“Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.”
Judas, the eldest. (Josephus, Jewish Wars i. 1.) — His skill and valour also entitled him to this post. (Calmet) — He did not claim this honour, but received it from his father, and was obeyed by the virtuous people. (Worthington)
“He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.”
Kings. Epiphanes, Eupator,and Demetrius, with their generals. (Calmet) — Judas gained four great battles against Apollonius, Seron, Gorgias, and Lysias, chap. iv. 1, 28. (Worthington)
“Moreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:”
Wrath. Making the enemy retire, (Haydock) and purifying the temple, &c.
“So that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he received unto him such as were ready to perish.”
Perishing. So the Jews style the miserable. (Calmet) — Go to 2 Machabees viii. 1. (Worthington)
“Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.”
Apollonius, who had pillaged Jerusalem, 2 Machabees v. 24.
“So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.”
Wicked apostates. (Calmet) — They are the most virulent. (Haydock)
“And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company:”
Bethoron, seven leagues north of Jerusalem.
“Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day?”
Fasting. Judas thus laudably prepared for battle. (Calmet) — Human frailty fears to engage a strong enemy. But true confidence in God gives courage and victory. (Worthington)
“Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them:”
Them. Philip wrote from Jerusalem to Ptolemy, to send aid. He immediately despatched Nicanor and Gorgias, who doubted not of success, so that they brought the merchants to buy the Jews, 2 Machabees viii.
“Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old time;”
Land. He formerly received three hundred talents from Judea; now he was forced to send money thither. (Sulpitius ii.) (Calmet) — Times. He not only disturbed the Jews, but other nations, which rebelled. (Worthington) — Though he had plundered the temple, he was still poor: the usual fate of wicked princes. (Menochius) — Sacrilege seldom prospers. When Henry VIII took the revenues of monasteries, he was still needy. They had amply provided for the poor. Soon after, however, the poor rates commenced; and in the 39th Eliz.[Elizabeth?], no less than eleven bills were brought into Parliament for their relief. (Dugdale.) See Hist. of Prot. Ch.[Challoner?] (Haydock)
“He feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.”
Liberal. Epiphanes left many vestiges of his magnificence. (Vaillant.) — The very year when Apollonius was defeated, (Usher, the year of the world 3838.; Calmet) he exhibited most costly games at Daphne, near Antioch, to excel those of P. Emilius, at Amphipolis. Yet he disgusted the company with his apeish conduct. (Atheneus v. 4.)
“Wherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.”
Persia. The Arabic (2 Machabees vii.) says the king had revolted. (Calmet)
“So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high countries.”
Countries, and took Artaxias, king of Armenia. (St. Jerome)
“Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends:”
Ptolomee. He had been governor of Cyprus, under Philometor, and gave him the revenue only when he was capable of acting for himself. (Polybius) — He afterwards betrayed the island to Epiphanes, 2 Machabees viii.
“So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country.”
Emmaus, two leagues west of Jerusalem, (Calmet) different from that mentioned in St. Luke. (Reland.)
“And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.”
Servants. Josephus (Antiquities xii. 11.) adds “chains,” which were all turned against them by Judas. Nicanor had promised ninety Jews for a talent, 2 Machabees viii. 10. (Calmet)
“Then was the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.”
Pray. This, with fasting and other penitential works, is the best armour in holy wars of religion.
“Wherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and came to Maspha, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was the place where they prayed aforetime in Israel.”
Maspha. Silo had been, and Jerusalem was afterwards, the place for public prayer. (Worthington) — As the Jews could not go to Jerusalem, they performed their duty as well as they could at Maspha, where Israel had often met, Judges xx., and xxi., and 1 Kings vii. 5., and x. 17.
“And laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their images.”
In which. The Greek text seems corrupt. By a small change we might render, “while.” (Calmet) — From some passages abused, the pagans sought to establish their religion. (Salien) — For. Many Greek copies add, “to inscribe,” (Menochius) or “draw upon them the likenesses of their idols.” (Haydock) — Thus they wished to defile the books, as they had done the temple, (Menochius) and render them useless to the Jews. (Haydock) — Syriac, “law, before the sanctuary on account of the Gentiles, who wished to make them imitate their idolatry.” (Calmet) — The sacred books would be a good preservative. (Haydock)
“They brought also the priests' garments, and the firstfruits, and the tithes: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had accomplished their days.”
Ornaments, which they had rescued from plunder. It seems they had also set up a sort of tabernacle, and had some ornament from the sanctuary. — Days. They ought then to offer victims, which was now impossible.
“Then sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.”
Trumpets. Protection seemed to be promised, Numbers x. 9.
“But as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, those he commanded that they should return, every man to his own house, according to the law.”
Law. Deuteronomy xx. 5. (Calmet) — Yet his forces were already few. (Haydock)
“Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.”
Done. This godly resolution inspired them with courage, and procured the victory. (Worthington)