15. Then the king of the North shall come and set up a siege mound and capture a fortified city. And the forces of the South shall not withstand him; neither shall his chosen best troops have strength to resist.
16. But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the Pleasant Land, which shall be consumed by his hand.
17. He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he shall put into effect. And he shall give him the daughter of women to corrupt it. But she shall not stand on his side or be for him.
18. After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many. But a commander shall put a stop to his reproach against him, and he shall repay him for his reproach.
19. Then he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but shall stumble and fall and not be found any more.
20. “Then one shall stand up in his place who shall send an oppressor in the glory of his kingdom. But within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle.
21. “In his place a vile person shall stand up, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom. But he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
22. A flood of armies shall be swept away before him and be broken, and the prince of the covenant as well.
23. After the league is made with him, he shall work deceitfully, and he shall come up and shall become strong with a small force of people.
24. He shall enter peaceably even upon the richest places of the realm. And he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers. He shall distribute among them the plunder and spoil and riches. And he shall plan his devices against the strongholds, but only for a time.
25. “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army. But he shall not stand, for schemes shall be devised against him.
26. Indeed, those who eat his choice food shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow, and many shall fall down slain.
27. As for both of these kings, their hearts shall plan on mischief, and they shall speak lies to one another at one table. But it shall not prosper, for the end shall yet be at the appointed time.
28. While turning back to his land with great wealth, his heart shall be against the holy covenant. He shall wage war and turn back to his own land.
29. “At the appointed time he shall return and come into the south, but this latter time shall not be as the former.
30. For the ships of Kittim shall come against him. Therefore he shall be grieved and return and have indignation against the holy covenant and take action. He shall even return and show regard to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31. “His armies shall rise up and desecrate the sanctuary fortress. They shall abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination that makes desolate.
32. By flatteries he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and take action.