24. In a time of ease and in the rich parts of the province, he will come and he will do what his predecessors did not do; he will distribute plunder and spoil and possessions to them, and he will devise his plans against fortifications, but only for a time.
25. And he will stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south and with a much greater and stronger army; but he will not succeed, for they will devise plans against him.
26. And those who eat of his royal rations will break him and his army will be overwhelmed, and many will fall, slain.
27. And two of the kings will bend their hearts to evil. And at the same table they will speak lies, but what is discussed will not succeed, for still an end is coming at the appointed time.
28. Then he will return to his land with many possessions, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and he will return to his land.
29. “At the appointed time he will return and he will come into the south, but it will not be as it was before.
30. And the ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart, and he will turn back, and he will be enraged against the holy covenant, and he will take action, and he will turn back, and he will pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31. And military forces from him will occupy and will profane the sanctuary stronghold, and they will abolish the regular burnt offering, and they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.
32. “And those who violate the covenant he will seduce with flattery, but the persons who know their God will stand firm and will take action.
33. And those who have insight will instruct the many, but they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for some time.
34. And when they fall they will receive little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy.
35. And even some of those who have insight will fall in order for them to be refined by it, and to be purified and cleansed until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.
36. “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt himself and will consider himself above any god, and he will speak horrendous things against the God of gods, yet he will succeed until the period of anger is finished, for what is determined will be done.