The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Maccabees 15
1 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.
2 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.”
3 Then the thrice-accursed wretch asked
if there were a Sovereign in heaven who
had commanded to keep the Sabbath day.
4 When they declared, “There is theLord,
living himself as Sovereign in heaven, who
told us observe the seventh day.”
5 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.
6 And Nicanor, † 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.
7 But Maccabaeus still trusted unceasingly,
with all hope that he should obtain
help from the Lord.
8 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,
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
12 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.
13 Then he saw a man appear, of venerable
age and exceeding glory, and the
dignity around him was wonderful and
most majestic.
14 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.
15 Jeremiah stretched out his right hand
and delivered to Judas a gold sword, and in
giving it addressed him thus:
16 “Take this holy sword, a gift from God,
with which you shall strike down the adversaries.”
17 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.
18 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.
19 Also those who were shut up in the city
were in no light distress, being troubled
because ofthe encounter in the open country.
20 When all were now waiting for the
decisionofthe issue, and the enemyhad already
joined battle, and the army had been
set in array, and the elephants‡ brought
back to a convenient post,§ and the cavalry
deployed on the flanks,
21 Maccabaeus, perceiving the presence
of the †troops, and the various weapons
with which they were equipped, and the
savageness of the ‡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.
22 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 §army of Sennacherib
as many as one hundred eighty-five thousand.
23 So now also, O Sovereign of the heavens,
send a good angel before us to bring
terror and trembling.
24 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,
25 Nicanor and his company advanced
with trumpets and victory songs;
26 but Judas and his company joined battle with
the enemy with invocation and prayers.
27 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.
28 When the engagement was over and
they were returning again with joy, they
recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor.
29 Then there was shouting and noise,
and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the
language of their ancestors.
30 He who in all things was in body and
soul the foremost champion of his fellowcitizens,
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.
31 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.
32 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,
33 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.
34 They all, looking up to heaven, blessed
the Lord who had manifested himself,
saying, “Blessed is he who has preserved his
own place undefiled!”
35 He hung Nicanor’s head and shoulder
from the citadel, a clear sign evident to all
of the help of the Lord.
36 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.
37 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.
38 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.
39 For as it is †distasteful to drink wine
alone and likewise to drink water alone,
‡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.