Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 11:4

"And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion wherewith he ruled; for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides these." — Daniel 11:4 (ASV)

And when he shall stand up - This phrase refers to when he is in the might and power of his kingdom, when his power is fully established.

I understand this, with Rosenmuller and Havernick, to mean that when he is at the height of his authority and power, his kingdom would then be broken up.

The reference is undoubtedly to the sudden death of Alexander. The meaning is that his empire would not “gradually” diminish and decay; instead, some event would occur, the effect of which would be to tear it into four parts.

His kingdom shall be broken - Namely, by his death. This language is properly applicable to this event and indeed implies it.

This is because it is said that it would not be to his posterity—an event that might naturally be expected. In other words, the allusion to his posterity is the kind of language that would be used if the reference here is to his death.

And shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven - Meaning, into four parts. For the remarkable fulfillment of this prediction, see the notes at Daniel 8:8.

And not to his posterity - See also the notes at Daniel 8:8.

Nor according to his dominion which he ruled - This was literally true of the division of the empire. None of his successors ever obtained as wide a dominion as he himself did.

For his kingdom shall be plucked up - This means by his death.

This does not naturally mean that it would be by “conquest,” because it is said that it would be divided toward the four winds of heaven—language that is not properly expressive of conquest.

All that is implied is met by the supposition that at his decease, the kingdom he had founded, and which had been sustained by his valor and political wisdom, would fall to pieces.

Even for others beside those - That is, to others besides those to whom it would initially be divided.

Literally, it means “exclusively, or to the exclusion of”—מלבד; mîll e bad. The word “those” here refers to his posterity.

The meaning is that the process of division would not stop with them; the four portions of the empire, as thus divided, would not remain in their hands or pass to their posterity.

There would be other changes and other divisions. It was not to be expected that just four, and no more, empires would grow out of the one that had been founded, or that when that one was divided into four parts, that partition would always continue.

There would be other divisions, and other princes besides those who first obtained the empire would come in; the process of division would ultimately be carried much further.

It is unnecessary to say that this occurred in the empire founded by Alexander. Soon after his death, it was separated into four parts, but not long afterward, this arrangement was broken up, and all traces of the empire, as established by him or as divided among his four successors, wholly disappeared.