What Does Daniel 11:40 Mean in the King James?
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The final verb turns the northern king’s advance into a flood that crosses every boundary in its path.
THE MEANING
An ending arrives here as violent collision: the southern king thrusts at his rival, and the northern king answers with storm force, armies, and ships. The attack enters countries and surges through them, so the conflict does not stay contained between two rulers.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The clash stays between two rulers and leaves the surrounding countries untouched.
THE ROOT
וְשָׁטַף
we-shataph
GROWS FROM
שטף
To surge, flood, or sweep over.
English “overflow” can sound like a quantity exceeding its limit; the Hebrew verb also carries the force of a sweeping flood. The same root appears in Daniel 11:10, making this advance part of a recurring surge through territory.
ALSO GROWS
shetef: A flood or deluge.
שֶׁטֶף
This noun makes the verse’s image concrete: the advance behaves like waters that overrun what contains them.
shoteph: Flooding or sweeping over.
שׁוֹטֵף
This participle keeps the root’s motion in view: the force is actively moving across its limits.
יִתְנַגַּח
yitnaggach
GROWS FROM
נגח
To butt, thrust, or gore with horns.
“push at” in this verse is yitnaggach. English “push” can sound like a maneuver; נגח carries the image of a horned thrust. The southern king’s action is direct collision, answered by the northern king’s storming force.
ALSO GROWS
nagach: To gore with horns, as an ox does.
נָגַח
The same verb appears in Exodus 21:28, giving “push at him” the force of a dangerous bodily charge.
yiggach: He will push or gore.
יִגָּח
In Deuteronomy 33:17 the same root describes a force pushing peoples, echoing the verse’s image of rulers driving against one another.
יִשְׂתָּעֵר
yista'er
GROWS FROM
סער
To storm or rage.
“like a whirlwind” in this verse is yista'er. The Hebrew verb itself means to storm or rage, so the violence is carried by the action as well as the whirlwind comparison. Beside שטף, it gives the attack two linked forms: storm arriving and flood sweeping through.
ALSO GROWS
se'arah: A storm or tempest.
סְעָרָה
This noun shares the root behind the king’s storming advance and makes its turbulent force visible.
so'er: Storming or raging.
סוֹעֵר
This form keeps the root as active motion, matching the verse’s advancing force.
THE PATTERN
Scripture pictures overwhelming force as waters that cross their bounds and carry what stands in their path.
Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.THE THREAD
But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.Daniel 11:10 uses the same root, שטף (shataph), for “overflow,” paired again with “pass through.” The repeated wording reveals the advance as a recurring surge that sweeps across territory.
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