1 Maccabees 1

1 Maccabees Chapter 1

1And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece,

2And made many wars, and won many strong holds, and slew the kings of the earth,

3And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of many nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him; whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.

4And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him.

5And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die.

6Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.

7So Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died.

8And his servants bare rule every one in his place.

9And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.

10And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

11In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.

12So this device pleased them well.

13Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:

14Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen:

15And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.

16Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.

17Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,

18And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.

19Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.

20And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,

21And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,

22And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.

23He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.

24And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.

25Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;

26So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.

27Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,

28The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.

29And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude,

30And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel.

31And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side.

32But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.

33Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them.

34And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.

35They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:

36For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel.

37Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:

38Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.

39Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour into contempt.

40As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.

41Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,

42And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.

43Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.

44For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,

45And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:

46And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:

47Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts:

48That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:

49To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.

50And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.

51In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city.

52Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land;

53And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.

54Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;

55And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.

56And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.

57And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that they should put him to death.

58Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.

59Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.

60At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.

61And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.

62Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.

63Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died.

64And there was very great wrath upon Israel.

Footnotes (8)

Verse 1 [*]Now: Now. Literally, “And.” (Haydock) — Thus many Hebrew books commence, as Exodus, Josue, Baruch, &c. (Calmet) — Greece, over the whole. He was chosen generalissimo. (Haydock) — He conquered many of the Greeks, and overthrew...
Verse 2 [*]Holds: Holds. He was never defeated. (Just. xii.)
Verse 3 [*]Earth: Earth, even to India, beyond which the ancients knew of nothing. — Quiet, or silent; depopulated, (Isaias xiv. 7.) and obedient, Habacuc ii. 20.
Verse 4 [*]Up: Up. He was spoiled by prosperity, (Calmet) and would pass for a god, and be styled “king of the world.” (Just. xii.)
Verse 6 [*]Bed: Bed. Some suppose through poison, (Diodorus xvii.; St. Jerome, ad Lętam.) or excess of wine. (Atheneus x. 11.) — This was enough. (Haydock) — So perished the man who would claim divine honours! (Calmet)
Verse 7 [*]Servants: Servants. On the ninth day of sickness which preceded his death, he admitted all his soldiers to kiss his hand. Then he asked his friends, if they thought they should find such another king? As they were silent, he predi...
Verse 8 [*]Twelve: Twelve. Josephus, &c. Some add, a few months. He was about thirty-three years old.
Verse 10 [*]Death: Death, twelve years being expired, when all the posterity of Alexander [the Great] were dead. His generals gradually destroyed each other, and four took the diadem at the same time: Ptolemy, in Egypt; Seleucus, in Syria;...

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Verse 1 • NowGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Now. Literally, “And.” (Haydock) — Thus many Hebrew books commence, as Exodus, Josue, Baruch, &c. (Calmet) — Greece, over the whole. He was chosen generalissimo. (Haydock) — He conquered many of the Greeks, and overthrew Darius Condomanus, the year of the world 3674. (Calmet) — His dominion in Syria may be meant. (Grotius) — Alexander [the Great] was the first who reigned in that great monarchy, which he founded. (Worthington)

Verse 2 • HoldsGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Holds. He was never defeated. (Just. xii.)

Verse 3 • EarthGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Earth, even to India, beyond which the ancients knew of nothing. — Quiet, or silent; depopulated, (Isaias xiv. 7.) and obedient, Habacuc ii. 20.

Verse 4 • UpGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Up. He was spoiled by prosperity, (Calmet) and would pass for a god, and be styled “king of the world.” (Just. xii.)

Verse 6 • BedGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Bed. Some suppose through poison, (Diodorus xvii.; St. Jerome, ad Lętam.) or excess of wine. (Atheneus x. 11.) — This was enough. (Haydock) — So perished the man who would claim divine honours! (Calmet)

Verse 7 • ServantsGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Servants. On the ninth day of sickness which preceded his death, he admitted all his soldiers to kiss his hand. Then he asked his friends, if they thought they should find such another king? As they were silent, he predicted what bloodshed would ensue, and told them to bury him in the temple of Ammon. When they asked to whom he left the throne, he said, “to the most worthy.” He gave his ring to Perdiccas; whence all inferred, that he should be regent till the proper heirs came of age. Perdiccas desired to know when he would have divine honours: to which Alexander [the Great] replied with these his last words, “when you are happy:” (Just. xii.; Diodorus xvii.) as much as to say, never. (Haydock) — This seems contrary to the sacred historian. But his authority is far superior. (Calmet) — Kingdom. This is otherwise by Q. Curtius; though he acknowledges that divers were of that opinion, and that it had been delivered by some authors. (liber[book] x.) But here we find from the sacred text that he was in error. (Challoner) — By delivering his ring to Perdiccas, Alexander gave him authority to make this division. (Worthington) — Many assert, that he gave him directions in his last will. This was observed for some time, ver. 10.

Verse 8 • TwelveGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Twelve. Josephus, &c. Some add, a few months. He was about thirty-three years old.

Verse 10 • DeathGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Death, twelve years being expired, when all the posterity of Alexander [the Great] were dead. His generals gradually destroyed each other, and four took the diadem at the same time: Ptolemy, in Egypt; Seleucus, in Syria; Cassander, in Macedonia; and Lysimachus, in Thrace. (Just. xiii., and xv.) (Calmet) — Those who choose to read in order, may, after the preface [in] 2 Machabees ii. 20., read the above, then 2 Machabees iii. 1. (Worthington)

1 Maccabees 1

Footnotes (8)

1 Maccabees 1 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

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