Since this is the beginning of a new section in Good News Translation, the translators decided to remind the reader who the speaker is, by adding “The angel went on to explain:….” This renews the information originally given in 10.11 and repeated (by Good News Translation) at verse 2 of this chapter. This will be a helpful model for many other languages.

In his place shall arise: this expression is exactly the same as the beginning of verse 20. It again speaks of the successor to the throne of Syria.

A contemptible person: literally “a despised one.” The word “person” does not appear in the original. Some models may be “a wretch” (New Jerusalem Bible), “a vile creature” (Knox), “despicable creature” (Moffatt and Revised English Bible).

To whom royal majesty has not been given: literally “to whom they (indefinite) did not give royal honor.” The passive form of Revised Standard Version will have to be avoided by some translators. This idea is simply that the person in question had no legitimate claim to the throne. Translators may say “people did not show him the honor due to a king.”

Come in: the verb used here may be better translated “invade” or “attack” in certain languages.

Without warning: this has been understood by some as meaning “in time of peace” (Bible en français courant), but the meaning “when least expected” conveyed by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation is to be preferred. Compare 8.25.

Obtain the kingdom by flatteries: the word translated flatteries comes from a root meaning “to be smooth.” Revised English Bible renders it “smooth dissimulation.” In this context it clearly refers to “trickery” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “intrigue” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and New English Bible). New American Bible has “stealth and fraud.” Many languages have idiomatic ways of expressing the sense of this term: “smooth talk,” “sweet talk,” “greasing people up,” “pulling people’s thinking,” and so on.

Seleucus IV had a son named Demetrius who should have succeeded him, but Antiochus IV, the brother of Seleucus IV, seized the royal power when his brother was assassinated. Later Antiochus IV took the name of Epiphanes.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .