Daniel 11:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

A branch will emerge from its root and come forth with an army, entering the territory of the northern king, acting according to his own desires, and taking possession of it. He will carry off their gods, images, and treasured vessels made of gold and silver into Egypt, proving mightier than the king of the north. Meanwhile, the king of the south will venture into the kingdom but will eventually return to his homeland. Following the murder of Verenice and the death of her father, Ptolemy Philadelphus, her brother, Ptolemy Euergetes, ascended to the throne, as he was indeed her sibling. Equipped with a large army, he marched into the lands ruled by Seleucus, known as Callinicus, who governed alongside his mother, Laodicea, in Syria, and he acted with autonomy to take control.

The initial conflicts were waged by the Ptolemies, as historical accounts reveal. Josephus recounts, “In the reign of Antiochus the Great in Asia, the Jewish people experienced significant turmoil due to the devastation of their homeland and the inhabitants of Coelesyria. When Antiochus engaged in battle with Ptolemy Philopator and his son, Ptolemy, known as Epiphanes, both sides endured hardship at his hands, whether he emerged victorious or not.” Josephus succinctly adds, “Having triumphed over Ptolemy, Antiochus took control of Judea. Following Philopator's death, his son dispatched a formidable army led by commander Scopas against those in Coelesyria. He seized many cities and our people, for wherever he waged war, all fell under his influence.