The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Maccabees 01
The Second Book of the Maccabees is recognized
as Deuterocanonical Scripture by
the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and
Russian Orthodox Churches.
1 The kindred, the Jews who are in
Jerusalem and those who are in the country
of Judea, sendgreetings andgoodpeace
to the kindred, the Jews who are throughout Egypt.
2 May Goddo goodto you, andremember
his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, his faithful servants,
3 and give you all a heart to worship him
and do his will with a strong heart and a
willing soul.
4 May God open your heartto his law and
his statutes, and make peace,
5 and listen to your requests, and be
reconciled with you, and not forsake you
in an evil time.
6 Now we are praying for you here.
7 In the reign of Demetrius, in the one
hundred sixty-ninth year, we the Jews
have already written to you in the suffering
and in the distress that has come upon
us in these years, from the time that Jason
and his company revolted from the holy
land and the kingdom,
8 and set the gate on fire, and shed innocent
blood. We prayed to the Lord, and
were heard. We offered sacrifices and
meal offerings. We lit the lamps. We set
out the show bread.†
9 Now see that you keep the days of the
feast oftabernacles inthemonthChislev in
the one hundred eighty-eighth year.
10 The people of Jerusalem and those
who are in Judea, with the senate and
Judas, to Aristobulus, King Ptolemy’s
teacher, who is also of the stock of the
anointed priests, and to the Jews who are
in Egypt, we send greetings and health.
11 Having been saved by God out of great
perils, as men arrayed against a king, we
thank him greatly.
12 For he threw out into Persia those who
fought against us in the holy city.
13 For when the prince had come there,
withanarmy that seemed irresistible,they
were cut to pieces in the temple of Nanaea
by the treachery of Nanaea’s priests.
14 For Antiochus, on the pretense that
he would marry her, came into the place,
he and his friends who were with him,
that they might take a large part of the
treasures as a dowry.
15 And when the priests of Nanaea’s temple had
set the treasures out, and he had
come there with a small company within
the wall of the sacred precinct, they locked
the temple when Antiochus had come in.
16 Opening the secret door of the panelled ceiling,
they threw stones and struck
down the prince. They cut him and his
company in pieces, and cut off their heads,
and threw them to the people who were outside.
17 Blessed be our God in all things, who
handed over those who had committed
impiety.
18 Since we are now about to celebrate the
purification of the temple in the
month Chislev, on the twenty-fifth day, we
thought it necessary to notify you, so that
you may also keep a feast of tabernacles,
and remember the fire which was given
when Nehemiah offered sacrifices, after
he had built both the temple and the altar.
19 For indeed when our fathers were
about to be led into the land of Persia, the
godly priests of that time took some of the
fire of the altar, and hid it secretly in the
hollow of a well that was without water,
where they made sure that the place was
unknown to anyone.
20 Now aftermany years, whenitpleased
God, Nehemiah, having received a charge
from the king of Persia, sent in quest of the
fire the descendants of the priests who hid
it. When they declared to us that they had
found no fire, but thick liquid,
21 he commanded them to draw some of
it out and bring it to him. When the
sacrifices had been offered, Nehemiah
commanded the priests to sprinkle with
that liquid both the wood and the
things laid on it.
22 When that was done and some time
had passed, and the sun shone out, which
before was hidden with clouds, a great
blaze was kindled, so that all men marveled.
23 The priests made a prayer while the
sacrifice was being consumed—both the
priests and allthe others. Jonathan led and
the rest responded, as Nehemiah did.
24 The prayer was like this: “O Lord,
Lord God, the Creator of allthings, who are
awesome, strong, righteous, and merciful,
who alone are King and gracious,
25 who alone supply every need, who
alone are righteous, almighty, and eternal,
you who save Israel out of all evil, who
chose the ancestors and sanctified them,
26 accept the sacrifice for all your people
Israel, and preserve your ownportion, and
consecrate it.
27 Gather together our scattered people,
set at liberty those who are in bondage
among the heathen, look upon those who
are despised and abhorred, and let the
heathen know that you are our God.
28 Punish those who oppress us and in
arrogance shamefully entreat us.
29 Plant your people in your holy place,
even as Moses said.”
30 Then the priests sang the hymns.
31 As soonas the sacrifice was consumed,
then Nehemiah commanded that the rest
of the liquid be poured on large stones.
32 When this was done, a flame was
kindled; but when the light from the altar
shone back, it went out.
33 When the matter became known, and
it was told the king of the Persians that, in
the place where the priests who were led
away had hid the fire, the liquid appeared
which Nehemiah and those who were with
him purified the sacrifice,
34 then the king enclosed the place and
made it sacred after he had investigated
the matter.
35 When the king would show favor to
any, he would exchange many presents
and give them some of this liquid.
36 Nehemiah and those who were with
him called this thing “Nephthar”, which
is by interpretation, “Cleansing”; but most
men call it Nephthai.