THE SECOND BOOK OF MACCABEES 15

2 Maccabees 15

1 Nicanor goes about to come upon Judas on the Sabbath day. 3 The blasphemies of Nicanor. 14 Maccabeus expounding unto the the Jews was the vision, encouraged them. 21 The prayer of Maccabeus. 30 Maccabeus commanded Nicanor’s head and hands to be cut off, and his tongue to be given unto the fouls. 39 The author executes himself.

NOW when Nicanor knew that Judas and his company were in the country of Samaria, he thought with all assurance to come upon them, upon the Sabbath day.

Nevertheless the Jews that were compelled to go with him, said, O kill not so cruelly, and barbarously, but honor and sanctify the day, that is appointed by him that sees all things.

But this most wicked person demanded, Is there a Lord in heaven, that commanded the Sabbath day to be kept?

And when they said, There is a living Lord, which rules in the heaven, who commanded the seventh day to be kept,

Then he said, And I am mighty upon earth to command them for to arm themselves, and to perform the King’s business. Notwithstanding, he could not accomplish his wicked enterprise.

For Nicanor lifted up with great pride, purposed to set up a memorial of the victory obtained of all them that were with Judas.

But Maccabeus had ever sure confidence and a perfect hope that the Lord would help him,

And exhorted his people not to be afraid at the coming of the heathen, but always to remember the help that had been showed unto them from heaven, and to trust now also, that they should have the victory by the Almighty.

Thus he encouraged them by the Law and Prophets, putting them in remembrance of the battles that they had won afore, and so made them more willing,

And stirred up their hearts, and showed them also the deceitfulness of the heathen, and how they had broken their oaths.

Thus he armed every one of them, not with the assurance of shields and spears, but with wholesome words and exhortations, and showed them a dream worthy to be believed, and rejoiced them greatly.

And this was his vision, He thought that he saw Onias (which had been the high Priest, a virtuous and a good man, reverent in behavior, and of sober conversation, well spoken, and one that had been exercised in all points of godliness from a child) holding up his hands towards heaven, and praying for the whole people of the Jews.

After this appeared unto him another man which was aged, honorable, and of a wonderful dignity, and excellency above him.

And Onias spoke, and said, This is a lover of the brethren, who prayed much for his people, and for the holy city, to wit, Jeremias the Prophet of God.

He thought also that Jeremias held out his right hand, and gave unto Judas a sword of gold: and as he gave it, he spake thus,

Take this holy sword a gift from God, wherewith thou shalt wound the adversaries.

And so being comforted by the words of Judas, which were very sweet and able to stir them up to valiantness and to encourage the hearts of the young men, they determined to pitch no camp, but courageously to set upon them, and manfully to assail them, and to try the matter hand to hand, because the city and the Sanctuary, and the Temple were in danger.

As for their wives, and children, and brethren and kinsfolk, they set less by their danger: but their greatest and principal fear was for the holy Temple.

Again they that were in the city, were careful for the army that was abroad.

Now whiles they all waited for the trial of the matter, and the enemies now met with them, and the host was set in array, and the beasts were separated unto convenient places, and the horsemen were placed in the wings,

Maccabeus considering the coming of the multitude and the divers preparations of weapons, and the diverse preparations of weapons, and the fierceness of the beasts, held up his hands towards heaven, calling upon the Lord that does wonders, and that looked upon them, knowing that the victory comes not by the weapons, but that he gives the victory to them that are worthy, as seemed good unto him.

Therefore in his prayer he said after this manner, O Lord, thou that did send thine Angel in the time of Ezecias King of Judea, who in the host of Sennacherib slew an hundredth, forescore and five thousand,

Send now also thy good Angel before us, o Lord of heavens, for a fear and dread unto them,

And let them be discomfited by the strength of thine arms, which come against thine holy people to blaspheme. Thus with these words he made an end.

Then Nicanor and they that were with him, drew near with trumpets and shouting for joy.

But Judas and his company praying and calling upon God, encountered with enemies,

So that with their hands they fought, but with their hearts they prayed unto God, and slew no less than five and thirty thousand men: for through the presence of God they were wondrously comforted.

Now when they left off, and were turning again with joy, they understood that Nicanor himself was slain for all his armor.

Then they made a great shout and a cry, praising the Almighty in their own language.

Therefore Judas, which was ever the chief defender of his citizens both in body and mind, and which bare ever good affection towards them of his nation, commanded to smite off Nicanor’s head, with his hand and shoulder, and to bring it to Jerusalem.

And when he came there, he called all them of his nation, and set the Priests by the altar, and sent for them of the castle,

And showed them wicked Nicanor’s head, and the hand of that blasphemer which he had holden up against the holy Temple of the Almighty with proud brags.

He caused the tongue also of wicked Nicanor to be cut in little pieces, and to be cast unto the fouls, and that the rewards of his madness should be hanged up before the Temple.

So every man praised toward the heaven the glorious Lord, saying, Blessed be he, that hath kept his place undefiled.

He hanged also Nicanor’s head upon the high castle, for an evident and plain token unto all the help of God.

And so they established all together by a common decree that they would in no case suffer this day without keeping it holy:

And that the feast should be the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar in the Syrians language, the day before Mardocheus day.

Thus far as concerning Nicanor’s matters, and from that time the Hebrews had the city in possession. And here will I also make an end.

If I have done well, and as the story required, it is the thing that I desired: but if I have spoken slenderly and barely, it is that I could.

For as it is hurtful to drink wine alone, and then again water: and as wine tempered with water is pleasant and delights the taste, so the setting out of the matter delights the ears of them that read the story. And here shall be the end.