Gottes Neue Bibel

The Second Book of Maccabees

Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic

- Kapitel 6 -

Antiochus commands the law to be abolished, sets up an idol in the temple, and persecutes the faithful. The martyrdom of Eleazar.

1
But not long after the king sent a certain old man of Antioch, to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers and of God:
2
And to defile the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius: and that in Gazarim of Jupiter Hospitalis, according as they were that inhabited the place.
3
And very bad was this invasion of evils and grievous to all.
4
For the temple was full of the riot and revellings of the Gentiles: and of men lying with lewd women. And women thrust themselves of their accord into the holy places, and brought in things that were not lawful.
5
The altar also was filled with unlawful things, which were forbidden by the laws.
6
And neither were the sabbaths kept, nor the solemn days of the fathers observed, neither did any man plainly profess himself to be a Jew.
7
But they were led by bitter constraint on the king’s birthday to the sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they wore compelled to go about crowned with ivy in honour of Bacchus.
8
And there went out a decree into the neighbouring cities of the Gentiles, by the suggestion of the Ptolemeans, that they also should act in like manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice:
9
And whosoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the Gentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.
10
For two women were accused to have circumcised their children: whom, when they had openly led about through the city with the infants hanging at their breasts, they threw down headlong from the walls.
11
And others that had met together in caves that were near, and were keeping the sabbath day privately, being discovered by Philip, were burnt with fire, because they made a conscience to help themselves with their hands, by reason of the religious observance of the day.
12
Now I beseech those that shall read this book, that they be not shocked at these calamities, but that they consider the things that happened, not as being for the destruction, but for the correction of our nation.
13
For it is a token of great goodness when sinners are not suffered to go on in their ways for a long time, but are presently punished.
14
For, not as with other nations (whom the Lord patiently expecteth, that when the day of judgment shall come, he may punish them in the fulness of their sins:)
15
Doth he also deal with us, so as to suffer our sins to come to their height, and then take vengeance on us.
16
And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: but though he chastise his people with adversity, he forsaketh them not.
17
But let this suffice in a few words for a warning to the readers. And now we must come to the narration.
18
Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man advanced in years, and of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth to eat swine’s flesh.
19
But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life, went forward voluntarily to the torment.
20
And considering in what manner he was come to it, patiently bearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of life.
21
But they that stood by, being moved with wicked pity, for the old friendship they had with the man, taking him aside, desired that flesh might be brought, which it was lawful for him to eat, that he might make as if he had eaten, as the king had commanded of the flesh of the sacrifice:
22
That by so doing he might be delivered from death: and for the sake of their old friendship with the man they did him this courtesy.
23
But he began to consider the dignity of his age, and his ancient years, and the inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life and conversation from a child: and he answered without delay, according to the ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather be sent into the other world.
24
For it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble: whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of fourscore and ten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens:
25
And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a corruptible life, should be deceived, and hereby I should bring a stain and a curse upon my old age.
26
For though, for the present time, I should be delivered from the punishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead.
27
Wherefore by departing manfully out of this life, I shall shew myself worthy of my old age:
28
And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young men, if with a ready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the most venerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith carried to execution.
29
And they that led him, and had been a little before more mild, were changed to wrath for the words he had spoken, which they thought were uttered out of arrogancy.
30
But when he was now ready to die with the stripes, he groaned, and said: O Lord, who hast the holy knowledge, thou knowest manifestly that whereas I might be delivered from death, I suffer grevious pains in body: but in soul am well content to suffer these things because I fear thee.
31
Thus did this man die, leaving not only to young men, but also to the whole nation, the memory of his death for an example of virtue and fortitude.

Antiochus commands the law to be abolished, sets up an idol in the temple, and persecutes the faithful. The martyrdom of Eleazar.

1
Not long after this, the king sent out (a)an old man of Athens to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers and not to live by the laws of God,
2
and also to pollute the sanctuary in Jerusalem and to call it by the name of Olympian Zeus, and to call the sanctuary in Gerizim by the name of Zeus the Protector of foreigners, even as the people who lived in that place did.
3
The visitation of this evil was harsh and utterly grievous.
4
For the temple was filled with debauchery and reveling by the heathen, who (b) dallied with prostitutes, and had intercourse with women within the sacred precincts, and moreover brought inside things that were not appropriate.
5
The altar was filled with those abominable things which had been prohibited by the laws.
6
A man could neither keep the Sabbath, nor observe the feasts of their ancestors, nor so much as confess himself to be a Jew.
7
On the day of the king’s birth every month, they were led along with bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices. When the feast of Dionysia came, they were compelled to go in procession in honor of Dionysus, wearing wreaths of ivy.
8
A decree went out to the neighboring Greek cities, by the suggestion of Ptolemy, that they should observe the same conduct against the Jews, and should make them eat of the sacrifices,
9
and that they should kill those who didn’t choose to go over to the Greek rites. So the present misery was for all to see.
10
For example, two women were brought in for having circumcised their children. These, when they had led them publicly around the city with the babes hung from their breasts, they threw down headlong from the wall.
11
Others who had run together into the caves nearby to keep the seventh day secretly, were betrayed to Philip and were all burned together, because their piety kept them from defending themselves, in view of the honor of that most solemn day.
12
I urge those who read this book to not be discouraged because of the calamities, but recognize that these punishments were not for the destruction, but for the chastening of our race.
13
For indeed it is a sign of great kindness that those who act impiously are not let alone for a long time, but immediately meet with retribution.
14
For in the case of the other nations, the Sovereign Lord waits patiently to punish them until they have attained to the full measure of their sins; but not with us,
15
that he may not take vengeance on us afterward,(c) when we have come to the(d) height of our sins.
16
Therefore he never withdraws his mercy from us; but though he chastens with calamity, he doesn’t forsake his own people.
17
However let this that we have spoken suffice to remind you; but after a few words, we must come to the narrative.
18
Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, a man already well advanced in years, and of a noble countenance, was compelled to open his mouth to eat swine’s flesh.
19
But he, welcoming death with honor rather than life with defilement, advanced of his own accord to the instrument of torture, but first spat out the flesh,
20
as men ought to come who are resolute to repel such things as not even for the natural love of life is it lawful to taste.
21
But those who had the charge of that forbidden sacrificial feast took the man aside, for the acquaintance which of old times they had with him, and privately implored him to bring flesh of his own providing, such as was proper for him to use, and to make as if he did eat of the flesh from the sacrifice, as had been commanded by the king;
22
that by so doing he might be delivered from death, and so his ancient friendship with them might be treated kindly.
23
But he, having formed a high resolve, and one that became his years, the dignity of old age, and the gray hairs(e) which he had reached with honor, and his excellent(f) education from a child, or rather the holy laws(g) of God’s ordaining, declared his mind accordingly, bidding them to quickly send him to Hades.
24
“For it doesn’t become our years to dissemble,” he said, “that many of the young should suppose that Eleazar, the man of ninety years, had gone over to an alien religion;
25
and so they, by reason of my deception, and for the sake of this brief and momentary life, would be led astray because of me, and I defile and disgrace myself in my old age.
26
For even if for the present time I would remove from me the punishment of men, yet whether I live or die, I wouldn’t escape the hands of the Almighty.
27
Therefore, by bravely parting with my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age,
28
and (h)leave behind a noble example to the young to die willingly and nobly a glorious death for the revered and holy laws.” When he had said these words, he went immediately to the instrument of torture.
29
(i) When they changed the good will they bore toward him a little before into ill will because these words of his were, as they thought, sheer madness,
30
and when he was at the point to die with the(j) blows, he groaned aloud and said, “To the Lord, who has the holy knowledge, it is manifest that, while I might have been delivered from death, I endure severe pains in my body by being scourged; but in soul I gladly suffer these things because of my fear of him.”
31
So this man also died like this, leaving his death for an example of nobleness and a memorial of virtue, not only to the young but also to the great body of his nation.

Fußnoten

(a)6:1 Or, Geron an Athenian
(b)6:4 Or, idled with their fellows
(c)6:15 Or, when our sins have come to their height
(d)6:15 Gr. end.
(e)6:23 The Greek text appears to be corrupt.
(f)6:23 Some authorities read manner of life.
(g)6:23 Gr. legislation.
(h)6:28 Gr. one that has left behind.
(i)6:29 The Greek text of this verse is uncertain.
(j)6:30 Or, blows