Bible in a Year.

On Day 311 of the plan, we follow the achievements and challenges of the Maccabean Revolt in 2 Maccabees 14, while Wisdom 17-18 offers reflections on justice and faithfulness. Proverbs 25:18-20 provides practical advice on prudence and conduct, connecting history with practical, everyday wisdom.

1. But after the space of three years Judas, and they that were with him, understood that Demetrius the son of Seleucus was come up with a great power, and a navy by the haven of Tripolis to places proper for his purpose.

2. And had made himself master of the countries against Antiochus, and his general Lysias.

3. Now one Alcimus, who had been chief priest, but had wilfully defiled himself in the time of mingling with the heathens, seeing that there was no safety for him, nor access to the altar,

4. Came to king Demetrius in the year one hundred and fifty, presenting unto him a crown of gold, and a palm, and besides these, some boughs which seemed to belong to the temple. And that day indeed he held his peace.

5. But having gotten a convenient time to further his madness, being called to counsel by Demetrius, and asked what the Jews relied upon, and what were their counsels,

6. He answered thereunto: They among the Jews that are called Assideans, of whom Judas Machabeus is captain, nourish wars, and raise seditions, and will not suffer the realm to be in peace.

7. For I also being deprived of my ancestors' glory (I mean of the high priesthood) am now come hither:

8. Principally indeed out of fidelity to the king's interests, but in the next place also to provide for the good of my countrymen: for all our nation suffereth much from the evil proceedings of those men.

9. Wherefore, 0 king, seeing thou know- eat all these things, take care, I beseech thee, both of the country, and of our nation, according to thy humanity which is known to all men,

10. For as long as Judas liveth, it is not possible that the state should be quiet.

11. Now when this man had spoken to this effect, the rest also of the king's friends, who were enemies of Judas, incensed Demetrius against him.

12. And forthwith he sent Nicanor, the commander over the elephants, governor into Judea:

13. Giving him in charge, to take Judas himself: and disperse all them that were with him, and to make Alcimus the high priest of the great temple.

14. Then the Gentiles who had fled out of Judea from Judas, came to Nicanor by docks, thinking the miseries and calamities of the Jews to be the welfare of their affairs.

15. Now when the Jews heard of Nicanor's coming, and that the nations were assembled against them, they cast earth upon their heads, and made supplication to him, who chose his people to keep them for ever, and who protected his portion by evident signs.

16. Then at the commandment of their captain, they forthwith removed from the place where they were, and went to the town of Dessau, to meet them.

17. Now Simon the brother of Judas had joined battle with Nicanor, but was frightened with the sudden coming of the adversaries.

18. Nevertheless Nicanor hearing of the valour of Judas' companions, and the greatness of courage with which they fought for their country, was afraid to try the matter by the sword.

19. Wherefore he sent Posidonius, and Theodotius, and Matthias before to pre- sent and receive the right hands.

20. And when there had been a consultation thereupon, and the captain had acquainted the multitude with it, the) were all of one mind to consent to covenants.

21. So they appointed a day upon which they might commune together by them- selves: and seats were brought out, and set for each one.

22. But Judas ordered men to be ready in convenient places, lest some mischief might he suddenly practised by the enemies: so they made an agreeable conference.

23. And Nicanor abode in Jerusalem, and did no wrong, but sent away the flocks of the multitudes that had been gathered together.

24. And Judas was always dear to him from the heart, and he was well affected to the man.

25. And he desired him to marry a wife, and to have children. So he married: he lived quietly, and they lived in common.

26. But Alcimus seeing the love they had one to another, and the covenants, came to Demetrius, and told him that Nicanor assented to the foreign interest, for that he meant to make Judas, who was a traitor to the kingdom, his successor.

27. Then the king being in a rage and provoked with this man's wicked accusations, wrote to Nicanor, signifying, that he was greatly displeased with the covenant of friendship: and that he commanded him nevertheless to send Machabeus prisoner in all haste to Antioch.

28. When this was known, Nicanor was in a consternation, and took it grievously that he should make void the articles that were agreed upon, having received no injury from the man.

29. But because he could not oppose the king, he watched an opportunity to comply with the orders.

30. But when Machabeus perceived that Nicanor was more stern to him, and that when they met together as usual he behaved himself in a rough manner: and was sensible that this rough behaviour came not of good, he gathered together a few of his men, and hid himself from Nicanor.

31. But he finding himself notably pre- vented by the man, came to the great and holy temple: and commanded the priests that were offering the accustomed sacrifices, to deliver him the man.

32. And when they swore unto him, that they knew not where the man was whom he sought, he stretched out his hand to the temple,

33. And swore, saying: Unless you de- liver Judas prisoner to me, I will lay this temple of God even with the ground, and will beat down the altar, and I will dedicate this temple to Bacchus.

34. And when he had spoken thus he departed. But the priests stretching forth their hands to heaven, called upon him that was ever the defender of their nation, saying in this manner:

35. Thou, O Lord of all things, who wantest nothing, wast pleased that the temple of thy habitation should be amongst us.

36. Therefore now, 0 Lord the holy of all holies, keep this house for ever undefiled which was lately cleansed.

37. Now Razias, one of the ancients of Jerusalem, was accused to Nicanor, a man that was a lover of the city, and of good report, who for his affection was called the father of the Jews.

38. This man, for a long time, had held fast his purpose of keeping himself pure in the Jews' religion, and was ready to expose his body and life, that he might persevere therein.

39. So Nicanor being willing to declare the hatred that he bore the Jews, sent five hundred soldiers to take him.

40. For he thought by insnaring him to hurt the Jews very much.

41. Now as the multitude sought to rush into his house, and to break open the door, and to set fire to it, when he was ready to be taken, he struck himself with his sword:

42. Choosing to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of the wicked, and to suffer abuses unbecoming his noble birth.

43. But whereas through haste he missed of giving himself a sure wound, and the crowd was breaking into the doors, he ran boldly to the wall, and manfully threw himself down to the crowd:

44. But they quickly making room for his fall, he came upon the midst of the neck.

45. And as he had yet breath in him, being inflamed in mind he arose: and while his blood ran down with a great stream, and he was grievously wounded, he ran through the crowd:

46. And standing upon a steep rock, when he was now almost without blood, grasping his bowels with both hands, he cast them upon the throng, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit, to restore these to him again: and so he departed this life.

Chapter 17

1. For thy judgments, O Lord, are great, and thy words cannot be expressed: therefore undisciplined souls have erred.

2. For while the wicked thought to be able to have dominion over the holy nation, they themselves being fettered with the bonds of darkness, and a long night, shut up in their houses, lay there exiled from the eternal providence.

3. And while they thought to lie hid in their obscure sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being horribly afraid and troubled with exceeding great astonishment.

4. For neither did the den that held them, keep them from fear: for noises coming down troubled them, and sad visions appearing to them, affrighted them.

5. And no power of fire could give them light, neither could the bright flames of the stars enlighten that horrible night.

6. But there appeared to them a sudden fire, very dreadful: and being struck with the fear of that face, which was not seen, they thought the things which they saw to be worse:

7. And the delusions of their magic art were put down, and their boasting of wisdom was reproachfully rebuked.

8. For they who promised to drive away fears and troubles from a sick soul, were sick themselves of a fear worthy to be laughed at.

9. For though no terrible thing disturbed them: yet being scared with the passing by of beasts, and hissing of serpents, they died for fear: and denying that they saw the air, which could by no means be avoided.

10. For whereas wickedness is fearful, it beareth witness of its condemnation: for a troubled conscience always forecasteth grievous things.

11. For fear is nothing else but a yielding up of the succours from thought.

12. And while there is less expectation from within, the greater doth it count the ignorance of that cause which bringeth the torment.

13. But they that during that night, in which nothing could be done, and which came upon them from the lowest and deepest hell, slept the same sleep.

14. Were sometimes molested with the fear of monsters, sometimes fainted away, their soul failing them: for a sudden and unlooked for fear was come upon them.

15. Moreover if any of them had fallen down, he was kept shut up in prison without irons.

16. For if any one were a husbandman, or a shepherd, or a labourer in the field, and was suddenly overtaken, he endured a necessity from which he could not fly.

17. For they were all bound together with one chain of darkness. Whether it were a whistling wind, or the melodious voice of birds, among the spreading branches of trees, or a fall of water running down with violence,

18. Or the mighty noise of stones tumbling down, or the running that could not be seen of beasts playing together, or the roaring voice of wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the highest mountains: these things made them to swoon for fear.

19. For the whole world was enlightened with a clear light, and none were hindered in their labours.

20. But over them only was spread a heavy night, an image of that darkness which was to come upon them. But they were to themselves more grievous than the darkness.

Chapter 18

1. But thy saints had a very great light, and they heard their voice indeed, but did not see their shape. And because they also did not suffer the same things, they glorified thee:

2. And they that before had been wronged, gave thanks, because they were not hurt now: and asked this gift, that there might be a difference.

3. Therefore they received a burning pillar of fire for a guide of the way which they knew not, and thou gavest them a harmless sun of a good entertainment.

4. The others indeed were worthy to be deprived of light, and imprisoned in darkness, who kept thy children shut up, by whom the pure light of the law was to be given to the world.

5. And whereas they thought to kill the babes of the just, one child being cast forth, and saved, to reprove them, thou tookest away a multitude of their children, and destroyedst them all together in a mighty water.

6. For that night was known before by our fathers, that assuredly knowing what oaths they had trusted to, they might be of better courage.

7. So thy people received the salvation of the just, and destruction of the unjust.

8. For as thou didst punish the adversaries: so thou didst also encourage and glorify us.

9. For the just children of good men were offering sacrifice secretly, and they unanimously ordered a law of justice: that the just should receive both good and evil alike, singing now the praises of the fathers.

10. But on the other side there sounded an ill according cry of the enemies, and a lamentable mourning was heard for the children that were bewailed.

11. And the servant suffered the same punishment as the master, and a common man suffered in like manner as the king.

12. So all alike had innumerable dead, with one kind of death. Neither were the living sufficient to bury them; for in one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed.

13. For whereas they would not believe any thing before by reason of the enchantments, then first upon the destruction of the firstborn, they acknowledged the people to be of God.

14. For while all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course,

15. Thy almighty word leapt down from heaven from thy royal throne, as a fierce conqueror into the midst of the land of destruction.

16. With a sharp sword carrying thy unfeigned commandment, and he stood and filled all things with death, and standing on the earth reached even to heaven.

17. Then suddenly visions of evil dreams troubled them, and fears unlooked for came upon them.

18. And one thrown here, another there, half dead, shewed the cause of his death.

19. For the visions that troubled them foreshewed these things, lest they should perish and not know why they suffered these evils.

20. But the just also were afterwards touched by an assault of death, and there was a disturbance of the multitude in the wilderness: but thy wrath did not long continue.

21. For a blameless man made haste to pray for the people, bringing forth the shield of his ministry, prayer, and by incense making supplication, withstood the wrath, and put an end to the calamity, shewing that he was thy servant.

22. And he overcame the disturbance, not by strength of body nor with force of arms, but with a word he subdued him that punished them, alleging the oaths and covenant made with the fathers.

23. For when they were now fallen down dead by heaps one upon another, he stood between and stayed the assault, and cut off the way to the living.

24. For in the priestly robe which he wore, was the whole world: and in the four rows of the stones the glory of the fathers was graven, and thy majesty was written upon the diadem of his head.

25. And to these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for the proof only of wrath was enough.

18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.

19. To trust to an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,

20. And one that looseth his garment in cold weather. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a very evil heart. As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood: so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart.