Daniel 11:31Forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt offering, and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
The setting
Babylon, 536 BC. Daniel sees the horror of 167 BC: Antiochus IV will sacrifice a pig on the altar in Jerusalem and set up a statue of Zeus in the Holy of Holies.
The emotion here: heartbroken at seeing God's house violated and His people scattered
The original word
shiqquts (שִׁקּוּץ) — detestable thing, ritual abomination that defiles sacred space
Why it matters
Antiochus IV ordered daily sacrifices to stop and made circumcision punishable by death, triggering the Maccabean revolt
Read with care
What most readers miss in Daniel 11:31
The 'abomination that makes desolate' wasn't just removing worship — it was forcing false worship in the sacred space, making it unusable for true worship
Common misconceptionMany think this is only about the future antichrist, but it was literally fulfilled when Antiochus IV placed a statue of Zeus in the Jerusalem temple and sacrificed pigs on the altar in 167 BC.
Bible Genome reading
Daniel 11:31 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Daniel 11:31 comes from the book of Daniel, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include desecration, sacrifice cessation. Notable phrases: profane the sanctuary; take away the continual. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Daniel 11:31 mean to you, today?
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