Verse 26: “The ones that eat at his (the king of the South’s) table are going to break him. His army is going to suffer defeat, and many shall fall down slain upon the way.”

Note: Once more the king of the North is triumphant, and the king of the South is defeated.

Verse 27: “Both kings are of one heart – a heart for evil. And upon one table they speak lies. But it will not succeed, for the end will still be at the appointed time.”

Both kings are of one heart: These battles between the North and the South have one purpose: to lay the foundation for the coming of the antichrist. Neither the North nor the South are for Gd. They are both ruled by the enemy of this world.

A heart for evil: They have no G-dly intent.

Lies: They are deceitful.

It: Their endeavours

Note: Their endeavours are not going to be successful, because, at that appointed time in the last days, Messiah is going to return and is going to destroy them.

Verse 28: “He (the king of the North) will return to his land with great assets, and his heart is going to be against the holy covenant, so he shall do damage and return to his own land.”

Great assets: Very wealthy

Heart: His thoughts/mindset.

Holy covenant: When we talk about a Biblical, G-d-appointed, covenant it should remind us of the promises and the blessings of G-d. Ultimately these blessings/promises are going to be experienced by G-d’s new covenant people in the Kingdom of G-d – through faith in Messiah Yeshua. The antichrist is going to be against the Kingdom of G-d and is going to be willing to make war in order to prevent its establishment.

Verse 29: “At the appointed time he will return and go toward the South. But it shall not be like the former time or the last time.”

At the appointed time: (ד ִ֥ ֵועֹמ ַּל (This word is uniquely, and prophetically, connected to the last days (specifically the last 3.5 years).

He will return: The context tells us that the king of the North will come into the Negev (the South) but it will not be like previous times.

Verse 30: “The navy of Kittim shall come against him. Therefore, he shall be grieved and return with great wrath against the holy covenant and do damage. So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.”

Navy: Ships

Kittim: (ִָֽ֙ים ת כ (There is disagreement about where these ships are from. They are probably the fleets of those countries which are within the Mediterranean basin.

Grieved and return: He is not going to be immediately successful, but he is going to keep trying.

Wrath against the holy covenant: He is going to think that the key to his success is getting Israel on his side. We have already seen that he did many positive things for the Jewish people. He took wealth, that he acquired through war, and he distributed it to those in Israel. In this verse we see that his antagonism toward the holy covenant has increased. He does not want the covenant promises to be fulfilled i.e. the Kingdom of G-d to be established.

Show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant: His desire will be that people will leave the holy covenant in order to follow him. He knows that if people repent and receive Messiah the establishment of the Kingdom of G-d will come about and signal his final defeat. He is pleased with, and rewards, those who forsake this covenant in order to walk in his ways.