Verse 1. Higher, beyond the Euphrates. Calmet. 3:30. 37. Calmet.—The city. Greek Alex. and so forth “a city in Elymais,” and so forth The Rom. copy, Syr. Jos. style the place Elymais, where the temple was. Calmet.—Profane authors agree that this temple was very rich, and that Epiphanes attempted to plunder it. Saint Jerome in Dan. xi.—Nanea. Venus or Diana was the deity there adored, whom the king pretended he would marry. 2 Maccabees 1:13 and 9:2. Calmet.—The account of the death of Epiphanes is given to verse 16 and 2 B. 9. Worthington.
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Verse 4. Battle. it is not known whether Elymais belonged to the king. Strabo (xvi) observes it was very jealous of its liberty, which it maintained against the Persians and the successors of Alexander. Calmet.—Babylonia. At last he returned toward the country of Babylon. But before he arrived, the news of his generals’ bad success in Judea filled him with vexation, and brought on desperate diseases. verse 8, and 2 B. 9:5. Worthington.—He intended to pass by the country or city of Babylon, but was prevented by illness on the mountains which dived it from Persia.
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Verse 5. Persia, at Ecbatana. He expired at Tabis, having fallen from his chariot, &chapter 2 B. 9. Calmet.
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Verse 12. Evils. All this repentance was fictitious. 2 B. 9. Worthington.
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Verse 14. Friends, educated with him. He appointed him regent instead of Lysias. Calmet.—His son Eupator was only nine years old. Appian.—He made him appear and be recognized by the army. Eupator means one “born of a good father.” Calmet.
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Verse 16. Nine. He began his persecution A. 143, so that it lasted six years and almost four months, or 2300 days, (Daniel 8:14) during which time Judas purified the temple, some months before the death of Epiphanes. Worthington.
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Verse 20. Fifty. How then was peace made in 148, as we read 2 B. 11:21.? Usher (3841) supposes the ear was reckoned according to the Chaldee custom, which defers is six months. Basnage (ii. 1.) rather thins that the letter is placed out of its proper order, and should occur at the beginning of Eupator’s reign. See 2 B. 10.—Slings, or to thrown stones, and so forth ballistas. Bible.—The Greek and Josephus rather indicate terraces, or towers where the machines were placed.
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Verse 30. Hundred. The 2 B. 11:2 specifies 80,000. But it speaks of a subsequent action.
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Verse 31. Idumea. The passes on the north were probably occupied.—Bethsura lay to the south of Jerusalem. Calmet.
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Verse 32. Bethzacharam, a defile (Jos.) between the city and Bethsura. Judas abandoned the siege of the castle on Sion. Calmet.
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Verse 34. Blood of grapes, wine, (Deuteronomy 32:14) and the juice of mulberries incite elephants to fight, as the smell of some sorts of blood causes dogs to hunt. Vales. Phil. lxxxii. Worthington.—This might be done to accustom the elephants to the sight of blood. Calmet.—White colours irritate them most, as red do bulls. Plut. de Fort. Alex.—Sometimes wine and spirits were given them to drink, when they were to trample on criminals: but it was only shewn them when going to battle, as by drinking they lose their strength. Elian, Hist. ii. 40. and xiii. 8. and 3 Maccabees 5:30.
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Verse 37. Thirty-two. Bochart looks upon this and other such accounts as fabulous. He does not determine how many might fight in these towers; but allows that there must have been above two or three, as some would correct the Greek text, “two or three strong men fighting with darts upon them.” An elephant has been known to carry above 5000 pounds, and thirty-two men would weigh no more than 4800. Pliny (viii. 7.) observes that sixty people have been seen upon an elephant. Eupator probably had his from India, where they are larger than in Africa. A person of that country was deemed fittest to manage them.
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Verse 38. Trumpets. It would seem as if the infantry had none. Yet this does not appear probable. The Greek reads in a different manner. Some copies have “to stir up and enclose them in the defiles,” which seems useless; or “to keep them together in the phalanxes,” (MS. Alex. Calmet.) as the Vulg. has read. Menochius.
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Verse 39. Gold. The Argyraspides of Alexander had “shields of silver.” His successors might surpass this magnificence; or the officers might have golden and the soldiers brazen bucklers.
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Verse 42. Six, and so forth before the exploit of Eleazer. Others fell afterwards. 2 B. 11:11 specifies 11,000 foot, and 600 horse. Josephus says 1000 of the van guard.
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Verse 43. Saura. Greek “Avaron,” ( Calmet.) Alex. “the Sauaran.” Bible.—He is styled Abaron, (Calmet. 2:5) the brother of Judas. Calmet. Jos. Sa. Menochius.—Arab. says “his servant.” This feat is attributed to Judas, (2 B. 13:15) as he was general, and approved of, or “commanded” Eleazer to act thus, according to Ben. Gorion, (iii. 20.) and the Arab.—Harness, for greater security. The skin is very hard, except under the belly. Calmet.—Elephants in the army of Antiochus the great, or rather “the coward,” were richly adorned. Flor. ii. 8.—Porus, king of India, rode on one covered with gold. Curt. viii.
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Verse 44. Name. This motive has made some condemn the exploit. But surely a person may seek to acquire fame, even by exposing himself to danger. Eleazar might well hope that the beast would not fall so suddenly. The other motive specified is truly noble and virtuous, and we cannot condemn this hero without stronger proofs. Saint Gregory (Mor. xix. 13.) represents him as a figure of the proud: but he might not therefore be one of the number, ( Calmet.) no more than Esau, who was a type of the reprobate. Malachi 1:3. Bible.—Saint Ambrose (Off. i. 40.) highly commends the fortitude of this soldier exposing himself to the danger of death for a religion. Worthington.—This is the general sentiment. See Serar. Menochius. Tirinus. Grot. jure. iii. 4. a. 18.
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Verse 46. Under it. The rhinoceros attacks the elephant in that most vulnerable part. Pliny 20.
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Verse 47. Them. Judas thought proper to retire to the temple, which alone was fortified, and in his power. The citadel of Sion held for the king, and the city was defenceless. Only what lay to the north of Bethsura was then called Judea. The Idumeans occupied the rest. Eupator blockaded the temple, and besieged Bethsura, which he took. verse 51. This siege is related more at length. 2 B. 12:19. It cost the king a great deal. Calmet.
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Verse 51. Battering slings. Lit. balistas. Bible. See verse 20.—Fire, or the long javelin, falarica, mentioned by Livy xxi.
—Pieces. Lit. “scorpions,” ( Bible.) a sort of pointed dart, ( Calmet.) filled with poison, virus qua figit effundit. Tert. scorp.
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Verse 55. King. Lysias had thus been displaced. verse 14. Calmet.—Providence permitted that he should seek his own interest, and thus deliver Judas from the most imminent danger.
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Verse 58. Come. Lit. “give our right hands,” ( Bible.) the sign of the most inviolable engagements among the Persians. Jos. Ant. xvii. ult.
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Verse 59. Before, by leave of Cyrus, Alex. and so forth—Despising. Greek “abolished.” They had made the attempt.
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Verse 62. Oath. Eupator was not above ten years old, (verse 14. 20.) so that Lysias must bear the greatest blame. He seems to have prepossessed the king against Philip, the regent. Bible.
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Verse 63. City, and slew Philip. Jos. Ant. xii. 15.) Calmet.—Read 2 B. 13:1. Worthington.