The letter describes the death of Antiochus while attacking a temple dedicated to the goddess Nanaya in Persia and how God saved Jerusalem by expelling "those who drew themselves up to war". [84][85] The reference to a disease of the entrails may be a reference to King Jehoram of Judah, another evil tyrant struck by divine disease, although it may also be a roundabout reference to the martyrs in Chapter 7that forcing Jews to eat pork would corrupt their entrails, so it is fair for Antiochus's own entrails to be corrupted. The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha - Jewish Virtual Library 1 Maccabees discusses the role of Gorgias more for this battle. 1 Maccabees calls the foes Judas fought early "sinners", "lawless", and "impious", suggesting he was fighting hostile Jews considered insufficiently traditionalist to the Maccabees. With the treaty in tatters, Nicanor moves out of Jerusalem toward Samaria to attack Judas's troops. [160], The chapter is something of an echo of Chapter 8, which too featured Judas fighting Nicanor immediately after an account of martyrdom; the lead-up to the battle and the battle itself are described similarly in both chapters, and Nicanor is once again called "thrice-accursed". Lysias launches an expedition in Judea on behalf of the young King Antiochus V Eupator, backed by a gigantic force of 110,000 infantry, 5,300 cavalry, 22 war elephants, and 300 scythed chariots. Several documents are then provided of negotiations conducted by the Jews in this period after Lysias's defeat. After five days, some Jewish youths distract the defenders with a direct assault, which allows other soldiers to climb the walls, set fire to the towers, and open the gate for a Jewish assault. [36] Simon, from Chapter 3, continues his dispute with Onias III; Onias complains to the king about him. [32][33], Theologically, the author emphasizes that the inviolability and holiness of the Temple stems from the people and their leaders, a theme seen in earlier Jewish writing as well. In the year 151 SE (equivalent to Fall 162 Fall 161 BCE), Alcimus arrives to criticize Judas Maccabeus and to petition to be installed as High Priest. It may have been the author choosing a famous Persian city if he knew Antiochus was in Persia without further details, or a scribal error where "Persis" was misread as a city rather than a region. Demetrius agrees. [81], The basic historicity of what is described is plausible enough: that Antiochus went on a campaign in the east, was involved in the plunder of a temple, became sick, and died. Additionally, Persepolis is hundreds of kilometers away from Elymais, where Antiochus is usually said to have died. Although 1 Maccabees was originally written in Hebrew (some you can tell from the sentence structure) it exists now only in Greek. [16], While some sort of letter from Judas to Egypt existing cannot be ruled out, scholars generally consider large parts of the letter forged or interpolated at a much later date than when Judas was alive. [105] They match the style of what such negotiations would be, including phrases seen by other Hellenistic kings in their correspondences. He is clearly someone possessed of a strong education in both Greek literature and Judaism. Historical Books of the Old Testament: 1&2 Maccabees Judas prays to God and invokes the dramatic past defeat of Sennacherib again. [85], Jonathan Goldstein argues that the epitomist adjusted the account to attempt to support the Book of Daniel's prophecy where he could. He dispatches Geron the Athenian to enforce this. They also seek to enslave Jews, sell them, and use the funds to pay off the debt owed to the Romans (presumably a reference to the tribute required by the Treaty of Apamea). Topical Bible: Maccabees For the king granted every request in behalf of the Jews which Maccabeus delivered to Lysias in writing. 1 Maccabees. The Maccabee army resolves to attack first, seeing the enemy prepared with war elephants and cavalry on their flanks. Judas leads an expedition to attack them and defeats them, killing over 20,000 Idumeans. He hurriedly moves to make peace with the Jews so that he can return and address the problem, and gives the temple its proper honor. Written in Hellenistic Greek and told from a Jewish-Hellenistic perspective, 2 Maccabees narrates and interprets the ups and downs of events that took place in Jerusalem prior to and during the Maccabean revolt: institutionalized Hellenization and the foundation of Jerusalem as a polis; the . The Jews sing hymns of gratitude to God for granting them the victory. These became controversial during the Protestant Reformation, and was one of the factors that led to Protestant denominations considering the book as non-canonical. As part of mainland Greece, it would have had legitimacy and prestige in the eyes of the ethnically Greek aristocrats of the Seleucid Empire, so sending an Athenian to oversee religious reforms is plausible. For the epitomist, it was because of theological impropriety and idols; for the author of 1 Maccabees, it was that they were not led by Hasmoneans. Helidorus, near death, is carried off in a litter; his entourage begs Onias III for help. A brief passage in 2 Maccabees provides a meaningful explanation for why the festival lasts eight days per se: While Alcimus clearly did become a Seleucid collaborator, it would make more sense for the government to have picked a Jew in good standing for the role; conversely, Maccabee-friendly sources would have wanted to discredit Alcimus to make his decision to serve the government as the choice of someone already untrustworthy and corrupt. In 2 Maccabees, the martyrs' deaths are related in a relatively straightforward fashion, . [51], "Geron the Athenian" is only mentioned in the book of 2 Maccabees, and the phrasing is somewhat unclear; it could also be read as "the elderly Athenaeus". .. this man [Heliodorus] who had just entered the aforesaid treasury with a great retinue and all his bodyguard but was now unable to help himself. and referring to a letter written in 143 b.c. 1 Maccabees, Daniel, the Testament of Moses, Josephus, Tacitus, Diodorus), and 2 Maccabees is considered a valuable source of details. Some interpreters of 2 Maccabees believe that the author holds that even defensive warfare on the Sabbath is forbidden; others believe that the references to enemies attempting to attack on the Sabbath (including Nicanor here and Apollonius in 5:25-27) were merely showing how villainous they were in violating a holy day in an attempt to gain an advantage. Lysias receives word that Philip, a political rival back in the capital Antioch, has disavowed Lysias's authority and revolted. While this does cause Jason's downfalla just reward to the authorit also leads to mass misery as Jews are robbed, enslaved, and killed in the resulting sack of the city. 2 Maccabees 10:1-8: Who Wrote It and Where Does It Belong? - Academia.edu Alcimus is appointed High Priest, while Nicanor is given the governorship of Judea. Maccabees, Books Of, 1-2 - Bible Study Tools Various other sources agree a persecution happened (e.g. [55], The chapter sets up a contrast between Alcimus, who "defiled himself" during times of strife, and Razis, who remained "steadfast" during the earlier period and is now willing to gruesomely martyr himself rather than submit. "[6] The year 188 of the Seleucid era (SE) is equivalent to 124123 BCE. [7][a], Another date of interest is found in verse 7, that "In the reign of Demetrius, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year, we Jews wrote to you," suggesting that the letter is referencing an earlier letter. As the epitomist clearly thinks of Menelaus as an evil villain, the most likely reason to include a passage of even Menelaus pleading for the Jews would presumably be out of respect for accuracy. Similar to Chapter 3, it directly calls out the potential support from righteous Gentiles in its story of how Andronicus was considered a murderer even by the Seleucids, and how the inhabitants of Tyre fund a proper funeral for the Jews who accused Menelaus. The narrative does not make clear whether it is describing the same expedition as in Chapter 11 that also went to Beth-zur, which is curious, as the book features good cross-referencing to earlier events in other places. Unlike 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees was written in Koine Greek, [1] probably in Alexandria, [2] Egypt, c. 124 BC. Among precedents in Hebrew scripture, Isaiah 14 mentions that the villainous King of Babylon will be infested by worms, albeit after he is already dead. They consist of two letters to the Jews of Ptolemaic Egypt, followed by the epitomist's preface. It was the name given to the leaders of the national party among the Jews who suffered in the persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes, who succeeded to the Syrian throne B.C. Judas then fights a commander named Timothy (possibly Timothy of Ammon?) The first book portrays the effort by the Jews to regain their cultural and religious independence from Antiochus IV Epiphanes after his desecration of the Jewish temple. [36] Another part considered questionable by some scholars is the story of Menelaus bribing one of the king's courtiers in Tyre rather than the king directly. [114] Another notable difference was the explanation for why some Jewish soldiers died in the fighting in Idumea. Two mysterious handsome and strong youths also appear, wearing splendid raiment, and standing on either side of Helidorus, deliver a barrage of blows and floggings to him. The historian Polybius describes in his Histories how the Roman Senate sought to make the Seleucid government weak and compliant, and Rome encouraging splinter groups with promises fits what is known of Roman foreign policy in the period. "[61] It again emphasizes the view of the epitomist that God controls the world and even the sufferings of Jews are his will, with Antiochus only serving as God's instrument. All Jerusalem prays for deliverance by God. The account is distinct from the book 1 Maccabees, which was written by someone in the Hasmonean kingdom that was formed after the success of the revolt. It is possibly the same expedition that is described in Chapter 13. after 80 BC) is made certain by the fact that the Jews now pay tribute to Rome (2 Macc 8:10,36). As throughout the volume, the casualty counts are considered wildly exaggerated. 1 Maccabees seems to indicate that in the second campaign, the Seleucids did indeed successfully occupy Beth Zur, rather than the account here. By noble Gentiles?) 2 Maccabees is careful to spread the blame at the capital for the selection of Alcimus rather than accuse the king too directly, suggesting the king was misled by bad advice. Jason returns to stir up more trouble. Another occupying army of Mysians, led by a commander named Apollonius, instigates a slaughter of Jews on the Sabbath when they are abstaining from labor (and presumably combat) via trickery. For 2 Maccabees, martyrs are a way of showing God that Jews are still loyal, and are ready to be reconciled with God. [132] The Battle of Beth Zechariah, a Jewish defeat, is not mentioned by the epitomist; he does mention an incident involving killing a war elephant in a raid, possibly a distorted reference to Judas's brother Eleazar attacking an elephant at Beth Zechariah. Not wishing for trouble with the king, Onias III performs a sacrifice for Helidorus's salvation and healing. 2 Maccabees 15:38-39Good News Translation. In general, 2 Maccabees has a more directly religious perspective than 1 Maccabees, frequently directly crediting prayers, miraculous interventions, and divine will for events. The letter indicates that Antiochus died in Persia, but Elymais is where he died according to 1 Maccabees, Josephus, and Appian. [154][153], The threat of dedicating a new temple to Dionysus at the site of the Second Temple has the same issue as in Chapter 5; Dionysus was far more popular in Egypt than Syria, and was potentially a case of an Egyptian writer inventing dialogue that fit Egyptian culture closer than Seleucid culture. The most influential chapters of the book are likely Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 which deal with the martyrdom of the woman with seven sons and Eleazar the scribe during the persecution of Judaism under King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Etymology The name Maccabee [4] is often used as a synonym for the entire Hasmonean dynasty, but the Maccabees proper were Judas Maccabeus and his four brothers. Eleazar said that he would not want to provide a poor example to the youth by appearing to comply with the decrees; this chapter is an immediate "answer" to this statement, showing the youth remaining firm in their Judaism despite the threat of awful torture. [84] De mortibus persecutorum is a famous Christian example of the genre from the 4th century. The Book of Daniel seems to allude to the incident in Daniel 11:20. The first, third, and fourth documents are dated to 148 SE, equivalent to Fall 165 BCEFall 164 BCE. Records of Seleucid worship of Dionysus are rare and minor. Some earlier scholars such as Benedikt Niese interpreted it as one long letter, although this position finds little support since the work of Elias Bickerman in the 1930s in favor of seeing the text as two letters. [148] The chapter is also vague on how exactly Alcimus "defiled himself" earlier. He then proceeded to celebrate for eight days. The ninth chapter discusses the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, gleefully detailing his defeats, illness, and suffering as a form of divine punishment. The other Maccabees, 5 Maccabees, is also known as the Arabic 2 Maccabees, and was written much later. The section where Antiochus writes a deathbed epistle granting rights to the Jews is considered very unlikely to be historical, as it is exactly what Jews of the era would most want to fabricatea document declaring that their rights and privileges were protected by royal decree. Verses 37-39 are a brief epilogue from the epitomist concluding the history, expressing his hope that the reader enjoyed the work, and apologizing if the reader did not. [88], Antiochus's death fulfills the prediction made by the youngest brother of the martyrs in 7:35-37, that Antiochus would suffer just punishment for his arrogance, and that trials and plagues would make him confess the power of the Jewish God.[89]. In the capital of Antioch, Lysias and Antiochus V are overthrown by Demetrius I. Timothy himself encamps at the city Karnion with a gigantic army of 120,000 infantry and 2,500 cavalry; however, God's power makes them flee and stumble into each other, wounding themselves with their own swords. The author also writes as a diaspora Jew living under Greek rule in Ptolemaic Egypt. The narrative goes into some detail about the martyr Eleazar, described as a prominent scribe of advanced age and white hair. 39 We know it is unhealthy to drink wine or water alone, whereas wine mixed with water makes a delightfully tasty drink. Demetrius would presumably have concentrated most of his forces to oppose Timarchus during this time period, and the narrative itself already recounts that Nicanor was reduced to conscripting local Jews, suggesting that there were not even close to 35,000 Seleucid soldiers at the battle, let alone casualties. .. all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book. [142], The account of Hegemonides being appointed new governor of Coele-Syria has some backing archaeological evidence of such a person indeed being active at the time. 17: Given its exactness of dates, places and documents and its enthusiasm for the Jewish cause, 1 Maccabees must have been written by a Palestinian Jew who witnessed the events he describes; the author of 2 Maccabees was more likely an Alexandrian Jew and a Pharisee, given what he has to say about resurrection. The letter suggests that perhaps the Jews of Judea had also reached out to the Jews of Egypt for support against Tryphon.[11]. There are a few differences, however. Judas takes up a sin offering for the fallen from his men of around 2,000 silver drachmas, which is donated in Jerusalem. [181], One passage's phrasing can also be surprising to modern readers: the hope that the "story delights the ears of those who read the work". However, the narrative directly blames Antiochus IV for evil acts later, so it is difficult to know for sure. [54] Similarly, while the cult of Dionysus was popular in Ptolemaic Egypt and among its rulers, the Seleucids considered Zeus their patron divinity. This implies that Alcimus had been appointed high priest after Menelaus's execution, perhaps on some sort of temporary basis, by Lysias and Eupator. Books of the Maccabees - Wikipedia He flings himself off the tower he is in, lands amidst the mob of soldiers, runs on top of a large rock while bleeding out, and takes his own innards out of his wound to throw at Nicanor's soldiers to ensure his death. This reciprocity is emphasized by the differing treatment Judas gives to the cities of Caspin and Ephron (which are destroyed) against the city of Scythopolis and the Arabs (which are allowed to continue on in peace). Yet he shall come to his end, with no one to help him. Perhaps the best-known explanation is that the word "Maccabee" comprises the initial letters of a verse the Jewish people sang after Gd split the sea: "Mi kamocha ba'eilim Hashem ( ), "Who is like You among the mighty, O Gd ." It is said that this phrase was the Maccabean battle cry, written upon their banners and shields. This is before Timothy has been introduced into the narrative; it seems to have been placed here because of the similar division of spoils and weapons as to the story of Emmaus, or because the author saw Timothy's fate as similar to Nicanor and a useful way to emphasize the point. [127], The introduction to the chapter suggests that Antiochus V Eupator would personally be leading the expedition and that "each" of Lysias and Eupator had a Greek force. The story of Nehemiah pouring the mysterious liquid into the rocks is possibly related to 10:3 which states that after purifying the Temple, Judas "ignited rocks and extracted fire from them". to Beth-zur, perhaps Rhodocus was passing information on supply routes into Beth-zur to the Seleucids. It is still considered an important source on the Maccabean Revolt by Jews, Protestants, and secular historians of the period who do not necessarily hold the book as part of a scriptural canon. A variant reading of the text is that the author meant that Timothy himself died, and Timothy was also a phylarch. He captured strategic positions and put to flight not a few of the enemy. [137] The number of war elephants has shrunk to a more reasonable amount, with 22 compared to the 32 in 1 Maccabees 6 or the 80 mentioned in Chapter 11 and Josephus. 4 Maccabees [note 1] also called the Fourth Book of Maccabees and possibly originally known as On the Sovereignty of Reason [note 2] is a book written in Koine Greek, likely in the 2nd century. This contrasts with the more absolutist stance of the author of 1 Maccabees, who considers the only honorable peace one with Jewish autonomy and preferably independence.[28]. It is unclear if this is the same person as Ptolemy Macron (mentioned in 10:12-13), Ptolemy son of Dorymenes (mentioned in 1 Maccabees 3:38), both (if those are different names for the same person), or neither. 2 Maccabees - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The versions of the story of Nicanor and Judas in 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees vary over the motives involved in a way that is consistent with the stance the authors respectively held. [149], The installation of Alcimus and Nicanor's governorship are also covered in 1 Maccabees Chapter 7, although there are differences. It is unique in suggesting the holiday may have been called Mordecai's Day in the Hasmonean period; this appellation is not found in other surviving literature. [44][45][46] The detail that Antiochus personally entered the Jewish temple is corroborated in the non-Jewish history of Diodorus Siculus, suggesting that his profaning of the Temple was notable even to pagan audiences. The passage is somewhat unclear, with a literal reading being of "igniting rocks", but seems to hint at sparks flying from stones to re-light the fire to add the expected miraculous element. [126], Just as in Chapter 11, an implausibly large Seleucid army is reported, with the 80,000 there growing to 110,000 infantry here (or even 220,000 if "each" is interpreted as there being two such armies!). While the Maccabees eventually win thanks to Judas's prayer and intervention, some of their soldiers die in the fight. Horrific punishments are imposed on those who refuse. [20], In later Jewish theology, Abraham Geiger, the founder of Reform Judaism, believed that verse 2:17 ("It is God who has saved all his people, and has returned the inheritance to all, and the kingship and the priesthood and the consecration") indicated the author had a belief in a universal priesthood shared by all Jews, and that the author of the letter had an anti-Sadducee bent.[22]. The letter then continues an extended analogy going backward in time tying Judas's Temple to figures in the Jewish past. The priests pray to God to protect the Temple in response. While asleep, he saw the deceased High Priest Onias III and the prophet Jeremiah. After hearing a rumor that Antiochus IV had perished in his second expedition to Egypt (part of the Sixth Syrian War), he attempts to overthrow Menelaus and retake his position as High Priest. Chapter 4 is where the main history begins. It depicts the turbulent temple politics of 175168 BCE that saw the succession of Onias III, Jason, and Menelaus as High Priest. Chapter 11 describes an expedition to Judea led by the regent Lysias, the guardian of young king Antiochus V. Lysias leads an army of 80,000 men, all of his cavalry, and 80 war elephants to restore Seleucid control of Jerusalem. Surprisingly, the two become friends, and the situation calms in Jerusalem. [38] Another aspect seen as an exaggeration is the author depicting the street mob of protesters as armed with trash, yet defeating 3,000 armed men. [14] This would establish a direct link between the altar of Nehemiah and Judas's temple. The details may be a callback to Jeremiah 15:9, which mentions the death of a woman who bore seven children.[59]. Nicanor goes to the Temple and demands that the priests there arrange for Judas to be handed over, lest he level the Temple and replace it with one to Dionysus. When They Were Written. The story continues with how the prophet Jeremiah (6th7th century BCE) hid both the liquid and various other Temple appurtenances for Nehemiah to find later. The overall account is rather abrupt without much setup, possibly due to the epitomist omitting text as part of the abridgment; it does not explain if Nicanor had a more specific reason than distaste for the Jews to order the arrest Razis, if Razis knew of Judas's location, why 500 men were necessary, or how Razis ended up in a fortified tower. Chapter 10 opens with the purification of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus after he takes control of Jerusalem. The claim of 9,000 soldiers being defeated is presumed to be an exaggeration, a technique that the author repeatedly uses throughout the military history portion of the story, which routinely feature much larger enemy casualty counts than 1 Maccabees. He discusses his effort in making an abridgment, or epitome, of Jason of Cyrene's five-volume history and compares himself to a decorator who adds beauty to an existing structure. The Jews resolve to celebrate 13 Adar as Nicanor's Day. Camping near Modein, Judas leads a "picked force" on a daring early morning raid, attacking and killing 2,000 men of the Seleucid force, as well as an elephant and rider, before retreating. [146] Razis is described as an "elder"; this presumably means that he was a member of the gerousia or governing council, not that he was particularly old. He next moves to Scythopolis, but the Jews there testify that they are well-treated by the inhabitants. would have been an impressive feat, even if the claim of precisely 20 enemies killed by each soldier seems more numerological than historical. With God's aid, Judas will defeat all in his path no matter the odds. The second letter, from 1:10b to 2:18, is purportedly a letter from the gerusia (Council of Elders) of Jerusalem and Judas Maccabeus upon receiving news of the death of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes but before the celebration of the first feast of the Dedication of the Temple (Hanukkah), and thus an earlier letter than the first one. However, Josephus seems to indicate Onias III was still active in Egypt at a later date in his The Jewish War; and Diodorus Siculus gives a different reason for Andronicus's execution: that he had murdered a young son of Seleucus IV. [163], In Judas's dream he relates to his troops, Jeremiah is said to pray for all the people. [59], Similar to the epitomist's comment in Chapter 6 that God is showing mercy to Jews by punishing them briefly and sharply for straying, the youngest son says as much directly: that "if our living Lord is angry for a little while, to rebuke and discipline us, he will again be reconciled with his own servants. But the story begs the question: why eight days? Perhaps the best-known story recorded in 2 Maccabees recounts the tale of a mother who witnessed the martyrdom of her seven sons before Antiochus IV Epiphanes, following their refusal to violate their ancestral tradition. Judas next sets out for lands controlled by the Tobiad Jews in Ammon. 2 Maccabees - Early Jewish Writings [1] It focuses on Judas Maccabeus, and it also describes prayers for the dead and offerings. It was probably written before the persecution of the Jews under Caligula, and certainly before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. [126], The story of Menelaus's execution is possibly influenced by the Book of Esther, where Haman prepares a gallows 50 cubits high, the same height as the tower of ashes. It suggests that 2 Maccabees was unlikely to have been written after 63 BCE, when the Hasmonean kingdom was reduced to client state status to the Roman Republic. Jews mainly to encourage the remembrance of the purification of the Temple by observing Hanukkah (or Feast of Dedication). While this perhaps suggests that it is more likely Olympiodorus was who visited Jerusalem's temple rather than Heliodorus personally, the basic memory of an attempt to interfere with the temple that was rebuffed is probably accurate, even if the more miraculous elements such as the heavenly horseman and handsome men are legendary. As Eupator was only nine years old, it is generally considered that this passage was somehow garbled, whether via a scribal error, miswriting, or the epitomist exaggerating for impact. 3 Maccabees - Early Jewish Writings