The Second Book of Maccabees

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- Chapter 14 -

Demetrius challenges the kingdom. Alcimus applies to him to be made high priest: Nicanor is sent into Judea: his dealings with Judas: his threats. The history of Razias.

But after a time of three years, Judas and those who were with him realized that Demetrius of Seleucus had gone up to strategic places with a very strong multitude and a navy at the port of Tripoli,

and had taken hold of the regions opposite Antiochus, and his commander, Lysias.

Now a certain Alcimus, who had been high priest, but who had willfully defiled himself in the time of the co-mingling, considering there to be no means for his safety, nor access to the altar,(a)

(b)

(c)

went to king Demetrius in the one hundred and fiftieth year, offering to him a crown of gold, and a palm, and beyond these, some branches that seemed to belong to the temple. And, indeed, on that day, he was silent.

But, having met with an opportune time for his madness, he was called to a counsel by Demetrius and asked what things the Jews relied upon and what were their counsels.(d)

He responded: “Those among the Jews who are called Hasideans, of whom Judas Maccabeus is foremost, nourish wars, and raise seditions, and will not permit the kingdom to be at peace.

For I also, being cheated out of the glory of my ancestors (but I speak of the high priesthood), have come here,

first, indeed, in faithful service to the king’s interests, but also as an advisor of the citizens. For our entire nation is no less afflicted by their depravity.

But I beg you, O king, knowing each of these things, look after both the region and our people, according to your humanity, which is publicly known to all.

For, as long as Judas survives, it is impossible for the matter to be at peace.”(e)

Then, having spoken such things before them, the rest of the allies, who held themselves to be enemies against Judas, further inflamed Demetrius.

And immediately he sent Nicanor, the commander over the elephants, into the first position against Judea,

giving him orders to be certain to capture Judas himself, and, truly, to scatter all those who were with him, and to appoint Alcimus as the high priest of the great temple.

Then the Gentiles, who had fled from Judas away from Judea, mingled themselves in flocks with Nicanor, thinking that the miseries and calamities of the Jews would become the cause of their prosperity.

And so, when the Jews heard of Nicanor’s arrival and that the nations were assembled, they, sprinkling dirt on their heads, petitioned him who established his people to preserve them in eternity, and who likewise protected his portion by clear signs.

Then, at the command of their leader, they moved promptly from there, and together assembled at the town of Dessau.

In truth, Simon, the brother of Judas, had joined battle with Nicanor, but he became frightened at the unexpected arrival of the adversaries.

Even so, Nicanor, hearing of the virtue of the companions of Judas, and the great courage with which they struggled on behalf of their country, was afraid to accomplish judgment by the sword.

For this reason, he sent ahead Posidonius, and Theodotus, and Matthias, so as to give and receive the pledge of right hands.

And when a council was held all day about this, and the commander had brought it before the multitude, they were all of one opinion to consent to an alliance.

And so, they appointed a day, on which they would act among themselves secretly, and seats were brought out and placed for each of them.(f)

But Judas instructed armed men to be in strategic places, lest some kind of malice might unexpectedly spring up from the enemies. And they had an agreeable conference.

Then Nicanor stayed in Jerusalem, and he did no iniquity; he sent away the flocks of the crowds, which had been gathered together.

And Judas always held him dear to the heart, and was favorably inclined toward the man.

And he asked him to consider a wife, and to procreate sons. He got married; he lived quietly, and they all lived in common.

But Alcimus seeing the love that they had for one another, and the agreements, went to Demetrius, and he told him that Nicanor had assented to foreign interests, and that he had chosen Judas, a traitor to the kingdom, as his successor.

And so the king, being exasperated and provoked by this very wicked accusation, wrote to Nicanor, saying that he was certainly overburdened by the agreement of alliance, and he ordered him nevertheless to send Maccabeus quickly to Antioch in chains.

When this was known, Nicanor was in consternation, and he took it grievously that he would make void the things that were agreed, having received no injury from the man.

But, because he was not able to oppose the king, he watched for an opportunity to follow through with the orders.

But Maccabeus, seeing that Nicanor acted more formally with him, and that, when they met together as usual, he exhibited insolence, understood this austerity not to be from goodness. So, gathering together a few men, he hid himself from Nicanor.

But when he realized that he was effectively prevented by the man, he went to the greatest and holiest temple, and he ordered the priests, offering the usual sacrifices, to deliver the man to him.

When these spoke oaths to him that they did not know where he who was being sought was, he extended his hand toward the temple,

and he swore, saying: “Unless you deliver Judas to me in chains, I will reduce this shrine of God to the ground, and I will dig up the altar, and I will consecrate this temple to Liber the father.”(g)

And having said this, he departed. But the priests, extending their hands toward heaven, called upon him who had always fought for his people, saying this:

“O Lord of the universe, who needs nothing, you willed that the temple of your dwelling should be with us.

And now, O Lord, Holy of all holies, preserve unpolluted, until eternity, this house, which was recently made clean.”

Then Razias, a certain one of the elders from Jerusalem, was brought before Nicanor; the man was of good reputation, and was one who loved the city. For his affection, he was called the father of the Jews.

This one, for a long time, held on to his purpose of continuing in Judaism, and he was content to hand over body and life, so that he might persevere in it.

Then Nicanor, being willing to manifest the hatred that he held for the Jews, sent five hundred soldiers to apprehend him.

For he thought, if he mistreated him, it would bring great disaster upon the Jews.

Now, as the group sought to rush into his house, and to break open the door, and wanting even to bring in fire, as he was about to be apprehended, he struck himself with the sword:(h)

choosing to prefer to die nobly rather than to become subject to sinners, or to suffer unworthy injustices against his birth.(i)

But, since he had, in haste, not obtained the certitude of a decisive wound, and the crowd was breaking in the doors, he, running boldly to the wall, manfully threw himself down upon the crowd.

But they quickly provided a place for his fall, so he landed at the middle of the neck.(j)

And, since he was still breathing, and being inflamed in soul, he rose up, and as his blood flowed down in a great stream, being very gravely wounded, he ran through the crowd.

And standing upon a certain steep rock, and being now almost without blood, grasping his intestines with both hands, he threw himself over the crowd, calling upon the Ruler of life as well as spirit, to restore these to him again. And so he passed away from this life.

Footnotes

(a)14:3 The time of the co-mingling was when the Gentiles tried to force the Jews to adhere to their pagan sacrifices and to renounce the Jewish Faith.(Conte)

(b)14:3 Now Alcimus, who had been chief priest:This Alcimus was of the stock of Aaron, but for his apostasy here mentioned was incapable of the high priesthood, but king Antiochus Eupator appointed him in place of the high priest, (see above, 1 Mac. chap. 7., ver. 9,) as Menelaus had been before him, set up by Antiochus (above chap. 4.), yet neither of them were truly high priests; for the true high priesthood was amongst the Maccabees, who were also of the stock of Aaron, and had strictly held their religion, and were ordained according to the rites commanded in the law of Moses.(Challoner)

(d)14:5 So, about halfway through the Antichrist’s reign, an evil leader among the apostate and severely heretical Christians will similarly advise the Antichrist about the faithful Christians who resist him.(Conte)

(e)14:10 Literally, ‘superest’ means ‘is above,’ in other words, as long as Judas ‘is above ground’ (i.e. alive).(Conte)

(f)14:21 They decided to make an alliance, but they were secretly planning to break the alliance on an appointed day.(Conte)

(g)14:33 Calling the Temple of Jerusalem a ‘fanum’ was somewhat derogatory, as it is the term used more often for pagan shrines than for the holy Temple of Jerusalem.(Conte)

(h)14:41 He struck himself, etc:St. Augustine, (Epist. 61, ad Dulcitium, et lib. 2, cap. 23, ad Epist. 2, Gaud.) discussing this fact of Razias, says, that the holy scripture relates it, but doth not praise it, as to be admired or imitated, and that either it was not well done by him, or at least not proper in this time of grace.(Challoner)

(i)14:42 Scripture is infallible. This event actually happened. This man’s action in taking his own life was immoral. But Scripture is not approving of his deed, but merely explaining why he acted in this way. Often, even along with an action that is a mortal sin, there is some good to be found. Also, notice how, by Providence, his death is not an easy or happy death, because Divine Providence does not approve of suicide.(Conte)

(j)14:44 He came upon the midst of the neck:Venit per mediam cervicem. In the Greek it is keneona, which signifies a void place, where there is no building.(Challoner)

Demetrius challenges the kingdom. Alcimus applies to him to be made high priest: Nicanor is sent into Judea: his dealings with Judas: his threats. The history of Razias.

Three years later, news was brought to Judas and his company that Demetrius the son of Seleucus, having sailed into the harbor of Tripolis with a mighty army and a fleet,

had taken possession of the country, having made away with Antiochus and his guardian Lysias.

But one Alcimus, who had formerly been high priest, and had willfully polluted himself in the times when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, considering that there was no deliverance for him in any way, nor any more access to the holy altar,

came to King Demetrius in about the one hundred fifty-first year, presenting to him a crown of gold and a palm, and beside these some of the festal olive boughs of the temple. For that day, he held his peace;

but having gotten opportunity to further his own madness, being called by Demetrius into a meeting of his council, and asked how the Jews stood affected and what they intended, he answered:

“Those of the Jews called (a)Hasidaeans, whose leader is Judas Maccabaeus, keep up war and are seditious, not allowing the kingdom to find tranquillity.

Therefore, having laid aside my ancestral glory—I mean the high priesthood—I have now come (b)here,

first for the genuine care I have for the things that concern the king, and secondly because I have regard also to my own fellow citizens. For through the unadvised dealing of those of whom I spoke before, our whole race is in no small misfortune.

O king, having informed yourself of these things, take thought both for our country and for our race, which is surrounded by enemies, according to the gracious kindness with which you receive all.

For as long as Judas remains alive, it is impossible for the government to find peace.

When he had spoken such words as these, at once (c)the rest of the king’s (d)friends, having ill will against Judas, inflamed Demetrius yet more.

He immediately appointed Nicanor, who had been master of the elephants, and made him governor of Judea. He sent him out,

giving him written instructions to kill Judas himself and to scatter those who were with him, and to set up Alcimus as high priest of the (e)great temple.

Those in Judea who (f)had driven Judas into exile thronged to Nicanor in flocks, supposing that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would be successes to themselves.

But when the Jews heard of Nicanor’s advance and the assault of the heathen, they sprinkled dirt on their heads and made solemn prayers to him who had established his own people for evermore, and who always, making manifest his presence, upholds those who are his own heritage.

(g)When the leader had given orders, he immediately set out from there and joined battle with them at a village called Lessau.

But Simon, the brother of Judas, had encountered Nicanor, yet not till late, having been delayed by reason of the sudden consternation caused by his adversaries.

Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the valor of those who were with Judas, and their courage in fighting for their country, shrank from bringing the matter to the decision of the sword.

Therefore he sent Posidonius, Theodotus, and Mattathias to give and receive pledges of friendship.

So when these proposals had been long considered, and the leader had made the (h)troops acquainted with them, and it appeared that they were all of like mind, they consented to the covenants.

They appointed a day on which to meet together by themselves. A chariot came forward from each army. They set up seats of honor.

Judas stationed armed men ready in convenient places, lest perhaps there should suddenly be treachery on the part of the enemy. They held a conference as was appropriate.

Nicanor waited in Jerusalem, and did nothing to cause disturbance, but dismissed the flocks of people that had gathered together.

He kept Judas always in his presence. He had gained a hearty affection for the man.

He urged him to marry and have children. He married, settled quietly, and took part in common life.

But Alcimus, perceiving the good will that was between them, (i)and having taken possession of the covenants that had been made, came to Demetrius and told him that Nicanor was disloyal to the government, for he had appointed that conspirator against his kingdom, Judas, to be his successor.

The king, falling into a rage, and being exasperated by the false accusations of that most wicked man, wrote to Nicanor, signifying that he was displeased at the covenants, and commanding him to send Maccabaeus prisoner to Antioch in all haste.

When this message came to Nicanor, he was confounded, and was very troubled at the thought of annulling the articles that had been agreed upon, the man having done no wrong;

but because there was no opposing the king, he watched his time to execute this purpose by strategy.

But Maccabaeus, when he perceived that Nicanor was behaving more harshly in his dealings with him, and that he had become ruler in his customary bearing, understanding that this harshness came not of good, gathered together not a few of his men, and concealed himself from Nicanor.

But the other,(j) when he became aware that he had been bravely defeated by the strategy of Judas,(k) came to the great(l) and holy temple, while the priests were offering the usual sacrifices, and commanded them to hand over the man.

When they declared with oaths that they had no knowledge where the man was whom he sought,

he stretched out his right hand toward the sanctuary, and swore this oath: “If you won’t deliver up to me Judas as a prisoner, I will level this (m)temple of God even with the ground, break down the altar, and I will erect here a temple to Dionysus for all to see.

And having said this, he departed. But the priests, stretching forth their hands toward heaven, called upon him who always fights for our nation, in these words:

“You, O Lord of the universe, who in yourself have need of nothing, were well pleased that a sanctuary of your habitation(n) should be set among us.

So now, O holy Lord of all holiness, keep undefiled forever this house that has been recently cleansed.”

Now information was given to Nicanor against one Razis, an elder of Jerusalem, who was a lover of his countrymen and a man of very good report, and one called Father of the Jews for his good will.

For in the former times when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, he had been accused of following the Jews’ religion, and had risked body and life with all earnestness for the religion of the Jews.

Nicanor, wishing to make evident the ill will that he bore against the Jews, sent above five hundred soldiers to seize him;

for he thought by seizing him to inflict an injury on them.

But when the (o)troops were at the point of taking the tower, and were forcing the door of the court, and asked for fire to burn the doors, he, being surrounded on every side, fell upon his sword,

choosing rather to die nobly than to fall into the hands of the wicked wretches, and suffer outrage unworthy of his own nobleness.

But since he missed his stroke through the excitement of the struggle, and the crowds were now rushing within the door, he ran bravely up to the wall and cast himself down bravely among the crowds.

But as they quickly gave back, a space was made, and he fell on the middle of (p)his side.

Still having breath within him, and being inflamed with anger, he rose up, and though his blood gushed out in streams and his wounds were grievous, he ran through the crowds, and standing upon a steep rock,

when as his blood was now well near spent, he drew forth his bowels through the wound, and taking them in both his hands he shook them at the crowds. Calling upon him who is Lord of life and spirit to restore him (q)these again, he died like this.

Footnotes

(a)14:6 That is, Chasidim.

(b)14:7 Some authorities read a second time.

(d)14:11 See 2 Maccabees 8:9 .

(e)14:13 Gr. greatest.

(f)14:14 See 2 Maccabees 5:27 .

(g)14:16 The Greek text of this verse and the next is corrupt.

(h)14:20 Or, peopleGr. multitudes.

(i)14:26 Or, and the covenants that had been made, took occasion and came

(j)14:31 Or, though he was conscious that he had been nobly defeated by

(k)14:31 Gr. the man

(l)14:31 Gr. greatest.

(m)14:33 Or, chapelGr. enclosure.

(n)14:35 Gr. tabernacling.

(o)14:41 Or, peopleGr. multitudes.

(p)14:44 Or, the void place

(q)14:46 Some authorities read the same.