And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Even in the face of extreme persecution, those with understanding will still boldly teach and bring light to many, demonstrating that true wisdom is worth suffering and even dying for. The text highlights that the suffering isn't just a consequence, but a testament to their faithfulness, as they endure sword, flame, and captivity for their convictions.
And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage describes a period of intense persecution where those who understand and follow God's ways will teach many others. Despite their efforts to lead people to faithfulness, both the teachers and the taught will suffer greatly from violence, capture, and loss of property for a significant duration. This struggle sets the stage for further prophecies about faithfulness amidst trials.
In seasons of intense pressure and deception, who are the ones who can still bring clarity? This verse highlights a specific group called 'the wise' who don't just hold knowledge, but actively share it.
This verse calls them 'they that understand.' This isn't just about intellectual smarts; it's about a deep, God-given wisdom and discernment.
The Role of the Wise
The path of faithfulness isn't always smooth. This verse starkly portrays the reality of persecution for those who stand with God.
The prophecy doesn't promise an easy road for the faithful teachers or those they instruct. Instead, it foretells significant hardship:
The Cost of Discipleship
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Understand the original words
sakal · Hebrew Adjective
Individuals characterized by divine insight, discernment, and godly wisdom, often those who instruct others in the fear of the Lord.
This verse points to the intense persecution faced by faithful Jews during the Maccabean revolt, highlighting the courage of those who understood God's law and taught others, even as they faced brutal suffering and death for their convictions.
167 BC
Antiochus Epiphanes Defiles Jerusalem Temple
King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, seeking to Hellenize the Jewish people, desecrates the Second Temple in Jerusalem, setting up an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs.
167-164 BC
Maccabean Revolt Begins
Mattathias, a Jewish priest, sparks a rebellion against Antiochus's oppressive decrees, refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods and killing a fellow Jew who complied.
c. 166 BC— this verse
Early Maccabean Resistance and Martyrdoms
Followers of Mattathias, including wise teachers and their disciples, begin to resist Antiochus's decrees. Many suffer martyrdom by sword, flame, captivity, and plunder for refusing to abandon their faith.
165 BC
Rededication of the Temple
Judas Maccabeus, Mattathias's son, successfully recaptures the Temple and rededicates it to God, a pivotal moment in the revolt.
c. 160 BC
Deaths of Judas and Jonathan Maccabeus
The revolt continues with varying success. Judas Maccabeus dies in battle, and later, his brother Jonathan is betrayed and killed.
142 BC
Jewish Independence Achieved
Simon Maccabeus secures full independence for Judea from the Seleucid Empire, establishing a new Hasmonean dynasty.
This passage echoes Daniel's prophecy by describing individuals who endured severe persecution, including torture, imprisonment, and death, for their faith, highlighting the reality of suffering for faithfulness.
This account shows a group, led by Mattathias, who refused to compromise their faith under persecution, instructing many to stand firm, yet ultimately suffering death and destruction for refusing to fight on the Sabbath.
This passage details the brutal persecution under Antiochus, where many Jews were forced to violate their traditions, and those who refused faced horrific torture and death, including being burned alive for observing the Sabbath.
This prophetic passage describes a suffering servant who is 'despised and rejected by mankind,' mirroring the fate of the faithful who instruct others but face hardship and mistreatment rather than immediate triumph.
John 16:33Jesus tells his disciples they will face trouble in the world but encourages them to 'take heart; I have overcome the world,' offering a parallel message of enduring hardship while assuring ultimate victory through faith.
ellicottDaniel 11:33: "And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days."
(33) They that understand.— This is the name by which those are called who were spoken of in the last verse as “knowing their God.” (Comp. Daniel 12:10 ; Psalm 111:10 .) Shall instruct many.—That is, their example shall give instruction to “the many” who yield to the flatteries mentioned in the last verse. They show them whither th…
jfbDaniel 11:33: "And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days."
- they that understand—who know and keep the truth of God (Isa 11:2).instruct many—in their duty to God and the law, not to apostatize.yet they shall fall—as Eleazar (2 Maccabees 6:18, &c.). They shall be sorely persecuted, even to death (Heb 11:35, 36, 37; 2 Maccabees 6, 7). Their enemies took advantage of the Sabbath to slay th…
Even in the face of extreme persecution, those with understanding will still boldly teach and bring light to many, demonstrating that true wisdom is worth suffering and even dying for. The text highlights that the suffering isn't just a consequence, but a testament to their faithfulness, as they endure sword, flame, and captivity for their convictions.
This passage describes a period of intense persecution where those who understand and follow God's ways will teach many others. Despite their efforts to lead people to faithfulness, both the teachers and the taught will suffer greatly from violence, capture, and loss of property for a significant duration. This struggle sets the stage for further prophecies about faithfulness amidst trials.
This passage describes a period of intense persecution where those who understand and follow God's ways will teach many others. Despite their efforts to lead people to faithfulness, both the teachers and the taught will suffer greatly from violence, capture, and loss of property for a significant duration. This struggle sets the stage for further prophecies about faithfulness amidst trials.
"And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder." — Even in the face of extreme persecution, those with understanding will still boldly teach and bring light to many, demonstrating that true wisdom is worth suffering and even dying for. The text highl…
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Last reviewed October 2026