Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Second. After he had sent Apollonius, he proceeded no farther then Joppe and Jerusalem; being perhaps afraid of the Romans. Calmet. 4:21. Three years after, as the regents of Egypt demanded Celosyria, he went to meet them in their own country. A. 3834.
Verse 2. Days. These things were not seen only by people inclined to superstition, or for a short time. There must be true prodigies, as so many false ones have been published. Josephus records what happened before the last siege of Jerusalem, de Bel. vii. 12. Calmet.—Miraculous visions foreshew the wrath of God against sinners, and admonish all to repent, as the emperor Charlemagne interpreted the appearance of a great comet. Fascic. rerum. Worthington.—Yet such things are sometimes only natural effects, which the ignorant misapply. This was not here the case. Bible.
Verse 5. Dead. This rumour caused much evil to the Jews. Antiochus was informed that they had rejoiced at the news, and therefore fell upon the city.
Verse 6. Evil, as the numbers are thus lessened. Thus Tacitus, speaking of the civil wars between Otho and Vitellius, says, detestanda vota, inter duos quorum bello solum id scires deteriorem fore qui vicisset.
Verse 8. Shut up in prison, out of which he escaped to Egypt; ( Menochius.) or he was hard pressed, ( Calmet.) or accused. Grot.
Verse 9. Lacedemon. Lit. “the Lacedemonians,” ( Bible.) who served in the army of Philometor. Grot.—It is certain that this nation was then part of the Achean league, in alliance with Egypt. Polyb. Calmet.—Kindred. The Spartans sprung from Abraham. 1 B. 12:2. ( Worthington.) 21. Calmet.
Verse 10. Burial. Such as was not refused to strangers. The thirty pieces of silver purchased ground for that purpose. Matthew 27:7. Calmet.
Verse 11. Alliance with him, or refuse to submit. Bible.—The enterprise of Jason, and the account of their rejoicing, made him form this judgment.—Arms. Josephus (B. i. 1. and vi. p. 929) says the Jews came to meet him, and that he besieged and took the city. But (Ant. xii. 7.) he asserts that his partisans opened the gates without fighting. How shall we reconcile these things!
Verse 14. Slain, or sold, the latter amounting to one-half of the 80,000.
Verse 19. Place. Temples and victims are for our own advantage. Isaiah 1:11. Jeremiah 6:20 and 3 Kennicott. 8:27. God has often suffered sacred places to be profaned, when piety had been disregarded. Calmet.—All religious rites are designed for God’s glory and men’s welfare; and hence, when they cease to serve God, they holy things are destroyed or taken away. Worthington.
Verse 21. Foot. These are hyperbolical expressions, denoting the extravagance of Epiphanes after victory. Thus Xerxes made a bridge to join Asia and Europe together; and Caligula made one on the Lucrine lake, that he might have the pleasure of riding upon it. Just. 2. Sueton.—Epiphanes had met with little resistance, so that he had no reason to boast.
Verse 23. Garizim, or the country of Samaria, over which Andronicus alone was governor.—Who bore. Greek and Syr. read in the singular, as this regards Menelaus.
Verse 24. He. Syr. “Epiphanes.”—Hateful. Greek μυσαρχην, ( Bible.) “prince of Mysia,” (Grot.) or of sinners. Bible.
Verse 26. To see, or celebrate the festival. 1 Maccabees 1:30. and so forth Calmet.
Verse 27. Was the tenth. That is, he had nine others in his company. Challoner.—He was the tenth lawful pontiff, under the Greeks. Worthington.—Judas is specified, because he was the most renowned. His father and five sons, joined by four others retired into desert places, and eat what they could find. Calmet.—These ten dwelt in the mountains. Salien.—They were conducted to battle by Judas, ( Bible.) the Decurio. Menochius.
See 1 Maccabees 12:7.
Some authorities read toward the Jews, he sent. The Greek text of this sentence is uncertain.
Compare 2 Maccabees 4:9, 19; 9:19.
Greek Μυσάρχην, which also may mean ruler of the Mysians.