Daniel's final vision

[6] Chapter 10, a prologue: In the third year of Cyrus (the Persian conqueror of Babylon), after fasting for three weeks, Daniel sees a vision of a man clothed in linen, clearly a supernatural being, who tells him that he is currently engaged in a battle with the "prince of Persia", in which he is assisted by "Michael, your prince".

Chapter 11, the report of the vision: The angel continues: there will be four kings of Persia, and the last will make war on Greece.

[15] The failure of prophecy helps pinpoint the date of composition: the author knows of the desecration of the Temple in December 167, but not of its re-dedication or of the death of Antiochus, both in late 164[15] The countdown of days remaining to the end-time in Daniel 12:11–12 differs from that in Daniel 8: it was most likely added after the original prediction failed to come to pass,[16] although it could also be understood by the author's use of competing calendars.

The same theme underlies the reference to the heavenly "Book of Truth" which is about to be revealed to Daniel, and which supposedly forms the content of chapter 11: both the past and the future are written already, and God is sovereign over all.

[20] The constant preoccupation of the vision chapters is Antiochus's replacement of the "tamid", the twice-daily burnt offering to the God of Israel, by the "abomination of desolation".

[22] Prior to the Babylonian exile, all the dead went to Sheol, irrespective of their good or bad deeds, but the idea that the righteous would be rewarded and the wicked punished began to appear in the 3rd century, and is clearly expressed in Daniel 12:2–3: "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake..." (although the "many" implies that not all will be resurrected).

Verse 22 notes his removal of the High Priest Onias III, (Antiochus sold the priesthood twice over, first to a relative of Onias named Jason, and then to a rival of Jason's named Menelaus), and verses 23–24 apparently refer to his liberality in scattering the spoils among his supporters.

[25] In 168 Antiochus invaded Egypt again, but this time he was stopped by the Romans (the "ships of Kittim") and forced to retreat (verses 29–30).

[Notes 3] Verses 30–31 describe the events that followed: passing once more through Jerusalem, Antiochus instituted a persecution of Jewish customs and religion, desecrated the Temple, and established a garrison there.

[26][27] In time the faithful receive "a little help" (possibly, but not certainly, a reference to Judas Maccabeus, who led an armed revolt against the Greeks).

[28] Verses 36–39 appear to carry Antiochus' history to the cosmic plane, detailing the blasphemy of the tyrant who considered himself a demi-god.