Part 1120

Seven thousand.... In the Greek it is six thousand. But then three thousand of them had no arms. 1 Mac. 4.6.

8:17. Setting before their eyes the injury they had unjustly done the holy place, and also the injury they had done to the city, which had been shamefully abused, besides their destroying the ordinances of the fathers.

8:18. For, said he, they trust in their weapons, and in their boldness: but we trust in the Almighty Lord, who at a beck can utterly destroy both them that come against us, and the whole world.

8:19. Moreover, he put them in mind also of the helps their fathers had received from God: and how, under Sennacherib, a hundred and eighty-five thousand had been destroyed.

8:20. And of the battle that they had fought against the Galatians, in Babylonia; how they, being in all but six thousand, when it came to the point, and the Macedonians, their companions, were at a stand, slew a hundred and twenty thousand, because of the help they had from heaven, and for this they received many favours.

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 Graecia.

8:21. With these words they were greatly encouraged and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.

8:22. So he appointed his brethren captains over each division of his army; Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to each one fifteen hundred men.

8:23. And after the holy book had been read to them by Esdras, and he had given them for a watchword, The help of God: himself leading the first band, he joined battle with Nicanor:

8:24. And the Almighty being their helper, they slew above nine thousand men: and having wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor’s army, they obliged them to fly.

Above nine thousand.... Viz., including the three thousand slain in the pursuit.

8:25. And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.

8:26. But they came back for want of time: for it was the day before the sabbath: and therefore they did not continue the pursuit.

8:27. But when they had gathered together their arms and their spoils, they kept the sabbath: blessing the Lord who had delivered them that day, distilling the beginning of mercy upon them.

8:28. Then after the sabbath they divided the spoils to the feeble and the orphans, and the widows, and the rest they took for themselves and their servants.

8:29. When this was done, and they had all made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord, to be reconciled to his servants unto the end.

8:30. Moreover, they slew above twenty thousand of them that were with Timotheus and Bacchides, who fought against them, and they made themselves masters of the high strong holds: and they divided amongst them many spoils, giving equal portions to the feeble, the fatherless, and the widows; yea, and the aged also.

8:31. And when they had carefully gathered together their arms, they laid them all up in convenient places, and the residue of their spoils they carried to Jerusalem:

8:32. They slew also Philarches, who was with Timotheus, a wicked man, who had many ways afflicted the Jews.

8:33. And when they kept the feast of the victory at Jerusalem, they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire to the holy gates, who had taken refuge in a certain house, rendering to him a worthy reward for his impieties:

8:34. But as for that most wicked man, Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to the sale of the Jews,

8:35. Being, through the help of the Lord, brought down by them, of whom he had made no account, laying aside his garment of glory, fleeing through the midland country, he came alone to Antioch, being rendered very unhappy by the destruction of his army.

Laying aside his garment of glory.... That is, his splendid apparel, which he wore through ostentation; he now throws it off, lest he should be known on his flight.

8:36. And he that had promised to levy the tribute for the Romans, by the means of the captives of Jerusalem, now professed that the Jews had God for their protector, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws appointed by him.

2 Machabees Chapter 9

The wretched end, and fruitless repentance of king Antiochus.

9:1. At that time Antiochus returned with dishonour out of Persia.

9:2. For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and attempted to rob the temple, and to oppress the city, but the multitude running together to arms, put them to flight: and so it fell out that Antiochus being put to flight, returned with disgrace.