Verse 23: “And from the confederacy that was to him, he will do deceit, and he is going to go up. He will be powerful with a small nation.”

Note: This is a different type of confederacy to the one found in Daniel 11:6. In this confederacy we see that this king’s armies are going to be going through other nations and will break them up or destroy them. The prince of the covenant is going to be revealed and other countries are going to join this empire.

Deceit: His whole kingdom and rulership is based on deception – false words.

He is going to go up: He is going to rise up in power – ruling in a very strong way.

Powerful with a small nation: His objective/focus/desire is upon this small nation. Although Israel is a small country it has great spiritual significance. Even though most of the world does not recognize this satan does – and his strategy is to destroy Israel. This can be through spiritual corruption – people side with him and reject God – or through physical destruction.

Verse 24: “In tranquility his kingdom is going to be in force, and into the choice places of the province he will come; he will do what his father and his father’s fathers did not do: with spoil and plunder and wealth he is going to distribute to them. He is going to have thoughts concerning the strongholds until the time.”

Choice places: The rich parts

Province: The country.

He will do what … fathers did not do: He is going to take control of Israel’s spiritual leadership. This is unique. Neither the Greeks nor the Romans did this.

Spoil and plunder: These were obtained as an outcome of war – obtained from conquering other people.

Distribute to them (to this small nation of Israel): He is going to try to bribe Israel, and is going to do many seemingly good things for Israel.

Going to have thoughts: Devise plans

Until the time: The time when he manifests who he really is and what he really desires.

Verse 25: “His power and the intentions of his heart will rise up concerning the king of the South – with a great army. The king of the South is going to rise up against him for war, with a great and powerful army. But he (the king of the South) will not stand, for they shall devise plans against him.”

Intentions of his heart: He will have thoughts concerning a war against the king of the South. He has an expectation that he is going to put down the Southern kingdom once and for all so that he is unhindered and therefore can do what he wants to do.

Army: Military

Will not stand: The king of the South is not going to be successful.

They shall devise plans: The king of the North had considered the size and the might of the Southern army, so it did not take him by surprise.