Judas routs the king’s army. Gorgias flies before him. Lysias comes against him with a great army, but is defeated. Judas cleanses the temple, sets up a new altar, and fortifies the sanctuary.
Gorgias with six thousand souldiars wel appointed, intending sudenly to destroy the Israelites armie of three thousand not wel armed, 8. is defeated; halfe of his men slaine, the rest running away. 16. Iudas staying his men from spoyling, til the enemies were out of sight, then they take rich prayes; and render thankes to God. 28. The next yeare, Lysias with three score thousand foote, and six thousand horsemen inuading Iurie, Iudas with tenne thousand (making his prayer to God) killeth fiue thousand: 35. the rest flying, Lysias gathereth more souldiars. 36. Iudas with his bretheren, and others clense the temple, and renew holie thinges. 55. Offer Sacrifice, 58. and institute a feast of the dedication of a new Altar.
1Then Gorgias took five thousand men, and a thousand of the best horsemen; and they removed out of the camp by night.Ma Gorgia prese seco cinque mila fonti e mille cavalli scelti, e si mosse di notte tempo,AND Gorgias tooke fiue thousand chosen horsemen: & they remoued the campe by night,Et assumpsit Gorgias quinque millia virorum, et mille equites electos: et moverunt castra nocte, 2That they might come upon the camp of the Jews and strike them suddenly: and the men that were of the castle were their guides.Per avvicinarsi al campo de' Giudei, e assalirgli all'improvviso: e quelli della fortezza gli facevano da guide.that they might approch to the campe of the Iewes, and might strike them sodenly: and the children that were of the castel, were their guides.ut applicarent ad castra Judæorum, et percuterent eos subito: et filii, qui erant ex arce, erant illis duces. 3And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to attack the king’s forces that were in Emmaus.Ma Giuda v'ebbe vento, e si mosse egli coi più valorosi per assalire il grosso dell'esercito del re, che era in Emmaum.And Iudas heard, and arose, he and the mighties to strike the powre of the kings armie, that were in Emmaum.Et audivit Judas, et surrexit ipse et potentes percutere virtutem exercituum regis, qui erant in Emmaum: 4For as yet the army was dispersed from the campPerocchè quell'esercito era tuttavia sparpagliato fuori degli alloggiamenti.For as yet the armie was dispersed from the campe.adhuc enim dispersus erat exercitus a castris. 5And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man; and he sought them in the mountains: for he said: These men flee from us.E Gorgia giunse di notte agli alloggiamenti di Giuda, e non vi trovò anima, egli andava cercando per la montagna, dicendo. Costoro ci fuggono.And Gorgias came into the campe of Iudas by night, and found no man, and he sought them in the mountaynes: because he sayd: These flee from vs.Et venit Gorgias in castra Judæ noctu, et neminem invenit: et quærebat eos in montibus, quoniam dixit: Fugiunt hi a nobis. 6And when it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men only, who neither had armour nor swords:Ma fattosi giorno comparve Giuda nella pianura con soli tre mila fanti, che non aveano scudo, ne spada:And when the day was come, Iudas appeared in the filde with three thousand men onlie, which had not harnes, and swords as they would:Et cum dies factus esset, apparuit Judas in campo cum tribus millibus virorum tantum, qui tegumenta et gladios non habebant:
7And they saw the camp of the Gentiles that it was strong, and the men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war.E videro il forte campo delle genti, e attorno ad esso il corazzieri e soldati a cavallo ben esercitati nel mestiero dell'armi.and they saw the campe of the Gentils strong, and the men in brigantines, and horsemen round about them, and these were skilful to battel.et viderunt castra gentium valida, et loricatos et equitatus in circuitu eorum, et hi docti ad prælium. 8And Judas said to the men that were with him: Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.E Giuda disse a quelli, che eran con lui: Non abbiate paura del loro numero, e non ne temete l'incontro.And Iudas sayd to the men that were with him: Feare not the multitude of them, & of their assault be not afrayd.Et ait Judas viris, qui secum erant: Ne timueritis multitudinem eorum, et impetum eorum ne formidetis. 9Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a great army.Ricordatevi in qual modo furon salvati i padri nostri al mar rosso, mentre il faraone gl'inseguiva con grande esercito.Remember in what sort our fathers were saued in the redsea, when Pharao with a great armie folowed them.Mementote qualiter salvi facti sunt patres nostri in mari Rubro, cum sequeretur eos Pharao cum exercitu multo. 10And now let us cry to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before our face this day:E ora alziamo le voci al cielo, e il Signore avrà pietà di noi, e si ricorderà dell'alleanza fatta co' padri nostri, e distruggerà oggi dinanzi a noi quest'esercito:And now let vs crie towards heauen: and our Lord wil haue mercie on vs, and wil be mindful of the testament of our fathers, & wil destroy this armie, before our face this day:Et nunc clamemus in cælum: et miserebitur nostri Dominus, et memor erit testamenti patrum nostrorum, et conteret exercitum istum ante faciem nostram hodie: 11And all nations shall know that there is one that redeemeth and delivereth Israel.E le genti tutte conosceranno, come havvi un Salvatore e un liberatore per Israele.and al Nations shal know that there is one that redemeth and deliuereth Israel.et scient omnes gentes quia est qui redimat et liberet Israël. 12And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming against them.Ma gli stranieri alzarono gli occhi, e videro i Giudei, che andavano verso di loro:And the aliens lifted vp their eyes, and saw them coming against them.Et elevaverunt alienigenæ oculos suos, et viderunt eos venientes ex adverso.
13And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were with Judas sounded the trumpet.E usciron fuori del campo per combattere; ma quelli che eran con Giuda diedero fiato alla tromba,And they went out of the campe into battel, and these that were with Iudas, sounded with the trumpet.Et exierunt de castris in prælium, et tuba cecinerunt hi qui erant cum Juda. 14And they joined battle: and the Gentiles were routed, and fled into the plain.E vennero alle mani, e le genti furono messe in rotta e fuggiron per la campagna.And they mette together: and the Gentils were discomfited, and fled into the playne.Et congressi sunt: et contritæ sunt gentes, et fugerunt in campum. 15But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword and they pursued them as far as Gezeron, and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Jamnia: and there fell of them to the number of three thousand men.Ma gli ultimi periron tutti di spada, e (i vincitori) gl'inseguirono fino a Gezeron, e sino alle campagne dell'Idumea e di Azoto e di Jamnia e ne restarono morti sino a tre mila uomini.but al the hi• most fel by the sword, and they pursewed them as far as Gezeron, and euen to the playnes of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Iamnia: and there fel of them euen to three thousand men.Novissimi autem omnes ceciderunt in gladio, et persecuti sunt eos usque Gezeron, et usque in campos Idumææ, et Azoti, et Jamniæ: et ceciderunt ex illis usque ad tria millia virorum. 16And Judas returned again with his army that followed him.E Giuda tornò indietro coll'esercito, che lo seguiva;And Iudas returned, and his armie folowing him.Et reversus est Judas, et exercitus ejus sequens eum. 17And he said to the people: Be not greedy of the spoils; for there is war before us:E disse alla gente: Non vi venga voglia di bottinare, perocché la guerra non è finita,And he sayd to the people: Couet not the spoiles: because there is battel against vs,Dixitque ad populum: Non concupiscatis spolia: quia bellum contra nos est, 18And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards with safety.E Gorgia e il suo esercito sono nella montagna vicino a noi; ora adunque state su contro i nostri nemici, e vinceteli, e poi raccorrete quietamente le spoglie.and Gorgias and his armie are neere vs in the mount: but stand ye now against our enemies, and ouerthrow them, and you shal take the spoiles afterwards secure.et Gorgias et exercitus ejus prope nos in monte: sed state nunc contra inimicos nostros, et expugnate eos, et sumetis postea spolia securi.
19And as Judas was speaking these words, behold part of them appeared, looking forth from the mountain.Mentre queste cose diceva Giuda, eccoli apparire una parte delle schiere, che riguardavan dal monte.And as Iudas was speaking these wordes, loe a certaine part appeared looking forth from the montayne.Et adhuc loquente Juda hæc, ecce apparuit pars quædam prospiciens de monte. 20And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.E Gorgia riconobbe, come i suoi erano stati messi in fuga, ed era stato messo il fuoco agli alloggiamenti; perocché il fumo, che si vedeva, manifestava quello che era avvenuto.And Gorgias saw that his men were turned to flight, & that they burnt the campe: for the smoke that was sene declared what was done.Et vidit Gorgias quod in fugam conversi sunt sui, et succenderunt castra: fumus enim, qui videbatur, declarabat quod factum est. 21And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight.Le quali cose veggendo quelli si intimidirono, mirando insieme anche Giuda coll'esercito nella pianura in ordine per la battaglia.Which thinges seene they feared excedingly, beholding withal both Iudas, & the armie in the playne readie to battel.Quibus illi conspectis timuerunt valde, aspicientes simul et Judam, et exercitum in campo paratum ad prælium. 22So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.E tutti fuggirono alle campagne degli stranieri:And they did al flee into the playne of the aliens:Et fugerunt omnes in campum alienigenarum: 23And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.E Giuda tornò a spogliare il campo, dove messero insieme molto oro e argento e giacinto e porpora di mare e grandi ricchezze.and Iudas returned to the spoiles of the campe, & they tooke much gold, and siluer, and hiacynth, and purple of the sea, and great riches.et Judas reversus est ad spolia castrorum, et acceperunt aurum multum, et argentum, et hyacinthinum, et purpuram marinam, et opes magnas. 24And returning home, they sung a hymn, and blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.E dando volta indietro cantavano un inno benedicendo ad alla voce Iddio, perché egli è buono, perché la misericordia di lui e' eterna.And turning they sung an hymne, and blessed God towards heauen, because he is good, because his mercie is for euer.Et conversi, hymnum canebant, et benedicebant Deum in cælum, quoniam bonus est, quoniam in sæculum misericordia ejus.
25So Israel had a great deliverance that day.E grande fu la vittoria, che salvò Israele in quel giorno.And great saluation was made in Israel in that day.Et facta est salus magna in Israël in die illa. 26And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that had happened.Or tutti quegli stranieri, che ebbero scampo andarono a dare le nuove a Lisia di quel che era accaduto.And whosoeuer escaped of the aliens, they came and told Lysias al thinges that had chanced.Quicumque autem alienigenarum evaserunt, venerunt, et nuntiaverunt Lysiæ universa quæ acciderant. 27And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged: because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king had commanded.Lo che udendo quegli, sbigottito era fuori di se, perché non era stato d'Israele quello che egli bramava, e quello che il re avea comandato.Which when he heard being amased he faynted in mynd: that such thinges chanced not in Israel, as he would, and such as the king commanded.Quibus ille auditis, consternatus animo deficiebat: quod non qualia voluit, talia contigerunt in Israël, et qualia mandavit rex. 28So the year following, Lysias gathered together threescore thousand chosen men, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.E l'anno seguente Lisia raunò sessanta mila uomini scelti, e cinque mila cavalli per debellare i Giudei.And the yeare folowing Lysias gathered of chosen men three score thousand, and of horsemen fiue thousand, to ouerthrow them.Et sequenti anno, congregavit Lysias virorum electorum sexaginta millia, et equitum quinque millia, ut debellaret eos. 29And they came into Judea, and pitched their tents in Bethoron, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.Ed entrarono nella Giudea, e posero il campo vicino a Bethoron e Giuda andò loro incontro con dieci mila uomini.And they came into Iewrie, and pitched the campe in Bethoron, and Iudas mette them with ten thousand men.Et venerunt in Judæam, et castra posuerunt in Bethoron, et occurrit illis Judas cum decem millibus viris. 30And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed and said: Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armour bearer.E videro un forte esercito, e (Giuda) orò, e disse: Benedetto se' tu, o Salvatore d'Israele che abbattesti la forza di un gigante per mano di Davidde tuo servo, e desti il campo degli stranieri in potere di Gionata figliuolo di Saul e del suo scudiere.And they saw the armie strong, and he prayed, and sayd: Blessed art thou ô sauiour of Israel, which brakest the assault of the mightie by the hand of thy seruant Dauid, and didst deliuer the campe of the aliens into the hand of Ionathas Sauls sonne, and of his esquyer.Et viderunt exercitum fortem, et oravit, et dixit: Benedictus es, salvator Israël, qui contrivisti impetum potentis in manu servi tui David, et tradidisti castra alienigenarum in manu Jonathæ filii Saul, et armigeri ejus.
31Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen.Rinserra questo esercito sotto il potere del popol tuo d'Israele, e sia la lor confusione il numero delle loro schiere e la loro cavalleria.shut vp this armie in the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their armie and horsemen.Conclude exercitum istum in manu populi tui Israël, et confundantur in exercitu suo et equitibus. 32Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction.Infondi in loro la paura, e struggi in essi l'ardire e il valore; e colle proprie loro forze si distruggono.Geue them feare, and consume the bouldnes of their strength, and let them be shaken with their contrition,Da illis formidinem, et tabefac audaciam virtutis eorum, et commoveantur contritione sua. 33Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee: and let all that know thy name praise thee with hymns.Atterrali tu sotto la spada di color, che ti amano, e laude e inni cantino a te tutti quelli che conoscono il nome tuo.cast them downe with the sword of them, that loue thee: & let al that know thy name, prayse thee in hymnes.Dejice illos gladio diligentium te: et collaudent te omnes, qui noverunt nomen tuum, in hymnis. 34And they joined battle: and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men.E attaccata la zuffa perirono dell'esercito di Lisia cinque mila uomini.And they ioyned battel: and there fel of the armie of Lysias fiue thousand men.Et commiserunt prælium: et ceciderunt de exercitu Lysiæ quinque millia virorum. 35And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold the Jews were, and that they were ready either to live, or to die manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose soldiers, that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers.Ma Lisia veduta la fuga de' suoi e l'ardir de' Giudei, e come erano disposti a vivere e morire da forti, se n'andò ad Antiochia, e fece leva di soldati scelti per tornar di nuovo nella Giudea con maggiori forze.And Lysias seing the flight of his men, and the boldnes of the Iewes, and that they are readie either to liue or to dye manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose souldiars, that being multiplied they might come agayne into Iewrie.Videns autem Lysias fugam suorum, et Judæorum audaciam, et quod parati sunt aut vivere, aut mori fortiter, abiit Antiochiam, et elegit milites, ut multiplicati rursus venirent in Judæam.
36Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places, and to repair them.Ma Giuda e i suoi fratelli dissero: Or che i nostri nemici sono per terra andiamo a purificare e ristorare il santuario.But Iudas, and his bretheren sayd: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let vs goe vp now to clense the holie places, and to renew them.Dixit autem Judas, et fratres ejus: Ecce contriti sunt inimici nostri: ascendamus nunc mundare sancta, et renovare. 37And all the army assembled together, and they went up into Mount Sion.E raunata tutto l'esercito, salirono al monte di Sion.And al the armie assembled together, and they went vp into mount Sion.Et congregatus est omnis exercitus, et ascenderunt in montem Sion. 38And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down.E videro deserto il luogo santo, profanato l'altare, e bruciate le porte, e nei cortili spuntare i virgulti come in un bosco, o sopra un monte, e rovinati gli appartamenti.And they saw the sanctification desert, and the altar prophaned, and the gates burnt, and in the courts shrubbes growen vp as in a forest, or on the mountaynes, & the chambers throwen downe.Et viderunt sanctificationem desertam, et altare profanatum, et portas exustas, et in atriis virgulta nata sicut in saltu vel in montibus, et pastophoria diruta. 39And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes on their heads:E si stracciarono le vesti, e fecero gran lutto, e si gettaron la cenere sopra la testa.And they rent their garments, and lamented with a great lamentation, and layd ashes vpon their head:Et sciderunt vestimenta sua, et planxerunt planctu magno, et imposuerunt cinerem super caput suum, 40And they fell down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven.E si prostraron boccone per terra, e dieder fiato alle trombe, colle quali davansi i segnali, e alzaron le strida al cielo.and they fel on their face vpon the earth, and cried out with trumpets of significations, and cried towards heauen.et ceciderunt in faciem super terram, et exclamaverunt tubis signorum, et clamaverunt in cælum. 41Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the castle, till they had cleansed the holy places,Allora Giuda messe in ordine un numero di soldati, che combattessero contro quelli che eran nella fortezza, nel tempo che si andava purificando il santuario.Then Iudas ordayned men, to fight against them that were in the castel, til they clensed the holie places.Tunc ordinavit Judas viros ut pugnarent adversus eos qui erant in arce, donec emundarent sancta. 42And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the law of God.Ed elesse de' sacerdoti senza macchia amanti della legge di Dio.And he chose priests without spotte, hauing their wil in the law of God:Et elegit sacerdotes sine macula, voluntatem habentes in lege Dei:
43And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place.E questi purificarono il santuario, e portaron le pietre contaminate in luogo profano.and they clensed the holie places, and tooke away the stones of contamination into an vncleane place.et mundaverunt sancta, et tulerunt lapides contaminationis in locum immundum. 44And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been profaned, what he should do with it.E (Giuda) tenne consulta sopra quel che avesse da farsi dell'altare degli olocausti, che era stato profanato.And he considered of the altar of holocausts, that was prophaned, what he should doe with it.Et cogitavit de altari holocaustorum, quod profanatum erat, quid de eo faceret. 45And a good counsel came into their minds, to pull it down: lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so they threw it down.E presero il partito migliore di distruggerlo, perché non fosse per essi di scorno, avendolo contaminato le genti; e lo demolirono.And good counsel came to their mindes, to destroy it: lest perhaps it might be a reproch to them, because the Gentils contaminated it, and they threw it downe.Et incidit illis consilium bonum ut destruerent illud: ne forte illis esset in opprobrium, quia contaminaverunt illud gentes, et demoliti sunt illud. 46And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple, in a convenient place, till there should come a prophet, and give answer concerning them.E ne riposero le pietre sul monte del tempio in luogo conveniente, per sino a tante che venisse un profeta, e decidesse quel che se v'avesse da fare.And they layd vp the stones in the mount of the house in a place conuenient, til there should come a prophete, and geue answer concerning them.Et reposuerunt lapides in monte domus in loco apto, quoadusque veniret propheta, et responderet de eis. 47Then they took whole stones, according to the law and built a new altar, according to the former:E presero delle pietre intiere secondo la legge, ed eressero un altare nuovo simile a quel di prima:And they tooke whole stones according to the law, and builded a new altar according to that which was before:Et acceperunt lapides integros secundum legem, et ædificaverunt altare novum secundum illud quod fuit prius: 48And they built up the holy places, and the things that were within the temple: and they sanctified the temple and the courts.E riedificarono il Santuario, e quel che era nell'interior della casa, e santificarono la casa e l'atrio.and they built the holie places, and the thinges that were within the temple inward: and the temple, and the courts they sanctified.et ædificaverunt sancta, et quæ intra domum erant intrinsecus: et ædem, et atria sanctificaverunt.
49And they made new holy vessels, and brought in the candlestick, and the altar of incense, and the table, into the temple.E fecer nuovi i vasi santi, e portarono nel tempio il candelabro e l'altare degli incensi e la mensa.And they made the holie vessels new, and brought in the candlestike, and the altar of incenses, and the table into the temple.Et fecerunt vasa sancta nova, et intulerunt candelabrum, et altare incensorum, et mensam, in templum. 50And they put incense upon the altar, and lighted up the lamps that were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple.E gettaron l'incenso sopra l'altare, e accesero le lucerne, che erano attorno al candelabro, le quali rischiaravano il tempio.And they put incense vpon the altar, and lighted the lampes, that were vpon the candlesticke, and they gaue light in the temple.Et incensum posuerunt super altare, et accenderunt lucernas quæ super candelabrum erant, et lucebant in templo. 51And they set the loaves upon the table, and hung up the veils, and finished all the works that they had begun to make.E posero i pani sopra la mensa, e attaccarono i veli, e ridussero a perfezione tutta l'opera incominciata.And they set loaues vpon the table, and hung vp the veles, and finished al the workes, that they had made.Et posuerunt super mensam panes, et appenderunt vela, et consummaverunt omnia opera quæ fecerant. 52And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, (which is the month of Casleu) in the hundred and forty-eighth year.E prima del far del giorno si alzarono ai venticinque del nono mese (vale a dire del mese Casleu) dell'anno cento quarant'otto:And before the morning they arose the fiue and twentith day of the ninth moneth (this is the moneth of Casleu) of the hundreth and eight and fourtith yeare:Et ante matutinum surrexerunt quinta et vigesima die mensis noni (hic est mensis Casleu) centesimi quadragesimi octavi anni: 53And they offered sacrifice, according to the law, upon the new altar of holocausts which they had made.E offersero il sacrifizio secondo la legge sopra l'altare degli olocausti fatto da essi di nuovo.and they offered sacrifice according to the law vpon the new altar of holocausts, which they made.et obtulerunt sacrificium secundum legem super altare holocaustorum novum, quod fecerunt. 54According to the time, and according to the day wherein the heathens had defiled it, in the same was it dedicated anew with canticles, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals.Egli fu dedicato di bel nuovo al suono dei cantici e delle cetere e delle lire e dei cimbali nel tempo stesso, e nello stesso giorno, in cui era stato profanato dalle nazioni.According to the time and according to the day, wherin the heathen contaminated it, in the same was it renewed in canticles, and harps, and lutes, and in cymbals.Secundum tempus et secundum diem in qua contaminaverunt illud gentes, in ipsa renovatum est in canticis, et citharis, et cinyris, et in cymbalis.
55And all the people fell upon their faces, and adored, and blessed up to heaven, him that had prospered them.E tutto il popolo si prostrò boccone per terra, e adorarono, e benedissero sino al cielo colui, che avea dato loro quella felicità.And al the people fel on their face, and they adored toward heauen, and blessed him that prospered them.Et cecidit omnis populus in faciem, et adoraverunt, et benedixerunt in cælum eum, qui prosperavit eis. 56And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise.E celebraron la dedicazione dell'altare per otto giorni, e offerirono olocausti con gaudio, e il sacrifizio di rendimento di grazie e di lode.And they made the dedication of the altar eight dayes, and they offered holocausts with ioy, and sacrifice of saluation, and of prayse.Et fecerunt dedicationem altaris diebus octo, et obtulerunt holocausta cum lætitia, et sacrificium salutaris et laudis. 57And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold, and escutcheons, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doors upon them.E adornarono la facciata del tempio di corone d'oro e di scudi, e dedicarono le porte e gli appartamenti, e ci messero le porte.And they adorned the face of the temple with golden crownes, & litle shieldes: and they dedicated the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doores vpon them.Et ornaverunt faciem templi coronis aureis et scutulis, et dedicaverunt portas et pastophoria, et imposuerunt eis januas. 58And there was exceeding great joy among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.E stragrande fu l'allegrezza del popolo, e scossero da se l'obbrobrio delle nazioni.And there was made exceding great ioy in the people, and the reproch of the Gentils was turned away.Et facta est lætitia in populo magna valde, et aversum est opprobrium gentium. 59And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, with joy and gladness.E Giuda e i suoi fratelli e tutta la Chiesa d'Israele ordinò, che si celebrasse il giorno della consacrazione dell'altare nel tempo fisso, di anno in anno per otto giorni (che principiano dal di venticinque del mese di Casleu) con festa e gaudio.And Iudas decreed, and his bretheren, and al the church of Israel, that the day of the dedication of the altar be kept in the times therof from yeare to yeare for eight dayes, from the fiue and twentith day of the moneth Casleu, with ioy and gladnes.Et statuit Judas, et fratres ejus, et universa ecclesia Israël, ut agatur dies dedicationis altaris in temporibus suis ab anno in annum per dies octo a quinta et vigesima die mensis Casleu, cum lætitia et gaudio.
60They built up also at that time Mount Sion, with high walls, and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should at any time come, and tread it down, as they did before.In quel tempo ancora fortificarono il monte di sion, e fecer all'intorno muraglia alte, e forti torri, affinché non venissero le genti a conculcarlo, come avean fatto prima.And they builded at that time mount Sion, & round about high walles, and strong towres, lest sometime the Gentils should come, & conculcate it as they did before.Et ædificaverunt in tempore illo montem Sion, et per circuitum muros altos et turres firmas, nequando venirent gentes, et conculcarent eum sicut antea fecerunt. 61And he placed a garrison there, to keep it, and he fortified it, to secure Bethsura, that the people might have a defence against Idumea.E vi pose un corpo di soldati di guardia, e le fortificò per sicurezza di Bethsura, affinché il popolo avesse questo luogo forte in faccia all'Idumea.And he placed an armie there, to keepe it, and he fensed it to keepe Bethsura, that the people might haue a munition against the face of Idumea.Et collocavit illic exercitum, ut servarent eum, et munivit eum ad custodiendum Bethsuram, ut haberet populus munitionem contra faciem Idumææ.
4:1
Year of the World 3839, Year before Christ 165.
4:2
Calmet
Guides. Several were apostates. Judas was at or near Maspha. (Calmet)
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Worthington
Rose up. The vigilance of rulers and pastors preserves from the devil's stratagems. (Worthington)
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Camp, foraging, as they despised the forces of Judas, and supposed he was in the camp, or engaged with Gorgias.
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Three. We find seven thousand elsewhere. He was at the head of three thousand, and set his three brothers over fifteen hundred each.
Who. Some copies read, "because." He could arm no more completely.
Calmet
Swords. This is added in Greek and in some Latin copies. Having already gained two victories, they must have had some swords, with which they slew the fugitives, ver. 15. (Calmet)
Calmet
They were ill armed, through poverty (Josephus) chiefly, (Haydock) using slings, Zacharias 9:15. (Calmet)
Worthington
Confidence in God procureth his assistance, ver. 8. (Worthington)
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Trumpet. There were many priests in the army.
4:15
Gezeron, or Gazera, near Emmaus.
Haydock
Idumea. Alexandrian manuscript reads "Judea," which seems more probable. The enemy fled on all sides, some among the Philistines; (Calmet) others to the southern parts of Juda, occupied by Edom. (Haydock)
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Sea. This sort of purple was most esteemed. The art of dying it is now lost. The merchants' goods fell into the hands of the Jews. The pursuit was interrupted by the sabbath. At various times Bacchides and Timothy lost above 20,000; Phylarchus and Callisthenes perished; and Nicanor saved himself by flight. The booty was laid up in places of security, 2 Machabees 8:25, 30.
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Haydock
For ever. This was the chorus of Psalm cxxxv., which was sung; (Calmet) or the [Psalm] cxvii. might be used on this occasion. (Haydock)
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Worthington
Commanded. See what followed, 2 Machabees 8:8., to the end. (Worthington)
4:28
Year of the World 3839.
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Destruction. Let them perish, or fall upon each other.
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Year of the World 3840.
Calmet
Burnt by Callisthenes, whom the Jews burnt in a house, 2 Machabees viii. (Calmet)
Haydock
Chambers; (pastophoria. Septuagint) places for beds, veils, etc. (Haydock)
Calmet
St. Jerome commonly prefers "the treasury," with Aquila, or "beds," as Symmachus translates. Chambers for the officers of the temple were common both among pagans and Christians. (Rufin, Hist. 2:23.; Com. Apost.[Apostolic Constitutions?] 2:57; Clement [of Alexandria,] paed. 3:2.) (Calmet)
Worthington
As it was the chief design of Judas to defend religion, so he presently purifies the temple. (Worthington)
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Haydock
Fight, or to be ready, if the garrison should offer to molest them (Calmet) from the higher part of Sion, while they were performing what religion required of them. (Haydock)
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Calmet
Blemish. Legal uncleanness or immorality. (Calmet)
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Defiled. Altars, temples, and statues of false gods made of stone, and set up in the temple, (chap. 1:50.; Worthington) and before the houses, (2 Machabees 10:1.) were now demolished and thrown into the vale of Cedron, 2 Paralipomenon 29:16.
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Stones; rough, and covered with brass: (Exodus 20:25.) though this latter circumstances is not certain with respect to the altar built by the captives.
Prophet. None was recognized after Malachias, as God prepared his people to pay more attention to the Messias.
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Up, or repaired the temple chambers, etc.
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Calmet
Veils, at the entrance of the holy of holies. (Calmet)
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Year of the World 3840.
Worthington
Year. The temple was purified a little more than two years after it had been profaned. (The year [of the kingdom of the Greeks?] 145.) (Worthington)
The sacrifices had been interrupted just three years. The Second Book [of Machabees] 10:3. specifies two years; whence some infer, that the temple was twice dedicated. But these two years most probably refer to the administration of Judas. (St. Thomas Aquinas or some other com.[commentator]; Usher, the year of the world 3840.; Tirinus; Calmet; Salien; Menochius)
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Calmet
Escutcheons, or bucklers of gold, taken from the soldiers of Antiochus, 1 Machabees 6:39. Such ornaments were placed in temples, to testify the gratitude of the people. They wished to restore as much as possible what had been taken away, 1 Machabees 1:23. On this occasion the Jews carried branches in memory of what they had suffered in desert places for three years. Hence they style it the feast of tabernacles of Casleu, 2 Machabees 1:9., and 10:6. (Calmet)
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Worthington
Decreed. Our Saviour observed this [Hanukkah] festival, which was appointed so long after Moses, John 10:22. (Worthington)
Josephus
It was styled Encoenia, and kept in winter, while Solomon's temple was dedicated in Tisri, and Zorobabel's in Adar. The Jews light lamps, (Calmet) to testify their joy. (Josephus, Antiquities 12:11.)
Selden
The Rabbins add, that a small bottle of oil had been preserved by the high priest, which multiplied so as to supply the lamps during the whole octave. Hence they still have lights at their windows on this festival. (Selden, Syn. 3:13.)
4:61
Vatable
Bethsura, which might receive reinforcements from Sion; or rather, (Calmet) Greek, they "fortified Bethsura to keep it, (Sion) that," etc. (Grotius) (Vatable)
Calmet
Idumea. The people of that country had seized many cities of Juda. (Calmet)
Worthington
Read 2 Machabees 10:1. (Worthington)
4:4
The army was dispersed.... That is, in different divisions, not altogether encamped.
4:6
Who neither had armour nor swords.... Such as they wished for.
4:1
The third battle made by Iudas vvas against this Gorgias an other captaine of Antiochus Epiphanes.
4:3
Vigilancie in rulers and pastors preserueth from al the diuels stratagems.
4:8
Confidence in God procureth his assistance.
4:24
Concordance Psa. 106.
4:27
li. 2. c. 8. v. 8.
O
4:28
The fourth great battle of Iudas vvas agaynst Lysias sent by Antiochus into Iurie.
4:30
Concordance 1. Reg. 17. 1. Reg. 14.
4:36
As it vvas the first and chiefe intention of Iudas to defend religion & holie things so hauing expugned their enimies, his chief care is to purge the temple, and to restore al holie rites of Gods true seruice.
4:43
Altars, temples, & statues of false goddes made of stone, and set vp in the temple. ch. 1. v. 50. vvere novv destroyed.
4:52
The temple vvas purged tvvo yeares & some thing more after the prophanation vvhich vvas in the yeare 145. ch. 1. v. 57.
4:56
Our Sauiour obserued this feast being instituted long after the Lavv of Moyses. Ioan. 10. v. 226.
Concordance Ioan. 10.
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li. 2. •. 10. v. •.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 19
… After this thou didst revert to thy former vice again, and wast a reveller ( ἐξεβακχεύθης 2 Macc. xiv. 33 ), therein, and didst change thy manner of life ( πολιτείαν to the Grecian in the time of Antiochus the impious Dan. viii. 14 ;
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1. And Gorgias took five thousand men (of foot) AND A THOUSAND CHOSEN HORSEMEN, AND MOVED THEIR CAMP BY NIGHT. — Gorgias was one of the three commanders of Antiochus and Lysias, most experienced in war, which he here shows, when with select soldiers he invades Judas's camp by night, so that he might suddenly overwhelm him sleeping with his men. For by this stratagem Hannibal defeated the Romans, and the Romans defeated Hasdrubal the brother of Hannibal, as Livy testifies.
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2. AND THE MEN WHO WERE FROM THE CITADEL WERE THEIR GUIDES. — as if to say: The soldiers of Antiochus born or raised in the citadel of Sion, and therefore knowing the region and places, led them through dark (for it was night), winding and hidden ways, of which the others were ignorant, being foreigners and aliens.
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3. AND JUDAS HEARD, AND HE ROSE UP AND THE MIGHTY ONES (strong commanders and soldiers) TO STRIKE THE POWER of the armies of the king, — namely all the camps left by Gorgias. In Greek it is only δύναμιν, that is, force, strength, power, army and forces of the king. But because in these camps were armies of various nations, sufficiently strong and numerous, hence our translator rendered it: "The power of the armies of the king." Judas therefore learned through scouts the stratagem and plan of Gorgias, and turned it back upon him. For on the same night he himself invaded the remaining camps of Gorgias left at Emmaus, secure and sleeping, and overwhelmed them unexpectedly.
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4. FOR THE ARMY WAS STILL SCATTERED FROM THE CAMP, — as if to say: The soldiers of Gorgias were not yet gathered together and distributed into their ranks and battle lines in the camps, but wandering about, were slowly gathering and arranging themselves in the camps. Judas, knowing this, attacked the scattered and disordered troops and easily routed them.
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5. AND GORGIAS CAME TO THE CAMP OF JUDAS, AND FOUND NO ONE, — because Judas with his men had gone on the same night to Emmaus, to strike down those left by Gorgias, as I said.
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6. AND WHEN DAY WAS COME, JUDAS APPEARED IN THE FIELD WITH THREE THOUSAND MEN (of foot) ONLY, WHO HAD NOT COATS OF MAIL (that is, breastplates, or iron corslets and shields) AND SWORDS, — namely, as they wished, as the Greeks and many Latin codices add, as if to say: They did not have polished, sharp, broad and long swords, such as they desired, and such as the enemies had; but unpolished, covered with rust, blunted, narrow and short; many also, armed not with swords, but with poles, clubs, mallets, spades, sickles and other rustic weapons only, which they had found at home or in the field. The greater was God's power and the soldiers' fortitude, and the victory. This is what Josephus says, book XII, chapter xi: "Leading three thousand men not sufficiently equipped with arms on account of poverty." Thus Dionysius the Carthusian and Josephus, Stephen here, who also adds that many of them were slingers, who were not accustomed to use swords, so that they might be free in hurling stones from slings. Less probably Tyrannius, reading "quia" for "qui," explains it thus, as if to say: For this reason Judas led out only three thousand armed men and swordsmen into battle, because the other Jews did not have swords and shields, so that they could fight. Moreover, that they had swords is clear from verse 15, where it is said: "And the last of them fell by the sword," and from the fact that a little before the Jews had plundered the camp of Apollonius; from there they took swords and other arms.
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7. AND THEY SAW THE CAMPS OF THE GENTILES STRONG, AND THE ARMED MEN AND THE HORSEMEN. — Note: Judas and the Maccabees fought as foot soldiers, nor did they have horsemen; for no mention is made of horses, when the enemies had abundant cavalry as well as infantry. There were various causes. First, because God, Deuteronomy xvii, 16, had forbidden the Jews an abundance of horses, lest they trust in them, but in Him alone. Thus St. Basil and others, whom I cited there, although Abulensis appears to deny this. Second, because Judea is mountainous and steep; whence it is scarcely passable for horses and horsemen and unsuitable for battle. Third, because Judea lacked an abundance of horses, and in their place used asses and mules, but procured horses from Egypt (as Solomon did): but for the Maccabees to buy them there and lead them into Judea was too burdensome and costly. Fourth, God willed it thus, that He might more clearly show His power, and the virtue and strength of the Maccabees, namely that they alone relying upon God, as Judas here confesses, with His aid implored, few with many, foot soldiers with horsemen, almost unarmed with armed men fighting, nevertheless they would prostrate them, according to that of David: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God," Psalm xix, 8.
4:10
10. And now let us cry out to heaven, — saying: Mi camocha baelim Jehova, that is: "Who is like unto Thee among the strong, O Lord?" Exodus xv. For this was the emblem and watchword of Judas; whence from the initial letters of that verse joined together, he was called Machabi, that is Maccabeus, as is sufficiently gathered from these his words and similar ones. For Judas everywhere placed the hope of victory not in arms, nor in soldiers, but in God alone, and invoked Him, and by this confidence and supplicant prayer always obtained victory, except in the last battle, in which wounded he fell, because it is not read that he invoked God before the battle, as he was accustomed to do otherwise. AND HE SHALL BE MINDFUL OF THE COVENANT OF OUR FATHERS, — that is to say: God shall be mindful of the pact and covenant made with our fathers, namely that we worship Him as our God, and He in turn be our God, that is our protector, provider, guardian and keeper; and therefore He will free us from so many and so great enemies, and prostrate them before us.
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15. But all the hindmost (of the fugitives) fell — slain by Judas and his companions, who pursued the fugitives and cut off the rear of the enemy and slew the last.
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17. AND JUDAS SAID: DO NOT COVET THE SPOILS, FOR THERE IS WAR AGAINST US. — See here the military prudence of Judas, by which he kept his men under the standards, and did not permit them to seize the spoils of the enemy, lest the fleeing enemies, seeing this, should gather themselves again, and attack and overthrow the Jews scattered and burdened with spoils. For thus in this age we have seen Germans and Transylvanians, when many thousands of Turks had fallen, to have been slain by the same, because they hastily dispersed to the spoils, giving the Turks the opportunity to gather themselves in the mountains, and to attack and slaughter those burdened with spoils. So Tomyris, queen of the Scythians, feigning flight, left her camp filled with feasts and wine for Cyrus and the Persians to plunder: but soon returning, she cut down all of them at once, buried in wine and sleep, as witnessed by Justin, Herodotus and others. Frederick, king of Bohemia, was defeated by Boleslaus II in triple battle. But while he gives the soldier opportunity to plunder the prey, and does not pursue the victory; Frederick, gathering his soldiers, defeated him swollen with triple victory, and compelled him to return to exile. Thus Delrius, book XIII, gives many examples from Alexander, Hannibal, Tiberius. See in Frontinus, book II, chapter v. Avarice, therefore, and greed for plunder deceives prudence, and snatches victory from the victors, and transfers it to the vanquished, and makes it so that a place of slaughter becomes what a little before was a place of victory. Wherefore wise commanders of war restrain soldiers from plunder, and keep them armed in the line of battle, and pursue the fleeing enemy, until victory over them is complete; for then plundering and spoiling is secure. For this reason commanders defeated in war, in order to delay the pursuing enemy and to escape it, scatter money and precious things behind them, so that the enemy, occupied in collecting these, ceases to pursue. Thus Tryphon, king of Syria, defeated and fleeing throughout the entire journey, scattered gold and silver, and by this means delayed the horsemen of Antioch pursuing him and escaped, as witnessed by Julius Frontinus, book II On Stratagems chapter xiii, who also adds that the Gauls did the same when fighting with Attalo. Plutarch in his Life of Lucullus relates that Mithridates, defeated by Lucullus and the Romans, did the same, and by means of the royal treasury thrown to the Romans escaped the hands of those pursuing him. Thus the beaver escapes from the hands of hunters, cutting off and throwing to them its genitals; for on account of these it knows itself to be hunted, so that they might assign the castor from its genitals to physicians. Hear Polybius, book X: "And because many are intent on plunder, and cannot obtain complete victory, it happens that they are in danger regarding the whole matter. This has happened to many so that, although they have obtained what they desired, and have either rushed into the enemy's camp or taken a city, nevertheless they have not only been driven out, but have also incurred danger and loss of the whole cause." Tropologically, we who are constantly struggling with demons ought to leave earthly spoils, lest, if we dwell upon them, we be occupied and overcome by them: "Let us therefore struggle naked with the naked," says St. Gregory.
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20. And they burned the camps. — Judas burned the camps, that is the tents of the enemy, so that Gorgias, viewing the matter from afar on the mountain, might know that his men were slain, and therefore the camps were burned by Judas, and thus fearing for himself and his men he would take to flight. Which indeed happened.
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23. Hyacinth (that is, garments of hyacinthine, or violet color) and purple of the sea, — which is made from the juice of sea shells, and especially from a small fish which is called purple, and this especially in Tyre; whence it is called Tyrian purple, and by the Hebrews (for Tyre in Hebrew is called Sor) ostrum, as witnessed by Pliny, book IV, chapters xxxviii and xxxix; for purple which is made from violets and other herbs is pale, and cannot be compared with Tyrian purple; for this is burning, and as it were fiery. Whence Virgil, Aeneid IV: "And the wool burned with Tyrian murex." Moreover, the soldiers of the Chaldeans as well as the Persians used purple and scarlet garments both for ornament. Whence Xenophon, book IV of the Cyropaedia: "There were," he says, "soldiers all armed with the same arms as Cyrus, with purple tunics;" then so that in battle the wounded might cover the flowing blood and wounds through a tunic of the same color purple, lest they terrify their companions and give boldness to the enemy, as Valerius Maximus testifies, book II, chapter vi; and Aelian, book VI, chapter vi.
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24. And turning about they sang a hymn, — namely a song of victory to God, assigning the victory to His aid and power, not to their own; by which gratitude they bound God to themselves, so that He might give them new victories; for victory is a gift of God, who freely bestows it on the grateful, denies it to the ungrateful, or takes away what was given. Hence Christians, having obtained victory, sing: "We praise Thee, O God."
4:25
25. AND THERE WAS GREAT SALVATION, that is, victory, IN ISRAEL; — for this victory gave salvation to Israel. By metonymy, therefore, the cause is put for the effect. See what is said in chapter III, 6. Add: salvation, as also peace to the Hebrews, signifies every benefit, every happiness, every good. Whence that passage in Psalm xvii: "Magnifying the salvations, that is the benefits and gifts of his king;" hence he soon calls them "mercy," or grace.
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28. AND IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR LYSIAS GATHERED TOGETHER CHOSEN MEN OF FOOT (soldiers) SIXTY THOUSAND AND OF HORSEMEN FIVE THOUSAND, — which Judas with few men, relying on God, with equal fortitude and success overthrew, verse 34.
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32. GIVE THEM FEAR, (send upon them panic terror, so that they think formidable ranks of soldiers or Angels are coming against them, and thus struck with fear they flee, indeed they attack one another, thinking their fellow soldiers are enemies, and thus) LET THEM BE MOVED WITH THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION, — so that striking one another they may be shattered, trampled and slain, as happened to the Midianites under Gideon, who slew one another in mutual slaughter. Judges vii, 22. AND MELT (in Greek τῆξον, that is, liquefy, as wax is dissolved and liquefied before fire) THE BOLDNESS OF THEIR STRENGTH.
4:35
35. But when Lysias saw the flight of his men, and the boldness of the Jews, and that they were prepared either to live or to die bravely, — it is to be referred generously both to "to live" and to "to die"; for he lives bravely in battle who conquers; but he dies bravely who is overcome by the number of enemies, yet dies bravely fighting. WENT TO ANTIOCH. — Lysias prudently departed, because with men who are resolved and desperate, fighting is most dangerous, as I have shown in the book of Judges and Kings. Wherefore Judas, having soldiers who had determined either to conquer or to die, overthrew all the ranks of enemies, and obtained admirable victories. For this resolution of soldiers makes them fearless and spirited, like lions, so that through weapons, through stones, through fires they rush upon the enemy, like lightning, and strike them down, lay them low and scatter them.
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36. AND JUDAS SAID AND HIS BRETHREN: BEHOLD OUR ENEMIES ARE DEFEATED, LET US GO UP NOW TO CLEANSE THE HOLY PLACE, — namely the holy temple, the holy altars and vessels, so that we may expiate and renew them, which the Gentiles had profaned and polluted through idols and superstitions, that is, restore them to their former brightness, honor and beauty, and to the worship of God. See here the piety as well as the diligence of Judas, who uses the leisure from wars granted to him by Lysias for a holy work, so that he may cleanse the temple, and in it restore the sacrifices and worship of God. Let our leaders and soldiers imitate Judas, so that they join the fear of God, His worship and piety with military fortitude: thus they will be heaped with victories by God, and with all good things present and eternal.
4:38
38. AND THEY SAW THE SANCTUARY (that is, the holy place, or temple; namely the Holy and the Holy of Holies) DESOLATE AND THE PASTOPHORIA DESTROYED. — The pastophoria were chambers of the priests attached to the temple, in which the vestments and treasures of the temple were kept; hence they were also called treasuries and chambers, Ezech. xl. For παστός is a chamber, and an exedra, because in them there were seats for sitting and resting.
4:40
40. AND THEY CRIED OUT WITH TRUMPETS OF SIGNALS; — trumpets are called "of signals," because by their sound were signified feast days and the calling together of the people, or assembly, Num. x, 1 and 10. Yet it seems more true that these trumpets were not sacred ones of the temple; for the soldiers of Antiochus had already taken these away, profaning the temple, but rather profane ones of the camp and of war. These are called "of signals," because they signified to the soldier what he should do, and especially that the enemy was at hand, so that he should prepare himself for battle against him. For these trumpets belonged to Judas the leader, and his soldiers, so that being stationed among enemies they might be called together by the sound of trumpets, and be roused to watch and to fight at that time when the priests and their followers were cleansing the temple, lest the satellites of Antiochus sitting in the citadel of Sion should run down from it into the temple and cut down those who were cleansing. Thus Sanchez; whence explaining he adds:
4:41
41. THEN JUDAS APPOINTED MEN TO FIGHT AGAINST THOSE WHO WERE IN THE CITADEL, UNTIL HE SHOULD CLEANSE THE HOLY PLACE — the places of the temple, courtyards and vessels. For the citadel of Sion was held by enemies, namely the soldiers of Antiochus, and Judas could not expel them in this year 148 of the Greeks, but after two years in the year 150 of the Greeks he began to besiege the citadel, and the Maccabees besieged it for 23 years, which being completed they finally took it by storm, in the year 171 of the Greeks, as is said in cap. xiii, 50.
4:42
42. HAVING ZEAL FOR THE LAW OF GOD. — "Zeal," that is, pious affection, desire, eagerness for promoting the law and worship of God.
4:43
43. AND THEY TOOK AWAY THE STONES OF DEFILEMENT, — from which the Gentile idolaters had constructed their idols, altars, statues, etc., by which they had defiled and profaned both the stones and the temple, cap. i, 50 and lib. II, cap. x. IN AN UNCLEAN PLACE, — namely in Tophet, or Gehenna, where they burned infants to the idol Moloch. For this place was most unclean and accursed, IV Kings xxiii, 10. Thus formerly the altars and temples of idols were completely torn down and destroyed by Christians up to St. Gregory, who in book IX, Epistle 71 to Mellitus decrees that they should not be destroyed, but cleansed, and transferred from the worship of idols to the worship of God.
4:44
44. And he thought about the altar of holocausts (which formerly Esdras and the priests had erected in the rebuilt temple) which had been profaned (by the idol of Jupiter Olympius, which the followers of Antiochus had placed upon it) WHAT HE SHOULD DO ABOUT IT, — whether he should cleanse it for use, or rather remove it, as unworthy for use.
4:45
45. AND THERE FELL UPON THEM GOOD COUNSEL, THAT THEY SHOULD DESTROY IT, LEST PERHAPS IT SHOULD BE TO THEM A REPROACH, — lest the idolaters should reproach them, that they would sacrifice on the altar defiled by the idol of Jupiter Olympius, and that they would sacrifice not to God, but to Jupiter; for the idol of Jupiter had been placed upon it.
4:46
46. AND THEY LAID UP STONES IN THE MOUNT OF THE HOUSE (that is on Mount Sion, on which the house of God, or the temple had been built) UNTIL THERE SHOULD COME A PROPHET — some one, especially the Messias; for the Jews had eagerly awaited him for many centuries, and his coming was now at hand. For from the year 148 of the Greeks, in which these things were done, until the birth of Christ there elapsed only 159 years. Hence learn that at this time of the Maccabees there was no prophet in Israel; for the last were the prophets Zacharias and Malachias. You will say: Why did Judas, when he was High Priest, not consult God through the oracle of the Ephod, or through the Urim and Thummim? Josephus answers that this oracle had been silent and ceased two hundred years before Christ. Thus he himself, lib. III, cap. xi. The same is the opinion of Abulensis and others. Or certainly this Ephod giving oracles had already been taken away by the ministers of Antiochus, and especially by the false high priest Jason, Menelaus, Alcimus the apostates and traitors, so that Judas could not use it, and could not consult God through it. Thus Sanchez.
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48. AND THEY BUILT UP (what had been torn down or destroyed by the idolaters they restored) THE HOLY PLACES, that is, the former part of the temple, which was called the "Holy" or "Holy Places" in the plural, as it is called here, AND THOSE THINGS THAT WERE WITHIN THE HOUSE INWARDLY, — that is and also those things which were in the posterior and inner part of the temple which was called the "Holy of Holies," that is the most holy. In the Holy Place was the table of the loaves of proposition, the golden candlestick and the altar of incense, which had been taken away by the satellites of Antiochus; wherefore Judas made new ones, as is said in verse 49. In the Holy of Holies there was only the Ark with the Cherubim and the Propitiatory; but this a little before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, Jeremias took out of the temple and hid. Whence the Hebrews assert that in the second temple, rebuilt after the return from Babylon by Zorobabel, there was no Ark. Others say there was an Ark, not made by Moses, for Jeremias took this out, but another similar to the Mosaic one made by the Jews after their return, concerning which there is more in lib. II. AND THEY SANCTIFIED THE TEMPLE AND THE COURTS. — The temple is called the Holy of Holies, which was mentioned before; hence the "temple" is not in the Greek: the "courts" were adjacent to the temple round about, in which the people dwelt and watched the sacrifices; all these things defiled and polluted by the idolaters Judas sanctified, that is purged from idols and superstition, expiated with lustral water, and again solemnly dedicated to God with a blessing.
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52. ON THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF THE NINTH MONTH (THIS IS THE MONTH CASLEU, — which corresponds partly to our November, partly to our December. For the Hebrews used lunar months, while we use solar months. Wherefore on this same day, the 25th of Casleu, the Jews celebrated annually the feast of the Encenia, or the dedication of the temple, made on this day by Judas. The cause of the feast was the magnitude of the benefit, and thence of the joy, and therefore it was celebrated for eight days. Hear II Maccabees x, 3: "And on the same day that the temple had been profaned by the strangers, on the same day it was cleansed again, even the twenty-fifth day of the month Casleu; and they kept eight days with joy in the manner of the Feast of Tabernacles, remembering that not long before they had kept the Feast of Tabernacles when they were in the mountains and in dens as beasts. For which cause they now carried branches and green boughs and palms to him that had given them good success in cleansing his place, etc." And Josephus, lib. XII: "So great was the joy that seized the minds of the people on account of the restoration of their ancestral rites and ancient religion, especially because this happiness had come unexpectedly, that a law was passed for posterity, which commanded that this feast of the restored temple be celebrated annually with ceremonies for eight days; and from that time this custom has prevailed among us, and we call this celebration the Feast of Lights, I suppose because this great happiness shone upon us unexpectedly," etc. Tropologically, the feast of the Encenia signifies the feast which the Angels and Saints celebrate over a sinner doing penance, when he himself, the temple of his soul, which he had profaned by sin, purges through contrition, and again dedicates to God. See Ribera, lib. V De Templo, cap. xvii.
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54. ACCORDING TO THE TIME AND ACCORDING TO THE DAY, (that is, on the very same day, namely the 25th of Casleu,) IN WHICH THE GENTILES HAD DEFILED IT, — three years before, cap. i, 62. As if to say: just as in the year 145 of the Greeks, on the 25th day of the month Casleu, Antiochus profaned the temple, as was said in cap. i, 62; so Judas after three years, namely in the year 148 of the Greeks, on the same day, the 25th of the month Casleu, expressly purified the temple again, and dedicated it anew to God, as is said in lib. II, cap. x, 5. Therefore the same day was the day of profanation and dedication, of desolation and consolation, of mourning and joy. Moreover, Judas dedicated the temple in the year 148 of the Greeks, while Antiochus was still living; for he died in the following year, 149 of the Greeks, as is said in cap. vi, 16. AND WITH HARPS AND LYRES. — These two musical instruments were similar and differed only in size, and perhaps in the number of strings, just as among the Italians are viols or violins. Whence Our author in II Paralip. ix, 11, and elsewhere for lyres, as the Greek has it, translated "harps," for the harp in Hebrew is called כנור kinnor, that is, a lyre.
4:59
59. And Judas appointed, etc. — As if to say: Judas, as it were a High Priest, instituted the feast of the Dedication to be celebrated every year on the 25th of Casleu in memory of the purification and dedication of the temple, made on that very day. St. John mentions this feast in the Gospel, cap. x, 22. See concerning this feast Ribera, lib. V On the Temple, cap. xvii. Hence the feast of the dedication of the Church was always solemn among the faithful, as is evident from the homilies which St. Augustine, St. Gregory, St. Chrysostom, Bede, Bernard and others delivered on it. Indeed, Constantine the Great convoked all the Bishops for the dedication of the temple at Jerusalem. Moreover, Michael the Archangel dedicated a Church on Mount Gargano; the memory of which we celebrate every year on the 29th of September. St. Peter dedicated a Church to himself in London in England, as the life of Edward, king of England, has it among the works of Surius. Finally, Christ himself dedicated the Church of St. Dionysius in Paris. Robert Gaguinus recounts the deed in lib. III On the Deeds of the Franks.
4:60
60. AND THEY BUILT MOUNT SION. — As if to say: On Mount Sion they constructed a fortress opposite to the hostile fortress, so that they might restrain the enemies, lest they should harass the temple with their incursions. For although in vers. 40, Judas had appointed soldiers who would guard those who were purifying the temple, he had not yet built them a fortress; wherefore he builds one here. From this place seem to have originated the soldiers appointed for the custody of the temple, and their commanders, who are called "magistrates of the temple" in Acts iv, 1, and Luke xxii, 4, whom Chrysostom calls "Commanders of the temple guard;" Bede, "Prætors of the temple;" the Syrian version, "Prefects of the temple;" and in Greek they are called στρατηγοὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, that is, soldiers of the temple, Luke xxii, 51. These appear to have been Levites from the tribe of Levi, whose number was immense: for the care of the temple and sacred things pertained to them, and therefore by arms and their soldiers they had to take care lest any tumult should arise in the temple. For the Levites and Priests daily accustomed themselves to blood by the slaughter and tearing of victims, and learned to slay the enemies of the temple. In imitation of these, when Jerusalem was recovered by Christians in the year after Christ 1130, the Knights of Jerusalem were instituted, called Templars, or soldiers of the temple, whose duty was to keep the roads to the temple safe from the incursions of infidels and robbers, as William of Tyre teaches, lib. XII On the Holy War, cap. vii. There exists a remarkable sermon of St. Bernard, who lived in that age, addressed to the soldiers of the temple, where, in cap. ix, he asserts that they dwelt near the temple. But when at length they themselves usurped the authority of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, by whom they had been instituted, and grew insolent on account of their great wealth, they were extinguished by Clement V, at the instigation of Philip the Fair, king of France, in the year of the Lord 1311, as Platina, Genebardus and Volateranus, lib. XXII Anthr., relate in his life, and as is evident from the Council of Vienne in which the sentence of condemnation against the Templars was pronounced together with the decree of the extinction of their Order.
4:61
61. TO GUARD BETHSURA. — Bethsura was another fortification built by Judas against the Idumeans, five stadia distant from the citadel of Sion and from Jerusalem (a stadium contains 125 paces) within the passes of mountains, like Thermopylae, as Josephus says: whence "Bethsura," in Hebrew is the same as house of the rock. Hear Adrichomius in the Description of the tribe of Judah, no. 61: "Bethsur or Bethsura in the age of St. Jerome was a town, or, as others say, a garrison and fortress most strongly fortified of all Judea; and because it was surrounded on all sides by mountains, it received its name from this. For Bethsur is interpreted as house of the rock, stone, or strength. It was placed at the passes of the mountains toward the valley of Raphaim, distant one mile from Jerusalem, situated on the public road which leads from Jerusalem to Gaza, as some wish. King Roboam of Judah strengthened this place with buildings, and again Judas Maccabeus; Lysias attacked it; Antiochus Eupator took it by surrender through fraud, Jonathan Maccabeus recovered it. At this castle, when the kings of Syria brought force against the Jews, they were often beaten and routed. Finally Simon Maccabeus himself occupied it and most strongly fortified it against all the attacks of enemies with garrisons. In the time of Jerome there was a spring at the foot of Bethsur, which was absorbed by the same earth from which it was born, in which spring some think the Eunuch of Candace the queen was baptized by Philip, and from this received the name Fountain of the Ethiopian."
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
4:3
EMMAUS. - 1. A city famous in the history of the Maccabees (1 Macc. 3:40; 4:3; 9:50), capital of a toparchy in 47 B.C. (Fl. Josephus, Bell. …
4:9
… The miraculous crossing of the Red Sea is a historical fact such that it cannot be suppressed without shaking the whole edifice of the Old Testament (Ex. 14; 15:4; 22; Num. 33:8; Deut. 11:14; Josh. 2:10; 4:24; 24:7; Ps. 105 [106]:8; Id. 11:16; Neh. 9:11; Wis. 10:8; 1 Macc. 4:9; Acts 7:36).
4:15
In 166 B.C. G. is within the border of the province of Judea (I Mach. 4, 15; 7, 45). In 160 B.C. it is fortified by Bacchides (I Mach. 9, 52); in 142 it is conquered by Simon Maccabeus, who drives out the pagans in order to settle Jews there (I Mach. 13, …
4:26
Maccabees (Greek Μακκαβαῖοι, Vulgate Machabaei)
… The clash with the 10,000 men of Judas was harsh, but not decisive (I Mach. 4, 26-34; II Mach. 11, 1-12). Lysias, now convinced that he could not succeed in forcing the Jews, "resolute as they were to live or die nobly" (I Mach. 4, 35), to accept the laws of Antiochus, …
4:28
The name of B. is linked to the history of the Maccabees, particularly to the brilliant victory won by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B.C. over the army of Lysias (I Mach. 4, 28-35; for v. 29 cf. the Septuagint: ἐν Βεθαούραις). …
4:35
Maccabees (Greek Μακκαβαῖοι, Vulgate Machabaei)
… The clash with the 10,000 men of Judas was harsh, but not decisive (I Mach. 4, 26-34; II Mach. 11, 1-12). Lysias, now convinced that he could not succeed in forcing the Jews, "resolute as they were to live or die nobly" (I Mach. 4, 35), to accept the laws of Antiochus, sought to open negotiations for an armistice, whose documents, reported in II Mach. 11, 13, are by historical and literary criticism detached from …
4:36
Dedication of the Temple (Heb. Hānuk-Kāh)
… On that occasion a feast lasting 8 days was begun; he ordained that it be celebrated every year (I Mach. 4, 36-59; II Mach. 10, 1-9). The Palestinian doctors enjoined
4:37
37:32) and for its inhabitants "sons of S." (ibid. 10:32; Ps. 68:36; Jer. 3:23). Then at the time of the Maccabean struggles the Jewish sanctuary was actually designated by the name "Mount S." (τὸ ὄρος Σιών; I Mach. 4:37-60; 6:48, 62; 10:11; 14:26). There the valiant Maccabees entrenched themselves to resist the troops stationed by Antiochus Epiphanes in the Acra or "city of David" (ibid. 1:33; 7:32; …
4:38
… In the court of the people there were porticoes, storerooms, dwellings of the ministers in turn (Neh. 10, 38-40; 12, 25, 44; 13, 4 ff.); in the middle, the altar of holocausts of rough stones (I Mach. 4, 38-59), then the bronze basin for ablutions. …
4:41
… Wiss., 4 (1894), p. 248, this explanation of the Danielic formula is regarded by J. A. Montgomery (The Book of Daniel, Edinburgh 1927, p. 388) as the only adequate one. The "abomination" was removed with the solemn purification on the 25th of Kislev in 164 (I Macc. 4:41-59; 6:7).
4:45
Shephelah (Heb. Haš-Šephēlāh "Lowland")
The Philistines move from their lands to occupy villages of the Shephelah (II Chron. 28:18; Zech. 7:7); the Syrian troops defeated by the Jews in the Shephelah take refuge in the cities of the coast and of Philistia (I Macc. 3:24; 4:45; 5:66, 68).
4:46
… The true authors could not proclaim themselves prophets, considering the prophetic age to have long been closed (1 Macc. 4:46; 9:27); nor could they make it believed that God entrusted his secrets to obscure contemplatives.
… rabbis, who tolerated no book written originally in Greek, and who also showed themselves suspicious toward books composed originally in Hebrew or Aramaic when they did not present themselves as owing to an author invested with the prophetic charism (cf. 1 Macc. 4:46; 14:41); so that the indispensable requirements of a sacred book were almost fixed in the Hebrew language, in the prophetic quality of the supposed author prior to Ezra, and in the …
4:49
Candelabrum with Seven Branches
(1 Macc. 4:49 ff.). …
… placed in it. The dēbhir remained without the Ark; a stone marked its place, and the high priest on the kippūr placed the censer upon it. In the hēkhāl there was a single table, a single lampstand and the altar of incense (I Mach. 1, 21 ff.; 4, 49). It had two courts like Solomon's. …
4:51
The rite of the p. of the p. was maintained until 70 A.D. (I Mach. 4:51; II Mach. 1:8; 10:3; Hebr. 9:2).
4:52
… Bible only in the post-exilic writings (Zech. 7:1; Neh. 1:1; 1 Macc. 1:57; 2 Macc. 1:9, 18). From the time of Judas Maccabeus, on the 25th of this month it became customary to celebrate solemnly the feast of the "dedication of the Temple" or Hānukkāh (1 Macc. 4:52-59).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.