2nd Maccabees Chapter 6

Gentile cults imposed

6:1 Shortly afterward the king sent Gerontes of Athens to convince the Jews to forsake the laws*‎ The expression belongs to the Greek jurisprudence, but author “the laws” are fundamentally “the Law” or “the Torah” – From the New Jerusalem Bible of their forefathers , and not to live by the laws of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator. For more info click here:
6:2 And to pollute also the temple in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלַם‎
Transliteration: yᵊrûšālam – Pronunciation: yer-oo-shaw-lah’-im – proper locative noun meaning “teaching of peace” or possession of peace – also called the city of David and Zion – the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split For more info click here, and to call it The Temple of Olympian Zeus ; and called the one in Mount Garizim, Temple of Zeus, the Patron of Strangers, as the inhabitants of the latter place had requested.
6:3 Harsh and completely brutal was the onslaught of evil:
6:4 Because the temple was filled with drinking and immorality by the gentilesהַגּוֹיִם‎
Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Absolute (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—the Gentiles, the heathen, the nations, the people. For more info click here, who took their pleasure with prostitutes , and had intercourse with women within the sacred precincts *‎ In the Graeco-Roman period, temple precincts comprised porches and banquet rooms for ritual meals, which often descended into orgies. Sacred prostitution was still being practiced in the temples of Syria – From the New Jerusalem Bible, and besides that brought in things for sacrifice that were lawful.
6:5 The altar also was filled with profane things, abominable offerings that were forbidden by the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; law, teaching, direction, instruction – The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot..
6:6 Nor was it lawful for a man to keep Sabbathשַׁבָּת‎
romanized: Šabbāṯ, [ʃa’bat], lit. ’rest’ or ‘cessation’) is Judaism’s day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stories describing the creation of the heavens and earth in six days and the redemption from slavery and the Exodus from Egypt, and look forward to a future Messianic Age. Since the Jewish religious calendar counts days from sunset to sunset, Shabbat begins in the evening of what on the civil calendar is Friday For more info click here days or observe the festivals, or to profess himself to be a Jew at all.
6:7 And on the monthly celebration of the king’s birthday, the Jews were driven by harsh intimidation, to eat of the sacrifices; and when the fast of Dionysus occurred, the Jews were forced to go in procession to Dionysus, wearing ivy wreaths.
6:8 Also by the suggestion of Ptolemais there was a decree issued to the neighboring Greek cities, that they should adopt the same policy towards the Jews, and make them share in their sacrificial meals:
6:9 And whoever wouldn’t voluntarily conform to the Greek custom would be executed. Anyone could see, then, that disaster had come on them.
6:10 For example, two women were charged with having circumcised their sons. They publicly paraded them around the town, with their babies hung at their breast, they threw them down headfirst off the wall.
6:11 And others, that had run together into caves near by, to keep the Sabbathשַׁבָּת‎
romanized: Šabbāṯ, [ʃa’bat], lit. ’rest’ or ‘cessation’) is Judaism’s day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stories describing the creation of the heavens and earth in six days and the redemption from slavery and the Exodus from Egypt, and look forward to a future Messianic Age. Since the Jewish religious calendar counts days from sunset to sunset, Shabbat begins in the evening of what on the civil calendar is Friday For more info click here day secretly, were betrayed to Philip, were all burnt together, their faith kept them from defending themselves, out of respect for the most sacred day.

Coincidental significance of the persecution

6:12 Now I beg those that read this book, so that they aren’t discouraged for these calamities, but to recognize that these punishments were designed not to destroy but to discipline our nation.
6:13 Because it is a token of his great goodness, when evil doers aren’t left for long to their own devices , but punished immediately.
6:14 Because not like with other nationsגּוֹיִם‎
Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Absolute (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—the Gentiles, the heathen, the nations, the people. For more info click here, whom 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 patiently waits to punish, till they be attain the entirety of their sins, but he deals differently with us,
6:15 Rather than, punish on us afterwards when our sins have come their measure.
6:16 And so he never withdraws his mercy from us: and though he punish with some disaster, but he doesn’t ever abandon his people.
6:17 Let what we have said simply serve as a reminder. And now will we must return to our story without further ado.

The martyrdom of Eleazar

6:18 Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; law, teaching, direction, instruction – The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot., an older man, and of most noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pig’s flesh.
6:19 But resolving to die with honor rather than life with contamination, he spit it out, and by his own free will walked to the rack of torture,
6:20 As all should do who have the the courage to reject things that it aren’t even lawful to taste, rather than live.
6:21 But those supervising the wicked feast forbidden by the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; law, teaching, direction, instruction – The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot., took the old man aside because of their long acquaintance with him, begged him to bring meat of his own supply, such as was lawful for him to use, and make as if he ate of the flesh taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king;
6:22 So that by doing this he might be saved from death, and be treated kindly on because of his old friendship with them.
6:23 But he began to consider wisely, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and well-earned distinction of his grey hairs and his faultless conduct from boyhood, and above all of the holyקָדְשׁוֹ‎
Transliteration qōḏeš Pronunciation ko’-desh a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity:—consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (× most) holy (× day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary. For more info click here Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; law, teaching, direction, instruction – The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot. created by Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator. For more info click here himself: he proclaimed quickly, telling them to send him to Sheolשְׁאוֹל‎
Transliteration: šᵊ’ôl Pronunciation: sheh-ole’ underworld, grave, hell, pit For more info click here.
6:24 Arrogance isn’t worthy of our time of life, said he, in any wise to dissemble, for many of the young might suppose that Eleazar, being ninety years old, had now conformed to the stranger’s way of life;
6:25 And so they through my hypocrisy, for the sake of living a brief moment longer, would be led astray because of me, while I defile and disgrace my old age.
6:26 Even if for the present I would avoid the execution by mortal men: I can never escape the grasp of Shaddaiשַׁדַּי
romanized: Šaddāy; or Shaddai is one of the names of the God of Israel. El Shaddai is conventionally translated into English as God Almighty (Deus Omnipotens in Latin, Arabic: الله عزوجل, romanized: ʾAllāh ʿazzawajal), but its original meaning is unclear. One of God’s names Shaddai = Exhaustless Bounty click here, living, or dead.
6:27 So, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
6:28 and I shall have left to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and eagerly for the revered and holyקָדְשׁוֹ‎
Transliteration qōḏeš Pronunciation ko’-desh a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity:—consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (× most) holy (× day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary. For more info click here laws. And he had said these words, walked straight to the rack
6:29 Those that escorted him turned the good will they had for him a little before into hatred, because the words he had spoken, were in their opinion shear madness.
6:30 When he was about to die under the blows, he gave a sigh, and said, It is evident to 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, that has the holyקָדְשׁוֹ‎
Transliteration qōḏeš Pronunciation ko’-desh a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity:—consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (× most) holy (× day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary. For more info click here knowledge, though I might have been saved from death, I am gladly enduring these agonies of my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer.
6:31 And so this was how he died, leaving his death as example of nobleness and a memorial of courage, not only to young men, but to all his nation.