King James Version · Under the Greeks
2 Maccabees 15
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1But , hearing that and his company were in the strong places about , resolved without any danger to set upon them on the . 2Nevertheless the that were compelled to go with him said, O destroy not so cruelly and barbarously, but give to that day, which he, that seeth all things, hath honoured with above all other days. 3Then the most ungracious wretch demanded, if there were a Mighty one in , that had commanded the to be kept. 4And when they said, There is in a living , and mighty, who commanded the seventh day to be kept: 5Then said the other, And I also am mighty upon earth, and I command to take arms, and to do the king’s business. Yet he obtained not to have his will done. 6So in exceeding pride and haughtiness determined to set up a publick monument of his victory over and them that were with him. 7But Maccabeus had ever sure confidence that would help him: 8Wherefore he exhorted his people not to fear the coming of the heathen against them, but to remember the help which in former times they had received from , and now to expect the victory and aid, which should come unto them from . 9And so comforting them out of and , and withal putting them in of the battles that they won afore, he made them more cheerful. 10And when he had stirred up their , he gave them their charge, shewing them therewithal the falsehood of the heathen, and the breach of . 11Thus he armed every one of them, not so much with defence of shields and spears, as with comfortable and good words: and beside that, he told them a worthy to be , as if it had been so indeed, which did not a little rejoice them. 12And this was his : That , who had been , a virtuous and a good man, reverend in conversation, gentle in condition, well spoken also, and exercised from a child in all points of virtue, holding up his hands for the whole body of the . 13This done, in like manner there appeared a man with gray hairs, and exceeding , who was of a wonderful and excellent majesty. 14Then answered, saying, This is a lover of the brethren, who prayeth much for the people, and for the city, to wit, the of . 15Whereupon holding forth his gave to a of gold, and in giving it spake thus, 16Take this , a gift from , with the which thou shalt wound the . 17Thus being well comforted by the words of , which were very good, and able to stir them up to valour, and to encourage the of the young men, they determined not to pitch camp, but courageously to set upon them, and manfully to try the matter by conflict, because the city and and were in danger. 18For the care that they took for their wives, and their children, their brethren, and folks, was in least account with them: but the greatest and principal fear was for the temple. 19Also they that were in the city took not the least care, being troubled for the conflict abroad. 20And now, when as all looked what should be the , and the were already come near, and the army was set in array, and the conveniently placed, and the horsemen set in , 21Maccabeus seeing the coming of , and the divers preparations of armour, and the fierceness of the , stretched out his hands toward , and called upon that worketh wonders, knowing that victory cometh not by arms, but even as it seemeth good to him, he giveth it to such as are worthy: 22Therefore in his he said after this manner; O , thou didst send thine in the time of Ezekias king of , and didst in the host of an hundred fourscore and five thousand: 23Wherefore now also, O of , send a good before us for a fear and dread unto them; 24And through the might of thine arm let those be stricken with terror, that come against thy people to blaspheme. And he ended thus. 25Then and they that were with him came forward with and songs. 26But and his company encountered the with invocation and . 27So that fighting with their hands, and praying unto with their , they slew no less than thirty and five thousand men: for through the appearance of they were greatly cheered. 28Now when the battle was done, returning again with joy, they knew that lay in his harness. 29Then they made a great shout and a noise, praising in their own language. 30And , who was ever the chief defender of the citizens both in body and , and who continued his love toward his countrymen all his life, commanded to strike off ’s head, and his hand with his shoulder, and bring them to . 31So when he was there, and called them of his nation together, and set the priests before the , he sent for them that were of the tower, 32And shewed them vile ’s head, and the hand of that blasphemer, which with proud brags he had stretched out against the temple of . 33And when he had cut out of that ungodly , he commanded that they should give it by pieces unto the fowls, and hang up the reward of his madness before . 34So every man praised toward the the , saying, be he that hath kept his own place undefiled. 35He hanged also ’s head upon the tower, an evident and manifest sign unto all of the help of . 36And they ordained all with a common in no case to let that day pass without solemnity, but to celebrate the thirtieth day of the twelfth month, which in the is called , the day before ’ day. 37Thus went it with : and from that time forth the had the city in their . And here will I make an end. 38And if I have done well, and as is fitting the story, it is that which I : but if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto. 39For as it is hurtful to drink or water alone; and as mingled with water is pleasant, and delighteth the taste: even so speech finely framed delighteth the ears of them that read the story. And here shall be an end. The END of the APOCRYPHA.
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.