Глава XIV

Demetrius is the king of Syria. His incitement to war with the Jews by the retired high priest Alcimus. Nicanor's departure to Judea (2 Mac. 14:1–14). The clash between the Jews and their enemies; peace treaty between Judah and Nicanor (2Mac 14:15–25). The intrigues of Alcimus, the king's dissatisfaction with Nicanor, attempts to capture Judah (2 Mac. 14:26–36). The exploit of Elder Razis (2 Mac. 14:37–46). The content of both last chapters of the book corresponds to 1 Mac. 7, with some differences, as before, that have the same explanation. 2Mac.14:1 After three years, a rumor reached Judas and those with him that Demetrius, son of Seleucus, sailed to the Tripoli pier with a strong land and sea army “After 3 years...”, i.e. after XIII: 1 – Eupator’s campaign against Judea. This expression must be understood as the Gospel “three days at a time,” i.e., counting partial years; from here - three years later - not 149†3, but - the 149th, 150th and 151st, which leads to the reading of verse 4: “in the hundred and fifty-first year...” (according to 1 Mac VII: 1). – Tripolis is a Phoenician coastal city north of Sidon between Byblos and Arad, lies at the foot of the highest part of Lebanon and is so named because it was made up of three colonies that moved here from three neighboring cities - Sidon, Tire and Arad (Strab. ХVI, 754). 2Mac.14:2-3 And, having taken possession of the country, he killed Antiochus and his guardian Lysias. Someone who was an alcoholic who was formerly a high priest, but who voluntarily defiled himself in troubled times, thinking that there was no way for him to be saved and that he had no access to the sacred altar, About Alcimus - see 1 Mac.7:5. - “In troubled times...” Here we mean the time from the removal of the high priest Onias by Jason under Antiochus Epiphanes until the execution of Menelaus. - “There is no salvation for him...” With the introduction of religious freedom to the Jews under Antiochus Eupator, Alcimus could no longer rely on the support of his Syrian friends, and could not earn himself the due respect and recognition of the Jews for his semi-pagan way of life and beliefs. - “There is no salvation for him...”, ούκ αυτώ σωτηρία - not “for him,” or “salvation is not for him,” i.e., the opportunity to take up high priestly service. 2 Mac.14:4 in the one hundred and fifty-first year he came to King Demetrius and brought him a golden crown and a palm tree and, in addition, olive branches, which were considered belonging to the church - and on that day Alcimus did nothing. “And besides this, the olive branches, which were considered belonging to the church...” these are the flowers that I imagine the church to be...” The thought is that Alkim, so to speak, overdid it in expressing his respect for the tsar. What was used as a sign of reverence in the church, he used it to apply to a mere mortal, humiliating the shrine. During this visit to the king, Alcimus did nothing because the first solemn audience was not so convenient for complaints and harassment, and it was necessary to wait for time and win over the king’s associates to his side. 2Mac.14:5-6 Having found a time favorable to his crazy plan, when he was called by Demetrius to a council meeting and asked in what disposition and mood the Jews were, he said to this: the so-called Acideans of Judea, whose leader is Judas Maccabeus, support the war and stir up rebellions, preventing the kingdom from achieving prosperity. About the Asians - see 1 Mac.2:29. 2 Mac 14:7 Therefore I, having been deprived of the honor of my ancestors, that is, the hierarchy, have now come here, “Deprived of the honor of my ancestors...”, αφελόμενος τήν προγονικήν δόξαν – glor.: “excommunicated from the ancestral glory...”, by descent from the family of Aaron. 2Mac.14:8-11 firstly, sincerely caring for what belongs to the king, secondly, having in mind his fellow citizens; for our entire race suffers a lot from the recklessness of these people. But you, king, having learned about all this, take care of the country and our oppressed race, according to your love for mankind, accessible to everyone: as long as Judas remains, there can be no peace. When this was told to them, the other advisers, who had hostility towards Judas, aroused Demetrius even more. “Other advisers...”, οί λοιποί φίλοι, - glory. more precisely: “other friends.” Thus, Alkim is also counted among these friends. - “They aroused us even more...” - πρασεπύρωσαν ..., glory. “ignited...” - kindled, ignited. 2Mac.14:12-15 He immediately called Nicanor, who was in charge of the elephants, and, appointing him military commander to Judea, sent him, giving orders to kill Judas, scatter his accomplices, and make Alcimus high priest of the great church. Then the pagans, who had fled Judea from Judas, flocked to Nicanor in crowds in the hope that the misfortunes and troubles of the Jews would become their prosperity. The Jews, having heard about Nicanor’s campaign and the joining of the pagans to him, sprinkled earth on their heads and prayed to the One who established His people for centuries and always visibly defended His inheritance. “Until the century...”, άχρι αιώνος – glorified: “even until the century...” – for eternity. 2Mac.14:16 At the command of their leader, they quickly went up from there and met with them at the village of Dessau. “They rose from there...” - from the place where they gathered, that is, probably from Jerusalem. The village of Dessau is not mentioned anywhere else. 2Mac.14:17–21 Simon, the brother of Judas, entered into battle with Nicanor, but soon, with a sudden attack by the enemy, suffered a slight defeat. However, Nicanor, hearing what courage those who were with Judas had and what courage they had in the battles for the fatherland, was afraid to solve the matter with bloodshed; Therefore, he sent Posidonius, Theodotus and Mattathias to make peace with the Jews. After a long discussion about this, and when the leader informed the people about it, there was a unanimous opinion, and they agreed to negotiate and set a day on which they would meet together in private, and when it came, they set up special seats for each. 2Mac 14:22-26 Judas stationed armed men in convenient places in readiness, so that no atrocity would suddenly follow from the enemies, and they had a peaceful conference. Nicanor stayed in Jerusalem for some time, and did nothing inappropriate, and sent the assembled people away. He constantly had Judas with him and was spiritually disposed to this husband; convinced him to get married so he could have children. Judas got married, calmed down and enjoyed life. Alcimus, seeing their mutual disposition towards each other and the alliance that had taken place between them, gathered his courage, came to Demetrius and said that Nikanor had intentions hostile to the kingdom, for he appointed Judas, an attacker against the kingdom, as his successor. “He appointed Judas... as his successor...”, Greek: διαδοχον ανέδειξεν... It is not known whether Alcimus provided factual evidence for this accusation or whether it followed from the fact that Nicanor treated Judas friendly and did nothing to confirm Alcimus in the high priestly position. 2Mac.14:27-31 The king, angry and irritated by these slander of the villain, wrote to Nicanor, expressing that it was difficult for him to endure such a treaty, and ordered that Maccabee be immediately sent to Antioch in chains. When Nikanor found out about this, he was embarrassed and upset that he had to reject the established alliance with a man who had done nothing unfair. But since it was impossible to resist the king, he waited for a favorable opportunity to do this by cunning. Maccabeus, noticing that Nicanor began to treat him more harshly and became ruder in ordinary meetings, and concluding that this severity did not come from goodness, and having gathered a considerable number of those who were with him, disappeared from Nicanor. When the latter learned that Judas had skillfully advanced him by cunning, he came to the great and holy church, when the priests were offering the prescribed sacrifices, and ordered them to hand over that man. 2Mac.14:32-35 When they swore that they did not know where the one he was looking for was, he stretched out his right hand to the church and swore, saying: If you do not hand over Judas to me bound, then I will raze this church of God to the ground, dig up an altar and build here a glorious church to Dionysus. Having said this, he left. The priests, stretching out their hands to heaven, begged the ever-present Protector of our people and said: You, Lord, having no need for anything, have deigned this church to be your place of dwelling among us. “You, Lord, have no need for anything...”, Greek: Σύ Κύριε τών όλων απροσδεής ᾿υπάρχων ...; glory: “You, Lord of all, do not demand anything...” According to some, των όλων here should be attributed not to Κύριε, but to απροσδεής ᾿υπαρχων, as the Russian translator does (cf. Jos. Arch. VIII, 3, 3; 3 Mac II: 7 et c., as well as 1 Kings VIII: 27). 2 Mac 14:36-38 And now, Holy Lord of all holy things, keep this newly cleansed house undefiled forever and stop the lips of the unrighteous. Nikanor pointed to a certain Razis from the Jerusalem elders as a friend of the citizens, who had a very good reputation and was nicknamed the father of the Jews for his benevolence. In the previous troubled times, he stood on the side of Judaism and with all zeal gave both body and soul for Judaism. ' Ην γαρέν τοίς εμπροσθεν χρόνοις τής αμιξίας κρίσιν εις ενηνεγμένος ιουδαισμού ...; slav.: “For in former times he brought unmixed judgment into Judaism...”, Russian. the translation is a very free paraphrase of this passage: “in previous troubled times he stood on the side of Judaism...” χρόνοι τής αμιξίας - times of non-mixing, i.e. times when Judaism was especially exposed to the danger of mixing with paganism and therefore was especially wary of this confusion. – Κρίσις ιουδαίσμού, i.e. separation of Judaism (from pagan customs), decision for Judaism. – Κρίσιν εισφερεσθαι, introduce, clarify, prove the “separation” (Judaism), insist on separation (Judaism from paganism). 2 Mac 14:39-41 Nicanor, wanting to show what hatred he had against the Jews, sent more than five hundred soldiers to capture him, for he thought that by taking him he would bring misfortune to them. When the crowd wanted to take possession of the tower and burst into the gates of the courtyard and it was already ordered to bring fire to light the gates, then he, in the imminent danger of being captured, pierced himself with a sword, “In imminent danger of being captured...”, περικατάληπτος γενόμενος - glory. more precisely: “being embraced from everywhere.” 2Mac.14:42 desiring rather to die valiantly than to fall into the hands of wicked men and have his nobility dishonored unworthily. 2Mac.14:43-46 But as the blow turned out to be wrong due to haste, and the crowds were already breaking into the doors, he bravely ran onto the wall and courageously threw himself from it into the crowd of people. When those standing hurriedly parted and an empty space remained, he fell into the middle on his belly. Still breathing and burning with indignation, despite the blood flowing in a stream and severe wounds, he stood up and, running through the crowd of people, stopped on one steep rock. Already completely bleeding, he tore out his entrails and, taking them with both hands, threw them into the crowd and, praying to the Lord of life and spirit to give him life and breath again, thus ended his life.