2 Maccabees 12

When this agreement had been made, Lysias went back to the king, and the Jews were busy with their farming.

1When these covenants were made, Lysias went unto the king, and the Jews were about their husbandry.

NoteLysias was the regent who governed the Seleucid empire on behalf of the young king Antiochus V; the agreement is the peace terms set out in the previous chapter. The King James word "husbandry" simply means farming.

2But some of the governors of the districts would not allow them to be left alone and live in peace: Timotheus, and Apollonius the son of Genneus, and also Hieronymus and Demophon, and besides them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus.

2But of the governours of several places, Timotheus, and Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and beside them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to be quiet and live in peace.

NoteThese men were Seleucid officials in charge of local districts of the empire. "Would not suffer them to be quiet" means would not leave them alone. Timotheus and Nicanor appear again later in this chapter and elsewhere in the book.

3The men of Joppa did this deed against God: they asked the Jews who lived among them to get into the boats they had made ready, along with their wives and children, as if they meant them no harm at all.

3The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.

NoteJoppa, modern Jaffa, was the main seaport on the coast of Judea, a Greek-speaking city with a Jewish minority living inside it.

4The Jews accepted, trusting the public vote of the city, since they wanted to live in peace and suspected nothing. But when they had been taken out into deep water, the men of Joppa drowned no fewer than two hundred of them.

4Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city, as being desirous to live in peace, and suspecting nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred of them.

NoteThe "common decree of the city" was a formal vote of the citizen assembly, a public and binding civic act. That is exactly why the invitation looked safe and the Jews accepted it.

5When Judas heard of this cruel act done to his own countrymen, he gave orders to the men who were with him to get ready.

5When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen, he commanded those that were with him to make them ready.

6Calling on God, the judge who does what is right, he came against these murderers of his own people. He set the harbor on fire at night, burned the boats, and killed those who had fled there.

6And calling upon God the righteous Judge, he came against those murderers of his brethren, and burnt the haven by night, and set the boats on fire, and those that fled thither he slew.

7When the town gates were shut, he pulled back, meaning to come again and wipe out the whole community of the city of Joppa.

7And when the town was shut up, he went backward, as if he would return to root out all them of the city of Joppa.

NoteWalled cities shut their gates at night or at the first sign of attack. Once the gates were closed Judas had no way in, so he pulled back rather than besiege the place then.

8But he heard that the men of Jamnia were planning to do the same thing to the Jews who lived among them.

8But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them,

NoteJamnia, called Yavneh in Hebrew, was another city on the coastal plain south of Joppa, with its own harbor.

9So he attacked the men of Jamnia too, at night, and set fire to the harbor and the ships, so that the glow of the fire was seen at Jerusalem, two hundred and forty furlongs away.

9He came upon the Jamnites also by night, and set fire on the haven and the navy, so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off.

NoteA furlong is the King James translation of the Greek stadion, a unit of about two hundred yards. Two hundred and forty furlongs is roughly twenty-seven miles, the distance from the coast up to Jerusalem.

10Now when they had gone nine furlongs from there on their march toward Timotheus, an Arabian force attacked him, no fewer than five thousand foot soldiers and five hundred horsemen.

10Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their journey toward Timotheus, no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him.

NoteNine furlongs is about a mile. "Arabians" here means tribes of the desert fringe east and south of the Jordan, not the inhabitants of a single kingdom.

11There was a hard battle, but Judas and his men, with God's help, won it. The defeated nomads begged Judas for peace, promising to give him livestock and to help him in other ways as well.

11Whereupon there was a very sore battle; but Judas’ side by the help of God got the victory; so that the Nomades of Arabia, being overcome, besought Judas for peace, promising both to give him cattle, and to pleasure him otherwise.

NoteThe "Nomades of Arabia" were nomadic herding tribes with no fixed towns. Livestock was the wealth they had to offer, which is why that is what they promise.

12Judas judged that they would in fact be useful in many things, so he agreed to peace with them. They shook hands on it, and the Arabians went off to their tents.

12Then Judas, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things, granted them peace: whereupon they shook hands, and so they departed to their tents.

Note"They shook hands" renders a Greek phrase for exchanging formal pledges. A clasp of hands was the recognized way of sealing an agreement between parties.

13He also attacked a certain strong city, ringed with earth banks and walls and lived in by people from many different nations. Its name was Caspis.

13He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city, which was fenced about with walls, and inhabited by people of divers countries; and the name of it was Caspis.

NoteCaspis, also spelled Caspin, lay east of the Sea of Galilee, in the territory beyond the Jordan where small Jewish communities lived among larger Gentile populations. "Fenced about" in the King James means fortified, not fenced in the modern sense.

14But the people inside trusted so much in the strength of the walls and in their store of food that they behaved insultingly toward Judas and his men, jeering, and speaking against God, and saying words that should not be said.

14But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and provision of victuals, that they behaved themselves rudely toward them that were with Judas, railing and blaspheming, and uttering such words as were not to be spoken.

NoteInsults shouted from the walls at besiegers were a normal part of a siege. "Blaspheming" here means specifically speaking against the Jews' God.

15So Judas and his company called on the great Lord of the world, who threw down Jericho in the days of Joshua without battering rams or siege machines, and they made a fierce attack on the wall.

15Wherefore Judas with his company, calling upon the great Lord of the world, who without rams or engines of war did cast down Jericho in the time of Joshua, gave a fierce assault against the walls,

NoteThe reference is to the fall of Jericho in Joshua 6, where the walls came down with no siege equipment used at all. A battering ram was a heavy beam swung against a wall or gate; "engines of war" were catapults, siege towers and similar machinery.

16They took the city by the will of God, and killed so many that it cannot be told: a lake next to the city, two furlongs across, seemed to be filled to the brim and was seen flowing with blood.

16And took the city by the will of God, and made unspeakable slaughters, insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near adjoining thereunto, being filled full, was seen running with blood.

NoteTwo furlongs is about a quarter of a mile. Descriptions on this scale are part of the heightened style this book uses when reporting a victory.

17Then they marched seven hundred and fifty furlongs from there and came to Characa, to the Jews who are called Tubieni.

17Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs, and came to Characa unto the Jews that are called Tubieni.

NoteSeven hundred and fifty furlongs is roughly eighty-five miles. "Characa" is a Greek word meaning a place fortified with a palisade, and its site is unknown. The Tubieni were Jews living in the district of Tob, east of the Jordan, mentioned earlier in this book.

18But they did not find Timotheus anywhere in that district, for he had already left it without getting anything done, though he had left behind a very strong garrison in one stronghold.

18But as for Timotheus, they found him not in the places: for before he had dispatched any thing, he departed from thence, having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold.

NoteA garrison is a body of troops left behind to hold a fortified position after the main army moves on.

19Even so, Dositheus and Sosipater, two of Maccabeus' officers, went out and killed the men Timotheus had left in that fortress, more than ten thousand men.

19Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabeus’ captains, went forth, and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress, above ten thousand men.

Note"Maccabeus" is the surname of Judas, the leader of the revolt. The writer uses "Judas" and "Maccabeus" interchangeably for the same man.

20Maccabeus arranged his army in divisions and put these two in command of the divisions, and marched against Timotheus, who had with him about a hundred and twenty thousand foot soldiers and two thousand five hundred horsemen.

20And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands, and set them over the bands, and went against Timotheus, who had about him an hundred and twenty thousand men of foot, and two thousand and five hundred horsemen.

NoteAncient writers regularly report enemy armies at figures of this size. The numbers are meant to convey the odds faced rather than to serve as a count.

21When Timotheus learned that Judas was coming, he sent the women and children and the rest of the baggage to a fortress called Carnion, for that town was hard to lay siege to and hard to reach, since the approaches on every side were narrow.

21Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas’ coming, he sent the women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress called Carnion: for the town was hard to besiege, and uneasy to come unto, by reason of the straitness of all the places.

NoteCarnion is Carnaim, a town in Gilead east of the Jordan; its temple is mentioned in verse 26. Sending the women, children and baggage into a fortress before a battle was standard practice for an army on campaign.

22But when Judas' first division came into sight, fear and terror struck the enemy, because the one who sees all things showed himself to them. They fled headlong, one running this way and another that, so that they were often hurt by their own men and pierced by the points of their own swords.

22But when Judas his first band came in sight, the enemies, being smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of him who seeth all things, fled amain, one running into this way, another that way, so as that they were often hurt of their own men, and wounded with the points of their own swords.

Note"The appearing of him who seeth all things" translates a Greek word used for a visible manifestation of a god intervening in a battle. This book returns to that idea repeatedly.

23Judas pressed the chase hard, cutting down these wicked men, and he killed about thirty thousand of them.

23Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those wicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty thousand men.

24Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater. With a great deal of cunning he begged them to let him go alive, because he held the parents of many of the Jews and the brothers of some of them, and if they put him to death, no thought would be given to these people.

24Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater, whom he besought with much craft to let him go with his life, because he had many of the Jews’ parents, and the brethren of some of them, who, if they put him to death, should not be regarded.

NoteTimotheus was holding Jewish civilians as hostages. His argument is that if he is executed there will be no one left with any reason to care what becomes of them.

25So when he had confirmed with many words that he would give them back unharmed, as agreed, they let him go, to save their own relatives.

25So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore them without hurt, according to the agreement, they let him go for the saving of their brethren.

26Then Maccabeus marched to Carnion and to the temple of Atargatis, and there he killed twenty-five thousand people.

26Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion, and to the temple of Atargatis, and there he slew five and twenty thousand persons.

NoteAtargatis was a Syrian goddess worshiped widely across the region, associated with fish and with fertility. Her temple was what made Carnaim a place of importance.

27After he had driven them off and destroyed them, Judas moved his army against Ephron, a strong city where Lysias was staying, along with a great crowd of people of many nations. Strong young men held the walls and defended them with force, and there was a large supply of siege machines and missiles inside.

27And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Judas removed the host toward Ephron, a strong city, wherein Lysias abode, and a great multitude of divers nations, and the strong young men kept the walls, and defended them mightily: wherein also was great provision of engines and darts.

Note"Darts" in the King James means javelins and other thrown or shot missiles, not small darts. Some manuscripts do not name Lysias here, and his presence is hard to square with verse 1, where he has already gone back to the king.

28But when Judas and his company had called on Almighty God, who by his power breaks the strength of his enemies, they took the city and killed twenty-five thousand of those inside.

28But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God, who with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies, they won the city, and slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within,

29From there they set out for Scythopolis, which is six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem.

29From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem,

NoteScythopolis is the Greek name for Beth-shean, a largely Gentile city in the Jordan valley. Six hundred furlongs is about seventy miles.

30But the Jews who lived there gave witness that the people of Scythopolis had treated them with good will and had been kind to them in their times of trouble.

30But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them, and entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity;

31So they thanked them, and asked them to go on being friendly to their people. Then they came to Jerusalem, since the feast of weeks was near.

31They gave them thanks, desiring them to be friendly still unto them: and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks approaching.

NoteThe feast of weeks, Shavuot, fell seven weeks after Passover and marked the end of the grain harvest. It was one of the festivals for which people traveled up to Jerusalem.

32After the feast, which is called Pentecost, they marched out against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea.

32And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea,

NotePentecost is the Greek name for the same feast, from the word for "fiftieth," because it fell on the fiftieth day after Passover. Idumea was the region immediately south of Judea, the old territory of Edom.

33He came out with three thousand foot soldiers and four hundred horsemen.

33Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred horsemen.

34And it happened that when they fought each other, a few of the Jews were killed.

34And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Jews were slain.

35At that point Dositheus, one of Bacenor's company, a strong man on horseback, kept pressing hard on Gorgias, and he took hold of his cloak and dragged him by main force. He meant to take that accursed man alive, but a Thracian horseman rode at him and disabled his shoulder, and so Gorgias got away to Marisa.

35At which time Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s company, who was on horseback, and a strong man, was still upon Gorgias, and taking hold of his coat drew him by force; and when he would have taken that cursed man alive, a horseman of Thracia coming upon him smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa.

NoteThracian horsemen, from the region north of the Aegean, served across the Hellenistic world as hired cavalry. The King James "smote off his shoulder" translates a verb meaning to maim or disable, not necessarily to sever. Marisa, Hebrew Mareshah, was a town in Idumea.

36When the men with Esdris had been fighting a long time and were worn out, Judas called on the Lord to show himself as their helper and as the leader of the battle.

36Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord, that he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle.

NoteThe King James says the men with Gorgias were weary; the Greek names Esdris, one of Judas' own officers, so it is the Jewish troops who are worn out and need help. The difference comes from variant readings in the manuscripts.

37With that he began, in the language of his own people, to shout the war cry and sing songs of praise in a loud voice, and he rushed on Gorgias' men when they were not expecting it and put them to flight.

37And with that he began in his own language, and sung psalms with a loud voice, and rushing unawares upon Gorgias’ men, he put them to flight.

Note"His own language" means Hebrew or Aramaic rather than Greek. Raising the war cry together with sung psalms was part of how an army went into battle.

38So Judas gathered his army and came to the city of Odollam. When the seventh day came, they made themselves clean, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath there.

38So Judas gathered his host, and came into the city of Odollam, And when the seventh day came, they purified themselves, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath in the same place.

NoteOdollam is Adullam, a town in the Judean foothills. Purifying themselves meant the ritual washing required after contact with dead bodies. The seventh day is the sabbath, on which no work, and no fighting, was done.

39The next day, since by now it had become necessary, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of those who had been killed, and with their relatives to bring them to the graves of their fathers.

39And upon the day following, as the use had been, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers’ graves.

NoteThe recovery of the bodies had to wait a day because of the sabbath. Burial in the family tomb alongside one's ancestors was the normal and expected end; to be left unburied was a disgrace.

40But under the clothes of every one of the dead they found objects dedicated to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids Jews to have. Then it was clear to everyone that this was why these men had been killed.

40Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites, which is forbidden the Jews by the law. Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain.

NoteThese were small amulets or tokens dedicated to the gods worshiped at Jamnia, carried under the clothing as protective charms. The law meant is Deuteronomy 7:25-26, which forbids taking for oneself anything belonging to an idol.

41So they all praised the Lord, the judge who does what is right, who brings hidden things to light,

41All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid,

42and they turned to prayer, asking him to blot out completely the sin that had been committed. Besides that, the noble Judas urged the people to keep themselves from sin, since they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who were killed.

42Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain.

43He took up a collection from every man in the army, coming to two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to pay for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, since he had the resurrection in mind.

43And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the resurrection:

NoteA drachma was a Greek silver coin worth roughly a day's pay for a laborer, so two thousand of them was a considerable sum. A sin offering was a sacrifice prescribed in the law of Moses and made at the temple; the money paid for the animals and the offering.

44For if he had not been expecting that those who had been killed would rise again, it would have been pointless and empty to pray for the dead.

44For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead.

45And since he saw that a great reward is stored up for those who die in a godly way, this was a holy and good thought. So he made an offering to set things right for the dead, that they might be freed from their sin.

45And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly, it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.

NoteThe King James "in that he perceived" states this as fact, but the Greek is a conditional, closer to "if he was looking to the reward stored up," which leaves the writer's reasoning more tentative. "Made a reconciliation" means offered the sacrifice that removes an offense, what is usually called atonement.