4:1 Et assumpsit Gorgias quinque millia virorum, et mille equites electos : et moverunt castra nocte,
Then Gorgias took five thousand men, and a thousand of the best horsemen; and they removed out of the camp by night.
A.M. 3839, A.C. 165.
4:2 ut applicarent ad castra Judaeorum, et percuterent eos subito : et filii, qui erant ex arce, erant illis duces.
*H That they might come upon the camp of the Jews and strike them suddenly: and the men that were of the castle were their guides.
Ver. 2. Guides. Several were apostates. Judas was at or near Maspha. C.
4:3 Et audivit Judas, et surrexit ipse et potentes percutere virtutem exercituum regis, qui erant in Emmaum :
*H And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to attack the king's forces that were in Emmaus.
Ver. 3. Rose up. The vigilance of rulers and pastors preserves from the devil's stratagems. W.
4:4 adhuc enim dispersus erat exercitus a castris.
*H For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp
Ver. 4. Camp, foraging, as they despised the forces of Judas, and supposed he was in the camp, or engaged with Gorgias.
4:5 Et venit Gorgias in castra Judae noctu, et neminem invenit : et quaerebat eos in montibus, quoniam dixit : Fugiunt hi a nobis.
And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man; and he sought them in the mountains: for he said: These men flee from us.
4:6 Et cum dies factus esset, apparuit Judas in campo cum tribus millibus virorum tantum, qui tegumenta et gladios non habebant :
*H And when it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men only, who neither had armour nor swords:
Ver. 6. Three. We find seven thousand elsewhere. He was at the head of three thousand, and set his three brothers over fifteen hundred each. — Who. Some copies read, "because." He could arm no more completely. — Swords. This is added in Greek and in some Latin copies. Having already gained two victories, they must have had some swords, with which they slew the fugitives. v. 15. C. — They were ill armed, through poverty (Jos.) chiefly, (H.) using slings. Zac. ix. 15. C. — Confidence in God procureth his assistance. v. 8. W.
4:7 et viderunt castra gentium valida, et loricatos et equitatus in circuitu eorum, et hi docti ad praelium.
And they saw the camp of the Gentiles that it was strong, and the men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war.
4:8 Et ait Judas viris, qui secum erant : Ne timueritis multitudinem eorum, et impetum eorum ne formidetis.
And Judas said to the men that were with him: Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.
4:9 Mementote qualiter salvi facti sunt patres nostri in mari Rubro, cum sequeretur eos Pharao cum exercitu multo.
Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a great army.
* Footnote
* Exodus
14 : 9
And when the Egyptians followed the steps of them who were gone before, they found them encamped at the sea side: all Pharao's horse and chariots and the whole army were in Phihahiroth, before Beelsephon.
4:10 Et nunc clamemus in caelum : et miserebitur nostri Dominus, et memor erit testamenti patrum nostrorum, et conteret exercitum istum ante faciem nostram hodie :
And now let us cry to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before our face this day:
4:11 et scient omnes gentes quia est qui redimat et liberet Israel.
And all nations shall know that there is one that redeemeth and delivereth Israel.
4:12 Et elevaverunt alienigenae oculos suos, et viderunt eos venientes ex adverso.
And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming against them.
4:13 Et exierunt de castris in praelium, et tuba cecinerunt hi qui erant cum Juda.
*H And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were with Judas sounded the trumpet.
Ver. 13. Trumpet. There were many priests in the army.
4:14 Et congressi sunt : et contritae sunt gentes, et fugerunt in campum.
And they joined battle: and the Gentiles were routed, and fled into the plain.
4:15 Novissimi autem omnes ceciderunt in gladio, et persecuti sunt eos usque Gezeron, et usque in campos Idumaeae, et Azoti, et Jamniae : et ceciderunt ex illis usque ad tria millia virorum.
*H But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword and they pursued them as far as Gezeron, and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Jamnia: and there fell of them to the number of three thousand men.
Ver. 15. Gezeron, or Gazera, near Emmaus. — Idumea. Alex. MS. reads "Judea," which seems more probable. The enemy fled on all sides, some among the Philistines; (C.) others to the southern parts of Juda, occupied by Edom. H.
4:16 Et reversus est Judas, et exercitus ejus sequens eum.
And Judas returned again with his army that followed him.
4:17 Dixitque ad populum : Non concupiscatis spolia : quia bellum contra nos est,
And he said to the people: Be not greedy of the spoils; for there is war before us:
4:18 et Gorgias et exercitus ejus prope nos in monte : sed state nunc contra inimicos nostros, et expugnate eos, et sumetis postea spolia securi.
And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards with safety.
4:19 Et adhuc loquente Juda haec, ecce apparuit pars quaedam prospiciens de monte.
And as Judas was speaking these words, behold part of them appeared, looking forth from the mountain.
4:20 Et vidit Gorgias quod in fugam conversi sunt sui, et succenderunt castra : fumus enim, qui videbatur, declarabat quod factum est.
And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.
4:21 Quibus illi conspectis timuerunt valde, aspicientes simul et Judam, et exercitum in campo paratum ad praelium.
And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight.
4:22 Et fugerunt omnes in campum alienigenarum :
So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.
4:23 et Judas reversus est ad spolia castrorum, et acceperunt aurum multum, et argentum, et hyacinthinum, et purpuram marinam, et opes magnas.
*H And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.
Ver. 23. Sea. This sort of purple was most esteemed. The art of dying it is now lost. The merchants' goods fell into the hands of the Jews. The pursuit was interrupted by the sabbath. At various times Bacchides and Timothy lost above 20,000; Phylarchus and Callisthenes perished; and Nicanor saved himself by flight. The booty was laid up in places of security. 2 B. viii. 25. 30.
4:24 Et conversi, hymnum canebant, et benedicebant Deum in caelum, quoniam bonus est, quoniam in saeculum misericordia ejus.
*H And returning home, they sung a hymn, and blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.
Ver. 24. For ever. This was the chorus of Ps. cxxxv. which was sung; (C.) or the cxvii. might be used on this occasion. H.
4:25 Et facta est salus magna in Israel in die illa.
So Israel had a great deliverance that day.
4:26 Quicumque autem alienigenarum evaserunt, venerunt, et nuntiaverunt Lysiae universa quae acciderant.
And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that had happened.
4:27 Quibus ille auditis, consternatus animo deficiebat : quod non qualia voluit, talia contigerunt in Israel, et qualia mandavit rex.
*H And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged: because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king had commanded.
Ver. 27. Commanded. See what followed, 2 Mac. viii. 8. to the end. W.
4:28 Et sequenti anno, congregavit Lysias virorum electorum sexaginta millia, et equitum quinque millia, ut debellaret eos.
So the year following, Lysias gathered together threescore thousand chosen men, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.
A.M. 3839.
4:29 Et venerunt in Judaeam, et castra posuerunt in Bethoron, et occurrit illis Judas cum decem millibus viris.
And they came into Judea, and pitched their tents in Bethoron, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
4:30 Et viderunt exercitum fortem, et oravit, et dixit : Benedictus es, salvator Israel, qui contrivisti impetum potentis in manu servi tui David, et tradidisti castra alienigenarum in manu Jonathae filii Saul, et armigeri ejus.
And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed and said: Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his armour bearer.
* Footnote
* 1_Kings
17 : 10
And the Philistine said: I have defied the bands of Israel this day: give me a man, and let him fight with me hand to hand.
* Footnote
** 1_Kings
14 : 13
And Jonathan went up creeping on his hands and feet, and his armourbearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, others his armourbearer slew as he followed him.
4:31 Conclude exercitum istum in manu populi tui Israel, et confundantur in exercitu suo et equitibus.
Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen.
4:32 Da illis formidinem, et tabefac audaciam virtutis eorum, et commoveantur contritione sua.
*H Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction.
Ver. 32. Destruction. Let them perish, or fall upon each other.
4:33 Dejice illos gladio diligentium te : et collaudent te omnes, qui noverunt nomen tuum, in hymnis.
Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee: and let all that know thy name praise thee with hymns.
4:34 Et commiserunt praelium : et ceciderunt de exercitu Lysiae quinque millia virorum.
And they joined battle: and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men.
4:35 Videns autem Lysias fugam suorum, et Judaeorum audaciam, et quod parati sunt aut vivere, aut mori fortiter, abiit Antiochiam, et elegit milites, ut multiplicati rursus venirent in Judaeam.
And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold the Jews were, and that they were ready either to live, or to die manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose soldiers, that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers.
4:36 Dixit autem Judas, et fratres ejus : Ecce contriti sunt inimici nostri : ascendamus nunc mundare sancta, et renovare.
Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places, and to repair them.
4:37 Et congregatus est omnis exercitus, et ascenderunt in montem Sion.
And all the army assembled together, and they went up into Mount Sion.
4:38 Et viderunt sanctificationem desertam, et altare profanatum, et portas exustas, et in atriis virgulta nata sicut in saltu vel in montibus, et pastophoria diruta.
*H And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down.
Ver. 38. Burnt by Callisthenes, whom the Jews burnt in a house. 2 B. viii. C. — Chambers; (pastophoria. Sept.) places for beds, veils, &c. H. — S. Jerom commonly prefers "the treasury," with Aquila, or "beds," as Sym. translates. Chambers for the officers of the temple were common both among pagans and Christians. Rufin, Hist. ii. 23. Com. Apost. ii. 57. Clem. pæd. iii. 2. C. — As it was the chief design of Judas to defend religion, so he presently purifies the temple. W.
A.M. 3840.
4:39 Et sciderunt vestimenta sua, et planxerunt planctu magno, et imposuerunt cinerem super caput suum,
And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes on their heads:
4:40 et ceciderunt in faciem super terram, et exclamaverunt tubis signorum, et clamaverunt in caelum.
And they fell down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven.
4:41 Tunc ordinavit Judas viros ut pugnarent adversus eos qui erant in arce, donec emundarent sancta.
*H Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the castle, till they had cleansed the holy places,
Ver. 41. Fight, or to be ready, if the garrison should offer to molest them (C.) from the higher part of Sion, while they were performing what religion required of them. H.
4:42 Et elegit sacerdotes sine macula, voluntatem habentes in lege Dei :
*H And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the law of God.
Ver. 42. Blemish. Legal uncleanness or immorality. C.
4:43 et mundaverunt sancta, et tulerunt lapides contaminationis in locum immundum.
*H And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place.
Ver. 43. Defiled. Altars, temples, and statues of false gods made of stone, and set up in the temple, (C. i. 50. W.) and before the houses, (2 B. x. 1.) were now demolished and thrown into the vale of Cedron. 2 Par. xxix. 16.
4:44 Et cogitavit de altari holocaustorum, quod profanatum erat, quid de eo faceret.
*H And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been profaned, what he should do with it.
Ver. 44. Profaned with impure victims, and with the altar of Jupiter erected above it. C. i. 23.
4:45 Et incidit illis consilium bonum ut destruerent illud : ne forte illis esset in opprobrium, quia contaminaverunt illud gentes, et demoliti sunt illud.
And a good counsel came into their minds, to pull it down: lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so they threw it down.
4:46 Et reposuerunt lapides in monte domus in loco apto, quoadusque veniret propheta, et responderet de eis.
*H And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple, in a convenient place, till there should come a prophet, and give answer concerning them.
Ver. 46. Stones; rough, and covered with brass: (Ex. xx. 25.) though this latter circumstances is not certain with respect to the altar built by the captives. — Prophet. None was recognized after Malachias, as God prepared his people to pay more attention to the Messias.
4:47 Et acceperunt lapides integros secundum legem, et aedificaverunt altare novum secundum illud quod fuit prius :
*H Then they took whole stones, according to the law and built a new altar, according to the former:
Ver. 47. Law. Nothing was specified. The altar in the desert was of wood. At Sinai and Hebal, turf or rough stones were used; whence unhewed stones were judged most proper.
4:48 et aedificaverunt sancta, et quae intra domum erant intrinsecus : et aedem, et atria sanctificaverunt.
*H And they built up the holy places, and the things that were within the temple: and they sanctified the temple and the courts.
Ver. 48. Up, or repaired the temple chambers, &c.
4:49 Et fecerunt vasa sancta nova, et intulerunt candelabrum, et altare incensorum, et mensam, in templum.
And they made new holy vessels, and brought in the candlestick, and the altar of incense, and the table, into the temple.
4:50 Et incensum posuerunt super altare, et accenderunt lucernas quae super candelabrum erant, et lucebant in templo.
And they put incense upon the altar, and lighted up the lamps that were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple.
4:51 Et posuerunt super mensam panes, et appenderunt vela, et consummaverunt omnia opera quae fecerant.
*H And they set the loaves upon the table, and hung up the veils, and finished all the works that they had begun to make.
Ver. 51. Veils, at the entrance of the holy of holies. C.
4:52 Et ante matutinum surrexerunt quinta et vigesima die mensis noni (hic est mensis Casleu) centesimi quadragesimi octavi anni :
*H And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, (which is the month of Casleu) in the hundred and forty-eighth year.
Ver. 52. Year. The temple was purified a little more than two years after it had been profaned. A. 145. W. — The sacrifices had been interrupted just three years. The Second Book (x. 3.) specifies two years; whence some infer, that the temple was twice dedicated. But these two years most probably refer to the administration of Judas. S. Tho. or some other com. Usher, A. 3840. T. C. Salien. M.
A.M. 3840.
4:53 et obtulerunt sacrificium secundum legem super altare holocaustorum novum, quod fecerunt.
And they offered sacrifice, according to the law, upon the new altar of holocausts which they had made.
4:54 Secundum tempus et secundum diem in qua contaminaverunt illud gentes, in ipsa renovatum est in canticis, et citharis, et cinyris, et in cymbalis.
According to the time, and according to the day wherein the heathens had defiled it, in the same was it dedicated anew with canticles, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals.
4:55 Et cecidit omnis populus in faciem, et adoraverunt, et benedixerunt in caelum eum, qui prosperavit eis.
And all the people fell upon their faces, and adored, and blessed up to heaven, him that had prospered them.
4:56 Et fecerunt dedicationem altaris diebus octo, et obtulerunt holocausta cum laetitia, et sacrificium salutaris et laudis.
And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise.
4:57 Et ornaverunt faciem templi coronis aureis et scutulis, et dedicaverunt portas et pastophoria, et imposuerunt eis januas.
*H And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold, and escutcheons, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doors upon them.
Ver. 57. Escutcheons, or bucklers of gold, taken from the soldiers of Antiochus. C. vi. 39. Such ornaments were placed in temples, to testify the gratitude of the people. They wished to restore as much as possible what had been taken away. C. i. 23. On this occasion the Jews carried branches in memory of what they had suffered in desert places for three years. Hence they style it the feast of tabernacles of Casleu. 2 B. i. 9. and x. 6. C.
4:58 Et facta est laetitia in populo magna valde, et aversum est opprobrium gentium.
And there was exceeding great joy among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.
4:59 Et statuit Judas, et fratres ejus, et universa ecclesia Israel, ut agatur dies dedicationis altaris in temporibus suis ab anno in annum per dies octo a quinta et vigesima die mensis Casleu, cum laetitia et gaudio.
*H And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, with joy and gladness.
Ver. 59. Decreed. Our Saviour observed this festival, which was appointed so long after Moses. John x. 22. W. — It was styled Encœnia, and kept in winter, while Solomon's temple was dedicated in Tisri, and Zorobabel's in Adar. The Jews light lamps, (C.) to testify their joy. Jos. Ant. xii. 11. — The Rabbins add, that a small bottle of oil had been preserved by the high priest, which multiplied so as to supply the lamps during the whole octave. Hence they still have lights at their windows on this festival. Seld. Syn. iii. 13.
* Footnote
* John
10 : 22
And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and it was winter.
4:60 Et aedificaverunt in tempore illo montem Sion, et per circuitum muros altos et turres firmas, nequando venirent gentes, et conculcarent eum sicut antea fecerunt.
They built up also at that time Mount Sion, with high walls, and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should at any time come, and tread it down, as they did before.
4:61 Et collocavit illic exercitum, ut servarent eum, et munivit eum ad custodiendum Bethsuram, ut haberet populus munitionem contra faciem Idumaeae.
*H And he placed a garrison there, to keep it, and he fortified it, to secure Bethsura, that the people might have a defence against Idumea.
Ver. 61. Bethsura, which might receive reinforcements from Sion; or rather, (C.) Gr. they "fortified Bethsura to keep it, (Sion) that," &c. Grot. Vat. — Idumea. The people of that country had seized many cities of Juda. C. — Read 2 B. x. 1. W.