Dan 8:23-25 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Dan 8:23-25: 8:23-25 The small horn (8:9 ) was a fierce king . The description matches Antiochus IV (175–163 BC ), one of the Seleucids (cp. 11:21-45 ). He bore the name “Epiphanes” (“The Manifest Presence [of God]”), but many, including Jews, mockingly called him “Epimanes” (“Mad Man”). By desecrating the Temple and Jewish worship (8:11-12 ), Antiochus tried to destroy Judaism and unify his kingdom under the cult of Hellenistic culture. Some Jews were swept up in the program of Hellenism and adopted Greek ways.

a8:23-25►

b8:9►

c11:21-45►

d8:11-12►

e8:24►

f8:25►

g7:9-10►

h13-14►

i8:24►

jActs 12:20-23►

‏ Daniel 8:23-25

Summary for Dan 8:23-25: 8:23-25 ^a The small horn (8:9 ^b) was a fierce king. The description matches Antiochus IV (175–163 BC), one of the Seleucids (cp. 11:21-45 ^c). He bore the name “Epiphanes” (“The Manifest Presence [of God]”), but many, including Jews, mockingly called him “Epimanes” (“Mad Man”). By desecrating the Temple and Jewish worship (8:11-12 ^d), Antiochus tried to destroy Judaism and unify his kingdom under the cult of Hellenistic culture. Some Jews were swept up in the program of Hellenism and adopted Greek ways.
8:24 ^e not by his own power: God remained in sovereign control of the seemingly fortuitous events of history that brought Antiochus IV to power.

• a shocking amount of destruction: See 1 Maccabees 1:10-63, which describes many of the evils that Antiochus IV instigated.
8:25 ^f The Prince of princes is the King of Israel, the ruler of heaven and earth (7:9-10 ^g, 13-14 ^h). Antiochus, at the time of his death, exalted himself as God and intended to destroy Jerusalem.

• he will be broken: Just as Antiochus IV’s rise was not by his own power (8:24 ⁱ), so he was destroyed by God’s hand rather than by human power. His end was to be eaten by worms (1 Maccabees 6:7-16 and 2 Maccabees 9:4-28; cp. Herod Agrippa, Acts 12:20-23 ^j).