19. The king will return to the fortresses of his own land, but he will be defeated, and that will be the end of him.
20. “He will be followed by another king, who will send an officer to oppress the people with taxes in order to increase the wealth of his kingdom. In a short time that king will be killed, but not publicly and not in battle.”
21. The angel went on to explain: “The next king of Syria will be an evil man who has no right to be king, but he will come unexpectedly and seize power by trickery.
22. Anyone who opposes him, even God's High Priest, will be swept away and wiped out.
23. By making treaties, he will deceive other nations, and he will grow stronger and stronger, even though he rules only a small nation.
24. He will invade a wealthy province without warning and will do things that none of his ancestors ever did. Then he will divide among his followers the goods and property he has captured in war. He will make plans to attack fortresses, but his time will soon run out.