THE SYRIAN KING RETALIATES

How did the king of the north react?  Daniel was told: "He will actually come into the kingdom of the king of the south and go back to his own soil." (Daniel 11:9)  The king of the north-Syrian King Seleucus II-struck back.  He entered "the kingdom," or realm, of the Egyptian King of the south but met defeat.  With only a small remnant of his army, Seleucus II 'went back to his own soil,' retreating to the Syrian capital Antioch in about 242 B.C.E. At his death, his son Seleucus III succeeded him.

What was foretold concerning the offspring of Syrian King Seleucus II?  The angel told Daniel:  "Now as for his sons, they will excite themselves and actually gather together a crowd of large military forces. And in coming he will certainly come and flood over and pass through. But he will go back, and he will excite himself all the way to his fortress." (Daniel 11:10) Assassination ended the reign of Seleucus III in less than three years. His brother, Antiochus III, succeeded him on the Syrian throne.  This son of Seleucus II assembled great forces for an assault on the king of the south,m who was by then Ptolemy IV. The new Syrian king of the north successfully fought against Egypt and won back the seaport of Seleucia, the province of Coele-Syria, the cities of Tyre And Ptolemais,  and nearby towns.  He routed an army of King Ptolemy IV and took many cities of Judah. In the spring of 217 B.C.E., Antiochus III left Ptolemais and went north, "all the way to his fortress" in Syria.  But a change was in sight. 

Next time: THE TIDE TURNS

From the book:  PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999