1st Maccabees Chapter 3

Judas Maccabaeus Leader of the Jews

(166 -163 BC)

The eulogy of Judas Maccabaeus

3:1 Then his son Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here, called Maccabeus, rose up in his place.
3:2 And all his brothers helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with optimism in the battle for Israel.
3:3 So he got his people great honor, and put on a breastplate like a giant, and buckled on his warlike harness, and he fought battles, protecting the ranks with his sword.
3:4 He was like a lion, and like a lion’s roaring over his prey.
3:5 He pursued the wicked, and tracked them down, and burnt up those that antagonized his people.
3:6 For that reason the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the evil ones were terrorized, because salvation flourished at his hand.
3:7 He grieved many kings, and made Jacobיַעֲקֹב
(/ˈdʒeɪkəb/; Modern: Yaʿaqōv (help·info), Tiberian: Yaʿăqōḇ; Arabic: يَعْقُوب, romanized: Yaʿqūb; Greek: Ἰακώβ, romanized: Iakṓb) the name Yaʿaqōv יעקב is derived from ʿaqev עָקֵב “heel”, as Jacob was born grasping the heel of his twin brother Esau. (later called Israel) for more info click here glad with his deeds, and his memory is blessed forever.
3:8 He went through the cities of Judah, destroying the ungodly from them, and turning away fury from Israel:
3:9 He was famous to the ends of the earth, and he rallied those who were ready to perish.

Initial successes of Judas

3:10 Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great force out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.
3:11 When Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here heard about it, he went out to meet him, and so he struck him, and killed him: many also fell down dead, but the rest ran.
3:12 Then Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here took their plunder, and Apollonius‘ sword too, and he fought with it all his whole life.
3:13 Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard that Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here had gathered a large number and an army of the faithful to go out with him to war;
3:14 He said, I will make a name and honor for myself in the kingdom; I will go fight with Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here and them that are with him, who despise the king’s commands.
3:15 So he made ready to go up, and with him went a mighty army of the ungodly to help him, taking revenge on the sons of Israel.
3:16 And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here went out to meet him with a small company:
3:17 Who, when they saw the army coming to meet them, said to Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here, How will we be able, being so few, to fight against so many and so strong, seeing we are ready lightheaded from fasting all day?
3:18 Nothing to it Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here answered, for many to be defeated in the hands of a few; and with the God of Heaven it is all the same, to be delivered from a great force, or a small company:
3:19 For the victory of battle stands not in a large army; but strength comes from Heaven.
3:20 They come against us full of pride and immorality to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to plunder us:
3:21 But we fight for our lives and our laws.
3:22 For that reason YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here himself will overthrow them right before our eyes: and as for you, Don’t y’all be afraid of them.
3:23 Now as soon as he had finished speaking, he suddenly rush them, and so Seron and his army was defeated before him.
3:24 And they chased them down from Bethhoron to the plain, where were about eight hundred men of them dead ; and the rest retreated to the land of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּים ‎
romanized: Pəlīštīm; Koine Greek (LXX): Φυλιστιείμ, romanized: Phulistieím) were an ancient people who lived on the south coast of Canaan during the Iron Age. For more info click here.
3:25 Then the fear of Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here and his brothers began, and an extreme fear, to fell upon the nations around them:
3:26 His fame even reached to the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here.

Antiochus prepares to invade Persia and Judaea

3:27 Now when king Antiochus heard the news, he was full of resentment: for that reason he sent and gathered together all the forces of his kingdom, a very powerful army.
3:28 He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whenever he needed them.
3:29 Then he saw that the money of his treasures failed and that the taxes in the country were small, because of the dispute and disease, which he had brought on the land in taking away the laws from the past;
3:30 He feared that he wouldn’t be able to cover the charges any longer, or to have such gifts to give so liberally like he did before: for he had give above the kings that were previous to him.
3:31 For that reason, being greatly bewildered, he decided to invade Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather substantial funds.
3:32 So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the royal blood , to manage the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates to the borders of Egypt:
3:33 And to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came back.
3:34 In addition to that he delivered to him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and left him in charge of all things that he would have done, as also relating to those that living in Judah and Jerusalem:
3:35 Namely, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to wipe out their memory from that place;
3:36 And that he should position aliens in all their territory, and divide their land into lots.
3:37 So the king took the remaining half of the forces and left from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high countries.

Gorgias and Nicanor lead the Syrian army into Judaea

3:38 Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’s friends:
3:39 And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to invade the land of Judah, and to destroy it, as the king ordered.
3:40 So they went out with all their force, and came and camped by Emmaus in the plain country.
3:41 And the merchants of the country, hearing their fame, took large amounts of silver and gold, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּים ‎
romanized: Pəlīštīm; Koine Greek (LXX): Φυλιστιείμ, romanized: Phulistieím) were an ancient people who lived on the south coast of Canaan during the Iron Age. For more info click heres accompanied them.
3:42 Now when Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here and his brothers saw that situation had gone from bad to worse, and that the forces were camped in their borders: and they knew the king had given orders to destroy the people, and exterminate them;
3:43 They said to one another, Let us restore the ruins of our people, and let us fight for our people and our sanctuary.
3:44 Then the congregation was gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.
3:45 Now Jerusalem lay void as a desert, there was none of her sons that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and aliens kept the strong hold; the heathen had their homes there; and joy was taken from Jacobיַעֲקֹב
(/ˈdʒeɪkəb/; Modern: Yaʿaqōv (help·info), Tiberian: Yaʿăqōḇ; Arabic: يَعْقُوب, romanized: Yaʿqūb; Greek: Ἰακώβ, romanized: Iakṓb) the name Yaʿaqōv יעקב is derived from ʿaqev עָקֵב “heel”, as Jacob was born grasping the heel of his twin brother Esau. (later called Israel) for more info click here, and the flute with the harp ceased.

The Jews gather at Mizpah

3:46 Wherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and came to Mizpah, over next to Jerusalem; because in Mizpah was the place in Israel where they prayed in the past.
3:47 Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and threw ashes on their heads, and tore their clothes,
3:48 And opened the book of the law, in it the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their false gods.
3:49 They brought also the priests’ garments, and the firstfruits, and the tithes: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had completed their vows.
3:50 Then cried they with a loud voice toward Heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and where shall we carry them away?
3:51 For your sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and your priests mourn in their humilition.
3:52 And the heathen are in alliance to destroy us: you know, what things they imagine against us.
3:53 How shall we be able to stand up against them, except you, O God, be our aid?
3:54 Then they sounded trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.
3:55 And after this Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here ordained captains over the people, even captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
3:56 But as for those that were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were afraid, those he ordered them to go back, every man to his own house, according to the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot..
3:57 So the camp marched, and camped on the south side of Emmaus.
3:58 And Judasיהודה המכבי
romanized: Yehudah HaMakabi Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabaeus /mækəˈbiːəs/, also spelled Maccabeus was a Jewish priest (kohen) and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (“Dedication”) commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after Judah Maccabee removed all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses and purified it. For more info click here said, arm yourselves, and be brave men, and see that y’all are ready for the morning, that y’all may fight with these nations, that are assembled together against us to destroy us and our sanctuary:
3:59 For it is better for us to die in battle, than to watch the destruction of our people and our sanctuary.
3:60 Whatever the will of God is in Heaven, let him do it.