What Does Daniel 11:5 Mean in the King James?

And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.

Daniel 11:5 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The Hebrew root for rule appears three times as a single act of authority grows into a great dominion.

THE MEANING

Power is not fixed by title: someone from the king’s own ranks becomes stronger over him, and authority gathers into a dominion of great reach. You see rule as a moving relation whose center can shift and whose reach can expand.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief this undoes is that holding the title guarantees lasting superiority; here, someone within the ruler’s own ranks rises above him.

THE ROOT

מֶמְשָׁלְתּוֹ

memšaltô

GROWS FROM

משל

m-š-l

to rule, govern, or exercise authority

The root appears three times in succession: “have dominion,” “dominion,” and “his dominion.” A verb of ruling becomes a named sphere of rule, so English’s shift from verb to noun conceals one continuous idea whose scale is declared great.

ALSO GROWS

māšal: rule, govern, exercise authority

מָשַׁל

This verb begins the sequence that the following dominion nouns complete.

memšālāh: dominion, governance, sphere of rule

מֶמְשָׁלָה

This noun makes rule a sphere of authority, matching the verse’s expanding description.

יֶחֱזַק

yeḥĕzaq

GROWS FROM

חזק

ḥ-z-q

to be or become strong, firm, or prevailing

The same verb, ⁨יֶחֱזַק⁩ (yeḥĕzaq, “be strong”), describes both figures; ⁨עָלָיו⁩ (ʿālāyw, “over him”) makes the repetition a change in rank. Strength here is relational: the one who was beneath another becomes the stronger one.

ALSO GROWS

ḥāzāq: strong, firm

חָזָק

This adjective shares the seed of the repeated verb and shows strength as firmness.

ḥizzēq: strengthen, make firm

חִזֵּק

This verb shows the same root acting to establish strength, illuminating the shift from being strong to prevailing over another.

THE PATTERN

Dominion becomes visible in who can command whom and how far that authority reaches.

Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

Genesis 41:40 · KJVJoseph’s rule is made visible in the people’s response to his word, while the throne marks the remaining limit.

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

Matthew 20:25 · KJVThe verse names dominion as authority exercised over others, showing the relational shape of rule.

And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

Daniel 11:3 · KJVGreat dominion is described as a king’s reach of rule, echoing the movement from strength to authority here.

THE THREAD

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 31:24 · KJV

Daniel uses ⁨חזק⁩ (ḥ-z-q, “be strong”) twice to describe strength measured between rulers; Psalm 31:24 uses the same root in “Be of good courage.” The shared seed places firmness within the heart as well as in a contest for dominion.

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