The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Maccabees 18
1 O Israelite children, descendants of the
seed of Abraham, obey this law and in
every way be religious,
2 knowing that religious reasoning is
lord of the emotions, and those not only
inward but outward.
3 Therefore those people who gave up
theirbodies topains for the sake of religion
were not only admired by men, but were
deemed worthy of a divine portion.
4 The nation through them obtained
peace, and having renewed the observance
of the law in their country, drove the
enemy out of the land.
5 The tyrant Antiochus was both punished on
earth, and is punished now that
he is dead; for when he was quite unable
to compel the Israelites to adopt foreign
customs, and to desert the manner of life
of their fathers,
6 then, departing from Jerusalem, he
made war against the Persians.
7 The righteous mother of the seven children
spoke also as follows to her offspring:
“I was a pure virgin, and didn’t go beyond
my father’s house, but I took care of the rib
from which woman was made.
8 No destroyer of the desert or ravisher
of the plain injured me, nor did the destructive,
deceitful snake make plunder of
my chaste virginity. I remained with my
husband during the time of my maturity.
9 When these, my children, arrived
at maturity, their father died. He was
blessed! For having sought out a life of
fertility in children, he was not grieved
with a period of loss of children.
10 He used to teach you, when yet with
you, the law and the prophets.
11 He used to read to you about the
slaying of Abel by Cain, the offering up ofIsaac,
and the imprisonment of Joseph.
12 He used to tell you of the zealous
Phinehas, and informed you of Ananias,
Azarias, and Misael in the fire.
13 He used to glorify Daniel, who was
in the den of lions, and pronounce him
blessed.
14 He used to remind you ofthe scripture
of Esaias, which says, “Even if you pass
through the fire, it won’t burn you.
15 He chanted to you David, the hymn
writer, who says, “Many are the afflictions
of the just.
16 He declared the proverbs of Solomon,
who says, “He is a tree of life to all those
who do His will.”
17 He used to confirm what Ezekiel said:
“Will these dry bones live?”
18 For he didn’t forget the song which
Moses taught, proclaiming, “I will kill, and
I will make alive.”
19 This is our life and the length of our days.
20 O that bitter, and yet not bitter, day
when the bitter tyrant of the Greeks,
quenching fire with fire in his cruel
caldrons, brought with boiling rage the seven
sons of the daughter of Abraham to the
rack, and to all his torments!
21 He pierced the balls of their eyes, and
cut out their tongues, and put them to
death with varied tortures.
22 Therefore divine retribution pursued
and will pursue the pestilent wretch.
23 But the children of Abraham, with
their victorious mother, are assembled
together to the choir of their father, having
received pure and immortal souls from
God.
24 To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.