical context, this is widely understood to be Alexander the Great, who rose to power swiftly and established a vast empire. The Hebrew word for "mighty" (גִּבּוֹר, gibbor) often denotes strength and valor, characteristics that Alexander exemplified through his military conquests. His rise was sudden and impactful, fulfilling the prophecy of a king who would emerge with significant power.

who will rule with great authority
The phrase "rule with great authority" indicates a dominion that is both extensive and commanding. Alexander's empire stretched from Greece to Egypt and as far east as India, showcasing the breadth of his control. The Hebrew root for "authority" (שָׁלִיט, shalit) implies a sovereign power that is unchallenged and absolute. This reflects the historical reality of Alexander's reign, where his decisions shaped the course of nations and cultures, aligning with the prophetic vision of a ruler with unparalleled influence.

and do as he pleases
This phrase suggests a ruler with the freedom to act according to his own will, without opposition. Alexander's campaigns were marked by his strategic genius and the ability to execute his plans without significant resistance. The Hebrew concept here (רָצוֹן, ratzon) conveys a sense of personal desire and volition, highlighting the autonomy Alexander had in his decisions. His ability to "do as he pleases" underscores the fulfillment of the prophecy, as he reshaped the ancient world according to his vision, leaving a legacy that would endure for centuries.

(3) A mighty king.--No clue is given to show over what nation this king reigns. According to the context he might be either a Greek or a Persian, or he might belong to a kingdom not yet mentioned. Those who explain what follows to refer to the Ptolemies and Seleucidae identify him with Alexander the Great, and compare with this verse Daniel 7:6; Daniel 8:5-8; Daniel 8:21-22. Certainly the self-will spoken of in this verse was characteristic of Alexander (comp. also Daniel 8:4), but there was nothing in the context which makes it necessary to limit the passage to him. Some autocrat may arise "in the latter times" to whom it will apply with greater force than it did to Alexander.

Verse 3. - And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with groat dominion, and do according to his will. None of the versions imply any difference of reading. The Hebrew implies that the king was a mighty warrior. All critics are agreed that here the reference is to Alexander the Great. This does not mean that Alexander immediately followed Xerxes, but that his expedition was the revenge for that of Xerxes. Alexander, in his answer to Darius Codomannus, justified his invasion of Persia by referring back to Xerxes' invasion of Greece. The two expeditions, that which Xerxes made into Greece, and that of Alexander into Persia, might be regarded as causally connected.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then a mighty
גִּבּ֑וֹר (gib·bō·wr)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1368: Powerful, warrior, tyrant

king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

will arise,
וְעָמַ֖ד (wə·‘ā·maḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

who will rule
וּמָשַׁל֙ (ū·mā·šal)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4910: To rule, have dominion, reign

with great
רַ֔ב (raḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

authority
מִמְשָׁ֣ל (mim·šāl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4474: Dominion, ruler

and do
וְעָשָׂ֖ה (wə·‘ā·śāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

as he pleases.
כִּרְצוֹנֽוֹ׃ (kir·ṣō·w·nōw)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7522: Goodwill, favor, acceptance, will


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OT Prophets: Daniel 11:3 A mighty king shall stand up who (Dan. Da Dn)
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