And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.

DANIEL 11:4KJV
Know the Bible

Daniel 11:4 (KJV)

What does Daniel 11:4 mean?

Daniel 11:4 describes how a powerful king’s kingdom will be broken apart after he rises to power, and the kingdom will be divided in different directions, not passed on to his descendants or kept as strong as before, but given to others. The verse emphasizes that this division is not according to the king’s original rule or family line.

In the book of Daniel, an angel is explaining future events to Daniel, focusing here on the fate of a great ruler’s empire. The verse uses vivid language to show that, after this king’s peak, his realm will be split up and given away, highlighting the loss of both family legacy and lasting control. This sets the stage for later conflicts and changes among the kingdoms that follow.

The Hebrew behind Daniel 11:4

  • "Broken" (שָׁבַר, shavar): This word means to shatter or break in pieces, showing that the kingdom’s end is sudden and complete, not a gradual decline.
  • "Divided" (חָתַךְ, chatakh): This word means to cut or divide, emphasizing that the kingdom is split up deliberately and forcefully, not left whole.
  • "Four" (אַרְבַּע, arba): The mention of four directions (“four winds of heaven”) points to the kingdom being scattered to all points of the compass, not just split in two.
  • "Posterity" (אַחֲרִית, acharit): This word refers to descendants or offspring, making it clear that the kingdom will not go to the king’s children, but to others outside his family.

Why Daniel 11:4 matters

  • Daniel 11:4 clarifies that the fall of this kingdom is not just a change in leadership but a total breakup, with no direct heir inheriting the power.
  • The verse highlights the unpredictability and fragility of even the greatest empires, showing that human power can be quickly undone.
  • Understanding this verse helps make sense of the later struggles among the divided kingdoms described in the rest of Daniel 11, connecting the prophecy to real historical shifts.

Where else these words appear

“dominion” Hebrew H4915 · used in 3 verses

  • Job 41:33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
  • Zechariah 9:10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

“divided” Hebrew H2673 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 32:7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
  • Numbers 31:42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,
  • 2 Kings 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

“up” Hebrew H5428 · used in 19 verses

  • Deuteronomy 29:28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.
  • Jeremiah 12:15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
  • Jeremiah 31:40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.

“posterity” Hebrew H319 · used in 60 verses

  • Genesis 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
  • Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
  • Jeremiah 23:20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.