3 Maccabees 5
5
Sleep foils the king’s plan
1Then the king, completely stubborn and filled with extreme rage and bitterness, called for Hermon the elephant keeper. 2He ordered him to drug all the elephants—five hundred in number—with heaping handfuls of frankincense and much unmixed wine on the following day. When the abundant quantity of drink had driven them wild, Hermon was to bring them in so that the Jews might meet their doom. 3When Ptolemy had given these commands, he went back to his partying, having gathered those of his friends and of the army who were especially hostile toward the Jews. 4But Hermon the elephant keeper promptly began to carry out the orders. 5The servants in charge of the Jews went out in the evening, bound the hands of those enduring this distress, and arranged for their continued custody through the night. They expected that the entire race would come to a ruinous end. 6To the Gentiles it seemed that the Jews were entirely without refuge, since in their chains, distress surrounded them on every side. 7But with persistent cries and tears they all called upon their almighty Lord and merciful God and father, who rules over every power. They continued to pray 8that he would turn away the evil plot against them and rescue them with a glorious display of power from their impending fate. 9So their prayer rose earnestly to heaven.
10Now when Hermon had made the savage elephants drunk so that they were full of a great quantity of wine and drugged with frankincense, he came to the palace courtyard early in the morning to report to the king. 11But God sent to the king a portion of sleep, the precious creation from before recorded time, granted night and day by the one who gives it generously to whomever he wishes. 12By the Lord’s doing, the king was overcome by a most pleasant and deep sleep,#5.12 Some manuscripts read deep sleep from evening until the ninth hour. such that he utterly failed in his unlawful purpose and was completely cheated out of his stubborn plan. 13And the Jews, having escaped the announced hour, praised their holy God and again prayed that the one who is quickly reconciled to his people would show the might of his exceedingly strong hand to the arrogant Gentiles.
14When it was almost the middle of the tenth hour, the person in charge of the invitations, seeing that the guests were gathered, approached the king and nudged him 15After waking him with some difficulty, he informed him that the time of the banquet was already slipping by, and gave him an account concerning the matter. 16The king, after considering this, returned to his drinking and commanded those who were present at the banquet to recline across from him. 17When this had been done, he urged the guests to give themselves over to feasting and to make up for the lost time by celebrating all the more now. 18After the party had been going on for some time, the king called Hermon in and asked him, with angry threats, why the Jews had been permitted to remain alive through the present day. 19But Hermon pointed out that he had fully carried out the orders at night, and his friends confirmed his story. 20So the king, with a savagery worse than the tyrant Phalaris, said that the Jews could be grateful for today’s sleep, but “Tomorrow,” he said, “without delay, prepare the elephants in the same way for the destruction of the unseemly Jews.” 21So the king spoke, and when all those present gave their unanimous approval readily and joyfully, they all departed for their own homes. 22But they didn’t spend their night sleeping so much as devising all kinds of insults for those who seemed to be doomed.
Forgetfulness foils the king’s plan
23By dawn, when the roosters began to crow, Hermon had outfitted the beasts and started them moving along in the great colonnade. 24Crowds of people from throughout the city gathered for the most sorry spectacle and were eagerly awaiting the early morning. 25The Jews were at their last gasp, since time was short. With tearful prayer and mournful sounds, they stretched out their hands to heaven and begged the supreme God to help them again quickly. 26Before the rays of the sun were scattered across the sky, while the king was receiving his friends, Hermon approached him and invited him to come out, indicating that the king’s desire was ready to be put into action. 27When he heard this, the king was surprised at the unusual invitation to come out from the palace. He was completely overcome by confusion, and he asked what it was that they had worked so hard to prepare for him. 28Now this was God’s doing, the God who is Lord over all things, who had placed in the king’s mind forgetfulness of the schemes that he had previously devised. 29Hermon and all the king’s friends pointed out, “The beasts and the forces have been prepared, Your Majesty, according to your careful plan.”
30But at these words the king was filled with extreme wrath because the providence of God had scattered every thought of his concerning these matters. He glared threateningly at Hermon and said, 31“If your parents or children were here, I would have them prepared#5.31 Some manuscripts read they would have prepared or you would have prepared. as a lavish meal for wild animals instead of the Jews. They are blameless as far as I’m concerned, and have demonstrated constant loyalty above all others toward my ancestors. 32Indeed, if it weren’t for the affection of our common upbringing and your service, you would’ve been deprived of life instead of them.” 33So Hermon endured an unexpected and dangerous threat, and his eyes and face showed his dismay. 34One by one the king’s friends slipped away sullenly, and the guests were dismissed, each to his own business. 35Now when the Jews heard about what the king had said, they praised God, the Lord, the king of kings, who had made his power apparent in giving them this assistance.
36Now the king resumed the entire banquet, according to the same rules, and began inviting the guests to return to their celebration. 37He summoned Hermon and said with a threat, “How often, you sorry creature, must I command you concerning these same matters? 38Equip the elephants yet again for the destruction of the Jews tomorrow.” 39But the king’s officials, who were reclining at the table with him, were taken aback by his unstable mind and began to protest as follows: 40“Your Majesty, how long will you test us, as though we were fools, giving an order a third time to destroy the Jews and again reversing your decisions? 41As a result, the city is in an uproar because of its expectation. It is already swarming with mobs and is very much at risk of being plundered.” 42At that point the king, a Phalaris in every way, was filled with madness and gave no thought at all to the change of heart that had come about in him concerning the punishment of the Jews. He firmly swore an irrevocable pledge that he would send these people to the grave#5.42 Gk Hades without delay, mangled by the knees and feet of the beasts. 43He swore he would march against Judea and swiftly burn it to the ground with fire and spear. Their temple, which he hadn’t been allowed to enter, he would level with fire, ridding it forever of those who performed sacrifices there. 44Then the friends and officials departed with joy and confidently assigned the armed forces to the places in the city that were best for keeping watch.
Horror at the racecourse
45Now the elephant keeper drove the beasts almost to a state of madness with the most fragrant drinks, namely, wine mixed with incense, and he equipped them with frightful trappings. 46Around dawn, when the city was already filled with countless crowds moving toward the racecourse, he entered the palace and urged the king on to the matter at hand. 47So the king, filled with rage, rushed out with all fierceness to join the beasts. He wanted to witness with steely heart and with his own eyes the painful and miserable destruction of the previously mentioned people. 48The Jews saw the dust cloud created by the elephants going out at the gate, the armed force following them, and the marching of the crowd, and they heard the noisy ruckus. 49Thinking that this was their final moment of life, the fulfillment of their most wretched fear, they gave themselves over to pitiful wailing and weeping. They began to kiss each other, embracing their families and throwing themselves upon each other’s shoulders, parents to children and mothers to daughters. Other women had their newborn infants at their breasts drawing their last milk. 50Nevertheless, when they took into consideration the assistance that they had previously received from heaven, they took their infants away from their breasts and all together bowed down. 51They cried out with a very loud voice, pleading with the Lord of all power to have mercy on them by intervening, since they now stood at the gates of death.
Currently Selected:
3 Maccabees 5: CEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.