Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 11:29

"At the time appointed he shall return, and come into the south; but it shall not be in the latter time as it was in the former." — Daniel 11:29 (ASV)

At the time appointed - In the purposes of God. See the notes on Daniel 11:27. That is, at the time when God intends to accomplish His own purposes concerning him. The idea is that there was a definite period in the Divine Mind when all this was to be accomplished, and that when this would occur, Antiochus would return again to invade Egypt.

He will return, and come toward the south - With an intention of invading Egypt. The occasion of this invasion was that after the departure of Antiochus—leaving Ptolemy in possession of Egypt, or having ostensibly given up the kingdom to him—Ptolemy suspected the designs of Antiochus. He and his brother Physcon came to an agreement to share the government between them and resist Antiochus with their united power.

To do this, they hired mercenary troops from Greece. Antiochus, learning this, openly threw off the mask and prepared to invade Egypt again in 167 B.C. He sent his fleet to Cyprus to secure possession of that island and led his army toward Egypt to subdue the two brothers, intending to annex the whole country to his dominions.

But it will not be as the former, or as the latter - At the first invasion or the second. In these he was successful; in this he would not be. The reason for his lack of success is stated in the following verse—namely, that by the aid the two brothers had obtained from abroad, as expressed in the next verse, they would be able to oppose him.