“At the end of their rule,
When the transgressions
Have reached
Their full measure,
A king of bold countenance,
Skilled in intrigue,
Shall grow strong in power.
He shall cause
Fearful destruction.
He shall succeed
In what he does.
He shall destroy
The powerful,
The people of the holy ones.
By his cunning,
He shall make
Deceit prosper
Under his hand.
In his own mind,
He shall be great.
Without warning,
He shall destroy many.
He shall even rise up
Against the Prince of princes.
But he shall be broken,
But not by human hands.’”
Gabriel continued his explanation of the vision. He pointed out that one of the last rulers would be skilled in intrigue and grow strong in power. The obvious allusion is to King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He would successfully destroy others by getting rid of powerful people, even the holy ones, without warning. His cunning would make deceit prosper. 1 Maccabees, chapter 1, goes into great detail about this king. In his own mind, he would be great. He would even go against the Prince of princes. Finally, God, not human hands, would break him.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 