Charles Ellicott Commentary Daniel 11:10

"And his sons shall war, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall come on, and overflow, and pass through; and they shall return and war, even to his fortress." — Daniel 11:10 (ASV)

His sons. The pronoun refers to the subject of Daniel 11:9, which is the northern king (though, according to the Septuagint and English Version, it must be his rival). There is a marginal alternative in the Hebrew “son.” The Septuagint supports the text. If the king of the north last mentioned is Seleucus Callinicus, his sons must be Seleucus Ceraunus, a man of no importance, and Antiochus the Great.

It is here stated of the sons that they are stirred up; that they collect a vast army, which advances steadily, overflowing like a torrent while its masses pass through the land; and that they will return and carry on the war up to the frontier of the southern king.

Considering the uncertainty of the readings in the Hebrew text and the ambiguity of the language, this is anything but a definite statement.

However, it has been explained to refer to the wars of Antiochus and Ptolemy Philopator, during which they took Seleucia, Tyre, and Ptolemais, besieged the Egyptians in Sidon, and actually took possession of Gaza.

One shall certainly come. This refers not to the king, but to the multitude just spoken of. The words overflow, pass through, and return all refer to the ebbing and flowing of the tide of war.