דניאל, פרק י״א, פסוק ה׳

Following the division of Alexander the Great's empire, fierce power struggles erupted. Prophetic vision captures the complex dynamics, ongoing wars, and dramatic shifts in power between the two primary empires that remained strong: the Southern Kingdom and the Northern Kingdom. At the beginning of this process, the Southern ruler asserts his dominance. The primary approach among commentators identifies this southern power as the King of Egypt, with [מלבי״ם] specifically pointing to Ptolemy I. This ruler amasses great strength and successfully overpowers his northern rival, an empire identified variously as Aram, Babylon, or Rome.

As the conflict deepens, commentators present two distinct ways to understand the evolving balance of power. One perspective suggests that the Egyptian king's dominance was absolute. He grew powerful not only by defeating the Northern king directly but also by crushing the northern military officers who fought against him [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. In this view, the Southern king achieves a sweeping victory, establishing a firm rule over his enemies and maintaining his conquest for a very long time [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Conversely, another approach describes a dramatic and unexpected political upheaval. Initially, the King of the South was so powerful that other regional kings were subjected to him, serving as mere officers. However, one of his own high-ranking commanders decides to rebel. According to [מלבי״ם], this commander was Seleucus. The rebel breaks away from Egyptian control to establish a new, independent kingdom in the North. Gathering immense strength, this former officer eventually overpowers his old master, the King of the South. This political reversal is finalized when the rebel builds a vast northern empire, claiming territories that far exceed those of the Southern kingdom and ultimately seizing most of his former master's land [מלבי״ם, יוסף אבן יחיא, ביאור שטיינזלץ].