King James Version · Under the Greeks
1 Maccabees 2
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1In those days arose the , the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from , and dwelt in . 2And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis: 3; called Thassi: 4, who was called Maccabeus: 5, called Avaran: and , whose surname was Apphus. 6And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in and , 7He said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the city, and to there, when it was into the hand of , and into the hand of strangers? 8Her temple is become as a man without . 9Her vessels are into , her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with of . 10What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils? 11All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave. 12And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our , is laid waste, and the have profaned it. 13To what end therefore shall we live any longer? 14Then and his sons rent their clothes, and put on , and mourned very sore. 15In the mean while the king’s officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city , to make them . 16And when many of Israel came unto them, also and his sons came together. 17Then answered the king’s officers, and said to on this , Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren: 18Now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king’s , like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of also, and such as at : so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the king’s friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards. 19Then answered and spake with a loud voice, Though all the nations that are under the king’s him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his : 20Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in of our fathers. 21 forbid that we should forsake and the ordinances. 22We will not to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on , or the left. 23Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the in the sight of all to on the which was at , according to the king’s . 24Which thing when saw, he was inflamed with , and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his according to : wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the . 25Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to , he killed at that time, and the he pulled down. 26Thus dealt he zealously for of like as did unto Zambri the son of Salom. 27And cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is of , and maintaineth , let him follow me. 28So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city. 29Then many that sought after justice and went down into , to there: 30Both they, and their children, and their wives; and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them. 31Now when it was told the king’s servants, and the host that was at , in , that certain men, who had broken the king’s , were gone down into the secret places in , 32They pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the . 33And they said unto them, Let that which ye have done hitherto suffice; come forth, and do according to the of the king, and ye shall live. 34But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king’s , to profane the . 35So then they gave them the battle with all speed. 36Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid; 37But said, Let us all in our innocency: and earth will testify for us, that ye put us to wrongfully. 38So they rose up against them in battle on the , and they slew them, with their wives and children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand people. 39Now when and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore. 40And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth. 41At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the , we will fight against him; neither will we all, as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places. 42Then came there unto him a company of who were of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto . 43Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them. 44So they joined their forces, and smote men in their , and men in their : but the rest fled to the heathen for succour. 45Then and his friends went round about, and pulled down the : 46And what children soever they found within the coast of Israel , those they valiantly. 47They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand. 48So they recovered out of the hand of the , and out of the hand of kings, neither suffered they the to triumph. 49Now when the time drew near that should , he said unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of , and the of : 50Now therefore, my sons, be ye for , and give your lives for of your fathers. 51Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great and an name. 52Was not found in , and it was imputed unto him for ? 53Joseph in the time of his distress kept the and was made of . 54 in being and fervent obtained of an priesthood. 55 for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel. 56Caleb for bearing before received the heritage of the land. 57 for being merciful of an kingdom. 58 for being and fervent for was taken up into . 59, , and , by believing were out of the flame. 60Daniel for his innocency was from the of lions. 61And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their in him shall be overcome. 62Fear not then the words of a man: for his shall be dung and worms. 63To day he shall be lifted up and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his , and his thought is come to nothing. 64Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men in the behalf of ; for by it shall ye obtain . 65And behold, I know that your brother is a man of , give ear unto him alway: he shall be a unto you. 66As for , he hath been mighty and strong, even from his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle of the people. 67Take also unto you all those that observe , and ye the wrong of your people. 68 fully the heathen, and take heed to of . 69So he them, and was gathered to his fathers. 70And he in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers at , and all Israel made great for him.
The 1611 translation, public domain. Its original printing included the Apocrypha, which is why the deuterocanonical books can be read here. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under the Greeks, 332 BC to 63 BC ›
Alexander's conquest and the kingdoms of his successors. Greek language and custom press in everywhere, and the crisis under Antiochus IV provokes the Maccabean revolt.
- The successors
- Alexander dies at thirty-two and his generals carve up the empire. Judea sits on the border between the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Syria, and is fought over by both for a century and a half, which is the ordinary condition of the corridor.
- Hellenism
- Not just conquest but a culture: the gymnasium, the theatre, Greek names, Greek dress, Greek as the language of anyone with ambitions. Some Jews embraced it, some resisted it, and the argument between them is the real subject of the Maccabean books. In Alexandria the Hebrew scriptures are translated into Greek, producing the Septuagint, which is the Bible most New Testament writers quote.
- The crisis
- Antiochus IV bans the practice of Judaism, plunders the temple, and sets up a pagan altar in it in 167 BC. The revolt under the Maccabees wins, the temple is rededicated in 164 BC, which is the origin of Hanukkah, and Judea has about eighty years of independence under the Hasmoneans before Rome arrives.
- Further afield
- Rome fights Carthage three times and ends up master of the Mediterranean. Euclid writes the Elements and Archimedes does his work at Syracuse. In China the Qin unify the country in 221 BC and the Han follow, opening what becomes the Silk Road.