2 Maccabees 2

It is also found in the records that Jeremiah the prophet gave orders to those who were being carried away into exile, telling them to take some of the fire, as has already been mentioned.

1It is also found in the records, that Jeremy the prophet commanded them that were carried away to take of the fire, as it hath been signified:

Note"The records" are archives of official documents. "The fire" refers back to the story told in chapter 1, where priests hid the fire from the altar in a dry well when the temple was destroyed. Jeremiah was a prophet in Jerusalem when the Babylonians took the city in 587 BC and deported much of its population; those deportees are the people "carried away" here.

2It tells too how the prophet, after he had given them the law, urged them not to forget the commandments of the Lord, and not to go wrong in their thinking when they saw images of silver and gold with all their decoration.

2And how that the prophet, having given them the law, charged them not to forget the commandments of the Lord, and that they should not err in their minds, when they see images of silver and gold, with their ornaments.

NoteThe exiles were going to live in Babylon, a city full of gilded and silver-plated statues of its gods. The warning is about what they would see every day there.

3With other words like these he urged them to keep the law from slipping away out of their hearts.

3And with other such speeches exhorted he them, that the law should not depart from their hearts.

4The same writing said that the prophet, having been warned by God, gave orders that the tent of worship and the ark should go with him when he went out to the mountain that Moses had climbed, where Moses saw the land God gave as an inheritance.

4It was also contained in the same writing, that the prophet, being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God.

NoteThe tent of worship, usually called the tabernacle, was the portable shrine Israel carried through the wilderness before the temple was built. The ark was the gold-covered chest that held the tablets of the law and stood in the innermost room. The mountain is Nebo, where according to Deuteronomy 34 Moses looked out over the land of Canaan before he died. The ark disappears from the historical record at the fall of Jerusalem; this chapter preserves one tradition about what became of it.

5When Jeremiah came there, he found a hollow cave. He put the tent of worship, the ark, and the altar of incense inside it, and then blocked up the entrance.

5And when Jeremy came thither, he found an hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door.

NoteThe altar of incense was a small altar standing inside the sanctuary itself, where fragrant incense was burned. It was a different object from the large altar outside in the courtyard, where animals were sacrificed.

6Some of the men who had come with him went to mark the way, but they could not find it.

6And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it.

7When Jeremiah learned of this, he scolded them. He said, "As for that place, it will stay unknown until the time when God gathers his people together again and takes them back in mercy.

7Which when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them, saying, As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy.

8Then the Lord will show them these things. The glory of the Lord will appear, and the cloud as well, just as it was shown in the time of Moses, and as when Solomon asked that the place might be made holy in an honorable way.

8Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also, as it was shewed under Moses, and as when Solomon desired that the place might be honourably sanctified.

NoteThe cloud is the one described in Exodus 40 and again in 1 Kings 8, which filled the tabernacle and later the temple at their dedication and was understood as the visible sign of God's presence.

9It was also declared that he, being wise, offered the sacrifice for the dedication and for the finishing of the temple.

9It was also declared, that he being wise offered the sacrifice of dedication, and of the finishing of the temple.

Note"He" is Solomon. The reference is to the dedication of the first temple in Jerusalem, told in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 7.

10And just as Moses prayed to the Lord and fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices, so Solomon also prayed, and fire came down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings.

10And as when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the sacrifices: even so prayed Solomon also, and the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offerings.

NoteA burnt offering was an animal burned whole on the altar, with no part of it eaten by anyone. Fire falling from heaven to consume a sacrifice is reported at Leviticus 9:24 and again at 2 Chronicles 7:1.

11And Moses said, "Because the sin offering was not to be eaten, it was burned up."

11And Moses said, Because the sin offering was not to be eaten, it was consumed.

NoteThis is a compressed allusion to Leviticus 10:16 to 20. A sin offering was normally eaten by the priests as part of the ritual; Moses found that one particular sin offering had been burned up instead, and accepted Aaron's explanation.

12So Solomon kept those eight days."

12So Solomon kept those eight days.

NoteSolomon's dedication festival lasted eight days according to 2 Chronicles 7:8 to 9. The length is the point: the letter is urging its readers to keep an eight-day festival of their own.

13The same things were also reported in the writings and records of Nehemiah, and how he founded a library and gathered together the accounts of the kings and of the prophets, and the writings of David, and letters from kings about the holy gifts.

13The same things also were reported in the writings and commentaries of Neemias; and how he founding a library gathered together the acts of the kings, and the prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings concerning the holy gifts.

NoteNehemiah was governor of Judea around 445 BC and rebuilt Jerusalem's walls. "The accounts of the kings and of the prophets, and the writings of David" mean what we call the books of Kings, the prophetic books, and the Psalms. The "letters from kings about the holy gifts" are decrees of the Persian rulers authorizing donations to the temple, of the kind quoted in the book of Ezra.

14In the same way Judas also gathered together all those writings that had been lost because of the war we went through, and they are still with us.

14In like manner also Judas gathered together all those things that were lost by reason of the war we had, and they remain with us,

NoteJudas Maccabeus led the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid kings of Syria from 167 to 160 BC. "The war we went through" is that revolt, during which the temple was seized and Jewish books were destroyed.

15So if you have need of them, send some men to fetch them for you.

15Wherefore if ye have need thereof, send some to fetch them unto you.

16Since we are now about to celebrate the purification, we have written to you, and you will do well if you keep the same days.

16Whereas we then are about to celebrate the purification, we have written unto you, and ye shall do well, if ye keep the same days.

Note"The purification" is the festival marking the cleansing and rededication of the temple in 164 BC, after it had been taken over for foreign worship. It was kept for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month Kislev, roughly late November or December, and is the festival now called Hanukkah.

17We hope also that God, who rescued all his people, and who gave them all an inheritance, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the holy place,

17We hope also, that the God, that delivered all his people, and gave them all an heritage, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the sanctuary,

18just as he promised in the law, will soon have mercy on us and gather us together out of every land under heaven into the holy place. For he has rescued us out of great troubles and has cleansed the place.

18As he promised in the law, will shortly have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of every land under heaven into the holy place: for he hath delivered us out of great troubles, and hath purified the place.

NoteThe letter that began at 1:10 ends here. From verse 19 the author of this book speaks in his own voice, introducing the work that follows.

19Now about Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,

19Now as concerning Judas Maccabeus, and his brethren, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,

20and also the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator,

20And the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his son,

NoteAntiochus IV ruled the Seleucid kingdom of Syria from 175 to 164 BC. "Epiphanes" was a title he took for himself, meaning roughly "the god made visible." His son Antiochus V Eupator succeeded him as a child and reigned about two years.

21and the clear signs that came from heaven to those who acted with courage, to their honor, for the Jewish religion, so that, though they were only a few, they overcame the whole country and chased away crowds of barbarians,

21And the manifest signs that came from heaven unto those that behaved themselves manfully to their honour for Judaism: so that, being but a few, they overcame the whole country, and chased barbarous multitudes,

NoteThe Greek word behind "clear signs" is epiphaneiai, meaning appearances or manifestations, the same word family as Antiochus Epiphanes' own title. The phrase rendered "the Jewish religion" translates Ioudaismos, "Judaism"; this is the earliest surviving use of the word, coined as the opposite of Hellenismos, the Greek way of life. "Barbarians" was the Greek term for anyone who did not speak Greek; here a Jewish writer turns it back on the Greek-speaking armies.

22and won back the temple that is famous all over the world, and set the city free, and held up the laws that were on their way down, the Lord being gracious to them with every kindness:

22And recovered again the temple renowned all the world over, and freed the city, and upheld the laws which were going down, the Lord being gracious unto them with all favour:

23all these things, I say, which Jason of Cyrene set out in five books, we will try to shorten into one volume.

23All these things, I say, being declared by Jason of Cyrene in five books, we will assay to abridge in one volume.

NoteJason of Cyrene is otherwise unknown, and his five books have not survived. Cyrene was a Greek city on the coast of North Africa, in what is now Libya, with a large Jewish population. What follows in this book is the condensed version he describes.

24For we have taken into account the endless number of facts, and the difficulty that people meet when they want to look into the accounts of this history, because there is so much material.

24For considering the infinite number, and the difficulty which they find that desire to look into the narrations of the story, for the variety of the matter,

25We have taken care that those who choose to read may find enjoyment, that those who wish to learn it by heart may find it easy, and that everyone who comes to have it in hand may gain something from it.

25We have been careful, that they that will read may have delight, and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might have ease, and that all into whose hands it comes might have profit.

26So for us, who have taken on this hard task of shortening the work, it was not easy, but a matter of sweat and of going without sleep.

26Therefore to us, that have taken upon us this painful labour of abridging, it was not easy, but a matter of sweat and watching;

27It is no easier for the man who prepares a banquet and seeks other people's good. Yet to give pleasure to many, we will gladly take on this great effort;

27Even as it is no ease unto him that prepareth a banquet, and seeketh the benefit of others: yet for the pleasuring of many we will undertake gladly this great pains;

28leaving to the author the exact handling of every detail, and working hard to follow the rules of making a shorter version.

28Leaving to the author the exact handling of every particular, and labouring to follow the rules of an abridgement.

Note"The author" is Jason of Cyrene, the original historian, not the writer of this book, who calls himself only the abridger.

29For the master builder of a new house must take care of the whole structure, while the man who takes on the job of finishing and painting it must look for the right things to make it beautiful. I think it is the same with us.

29For as the master builder of a new house must care for the whole building; but he that undertaketh to set it out, and paint it, must seek out fit things for the adorning thereof: even so I think it is with us.

30To go into every point, to treat things at length, and to look closely into details belongs to the first author of the history.

30To stand upon every point, and go over things at large, and to be curious in particulars, belongeth to the first author of the story:

31But to keep it short, and to avoid a great deal of labor over the work, is to be allowed to the man who makes a shortened version.

31But to use brevity, and avoid much labouring of the work, is to be granted to him that will make an abridgment.

32So here we will begin the story, adding only this much to what has already been said: it is a foolish thing to make a long introduction and then be short in the story itself.

32Here then will we begin the story: only adding thus much to that which hath been said, that it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue, and to be short in the story itself.