2. “Now I will declare the truth. Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia. Then a fourth will be far richer than all. When he becomes powerful through his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the realm of Greece.
3. Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.
4. But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and distributed to the four winds of heaven—though it will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others besides these.
5. “Then the king of the south will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he, and he will rule a greater kingdom than his.
6. After some years they will form an alliance. The daughter of the king of the south will approach the king of the north to make an agreement. But she will not retain her position of power, nor will his strength endure. Instead she will be given up, together with her escort, her father and the one who supported her in those times.
7. But another shoot from her roots will arise in his place. He will come against the army of the king of the north and enter his fortress. He will fight against them and prevail.
8. He will also carry off their gods into captivity to Egypt, along with their metal images and their precious articles of silver and gold. For a few years he will stay away from the king of the north.
9. “Then the king of the north will invade the realm of the king of the south, but he will retreat to his own land.
10. His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will advance and overflow and sweep through like a flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress.
11. “Then the king of the south, enraged, will march out and fight against the king of the north, who will also muster a massive army. But the army will be defeated.
12. But when the army is carried off, the heart of the king of the south will become arrogant, and will slaughter thousands and thousands, yet he will not prevail.
13. The king of the north will raise up another army, one greater than the first. After an interval of some years, he will advance with a great army and with abundant supplies.
14. “In those times many will rise up against the king of the south. The lawless sons among your own people will raise themselves up in order to confirm the vision, but they will stumble.
15. Then the king of the north will come, build a siege-ramp and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the south will not prevail—not even their select troops will have strength to prevail.
16. But the invader will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to stand against him. He will take his stand in the beautiful land and its devastation in his hand.
17. His intention will be to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, but he will reach an agreement with him. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to destroy the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him.
18. Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put an end to his insolence and pay him back for his insolence.