Literal Commentary on Daniel

Again, the interpretation of the book of Daniel the prophet, composed literally, by the holy father Mar Dionysius bar Salibi, rich in theological matters. The book of Daniel was written in the land of Babylon, just as Moses wrote in Egypt, Ezekiel prophesied and was active in Babylon, and this was by the divine providence of God, which shows that God is the God of the people and of the nations and the Lord of all regions. Now, Daniel was earlier than Ezekiel by eleven years. Chapter: The first in the third year of Jehoiakim, which is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, he came to Judah and took Daniel and imposed tribute upon Jehoiakim, and when he did not pay the tribute, Nebuchadnezzar again went up and conquered Jerusalem and killed Jehoiakim, and set up in his place his son Jehoiachin, who is Jeconiah, as Jeremiah said. And when he had been king for three months, he did not send the tribute. In the eleventh year of Nebuchadnezzar, he again went up with his own army and took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon with some young men of noble birth and with them Ezekiel. As for Zedekiah, he was the brother of Jehoiachin's father. Indeed, after Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar set up Zedekiah in the place of Jehoiachin, and this one later rebelled. And in the eleventh year of this Zedekiah, Jerusalem was conquered, and he was taken to Babylon with his eyes put out. Daniel remained alive until the first year of Cyrus and did not go up with the captivity. The Jews say that Daniel did not see visions and was not a prophet like the prophets, and they speak against him, but Zechariah saw a vision and is a prophet, and he also investigated hidden things apart from visions like the prophets. And when he saw the angel in the twenty-fourth year, he was amazed and was informed about future things.

It was written, then, concerning many things, also concerning the pride of Nebuchadnezzar, who commanded that all the sons of kings who were under him should prostrate themselves and stand before him. Some say that Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael were brothers of Jehoiakim. And Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim, begot Daniel, as some suppose, the three youths being of the race of Daniel. Others say that Daniel was the son of Jehoiakim, and his companions were sons of Jeconiah. Others, that Josiah begot two sons, Jehoiakim and Jeconiah; and Jeconiah begot Daniel; and Jehoiakim begot the three youths. Again, some say that Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, was the wife of Daniel. Others decide that she was a eunuch. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim—that is, after Jehoahaz, who was after the death of Josiah his father, the Jews made him king, and he was also called Shallum—Pharaoh, when he came to Judah, took this Jehoahaz, his son, with him to Egypt, and appointed in his place Eliakim, that is, Jehoiakim. And when Jehoiakim had reigned three years, Nebuchadnezzar came up and subjugated him, and imposed tribute upon him, and left him. And he took with the captives also the hostages, that is, the nobles, for Daniel and his companions, who were of the royal race and of the vessels of the house of the Lord, as for the honor of the priestly order of the idols, because they were vessels of the service of the sanctuary. The chief of the eunuchs, the head of the nobles, these who are also called eunuchs, I say, nobles in the affairs of the kingdom. The book and the language are Chaldean, according to the custom of kings and peoples.

He commanded that the Chaldeans, who were skilled in the books and knowledge of the kingdom, be brought. The Chaldeans said that the Syrians were coming. Hanan, however, said that other Chaldeans were coming with the Syrians. The language of the Chaldeans is similar to that of the Syrians. The resurrection—he stands and calls to the people and the customs that were under him. He calls the first fruits and the offerings that are prepared, with which kings delight, and concerning this, as with the sons of kings, he was delighting the children. And the rest of the matter was that in the interpretation of these things, their thoughts were being completed. Belshazzar—he made an image of Bel. Shadrach—he is sent forth. Meshach—he anoints the earth. Abednego—he is a servant within, who enters and goes out before the king. Nebuchadnezzar—his form is of Nabu. The three youths—axes, vinegar, and the rest of their like, which are cast and boiled. And the vision—it is like what you saw here; do with your servants. A vision is something that is equal and complete in appearance. Again, a vision is a house that stands in its place, while not changing in anything; a vision is like a lion—its roar in its secret. The image of the second—his spirit was troubled after he saw himself struggling with his body. And his hour was when he was not in his hour; the earth shook him with a vision, so that not even his habits remained in his heart. To call the magicians—he commanded that those be called who, they thought, reveal hidden mysteries. The king forever—this is a word of praise, as one says, "May your life be prolonged," or "O king forever." One thing is that which weeps—a single verse has been decreed against you, and it is a false word, and a word full of deceit and vain; your thought has been stirred to say before me.

until the time when the king of the Persians came, who was already a believer, and came and passed through the hand of this cause, this thought was abolished from me. In a vision of the night, in a dream while he slept. And when he awoke, he blessed the God of heaven. The name of the Lord was glorified and exalted, and his name was magnified in all times, generations, and ages. And all hidden deeds and concealed words were revealed and clear before him like light. And he himself was like light. To Arioch, this one of those who was a magus in the kingdom, or a prefect over the portions of the king's food, he is, and concerning this he is called Rab Hasha. What happened in later days, when others call to those of the days of the Maccabees and of the kings of the Jews. Your dream, a dream, but in the limbs of your head you saw that they are a vision and a hearing while you are in your bed and on your couch, which were to be drunk now before you. You, O king, you, but the king, changing thoughts were stirred in your heart before you slept, while you were considering the deeds of your kingdom and of those prepared things that would happen after you, and whether your kingdom would endure at all times or not. And he revealed the secret, that which decides concerning future things. I will inform you of what is prepared and set for him to do. You, O king, saw by means of the vision of the image over the world, piercing, and by means of its greatness over the expanse of this inhabited world, it signified. Its head of gold, the kingdom of the Babylonians, which is exalted above all. Its chest and arms of silver, the kingdom of the Medes, that is, Cyrus the Persian, who rules and grows, which flashes. Its thighs of bronze, Alexander the Great, who is strong like iron.

his feet were hastening, that is, he was going out against the four beasts that were established after Alexander, that is, Seleucus who reigned in Babylon and sought to rule over Seleucia and Ctesiphon and Ptolemy in Egypt. And Antiochus reigned in Syria. By means of iron he came against the powers that were there, he made known, and by means of impudence against the forces. At the beginning, that is, at the time when they divided their kingdoms among themselves, they came to war with one another. The stone that is not by human hands, that is, upon the divine economy, which by its hidden power brought forth the decree of judgment, a hidden decree upon the kingdoms that were made in the image and service, and it abolished and nullified one after another. And the stone that struck the image, that is, the decree of judgment that went forth from God against those kings. He set up those who were his own and were appointed and were said to be over the Maccabees, that is, the good ones of whom God said, "I will help," and he helped them like a mountain, and they conquered the Greeks, and their goodness went forth to the whole earth. Mystically, these things are interpreted concerning Christ, as is made known in the mysteries of his own book. Just as I saw iron mixing, that is, thus also the Greeks were mixing and not going forth to one another. And the fingers of the deceivers. And the hastening of impudence, that is, it indicates the division of the forces and the powers that are broken and are being broken. And that I saw iron. In the sowing of men, that is, as many as give their daughters to one another and are distant from love, just as Ptolemy the Egyptian gave Cleopatra his daughter to Alexander the Younger, son of Antiochus, and after a while he gave her to Demetrius of Antioch, when he killed Alexander. And in the third place in this book it is indicated concerning those who are worthy.

the image which the Babylonians made, when they saw that the house of Hananiah had been honored before Nebuchadnezzar, they envied him and made a king for themselves like the one he had made. An image like the one he saw and worshiped, so that when the magi did not worship it, they burned them. In the breach of the wall he stood, where it was high and elevated, and equally with every man he appeared when he stood in the place of equality. For they did not worship God, but in madness they did this, that they mixed the worship of God with the adoration of his image, as if the king would be deceived in anger. They were not worthy of this word, which was spoken with you, that a reply is not required of you, nor does it greatly compel you to oppose the word of insult that was cast upon your God who gave you a sign. The shields were the coverings of the skins, or rather the hides. The slanderers rejoiced when they approached to see how the children were burning. The fire went forth by divine action and burned them. And they were not ceasing, by the multitude of throwing of fierce fires, they were seeking fire. Easily they burned the magi. The angel, however, who cast, calls the angel "cast" because of his action, since he cast with signs. And he met the children. For he quenched the flame and in its midst made a wind of casting. The end of the fourth: Nebuchadnezzar the king wrote this writing which the king sent to the nations, the beginning of which is "Shiama" and "to you" and up to the word "dream." Before I said. After he returned from the destruction, he wrote it. When the dream of the tree in the middle was placed.

I know that the spirit of the gods is what distinguishes, and I know that it is possible to reveal all hidden things by this spirit of God that is in you, and according to his expectations he speaks in many ways of the gods. In the vision of my dream I saw a vision, namely, through the senses of hearing and seeing, in the principal members, I saw dreams. I used to see while I was sleeping, when I was at the hour in my bed. A tree in the middle of the earth. Up to the heavens, it signified by these things the height to which Nebuchadnezzar had risen, and it also indicated the loftiness and the pride of his soul, and his vision that his dominion and his victories had flown over all creation. Its leaves indicated his armies and his magnates. And the food for all flesh signified the silver that he used to give as rations to his workers. And it indicated the reward for their labors in the kingdom. Its shade for the inhabitants. The bird of the sky spoke concerning the peoples and the kingdoms that were subjugated to him and that took shelter under his shadow. And from it all flesh was nourished, and concerning that by his own nature silver and gold were stamped for the need of the evil ones. I used to see again, I used to see in that vision, likewise through those senses, when I was at the hour in my bed. The angel who descended was awake. He spread its branches, the branches called to his dominion. The leaves and the fruit to his armies and his magnates. Its fruits, the living creatures, that is, the peoples and the nations that were under his dominion. For when the axe fell on it, the peoples distanced themselves from his subjugation. It uprooted its roots, it spoke concerning his kingdom and it was cut off from him until the time of its end.

in iron fetters, while they were in the desert, and the leaves of the beasts were being shaken like one bound in iron and bronze. Thus his head was fixed toward her. What shade? Because it was in the ruin and not hidden under the shadow. What shade was being arranged at that time? And his heart, what was it? Not that a heart received a change of heart, but he made known concerning his thought that it was hidden from the petition, and he gave the opposite of what was with the beasts, because by the confusion of the mind and by astonishment he was troubled, and his hour was confused, and he dwelt alone in the desert. Seven times, each time being six months, which make three years and a half, he was in this rebellion. By the command of the watcher, by the command of the angel, this word was spoken. And by his saying, that by what the holy one said, the question of his request is answered, because he learned how many times it is ordered, and afterwards it receives a superior change. For the life of the beasts is the advantage of the rebellion. And after twelve months, after one year, when he had eaten and drunk and was pleased, he went up to the temple of his kingdom in Babylon, walking and speaking in a high place, while announcing concerning God, showing the dream and lying about the vision. This was not by power; this he said in arrogance, that to the errors of the close ones, the words of Daniel interpret the dream that was far off: "What? from my kingdom, and behold, it is within it, and it is in the distress of my honor that I stand. What?" And while the word was in his mouth, a change of his word did not occur.

To you, O Belshazzar, the serpent changed your dream into a heap of your own thoughts. Did it pass from you to this kingdom? No, you approached the word. It was completed, it was fulfilled with Nebuchadnezzar, everything that was decreed against him. He was pursued in that hour and on every corpse, because they were helping him to cast down. And that wild beast of Eli was raging, which was devouring everything that fell into its hands, until its hair grew long, because no one was able to cut it, and its teeth and claws grew long, and it did not even care for the idleness of its wife and children, but roamed in the desert and ate the refuse of the wild ass. And when the days of the period of seven weeks were completed, Nebuchadnezzar came, this end of the pride of Eli who was being exalted in arrogance. My eyes were lifted to the heavens; I took them to where that one is who brought this humiliation upon me. And immediately when I lifted my eyes, I did not go towards that one who humbles my mind; again, he turned upon me, and I was freed from madness, and I was taught in my mind to praise the Most High. I blessed him when he came to my aid. In that moment of my mind, in that hour when my mind turned upon me in the midst of the desert, there the great ones and the chiefs of the army who had gone out to seek me found me. And they brought me from the ruin in which I was, and with honor they brought me into the city, and my kingship was established upon its foundations. And he was adorned with all kinds of praises. In truth, in humility. And his ways and his deeds were full of sorrow, arrogance, and Eli who was being exalted and walking in pride, was able to humble.

In this, Daniel completed the prophecy concerning Nebuchadnezzar, without revealing the end of his life, nor did he reveal the deeds of Evil-Merodach, who reigned after him, because he concealed Jehoiachin, not even when Belshazzar, his son, reigned, and he wrote nothing about his death. Belshazzar the king made a great feast, with fine foods, a banquet, and before a thousand, he drank wine with many who were filled with the banquet and drunkenness. He was in the drunkenness of the drinking, as was customary. The Jews before him, there was wine, which was brought in abundance, wine sufficient for a thousand men to drink and become drunk. By the taste of his wine, he went out to bring vessels, vessels of gold, from which he drank. Nebuchadnezzar, his father, brought them out. He called Nebuchadnezzar his father, according to the custom of the book of the Chaldeans, which is called "the Chaldeans." The wise men said that his true father was Evil-Merodach, his brother, who was older than Belshazzar. Others said that Belshazzar was the son of Nebuchadnezzar's son. The fingers of the hand, by the fingers and the hand, reveal the hidden work of God, which is done for those who need everything. His appearance changed, his beautiful vision turned to ugliness. And the joints of his loins, the belt of his loins, were loosened from their binding. One by one, his bones, by the movement of his heel, struck. And the kingdom, because of his words, when the king and the nobles were disturbed, the wise men could not approach the writings.

the queen, his mother, when she heard the cause, that the king was with his nobles and his satraps, was drinking, because she was an old woman who had not participated in their revelry. "Forever, O king, this word is in place of the word of blessing and peace that was offered to the king at that time. What, O king, has God done to the years of the kingdom of the Babylonians, according to the decree that was decreed by the hand of the Mede and was fulfilled in your days? You are weighed and found wanting, and your cup is diminished and small with all the grief and excess of good deeds. And the Persians, O king, your kingdom is spread out, placed, and given as a gift to the Medes and the Persians, who entered and saw its glory. Belshazzar was killed with the Medes. Darius, son of Ahasuerus, and Daniel, one of them, Darius established these ordinances in his kingdom for the chief officers, as they were appointed over the forces, receivers and givers, takers and givers, and examples of the deeds of the kingdom, as that king had no one who was hasty or who constrained him with any of the causes. Because he trusted in his God, because he was steadfast in his trust towards his Lord and was strengthened by the mercy of God. The nobles who hated Daniel were not able to do anything to him out of their envy. For every man who sought a petition, the men who were defiled by other portions that were evil towards Daniel began and said to the king that a decree had been established that no one was permitted to make a petition to any god or to any human for three days. Except from the king. For the name of the writing is that Darius, when he was occupied with vain matters and did not perceive all of them, commanded this.

and cast him into the pit. This was the pit of the Medes, which was in the pit of the lions, like the pit of the Babylonians, which was in the furnace of fire. So that the king might not be troubled concerning Daniel, being confident that his God would deliver him, he commanded that the pit be sealed so that no one could enter to Daniel. And the rest, that the Medes did not take food, they threw to the lions, and yet they did not eat Daniel. To their judges, because even their judges and their lords were obedient to their teaching, and they ruled over them, and they did not close the mouth of the pit, and the lions rushed upon them and broke and crushed their bones and ate their flesh. In the first hour of Belshazzar, after the other things, when he began to turn to these first things. And his visions, the head of which was upon his bed, while he slept. It is revealed to me that by the grace of the Spirit I was made to see him, not while awake did I see him, but while he slept on his bed. I saw in a vision of the night, it was formed for me before me in darkness, when he came in sleep, a heavy sleep and a likeness like this. And behold, the four winds of heaven, this dream of what is it to that of Nebuchadnezzar, and one is their interpretation. And the reason is this, that by the error of the vision the truth is shown and the certain explanation of the events is brought forth. The four winds of heaven, which he speaks of the four angels, the governors who hold the four quarters. And they are named for the lives of the righteous, indicating how they are directed for the perfection of the world. The seas, the moving ones, the stirring ones, which with angelic operations are moved, kings likewise, as the wind stirs the sea and disturbs it, wind is its name, and storms.

and the four great beasts, great because of the headship that is given to each one of them, which rise up and are moved with this great world. Like the lion, which is the kingdom of the Babylonians, which is placed as the head of the kingdoms, and by the lion it shows its bravery and its strength. And by the wing of the eagle it makes known its lightness and its flight to all sides. Its plucked wings teach concerning its humiliation by the plucking of the wings, which are the powers by which its flight was to all regions. Its destruction makes known its own and the scattering of its powers. And in that it was raised up from the earth, it fell from the earth because of its dominion, and it walks humbly on its feet like a human. And it is not, and also a weak one is not given to it, because it destroys its bravery and the strength of power. The bear signifies the kingdom of the Medes, which is not dominant like the Babylonians, nor like the Persians who came after them, but their dominion is inferior, as is seen in the bear, which is slow and strong of power. On one side it stood in this, making known the smallness of its dominion. It stood on one side of the inhabited world. And the three ribs are the three dominions it held: the Babylonians, the Medes, and the Persians. The leopard makes known by this that it is a devourer and eater of many strong ones, and the wealth of these three kingdoms, and especially of the Chaldeans, who plundered all peoples. And finally it was delivered into the hand of the Medes. The ram signifies the Persians. And it has wings; by the four wings it makes known the swiftness of the dominion of the Persians, penetrating and its lightness flying to all sides.

and the four heads are by the four corners upon the four quarters of the world, which is the extension of the kingdom of the Persians. And authority was also given to it, as it was said before by Isaiah concerning the greatness of this kingdom, which was established by Cyrus. The fourth beast is the kingdom of the Greeks. And the great horns are the forces of that kingdom, by which it was devouring and destroying peoples, and carrying off their captives, and by whose hands were laid waste the fields and vineyards before it, by its actions and its deeds, which Alexander son of Philip did, who surpassed Darius and the other kings. The other kings who are enumerated after him. And one small horn is that which is among these ten, that is, Antiochus Epiphanes, who is numbered among the kings of Asia and was born from Antiochus the Great. And three of his horns are not concerning the three who reigned after Alexander when he died, for without sons these four reigned. And after a time they made war with each other, and the small horn, that is, Antiochus, began war against them, and the three of them fell before him. Those authorities were called a small horn because the authority of his kingdom was smaller than that of those, and it rose up among them, as when he was lowly among them, he was able to prevail by his power over the midst of his companions.

three of its horns were uprooted before it, three kingdoms were subjected to it; for it ruled over Antioch as far as the place where Seleucus descended, and over the region of the two Egypts, and it conquered and plundered Ptolemy, and went to the east and conquered the ruler of that place, and advanced to Elam and took the gold of that place and returned. And its eyes, like the eyes of a leopard, search out visions of knowledge and of the smallness and sharpness of the divisions in which it was found, so that it might add to others. And its mouth speaks blasphemy and contempt against God. And I saw its thrones as if they were set for judgment. And the days of the aged are in the hands of many thrones, searching out the future things that are to happen after a time. The judgment of the judgment of the kingdom of the Greeks is bitter. Spiritually: the thrones are the mystery of the Son who is to come to the world. The days of the aged are by the antiquity of days, making known the eternity of the one who is without beginning. And its throne is fiery in this matter, which casts fear into the rational ones. For if its seat is thus, how much more powerful is its judgment, how strong and sharp! The books were opened by those firm judgments, showing that God does not rely on books to make his judgment, but on those firm judgments of his judgments he teaches that he does not direct affairs by force but by the freedom of the spirit. The beast was killed, Antiochus Epiphanes, who destroyed the kingdom of the Greeks, which it calls the body. And it was given to the fire to place a hard head on it that resembles a mountain. And the rest of the beasts make known the abolition of those four kingdoms, one after another.

and the life and the living are because of the fact that each one of them is like a power that was given to them from God, the suns in those living and the passing ones in that which the receivers of the complete beginning from God. I saw upon the clouds of the heavens, and authority and honor are in the hands of all of them over the Maccabees, he says that just as a cause was upon them, they abolished divinity in the form of the clouds of the heavens. To them, however, he says that authority and kingdom were given because they placed themselves so that they might endure all the afflictions upon the martyrdom of God without ceasing. And upon them God gave strength and they conquered kings and their magnates. Their authority is authority over the Maccabees who are said to have conquered all the kingdoms. For it is true that these who are said above concerning the Messiah are the perfect ones whose is the kingdom of the world and the rest. My spirit was troubled and my head saw when I learned of these afflictions that were prepared for the Jews after the Passover; I was disturbed and my soul was agitated at hearing them. And in this dream that I saw in the known members of my head, much was moved. I saw that the reading is that the deed of war is recounted again here concerning Antiochus Epiphanes with Daryush and how he harmed the Jews. The war with the saints is in these, he shows the faithfulness of God that with the world because of their evil he left that they might rule over them, the Jews, and immediately he strengthens the Maccabees whom he calls saints, and by their hands the Jews were saved from afflictions. And the sacrifice is after the sacrifice that was decreed upon them passed, with the prophets who were exiled with the Jews in the service of God, the Maccabees were strengthened and they redeemed the sons of their people.

And thus he says here, the narrative concerning the interpretation of the angel, on account of the fourth living being, which is Alexander son of Philip, along with the rest of the entire vision that he saw. And another stood up when Antiochus Epiphanes rose up against him; he gave a sign, a small horn that came out from among the four kings. And he grew strong with the first ones, and the rest of it, and all this grew strong and was also magnified, so that he thought to change the times and the laws of all the peoples, commanding in his arrogance that they abandon all their gods and consider him alone in the place of God. And he began to abolish the customs and festivals of the people, and he suffered many evils. And it was given into his hand for three years. And half of three years, for three months Antiochus ruled over the people and suffered evils. And judgment is established. In righteous judgment, God condemned Antiochus, and with severe punishment he raised up his dominion. For dominion and greatness were given to the people who are called the righteous, that in the third hour, after the vision ended, this one in the first hour of Belshazzar, another vision is narrated, that in the third hour of Belshazzar, these two visions that are placed here earlier, they were in the narrative for those that are written above. And their brothers in the interpretation of the servants, as before the king, in that at the end of his life those things that he now says were accomplished. At the beginning of his reign, they were as the book indicates by the sign that was shown in the third hour of his own. For in the sixth, he teaches that in a certain place he saw the vision. Concerning the whole, before the gate of the door of the city, a light used to pass there.

that he says, the gate that opened opposite the city of Babylon. And this ram is one ram, the ram of Darius the Persian, the same one who killed Alexander. And his horns are the two horns of his forces, which he calls the ones by which he was victorious over the other kings. The two horns are the two kinds of kings who reigned in that kingdom. First reigned Cyrus, and after him Cambyses his son, and after him one Magian, and then Darius. And this is he, and his sons and his sons' sons, down to Darius who was killed by Alexander. The two kinds of these kings are distinguished by the horns, and one is elevated because the kind of Darius was mixed with Cyrus. Again, Darius, who is compared to a ram, subdued many nations, and you see the ram that is said to trample and enslave the nations in those three directions, namely west, north, and south, and the east, which is the east of the goat that is named Alexander. And it was not fitting that the interpretation of the angel be turned against the person of Alexander. In this his intention was that it went directly against Darius, and that he was not concerned that it would be fitting to do to others what he also commanded to the servants who killed Darius, that they be killed like him, as is written in his history. The horn is seen in this regarding the greatness of his power, indicating, and in this that within his years, regarding the revelation of the faces of his great army, it hints.

and broke his two horns, and snatched and took the two dominions that Darius held, whose name was called the cities. In this, that kingdom was subjected to two races, the Medes and the Persians. And thus they were called in that of Cyrus, who reigned first, the father of that one who is the Persian. The Mede subjected the Medes and Persians to himself. And the great eagle he called the great one, who oppressed and grew with all the peoples around him before him. In a short time of twelve years, they died, and his kingdom was violently destroyed in that it did not pass to his son. Four with him indicates the four deeds of Alexander that arose under his kingdom because they were under his subjugation. To the four winds of heaven, to the four quarters, according to the quarters they arose. And with one of them, he indicates the war that they stirred up against each other and against the Hebrews. The chapter came out with the genealogies of these four rulers. One small one, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the Great, who reigned in Asia Minor, was called upon because his dominion was small when his companions and it grew to the point of forces. He speaks of the great persecution of the priests and Eleazar his companion, and of the house of Maccabee. The forces of heaven he calls them because of the power and heavenly assistance that was attached to them, and he raised them up to heaven.

and fell, and broke his two horns, and seized and took the two dominions that Darius held, whose name was called the cities. In this, that kingdom was subjected to two races, the Medes and the Persians. And thus they were called and broke his two horns, and did what is said: that it made his two horns fall to the ground for the armies of the people and for those who were being persecuted in authority and righteousness and were flourishing and shining like stars, and until his rabbis and it was when it was to the victories of the people that he said that in the battles of the victors the victors died. And it raised and it did not raise the reading which is Antiochus, power was given and the empires were raised and the place was disturbed when the sacrifices and offerings were abolished, which he called empires because from the days of Moses they were ordered and governed imperially. And the sanctity of his temple began to be disturbed, and the order and custom of the house of God began to be abolished, and he confounded and mixed up all the orders that were living for those who served in it. And power was given. In sins, power was given to the foreigner over the enemies over the empires of sacrifices and offerings. In the sins of the people, because of the sins of the people, this power and authority was given to Antiochus to fulfill his desire. And sanctity was cast down, those were with Antiochus when he entered Jerusalem and killed in it forty thousand and enslaved youths and girls, and entered boastfully into the temple and overturned the altars and the table and the showbread and drove out the holy vessels of the temple and entered the treasury and took a thousand and eight hundred and seventy-four thousand and left behind him evil men who confounded the right laws. And I heard one holy one. To Ptolemy, when I was speaking about those, I heard one holy one speaking. To another whose name is Ptolemy, and those holy ones are angels.

the name of that which was called the philosophical Magus. The name is practical. In that he approached the bear and interpreted the practical matters that were prepared, which were until when? The question of the angel that he asked of that Greek in the mystery of how many times the enduring strength of the Jewish people would be preserved, when the beginning and the end of these things of righteousness would be, and then lawlessness would be completed, and these things of holiness and power would be renewed in this way. Until evening and morning, that is, the day of that which was asked, until the completion of the matter for him, this one of evening and morning, that is, of night and day, completes two thousand three hundred and conquers righteousness, and thus these evil things are completed. Two thousand of nights and days. A thousand days he made for him. And three hundred, when they are doubled, one hundred and fifty days they make. This, then, is the time of the rebellion of the people, and then God is raised up over his houses and acts these all things righteously, which are placed in their hands in their orders. And when the eagle saw, Gabriel understood this, that is, the name of Gabriel was known here first, because he was destined to proclaim concerning the incarnation of the Word of God. Concerning that, he appeared in proximity to the testimony of these things that were destined and of those that were not understood, which are new and foreign. And when he came to me, and set me upon my standing, that is, upon the thought in which I was standing and was able to teach those who seek the profit of the whole Greek. That which was understood in the beginning, that is, when these things set me, he said that not now are these things that I saw completed, but at the end, which is the completion, they will be.

the ram that you saw, and immediately he interprets it concerning those things that he saw and how the four kingdoms would arise after the death of Alexander. Those things were not by their own power that they arose, but by the power of God. He adds their kingdom at the end of their kingdom. When those four had fulfilled the debts of the people, Antiochus arose, who is a tyrant, harsh of face, impudent of face, and arrogant. And not by the power of his victory and his conquest, not by his own hand. For he himself was not the cause of his success, but the sins of the people. He destroyed the wonders, he calls the wonders a divine ordinance that was worthy of admiration in its establishment, because by the knowledge of the Creator it was ordered, and the conduct of the world was limited to him. And Antiochus destroyed all the establishments. And he made and did, when he passed through in his coming from Egypt, he destroyed the forces that were with the people and the holy things that were in them. And by his tyranny he succeeded, so that everything that was in his authority and his kingdom, he was able to accomplish, and his thoughts were measured, and he was left-handed. And in silence he did, he says, concerning the sword and captivity that he made when he entered Jerusalem with hostility, and after he gained control over the city without mercy, he killed the people. He calls silence the silence of all that he showed them. And he ruled over God, the Lord of all kings, he raged that he might arise. And when he took the hand, he was broken like a man who takes something in his hand. And they left him thus. Lightly he quickly understood the broken one, the deficient one. And he saw that the morning is the time of those two signs that were told to you. Truth, indeed, it is truth, and there is no addition to it.

they concealed this vision from the people, lest they fall into fear and be scattered, and not ascend to heaven. And I was amazed, and I came to Daniel; I was amazed at the vision. And there is no one who interprets, he says, for when I saw these things, I was perplexed and amazed, and I could not find any other man who knew or who felt with me and interpreted these things that I saw, the truth of God, at the one hour of Darius. For the Chaldean is the interpreter, but now, when he saw that the time of the answer was delayed with the scroll, that which the king of God had placed in the hand of the prophets, he gave himself to fasting and prayer, while he sought and entreated God that he might reveal those things of his mysteries concerning the people, but he was not worthy because of his sins. And while he was praying, he came. With me, O Israel, he says, when the people were in Babylon, he showed that they were guilty, as the testimony of all the scriptures that testify concerning this, that because of their sins they were taken captive. He confesses his own sins because of humility, as is the custom of the saints, who consider themselves foolish in the sight of others. And he raised, he says, he raised my supplication before the Lord because of the holy mountain of God that was destroyed. He flew and came, he says, he flew, meaning that swiftly he soared and descended. And he approached me, he says, as in the times of the evening battles. All this time, as long as the evening battle lasted.

seventy weeks, that is, the completion of these weeks, which is in the hundred and thirty years, which is the time of the persecution in which the people and the holy city are afflicted, when they are freed from captivity and uprooting until they are completely uprooted by the Romans under the command of Spyridon. For even during the time of the Maccabees they were afflicted, but only a little, and the rebellion remained, and outside their land they were not until the final destruction by the Romans. To complete the obligations that bring an end to obligations and a completion to sins, this which is destined to be completed by the Messiah. To leave iniquity, that in that time iniquity is left, because that time is of sin and mercy. This is at the revelation of the Messiah. And to bring righteousness, that the creature might bring the righteousness of the worlds, he said that this is the grace of righteousness which from the days of the world was prepared and made ready, as is said about it in the prophet who is revealed and manifest. And to complete the vision, that in that same time all these good things are fulfilled in him, the voices of the prophets are completed which they proclaimed before him. And to the Messiah, the Holy of Holies, and in the Messiah all things are completed which were signified in the prophets, in that he is the completion of the holy ones. And as it was understood in the temple that God dwells, when the Word became flesh, it is known that he is God who united with a body. Yawnaya. Instead of "to the Messiah, the Holy of Holies," he said "and to anoint the holy of holies," as upon the Messiah he said "holy one who was anointed in flesh by the Holy Spirit." And you shall know and understand, he said, that from these which are near and which are at the beginning of your days are shown.

It is clearly understood, and also concerning these distant ones that are completed in deed and not falsified, to turn and to seek them, that is, the deliverance of the people and the building of the city in your days begin, and when it went up and they began the building of the Temple. The seventy weeks, that is, forty-nine years, from when the people went out until the Temple was completed. When all these years are completed in the middle, because they were hindered by the building, by the peoples around them. When the meaning of the word calls this one that knows with these near ones, these distant ones, that they are through the Messiah, then and at the coming of the Messiah the king, who said before the seventy weeks after it, it is fitting that it be placed as in the sense when that completion of the seventy weeks is said concerning the building of Jerusalem. The order, however, of their own of the word, that is, of now, is set. And the seventy-two weeks, that is, four hundred and seventy-four years, which go out from when the Temple was built until the coming of the Messiah, and also it follows in the series and at the coming of the Messiah the king, when also this one turns and builds Jerusalem, its streets and its squares, before the seventy weeks that were set, and after, and to turn and to build Jerusalem, that is the meaning of these words. And when the first seventy weeks and the seventy-two after them are completed to the end of time, at the end of these weeks the Messiah is killed. And there is not for it, that is, there is not for it again a deliverer for Jerusalem. The Jews in their error said concerning the Messiah, "He is anointed," that the Messiah, when the Messiahship is abolished, and it is void and abolished, and this is not said of the Messiah and the Son of God the Father.

And they said, "This also is hidden." For when the anointing of the priesthood was cut off and it was decreed that before him there would be no priest, no elder, and no king who would be anointed with it according to the custom of Moses, and it was established that even the Law would be completed, because without the priesthood and the customs of the Law they would not stand. The Hebrew said, "The Messiah was cut off," that is, he was killed. The Greek said, "Instead, the Messiah was killed, and it is not." And you will be destroyed, O city, and the priesthood has no judgment. He said, "And as it appears, the meaning of the Hebrew is not far from the Greek in that the Messiah is killed." And the holy city, because it did not accept the king who came to it, will be destroyed with divine wrath. And its end was that its final destruction was a sweeping away, in that it is swept away by the sword of evils that is kept over it by the hand of the Romans, until the end of the war. Come to his word as to a greater truth, and he said, "Thus this city is equal in ruin to that which was decreed against it with the war of its people." And it remains as if not to be sought again until the end of the world. For the decrees of destruction are in the short term; soon the end would come to that war which was with it, that which brought it to destruction by this decree that was decreed against it from before time. And he made a testament, this one of the Messiah, and he called the testament to the good things and heavenly gifts that were proclaimed at the coming of the Messiah to the seekers, which he called many to the people and to the nations. And this which he made concerning the truth of the heavenly gift, he hinted.

The weeks reveal in these things that after the sacrifice that went out after the Lord ascended until the destruction of the city, it was about ten hours. And it shows that sacrifices and offerings were abolished in these things, which indicate the events that happened to it. And concerning its stones, concerning the image of the serpent that Pilate brought into the temple after the ascension of the Lord, and to that image he calls "the covering" that was placed in the place before. And this, concerning its stones, for the nearness and the closeness of destruction, he calls "the covering" as something that is close to destruction. In this, when the covering is seen in its depth, destruction follows, and the splitting of the stones follows the body of the bird that was from it, which in the pattern destruction follows, and also this destruction is set as a sign of the temple. He calls it "the covering" because of the covering and the worship. For the idols were worshipped instead of God. He says "destruction" as something that is destroyed and the city and temple are laid waste. And "until the end" he calls the end of that which is taken from them and cut off and completed, all the good things by which they were delighted. And "it will be laid waste" and he hints at the desolation of its destruction, like that which is laid waste, as the earth is laid waste all the days of its righteousness, so also this is destroyed and desolate and righteous and laid waste, full of wrath. Chapter 8. And in the third year of Cyrus, from this sign it is known that until the third year of Cyrus, Daniel remained. Also at the beginning of the book it is written "until the first year of Cyrus." More days of his life were extended. I was writing in mourning because there are weeks of hours and of years, concerning which he says "weeks of days.

the bread of the vision, that is the bread that was offered to him, the sacrifice of the people, and not in order. Nor wine. Until they were completed, he went out as if to the service that was necessary for him, the sacrifice. The garments of honor, he was arrayed in precious vestments. And his loins, and he was girded with a glorious belt. And his appearance was terrifying, he was changed. Thus, then, was the appearance of the terror, and in the alteration of every form he was changed. Then Daniel fell, when he saw the terror that had fallen upon the earth. The man of the vision, that is, the one who reveals the good things. Stand upon your covenant, that is, upon the rock of your prayer and your petition, for which you were standing while you were beseeching for the salvation of the people. For this he calls a covenant. He stood before him, showing that the whole time of that sacrifice was thus. So that again the vision, that is, the vision, then, this that you have shown now, at the end of the days, it was when he hinted at the time of the Maccabees and of those after them. Know, then, that he interprets, then, for what reason and for what cause he came to you. Now he turns to make war, that is, concerning the first war, he says, while making known the reason and the cause for which his delay was, in that he made war and was wearied with the angel, the commander of the Persians. And then he went out, and behold, the ruler hinted by this at the evils that were about to happen, which would befall the people of the Hebrews at the time of the Maccabees. However, I will show you, that is, he says concerning those that Moses wrote in the book. For he says, then, in the world of the Gentiles, indeed, the walls of the cities of the pure, that is, the Jews, will be breached, and they will enslave Assyria and the Hebrews, and after that, also these will be destroyed.

And there was no one to help me in this matter. This reveals the word of Gabriel, that he was alone among the angels, and Michael was rejoicing in the redemption of the people. The rest of the angels, because of the wickedness of the people, were eager that again they should be subjected to servitude and war. The angels of the Persians and the Greeks were not with Gabriel because of their wickedness. But God moved this matter because the wickedness of the people was not worthy of redemption. Gabriel was eager that the people be redeemed because he was near to being the bearer of the birth of Christ, and Michael was diligent for the end because he was the leader of the people and desired that his labor not be in vain and fruitless. Moreover, the ruler of the Persians did not desire that the people be freed because of the righteous ones of the people. The Persians had turned away from the knowledge of God. And again, the angel of the Greeks, because of the evils that were destined to be inflicted upon the people on account of their wickedness at the time of the Maccabees. This indicates the time at which the angels were moved by the command of the Creator. At the first hour of the kingdom of the Medes, the angels received the command to strengthen and oppress Israel, who was in weakness, so that he might be emboldened and oppressed by the captivity of the hand of the heathen. "To oppress you." Therefore, in truth, I show you truly and accurately and without concealment, I reveal to you and to these things that are destined to happen in the land of the Persians, among the Greeks, and in Judah. These things Gabriel interprets. And also to the dream of the image of Nebuchadnezzar and to the vision that Daniel saw, and to these things that are done in the house of these four leaders.

Three kings who are called by the name of Darius, while before them there were many who were also Persians. And as for Cyrus, the one who reigned first, up to these three, he says of them that they were called by one name. And the fourth after him is destined to be exalted more than those before him. This is the one who killed Alexander and abolished the kingdom of the Persians. And when he grew strong in wealth and in the authority of Darius in his land, he stirred up the kingdom of the Greeks. For at the time when he ruled and was exalted in all regions, he moved Alexander from the house of the Greeks to come against him and to become king. Alexander called him a man because he conquered Darius and conquered many; also he called him a man because he held the city and performed great deeds. And he ruled when he took and ruled over the city. And he acted as he acted and completed everything according to his will, while there was no one to stand against him and hinder him. When he stood, it was broken, that which stood against him, and he ruled and subjugated many peoples in a short time of twelve years, and his kingdom was abolished from him. And it was divided into four parts, indicating that when he died he left no son in his kingdom, but divided it among his four beloved servants who grew up with him and were called the four winds of heaven. Four regions: one reigned in Babylon, another in Asia, another in Antioch, and another in Egypt. And not like its end, not according to the quantity of his greatness and the power and sharpness of his authority, was his dominion established; but it was uprooted at night, the news of his kingdom was heard.

And there is no other. He says that after his death nothing more was done. Here ends the history of Alexander son of Philip. The four kingdoms: Antiochus reigned in Asia, and after him Seleucus in the days of the priest Onias, and after him Antiochus Epiphanes son of Antiochus the Great, and after him Antiochus the Younger. Those who reigned in Antioch were mostly called Philometor. And those who reigned in Babylon: for a short time Demetrius Soter, who reigned in Asia, began a war and took Antioch together with Seleucus Callinicus. And after this, Antiochus Epiphanes rose up in the year 147 of the Greeks, and took not only Asia but also Syria and Egypt, and inflicted evils upon the Jews. And after him rose Antiochus Eupator, and he also oppressed the Jews. Then came Demetrius son of Seleucus of Syria and killed Antiochus, and evils were inflicted upon the people. At the time of Judas Maccabee, after this came Alexander, brother of Antiochus Eupator, and conquered Demetrius and took both kingdoms, Asia and Syria. And when Ptolemy of Egypt gave his daughter as wife to Alexander, he took her back again and gave her to Demetrius, along with the yoke of the kings of Syria who came from Crete. And when Ptolemy of Egypt died, Demetrius took the three provinces of Egypt, Asia, and Syria, and inflicted evils upon the Jews. And the king of the South, that is, Ptolemy, who is called the king of the South, who is strong and prevails over Alexander the Younger, son of Antiochus Epiphanes.

And he says that Ptolemy the Egyptian prevailed and grew strong against Alexander the Younger. And at the end of the days, at the completion of their lives, because of the woman who came for the sake of friendship, Ptolemy and Alexander. And the daughter of the king, he says concerning Cleopatra the daughter of Ptolemy, whom he calls the queen of the south, who was given as a wife to Alexander the king of the north, and she was given for this reason, that the enmity of Alexander's father with Ptolemy her father might cease. And by her, power, he says, was cut off and fear, as is fitting in the sacrifice of her father, who gave her to him in a gift, so that he might kill him. And she was completed, and her deaths, he says, these were clearly her hunters, in that by the hand of Alexander she was taken, and all her power and her wealth and her honor. And she was given to Demetrius son of Demetrius, the enemy of Alexander. And he says concerning Antiochus the Younger, who is the son of Alexander, that he stands with the root. This word is from the beginning, and afterwards the story is told concerning Alexander and Ptolemy. And he says that Ptolemy the Egyptian came to prevail, who came with a strong force against Alexander the Younger. And he says that he passed through, that the Egyptian prevailed secretly and ruled over Alexander. And he also calls their fear their idols. And he is one of two, he says, that Ptolemy came twice with force against Alexander. And he says that he entered with force, that Ptolemy entered into the kingdom of Alexander forcefully, and took captive and destroyed, and afterwards returned to his own land. And his sons, he says, Antiochus son of Alexander and Tryphon his tutor waged war.

they were subdued and their armies were defeated, and he entered Egypt, which had seized the throne of Alexander his father from the Egyptians, and he gave it to Demetrius son of Demetrius, the enemy of Alexander, and they took it from the Demetrians because the Egyptian had died. And they turned and crossed over, he says, that when he came, they took the kingdom of Demetrius and transferred all his authority from him. And they turned, when he turned and came against him and they were stirred up, that is, they were provoked and strengthened in their power until they seized victory in a fierce battle and took hold of the rule of Alexander, which the Egyptians had taken and which had been exercised over Demetrius after the death of the Egyptian. And it was stirred up, the story of these things concerning the house of Alexander and this Demetrius, which preceded in the affair to that with Ptolemy. The king of Egypt, he says, to Demetrius, who with Seleucus is called king of Antioch, and the reason he was stirred up was because he heard that Alexander had prepared to go out and fight with him. And he went out, and Demetrius went out and met Alexander. And he raised up, he says, a great army; Alexander raised up against Demetrius when he defeated him. And the army was delivered, he says, into the hand of Alexander, when many of the camp of Demetrius and his great men deserted, but Alexander was hindered against Demetrius and his many troops. And he did not prevail, but Alexander himself was not able to endure fully in his strength because his father-in-law the Egyptian came and took the kingdom from him.

the king of the north, Alexander, and the army of Rab Mag, that is, the one who advanced against Demetrius against the Egyptians who came upon him to take his kingdom. And at the end of the war, that is, when the final battle of his life was fought. In the twisted deception that was one of two things concerning that which came before: Alexander came against Ptolemy the Egyptian, who came to Antioch and sought to seize the crown of Asia with a very great force; that is, he came with a great army. And in that great war, he makes known concerning those things that happened to him, also those words that are placed in the middle, and the sons of iniquity, that is, when he returned to the lineage of Demetrius and of Alexander, that which is said concerning him above. The sons of iniquity said, that is, a sign concerning the iniquities of that people of the Jews, those who are exalted in the kingdom of Demetrius, that which fights with truth and aids the wicked who are in it, the apostates who are evil priests. To establish the vision, that is, to begin the visions and revelations that were previously spoken concerning him, that the righteous and the oppressed are afflicted by the iniquities of the world and are cast into troubles because of their iniquity. And the king comes, that is, he comes to Alexander, whom he calls the king of the north, and by means of the divisions and commands that he makes, he succeeds in everything he desires. And he subdues, that is, by his wisdom and his might, he humbles the strong cities and takes their inhabitants captive. And the arm of the south, that is, Demetrius son of Seleucus, who holds the authority of Asia, which is on the face of the south, is not able to stand and to flee before Alexander in battle because there is no power in them to stand in that which God has decreed against them because of their iniquity.

and the chosen ones, the chosen ones of the people, he calls the priests whom they had chosen for the priesthood for God, and they did not succeed in the service at that time. And he who came, he says concerning Alexander, who came against Demetrius, and did with him, with his army, and with his kingdom as he wished. And he stood in the land, in the hands of Alexander, in that he took it from under the authority of Demetrius and gave it to the land of his friend the desert dweller of the people. And he set his face, he who says that with a heavy foot Alexander came. And he entered forcefully, without fear, into the kingdom of Demetrius, and removed him from it together with the priesthood of his kingdom and his armies. And the daughter who was given, that is Cleopatra, who was given as a wife to Alexander, he calls her a ruin for their partnership, because she was given deceitfully, and after a short time she was taken from him and given to Demetrius, his enemy, and through her he also was ruined with her father. And it was not hers, in that she was not steadfast in his hunt, and he turned his face, and he, Alexander the king, before this happened to him. He says also concerning this, that he set and kept his foot at that time against Cilicia, when he heard that it was prepared to rebel. And he subdued, he says concerning that he enslaved and destroyed many in Cilicia, because they had insulted him. And his insult, it turned into punishment for him as was fitting. And he set his face, he who keeps his foot in the scales against all the strong places that he plundered and destroyed, he makes known concerning his end, that he was killed with his friends, and the victories of Alexander were destroyed quickly.

and he rose up against the kingdom of Alexander, which is called and named. Ptolemy the Egyptian arose, removing his authority; that Ptolemy removed and abolished the authority and splendor of the kingdom of Alexander. And within a few days, that Ptolemy, after three days of taking the submission of Alexander, died. Not in anger, nor by the cause of a head wound, did he die, but a natural death. And Demetrius, son of Demetrius the Strong, rose up against him; he called him to battle, because he had been broken before Judas. And it was not given, because his armies, which were the splendor of his kingdom, were scattered and went over to him. And Demetrius the Strong came in peace, and he made known that without war, after the death of Alexander and Ptolemy, he held his authority, while he had no rival. The strength of the fortresses, he says, went to the cities of those two kings and joined him, and they were broken before him. Also the governors, he calls the Hebrews, in that he sent his armies to the sanctuary in Galilee, and they were intending to cross over to Judas with his authority, as the book of Maccabees makes known. And with those who were participating, he says, they shared and sought his secret, they changed against him and became opposed to him. And he went up and was strengthened, because when his armies scattered and turned from him, they were defeated against him at Antioch, and they bound him there; and he, before the time, when he was pressed, sent to Judas the Rabbis to help him, while confessing that he honored the people.

After that, he had a respite and sent three thousand talents, and they conquered the people who had besieged him, and they killed thousands, and they conquered the people who had besieged him, and they killed a hundred thousand of them, and they freed Demetrius, and the Jews took plunder, and they turned and went up. And concerning this, he said that with a small people he would prevail and take the heavens of the cities and do what had not been done to them by those who had done [such things] in Antioch and in the kingdom of Alexander. When, after he had conquered, he carried off all the wealth of those rulers, and the plunder and the captives, and went up to their fortresses, those of the two kings. And Demetrius was devising plans, seeking an opportunity to come and conquer the people of the cities. And he waited until the time. For until the time of his preparation, he remained in his strength, while he grew and increased. Concerning the king of the south, that is, concerning the one who came against him, and also this word, in the middle he inserted and placed, as it is attached to the matters that were said concerning the histories of Antiochus the Younger, son of Alexander, and Tryphon his guardian. The beginning of his history, however, is above that, and in his sons the rest of them were stirred up. The king of the south is called here Antiochus, son of Alexander. That, however, is his heart. Concerning the king, that is, Demetrius, when he heard that he who was preparing to come, he directed his thought to meet him, to fight with Aetius. Antiochus, when he came from the south, Tryphon made him king over Asia with the authority of his father. With great force, indeed, with a great and mighty army, Demetrius went against Antiochus; he went to meet Demetrius. And he did not stand, he did not remain firmly in his place completely, but for a short time.

ousand men of war. And the two kings, these, were thinking evil thoughts about each other. Tryphon wanted to kill the youth, and Antiochus was afraid of him. He called Tryphon king because he had set his mind on ruling. And at one table they ate, showing that while they shared honor and food, he was not angry when he spoke with them in jest. And they did not succeed in that the youth was killed with Antiochus the last, son of Demetrius, because the end had come for him, for the completion of the time in which those who came against them would be finished. For Antiochus was killed, and he also after him. And this passage also is turned to the ground, placed in the middle, connected to those after it. For it says that when Antiochus, son of Demetrius the weak, came with the house of the Jews against Tryphon, with a great army, this was in the islands of the Kittim, and he brought twelve hundred thousand horsemen and came. And he took upon himself the covenant, this passage is connected to those above. It says then about Tryphon that he set his mind on purifying the people of the house of Judah.

And he did as before: Tryphon, before he became king, killed Jonathan, and after he became king, he made a slaughter among the people in the days of Simon, Jonathan's brother. And the things that came upon him: he hinted at the twelve myriads of Greeks, that is, the Jews whom Antiochus brought against Tryphon. This statement is connected to that which says, "and he turned his land into a great army." And Antiochus was angry at the covenant after he broke Tryphon; he was enraged at the covenant, that is, the people of the Jews. And he turned from the agreements that he had made with Simon before Tryphon, and he sent to Simon and said, "Either you surrender the cities that you have taken, and give me five hundred talents, or else I will come to war against you." As it is written in the book of Maccabees, and it is explained in the details that they left, the statement is connected to what is below. This is what Antiochus did through the wicked priests, in the rebellion of the people who abandoned the law of God. He says that Jason, the brother of Onias the high priest, this one who informed against his brother and confessed that he had stolen for the kingdom three hundred and sixty talents of silver. And again, three hundred and sixty, and again fifty, he was informed against concerning this matter by Lysias, the brother of Simon. Three hundred other talents. These things that happened in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, and when this statement entered into the middle, it again returns to those earlier things that began to befall the people in the days of Mattathias and the leadership of Judas Maccabeus, the son of Mattathias.

He says also concerning Antiochus Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus the Great, that he who reigned after Seleucus, in the days of the high priest Onias, and he began to inflict evils upon the people for three years and three months. And these things were at the beginning of his reign, at the time of the one hundred and forty-seventh year of the Greeks, he says thus. And their strength from them until the end. The history of Antiochus Epiphanes is that he began to inflict evils upon the Jews. And their strength from them, from the Maccabees, and with their strength they established a strong covenant and their might and power by which they subjugated others. And they plundered, they plundered in arrogance and entered into it as into a peaceful house and did all that they wished. The mighty sanctuary he calls the temple in Jerusalem, that with the help of God it was shown to be holy and powerful through the wonders that were performed in it. And they waged wars, that Antiochus with those who after him waged and abolished sacrifices. And the face of the bread and these things the book of Maccabees makes known. In the year one hundred and forty-three, Antiochus took the golden altar, and the vessels of its adornment, and the candlestick, and the table, and the cups, and the face of the door, and all the golden decoration that was on the face of the ground of the temple. And he took gold and all the vessels of desire and took one thousand eight hundred talents. That they plundered the plunder, it makes known concerning the divine help that accompanied the Maccabees, that they destroyed and annihilated the plunder of the Jews and purified the temple [] their violence. And these that are superior and these [] that they entered into the covenant of the law which is [] of the Jews who cast off his yoke by their peace [] to the Jews.

that God is bound with the Jews. When it is known that this word is fear, he is above and they cast filth to destruction. Concerning the Maccabees, that the knowledge of God is known, the fear of the Lord is manifested by strong power, and by it he conquered the enemies. And they were established in the days of a thousand, these were not for them before these. For in this boundary they were destined to be established in evils like a furnace. And when they were overturned, what fell from them was the multitude of evils that came upon them. And they were helped with help that was fitting for mercy, and little by little they were healed. And this word was added, strong above, that these were not entering into the covenant. But it was that the evil of the priests and of those who were strong for them was recounted. And many were added to them, they were divided against each other and were reconciled and were added to the side of wickedness. While each one was reconciled with his true relatives, and they assisted the deeds of iniquity, and they were with the side of their own. And with the wise, the priests were overturned, stumbling blocks of sorcerers in houses, and they are wise in evil deeds, that when they were overturned and fell, they were like a furnace of testing for every man, and it is known that because of their evil, Sembris came upon them, and to be destroyed until the end, that with those evil ones who are stirred up against them, every man is destroyed and it is understood that in lamentations they are until the end comes.

because again the temple, because at that time the sacrifice, for it is evil, and you will succeed with them, and the king makes a sacrifice that is given to Antiochus Epiphanes. He accomplishes and fulfills his desire with every hand of the image, and that Antiochus is raised up, being established over all the idols. And by abolishing the festivals of the peoples, he commands in his arrogance that the peoples abandon their gods and consider him a god. And concerning the God of gods, also concerning the God of peace. And when he speaks words of insult and blasphemy, he succeeds until the temple, and he prospers and rises to the head of all his undertakings, when the wrath passes from the people. Because it is a section, because also his life before him was ended by the decree of judgment that was with the God who was his hunter. And in the God of his fathers, they showed before he received the chief commander, he announces and spreads in his arrogance also over the worship of his fathers. And concerning the desire of the idols, this he said about him in that he also raged against the temple of the idols. And he sought to take by force the goddess of the temple, that which descended to the world and took the gold of the place that was hidden by Alexander. This goddess is the daughter of Darius, one of the rulers of the world, and when she heard that Antiochus was prepared to take her because of her wealth, she sent to him in tears that he should not come with great force against the land. Because she wrote to her father that he should not go out against you to war, but should surrender the land to you and become your wife. And when Antiochus believed and left his army at a distance and came, the goddess commanded her servants that when he entered the gate of the tower, they should stone him with stones along with her servants, and immediately he fled in shame. And the people of the land, when they heard the cry of the goddess, they erected a statue for her.

after the sacrifice many erred and worshipped her as a goddess. And the mighty God was enraged at her fall, for he swallowed the blood of the god and his body was dissolved and corrupted and became putrid. With the sacrifice that came from the east, and when he drove recklessly, he fell with his chariot and was thrown down with great honors, honoring the house of God in Jerusalem, and he became a Jew or was circumcised. And he passed through the fortresses before his pain, he passed through the mighty fortresses and took cities that were not his, and plundered their treasures and took their gods. And he saw and ruled, this he did not do as he saw many being subjected to him. And he divided into four parts because with his will he was prepared to plunder and take them, this was done and especially in the land of the Jews. And at the end of his time he was eager that the blood of the sacrifice of the evil ones that came upon the Hebrews, and he fought with Antiochus Epiphanes Ptolemy the Egyptian, king of the south. The king of the north also came, and Antiochus came with pairs to the chariots or to the chariots. And he entered with this arrogance and pride, Antiochus entered Egypt. And many were killed at his coming, he reached Judah and killed forty thousand with the people, and took forty thousand captive, and these were redeemed. For with the people these were, because they submitted to his error, he did not spare them. And he stretched out his hand and ruled over the treasury, when he entered Egypt he took and ruled over the treasure and deposits of Samaria and over all the vessels and ornaments. And they were in his service. The Libyans and Ethiopians helped him when he entered Egypt.

He said to her, "When he went down to Persia and went to the temple of Bel, he took the gold and they did not open for him, and he was shut in with stones and overturned." And again in the north, he was afraid of the satraps, lest they should go out and seize the rule of their fathers, which he had taken by force and taken from them. And he went out in anger and destroyed and annihilated many, and especially the Jews, as is written in Maccabees, that there was a disturbance in Judah because of the wicked priests. When Antiochus heard, he came in anger and commanded his soldiers to kill without mercy. And he hung up his tent when he went out from Egypt at the time of the second year, and he camped in the desert which he calls the level place, between the Red Sea and the mountain which Moses ascended. There he pitched his tent and there he died. And he preserved his holiness; his holiness was given over to his authority for his camp, which he called "black," as it was separate and prepared for the battle which he said would be destroyed against her. And it reached his end; he said that it reached as if shortly after all these things, the judgment of God would overtake him from heaven and break him, these things which he had done to the people. At that same time when the people suffered afflictions from Antiochus, Michael the angel arose and began and destroyed these things of Antiochus along with their hunters. And that time was before Michael arose. It was a distress that made known the slaughter which Antiochus wrought when he came from Egypt, for in three days he killed about forty thousand and four times.

And he left there Philip and Andronicus, the evil ones, and sent after them Apollonius, worse than the evil ones, with an army, and he killed many of them. At that time, he was saved at the time when the people endured because of his sins, being saved from the fire of the Chaldeans, who are found among the people because of their error, like the image of the goddess and her mysteries, and when he read the books of the scribe concerning the vanity of the gods who guard him, as is written in the book and the scribe. And many of those who were with the Maccabees and those who endured afflictions with them, he reads that they sleep in the dust, the valiant ones in the dust, in evil things, and the humble in afflictions, who are vain like the deeds of the Chaldeans at the time. And the work of the good ones will be awakened, they were awakened also by divine help that aided them in the end. Those who live forever, their old age and their righteousness in both worlds delight them in life. Again, in all generations, the righteous who live are adorned with excellent virtue. And those who are not perishing, he says, over the evil ones and the priests, the wicked are delivered to destruction and to be beheaded because of their injustice. And the envious ones, when they leave a name that is envied among their companions, as long as the world stands: and the doers of good deeds will be shown high and pure, like the light of the firmament in its purity when it shines with the rays of the sun. And those who conquer, the Maccabees who were the cause of victory for the people through their excellence, they were also warning them by their conduct and their triumphs, like stars that shine their light to the people from the darkness of the error of the Jews.

He always indicates in this the time of the persecution that happened to the people, and he also makes known concerning their name, in that he hastens and flourishes and shouts triumphantly because of their victory. And Daniel himself, for the knowledge of these things, wrote these words so that their memory would not be lost. And he also sealed them with silence, so that the people would not be afraid and would remain with the hope of Judah. Until the end, he set a time for the completion, that these words which I told you would be fulfilled, and many sought after the victory of the Maccabees; many asked God, and the knowledge of God spread throughout the whole world and was extended. And when Gabriel finished speaking up to this point, he sought to be silent. It is also related concerning Daniel, one in this language, while these were speaking in the order of the questioners. And Gabriel himself stood in the order of the interpreters above the water, and he went around in excellent garments, as it is fitting, in his coverings more than the others. These who stood on the bank of the river asked: "Until when, that is, for how long will the kingdom endure among the people, and then will it take an end?" And Daniel heard and saw that which stood above the water. He raised his right hand. "By the worlds," he said, "in that which is eternal and without end. For these are signs," he said, "these signs which are three hours and three months, the dominion of the Greek kings over the people is established." And these I said without change and without falsehood, that in this time the foundations of the city and the temple are destroyed.

And after the persecutions, after this decree of judgment was completed, then the hands of the holy people were freed, when he hinted at the Maccabees, because of their zeal, that in the worship of the Lord they are helped and they take all their evil ends. And this Daniel, after these things, because those words were difficult and not yet clear, the question of how to interpret them. Go, Daniel, remain and do not labor much over these, because at this time it is not fitting that they be revealed. Because they are hidden, it is not necessary for you to inquire about them, because as with the seals of the commands of God, those words are preserved until the time of their end approaches. And they will be revealed and interpreted, but learn those that delight you. Because before the afflictions are completed, the Maccabees are chosen by God because of their righteousness, and they are chosen in afflictions because of their good conduct, and they are interpreted in this that they appear as victors in their victory and in their triumphs. And he hinted in these things at the evil priests and at the people who submitted to them, who did not understand because they loved evil things, they did not wish to know and understand that because of their sins God was angry with them. The doers of good deeds are excellent and performers of good works, because the eye of their intention is clear, they understand that these things of forgiveness are from God, as a rebuke to the evil and a triumph for the good. And at the times when war passes, he makes known that when battles and wars pass, place is given to folly to destroy and to shake all foundations.

The days of the Maccabees are limited to one thousand one hundred and fifty-nine, which are those days that he said concerning them, those in which the arrogance of the enemies holds sway: one thousand one hundred and fifty-nine days make three years and seven months. Blessed is he who seeks to know the excellent change that occurred for them, for it reaches to the days of one thousand three hundred and thirty-five. These are more than the former days by forty-five days, and these are the days in which the evil end is received, and they had rest. He says that blessed is he who arrives at the end of the Maccabees, of those days in which was the beginning of those afflictions that oppress the people. And you, Daniel, go, and you, then, Daniel, the end of your life is like that which he measured for you from the time you were in the rest of the cloud. And by means of those who are your hunters, examine the rest that will be for the people. And your sacrifice will stand before you, show him that he is not consoled by the afflictions of the people because he is a witness. By those things that now examine him, that he arrives at the judgment that Christ will perform at his second coming. And King Astyages, who was Darius the Mede, because in the list of names of the Median kings there is no name of Darius. And also Cyrus, he says, killed Astyages. Fifty-seven years the kingdom of the Medes endured, and it was dissolved under Astyages. And Theologus in his place remembers this history.

The others say that Astyages was the father of Cyrus's mother. When Astyages died, Cyrus his grandson was a child and was not able to govern the kingdom. Cyrus took the kingdom of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, and he transferred the dominion of the Medes to the authority of the Persians and made him rule over all these dominions. The idol whose name is Bel, they say that this image is the one that Nebuchadnezzar set up in the plain of Dura. Bel is a name derived from Babylon. There was another idol of the Babylonians whose name was Nebo, concerning which Isaiah said that Bel falls and Nebo is shattered. This Nebo was a teacher of children in Mabug, and because he was very harsh with his students, one of his disciples, as it became known, set up an image for him, and they used to worship it, and by this his anger was appeased. After a time, they called it by evil names and named that idol a god. The man of desire was called Daniel because the angels who were appointed over him were desirous of his excellence. Again, he was called the man of desire because he desired to see Jerusalem in its splendor and its former glory. The end.