2 Maccabees 9

About that time Antiochus came back from the country of Persia in disgrace.

1About that time came Antiochus with dishonour out of the country of Persia

NoteAntiochus IV, called Epiphanes, ruled the Seleucid kingdom, the Greek-speaking empire centered in Syria that controlled Judea, from 175 to 164 BC. He is the king whose looting of the Jerusalem temple and ban on Jewish practice set off the revolt this book describes. "Persia" here means the eastern inland provinces of his empire, far from his capital at Antioch.

2He had gone into the city called Persepolis and tried to rob the temple and to take control of the city. The crowds ran together and armed themselves to defend themselves, and they drove his men away. So it happened that Antiochus was put to flight by the people who lived there, and he went back in shame.

2For he had entered the city called Persepolis, and went about to rob the temple, and to hold the city; whereupon the multitude running to defend themselves with their weapons put them to flight; and so it happened, that Antiochus being put to flight of the inhabitants returned with shame.

NoteAncient temples served as strongrooms as well as places of worship, holding deposits of gold and silver, so a king short of money for his army raided them. Antiochus was chronically short: he owed Rome an enormous war indemnity inherited from his father. Persepolis was the old ceremonial capital of the Persian kings; other ancient accounts place this failed raid at a temple in Elymais instead, and 1 Maccabees 6 names that region.

3When he reached Ecbatana, news was brought to him about what had happened to Nicanor and Timotheus.

3Now when he came to Ecbatane, news was brought him what had happened unto Nicanor and Timotheus.

NoteEcbatana, modern Hamadan in western Iran, was a royal summer residence on the road west. Nicanor and Timotheus were two of his commanders, defeated by Judas Maccabeus in the fighting described in chapter 8.

4Then he swelled with anger. He planned to take revenge on the Jews for the disgrace that those who had made him flee had brought on him. So he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping and to finish the journey quickly, while the judgment of God was already following him. For he had spoken proudly like this: that he would come to Jerusalem and make it a common burial ground for the Jews.

4Then swelling with anger. he thought to avenge upon the Jews the disgrace done unto him by those that made him flee. Therefore commanded he his chariotman to drive without ceasing, and to dispatch the journey, the judgment of God now following him. For he had spoken proudly in this sort, That he would come to Jerusalem and make it a common burying place of the Jews.

NoteTo make a city "a common burying place" is to kill its whole population and dump the bodies in a mass pit. In the ancient world the insult was as heavy as the killing: proper burial in a family tomb was what everyone owed the dead, and a common pit denied it.

5But the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, struck him with a sickness that could not be cured and could not be seen. As soon as he had spoken these words, a pain in his bowels that had no remedy came on him, with sharp torments in his inner parts.

5But the Lord Almighty, the God of Isreal, smote him with an incurable and invisible plague: or as soon as he had spoken these words, a pain of the bowels that was remediless came upon him, and sore torments of the inner parts;

NoteIn 1611 English a "plague" was any blow or stroke sent as punishment, not necessarily an epidemic disease. "Invisible" means the blow came from no hand anyone could see. Greek manuscripts differ at this point between "the all-powerful Lord" and "the all-seeing Lord"; the King James follows the first.

6And this was completely just, for he had tormented the bowels of other men with many strange torments.

6And that most justly: for he had tormented other men’s bowels with many and strange torments.

Note"Bowels" in older English means the intestines and inner organs generally.

7Even so, he did not stop his bragging at all. He was still filled with pride, breathing out fire in his rage against the Jews, and giving orders to hurry the journey. But it happened that he fell from his chariot as it rushed along, and the fall was so bad that every part of his body was in great pain.

7Howbeit he nothing at all ceased from his bragging, but still was filled with pride, breathing out fire in his rage against the Jews, and commanding to haste the journey: but it came to pass that he fell down from his chariot, carried violently; so that having a sore fall, all the members of his body were much pained.

Note"Breathing out fire" is a stock Greek phrase for uncontrolled rage, not a description of anything literal.

8A little before, this man had thought he could give orders to the waves of the sea, so proud was he beyond what is human, and that he could weigh the high mountains on a scale. Now he was thrown to the ground and carried in a litter slung between horses, showing everyone the plain power of God.

8And thus he that a little afore thought he might command the waves of the sea, (so proud was he beyond the condition of man) and weigh the high mountains in a balance, was now cast on the ground, and carried in an horselitter, shewing forth unto all the manifest power of God.

NoteCommanding the sea and weighing mountains on a scale are the standard ancient images for claiming powers that belong to God alone; compare Isaiah 40:12. The first also recalls the story of the Persian king Xerxes having the sea whipped. A litter was a bed or couch with poles, carried by men or slung between animals, the usual transport for the sick or the very grand.

9Worms came swarming out of this wicked man's body, and while he was still living in sorrow and pain his flesh fell away, and the foulness of his smell was sickening to his whole army.

9So that the worms rose up out of the body of this wicked man, and whiles he lived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell away, and the filthiness of his smell was noisome to all his army.

NoteDeath by worms while still alive was a conventional way ancient writers described the end of a tyrant, used of several rulers in Greek, Roman and Jewish accounts. The King James "noisome" means sickening or offensive, and has nothing to do with noise.

10No one could bear to carry the man who a little before had thought he could reach the stars of the sky, because his stench was unbearable.

10And the man, that thought a little afore he could reach to the stars of heaven, no man could endure to carry for his intolerable stink.

11So now, struck down like this, he began to leave off his great pride and to come to know himself under the whip of God, while his pain grew worse every moment.

11Here therefore, being plagued, he began to leave off his great pride, and to come to the knowledge of himself by the scourge of God, his pain increasing every moment.

Note"Scourge" is a whip, here used as an image for punishment.

12When he could not stand his own smell, he said these words: "It is right to be under God, and a man who is mortal should not proudly think of himself as if he were God."

12And when he himself could not abide his own smell, he said these words, It is meet to be subject unto God, and that a man that is mortal should not proudly think of himself if he were God.

Note"It is meet" in the King James means it is fitting or proper.

13This wicked man also made vows to the Lord, who would now have no more mercy on him, saying this:

13This wicked person vowed also unto the Lord, who now no more would have mercy upon him, saying thus,

14that the holy city, which he was hurrying toward in order to level it to the ground and make it a common burial ground, he would set free;

14That the holy city (to the which he was going in haste to lay it even with the ground, and to make it a common buryingplace,) he would set at liberty:

15and that as for the Jews, whom he had judged not even worth burying, but fit to be thrown out with their children for the birds and wild animals to eat, he would make them all equal to the citizens of Athens;

15And as touching the Jews, whom he had judged not worthy so much as to be buried, but to be cast out with their children to be devoured of the fowls and wild beasts, he would make them all equals to the citizens of Athens:

NoteBeing thrown out unburied for birds and animals to eat was the ultimate degradation in the ancient world, worse than execution itself. Citizenship of Athens was a prized honor across the Greek-speaking world, granted as a reward and carrying legal privileges, so Antiochus is promising the Jews the highest civic status he can name.

16and that the holy temple, which he had robbed before, he would decorate with fine gifts, and would give back all the holy vessels and many more besides, and would pay the costs of the sacrifices out of his own income;

16And the holy temple, which before he had spoiled, he would garnish with goodly gifts, and restore all the holy vessels with many more, and out of his own revenue defray the charges belonging to the sacrifices:

NoteThe "holy vessels" are the gold and silver equipment of the temple, which Antiochus had stripped out in 169 BC. Paying for a temple's sacrifices out of royal income was normal practice for Hellenistic kings toward the sanctuaries in their territory, so this is a promise of formal royal patronage, not a personal donation.

17and more than that, he would become a Jew himself, and travel through the whole inhabited world declaring the power of God.

17Yea, and that also he would become a Jew himself, and go through all the world that was inhabited, and declare the power of God.

NoteTo "become a Jew" meant to adopt Jewish law and practice as a convert. The force of the promise is that the king who had banned that practice on pain of death now offers to take it on himself.

18But for all this, his pains would not stop, for the just judgment of God had come upon him. So, giving up hope for his health, he wrote to the Jews the letter written below, which took the form of a plea. It went like this:

18But for all this his pains would not cease: for the just judgment of God was come upon him: therefore despairing of his health, he wrote unto the Jews the letter underwritten, containing the form of a supplication, after this manner:

NoteA supplication is a petition made by an inferior to a superior. A king's letter normally commanded; the point being made is that this one begs. Historians generally take the letter that follows to be a real Seleucid document announcing the succession, reproduced here by the author.

19"Antiochus, king and commander, to the good Jews, his citizens: much joy, health, and prosperity.

19Antiochus, king and governor, to the good Jews his citizens wisheth much joy, health, and prosperity:

Note"King and governor" renders a Greek phrase meaning king and general, a standard pair of royal titles. "Wisheth much joy" is the ordinary Greek letter greeting, roughly "greetings". Calling the Jews "his citizens" is the flattering address of a ruler to a self-governing community within his realm.

20If you and your children are well, and your affairs are as you would wish, I give very great thanks to God, and my hope is in heaven.

20If ye and your children fare well, and your affairs be to your contentment, I give very great thanks to God, having my hope in heaven.

NoteWishing the reader and their family good health at the top of a letter, and reporting one's own, was the fixed opening formula of Greek correspondence.

21As for me, I was weak; otherwise I would have remembered with affection your honor and goodwill. On my way back from Persia I was taken with a serious illness, and I thought it necessary to take care for the common safety of all,

21As for me, I was weak, or else I would have remembered kindly your honour and good will returning out of Persia, and being taken with a grievous disease, I thought it necessary to care for the common safety of all:

NoteThe Greek of this sentence is damaged and translators differ. The King James reads it as an excuse for a delay, "I was weak, or else I would have remembered"; others read it as a straightforward compliment, "I remembered with affection your honour and good will".

22not that I had lost trust in my own health, but I had great hope of getting over this sickness.

22Not distrusting mine health, but having great hope to escape this sickness.

23But I considered that my father too, at the time when he led an army into the high country, appointed a successor,

23But considering that even my father, at what time he led an army into the high countries. appointed a successor,

NoteHis father was Antiochus III, called the Great, who ruled from 223 to 187 BC. The "high countries" or upper provinces are the eastern satrapies of the empire, inland and mountainous: Media, Persia and beyond. Naming an heir before marching east was a standard precaution.

24so that if anything turned out contrary to expectation, or if hard news came, the people of the land would know to whom the government had been left and would not be troubled.

24To the end that, if any thing fell out contrary to expectation, or if any tidings were brought that were grievous, they of the land, knowing to whom the state was left, might not be troubled:

25I have also considered how the rulers along my borders, who are neighbors to my kingdom, watch for their chance and wait to see what will happen. So I have appointed my son Antiochus king. I often entrusted him and commended him to many of you when I went up into the high provinces, and I have written to him what follows.

25Again, considering how that the princes that are borderers and neighbours unto my kingdom wait for opportunities, and expect what shall be the event. I have appointed my son Antiochus king, whom I often committed and commended unto many of you, when I went up into the high provinces; to whom I have written as followeth:

NoteThe "princes that are borderers" are the neighboring rulers, above all the Ptolemies of Egypt and the rising power of Rome, who would exploit a disputed succession. The son named here is Antiochus V Eupator, a boy of about nine at his father's death.

26So I ask you and beg you to remember the good things I have done for you, both for all of you together and for each of you, and that every man will stay loyal to me and to my son.

26Therefore I pray and request you to remember the benefits that I have done unto you generally, and in special, and that every man will be still faithful to me and my son.

27For I am convinced that he understands my mind and will kindly and graciously give you what you ask."

27For I am persuaded that he understanding my mind will favourably and graciously yield to your desires.

28So the murderer and blasphemer, after suffering most terribly, just as he had treated other men, died a miserable death in a foreign country, in the mountains.

28Thus the murderer and blasphemer having suffered most grievously, as he entreated other men, so died he a miserable death in a strange country in the mountains.

Note"Blasphemer" here means one who spoke against the God of Israel and desecrated his temple. In older English "a strange country" means a foreign one, not an odd one.

29And Philip, who had been brought up with him, carried his body away. He also feared the son of Antiochus, so he went into Egypt to Ptolemy Philometor.

29And Philip, that was brought up with him, carried away his body, who also fearing the son of Antiochus went into Egypt to Ptolemeus Philometor.

Note"Brought up with him" translates a Greek court title, foster brother, given to a boy raised alongside a prince; it marked a man as a trusted intimate of the king rather than a relative. Ptolemy VI Philometor was king of Egypt from 180 to 145 BC and a nephew of Antiochus IV, so Philip was fleeing to a rival court.