CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT FROM CHAPTER NINE OF THE THIRD BOOK OF MACCABAEES
Alfred C. Barnes
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029308503
THE
THIRD BOOK
OF MACCABEES:
CONTAINING
THE OCCURRENCES OF ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS, NAMELY, FROM THE ACCESSION OF ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES TO THE DEATH OF NICANOE.
At the beginning are inserted two letters written at a later period; and likewise, the history of Heliodorus’ attempt to plunder the Temple.
CHAPTER XV
B.C.16.5
The defeat of Nicanor. His death.
But Nicanor, hearing that Judas and his company were in the strong places about Samaria, devised without any danger to set upon them on the sabbath-day. Nevertheless, the Jews who were compelled to go with him, said; O destroy not so cruelly and barbarously, but give honour to that day, which He who see all things hath honoured with holiness above other days. Then the most abandoned wretch demanded. If there existed a Mighty One in heaven, who had commanded the sabbath-day to be kept. And when they said, there is, the living Lord: he is the mighty One in heaven, who commanded the seventh day to be kept: then 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. So Nicanor, lifting his neck in all haughtiness, determined to set up a public trophy of his victory over Judas and them which were with him. But Maccabaeus had ever sure confidence that he should obtain help from the Lord: wherefore 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. And so, comforting them out of the law and the prophets, and withal putting them in mind of the battles which they had won afore, he made them more cheerful. And when he had stirred up their minds, he gave them their charge shewing them therewithal the perfidy of the heathen, and the breach of oaths. Thus, he armed every one of them, not so much with defence of shields and spears, as with the comfort of good and besides that, telling them a dream worthy to be believed for a true vision a, he rejoiced them all [not a little]. And this was his vision: That Onias who had been high priest, a virtuous and a good man, reverend in deportment, gentle in manners, well-spoken also, and exercised from a child in all points of virtue, holding up
his hands, prayed over the whole body of the Jews. This done, that in like manner there appeared a man-with grey hairs, and exceeding glorious, and that about him there was a certain wonderful and most excellent majesty. Then Onias answered, saying, This is a lover of thy brethren, who prayed much for the people, and for the holy city, to wit, Jeremias the prophet of God. Whereupon Jeremias holding forth his righthand, gave to Judas a sword of gold, and in giving it, spoke thus; Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which thou shalt defeat b the adversaries. camp; Thus, 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 but courageously to set upon them, and manfully to try the matter by conflict; because both the city, and the sanctuary, and the temple, were in danger. For their anxiety for their wives and their children, their brethren and kinsfolks, was in less account with them: but the greatest and principal fear was for the holy temple. Also, there was no slight anxiety among those who were collected together in the city, being troubled for the conflict abroad. And now, when as all looked forward to the approaching trial, and the enemies had already come near, and the army was set in array, and the beasts placed in a convenient position, and the horsemen drawn up on the wings; Maccabaeus, seeing the coming of the
multitude, and the divers’ preparations of armour, and the fierceness of the beasts, stretched out his hands towards heaven, and called upon the Lord who worketh wonders c; knowing that victory Cometh not by arms, but even as it seemed good to him, he giveth the victory to such as are worthy. Therefore, in his prayer he said after this manner; ” O Lord, thou didst send thine angel in the time of Ezekias king of Judaea, and didst slay in the host of Sennacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand. Wherefore now also, O Lord of heaven, send a good angel before us, for a fear and a dread unto them; and through the might of thine arm, let those be stricken with terror who come against thy holy people to blaspheme. “And he ended thus.
Then Nicanor, and they which were with him, came forward with trumpets and songs. But Judas and his company encountered the enemies with invocation and prayer. So 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. Now when the battle was done, returning with joy, they discovered that Nicanor lay dead in all his armour. Then making a great shout, and a noise, they praised the Mighty One in their own language. And Judas, who was ever the chief defender of the citizens, both in body and who continued his love d towards his
countrymen all his life, commanded to strike off Nicanor’s head, and his hand, with his shoulder, and bring them to Jerusalem. So when he had arrived there, and had called them of his nation together, and set the priest before the altar, he sent for them which were of the tower; and 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. And 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 e of his madness before the temple. So, every man praised toward the heaven the glorious lord, saying. Blessed be He Who hath kept his own place un-defiled. He hanged also Nicanor’s head upon the tower, an evident and manifest sign unto all this help of the Lord.
And they ordained with a common decree, in no case to let that day pass without solemnity, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which in the Syrian tongue is called Adar, the day before Mardocheus’ day f. It is having gone thus with Nicanor, and frorii that time forth the city continuing in the power of the Hebrews, I also here will end my discourse.
And if I have done well, and appropriated to my arrangement of the story, it is that which I desired: but if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto. For, as to drink wine alone, or in like manner again water, is hurtful and as wine mingled with water is pleasant and affords an agreeable delight: even so the fit framing of a discourse delighted the ears of them which read the story. And here shall be the end.
It deserves remark, that in Coverdale’s translation of the Bible, first printed in 1535, likewise in Matthew’s, 1537, in Cranmer’s, 1539, also in the various reprints of these editions, the last two verses of this book are wanting: nor have I found them in any English Bible earlier than the Genevan of 1560, and the Bishops’ of 1S68.
END OF BOOK 111
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