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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.
Verse 1. But. Read here 1 B. 7:39. Worthington.—Samaria. Arab. “Sebaste,” which is the same. Yet Judas was at Adarsa, in the tribe of Ephraim. Calmet.—Sabbath. The profane take advantage of people’s tender consciences. But Judas being well-informed, fought on the sabbath. 1 B. 3:40.
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.”
Then the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a Sovereign in heaven who had commanded to keep the Sabbath day.
When they declared, “There is the Lord, living himself as Sovereign in heaven, who told us observe the seventh day.”
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.
Verse 5. Earth. O Luciferian blasphemy! Worthington.—He seems to place himself above the Lord of heaven. Calmet.
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.
Verse 6. Public. Greek “common trophy over all the men of Judas.” Bible.—Syr. “he fortified himself exceedingly.” A trophy consisted of the trunk of a tree hung round with arms.
Greek carrying his neck high.
But Maccabaeus still trusted unceasingly, with all hope that he should obtain help from the Lord.
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,
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.
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.
Verse 10. Oaths, of which Eupator had lately given an instance. Apollonius and the people of Joppe had acted perfidiously. Calmet.
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.
Verse 11. Not with, not only, or so much with, and so forth Bible.—Dream. He knew it was supernatural ( Calmet.) by God’s light, as S. Joseph did. Matthew 1:20. Worthington.
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.
Verse 12. Onias III. who had been slain ( Calmet.) at Daphne. Calmet. 4:34. Bible.—The Jewish and Christian Churches never doubted that the saints interceded in the other world for the living, in whose concerns they take part. Calmet.—Prot. evade this text by denying the canonicity of the book. Yet the same is proved Genesis 48. Exodus 32. Jeremiah 15. Lu. 16. Revelation 5:6. 8 and 2 Peter 1 and we have a right to produce the authority of this book, as Origen, (18 in Jo.) Saint Bernard (76 in Cant. & ser. 3. Nat. and so forth) have done. Onias and Jeremias, in limbo, interested themselves for the faithful on earth, and no doubt the saints in glory will do as much. Worthington.
Then he saw a man appear, of venerable age and exceeding glory, and the dignity around him was wonderful and most majestic.
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.
Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and delivered to Judas a gold sword, and in giving it addressed him thus:
Verse 15. Gold, such as kings and chief officers of Persia used. Calmet.—Jeremias (38:17) had formerly dissuaded war: now he encourages it; as it also has a time. Eccle. 3:8. Worthington.
“Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you shall strike down the adversaries.”
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.
Verse 17. Fight. Greek “not to fortify the camp,” ( Calmet.) or “remain there:” ( Bible.) μη στρατοπηδευεσθαι. Calmet.—Grabe reads στρατευεσθαι, “to act as soldiers.” Bible.—Syr. “not to trust in troops set in array, but to take courage, and to expose their lives, in this extremity, for their country and for the temple.”
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.
Also those who were shut up in the city were in no light distress, being troubled because of the encounter in the open country.
When all were now waiting for the decision of the issue, and the enemy had 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,
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.
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.
Greek camp.
So now also, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel before us to bring terror and trembling.
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,
Nicanor and his company advanced with trumpets and victory songs;
Verse 25. Songs. Greek “pean,” sung in honour of Apollo. Calmet.—Before battle his aid was thus invoked, and he was thanked with songs after a victory. Grot.
but Judas and his company joined battle with the enemy with invocation and prayers.
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.
Verse 27. Five. Josephus has only 30,000. Ant. xii. 17. Calmet.—Presence. He had granted them victory. Menochius.
When the engagement was over and they were returning again with joy, they recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor.
Verse 28. Armour, at the beginning of the battle. 1 B. 7:44.
Then there was shouting and noise, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their ancestors.
Verse 29. Language, composing a canticle in Hebrew or using such as had been written ( Calmet.) by David, and so forth Bible.
He who in all things was in body and soul the foremost champion of his fellow citizens, 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.
Verse 30. Shoulder. Thus his bust was set up. But the right arm was hung over-against the temple. verse 33 and 1 B. 7:47. Calmet.
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.
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,
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.
They all, looking up to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, “Blessed is he who has preserved his own place undefiled!”
Verse 34. Blessed. Greek “raising their voices, ( Menochius.) or looking towards heaven, praised the Lord, who had made himself manifest:” επιφανη κυριον. Bible.
He hung Nicanor’s head and shoulder from the citadel, a clear sign evident to all of the help of the Lord.
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.
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.
Verse 37. Adar; our February and March. The 13th was the feast, “of lots.” Esther 9:23. Calmet.
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.
Verse 38. So. Read 1 B. 8:1 where more on this subject is written. After other persecutors were overcome, the land was at rest, and the author adds this general conclusion. Worthington.
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.
Verse 39. So. Greek “if in a frugal and middling style, this is as well as I was able.” Bible.—Perfectly. This is not said with regard to the truth of the narration, but with regard to the style and manner of writing, which in the sacred penmen is not always the most accurate. See Saint Paul, 2 Corinthians 11:6. Challoner.—The style was frequently left to their choice. Bible.—Inspiration did not exclude natural acquirements. Calmet.—The author is not afraid of having said any thing erroneous, though he might be less polished, like Saint Paul: imperitus sermone sed non scientia. But we, having now come to the end of the Old Testament, must crave pardon for any mistakes into which we may have fallen, in the execution of this work, which is dedicated to the English ( Worthington.) and to all his majesty’s Catholic subjects, for whose benefit chiefly and for the sake of religion it has been undertaken. The many things hard to understood, which we did not wish to pass over, have swelled this work to a larger volume than was at first intended; larger, perhaps, than the purses of the poor and middle ranks, in the late hard times, could bear. But now the prospect is more cheering; and it is hoped that this profusion on a subject of such vast importance will be pardoned, particularly as we had also to comply with the desires of the more affluent, who repeatedly requested that the notes might be rather “more ample.” As they that prepare a feast, and seek to satisfy the will of others, so we, for the sake of many, willingly undergo the labour. Calmet. 2:28. The variety of matter and of style may well be compared to a mixture of wine and water. verse 40. Yet our aim has not been merely to please, but rather to counteract the baneful influences of heresy and infidelity. Tirinus. Paine (Age of Reason, part 2nd) having touched upon a few difficulties in some of the books of Scripture, says exultingly: “I have gone through the Bible as a man would go through a wood, with an axe on his shoulders, and fell trees; here they lie, and the priests, if they can, may replant them. They may perhaps stick them in the ground, but they will never grow.” Yes, they will grow, and brave the fury of tempests, because they have been planted not by priest, but by the hand of God. The Scriptures and the Church will stand and support each other till time shall be no more. The true faith has been preserved from Adam through all succeeding generations, and antichrist himself will not be able to destroy it. My WORD shall not pass away, says our divine Master. As we have repeatedly proved this assertion in the foregoing notes, which are already perhaps too copious, we shall refer the more inquisitive reader to the remarks of Dr. Worthington on the six ages, in the Douay Bible.
Or, hurtful
Greek but even as.