1. and in the first year of Darius the Mede I stood to strengthen him and be his refuge.
2. “Now I shall tell you the truth.“Three kings of Persia are yet to appear; and a fourth shall acquire the greatest riches of all. Strengthened by his riches, he shall stir up all kingdoms, even that of Greece.
3. But a powerful king shall appear and rule with great might, doing as he wills.
4. No sooner shall he appear than his kingdom shall be broken and divided in four directions under heaven; but not among his descendants or in keeping with his mighty rule, for his kingdom shall be torn to pieces and belong to others.
5. “The king of the south shall grow strong, but one of his princes shall grow stronger still and govern a domain greater than his.
6. After some years they shall become allies: the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to carry out the alliance. But she shall not retain power: and his offspring shall not survive, and she shall be given up, together with those who brought her, her son, and her supporter in due time.
7. A descendant of her line shall succeed to his place, and shall come against the army, enter the stronghold of the king of the north, attack and conquer them.
8. Even their gods, with their molten images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, he shall carry away as spoils of war into Egypt. For years he shall have nothing to do with the king of the north.
9. Then the latter shall invade the land of the king of the south, and return to his own country.