Глава XIII

Antiochus Eupator's campaign against Judea (2 Mac. 13:1–2). The dishonorable death of Menelaus (2 Mac. 13:3–8). Preparing the Jews for battle (2Mac 13:9–14). The destruction of the Syrian camp. Failure of the enemies during the siege of Bethsura. Victory of Judah and the conclusion of peace (2 Mac. 13:15–26). The identity of the campaign described in this chapter with that described in 1 Mac. 6:28–62 is recognized by all. Not so significant differences in some details of both stories are either apparent, or are explained by the difference in plans and goals of both books. Obvious irreconcilable incorrectness appears only in the indication of the year (2 Mac.13:1) and the number of troops of the enemy army (2 Mac.13:2; cf. 1 Mac.6:30). 2Mac 13:1 In the one hundred and forty-ninth year a rumor came to those who were with Judas, that Antiochus Eupator was coming against Judaea with a great army. "In 149..." e.g. Sat down. – According to 1 Mac VI: 20–28 etc., this campaign was undertaken in the year 150. This difference can only be explained by the mistake of the writer of our book, perhaps in connection with another erroneous testimony that the desolation of the church lasted only two, instead of three, years (X: 3 cf. 1 Mac IV: 52). 2 Mac 13:2 and with him Lysias, the guardian and ruler of the state, and each one had a Greek army, one hundred and ten thousand footmen, five thousand three hundred horsemen, twenty-two elephants and three hundred chariots with scythes. About Lysias - see 2 Mac.11:1 and 1 Mac.3:32. The number of enemy forces (not only doubled, but also singled) is obviously exaggerated. 2Mac.13:3 Menelaus also joined them, urging Antiochus with great pretense, not for the sake of saving the fatherland, but in the hope of obtaining leadership. Menelaus - former high priest, IV: 24 et c.; V: 15. – “Encouraging Antiochus,” i.e., to the destruction of all right-believing parties in Judaism, assuring that only in this way can the complete calm of Judea be achieved (cf. IV: 8, 10). - “With great pretense” - it is further explained through the addition - “not for the sake of saving the fatherland, but in the hope of getting superiors.” He was dismissed from this position, obviously, along with the restoration of the church and church worship by Judas. 2 Mac.13:4 But the King of kings raised the wrath of Antiochus against the criminal, and when Lysias explained that Menelaus was the author of all evils, he ordered him to be taken to Beria and, according to the local custom, to be killed. Beria - Βέροια - a city in Syria between Hierapolis and Antioch (Plin. V, 19; Strab. ХVI, 751), probably on the site of present-day Aleppo; therefore, it cannot be confused with the Macedonian Beria, after whom it was named by its builder, Seleucus. – “According to the custom there...” – further described (Art. 5 and 6). 2Mac 13:5 In that place there is a tower fifty cubits full of ashes; it contained a weapon that revolved around and descended into ashes. An exact representation of the instrument of execution in ashes mentioned here is not given. According to Josephus (Arch. XII, 9, 7) - the execution of Menelaus occurred after the conclusion of peace with the Jews, when Eupator returned to Antioch, angry at the failure, and Menelaus made an unsuccessful attempt to induce him to war again. 2Mac.13:6-9 There they always cast down to destruction those guilty of sacrilege or those who have exceeded the measure of other evils. The wicked Menelaus had to die such and such a death and not have a burial in the ground - and quite rightly so. For when he committed many sins against the altar of the Lord, whose fire and ashes were holy, he received death in ashes. Meanwhile, the king, embittered in his plans, continued the procession, intending to cause disasters to the Jews worse than those that had happened under his father. 2Mac.13:10-13 When Judas learned about this, he commanded the people to call on the Lord day and night, so that now, as before, He would show them His help in the danger of losing the law and the fatherland and the holy temple, and so that the people, who had just calmed down a little, would not be given into enslavement by the evil pagans. Everyone unanimously fulfilled this and for three days, with weeping and fasting and kneeling, they incessantly prayed to the merciful Lord; then Judas, encouraging them, ordered them to be ready. Left alone with the elders, he held a council, intending to go out and resolve the matter with the help of the Lord before the royal army entered Judea and took possession of the city. “He held advice, intending...”, Greek: εβουλεύσατο ...; Slav.: “Soviet…”, i.e. made a decision in council with the elders... 2Mac.13:14 Having left the Creator of the world in charge of himself, he persuaded those with him to fight courageously to the death for the laws, for the church, the city, the fatherland and civil rights, and stationed an army near Modin. “Civil rights...”, πολιτεία - glor.: for citizenship, i.e. for the civil structure of the Jewish people. – About Modin, see 1Mac II: 1. According to 1 Mac VI: 32, Judah set up his camp at Bethsachar opposite the enemy camp, north of Bethsura (see 1 Mac IV: 29). 2Mac.13:15 Having given those with him the conditional sign “God’s victory,” he, with selected strong young men, rushed to the king’s tent at night, killed up to four thousand people in the army and, in addition, the largest elephant with the people placed on it. For the conventional sign “God’s victory...” see VIII: 23. Instead of 4,000 beaten in the camp, other lists give either 2,000, then 1,000, or 3,000. 2Mac 13:16-19 Finally, having filled the army with fear and confusion, they departed safely. This happened already at dawn of the day, under the protection of the Lord. The king, having learned from experience the courage of the Jews, tried to take possession of the places through cunning. And he approached Bethsura, the strong fortress of Judah, but was put to flight and suffered defeat and loss; 2Mac 13:20-23 And Judas sent those who were in the fortress everything they needed. A certain Rodok from the army of the Jews announced this secret to the enemies, but was found, captured and imprisoned. For the second time the king entered into negotiations with the inhabitants of Bethsura; gave them and received peace from them, withdrew and turned against those who were with Judas, but was defeated. Having learned that Philip, who had been left in Antioch by the ruler, had resigned, he became embarrassed: he began to persuade the Jews, humbled himself and swore to fulfill all just demands, then reconciled with them and made a sacrifice, honored the church and showed mercy to the city, “Having learned that Philip... was postponed...”, cf. 1 Mac VI:55 et c. – “He honored the church...”, probably through gifts (cf. III:2). 2Mac.13:24 received Maccabee and made him commander of the army from Ptolemais to Herrinus itself. “He accepted Maccabee and made him a military commander...” Greek: καί τον Μακκαβαίον απεδέξατο , Slav.: “and Maccabee is accepted, make the general... prince..." The meaning of this passage is not clear enough. If we take here ηγεμονίδην, as some do, as a predicate in relation to στρατηγόν, then we get the idea of the Slavic text, but with some tautology (repetition of homogeneous concepts στρατηγόν... ηγεμονίδην); any of these expressions is superfluous, especially with the addition of “him”, as the Russian text does. It is also difficult to apply this expression to Judas because he was a native in these parts, and in this verse we are obviously talking about a man who came here with the king and, upon his departure, was left by him as a military leader; This, of course, could not be Judas. In view of this, other interpreters consider ήγεμονίδην to be a proper name, which gives a more coherent expression of thought, although it is not confirmed by the mention of this name anywhere else. - From Ptolemais to Gerin itself...”, από Πτολεμαιδοέως τών Γερρηνών, i.e. over the coastal strip to the borders of Egypt. Γερρης νοι - according to some - inhabitants of the city Γέρρα between Rhinocorura and Pelusium (Strab. XVI, 760). Other interpreters, based on the fact that Γέρρα did not then belong to the Syrian kingdom, believe that here we should read Γεραρηνοί - inhabitants of the ancient city of Gerar, southeast of Gaza. Some variants of this place actually have Γεραρηνών. 2 Mac 13:25-26 Then he went to Ptolemais: The Ptolemais were dissatisfied with the agreement, were indignant at the terms and wanted to cancel them. Lysias entered the judgment seat, defended himself as best he could, persuaded them, calmed them down, made them favorable and went to Antioch. Thus ended the invasion and the return of the king.