2 Maccabees 7

It also happened that seven brothers and their mother were arrested. The king was forcing them to eat pig meat, which their law forbade, and they were beaten with whips and cords.

1It came to pass also, that seven brethren with their mother were taken, and compelled by the king against the law to taste swine’s flesh, and were tormented with scourges and whips.

NoteThe king is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Greek ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, who controlled Judea. Around 167 BC he outlawed the practice of Jewish law on pain of death. Pork was forbidden to Jews by the food laws of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, so being made to eat it in front of witnesses worked as a public test of whether a person would give up that law. The KJV's "against the law" means against the Jewish law, not against the king's own law.

2But one of them spoke first, and said this: "What do you want to ask us, or to learn from us? We are ready to die rather than break the laws of our fathers."

2But one of them that spake first said thus, What wouldest thou ask or learn of us? we are ready to die, rather than to transgress the laws of our fathers.

3Then the king flew into a rage and ordered pans and cauldrons to be heated.

3Then the king, being in a rage, commanded pans and caldrons to be made hot:

4As soon as they were hot, he gave orders to cut out the tongue of the one who had spoken first, to pull the skin off his head, and to cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of his brothers and his mother watched.

4Which forthwith being heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of him that spake first, and to cut off the utmost parts of his body, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on.

Note"The utmost parts of his body" means the extremities, the hands and feet. The Greek also says at this point that he was scalped, a detail the KJV leaves out here although it gives it for the second brother in verse 7.

5When he had been maimed in every limb, the king ordered him brought to the fire while he was still alive, and fried in the pan. As the smoke from the pan spread far, the brothers and their mother urged one another to die bravely, saying this:

5Now when he was thus maimed in all his members, he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the pan: and as the vapour of the pan was for a good space dispersed, they exhorted one another with the mother to die manfully, saying thus,

6"The Lord God is watching us, and truly he is moved by our appeal, just as Moses declared in his song, which testifies against the people to their faces, saying, 'And he will have compassion on his servants.'"

6The Lord God looketh upon us, and in truth hath comfort in us, as Moses in his song, which witnessed to their faces, declared, saying, And he shall be comforted in his servants.

NoteThe song is Deuteronomy 32, the long poem Moses recites just before his death, which he says is set down as a witness against the people. The line quoted comes from verse 36 of it, which the KJV renders there "and repent himself for his servants."

7So when the first had died in this way, they brought out the second to make fun of him. They pulled the skin off his head along with the hair, and asked him, "Will you eat, before your body is punished limb by limb?"

7So when the first was dead after this number, they brought the second to make him a mocking stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him, Wilt thou eat, before thou be punished throughout every member of thy body?

Note"A mocking stock" is an object of mockery, something set up to be jeered at. The Greek word carries the sense of a spectacle staged for onlookers: the torture is being performed for an audience. "Pulled off the skin of his head with the hair" is scalping.

8But he answered in his own language and said, "No." So he too was given the next torture in turn, as the first one had been.

8But he answered in his own language, and said, No. Wherefore he also received the next torment in order, as the former did.

NoteThe language is the ancestral one, Hebrew or Aramaic, as opposed to the Greek of the court. In a persecution aimed at replacing Jewish custom with Greek custom, answering in that language is itself part of the refusal.

9And when he was at his last breath, he said, "You wretch, you are taking us out of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to life that lasts forever, because we have died for his laws."

9And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who have died for his laws, unto everlasting life.

NoteThe Greek word behind "like a fury" is alastor, which can mean an avenging spirit and can also mean the accursed wretch on whom vengeance falls. The KJV took the first sense, comparing the king to the Furies of Greek myth; the rendering here takes the second. "The King of the world" sets God's title against the title of the king standing in front of him.

10After him the third was brought out to be mocked. When he was asked for it, he quickly put out his tongue, and bravely held out his hands as well.

10After him was the third made a mocking stock: and when he was required, he put out his tongue, and that right soon, holding forth his hands manfully.

NoteThe third brother is not being asked a question. The executioners demand his tongue and his hands so that they can cut them off, and he holds them out himself rather than have them taken.

11And he said courageously, "I received these from heaven, and for the sake of his laws I count them as nothing. From him I hope to get them back again."

11And said courageously, These I had from heaven; and for his laws I despise them; and from him I hope to receive them again.

12So the king himself and those with him were amazed at the young man's courage, because he paid no attention at all to the pain.

12Insomuch that the king, and they that were with him, marvelled at the young man’s courage, for that he nothing regarded the pains.

13When this one was dead too, they tortured and mangled the fourth in the same way.

13Now when this man was dead also, they tormented and mangled the fourth in like manner.

14And when he was near death he said this: "It is good to be put to death by men and to look for the hope God gives, that we will be raised up again by him. As for you, you will have no resurrection to life."

14So when he was ready to die he said thus, It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him: as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection to life.

15Next they brought the fifth and mangled him too.

15Afterward they brought the fifth also, and mangled him.

16He looked at the king and said, "You have power over men, and you are a man who will decay and die, and you do whatever you want. But do not think that our nation has been abandoned by God.

16Then looked he unto the king, and said, Thou hast power over men, thou art corruptible, thou doest what thou wilt; yet think not that our nation is forsaken of God;

17Wait a while, and you will see his great power, and how he will torment you and your descendants."

17But abide a while, and behold his great power, how he will torment thee and thy seed.

18After him they brought the sixth. When he was about to die he said, "Do not fool yourself for nothing. We suffer these things on account of what we ourselves have done, since we have sinned against our own God. That is why astonishing things are happening to us.

18After him also they brought the sixth, who being ready to die said, Be not deceived without cause: for we suffer these things for ourselves, having sinned against our God: therefore marvellous things are done unto us.

Note"Be not deceived without cause" means do not fool yourself to no purpose. "Marvellous things are done unto us" uses "marvellous" in its older sense of astonishing or staggering, not pleasant; he means the horrors now happening.

19But do not think that you, who have set out to fight against God, will get away unpunished."

19But think not thou, that takest in hand to strive against God, that thou shalt escape unpunished.

20But the mother was more remarkable than all of them, and deserves to be remembered with honor. When she saw her seven sons killed in the space of a single day, she bore it with good courage, because of the hope she had in the Lord.

20But the mother was marvellous above all, and worthy of honourable memory: for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day, she bare it with a good courage, because of the hope that she had in the Lord.

21She encouraged each one of them in her own language, filled with a brave spirit. Stirring up her woman's thoughts with a man's courage, she said to them,

21Yea, she exhorted every one of them in her own language, filled with courageous spirits; and stirring up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach, she said unto them,

NoteIn 1611 "stomach" meant spirit, temper or courage, so "a manly stomach" is a man's courage, and "womanish thoughts" simply means a woman's thoughts. No insult is intended in the Greek; the writer is praising her for a courage his culture labeled masculine. The same older sense lies behind "manfully" in verse 5, which meant bravely.

22"I cannot tell how you came into my womb. I did not give you breath or life, and I was not the one who arranged the parts that make up each of you.

22I cannot tell how ye came into my womb: for I neither gave you breath nor life, neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you;

23But without doubt the Creator of the world, who shaped the human race and devised the beginning of all things, will in his own mercy give you back your breath and your life, since you now count your own selves as nothing for the sake of his laws."

23But doubtless the Creator of the world, who formed the generation of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of his own mercy give you breath and life again, as ye now regard not your own selves for his laws’ sake.

24Now Antiochus thought he was being treated with contempt, and suspected that her words were an insult. While the youngest son was still alive, he not only urged him with words but promised him under oath that he would make him rich and happy if he would turn away from the laws of his fathers, and that he would take him as his friend and put him in charge of public business.

24Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and suspecting it to be a reproachful speech, whilst the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with oaths, that he would make him both a rich and a happy man, if he would turn from the laws of his fathers; and that also he would take him for his friend, and trust him with affairs.

NoteThis is the first time the book names the king in this chapter: Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who ruled from 175 to 164 BC. "Take him for his friend" is not an offer of personal friendship. "Friend of the King" was a formal rank at a Greek royal court, carrying titles, income and a place in government, which is what "trust him with affairs" means.

25But when the young man would not listen to him at all, the king called his mother over and urged her to advise the young man to save his life.

25But when the young man would in no case hearken unto him, the king called his mother, and exhorted her that she would counsel the young man to save his life.

26And when he had urged her with many words, she promised him she would advise her son.

26And when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised him that she would counsel her son.

27But she bent toward him and, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, spoke in the language of her country like this: "My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, nursed you three years, fed you, and raised you to the age you are now, and put up with the troubles of bringing you up.

27But she bowing herself toward him, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, spake in her country language on this manner; O my son, have pity upon me that bare thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee such three years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age, and endured the troubles of education.

NoteNursing a child for about three years was normal practice, so she is describing an ordinary upbringing, not an unusual one. The KJV's "troubles of education" means the trouble of rearing a child, not schooling.

28I beg you, my son, look at the sky and the earth and everything in them, and understand that God made them out of things that did not exist. And human beings were made in the same way.

28I beseech thee, my son, look upon the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not; and so was mankind made likewise.

NoteThe Greek phrase here, ouk ex ontōn, can be read either as "not out of things that existed" or as "out of things that did not exist," and the difference matters: the first says only that God did not use pre-existing material, the second says he made everything from nothing at all. The sentence has been argued over for centuries and the Greek does not settle it.

29Do not be afraid of this man who tortures you. Show yourself worthy of your brothers, and accept your death, so that in God's mercy I may receive you back again along with your brothers."

29Fear not this tormentor, but, being worthy of thy brethren, take thy death that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy brethren.

30While she was still saying these words, the young man said, "What are you all waiting for? I will not obey the king's order. I will obey the command of the law that was given to our fathers through Moses.

30Whiles she was yet speaking these words, the young man said, Whom wait ye for? I will not obey the king’s commandment: but I will obey the commandment of the law that was given unto our fathers by Moses.

31And you, who have been behind every evil done to the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God.

31And thou, that hast been the author of all mischief against the Hebrews, shalt not escape the hands of God.

Note"Mischief" in 1611 meant serious harm or wickedness, not playful trouble, and "author" means the one who devised it. "The Hebrews" is one of several names this book uses for the Jewish people.

32For we are suffering because of our own sins.

32For we suffer because of our sins.

33And though the living Lord is angry with us for a little while, to discipline and correct us, he will be reconciled again with his servants.

33And though the living Lord be angry with us a little while for our chastening and correction, yet shall he be at one again with his servants.

Note"Be at one again" is the older English for being reconciled, brought back into one with someone. The noun "atonement" was built from exactly this phrase, at-one-ment.

34But you, godless man, the most wicked of all men, do not be lifted up for no reason, or puffed up with hopes that are not sure, while you raise your hand against God's servants.

34But thou, O godless man, and of all other most wicked, be not lifted up without a cause, nor puffed up with uncertain hopes, lifting up thy hand against the servants of God:

NoteWhere the KJV has "the servants of God," the Greek manuscripts read "the children of heaven" or "the heavenly children," which is why modern versions differ here.

35For you have not yet escaped the judgment of Almighty God, who sees everything.

35For thou hast not yet escaped the judgment of Almighty God, who seeth all things.

36For our brothers, who have now suffered a short pain, have died under God's covenant of everlasting life. But you, by the judgment of God, will receive the just punishment for your pride.

36For our brethren, who now have suffered a short pain, are dead under God’s covenant of everlasting life: but thou, through the judgment of God, shalt receive just punishment for thy pride.

NoteThe Greek of this line is compressed and awkward, roughly "having endured brief pain, they have fallen under God's covenant of everlasting life." Translators divide over whether the everlasting life belongs to the covenant or is the thing the brief pain leads to, and both the KJV and the rendering here smooth over that difficulty.

37But I, like my brothers, give up my body and my life for the laws of our fathers, and I beg God to be merciful to our nation soon, and to bring you, through torments and plagues, to admit that he alone is God,

37But I, as my brethren, offer up my body and life for the laws of our fathers, beseeching God that he would speedily be merciful unto our nation; and that thou by torments and plagues mayest confess, that he alone is God;

Note"Plagues" here means blows or afflictions of any kind, the older general sense, not disease specifically.

38and to bring to an end, in me and in my brothers, the anger of the Almighty that has justly come upon our nation."

38And that in me and my brethren the wrath of the Almighty, which is justly brought upon our nation, may cease.

39Then the king flew into a rage and treated him worse than all the rest, taking it hard that he had been mocked.

39Than the king’ being in a rage, handed him worse than all the rest, and took it grievously that he was mocked.

Note"Than the king' being in a rage" is a printing error carried down in editions of the KJV Apocrypha. It should read "Then the king, being in a rage."

40So this man died pure, putting his whole trust in the Lord.

40So this man died undefiled, and put his whole trust in the Lord.

Note"Undefiled" and "pure" are ritual words here, not moral ones. He died without having eaten the forbidden meat, so he died unpolluted by it.

41Last of all, after her sons, the mother died.

41Last of all after the sons the mother died.

NoteThe Greek says only that the mother died last, after her sons. It never gives her name and never describes how she died. Later Jewish and Christian tradition supplied both, calling her Hannah, Miriam or Solomonia and telling various stories of her death, but none of that is in this text.

42Let this be enough to have said about the sacrificial feasts and the extreme tortures.

42Let this be enough now to have spoken concerning the idolatrous feasts, and the extreme tortures.

Note"The idolatrous feasts" are the sacrifices to Greek gods described in chapter 6, at which Jews were forced to take part and eat the sacrificial meat. This closing line is the narrator stepping out of the story to speak in his own voice. 2 Maccabees presents itself as a condensed version of a five volume history by Jason of Cyrene, and its abridger inserts comments like this one to mark where he is cutting material short.