He: it will be better in many languages to translate the pronoun as “The king” or “The king himself,” making the subject of the verb clear.
Seduce: this verb may be translated literally “make hypocrites of” (see New Jerusalem Bible footnote). The idea is one of winning them over to the evil side. Some other renderings are “pervert” (Moffatt), “corrupt” (An American Translation), “make … apostatize” (New American Bible).
With flattery: literally “with smoothness (or slipperiness).” Compare verse 21.
Those who violate the covenant: this expression represents a Hebrew participle used to describe people who act with treachery, and the noun for covenant or agreement. It has to do with those who do not honor their own word and do not respect agreements. In this case it refers to Jewish people who no longer honored the agreement of their people with God.
The people who know their God: this is in contrast with the previously mentioned group, who have abandoned their relationship with God. The verb know emphasizes not merely an intellectual knowledge of a subject, but an intimate personal and positive relationship. In some languages translators may wish to say “those who are close to their God,” “those who remain loyal to their God” (New American Bible), or “the people devoted to their God” (New Jerusalem Bible).
Stand firm and take action: the first verb speaks of someone maintaining a position, while the second focuses on active resistance. The action is taken by New English Bible and Good News Translation to mean “fighting back.” New International Version translates the two verbs together: “will firmly resist him.”
Antiochus IV knew how to use promises and threats at the same time. He mercilessly persecuted those who remained faithful to the religion of their ancestors, and he promised rewards to those who would renounce it.
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 .