What historical events does Daniel 11:28 refer to, and how are they verified archaeologically? Daniel 11 : 28 “Then he will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant; so he will accomplish his will and then return to his own land.” Historical Identification The verse fits precisely the record of Antiochus IV Epiphanes after his first Egyptian campaign in 170–169 BC. He marched south, took Memphis and much of the Nile Delta, negotiated a brief arrangement with the young Ptolemy VI, and headed north laden with plunder. On the way he vented fury on Jerusalem—“against the holy covenant”—before going back to Antioch (1 Macc 1 : 19; 2 Macc 5 : 11-16; Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.3). No other known Near-Eastern monarch of the period precisely matches the sequence: invasion, massive loot, desecration of the Temple, and safe return. Campaign and Plunder • Polybius, Histories 28.1-5, describes the Seleucid capture of Memphis and the heavy tribute imposed on Egyptian temples and treasuries. • Babylonian Astronomical Diary BM 34688 (month Kislev, 169 BC) notes: “Antiochus went to Mizri [Egypt]… silver and goods he carried off … in Kislev he returned.” • 1 Macc 1 : 20-21 adds that he “took the gold and the silver and the precious vessels.” Assault on Jerusalem • Jerusalem had rebelled when Jason tried to retake the high-priesthood. Antiochus slaughtered thousands, pillaged the Temple, and hauled the vessels and 1 800 talents of silver north (2 Macc 5 : 11-21). • This is the “heart set against the holy covenant.” The covenant people and Temple are the focus of his rage; Daniel foresaw it two centuries earlier. Archaeological Verification 1. Akra Fortress, City of David (excavated 2015). ‑ Massive Hellenistic walls, iron javelin heads, and lead slingshots stamped with the Seleucid trident anchor. Pottery and coin hoards stop abruptly at Judas Maccabaeus’ capture of the Akra (164-141 BC). These finds exactly fit Antiochus’ military garrison described in 1 Macc 1 : 33-35. 2. Heliodorus Stele (Maresha, Israel, published 2007). ‑ A basalt decree naming Heliodorus as Antiochus IV’s finance minister over Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, 178 BC. Confirms Seleucid control of Judea a decade before the Temple raid and boasts of royal power to “restore order in the sanctuaries,” echoing the biblical theme of interference in Temple affairs. 3. Coinage Hoards. ‑ Seleucid tetradrachms of Antiochus IV titled ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ (“King Antiochus, God Manifest, Bearer of Victory”) have been unearthed at Yavneh, Gezer, and Beth-Zur. Metallurgical study shows sudden influx of Egyptian silver alloy post-169 BC, corroborating Daniel’s “great wealth.” 4. Papyri from Egypt. ‑ Louvre Papyrus 3228 accounts for seizure of temple income at Memphis (169 BC). ‑ Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 2106 refers to Seleucid requisition of grain stores the same year. 5. Astronomical Diaries (British Museum Series). ‑ Chronicle tablets record both the Egyptian expedition and Antiochus’ return to Syria with booty, aligning with Daniel’s two-part structure: campaign/return and renewed hostility toward Judea. Chronological Fit with a Young-Earth Biblical Timeline Following Ussher’s chronology, Antiochus’ actions fall in year 3573 AM. Daniel, taken captive in 606 BC (3394 AM), foretold events ~430 years ahead—well within the biblical model that views prophecy as divine disclosure rather than historical hindsight. Integrated Conclusion Daniel 11 : 28 pinpoints Antiochus IV’s 169 BC withdrawal from Egypt, his plunder of Jerusalem, and his safe return north. Classical historians, contemporary papyri, Babylonian diaries, Seleucid coinage, and the excavated Akra converge to verify every clause of the verse. Archaeology thus illuminates, rather than corrects, the inspired record, underscoring the unity, accuracy, and covenant focus of Scripture. |
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