The Second Book of Maccabees

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- Chapter 2 -

A continuation of the second letter. Of Jeremias’ hiding the ark at the time of the captivity. The author’s preface.

Now it is found in the descriptions of the prophet Jeremiah that he ordered those who transmigrated to take the fire, just as it was signified and as he ordered, into the transmigration.(a)

And he gave them the law, so that they would never forget the commandments of the Lord, and so that they would not go astray in their minds, seeing the idols of gold and silver, and their ornaments.(b)

And in this manner, with other sayings, he exhorted them, lest they remove the law from their heart.

Furthermore, it was in the same writing, how the prophet, by divine response, ordered that the tabernacle and the ark be made to accompany him, until he exited from the mountain, where Moses ascended and saw the inheritance of God.(c)

And arriving there, Jeremiah found a place in a cave. And he brought both the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense into that place, and he obstructed the opening.

And certain ones of those who followed him, approached to make note of the location, but they were not able to find it.

But when Jeremiah knew of it, he blamed them, saying: “The place shall be unknown, until God shall gather together the congregation of the people, and until he may be favorably inclined.

And then the Lord will reveal these things, and the majesty of the Lord shall appear, and there will be a cloud, just as it was also manifested to Moses, and just as he manifested these when Solomon petitioned that the place should be sanctified to the great God.

For he also drew upon wisdom magnificently, and so, having wisdom, he offered the sacrifice of the dedication and the consummation of the temple.

And, just as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire descended from heaven and consumed the holocaust, so also Solomon prayed and fire descended from heaven and consumed the holocaust.

And Moses said that it was consumed because the sin offering was not eaten.

And similarly, Solomon also celebrated the eight days of the dedication.

Moreover, these same things were put into the descriptions and commentaries of Nehemiah, including how, when constructing a library, he gathered together from the regions the books of the Prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings, and from the holy gifts.

And, similarly, Judas also gathered together all the things that were destroyed by the war that befell us, and these are with us.

Therefore, if you desire these things, send those who may carry them to you.

And so, since we will be celebrating the purification, we wrote to you. Therefore, you will do well, if you keep these days.(d)

But we hope that God, who has freed his people and has rendered to all the inheritance, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and sanctification,

just as he promised in the law, will quickly have mercy on us and will gather us together from under heaven into the holy place.

For he has rescued us from great perils, and he has purged the place.

The truth about Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,

and also about the battles, which pertain to Antiochus the illustrious, and his son, Eupator,

and about the illuminations, which came from heaven to those who acted on behalf of the Jews with fortitude, was such that they, though few, vindicated the entire region and put to flight a multitude of the barbarous,

and recovered the most famous temple in the whole world, and freed the city, and restored the laws that were abolished. For the Lord, with all tranquility, was acting favorably toward them.

And similar things as have been comprised in five books by Jason the Cyrenean, we have attempted to abridge into one volume.(e)

For, considering the multitude of the books, and the difficulty that those who are willing to undertake the narrations of histories find, due to the multitude of events,

we have taken care, so that, indeed, those who are willing to read may have delights of the mind, and so that, in truth, the studious may more easily be able to commit it to memory, and also so that all readers may find it useful.

And indeed, we ourselves, who have taken up the task of abridging this work, have no easy labor. For, in truth, more correctly, we have assumed an activity full of vigilance and sweat.(f)

Just as those who prepare a feast also seek to be attentive to the will of others, for the sake of the gratitude of many, we willingly undertake the labor.

Indeed, leaving to the authors the truths about particular details, we instead have been devoted to this form, striving to be brief.(g)

For, just as the architect of a new house will have concern for the entire structure, and, in truth, he who takes care to paint it will seek out what is fitting to adorn it, so also should such things be considered by us.

Moreover, to collect knowledge, and to order words, and to discuss every particular point attentively, is the duty of the author of a history.

Yet truly, to pursue brevity of speech, and to shun the extension of matters, is conceded to an abbreviator.(h)

Therefore, here we will begin the narration. Let so much be sufficient to say in preface. For it is foolish to go on and on before the account, when the account itself is succinct.(i)

Footnotes

(a)2:1 The descriptions:That is, the records or memoirs of Jeremias, a work that is now lost.(Challoner)

(b)2:2 The word ‘obliviscerentur’ is somewhat stronger than the English word ‘forget,’ and so the word ‘never’ is used instead of ‘not.’(Conte)

(c)2:4 According to infallible Sacred Scripture, the tabernacle and the ark and the altar of incense were hidden in a cave on the same mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. These three things are still in that place, and they will not be found, according to some, until the two prophets of the Book of Revelation bring them forth during the last half of the Antichrist’s reign (early 25th century).(Conte)

(d)2:16 The purification:That is, the feast of the purifying or cleansing of the temple.(Challoner)

(e)2:24 The word ‘item’ means ‘similarly,’ or in this context ‘similar things.’(Conte)

(f)2:27 No easy task, etc:The spirit of God, that assists the sacred penmen, does not exempt them from labour in seeking out the matter which they are to treat of, and the order and manner in which they are to deliver it. So St. Luke writ the gospel having diligently attained to all things. Luke 1. ver. 3.(Challoner)

(g)2:29 The authors of the five book mentioned previously have many more details about what happened, but the author (who seems to see himself as more of an editor or compiler) of 2 Maccabees is striving for a brief form which leaves out many particular details, in order to be better understood and more easily comprehended.(Conte)

(h)2:32 Here an editor’s role is contrasted with an author’s role.(Conte)

(i)2:33 Notice that the preface of the Book of Maccabees is a part of infallible Sacred Scripture, despite being only a preface. It is therefore my contention that the prefaces to Lamentations and Sirach are also part of the canon of infallible Sacred Scripture.(Conte)

A continuation of the second letter. Of Jeremias’ hiding the ark at the time of the captivity. The author’s preface.

It is also found in the records that Jeremiah the prophet commanded those who were carried away to take some of the fire, as has been mentioned,

and how that the prophet charged those who were carried away, having given them the law, that they should not forget the statutes of the Lord or be led astray in their minds when they saw images of gold and silver, and their adornment.

With other such words exhorted he them, that the law should not depart from their hearts.

It was in the writing that the prophet, being warned by God, commanded that the tabernacle and the ark should follow with him,(a) when he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and saw God’s inheritance.

Jeremiah came and found a cave, he brought the tabernacle, the ark, and the altar of incense into it; then he sealed the entrance.

Some of those who followed with him came there that they might mark the way, and could not find it.

But when Jeremiah learned about that, he rebuked them, saying, “The place shall be unknown until God gathers the people together again and shows mercy.

Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord shall be seen with the cloud, as it was also shown to Moses, also as Solomon implored that the place might be consecrated greatly,

and it was also declared that he, having wisdom, offered a sacrifice of dedication, and of the finishing of the temple.

As Moses prayed to the Lord and fire came down out of heaven and consumed the sacrifice, even so Solomon also prayed, and the fire came down and consumed the burnt offerings.

(b)Moses said, ‘Because the sin offering had not been eaten, it was consumed in like manner.’

Likewise Solomon kept the eight days.”

The same things were reported both in the public archives and in Nehemiah’s records, and also how he, founding a library, gathered together the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and letters of kings about sacred gifts.

In like manner Judas also gathered together for us all those books that had been scattered by reason of the war, and they are still with us.

If therefore you have need of them, send some people to bring them to you.

Seeing then that we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. You will therefore do well if you celebrate the days.

Now God, who saved all his people, and restored the heritage to all, with the kingdom, the priesthood, and the consecration,

even as he promised through the law— in God have we hope, that he will soon have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of everywhere under heaven into his holy place; for he delivered us out of great evils, and purified the place. ———————

Now the things concerning Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers, the purification of the greatest temple, the dedication of the altar,

and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and Eupator his son,

and the manifestations that came from heaven to those who fought with one another in brave deeds for the religion of the Jews; so that, being but a few, they seized the whole country, chased the barbarous multitudes,

recovered again the temple renowned all the world over, freed the city, and restored the laws which were about to be overthrown, seeing the Lord became gracious to them with all kindness.

These things which have been declared by Jason of Cyrene in five books, we will attempt to abridge in one book.

For having in view the confused mass of the numbers, and the(c) difficulty which awaits those who would enter into the narratives of the history, by reason of the abundance of the matter,

we were careful that those who choose to read may be attracted, and that those who wish us well may find it easy to recall, and that all readers may benefit.

Although to us, who have taken upon ourselves the painful labor of the abridgement, the task is not easy, but a matter of sweat and sleeplessness,

even as it is no light thing to him who prepares a banquet, and seeks the benefit of others. Nevertheless, for the sake of the gratitude of the many we will gladly endure the painful labor,

leaving to the historian the exact handling of every particular, and again having no strength to fill in the outlines of our abridgement.

For as the masterbuilder of a new house must care for the whole structure, and again he who undertakes to decorate and paint it must seek out the things fit for its adorning; even so I think it is also with us.

To occupy the ground, and to indulge in long discussions, and to be curious in particulars, is fitting for the first author of the history;

but to strive after brevity of expression, and to avoid a labored fullness in the treatment, is to be granted to him who would bring a writing into a new form.

Here then let’s begin the narration, only adding this much to that which has already been said; for it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue to the history, and to abridge the history itself.

Footnotes

(a)2:4 Gr. and when.The Greek text here is probably corrupt.

(b)2:11 See Leviticus 10:16 and 9:24.