Daniel 11:38

38 In their place, he will worship a god of walled fortresses. With gold and silver, rare stones and precious things, he will worship a god his fathers did not acknowledge.

Daniel 11:38 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 11:38

But in his estate shall he honour the god of forces
Or god Mahuzzim ^F17; departed saints and their images, whom the Papists make their protectors, defenders, and guardians: the word signifies towers, strong holds, fortresses; and by these titles the martyrs, saints departed, are called by the ancient fathers, who first introduced the worship of them: So Basil ^F18, speaking of the forty martyrs, says,

``these are they, who obtaining our country, like certain towers, afford us a refuge against the incursion of enemies:''

and a little after thus addresses them,

``O ye common keepers of mankind, the best companions of our cares, the suffragans of our prayers and wishes, "most powerful" ambassadors with God:''

and elsewhere ^F19 he prays,

``that God would keep the church unmoved, and fortified with the great towers of the martyrs;''

so Chrysostom ^F20 calls them patrons and protectors. Or, "with God he shall honour" ^F21; these along with him, or besides him; these shall be the objects of religious worship and honour, as they are: and that "in his estate"; or in his room and stead, that is, of the true God, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man; and yet angels and departed saints are set up as mediators in his stead: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour;
the host, the wafer, the breaden god, made a god by the words of a muttering priest; this is such a god as the apostles, and Peter particularly, from whom the popes of Rome pretend to, derive their succession, never knew, nor once dreamed of; and yet this is received as a god, bowed unto, and worshipped, and honoured: with gold, silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things;
with rich and costly ornaments, with which the pyxis or box, in which it is carried in procession, is adorned.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Myzem hwhlalw) "deum Mahuzim", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.
F18 Homil. in 40. Martyr. p. 151.
F19 Homil. de Martyr. Mamant. p. 167.
F20 Sermo in Berenice, Homil. l. in 1 Thess. See Mede's Works, B. 3. p. 673, 674.
F21 "Ad, [vel] juxta deum Mahuzzimos in sede ejus honorabit", Medus, p. 667, 671.

Daniel 11:38 In-Context

36 “The king will do whatever he wants. He will exalt himself, making himself greater than any god. He will say unbelievable things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the doom is completed, because what is decreed must take place.

37 He will give no thought to the gods of his fathers, nor to the god cherished by women. He will give no thought to any god, because he will make himself greater than all of them.

38 In their place, he will worship a god of walled fortresses. With gold and silver, rare stones and precious things, he will worship a god his fathers did not acknowledge.

39 He will deal with walled fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will heap rewards on those who support him, making them rule over many and dividing up the land for a price.

40 At the end time, the southern king will attack him. The northern king will storm against him with chariots and horses and many ships. He will invade countries, sweeping over them like a flood.