2 Maccabees
Verse 1. Towns. Lit. “castles.” Greek “villages.” It also means a town or village; and at this time, Judas chiefly dwelt in the deserts. Bible.—Many particulars of this war are found 1 B. 3.
EXPLANATIONS
2 Maccabees 8
Historical chapter commentary
2 Maccabees
Verse 2. Lord. Prayer is particularly requisite before battle. Worthington.
2 Maccabees
Verse 3. Blood of the Jews justly slain. Menochius.—The voice of Abel’s and of Christ’s blood is very different. Genesis 4:10. Hebrews 12:24.
2 Maccabees
Verse 8. Philip seeing, and so forth The governor of Jerusalem found himself unable to contend with Judas, especially after the victories he had obtained over Apollonius and Seron. 1 Maccabees 3. Challoner.—He was left two years before ( Calmet.) to afflict the Jews. Worthington.
2 Maccabees
Verse 9. Twenty thousand. The whole number of the forces sent at that time into Judea, was 40,000 footmen and 7,000 horsemen; (1 Maccabees 3:30) but only 20,000 are here taken notice of, because there were no more with Nicanor at that time of the battle. Challoner.
2 Maccabees
Verse 10. Talents. So much the king was in arrear, owing to his prodigality. For which reason he was gone beyond the Euphrates to raise money. His father had to pay the Romans 15,000 talents in twelve years.
2 Maccabees
Verse 11. Ninety. Often ( Calmet.) a talent was paid for one slave. Jos. Ant. xii. 4.
2 Maccabees
Verse 13. Justice. Greek δικην, “vengeance” ( Bible.) against the enemies. Calmet.
2 Maccabees
Verse 15. Covenant. A just and religious cause is the best help in war. Worthington.
2 Maccabees
Verse 16. Seven thousand. In the Greek it is six thousand. But then three thousand of them had no arms. 1 Maccabees 4:6. Challoner.—If the army was divided into four companies of 1,500, there would be only 6,000. But if Judas had with him 3,000, it would consist of 7,500. Calmet.—Reconciled. Greek “consternated at,” and so forth Bible.
2 Maccabees
Verse 20. Galatians. That is, the Gauls, who having ravaged Italy and Greece, poured themselves in upon Asia in immense multitudes, where also they founded the kingdom of Galatia, or Gallo—Græcia. Challoner.—This battle is no where else recorded in Scripture. But it seems to allude to the aid given to Soter by the Jews, ( Worthington.) when he repulsed the Galatians. Appian.—Antiochus the great rewarded them for their valour shewn in behalf of his father. Joseph. xii. 3. Worthington.—Six. Greek “8,000.”—When. Greek “with 4,000 Macedonians; when the Macedonians being at a stand, the 6,000 (Grabe substitutes 8,000) slew twelve myriads,” and so forth Bible.—Historians have not specified this irruption, as it had no farther consequences. The Galatians were very powerful under Antiochus the great, and sided with him. The consul, Manlius, made them promise to keep within their own territories. But they did not observe this agreement, since they attacked Eumenes while Epiphanes persecuted the Jews. It is not agreed when they made the invasion of Babylonia, then defended by Jewish and Macedonian troops under the king of Syria.
2 Maccabees
Verse 22. Joseph; perhaps the same with John Gaddis, or simply a relation.
2 Maccabees
Verse 23. Esdras. Greek and Syr. “Eleazar;” probably the brother of Judas. Grotius thinks that the latter read the account of the death of Eleazar, which must be understood of the martyr, (Calmet. 5) as the brother of Judas was slain under Eupator. Perhaps the law regarding people going to fight was read; (Deuteronomy 20:6 and 1 B. 3:56) or as Judas prepared for battle by prayer and fasting, some portions of Scripture might be selected while they were at Maspha.—Help. So he specifies the victory of God. Calmet. 13:15. Calmet.
2 Maccabees
Verse 24. Above nine thousand, that is including the three thousand slain in the pursuit. Challoner.—Three thousand fell on the field of battle. 1 B. 4:15.
2 Maccabees
Verse 26. Time. They wished to be in the camp before the sabbath, having designed to collect the spoils.
2 Maccabees
Verse 28. Widows. Judas follows the spirit rather than the letter of the law. Numbers 31:27. Deuteronomy 14:29.
2 Maccabees
Verse 30. Timotheus. Calmet. 10:24. The particulars of this war are not given. It seems to have taken place after the temple was purified. verse 31. We must distinguish this first war from another mentioned. Calmet. 10:24. and 1 B. 5:5. Judas defeated another Timotheus beyond the Jordan. Calmet. 12:10. and 1 Maccabees 5:11. 34. 37.
2 Maccabees
Verse 31. Jerusalem. They had taken all but he citadel. Calmet. 10:1.
2 Maccabees
Verse 35. Apparel, as a general. Calmet.—Fleeing. Greek “like a fugitive, having rendered himself destitute, he came through the midland country to Antioch above all being fortunate himself in,” and so forth Bible.—He was too happy in having escaped. The Rom. ed. and Syr. agree with us, “being very unhappy,” and so forth ( Calmet.) which is substituted by Grabe. Bible.
2 Maccabees
The Greek text of verses 6 and 7 is uncertain.
2 Maccabees
See 1 Maccabees 10:65. Compare 2 Maccabees 1:14; 7:24; 10:13; 14:11; 1 Maccabees 2:18.
2 Maccabees
Greek bodies.
2 Maccabees
Greek bodies.
2 Maccabees
The Greek text here is uncertain.
2 Maccabees
Greek Galatians.
2 Maccabees
Some authorities read eight.
2 Maccabees
Greek disabled in their limbs.
2 Maccabees
Or, while
2 Maccabees
The exact meaning of this clause is uncertain.
2 Maccabees
Greek their weapons...the spoils of the enemy.
2 Maccabees
Or, wounded Greek shamefully handled.
2 Maccabees
Or, wounded Greek shamefully handled.
2 Maccabees
The exact meaning of this clause is uncertain.
2 Maccabees
Greek of them.
2 Maccabees
That is, probably, the captain of an irregular auxiliary force. Some write Phylarches, as a proper name.
2 Maccabees
The Greek text here is perhaps corrupt.
2 Maccabees
Or, country
2 Maccabees
Or, porches
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Or, a solitary hut
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Greek having made himself solitary.
2 Maccabees
Or, having won the greatest possible favor by reason of the destruction of his army
2 Maccabees
Or, because of this their way of life Greek because of this manner.