2 Maccabees 15

But Nicanor heard that Judas and his men were in the strongholds around Samaria, and he decided to attack them on the sabbath day, when he would be in no danger at all.

1But Nicanor, hearing that Judas and his company were in the strong places about Samaria, resolved without any danger to set upon them on the sabbath day.

NoteNicanor was a general of the Seleucid kingdom, the Greek-speaking empire ruled from Syria that controlled Judea at this time, and he was acting on orders from its king, Demetrius. The sabbath is the seventh day of the week, kept as a day of complete rest on which work was forbidden. Attacking on it looked risk-free to him because strictly observant Jews were not expected to fight back that day.

2Even so, the Jews who were forced to march with him said, "Do not kill in such a cruel and savage way. Give honor to that day, which the one who sees all things has honored and made holy above all other days."

2Nevertheless the Jews that were compelled to go with him said, O destroy not so cruelly and barbarously, but give honour to that day, which he, that seeth all things, hath honoured with holiness above all other days.

NoteThese are Jews conscripted into Nicanor's force, serving under compulsion rather than by choice.

3Then that utterly wicked man asked whether there was a Mighty One in heaven who had commanded that the sabbath day be kept.

3Then the most ungracious wretch demanded, if there were a Mighty one in heaven, that had commanded the sabbath day to be kept.

NoteThe King James "Mighty one" translates a Greek word meaning a sovereign or ruler, which is why Nicanor throws it back at them in verse 5: if there is a sovereign in heaven, he says, he himself is a sovereign on earth. The King James "most ungracious wretch" renders a Greek word meaning "thrice accursed."

4They answered, "There is a living Lord in heaven, and he is mighty, and he commanded that the seventh day be kept."

4And when they said, There is in heaven a living Lord, and mighty, who commanded the seventh day to be kept:

5Then the other man said, "And I am mighty here on earth, and I command you to take up weapons and carry out the king's business." Yet he did not succeed in getting his evil way.

5Then said the other, And I also am mighty upon earth, and I command to take arms, and to do the king’s business. Yet he obtained not to have his wicked will done.

6So Nicanor, filled with enormous pride and arrogance, decided to set up a public monument to his victory over Judas and those with him.

6So Nicanor in exceeding pride and haughtiness determined to set up a publick monument of his victory over Judas and them that were with him.

NoteA victory monument in the Greek world was a trophy: captured enemy weapons and armor fixed to a post or tree stump on the battlefield where the enemy line broke.

7But Maccabeus never stopped being sure that the Lord would help him.

7But Maccabeus had ever sure confidence that the Lord would help him:

Note"Maccabeus" is the byname of Judas, leader of the Jewish revolt, used here on its own the way a surname would be.

8So he urged his people not to be afraid of the attack of the foreign nations. He told them to remember the help they had received from heaven in earlier times, and now to look for victory and help to come to them from the Almighty.

8Wherefore he exhorted his people not to fear the coming of the heathen against them, but to remember the help which in former times they had received from heaven, and now to expect the victory and aid, which should come unto them from the Almighty.

NoteThe King James "heathen" translates the Greek word for "the nations," the ordinary Jewish term for non-Jews. Here it means the Seleucid army specifically.

9He encouraged them from the law and the prophets, and he also reminded them of the battles they had already won, and so he made them more cheerful.

9And so comforting them out of the law and the prophets, and withal putting them in mind of the battles that they won afore, he made them more cheerful.

Note"The law and the prophets" names the two main divisions of Jewish scripture then in circulation: the five books of Moses, and the books of the prophets.

10When he had stirred up their spirits, he gave them their orders, and at the same time he showed them how the foreign nations lied and broke their sworn promises.

10And when he had stirred up their minds, he gave them their charge, shewing them therewithall the falsehood of the heathen, and the breach of oaths.

11In this way he armed each one of them, not so much with the protection of shields and spears as with words that were good and full of comfort. Besides that, he told them a dream that deserved to be believed as if it had really happened, and it made them very glad.

11Thus he armed every one of them, not so much with defence of shields and spears, as with comfortable and good words: and beside that, he told them a dream worthy to be believed, as if it had been so indeed, which did not a little rejoice them.

NoteIn 1611 "comfortable" meant strengthening or encouraging, close to the older sense of "fortify." It did not mean cozy or physically pleasant.

12This is what he had seen: Onias, who had been high priest, a man of high character and good, dignified in the way he behaved, gentle in manner, well spoken too, and trained from childhood in every part of good conduct, was holding up his hands and praying for the whole community of the Jews.

12And this was his vision: That Onias, who had been high priest, a virtuous and a good man, reverend in conversation, gentle in condition, well spoken also, and exercised from a child in all points of virtue, holding up his hands prayed for the whole body of the Jews.

NoteOnias is Onias III, high priest in Jerusalem, who was pushed out of office and then murdered some years before these events; this book tells that story in chapter 4. The King James "reverend in conversation" is doubly misleading now: "conversation" meant a person's whole way of living and behaving, not their talk, and "reverend" here means worthy of respect rather than being a title.

13After this, in the same way, there appeared a man with gray hair and great glory, and the greatness about him was wonderful and beyond description.

13This done, in like manner there appeared a man with gray hairs, and exceeding glorious, who was of a wonderful and excellent majesty.

14Then Onias spoke and said, "This is the man who loves his fellow Jews. He prays much for the people and for the holy city. He is Jeremiah, the prophet of God."

14Then Onias answered, saying, This is a lover of the brethren, who prayeth much for the people, and for the holy city, to wit, Jeremias the prophet of God.

NoteJeremiah was a prophet in Jerusalem around the time the Babylonians destroyed the city and its temple, roughly four centuries before Nicanor. "To wit" is old English for "that is to say."

15Then Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave Judas a sword of gold, and as he handed it over he said,

15Whereupon Jeremias holding forth his right hand gave to Judas a sword of gold, and in giving it spake thus,

16"Take this holy sword, a gift from God. With it you will strike down your enemies."

16Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with the which thou shalt wound the adversaries.

17The words of Judas comforted them well. They were very good words, able to stir men to bravery and to give courage to the hearts of the young men. So the men decided not to set up camp, but to attack boldly, and to settle the matter by fighting hand to hand like men, because the city, the sanctuary, and the temple were in danger.

17Thus being well comforted by the words of Judas, which were very good, and able to stir them up to valour, and to encourage the hearts of the young men, they determined not to pitch camp, but courageously to set upon them, and manfully to try the matter by conflict, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.

NoteThe Greek uses two different words that the King James renders "the sanctuary" and "the temple": the temple precinct as a whole, and the sanctuary building standing inside it.

18The concern they felt for their wives, their children, their brothers, and their relatives counted least with them. Their greatest and chief fear was for the holy temple.

18For the care that they took for their wives, and their children, their brethren, and folks, was in least account with them: but the greatest and principal fear was for the holy temple.

19Those who were in the city were also far from unconcerned, for they were troubled about the fighting out in the open country.

19Also they that were in the city took not the least care, being troubled for the conflict abroad.

NoteThe King James "took not the least care" reads backwards to a modern eye. It is a double negative meaning they were in no small distress, that is, they were deeply anxious. "The conflict abroad" means the fighting out in the open country, outside the city walls.

20Now everyone was waiting to see how the test would turn out. The enemy had already drawn near, the army was drawn up in battle order, the beasts were placed where they were needed, and the horsemen were set on the wings.

20And now, when as all looked what should be the trial, and the enemies were already come near, and the army was set in array, and the beasts conveniently placed, and the horsemen set in wings,

Note"The beasts" are war elephants, a standard part of Seleucid armies, carrying armed men and used to break an enemy line. "Horsemen set in wings" means cavalry stationed on the two flanks of the infantry.

21Maccabeus saw the crowd coming, the many different kinds of weapons, and the fierceness of the beasts. He stretched out his hands toward heaven and called on the Lord who works wonders, for he knew that victory does not come by weapons, but that the Lord gives it to those who are worthy, as it seems good to him.

21Maccabeus seeing the coming of the multitude, and the divers preparations of armour, and the fierceness of the beasts, stretched out his hands toward heaven, and called upon the Lord that worketh wonders, knowing that victory cometh not by arms, but even as it seemeth good to him, he giveth it to such as are worthy:

NoteThe King James "divers" simply means various or several kinds. "Preparations of armour" means their equipment and weaponry.

22So in his prayer he said something like this: "O Lord, you sent your angel in the time of Hezekiah, king of Judea, and you killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the army of Sennacherib.

22Therefore in his prayer he said after this manner; O Lord, thou didst send thine angel in the time of Ezekias king of Judea, and didst slay in the host of Sennacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand:

Note"Ezekias" is Hezekiah, king of Judah. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, besieged Jerusalem in his reign, around 701 BC, and the tradition that an angel struck down 185,000 of his soldiers comes from 2 Kings 19:35. "Fourscore" is eighty, so "an hundred fourscore and five thousand" is 185,000.

23So now also, O Lord of heaven, send a good angel ahead of us to bring fear and dread upon them.

23Wherefore now also, O Lord of heaven, send a good angel before us for a fear and dread unto them;

24By the strength of your arm, let terror strike those who have come against your holy people speaking against you." And he finished with those words.

24And through the might of thine arm let those be stricken with terror, that come against thy holy people to blaspheme. And he ended thus.

25Then Nicanor and those with him came forward with trumpets and songs.

25Then Nicanor and they that were with him came forward with trumpets and songs.

NoteThe Greek word behind "songs" means paeans: chanted battle hymns addressed to a god, sung as troops advanced.

26But Judas and his men met the enemy with calling on God and with prayer.

26But Judas and his company encountered the enemies with invocation and prayer.

27So, fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they killed no fewer than thirty-five thousand men, for God showed himself, and that made them very glad.

27So that fighting with their hands, and praying unto God with their hearts, they slew no less than thirty and five thousand men: for through the appearance of God they were greatly cheered.

Note"The appearance of God" translates a word this book uses repeatedly for God making himself visibly felt in a crisis, a manifestation rather than a private impression.

28When the battle was over and they were coming back with joy, they recognized Nicanor lying dead in his armor.

28Now when the battle was done, returning again with joy, they knew that Nicanor lay dead in his harness.

NoteIn 1611 "harness" meant a suit of body armor, with no connection to horses.

29Then they gave a great shout and made a loud noise, praising the Almighty in their own language.

29Then they made a great shout and a noise, praising the Almighty in their own language.

Note"Their own language" means the ancestral tongue, Hebrew or Aramaic, as against the Greek spoken by the Seleucid army and its officials.

30Judas had always been the chief defender of his fellow citizens, in body and in mind, and he kept his love for his countrymen all his life. He gave orders to cut off Nicanor's head, and his hand along with the shoulder, and to bring them to Jerusalem.

30And Judas, who was ever the chief defender of the citizens both in body and mind, and who continued his love toward his countrymen all his life, commanded to strike off Nicanor’s head, and his hand with his shoulder, and bring them to Jerusalem.

NoteCutting off and displaying a defeated commander's head was the normal way of proving he was dead. The hand is singled out because of the gesture described in verse 32, when Nicanor pointed at the temple and threatened it.

31When he got there, he called together the people of his nation and set the priests in front of the altar, and he sent for the men who were in the citadel.

31So when he was there, and called them of his nation together, and set the priests before the altar, he sent for them that were of the tower,

Note"The tower" is the Akra, the fortified citadel in Jerusalem, still garrisoned at this point by Seleucid troops and their Jewish supporters even though Judas controlled the temple.

32He showed them the head of the vile Nicanor and the hand of that man who had spoken against God, the hand he had stretched out with proud boasts against the holy temple of the Almighty.

32And shewed them vile Nicanor’s head, and the hand of that blasphemer, which with proud brags he had stretched out against the holy temple of the Almighty.

33And when he had cut out the tongue of that godless Nicanor, he ordered that it be given in pieces to the birds, and that the payment for his madness be hung up in front of the temple.

33And when he had cut out the tongue of that ungodly Nicanor, he commanded that they should give it by pieces unto the fowls, and hang up the reward of his madness before the temple.

NoteLeaving a body to scavenging birds rather than burying it was the deepest disgrace that could be inflicted on an enemy in this world. "The reward of his madness" means what his folly had earned him, that is, the severed head and hand themselves.

34So every man looked toward heaven and praised the glorious Lord, saying, "Blessed be the one who has kept his own place undefiled."

34So every man praised toward the heaven the glorious Lord, saying, Blessed be he that hath kept his own place undefiled.

Note"His own place" is the temple. "The Place" was a common Jewish way of referring to it without naming it.

35He also hung Nicanor's head on the citadel, a clear and plain sign to everyone of the help of the Lord.

35He hanged also Nicanor’s head upon the tower, an evident and manifest sign unto all of the help of the Lord.

36And they all agreed by a common decree never to let that day go by without marking it, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which in the Syrian language is called Adar, the day before Mordecai's day.

36And they ordained all with a common decree in no case to let that day pass without solemnity, but to celebrate the thirtieth day of the twelfth month, which in the Syrian tongue is called Adar, the day before Mardocheus’ day.

NoteAdar is the twelfth month of the Jewish year, falling in February or March. The "Syrian tongue" is Aramaic, the everyday language of the region. "Mardocheus' day" is Mordecai's day, the festival of Purim on the fourteenth of Adar, which the book of Esther describes. The King James "thirtieth day" is an error in the text it followed; the Greek reads thirteenth, which the passage itself requires, since that is the day before the fourteenth.

37That is how things went with Nicanor. From that time on the Hebrews held the city, and here I will bring my book to an end.

37Thus went it with Nicanor: and from that time forth the Hebrews had the city in their power. And here will I make an end.

NoteThe writer is the anonymous author who explains in chapter 2 that this whole book is his condensation of a five-volume history by Jason of Cyrene. He ends with Nicanor's defeat rather than carrying the story on to the death of Judas.

38If I have written well, and in a way that suits the story, that is what I wanted. But if it is thin and poor, that is the best I was able to do.

38And if I have done well, and as is fitting the story, it is that which I desired: but if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto.

39Just as it is bad to drink wine by itself, and bad to drink water by itself, while wine mixed with water is pleasant and gives delight to the taste, so a story told in well-shaped language gives delight to the ears of those who read it. And here is the end.

39For as it is hurtful to drink wine or water alone; and as wine mingled with water is pleasant, and delighteth the taste: even so speech finely framed delighteth the ears of them that read the story. And here shall be an end.

NoteIn the ancient Mediterranean wine was normally served diluted with water; drinking it neat was thought crude, and plain water on its own was thought dull. The writer is comparing that ordinary mixing to the blending of plain facts with polished writing.