With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenantThis phrase refers to the tactics used by a deceitful leader, often identified as Antiochus IV Epiphanes in historical context. He used charm and deceit to win over those who were already inclined to break their covenant with God. The "covenant" here refers to the Mosaic Covenant, which was central to Jewish identity and religious practice. Flattery and manipulation are common tools of leaders who seek to undermine faithfulness to God, as seen in other biblical narratives such as the serpent's deception in
Genesis 3. This tactic is a warning against the seductive power of words that lead believers away from their commitments to God.
but the people who know their God
This phrase highlights the distinction between those who are swayed by deceit and those who remain steadfast. "Knowing God" implies a deep, personal relationship and understanding of His character and promises. This is reminiscent of the call to know God in passages likeJeremiah 9:24 andJohn 17:3. The emphasis is on an intimate knowledge that goes beyond mere intellectual assent, involving trust and obedience. Historically, this group is often associated with the Maccabees, who resisted Hellenistic influences and fought to preserve Jewish law and worship.
will firmly resist him
The resistance mentioned here is both spiritual and physical. The people who know their God are empowered to stand against the corrupting influence of the leader. This resistance is not passive but active, involving a commitment to uphold God's laws and principles. The Maccabean Revolt is a historical example of such resistance, where Jewish fighters stood against the imposition of Greek culture and religion. This phrase also foreshadows the New Testament call for believers to resist the devil (James 4:7) and to stand firm in the faith (Ephesians 6:13-14). It underscores the theme of perseverance and faithfulness in the face of persecution and deception.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The FlattererThis refers to a leader or ruler who uses deceit and manipulation to lead people astray. In the context of
Daniel 11, this is often associated with Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Hellenistic king known for his persecution of the Jews and desecration of the temple.
2.
Those Who Violate the CovenantThese are individuals who have turned away from their commitment to God, succumbing to the temptations and pressures of the world.
3.
The People Who Know Their GodThis group represents the faithful remnant who remain steadfast in their devotion to God, despite external pressures and temptations.
4.
The CovenantRefers to the sacred agreement between God and His people, which in the Old Testament context, is often associated with the Mosaic Covenant.
5.
ResistanceThe act of standing firm against the corrupting influences and pressures, demonstrating faithfulness to God.
Teaching Points
The Power of Knowing GodKnowing God personally and intimately empowers believers to stand firm against deception and corruption. This knowledge is not just intellectual but relational, involving trust and obedience.
The Danger of Flattery and DeceptionBelievers must be vigilant against those who use flattery and deceit to lead them away from their commitment to God. Discernment is crucial in identifying and resisting such influences.
Faithfulness in AdversityTrue faith is demonstrated not in the absence of trials but in the ability to remain steadfast in the face of them. The faithful remnant in
Daniel 11:32 serves as an example of unwavering commitment.
The Importance of CommunityThe phrase "the people who know their God" suggests a collective resistance. Believers are encouraged to support and strengthen one another in their faith journey.
Covenant CommitmentUnderstanding and valuing the covenant relationship with God is essential for maintaining faithfulness. This involves regular engagement with Scripture, prayer, and community worship.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Daniel 11:32?
2.How can we "stand firm" in our faith like those in Daniel 11:32?
3.What does it mean to "know their God" in the context of Daniel 11:32?
4.How does Daniel 11:32 connect with Ephesians 6:10-18 on spiritual warfare?
5.In what ways can we "resist" worldly influences as described in Daniel 11:32?
6.How can we apply "take action" from Daniel 11:32 in our daily lives?
7.What does Daniel 11:32 reveal about the nature of those who know their God?
8.How does Daniel 11:32 challenge believers to act in times of adversity?
9.What historical events does Daniel 11:32 potentially reference?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Daniel 11?
11.What is the order of the Bible's books?
12.What are the main events in First and Second Maccabees?
13.How can the precise predictions of kings and battles in Daniel 11 be explained without presupposing supernatural insight or retroactive authorship?
14.Jeremiah 11:1-5: How can an all-knowing God expect a covenant not to be broken if He already foresees human failings?What Does Daniel 11:32 Mean
With flatteryThe verse opens with a sober reminder that evil rarely storms in with open hostility; it sidles in with charm. “With flattery” points to smooth, persuasive speech—words that massage egos and blur moral lines (cf.Proverbs 29:5, “A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet,”). Just as the serpent inGenesis 3:1–5 questioned God with enticing words, the coming tyrant inDaniel 11 uses winsome promises and half-truths to lure hearts away from steadfast devotion. Second Thessalonians 2:9–10 describes the same end-time dynamic: “The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by every kind of deception… because they refused the love of the truth.”
He will corruptFlattery is not harmless; its goal is corruption—moral decay that starts inside and eventually shows outside. First Corinthians 15:33 warns, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Daniel portrays a real, historical king (Antiochus IV) who desecrated the temple, yet the language also foreshadows the future Antichrist, whose persuasive tactics will “lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11). Corruption here means turning what was once consecrated into something common or even profane.
Those who violate the covenantThe ones most vulnerable are already leaning toward compromise. They “violate the covenant,” much like Israel inPsalm 78:10, “They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to walk in His law.” They possess outward ties to the faith community but have inwardly drifted.Hebrews 3:12 warns believers today: “See to it… that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” Spiritual half-heartedness opens the door to deception.
ButThat single word shifts the whole verse and shines a spotlight on the faithfulness of God amid human failure (cf.Ephesians 2:4, “But God, being rich in mercy…”). No matter how powerful the seducer, God preserves a remnant—and Scripture never leaves His people without hope.
The people who know their GodKnowing God is more than cognitive assent; it is personal, covenantal intimacy (Jeremiah 9:24). Jesus defined eternal life as “that they may know You, the only true God” (John 17:3). This knowledge produces discernment and courage. Like the Maccabees in history, or the three Hebrew youths inDaniel 3, those who truly know the Lord stand out in times of pressure. Second Timothy 1:12 captures their confidence: “I know whom I have believed.”
Will firmly resist himThe phrase pictures an active stand, not passive survival.Ephesians 6:13 urges, “Take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground.”James 4:7 echoes, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”Revelation 12:11 shows the victorious end: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” The faithful do not rely on political power or sheer willpower; they overcome by clinging to truth, wielding Scripture, and maintaining uncompromised allegiance to Christ.
summaryDaniel 11:32 exposes two paths during seasons of intense deception. Those half-committed drift further through flattering lies, while those who genuinely know God grow bolder and take their stand. History verified the verse in Antiochus IV’s day, and prophecy points forward to a final Antichrist. Yet the unchanging lesson remains: cultivate a deep, personal knowledge of God, refuse every seductive compromise, and you will stand firm when the pressure mounts.
(32)
Such as do wickedly.--In these verses are traced the effects of the apostasy upon the people of God. These persons have been already spoken of in
Daniel 11:30. They had begun with indifference to true religion, they have now become intolerant of it.
Corrupt.--Literally,make profane. On the Hebrew notion of profanity, see Cheyne'sIsaiah, vol. 1, p. 3. These persons have now become as the heathen. (See1 Maccabees 2:17-18.)
But the people. . . .--While the large mass of people becomes obedient to the persecutor, there is a party of true believers remaining, who are "strong," or rather, confirm the covenant, and "do,"i.e., succeed in their attempt. That such a party existed in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes appears from1 Maccabees 1:62, &c.,1 Maccabees 2:3, &c. Similarly in all times of persecution there will be a remnant, though it may be very small. which will remain firm to their covenant with God. (Comp.1Kings 19:18.) . . .
Verse 32. -
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. The LXX. translates, "And by sins of the covenant shall they defile themselves with a hard people, and the people knowing these things shall have the mastery and do (exploits)." The
מ, the preformative of the participle hiphil, has been taken for the preposition
מִן. written defectively, and probably
בִּלְ לֺאם קָשֵׁה for
בַּחֲלַקֹת. Theodotion does not require special notice, as his version here agrees closely with the Massoretic. The Peshitta is somewhat shorter and having a different significance, "And those who transgress against the covenant he shall condemn them. And the people who know the fear shall be strong." The Vulgate rendering is, "And the impious against the covenant shall feign falsely (
simulabunt fraudu-lenter), but the people knowing their God shall possess and do (exploits)." Men like Alcimus, the high priest after Menelaus, were transgressors of the sacred covenant, and were corrupted by the flatteries of Epiphanes. He used them to gain the people over to his views.
But the people that do know their God shall be strong,
and do exploits. Even when Epiphanes seemed most nearly successful, there was a deep-seated opposition to this Hellenizing process. Especially prominent were those who were zealous for the Law, the
Hasidim, or, to give them the name they have in the Book of Maccabees, the Assidseans. These religionists, headed by Mattathias and his sons, especially by the heroic Judas Maccabaeus, certainly knew their God, and as certainly did exploits.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
With flatteryבַּחֲלַקּ֑וֹת(ba·ḥă·laq·qō·wṯ)Preposition-b, Article | Adjective - feminine plural
Strong's 2514:Smoothness, flatteryhe will corruptיַחֲנִ֖יף(ya·ḥă·nîp̄)Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2610:To be polluted or profanethose who violateוּמַרְשִׁיעֵ֣י(ū·mar·šî·‘ê)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7561:To be, wrong, to disturb, violatethe covenant,בְרִ֔ית(ḇə·rîṯ)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285:A covenantbut the peopleוְעַ֛ם(wə·‘am)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5971:A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flockwho knowיֹדְעֵ֥י(yō·ḏə·‘ê)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3045:To knowtheir Godאֱלֹהָ֖יו(’ĕ·lō·hāw)Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativewill firmlyיַחֲזִ֥קוּ(ya·ḥă·zi·qū)Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2388:To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquerresist [him].וְעָשֽׂוּ׃(wə·‘ā·śū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213:To do, make
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OT Prophets: Daniel 11:32 Such as do wickedly against the covenant (Dan. Da Dn) 
