Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 11:24

"In time of security shall he come even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers` fathers; he shall scatter among them prey, and spoil, and substance: yea, he shall devise his devices against the strongholds, even for a time." — Daniel 11:24 (ASV)

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province - The margin reads, “or, into the peaceable and fat.” The version in the text, however, is more correct, and the meaning is that he would do this “unexpectedly” (Lengerke, unvermutet); he would make gradual and artful approaches until he had seized the best portions of the land. Compare Genesis 27:28 and Genesis 27:39. The historical account is that he went there under different pretenses than those of conquest, and one after another, he took possession of the principal towns of Egypt.

In his first invasion of that country, Diodorus Siculus and Josephus both say that Antiochus “availed himself of a cunning deception,” without specifying what it was. Jahn says that he probably pretended to come as Ptolemy's friend. The allusion here is to this, when it is said that he would “enter peaceably”—that is, with some pretense of peace or friendship, or with some false and flattering artifice.

Josephus (Antiquities 12.5.2) says of Antiochus that “he came with great forces to Pelusium, and circumvented Ptolemy Philometor ‘by treachery,’ and seized Egypt.” The fact stated by Diodorus and Josephus—that he took possession of Memphis and all Egypt, as far as Alexandria—fully illustrates what is said here: that he would “enter upon the fattest places of the province.” These were the most choice and fertile portions of Egypt.

And he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers - This refers to what none of his predecessors had been able to do: namely, in the conquest of Egypt. No one of them had it so completely in his possession; no one obtained so much spoil from it. There can be no doubt that this was the fact. The wars of his predecessors with the Egyptians had been mostly waged in Coelo-Syria and Palestine for the possession of these provinces. Antiochus Epiphanes, however, first took Pelusium, the key of Egypt, then invaded Egypt itself, seized its strongest places, and made the king a captive (Jahn, Hebrew Commonwealth, p. 263). Compare 1 Maccabees 1:16.

He shall scatter among them the prey ... - That is, among his followers. He would reward them with the spoils of Egypt. Compare 1 Maccabees 1:19: Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils thereof.

And he shall forecast his devices - The margin reads, “think his thoughts.” This marginal reading aligns with the Hebrew. The meaning is that he would form plans, or that this would be his aim. He would direct the war against the strongly fortified places of Egypt.

Against the strongholds - Antiochus took possession of Pelusium, the key of Egypt; he seized Memphis, and then laid siege to Alexandria, supposing that if it were reduced, the whole country would be his (Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.2).

Even for a time - Josephus (as noted above) says that he was driven from Alexandria and out of all Egypt by the threats of the Romans, who commanded him to leave that country alone.

There were other reasons as well which, combined with this, induced him to withdraw from that country. He was greatly enraged by the effect a report of his death had produced in Judea. It was said that all the Jews rejoiced at that report and rose in rebellion. Therefore, he resolved to inflict revenge on them, left Egypt, went to Jerusalem, and subdued it either by storm or by stratagem.