He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
enter.
Daniel 11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Ezekiel 38:8-13 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them…
glorious land.
Daniel 11:16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.
Heb.
Isaiah 11:13-15 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim…
Jeremiah 9:26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
Jeremiah 48:47 Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
and many countries will fall
This phrase suggests a widespread conquest and domination by the invading force. Historically, this aligns with the expansionist policies of empires like the Seleucids under Antiochus IV. Theologically, it reflects the transient nature of earthly kingdoms in contrast to the eternal kingdom of God. The fall of many nations can also be seen as a precursor to the ultimate establishment of God's dominion, as prophesied in other parts of Daniel and Revelation.
But these will be delivered from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites
Edom, Moab, and Ammon were ancient nations located east of Israel, often in conflict with the Israelites. Their exemption from conquest in this prophecy is intriguing, as these regions were historically subjugated by various empires. This deliverance could symbolize God's sovereignty and the selective nature of His protection. In a broader prophetic context, it may indicate the preservation of certain groups for a specific purpose in God's plan. These nations, though often adversaries of Israel, are mentioned in eschatological prophecies, suggesting a future role in the unfolding of divine events.
“He will also invade the Beautiful Land…” (Daniel 11:41)
•The “Beautiful Land” consistently points to Israel (Daniel 8:9; 11:16; Ezekiel 20:6).
•The invader in the flow of Daniel 11 is the final king of the North—a last-days world ruler commonly identified with the Antichrist (compare Daniel 7:8, 24–25; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4; Revelation 13:5–7).
•Scripture’s literal storyline shows this ruler physically entering Israel near the close of the age (Zechariah 14:2; Matthew 24:15–16).
•The fact that God calls the land “Beautiful” even while it is being trampled underscores His abiding covenant love for Israel (Psalm 48:2; Deuteronomy 11:12).
Takeaway: Israel’s land will face invasion, yet its designation as “Beautiful” highlights both its present value to God and its future restoration (Romans 11:25–27).
“…and many countries will fall.” (Daniel 11:41)
•“Countries” refers to surrounding nations that collapse under the conqueror’s advance (Daniel 11:42–43; Isaiah 10:13–14).
•Revelation 13:7 portrays the same figure exercising authority “over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.”
•The speed and breadth of this defeat recall earlier warnings of a ten-king alliance subdued by the little horn (Daniel 7:23–24).
•God permits these gains temporarily, yet He remains sovereign over how far evil can proceed (Job 1:12; 42:2).
Takeaway: The rising global power will topple many realms, confirming prophetic detail and reminding believers that world events unfold exactly as foretold.
“But these will be delivered from his hand…” (Daniel 11:41)
•Deliverance here is not by the invader’s mercy but by God’s deliberate restraint (Psalm 76:10; Proverbs 21:1).
•The exemption highlights that even in judgment God preserves pockets of protection for His purposes (Isaiah 43:2; Revelation 7:3).
•This divine limitation parallels earlier instances where God sets boundaries: the sealed 144,000 (Revelation 7), the spared remnant in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2), and the shelter in the wilderness (Revelation 12:6, 14).
Takeaway: The same Lord who allows widespread devastation also orchestrates strategic deliverance, showcasing both justice and mercy.
“…Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites.” (Daniel 11:41)
•Edom, Moab, and Ammon occupied the territory of present-day Jordan (Genesis 19:36–38; Deuteronomy 2:4, 9, 19).
•Prophets repeatedly mention these peoples in end-time settings (Isaiah 11:14; Jeremiah 48–49; Ezekiel 25:8–14).
•Micah 2:12 and Revelation 12:14 hint that a remnant of Israel will flee eastward—toward ancient Edomite lands—for shelter during the tribulation.
•Their “deliverance” may signal that this region becomes a divinely prepared refuge while other nations succumb to the invader’s control.
Takeaway: God turns an historically hostile territory into a haven, proving that He can reverse roles and use any geography for His redemptive plan.
Daniel 11:41 gives pinpoint prophecy: the future Antichrist storms into Israel, many nations collapse, yet God spares specific neighboring territories—Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Each phrase reveals the Lord’s precise control: He names the land He loves, limits the conqueror’s reach, selects unlikely places of refuge, and weaves all of it into His unfolding plan that will culminate in Israel’s ultimate deliverance and Christ’s triumphant return.
(41) The glorious land.--See Daniel 11:16. On the occasion of his hasty march against Egypt, while passing through Palestine, the king takes the shortest route, avoiding the three tribes which had been distinguished by their hostility towards the people of Israel. It is remarkable that these nations (two of which appear as figures of Antichrist, Isaiah 25:10; Isaiah 63:1) should escape, while other nations fell before Antichrist. It is also noteworthy that these three tribes are called nations, for after the return from the exile it appears that they ceased to have any distinct national existence. As tribes they had some considerable power, taking the part of Antiochus in the Maccabee wars. (See 1 Maccabees 3:10; 1 Maccabees 5:1-8.) Judas also fortified Zion against the Idumaeans.The chief of--i.e., the best of them. (Comp. Numbers 24:20.) . . .
Verse 41. - He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. The Septuagint rendering is slightly of the nature of a paraphrase, "And he shall pass into my land, and many (feminine) shall be offended, and these shall be saved from his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the head of the sons of Ammon." It is possible that the word tzebee was omitted, and the pronominal suffix attached to 'aretz. Theodotion renders, "And he shall enter into the land of the Sabaeem, and many shall be made weak; but these shall be delivered out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and chief of the sons of Ammon." The transliteration here might suggest צְבַיִם instead of צְבִי, and a mistake of the former for עילָם is in the square letters not impossible; but צ and ע are, in the older scripts, very unlike. The Peshitta, while agreeing with the Massoretic generally, renders, "the glorious land," "the land of Israel" - an evident paraphrase. The Vulgate introduces solae before Edom and Moab, otherwise agreeing with the received text. The expedition of Antiochus reaches Palestine, on which the full force of the tempest is represented as being directed. The countries adjacent escape. Edom, Moab, and Ammon are mentioned, but Moab had by this time disappeared as a national name. It may have been inserted - as suggested by Professor Bevan - in consequence of the frequent conjunction of the three names, "Moab, Am-men, and Mount Seir." It is, however, singular that these nations should be named as "escaping," since they were the allies of Antiochus, or more properly, as they would be regarded by him as subjects, his instruments in the oppression of Israel. It may be that this version of the vision of Daniel has been less modified from the original than what has preceded. In the original document, Edom, Moab, and Ammon might have some symbolic reference. The glorious land can scarcely be other than Palestine. It is rendered by Ewald, "the land of the ornament" It might be rendered, "the land of the gazelle." Out of the thirty passages in which this word occurs in Scripture, fourteen times it must have this meaning, in some of the other cases it may have it. So far, then, as the name goes, it might apply to any country fitted for the habitation of the gazelle; but the mention of "Edom, Mesh, and Ammon" renders it nearly a necessity that the reference here be to Palestine. Many countries shall be overthrown. The verb used is kashal, which means, in the niphal, "to totter," "to fall," "to be weak." It is assumed by Hitzig and Fuller, as by the English versions, that "countries" is to be understood. Ewald, however, and many other commentators, following the older versions, would refer to men, and translate, "myriads shall fall." In the version from which Origen has supplemented the Septuagint it is rendered, "Many women or countries shall be offended (σκανδαλισθήσονται)," the feminine rendering being due to the feminine termination -oth in rabboth, but the verb is masculine.