The Second Book of Maccabees

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- Chapter 1 -

Letters of the Jews of Jerusalem to them that were in Egypt. They give thanks for their delivery from Antiochus: and exhort their brethren to keep the feast of the dedication of the altar, and of the miraculous fire.

To the brothers, the Jews, who are throughout Egypt: the brothers, the Jews, who are in Jerusalem and in the region of Judea, send greetings and good peace.

May God be gracious to you, and may he remember his covenant, which was spoken to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants.

And may he give all of you the heart to worship him, and to do his will, with a great heart and a willing soul.

May he throw open your heart with his law and with his precepts, and may he create peace.

May he heed your prayers and be reconciled to you, and may he not forsake you in the evil time.(a)

And now, in this place, we are praying for you.

When Demetrius reigned, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year, we Jews wrote to you during the tribulation and assaults which overcame us in those years, from the time that Jason withdrew from the holy land and from the kingdom.

They burnt the gate, and they shed innocent blood. And we prayed to the Lord and were heard, and we brought forth sacrifices and fine wheat flour, and we kindled the lamps and set forth the loaves.

And now, celebrate the days of shelters in the month of Kislev.(b)

(c)

In the one hundred and eighty-eighth year, from the people who are at Jerusalem and in Judea, and from the Senate and Judas: to Aristobulus, the magistrate of king Ptolemy, who is of the ancestry of anointed priests, and to those Jews who are in Egypt: greetings and good health.(d)

Having been freed by God from great peril, we give thanks to him greatly, in as much as we have been struggling against so great a king.(e)

For he caused those who fought against us and against the holy city to burst forth from Persia.

For when the commander himself was in Persia, and with him an immense army, he fell in the temple of Nanea, having been deceived by the counsel of the priests of Nanea.(f)

For Antiochus also came to the place with his friends, as if to live with her, and so that he would receive much money in the name of a dowry.

And when the priests of Nanea had made the proposal, and he had entered with a few men into the vestibule of the shrine, they closed the temple,

after Antiochus had entered. And throwing open a hidden entrance to the temple, they cast stones, and they struck the leader and those who were with him. And, having severed their limbs and cut off their heads, they threw them outside.

Blessed be God through all things, who has delivered up the impious.

Therefore, establishing the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, we considered it necessary to signify this to you, so that you, likewise, may keep the day of shelters, and the day of the fire that was given when Nehemiah offered sacrifice, after the temple and the altar had been built.

For when our fathers were led into Persia, the priests, who at that time were worshippers of God, secretly took the fire from the altar, and they kept it hidden in a valley, where there was a deep and dry pit, and they kept it safe in that place, in such a way that the place would be unknown to all.(g)

But when many years had passed, and it pleased God that Nehemiah should be sent by the king of Persia, he sent some of the posterity of those priests who had hidden it to seek the fire. And, just as they told us, they did not find fire, but only deep water.(h)

Then he ordered them to draw it up and to carry it to him. And the priest, Nehemiah, ordered the sacrifices, which had been set out, to be sprinkled with the same water, both the wood and those things that were placed on it.

And when this was done, and the time came when the sun shined brightly, which before was in a cloud, there was kindled a great fire, so much so that all were filled with wonder.

But all the priests were reciting prayer, while the sacrifice was being consumed, with Jonathan beginning and the rest answering.

And the prayer of Nehemiah was held in this way: “O Lord God, Creator of all, terrible and strong, just and merciful, you alone are the good King.

You alone are excellent, you alone are just, and all-powerful, and eternal, who frees Israel from all evil, who created the chosen fathers and sanctified them.

Receive the sacrifice on behalf of all of your people Israel, and preserve and sanctify your portion.

Gather together our dispersion, free those who are in servitude to the Gentiles, and respect those who are despised and abhorred, so that the Gentiles may know that you are our God.

Afflict those who, in their arrogance, are oppressing us and treating us abusively.

Establish your people in your holy place, just as Moses said.”

And so the priests sang hymns until the sacrifice had been consumed.

But when the sacrifice had been consumed, Nehemiah ordered the remainder of the water to be poured upon the great stones.

When this had been done, a flame was kindled from them, but it was consumed by the light that shined brightly from the altar.

In truth, when this thing became known, it was reported to the king of Persia that in the place where the fire had been hidden by those priests who had been led away, water appeared, by which Nehemiah, and those who were with him, purified the sacrifices.

But the king, considering and examining the matter diligently, made a temple for it, so that he might study what had happened.(i)

And when he had studied it, he gave the priests many goods and presents, of one kind or another, and using his own hands, he distributed these.

And Nehemiah called this place Nephthar, which is interpreted as Purification. But with many it is called Nephi.

Footnotes

(a)1:5 Or, more loosely, ‘in the time of disaster.’(Conte)

(b)1:9 The word ‘scenopegiæ’ means ‘tents,’ or ‘booths,’ or ‘shelters.’ The Days of Tents cannot refer directly to the Feast of Tabernacles, since that feast is celebrated in the month of Tishri, a few days after Yom Kippur. It must refer to later celebration which involved a similar practice of persons staying in small shelters, rather than in their homes, in order to recall those past times when the Israelites experience difficulties.(Conte)

(c)1:9 Scenopegia:Viz., the Encenia, or feast of the dedication of the altar, called here Scenopegia, or feast of tabernacles, from being celebrated with the like solemnity.(Challoner)

(d)1:10 The word ‘christorum’ means ‘anointed.’ In some Old Testament passages, this word also has a meaning that refers to Jesus the Christ.(Conte)

(e)1:11 Such a king:Viz., Antiochus Sidetes, who began to make war upon the Jews, whilst Simon was yet alive. 1 Mac. 15:39. And afterwards besieged Jerusalem under John Hircanus. So that the Judas here mentioned, ver. 10, is not Judas Machabeus, who was dead long before the year 188 of the kingdom of the Greeks, for he died in the year 146 of that epoch, (see above 1 Mac. chap. 2., ver. 70, also the note on chap. 1, ver. 2,) but either Judas the eldest son of John Hircanus, or Judas the Essene, renowned for the gift of prophecy, who flourished about that time.(Challoner)

(f)1:13 Nanea:A Persian goddess, which some have taken for Diana, others for Venus.(Challoner)

(g)1:19 Persia:Babylonia, called here Persia, from being afterwards a part of the Persian empire.(Challoner)

(h)1:20 The word ‘nepotes’ could also be translated as ‘grandchildren’ or ‘grandsons.’(Conte)

(i)1:34 A temple:That is, an enclosure, or a wall round about the place where the fire was hid, to separate it from profane uses, to the end that it might be respected as a holy place.(Challoner)

Letters of the Jews of Jerusalem to them that were in Egypt. They give thanks for their delivery from Antiochus: and exhort their brethren to keep the feast of the dedication of the altar, and of the miraculous fire.

The kindred, the Jews who are in Jerusalem and those who are in the country of Judea, send greetings and good peace to the kindred, the Jews who are throughout Egypt.

May God do good to you, and remember his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants,

and give you all a heart to worship him and do his will with a strong heart and a willing soul.

May God open your heart to his law and his statutes, and make peace,

and listen to your requests, and be reconciled with you, and not forsake you in an evil time.

Now we are praying for you here.

In the reign of Demetrius, in the one hundred sixty-ninth year, we the Jews have already written to you in the suffering and in the distress that has come upon us in these years, from the time that Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom,

and set the gate on fire, and shed innocent blood. We prayed to the Lord, and were heard. We offered sacrifices and meal offerings. We lit the lamps. We set out the show bread.(a)

Now see that you keep the days of the feast of tabernacles in the month Chislev in the one hundred eighty-eighth year.

The people of Jerusalem and those who are in Judea, with the senate and Judas, to Aristobulus, King Ptolemy’s teacher, who is also of the stock of the anointed priests, and to the Jews who are in Egypt, we send greetings and health.

Having been saved by God out of great perils, as men arrayed against a king, we thank him greatly.

For he threw out into Persia those who fought against us in the holy city.

For when the prince had come there, with an army that seemed irresistible, they were cut to pieces in the temple of Nanaea by the treachery of Nanaea’s priests.

For Antiochus, on the pretense that he would marry her, came into the place, he and his friends who were with him, that they might take a large part of the treasures as a dowry.

And when the priests of Nanaea’s temple had set the treasures out, and he had come there with a small company within the wall of the sacred precinct, they locked the temple when Antiochus had come in.

Opening the secret door of the panelled ceiling, they threw stones and struck down the prince. They cut him and his company in pieces, and cut off their heads, and threw them to the people who were outside.

Blessed be our God in all things, who handed over those who had committed impiety.

Since we are now about to celebrate the purification of the temple in the month Chislev, on the twenty-fifth day, we thought it necessary to notify you, so that you may also keep a feast of tabernacles, and remember the fire which was given when Nehemiah offered sacrifices, after he had built both the temple and the altar.

For indeed when our fathers were about to be led into the land of Persia, the godly priests of that time took some of the fire of the altar, and hid it secretly in the hollow of a well that was without water, where they made sure that the place was unknown to anyone.

Now after many years, when it pleased God, Nehemiah, having received a charge from the king of Persia, sent in quest of the fire the descendants of the priests who hid it. When they declared to us that they had found no fire, but thick liquid,

he commanded them to draw some of it out and bring it to him. When the sacrifices had been offered, Nehemiah commanded the priests to sprinkle with that liquid both the wood and the things laid on it.

When that was done and some time had passed, and the sun shone out, which before was hidden with clouds, a great blaze was kindled, so that all men marveled.

The priests made a prayer while the sacrifice was being consumed—both the priests and all the others. Jonathan led and the rest responded, as Nehemiah did.

The prayer was like this: “O Lord, Lord God, the Creator of all things, who are awesome, strong, righteous, and merciful, who alone are King and gracious,

who alone supply every need, who alone are righteous, almighty, and eternal, you who save Israel out of all evil, who chose the ancestors and sanctified them,

accept the sacrifice for all your people Israel, and preserve your own portion, and consecrate it.

Gather together our scattered people, set at liberty those who are in bondage among the heathen, look upon those who are despised and abhorred, and let the heathen know that you are our God.

Punish those who oppress us and in arrogance shamefully entreat us.

Plant your people in your holy place, even as Moses said.”

Then the priests sang the hymns.

As soon as the sacrifice was consumed, then Nehemiah commanded that the rest of the liquid be poured on large stones.

When this was done, a flame was kindled; but when the light from the altar shone back, it went out.

When the matter became known, and it was told the king of the Persians that, in the place where the priests who were led away had hid the fire, the liquid appeared which Nehemiah and those who were with him purified the sacrifice,

then the king enclosed the place and made it sacred after he had investigated the matter.

When the king would show favor to any, he would exchange many presents and give them some of this liquid.

Nehemiah and those who were with him called this thing “Nephthar”, which is by interpretation, “Cleansing”; but most men call it Nephthai.

Footnotes

(a)1:8 Gr. loaves