That is, Seleucus, who at one time could be considered one of Ptolemy’s “princes,” later became stronger than the Egyptian king. When Seleucus died in 281 B.C., his realm extended from the Hellespont to northern India. Arrian, the leading ancient historian for this period, states that Seleucus was “the greatest king of those who succeeded Alexander, and the most royal mind, and ruled over the greatest extent of territory, next to Alexander” (Anabasis of Alexander vii. 22).

 This evidently applies to Seleucus I Nicator (305-281 B.C.), another of Alexander’s generals, who made himself ruler of most of the Asiatic part of the empire. That he should here be spoken of as “one of his [Ptolemy’s] princes” (Heb. śarim, “generals”; see on ch. 10:13) is probably to be understood in the light of his relations with Ptolemy. In 316 B.C., Seleucus was driven from Babylonia, which he had held since 321, by his rival Antigonus (see on ch. 7:6). Thereupon Seleucus placed himself under the command of Ptolemy, whom he assisted in defeating Demetrius, son of Antigonus, at Gaza in 312 B.C. Shortly after this, Seleucus succeeded in regaining his territories in Mesopotamia.

 From this point on through much of the chapter, the prophecy focuses on the two kingdoms emerging from Alexander’s empire with which God’s people, the Jews, had most to do. These were Syria, ruled by the Seleucids, and Egypt, ruled by the Ptolemies. From the geographical standpoint of Palestine, the former was north, and the latter, south. The original Greek translation, in fact, has “king of Egypt” for “king of the south”; also v. 8 points to Egypt as king of the south. A similar designation can be demonstrated from historical sources. One of the best known south Arabian inscriptions (Glaser No. 1155) refers to a war between Persia and Egypt and calls the respective kings the Lord of the North and the Lord of the South.

At the point in history referred to in this verse, the king of Egypt was Ptolemy I Soter (also called son of Lagus, 305-283 B.C.), one of Alexander’s best generals, who established the most enduring of all the Hellenistic monarchies.