The Second Book of Maccabees

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 15 -

Judas encouraged by a vision gains a glorious victory over Nicanor. The conclusion.

But 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.

Nevertheless 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.

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

And when they said, There is in heaven a living Lord, and mighty, 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 in exceeding pride and haughtiness determined to set up a publick monument of his victory over Judas and them that were with him.

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

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 that they won afore, he made them more cheerful.

And when he had stirred up their minds, he gave them their charge, shewing them therewithal the falsehood 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 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.

And 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.

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

Then 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.

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

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

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 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.

For 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.

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

And 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,

Maccabeus 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:

Therefore 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:

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

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

Then Nicanor and they that 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 again with joy, they knew that Nicanor lay dead in his harness.

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

And 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.

So 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,

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 of his madness before the temple.

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

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

And 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.

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

And 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.

For 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.

Judas encouraged by a vision gains a glorious victory over Nicanor. The conclusion.

But Nicanor, hearing that Judas and his company were in the region of Samaria, resolved to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest.

When the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, “Don’t destroy so savagely and barbarously, but give due glory to the day which he who sees all things has honored and hallowed above other days.”

Then the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a Sovereign in heaven who had commanded to keep the Sabbath day.

When they declared, “There is the Lord, living himself as Sovereign in heaven, who told us observe the seventh day.”

He replied, “I also am a sovereign on the earth, who commands you to take up weapons and execute the king’s business.” Nevertheless he didn’t prevail to execute his cruel plan.

And Nicanor, (a) in his utter boastfulness and arrogance, had determined to set up a monument of complete victory over Judas and all those who were with him.

But Maccabaeus still trusted unceasingly, with all hope that he should obtain help from the Lord.

He exhorted his company not to be fearful at the assault of the heathen, but keeping in mind the help which in former times they had often received from heaven, so now also to look for the victory which would come to them from the Almighty,

and encouraging them out of the law and the prophets, and reminding them of the conflicts that they had won, he made them more eager.

And when he had aroused their courage, he gave them orders, at the same time pointing out the faithlessness of the heathen and their breach of their oaths.

Arming each one of them, not so much with the sure defense of shields and spears as with the encouragement of good words, and moreover relating to them a dream worthy to be believed, he made them all exceedingly glad.

The vision of that dream was this: Onias, he who had been high priest, a noble and good man, modest in bearing, yet gentle in manner and well-spoken, and trained from a child in all points of virtue, with outstretched hands invoking blessings on the whole body of the Jews.

Then he saw a man appear, of venerable age and exceeding glory, and the dignity around him was wonderful and most majestic.

Onias answered and said, “This is the lover of the kindred, he who prays much for the people and the holy city: Jeremiah the prophet of God.

Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and delivered to Judas a gold sword, and in giving it addressed him thus:

“Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you shall strike down the adversaries.”

Being encouraged by the words of Judas, which were noble and effective, and able to incite to virtue and to stir the souls of the young to manly courage, they determined not to carry on a campaign, but nobly to bear down upon the enemy, and fighting hand to hand with all courage bring the matter to a conclusion, because the city, the sanctuary, and the temple were in danger.

For their fear for wives and children, and furthermore for family and relatives, was less important to them; but greatest and first was their fear for the consecrated sanctuary.

Also those who were shut up in the city were in no light distress, being troubled because of the encounter in the open country.

When all were now waiting for the decision of the issue, and the enemy had already joined battle, and the army had been set in array, and the elephants(b) brought back to a convenient post,(c) and the cavalry deployed on the flanks,

Maccabaeus, perceiving the presence of the (d)troops, and the various weapons with which they were equipped, and the savageness of the (e)elephants, holding up his hands to heaven called upon the Lord who works wonders, knowing that success comes not by weapons, but that, according to how the Lord judges, he gains the victory for those who are worthy.

And calling upon God, he said this: “You, O Sovereign Lord, sent your angel in the time of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he killed of the (f)army of Sennacherib as many as one hundred eighty-five thousand.

So now also, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel before us to bring terror and trembling.

Through the greatness of your arm let them be stricken with dismay who with blasphemy have come here against your holy people.” As he finished these words,

Nicanor and his company advanced with trumpets and victory songs;

but Judas and his company joined battle with the enemy with invocation and prayers.

Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they killed no less than thirty-five thousand men, being made exceedingly glad by the manifestation of God.

When the engagement was over and they were returning again with joy, they recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor.

Then there was shouting and noise, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their ancestors.

He who in all things was in body and soul the foremost champion of his fellow-citizens, he who kept through life the good will of his youth toward his countrymen, ordered that Nicanor’s head be cut off with his hand and arm, and that they be brought to Jerusalem.

When he had arrived there and had called his countrymen together and set the priests before the altar, he sent for those who were in the citadel.

Showing the head of the vile Nicanor and the hand of that profane man, which with proud brags he had stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty,

and cutting out the tongue of the impious Nicanor, he said that he would give it in pieces to the birds, and hang up these rewards of his folly near the sanctuary.

They all, looking up to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, “Blessed is he who has preserved his own place undefiled!”

He hung Nicanor’s head and shoulder from the citadel, a clear sign evident to all of the help of the Lord.

They all ordained with a common decree to in no way let this day pass undistinguished, but to mark with honor the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (it is called Adar in the Syrian language), the day before the day of Mordecai.

This then having been the account of the attempt of Nicanor, and the city having from those times been held by the Hebrews, I also will here make an end of my book.

If I have written well and to the point in my story, this is what I myself desired; but if its poorly done and mediocre, this is the best I could do.

For as it is (g)distasteful to drink wine alone and likewise to drink water alone, (h)while the mingling of wine with water at once gives full pleasantness to the flavor; so also the fashioning of the language delights the ears of those who read the story. Here is the end.

Footnotes

(a)15:6 Gr. carrying his neck high.

(b)15:20 Gr. animals.

(d)15:21 Gr. multitudes.

(e)15:21 Gr. animals.

(f)15:22 Gr. camp.

(g)15:39 Or, hurtful

(h)15:39 Gr. but even as.