1 Maccabees 1
1
1 Maccabees 1
Alexander the Great
1 #
Gen 10.4; 1 Macc 6.2; 8.5 After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated#1.1 Gk adds and he defeated King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.) 2He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and slaughtered the kings of the earth. 3#1 Macc 11.38, 52He advanced to the ends of the earth and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. 4He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they paid him tribute.
5After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. 6So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. 7And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.
8Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. 9#1 Macc 6.15; 8.14They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years, and they caused many evils on the earth.
Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews
10 #
Deut 29.18; 1 Macc 3.27; 8.7; 2 Macc 1.14; 4.7 From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11 #
Deut 13.13; 1 Macc 7.5; 9.23; 11.21 In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the nations around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.” 12This proposal pleased them, 13#2 Macc 4.7–10and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the nations. 14#2 Macc 4.9, 12So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the customs of the nations, 15#1 Kings 21.20; 3 Macc 2.31; 1 Cor 7.18and made foreskins for themselves, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the nations and sold themselves to do evil.
Antiochus in Egypt
16When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. 17#1 Macc 3.34; 6.35, 46; 8.6; 2 Macc 5.1So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. 18#1 Macc 10.51; 16.8; 2 Macc 4.21; 9.29He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. 19They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.
Persecution of the Jews
20 #
2 Macc 5.11–16
After subduing Egypt, Antiochus turned back in the one hundred forty-third year and went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. 21#Ex 25.31–37; 30.1–3He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. 22#Ex 25.23–30; 26.31–33; 1 Macc 4.57He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. 23#1 Macc 2.9; 2 Macc 5.21He took the silver and the gold and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. 24#2 Macc 5.12–14Taking them all, he went into his own land.
He shed much blood
and spoke with great arrogance.
25Israel mourned deeply in every community;
26rulers and elders groaned;
young women and young men became faint;
the beauty of the women faded.
27 #
Jer 7.34; 16.9; 3 Macc 4.6, 8 Every bridegroom took up the lament;
she who sat in the bridal chamber was mourning.
28Even the land trembled for its inhabitants,
and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.
The Occupation of Jerusalem
29 #
2 Macc 5.24
Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force. 30#2 Macc 5.25, 26Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him, but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel. 31He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls. 32They took captive the women and children and seized the livestock. 33#1 Macc 3.45; 4.41; 6.18, 26; 14.36Then they fortified the city of David with a large strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel. 34#v 11; Tob 13.6They stationed there a sinful nation, men who were renegades. These strengthened their position; 35they stored up arms and food, and, collecting the spoils of Jerusalem, they stored them there and became a great menace,
36 #
1 Macc 13.51
for the citadel#1.36 Gk it became an ambush against the sanctuary,
an evil adversary of Israel at all times.
37 #
Ex 15.17; Ps 79.1–3 On every side of the sanctuary they shed innocent blood;
they even defiled the sanctuary.
38Because of them the residents of Jerusalem fled;
she became a dwelling of strangers;
she became strange to her offspring,
and her children forsook her.
39 #
Am 8.10; Tob 2.6; 1 Macc 3.45 Her sanctuary became desolate like a desert;
her feasts were turned into mourning,
her Sabbaths into a reproach,
her honor into contempt.
40Her dishonor now grew as great as her glory;
her exaltation was turned into mourning.
Installation of Gentile Cults
41Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people 42#1 Macc 2.19; 2 Macc 6.6and that all should give up their particular customs. All the nations accepted the command of the king. 43Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath. 44And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45#Dan 11.31; 2 Macc 6.4–6to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane Sabbaths and festivals, 46to defile the sanctuary and the holy ones, 47#Isa 66.3; 2 Macc 6.21to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice pigs and other unclean animals, 48and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane 49so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50#2 Macc 6.9He added,#1.50 Gk lacks He added “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”
51 #
2 Macc 5.22; 6.8 In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town. 52Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; 53#1 Macc 2.31; 2 Macc 6.11; Heb 11.38they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
54 #
Dan 11.31; 1 Macc 2.12; 6.7; 2 Macc 6.2; 10.5 Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah 55and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. 56The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. 57Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant or anyone who adhered to the law was condemned to death by decree of the king. 58They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. 59#1 Macc 2.12; 4.52; 2 Macc 10.5On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. 60#2 Macc 6.10According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised 61and their families and those who circumcised them, and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.
62But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. 63#2 Macc 6.19; 7.1–42They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant, and they did die. 64Very great wrath came upon Israel.
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1 Maccabees 1: NRSVUE
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.