דניאל, פרק ח׳, פסוק כ״ב

A prophetic vision unveils the meaning behind the appearance of a great beast, depicting the sudden collapse and fragmentation of a mighty empire. The imagery of a shattered horn captures the dramatic end of Alexander the Great, the king of Greece, whose life is cut short precisely at the peak of his power. Following the sudden death of this singular ruler, his vast empire does not remain intact. Instead, it fractures into four distinct kingdoms [רש״י, יוסף אבן יחיא]. These new realms expand outward, spreading across the four corners of the earth [מצודת דוד]. Despite the division, the new leaders share a common origin with the fallen emperor, emerging directly from his own people, the Greek nation [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The nature of these four new kingdoms differs significantly from the original empire. The primary approach among commentators highlights a stark decline in military and political might. The incoming rulers are noticeably weaker, never managing to achieve the extraordinary dominance and strength of the first king [רש״י, מצודת דוד, יוסף אבן יחיא]. Alternatively, this absence of the original king's power is understood as a lack of direct lineage, meaning the new rulers who take control are not his sons or natural heirs [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, the establishment of these new domains is entirely independent of the first king's efforts. He does not build or secure these four kingdoms during his lifetime; rather, they divide, develop, and gain their own power independently, long after his death [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].