What lessons can we learn from the "daughter of women" in Daniel 11:17? Setting the Scene • Daniel 11 traces the see-saw struggle between the Seleucid “king of the North” and the Ptolemaic “king of the South.” • Verse 17 zooms in on a calculated marriage alliance: “He will resolve to come with the strength of his whole kingdom and will reach an agreement with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but she will not stand with him or support him.” (Daniel 11:17) Understanding “daughter of women” • Literally “daughter of women” (בַּת נָשִׁים) piles up the feminine nouns for emphasis—a woman among women, a prize princess. • Historically she is Cleopatra I, the cherished daughter of Antiochus III, given to young Ptolemy V of Egypt. • The plan: win influence through her charms, corrupt Egypt from the inside, and expand the Seleucid empire. Prophecy Fulfilled in History • Around 193 BC Antiochus marries Cleopatra to Ptolemy. Instead of advancing her father’s agenda, she sides with her husband. • The text’s prediction—“she will not stand with him or support him”—lands with stunning precision almost a century and a half after Daniel recorded it. • Fulfilled prophecy confirms the trustworthiness of every word of Scripture (Isaiah 46:9-10; John 13:19). Truths about Human Schemes • People often treat relationships as tools. Antiochus used his own daughter to “destroy the kingdom.” • Manipulative strategies backfire. “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21) • Even the most charming packaging (“daughter of women”) cannot sanctify an ungodly objective. Compare 2 Corinthians 6:14. God’s Sovereignty in World Affairs • Daniel 11:17 shows the Lord calling the play-by-play of pagan geopolitics centuries in advance. • “The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations… The counsel of the LORD stands forever.” (Psalm 33:10-11) • What looks like random palace intrigue is woven into God’s larger redemptive timeline leading to Messiah’s first and second comings (Galatians 4:4). Personal Takeaways for Today • Treat marriage and every relationship as covenant, never currency. • Refuse to advance goals by manipulation; trust God’s open, righteous paths. • Remember that beauty, status, or giftedness (“daughter of women”) do not guarantee loyalty or spiritual depth. Guard the heart (Proverbs 4:23). • Let fulfilled prophecy bolster faith for promises still ahead—if God nailed the details of Daniel 11:17, He will keep every word to you (Romans 8:28). |
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