The Roman Catholic Bible editions usually include seven other books that are from the Septuagint, but not in the Hebrew Bible. On the other hand, many of the English Protestant Bibles, particularly the King James Bible used only the Hebrew texts. These later Greek works became known as deuterocanonical or apocryphal works of the Bible. These post-exilic books tell the stories of various Israelite figures. These seven extra books have the story of Tobit, the story of Judith, as well as the stories of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. However, they also include writings the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus or Sirach, and Baruch.
1 Maccabees
The death of King Antiochus IV (Dan 11:44-11:45)
“But reports from the east,
Reports from the north,
Shall alarm him.
He shall go out
With great fury
To bring ruin,
To bring complete destruction
To many.
He shall pitch
His palatial tents
Between the sea and
The beautiful holy mountain.
Yet he shall come
To his end,
With no one
To help him.”
It is not clear where King Antiochus IV died. However, in 2 Maccabees, chapter 9, there was a vivid description of the illness that led to his death. Here it takes place between the coast and the holy mountain of Jerusalem. Apparently, this king had problems in the east and north. Thus, he set out to ruin and destroy them. Then he pitched his palatial tent before he died. 1 Maccabees, chapter 6, and 2 Maccabees, chapter 9, have this dreadful king have a deathbed conversion to the God of Israel. Here, that is not mentioned.
The disputes and the resistance (Dan 11:32-11:35)
“He shall seduce,
With flattery,
Those who violate
The covenant.
But the people
Who are loyal
To their God
Shall stand firm.
They shall take action.
The wise among the people
Shall give understanding
To many.
For some days,
However,
They shall fall
By the sword,
By the flame.
They shall suffer
Captivity,
As well as plunder.
When they fall victim,
They shall receive
A little help.
Many shall join
Them insincerely.
Some of the wise
Shall fall.
Thus,
They may be
Refined,
Purified,
Cleansed,
Until the time
Of the end.
There is still an interval
Until the time appointed.
As indicated in 1 Maccabees, chapter 2, King Antiochus IV seduced some of the Hellenizing Judeans to abandon the covenant. However, there were many who remained loyal to their God. They stood firm and sided with the wise ones of Jerusalem. However, they also fell by the sword and the flames. They suffered captivity and plunder, but they received a little help. Some of these people were insincere. Even some of the wise ones fell, so that they could be refined, purified, and cleansed until the end times. Nevertheless, there was going to be an interval until this appointed time came.
A very destructive king (Dan 8:23-8:25)
“At the end of their rule,
When the transgressions
Have reached
Their full measure,
A king of bold countenance,
Skilled in intrigue,
Shall grow strong in power.
He shall cause
Fearful destruction.
He shall succeed
In what he does.
He shall destroy
The powerful,
The people of the holy ones.
By his cunning,
He shall make
Deceit prosper
Under his hand.
In his own mind,
He shall be great.
Without warning,
He shall destroy many.
He shall even rise up
Against the Prince of princes.
But he shall be broken,
But not by human hands.’”
Gabriel continued his explanation of the vision. He pointed out that one of the last rulers would be skilled in intrigue and grow strong in power. The obvious allusion is to King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He would successfully destroy others by getting rid of powerful people, even the holy ones, without warning. His cunning would make deceit prosper. 1 Maccabees, chapter 1, goes into great detail about this king. In his own mind, he would be great. He would even go against the Prince of princes. Finally, God, not human hands, would break him.
The last of the ten kingdoms (Dan 7:24-7:26)
“As for the ten horns,
Out of this kingdom,
Ten kings shall arise.
Another shall arise after them.
This one shall
Be different
From the former ones.
He shall put down
Three kings.
He shall speak words
Against the Most High.
He shall wear out
The holy ones
Of the Most High.
He shall attempt
To change
The sacred seasons.
He shall attempt
To change the law.
They shall be given
Into his power
For a time,
Two times,
Half a time.
Then the court shall sit
In judgment.
His dominion shall be
Taken away,
To be consumed,
To be totally destroyed
To the end.”
Next, he explained that the 10 horns on the beast were the 10 Greek kings that succeeded Alexander the Great in his kingdom. However, there was a vehemence against the little horn king that overthrew the 3 kings. This was, of course, a reference to the Greek King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163 BCE), who was different from the other Greek rulers. He spoke openly against the Most High God. He wore out God’s holy ones. He attempted to change the holy seasons and do away with the religious festivals. He also tried to change the Jewish law. He had power for a little while, before the final kingdom would come. Then his dominion would be taken away. He would be consumed and destroyed. 1 Maccabees, chapter 1, went into great detail about this king.
The little horn beast was killed (Dan 7:11-7:11)
“I watched then
Because of the noise
Of the arrogant words
That the horn
Was speaking.
And as I watched,
The beast
Was put to death.
Its body destroyed.
It was given over
To be burned
With fire.”
Daniel watched as the noisy arrogant little horn beast was killed. His body was burned and destroyed. There seemed to be a lot of anger at this little horn, the Greek King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163 BCE), perhaps indicating the date of this work. 1 Maccabees, chapter 1, went into great detail about this king.
The little horn (Dan 7:8-7:8)
“I was considering
The horns.
Then another horn
Appeared.
A little one
Came up
Among them.
To make room for it,
Three of the earlier horns
A little one
Came up
Were plucked up
By the roots.
There were eyes
Like human eyes.
There was a mouth
Speaking arrogantly.”
While Daniel was looking at these strange horns, a little horn appeared to take the place of 3 other horns, plucking them up by their roots. This little horn had human like eyes and an arrogant mouth. This appears to be a reference to King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163 BCE), an arrogant Greek king who got his throne by destroying 3 other kings. 1 Maccabees, chapter 1, goes into great detail about this king.
The celebration of this event (2 Macc 15:36-15:36)
“They all decreed by public vote never to let this day go unobserved, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar in the Syrian language, the day before Mordecai’s day.”
Here like in 1 Maccabees, chapter 7, they will keep this day as a memorial, the day before Mordecai’s Day, the 13th of Adar, as the celebration of this event. However, here it is a public vote. So that Purim is then connected to this event with a clear reference to the Book of Esther, chapter 9, with the mention of Mordecai.
The victory celebration (2 Macc 15:29-15:35)
“Then there was shouting and tumult. They blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their ancestors. Then the man, who was in body and soul the defender of his people, the man who maintained his youthful goodwill toward his compatriots, ordered them to cut off Nicanor’s head and his arm. They were to carry them to Jerusalem. When he arrived there, he called his compatriots together. He stationed the priests before the altar. He sent for those who were in the citadel. He showed them the vile Nicanor’s head and that profane man’s arm. This was the arm that had been boastfully stretched out against the holy house of the all powerful one. He cut out the tongue of the ungodly Nicanor. He said that he would give it piecemeal to the birds. He would hang up these rewards of his folly opposite the sanctuary. They all, looking to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying.
‘Blessed is he who has kept his own place undefiled.’
Judas Maccabeus hung Nicanor’s head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous sign to every one of the help of the Lord.”
Once again, this is similar to 1 Maccabees, chapter 7. In both 1 and 2 Maccabees, they cut off the head and the arm of Nicanor. Here they also cut out his tongue in the presence of the men from the citadel. As in 1 Maccabees, they hung the head of Nicanor, but here it is more specific from the hated citadel. Here there is more praise for Judas Maccabeus as the defender with good will towards his people. Here they pray in the language of their ancestors that may have been Hebrew, instead of the common language of Aramaic. As usual they were happy that the Temple had remained undefiled.
The death of Nicanor (2 Macc 15:25-15:28)
“Nicanor and his troops advanced with trumpets and battle songs. Judas Maccabeus and his troops met the enemy in battle with invocations to God and prayers. So, fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they laid low no less than thirty-five thousand men. They were greatly gladdened by God’s manifestation. When the action was over, they were returning with joy. They recognized Nicanor, lying dead, in full armor.”
Nicanor and his army advanced with trumpets and battle songs. On the other hand, Judas Maccabeus and his troops went to fight with prayers in their hearts to God. Thus they fought and prayed at the same time. This seemed to have worked quite well. They killed 35,000 troops of Nicanor. They were glad because God had manifested his gladness with their actions. After the action was all over, they too were happy. Then they recognized Nicanor in full armor dead. There is something similar to this in 1 Maccabees, chapter 7, where Nicanor was defeated.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 