In the first chapter, Alexander the Great conquers vast territories and sets up a great empire, in which the territory of Judea is included. VERSE 22. and the table of the show bread, and the cups to pour withal, and the bowls, and the golden censers, and the veil, and the crowns, and the adorning of gold which was on the face of the temple, and he scaled it all off. Check our glossary of terms. According to all these words wrote he to his whole kingdom; and he appointed overseers over all the people, and he commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city. The festival of Hanukkah is instituted (1 Macc. 1 Maccabees 1:54. he shall die. Many scholars suggest that these Church Fathers may have had access to a Biblical Aramaic paraphrase of the workmost Christians writers of the time did not distinguish between Hebrew and Aramaic. Compare 1 Maccabees 10:65. Protestants and Jews regard it as generally reliable history, but not a part of Scripture. In the town of Modein, the priest Mattathias finds the situation intolerable. 01793 418222. [44] For the author, bold military action while living is the proper response to oppression. ISBN links support NWE through referral fees. And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die. The first and second Books of Maccabees, though regarded by Jews and Protestants as apocryphal, i.e., not inspired Scripture, because not contained in the Jewish list of books drawn up at the end of the first century A.D., have always been accepted by the Catholic Church as inspired and are called deuterocanonical to indicate that they are canonical even though disputed by some. Rather, the book refers to "heaven" (ourans) instead, such as Judas saying in a speech that "It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but strength comes from Heaven. Registered charity 232759. Naturally, any account of the war of liberation led by Judas Maccabeus would have this effect and would show that victory was due to Gods powerful aid (2:19-22). It became part of the deuterocanon in early Christianity. 2 Kings. He will make a firm covenant with many for one week. This might mean the women were forcibly tattooed. It is not known whether Josephus's copy of 1 Maccabees was missing the final three chapters, or he simply found a better source for that era of history. [26] Mattathias calls upon people loyal to the traditions of Israel to oppose the invaders and the Jewish Hellenizers, and his sons begin a military campaign against them. Modin. Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. 2:4), the third son of Mattathias, the hero of the war of Jewish independence against Syria. Hope for life beyond death enabled the people of God to commit their lives fully to the God who had called them, even when this seemed of no benefit in worldly terms. They are in the Public Domain. The Maccabees then ruled over Israel, first as High Priests and then as High Priests and Princes of Israel. Finally, he desecrates the Temple by setting up an "abomination of desolation" there, apparently either a pagan idol or a bust of himself. THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES. 1 and 2 Maccabees reflect on this question in slightly different ways. The Greek text is extant in two of the three oldest codices of the Greek Septuagint: the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus. And the saying was good in their eyes. Ancient manuscripts of the text include the Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Venetus, as well as several scrolls. The Second Book of the Maccabees. 2:4), the third son of Mattathias, the hero of the war of Jewish independence against Syria. The Maccabees books were preserved only by the Christian church. According to the text, some Jewish men even engaged in foreskin restoration in order to pass as fully Greek. And on the five and twentieth day of the month they sacrificed upon the idol altar of God. British and Foreign Bible Society operates in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.We also work with a network of local Bible Societies around the world. An unknown editor, the "Epitomist," used the factual notes of a historian . That is, his heart became proud and arrogant (NAB translation). And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame. I Maccabees is the only contemporary source for the civil wars in Judaea, and the only surviving one for Judaean-Syrian relations after the reign of Antiochus IV. [28] Verses 2332 record an agreement between Rome and the nation of the Jews, whereby each party would act as a willing ally of the other and refuse to supply their enemies in time of war, specific warning being given to Demetrius I Soter that this pact would be activated against him if requested by the Jews. The success of the Jewish campaigns he attributes to Gods protection, but he makes it clear that faithfulness to the Covenant is, as was the case with their forebears, the ground on which Israel must totally rely. He reports the calamities the Jewish people experience on account of their sins, while also stressing the role played by God in his providence, who watches over them as he promised he would (cf. The title of 1 and 2 Maccabees is taken from the surname of Judas (1 Mace. As a part of the revolt, the Temple was freed from . II Maccabees focuses on the Jews' revolt against Antiochus and concludes with the defeat of the Syrian general Nicanor in 161 bce by Judas Maccabeus, the hero of the work. It came to pass, after that Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip, who came out of the land of Chittim, and struck Darius king of the Persians and Medes, it came to pass, after he had struck him, that he reigned in his stead, in former time, over Greece. VERSE 24. He plays one faction off against the other, obtaining various benefits for the Jews in exchange for his military support. These translations have no copyright restrictions. "[42][43] All of this makes clear that God has specifically chosen a new dynasty to rule Judea, the Hasmoneans. 1 Maccabees describes the response of one family to these events. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). And his servants bare rule, each one in his place. Finally, there is the issue of its revolutionary character. These heroes of the faith will walk with the One God and keep the Covenant. 2 He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi; 3 Simon, who While he clearly portrays a divine providence behind the history he presents, the narrator refrains from the miracle stories and other legends found in 2 Maccabees, which deals with much of the same material. 2 Maccabees, curiously, says nothing about thisdespite its . many in Israel were fully resolved. And the women that had circumcised their children they put to death according to the commandment. VERSE 2. According to the first book of Maccabees, one of the Hellenistic kings defiled the temple, forbade circumcision, and even set up altars to his gods. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. They will not live a lie. Journey through the Bible, one book at a time, with the 2nd edition of our Books of the Bible journal. He may well have played some part in it himself in his youth. 2 Chronicles. He interprets the Maccabean victory not as a miraculous intervention by God, but rather as God's using the instrument of the military genius of the Maccabees to achieve his divine ends. (1 Maccabees 2.62-64). The book of 1 Maccabees clearly favors the revolution against the Seleucid and the Hasmonean dynasty. And there came exceedingly great wrath upon Israel. Chapter 16. VERSE 56. And they stored up arms and food, and gathering together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and they became a sore snare: VERSE 36. and it became a place to lie in wait in against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel continually. [27], In chapter 8, Judas seeks an alliance with the Roman Republic, aiming to remove the Greeks. New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article The writer compares their virtues and their exploits with those of Israel's ancient . VERSE 7. "Exodus ch. Read more . The historical integrity of the book, which was compiled from official written sources, oral tradition, and eyewitness reporting, is attested to by the absence of almost all of the conventions of the Hellenistic rhetorical school of historiography and by its uncritical use by the later Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. The writer compares their virtues and their exploits with those of Israels ancient heroes, the Judges, Samuel, and David. The victory of the Jews over their Greek oppressors loomed large in the popular imagination of the Jews of Jesus day. Compare 1 Maccabees 10:65. Unlike, the writer of 2 Maccabees, he evidences no Pharisaic theology and may have written in order to justify the Maccabeean dynasty against criticism that they were corrupt and were ruling illegitimately as Jewish kings since they were not of the Davidic lineage. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. They will not sin in order to save their lives. Thus, for example, in 2 Maccabees 12:43 there is Judas act of faith in the resurrection and salvation of his fallen soldiers, but he realizes that they must atone for their sins in the next life, and he wishes to help them in this and asks for prayers from the living. The First Book of Maccabees (I Maccabees) is historical work extant in Greek, covering the period of 40 years from the accession of Antiochus Epiphanes (175 B.C.E.) 1 Maccabees is best known for its account of the recapture of Jerusalem in the year 164 BC and rededication of the Second Temple: the origin behind the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. 3 So he advanced to the ends of the earth . The persecution of Antiochus IV presumably radicalized the Jews. Not only the leaders, but also circumcised infants and their mothers are killed as a warning to others. Many scholars believe that they were placed there after the composition of the book by some inspired editor . In true Deuteronomic tradition, the author insists on fidelity to the law as the expression of Israels love for God. In Hebrew, the first letters of this four word slogan form the acronym MKBY. (He had previously become king of Greece.) Grimm indicates the time span for when the book could have been written to be from 105-64 b.c.e. The doctrine expressed in the book is the customary belief of Israel, without the new developments which appear in 2Maccabees and Daniel. Look out for what you might learn about the Judaism of the period from the story. Through a series of events, Tobit goes blind and sends his son on a journey accompanied by the angel Raphael disguised as a human. It gives detailed accounts of the Maccabean revolt led by Judas Maccabeus, as well as the martyrdoms of Eleazar and seven brothers. It also seems to have been written in Judea where knowledge of Hebrew would have been more widespread. This was a mighty defeat for Egypt. [41] The book dismisses a defeat suffered by other commanders named Joseph and Azariah as because "they did not listen to Judas and his brothers. This history includes battles with Antiochus IV and his son. Its name in the Septuagint and in the writings of the Church Fathers (Eusebius and Clement) is , i.e . Related to this is the issue that including 1 Maccabees in the canon may have given legitimacy to other texts in the Septuagint that were more problematic for the rabbis. [22], The narrative is primarily prose text, but is interrupted by seven poetic sections, which imitate classical Hebrew poetry. The [] Christian tradition venerates these seven brothers as martyrs, and churches were dedicated to them in Antioch, Rome, Lyons, and Vienne. However, after successfully invading the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, Antiochus IV enters Jerusalem and removes the sacred objects from the Temple. Though initially hailed as liberators, the Selucid family wasted no time in leaving their mark upon Judea. Both books, which Protestants regard as apocryphal, were recognized by the Fathers as inspired [and canonical at the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397, 419)] and were later [again] defined as canonical by the Council of Trent (1546). As far as the dates of composition are concerned, these can be taken as approximately 100 B.C. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here: The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia: Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. In the year 142 BCE, after more than 500 years of subjugation, the Jews were again masters of their own fate. for the first and 124 B.C. (Das erste Buch der Maccaber [Kurzgefasstes exegetisches Handbuch zu Reflect on whether you think that Mattathias and his sons were right to rebel against their Greek oppressors.We are challenged about how we should behave towards our enemies and how we should act as Gods agents, wherever we live in the world. A Greek version of the text was printed for the first time in 15141517 in the Complutensian Polyglot Bible. He and his three sons begin a military campaign against them, the vicissitudes of which are described in detail. It purports to be a historical account of the repression and miraculous salvation of Egyptian Jewry during the reign (221205 bce) of Ptolemy IV Philopator. John R. Bartlett argues for somewhere between 11090 BCE. Nothing is known about the author of 1 Maccabees other than that the attention to detail and knowledge of events suggests that he was an eye witness or had access to eyewitness accounts. What did it mean to be Jewish in a predominantly Greek culture? ; and the Seleucids, who took over large parts of the Middle East and moved into Palestine in 200 B.C. 504 Pages, 6.12 x 9.25 in, 2 b-w illus. [13] The word "Maccabees" in plural, however, does not appear to have been used until centuries after the Maccabean Revolt. He was familiar with the traditions and sacred books of his people and had access to much reliable information on their recent history (from 175 to 134 B.C.). VERSE 64. the hundred and thirty and seventh year. And from the people were gathered together to them many, every one that had forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land; VERSE 53. and they made israel to hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. And he had five sons, John, who was surnamed Gaddis; VERSE 3. Instead, we have an early, pre-Christian, Greek translation full of Hebrew idioms. Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. Mattathias's son Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee) takes over the revolt and the rebels as a group are called the Maccabees; the book chronicles in detail the successes and setbacks of the rebellion. the hundred and forty and third year. It was portrayed as a center of athletic and intellectual life. However, this original Hebrew has been lost, and the work only survives in translation in Koine Greek contained in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Jewish scriptures. And at the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense. The school of philosophy seen in 1 Maccabees is often thought to be a predecessor to the philosophy of the Sadducees in later eras. He forbids observance of the sabbath and the offering of sacrifices at the Temple. Jonathan's capture in 143 BC, having been double-crossed by Diodotus Tryphon, is recorded in 1 Maccabees 12:48. 1 Maccabees is a historical book, concerned to relay the events of the period as closely as possible. VERSE 34. [47] No angels or miracles come to save the Jews; rather, it is the divinely-approved firm leadership of the Hasmoneans that leads to victory.[9]. In fact, it is "a thoroughgoing pro-Hasmonean . The Hasmoneans were not an obvious choice to be rulers; they did not descend from the priestly line of Zadok that had taken the office of High Priest for generations at the point of the Maccabean Revolt. VERSE 39. Attempts to discredit the work as essentially fiction have been discounted even by strongly critical scholars today. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them; and she became a habitation of strangers, and she became strange to those who were born in her, and her children forsook her. [48] Bezalel Bar-Kochva praises it as among the better military historiography of the period. It also uses anachronistic terms at times to make explicit parallels between the exploits of the Hasmoneans and earlier Jewish heroes; for example, it refers to the coastal region of Palestine as the land of the Philistines, despite the Philistines no longer being a relevant cultural grouping in the era. The period of peace and prosperity is celebrated in a biblical-style poetic passage, the "Eulogy of Simon",[36] which Rappaport considers to be "one of the most important poetic passages in 1 Maccabees".[37]. 1 Maccabees. With the advent of the printing press that obviated the need for scribes to manually and repeatedly copy such works, 1 Maccabees became more widely available. The first book was written in Hebrew, although what we have is only a Greek translation; the second, written in Greek, shows that the author had a good grasp of Greek rhetoric and the Greek language, which suggests he may have been from Alexandria. Many observant Jews flee from the capital, but others readily accept Antiochus' policies. Another is that, while they were included by the Jews of Alexandria in the Septuagint, they may not have gained much popularity in Jerusalem. St. Augustine wrote in The City of God that they were preserved for their accounts of the martyrs. Others, like Mattathias, fought to remain faithful to the Law. The origin of the word "maccabee" is unclear; it may derive from the Hebrew word maqqabi (= hammer)a reference to Judas' physical strength and exploits. When Simon died he was succeeded by his son John Hyrcanus, who became the founder of the Hasmonean dynasty. 1 and 2 Maccabees are set during the reign of the Seleucid Greek empire (the part of the Greek empire that found its roots in Syria). Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, her honor into contempt. He then calls forth the people to holy war against the Gentiles and their Jewish collaborators. Antiochus then tries to suppress public observance of Jewish laws, in an attempt to secure control over the Jews. And he fought many battles, and won many strongholds, and killed the kings of the earth. Sign up for our short, weekly email about how we're inviting people to discover the Bible. 1-2 Thessalonians. He shows intimate and detailed geographical knowledge of the Judea, Galilee, and their environs, but is inaccurate in his information about foreign countries. Some even engage in foreskin restoration. And king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people. 3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, gathering plunder from many . Aristobulus I, the son of John Hyrcanus, was the first to add the title of king to that of chief priest. The Book of 1 Maccabees CPDV summary. It is accepted in the Catholic and Orthodox canons. 1 and 2 Maccabees are stories that reflect on oppression and resistance. VERSE 1. He even attempts to force Jewish leaders to sacrifice to pagan idols. The history of the Maccabee family given in these books ends with the death of Simon and the succession of his son, John Hyrcanus. For the full article, see, Prohibition of Jewish religious practices, Hanukkah: reconsecration of the sanctuary, https://www.britannica.com/summary/Maccabees. Note: 1 and 2 Maccabees are not included in most Protestant and Jewish Bibles. Acts of the Apostles. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [ a] 2 He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi; 3 Simon, who was called Thassi; 4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus; 5 Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called . The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. Scholarly estimates for the date of authorship include: Roman Missal, Lectionary, Revised Edition approved for use in the dioceses of England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, published by Collins, Geoffrey Chapman and Veritas, 1981, 1982, volumes 2 and 3, The Revolt of the Maccabees: The True Story Behind Hanukkah, "The date of the first Book of Maccabees", "MACCABEES, THE - JewishEncyclopedia.com", "The Original Language of 1 Maccabees: A Reexamination,", "1 Maccabees, the first book of Maccabees", Session IV Celebrated on the eighth day of April, 1546 under Pope Paul III, The First Book of Machabees Liber I Machaborum, Erran Baron Cohen Presents: Songs in the Key of Hanukkah, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1_Maccabees&oldid=1141777926, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 3:1 to 9:22, under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus, 9:23 to 12:53, under the leadership of Jonathan, Chapters 1316, under the leadership of Simon. 1 Maccabees covers the period of 175 BCE to 134 BCE. 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