1 Machabees Chapter 1
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
1:36. And they placed there a sinful nation, wicked men, and they fortified themselves therein: and they stored up armour and victuals, and gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem;
1:37. And laid them up there: and they became a great snare.
1:38. And this was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil devil in Israel.
An evil devil.... That is, an adversary watching constantly to do harm, as the evil spirit is always watching and seeking whom he may devour.
1:39. And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, and defiled the holy place.
1:40. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away by reason of them and the city was made the habitation of strangers, and she became a stranger to her own seed, and her children forsook her.
1:41. Her sanctuary was desolate like a wilderness, her festival days were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach, her honours were brought to nothing.
1:42. Her dishonour was increased according to her glory, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
1:43. And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people should be one: and every one should leave his own law.
1:44. And all nations consented, according to the word of king Antiochus.
1:45. And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath.
1:46. And the king sent letters by the hands of messengers to Jerusalem, and to all the cities of Juda; that they should follow the law of the nations of the earth.
1:47. And should forbid holocausts and sacrifices, and atonements to be made in the temple of God.
1:48. And should prohibit the sabbath, and the festival days to be celebrated.
1:49. And he commanded the holy places to be profaned, and the holy people of Israel.
1:50. And he commanded altars to be built, and temples, and idols, and swine’s flesh to be immolated, and unclean beasts,
1:51. And that they should leave their children uncircumcised, and let their souls be defiled with all uncleannesses, and abominations, to the end that they should forget the law, and should change all the justifications of God.
1:52. And that whosoever would not do according to the word of king Antiochus, should be put to death.
1:53. According to all these words he wrote to his whole kingdom: and he appointed rulers over the people that should force them to do these things.
1:54. And they commanded the cities of Juda to sacrifice.
1:55. Then many of the people were gathered to them that had forsaken the law of the Lord: and they committed evils in the land:
1:56. And they drove away the people of Israel into lurking holes, and into the secret places of fugitives.
1:57. On the fifteenth day of the month, Casleu, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation upon the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the cities of Juda round about:
The abominable idol, etc.... Viz., the statue of Jupiter Olympius.
1:58. And they burnt incense, and sacrificed at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
1:59. And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire the books of the law of God:
1:60. And every one with whom the books of the testament of the Lord were found, and whosoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death, according to the edict of the king.
1:61. Thus by their power did they deal with the people of Israel, that were found in the cities month after month.
1:62. And on the five and twentieth day of the month they sacrificed upon the altar of the idol that was over against the altar of God.
1:63. Now the women that circumcised their children were slain according to the commandment of king Antiochus,
1:64. And they hanged the children about their necks in all their houses: and those that had circumcised them, they put to death.
1:65. And many of the people of Israel determined with themselves, that they would not eat unclean things: and they chose rather to die, than to be defiled with unclean meats:
1:66. And they would not break the holy law of God and they were put to death:
1:67. And there was very great wrath upon the people.