The books called “Maccabees”
There are four books from Jewish antiquity that are known by the name “Maccabees.” These four books are from different authors and have no clear relationship to each other.
The word Maccabees refers to a certain Jewish family of the second century B.C., particularly to Mattathias and his sons John, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, and Jonathan. Of these sons, Judas was the most important and best known. He was given the Aramaic name “Maccabeus” (meaning “the hammer” or “the hammerer”) for his successful military exploits. Technically, the name Maccabee applies only to Judas, but his family is often called the Maccabees. Properly speaking, his family is known as the Hasmoneans. This name is not used in any of the four books known as Maccabees, but it is used in other reliable ancient sources. However, for practical purposes the terms Hasmoneans and Maccabees may be taken to be synonymous. Translators will not have to deal with either of them, except in the titles to the books.
The content and purpose of 1 Maccabees
1 Maccabees is a soberly told, straightforward history of political and military affairs in the Holy Land from 175 B.C. to about 104 B.C. It begins with the rise to power of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, king of Syria. Antiochus began a program to force the Jews to renounce their religion. One of the Jews, Mattathias, began a revolt against the king which his son Judas completed successfully. After Judas’ death, his brother Jonathan became the leader of the Jews and the High Priest. After Jonathan’s death, his brother Simon took over these offices. The book closes with Simon’s death and the succession of his son John Hyrcanus.
The purpose of the book is to record and praise the heroic deeds of these Israelite leaders, who rescued the Jews from their persecutors and reestablished the independence of the Jewish people in their homeland. They are depicted as righteous men, acting under God’s guidance, although the writer places emphasis on their own abilities and accomplishments. God guides them, but the author does not attribute their success to miraculous divine interventions.
The author, date, and place of composition of 1 Maccabees
The author of 1 Maccabees is unknown. The book seems to have been written shortly after the death of John Hyrcanus in 104 B.C., although it is possible that portions of it could have been compiled during John’s lifetime. Many of the events in the book may have occurred during the author’s lifetime. The writer was a serious historian, who apparently had access to official archives.
Numerous diplomatic letters are quoted, and most scholars believe they are authentic.
While there is a genuine Jewish religious faith underlying the book, it is not primarily concerned with promoting a particular theological viewpoint.
However, many scholars believe that it is more closely associated with the Sadducees of the day, rather than the Pharisees. This comes from observing that the heroes do not take a strict attitude to Sabbath observance, that emphasis is placed on the priesthood, and that there is no reference to life after death, even in places where it would have been appropriate to mention it. This is in dramatic contrast to 2 Maccabees.
The author wrote in Hebrew. We do not know when and by whom the book was translated into Greek. No Hebrew text survives, so translations are made from the Greek text. It is safe to assume the book was written in Palestine, but there is no direct evidence for this.
The content and purpose of 2 Maccabees
Unlike the situation with the books of 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, and 1-2 Chron- icles, 2 Maccabees is not a continuation of 1 Maccabees, but a completely separate work. 2 Maccabees consists largely of a condensation of a five-volume history written by an otherwise unknown Jason of Cyrene. The history concerns events from the time of the High Priest Onias III (about 180 B.C.) to the death of Nicanor (161 B.C.). It begins before the history told in 1 Maccabees begins, and then parallels that history through 1 Macc 7. The opening at 3.1 introduces us to the devout Onias, to whom opposition develops. That opposition grows after Antiochus IV becomes king of Syria. Onias is murdered by his enemies, and Antiochus invades Judea, initiating a time of severe persecution for Jews who will not abandon the traditional Jewish way of life. Judas Maccabeus arises as a leader of the Jews. The book closes with an account of Judas’ victory over Nicanor, the commander of the army of King Demetrius I.
The purpose of the book is to proclaim the holiness of the Temple in Jerusalem, to glorify Judas as its protector and champion, and to honor the memory of the heroic martyrs who died for their faith. Unlike 1 Maccabees, which never mentions God directly, this book has God actively intervening to shape the history of the Jewish people. It also commends the observance of Hanukkah, celebrating the rededication of the Temple, and Nicanor’s Day, celebrating the victory of Judas Maccabeus over Nicanor. The book ends with the Jews free to practice their religion; it has no interest in the struggle for political independence so evident in 1 Maccabees.
The author, date, and place of origin of 2 Maccabees
When referring to 2 Maccabees, the word “author” is a problem, since strictly speaking the only parts of the book from our “author” are 2.19-32 and the closing verses in 15.37-39. The material in 1.1–2.18 consists of two letters that have been prefaced to the book, and the great bulk of the material is a condensed version of the fuller work of Jason of Cyrene. Scholars generally refer to the person responsible for the work as “the epitomist,” that is, the one who has condensed the material. For simplicity’s sake the Handbook will refer to the “author” or the “writer,” meaning the person to whom the actual words can be attributed. This person’s identity is completely unknown. Of course, the prefaced letters have their own authors. The author of the rest of the book may himself have added these, or they may have been added by later editors. The question is not important for translators.
The book was probably compiled during the first century B.C., although this is not certain. Nicanor’s death in 161 B.C. is narrated. There would have to be time for Jason of Cyrene to write a five-volume history (which may or may not have ended with Nicanor’s death), for that history to be copied and become known, before the author could do his work of compilation. If the first letter (1.1-9) is an original part of the book, the earliest possible date is 124 B.C., the date of that letter (1.9). At the other end of the possible time span, 15.37 shows that the book was composed before 63 B.C., when Pompey captured Jerusalem for Rome.
We do not know where the book was written, but most scholars are comfort- able with an origin in Egypt, most likely Alexandria. Antioch in Syria is also suggested.
Problems in translating 1-2 Maccabees
The name of God: The book of 1 Maccabees never refers directly to God, either by the word “God” or “Lord.” This is at least partly due to the contemporary Jewish reluctance to use the name of God, preferring to refer to God indirectly. One such device was the word “Heaven”; in 1 Maccabees this is used in 3.18-19, 50; 4.10, 24, 40, 55; 5.31; 9.46; 12.15; 16.3 (compare Matt 5.34). Also, it was Jewish belief at that time that the age of miracles had passed after Solomon’s Temple was destroyed, and miracles would not resume until God’s final victory. Consequently no miracles are reported in 1 Maccabees, making for less occasion to bring God directly into the narrative. Translators need to make a decision very early in their work concerning how they will handle the problem of referring to God. Ideally, they should follow the wishes of the author, who very clearly did not want to use the words “God” and “Lord.” This gives the book a rather secular character, and the best translations will not make the book more “religious sounding” than it really is. Obviously, a literal translation will have no trouble, since the words “God” and “Lord” do not appear in Greek. But in preparing a dynamic equivalence translation, it is often difficult to avoid these words. This Handbook will attempt to give special guidance and specific suggestions in this matter, since we recommend following the author. Usually we will work with the author’s own term, “Heaven,” which may be rendered “the One in Heaven.” “The Holy One” is another possibility. However, some translators, especially those who have no passive verb forms, may find that avoiding all direct reference to God is too difficult, or even impossible. We will offer guidance on this also, often with reference to theGood News Bible, which uses both “God” and “the Lord.” The book of 2 Maccabees uses both “God” and “the Lord” freely. “Jews” or “Israel”: The Jewish people are referred to in 1 Maccabees both as “the Jews” and “Israel.” The author appears to choose his terms according to context. Virtually all occurrences of the word “Jews” in the Greek text occur in passages where Jews and Gentiles are communicating with each other. These are mostly in the letters that are quoted in the book. “Israel” seems to be the preferred term elsewhere. However, unlike the situation with reference to God, there seems to be no theological significance to this choice. The author seems to have used what was found in his sources, or whatever seemed appropriate in each situation. Problems for translators arise in the many passages where neither of these terms is used, but where a noun needs to be used in translation to clarify a passage with too many unclear pronouns. Even a conservative translation such as the Revised Standard Version feels this need, and it has consistently used “Jews.” Good News Bible does the same, although without footnotes. In current English usage it is proper to refer to the people after the Babylonian exile as “Jews.” This is no doubt the reasoning used by both Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible, and it will be followed in the Handbook. The models presented will vary, depending on what sounds best in context in English. Of course, translators will want to use in any particular passage the term that sounds most natural in their language. This seems to be only what the author was doing—or at least the Greek translator.
In 2 Maccabees “Jews” is by far the preferred term; “Israel” is used only five times. Another term, “Hebrews,” is used three times. “Judah” or “Judea”: 1 Maccabees uses both these terms to refer to the same territory. “Judah” is usually considered an Old Testament term, translating the Hebrew name of the largest of the twelve tribes, and the name of the southern kingdom after the death of Solomon. Approximately the same territory is known as “Judea” in the New Testament, which translates the Greek name. But 1 Maccabees is an Old Testament book in Greek, and it uses both terms. The use of “Judah” is highly traditional. The great majority of occurrences are in the phrase “the land of Judah,” although other traditional phrases occur a few times: “cities of Judah,” “men of Judah,” and “inhabitants of Judah.” Only once is “Judah” used apart from these phrases. On the other hand, “Judea” is used more freely, but without any apparent geographical distinction. The writer’s choice of “Judah” appears to be only stylistic, reflecting a more conservative use of language. In order to avoid confusing the reader, we recommend that only one of these terms be used. Some translators may be fortunate enough to find that in the passages they have already translated in both the Old and New Testaments, they have used the same term throughout. They have no problem.
Translators who find different forms used in the two Testaments must simply choose between “Judah” and “Judea.” Good News Version has chosen the New Testament (Greek) form of “Judea.” 2 Maccabees uses only the form “Judea” in Greek, but translators may wish to use the same form chosen for 1 Maccabees.
Indented texts: Both 1 and 2 Maccabees quote at length a number of documents and official correspondence. Good News Bible has indented these texts from the surrounding matter to help the reader see that it is quoted material. This visual cue is much more obvious than simply using quotations marks, and we strongly urge translators to use some such device as this.
Poetic passages: Passages in 1 Maccabees appearing in poetic form in Revised Standard Version are 1.24b-28, 36-40; 2.7-13; 3.3-9, 45, 50-53; 7.17, 37-38; 9.21; 14.4-15. (Poetic passages in Good News Bible are 1.26-28, 36-40; 2.7-13; 3.3-9, 45; 7.17.) Each translator must decide how these will be handled. Translators who have experience in dealing with extensive poetic material in Old Testament books may feel comfortable handling these few passages as poetry, and should certainly do so if they wish.
We advise other translators to render them as prose.
There are no poetic passages in 2 Maccabees.
Dating: At a number of places in 1-2 Maccabees, the author dates the events he narrates. He uses a system that begins counting from the traditional date of the founding of the city of Antioch and of Seleucid rule in Syria, which was about 312 B.C. There are complicated problems surrounding these dates, but they need not bother anyone but serious historians. The equivalent B.C. dates that Good News Bible and other sources provide are approximate, but certainly very close to being accurate. The first of these dates occurs in 1 Macc 1.10. We suggest that translators give the author’s year in Arabic numerals, and identify the year by its equivalent B.C. in a footnote.
The historical background of 1-2 Maccabees
It may be helpful for translators to make themselves familiar about the history involved in these books. When the Jews returned to their own land from exile in Babylonia, leaders such as Ezra and Nehemiah reestablished a Jewish identity in the land, after Cyrus of Persia, who defeated Babylonia, allowed them to return home. The Jews lived as a subject people of the Persian Empire, but were free to worship their God as they saw fit.
European power first begins to impinge on the biblical history when Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia, defeated Persia in 331 B.C., and expanded his empire over the extent of the biblical world. We are not well informed about conditions among the Jews in the Holy Land during Alexander’s reign, but he appears not to have been a tyrannical ruler. The empire of Alexander and his successors is often called the Greek or Hellenistic Empire.
Alexander died rather suddenly in 323 B.C., still a young man, and with no clear heir to his throne. Four of his generals eventually divided the empire among themselves. Two of these generals were Ptolemy, who established a kingdom of his own in Egypt, and Seleucus, who established a kingdom in Syria.
Later rulers descended from these two individuals are known as the Ptolemies (in Egypt) and the Seleucids (in Syria). Both kingdoms claimed Palestine, and it passed from the control of one to the other several times.
In 175 B.C. a man known as Antiochus IV Epiphanes came to the Seleucid throne of Syria. He became one of the great villains in Jewish history by making a determined effort to stamp out the Jewish religion. To this end, he desecrated the Jerusalem Temple and forced Jews around the land to offer sacrifices to the Greek gods. The alternative was death. While many Jews renounced their faith, there were those who chose to die instead.
On one occasion (1 Macc 2) when Syrian soldiers came to the small town of Modein to force the people to renounce Judaism, a local man named Mattathias killed one of the soldiers. He and his sons then fled to the hills, and began a guerrilla campaign against the army of Antiochus. Mattathias soon died, but his son Judas became the leader of the resistance. Eventually he was successful in expelling the Syrians from Jerusalem. The Temple was rededicated to the worship of God. (This rededication is still commemorated by Jews each year in the feast of Hanukkah.) The military conflict continued, and eventually Judas was killed. The people then gathered around Judas’ brother Jonathan as their leader.
At this point there was a conflict for the succession to the Seleucid throne, and the two contenders tried to win Jonathan’s support. One of them, Alexander Epiphanes, took it upon himself to appoint Jonathan as the Jewish High Priest.
When Jonathan was killed, his brother Simon assumed not only the political leadership of the land but also the high priesthood. Simon was followed by his son John Hyrcanus, who died in 104 B.C. The book of 1 Maccabees, which recounts this narrative in detail, was presumably written shortly after John’s death.
Cast of characters in 1-2 Maccabees (click or tap here to see the list)
Absalom: Father of Mattathias (1 Macc 11.70); father of Jonathan (1 Macc 13.11); Judas Maccabeus’ envoy to Lysias (2 Macc 11.17). It may be that the third person mentioned here is identical with one of the first two.
Abubus: Father of the Ptolemy who ordered the murder of Simon Maccabeus.
Accos: Grandfather of Eupolemus.
Alcimus: Spokesman for a group of pro-Syrian Jews who appealed to King Demetrius I for help against the Maccabees. He was High Priest 161–159 B.C.
Alexander the Great: Son of Philip, king of Macedon. Alexander began a program of world conquest that gave him an empire extending over all the biblical world, and as far east as India. He lived 356–323 B.C. and began his rule in 336, on the death of his father Philip. He admired Greek culture, and attempted to spread it over his empire.
Andronicus (a): A high official in the government of King Antiochus IV. He killed the High Priest Onias.
Andronicus (b): A man stationed at Mount Gerizim by King Antiochus IV to harass the people.
Alexander Epiphanes (Alexander Balas): Ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, 150–145 B.C. He claimed to be the son of Antiochus IV, but this was, and still is, doubted.
Antiochis: The mistress of King Antiochus IV.
Antiochus the Great (Antiochus III): Ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, 223–187 B.C.
Antiochus Epiphanes (Antiochus IV): Ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, 175–164 B.C., son of Antiochus III, and one of the great villains of Jewish history. He attempted to stamp out Judaism by forcing Jews to renounce their faith and worship Greek gods, under pain of death. Much of the narrative of 1 Macc 2–6 is concerned with a Jewish rebellion against Antiochus Epiphanes.
Antiochus Eupator (Antiochus V): Ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, 164–161 B.C., son of Antiochus IV. He was about nine years old when his father died. Lysias acted as his regent.
Antiochus Epiphanes (Antiochus VI): The young son of Alexander Epiphanes who was installed as ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria by Trypho. As a boy, he began to rule in 145 B.C., but Trypho killed him in 142 B.C. (1 Macc 13.31).
Antiochus Sidetes (Antiochus VII): Son of Demetrius I and brother of Demetrius II. He attempted to seize control of the Seleucid Empire after Deme- trius II was taken captive by the Parthians.
Antipater son of Jason: A Jewish messenger sent by Jonathan Maccabeus on a diplomatic mission to Rome.
Apollonius: There are seven passages that involve someone named Apollonius, and another in which an unnamed man may well have been called Apollonius. Scholars do not agree on how many men there actually were with this name, since one or more of these passages involve a man who could conceivably be identical with the figure in one or more of the other passages.
Apollophanes: One of three Syrians killed by Judas Maccabeus’ forces at Gezer.
Arsaces: King of the Parthians, an Iranian people. He ruled Persia at that time. All Parthian kings took the name Arsaces. This man’s real name was Mithridates I. He ruled 171–138 B.C., leading a successful revolt against the Seleucid Empire, and capturing Demetrius II.
Ariarathes V: King of Cappadocia, a country just north of Syria. He ruled 163–130 B.C.
Aristobulus: A highly regarded Jewish priest in Egypt, who had written a commentary on the Torah and dedicated it to King Ptolemy VI. The letter in 2 Macc 1.10–2.18 is addressed to him.
Arius I: King of Sparta, 309–265 B.C.
Athenobius: A high official of King Antiochus VII, sent by the king to deliver a message to Simon Maccabeus.
Attalus II: King of Pergamum, in what is now the western part of Turkey. He ruled 159–138 B.C.
Auranus: An old man picked by Lysimachus to lead 3,000 armed men against a crowd of people in Jerusalem.
Azariah: A leader in Judas Maccabeus’ fighting force. Judas left Azariah and Joseph in charge of the defense of Judea while he and his brothers were away.
Bacchides: Governor of the Transeuphrates province of the Seleucid Empire, including territory from the Euphrates River to the Nile River, the western half of the empire. King Demetrius I sent him on expeditions to Judea to punish the Maccabees. Judas Maccabeus was killed in a battle against him.
Bacenor: In some manuscripts of 2 Macc 12.35, the commander of Dositheus (b). The Handbook takes the position that the name results from a scribal misunderstanding of how the Greek words were to be divided, and that there was in fact no person by this name.
Cendebeus: A commander of Seleucid forces ordered by Antiochus VII to attack Judea.
Chaereas: One of three Syrians killed by Judas Maccabeus’ forces at Gezer, and brother of the Timothy in 2 Macc 10.24-37.
Cleopatra: Daughter of Ptolemy VI, who married Alexander Epiphanes. This is not the same person as the Queen Cleopatra who was involved with the history of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.
Crates: Commander of a unit of soldiers from Cyprus that was stationed at the Seleucid fort in Jerusalem. He was left in charge while the fort’s commander Sostratus went to Antioch on official business.
Darius III: Ruler of the Persian Empire, 335–331 B.C. Alexander the Great defeated him in 331 B.C.
Demetrius Soter (Demetrius I): Ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, 161–150 B.C.; son of Seleucus IV, grandson of Antiochus III, and cousin of Antiochus V.
Demetrius II: Ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, 145–138 B.C.; son of Demetrius I.
Demophon: A local governor who caused trouble for the Jews.
Dositheus (a): A captain serving in the army of Judas Maccabeus.
Dositheus (b): A Jewish cavalryman who lost an arm trying to capture Gorgias. He is possibly the same man as Dositheus (a).
Eleazar (a): In 1 Macc 8.17, father of Jason.
Eleazar (b): In 2 Macc 6.18-31, an aged scholar of the Jewish Law who chose death rather than violating the Law.
Eleazar Avaran: One of the sons of Mattathias; a brother of Judas Maccabeus. He was crushed to death by an elephant (1 Macc 6.43-46).
Esdris: One of Judas Maccabeus’ soldiers in 2 Macc 12.36. The name is written in some manuscripts as Esdrias or Ezri.
Eumenes: Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, in what is now the western part of Turkey. He ruled 197–158 B.C.
Eupolemus: One of two men appointed by Judas Maccabeus to go to Rome to negotiate a treaty. He may well be the writer Eupolemus who wrote a history of the kings of Judah.
Gorgias: One of the generals whom Antiochus IV sent to put down the Jewish rebellion.
Hasideans: A Jewish sect known for its devotion to the Torah as an authority for Jewish life and practice. They may have given rise later to the Pharisees or Essenes, or both. In 1 Macc 2.42 Good News Bible translates “Hasideans” as “devout and patriotic Jews.” Hasmoneans: The family of Mattathias and his descendants, later applied to a dynasty of rulers. Mattathias and his sons are often referred to as the Maccabees.
Hegemonides: Governor of the region between Ptolemais and Gerar.
Heliodorus: A high official in the government of King Seleucus IV. The king sent him to Jerusalem to confiscate money from the Temple treasury.
Hieronymus: A local governor who caused trouble for the Jews.
Hyrcanus: An important Jewish citizen who left some money on deposit in the Temple.
Imalkue: An Arab to whom Alexander Epiphanes entrusted the upbringing of his son Antiochus. Some think he may have been a son or successor of Zabdiel.
Jason (a): In 1 Macc 8.17, one of two men appointed by Judas Maccabeus to go to Rome to negotiate a treaty.
Jason (b): In 2 Macc, the High Priest during 175–172 B.C. He attained the office by deceit, taking it from his brother Onias III. He favored Greek customs and culture.
Jason of Cyrene: A historian whose five-volume history of the wars of Judas Maccabeus is abbreviated as the book of 2 Maccabees.
John: In 2 Macc 11.17, a messenger sent by Judas Maccabeus to Lysias. Some identify him with John Gaddi.
John son of Accos: Father of Eupolemus.
John Gaddi: One of the sons of Mattathias; a brother of Judas Maccabeus.
John Hyrcanus: One of the sons of Simon Maccabeus, and his successor.
Jonathan Apphus: One of the sons of Mattathias; a brother of Judas Maccabeus.
Jonathan son of Absalom: A soldier serving under Simon Maccabeus. He captured the city of Joppa. He is possibly a brother of Mattathias son of Absalom referred to 1 Macc 11.70.
Joseph son of Zechariah: A leader in Judas Maccabeus’ fighting force. He and Azariah were in charge of the defense of Judea while Judas and his brothers were away.
Judas Maccabeus: One of the sons of Mattathias. After his father’s death he assumed responsibility for military action against the Seleucids as well as retributive action against renegade Jews. It is from his nickname Maccabeus (meaning “hammer” or “hammerer”) that the word “Maccabees” derives, as applied to the whole family (more properly called Hasmoneans).
Judas son of Chalphi: An officer serving with Jonathan Maccabeus at the battle of Hazor (1 Macc 11.67-74), who helped save the day.
Judas son of Simon: One of the sons of Simon Maccabeus; he was wounded in battle and later murdered.
Lucius: A Roman consul. He is sometimes identified with Lucius Caecilius Metellus (142 B.C.), and sometimes with Lucius Calpurnius Piso (140–139 B.C.). Contemporary opinion generally favors the former.
Lysias: A Syrian nobleman to whom Antiochus IV gave the responsibility of putting down the Maccabean revolt while Antiochus attended to affairs in Persia. He also acted as regent to the young King Antiochus V, and remained active in the politics and military affairs of the region until executed by Demetrius I.
Mattathias: A faithful Jewish priest living in Modein, who began the rebellion against Seleucid rule in Palestine. He lived only one year after the revolt began, dying in 166 B.C. His sons, known as the Maccabees, or more accurately, the Hasmoneans, continued the rebellion their father began.
Mattathias son of Absalom: An officer serving with Jonathan Maccabeus at the battle of Hazor (1 Macc 11.67-74), who helped save the day. He is possibly a brother of Jonathan son of Absalom mentioned in 1 Macc 13.11.
Mattathias son of Simon: One of the sons of Simon Maccabeus; he was murdered (1 Macc 16.16).
Menestheus: Father of Apollonius (see Apollonius E and F above).
Nicanor (a): One of the generals whom Antiochus IV and Demetrius I sent to put down the Jewish rebellion. His defeat by Judas Maccabeus is one of the major events in 1-2 Maccabees. (The name Nicanor is used in Acts 6.5, and translators may use the same form used in that passage.) Nicanor (b): Governor of Cyprus in 2 Macc 12.2, who is almost surely distinct from Nicanor (a).
Numenius son of Antiochus: A Jewish messenger sent by Jonathan Maccabeus on a diplomatic mission to Rome. His father Antiochus was not one of the Seleucid kings.
Odomera: Unknown; it is probably the name of an Arab tribe wandering in the Judean desert.
Onias I: High Priest from about 323–300 B.C. He is the Onias of 1 Macc 12, referred to as a figure of the past.
Onias III: High Priest, son of Simon II (Sir 50.1-21). He was a saintly man, who was removed from office in 175 B.C. and later murdered. He is the Onias of 2 Macc 3.1–4.38.
Perseus: The last king of Macedon, who ruled 179–168 B.C. The son of Philip V, he was defeated by the Romans and taken prisoner in 168 B.C.
Macedon then became a Roman province.
Phasiron: Unknown; it is probably the name of an Arab tribe wandering in the Judean desert.
Philip (a): A close associate of King Antiochus IV. Just before the king died, he appointed Philip guardian of his son and named him to rule until the boy was grown. He is sometimes identified as the foster brother of Antiochus IV on the basis of 2 Macc 9.29, but the translation “foster brother” is probably mistaken.
Philip (b): A Phrygian who was stationed in Jerusalem by King Antiochus IV to harass the people. He is the Philip of 2 Macc 5.22; 6.11; and 8.8.
Philip II of Macedon: King of Macedon, 359–336 B.C. Under him Macedon rose to a position of power in the Mediterranean world. When he died, his son Alexander took his place and developed an empire. He is the Philip of 1 Macc 1.1.
Philip V of Macedon: King of Macedon, 220–179 B.C. He was defeated by the Romans at a battle in Thessaly in 197 B.C. He is the Philip of 1 Macc 8.5.
Protarchus: In some translations, governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia in 2 Macc 10.11. Most translations take this not as a proper name, but as a word meaning “first-ranking” or “chief.” Ptolemy son of Dorymenes: One of three generals sent by King Antiochus IV to put down the Jewish rebellion. He is sometimes identified with the Ptolemy Macron of 2 Macc 10.12-13, but many scholars doubt this.
Ptolemy Philometor (Ptolemy VI): King of Egypt, 180–145 B.C. He was only six years old when he came to the throne, so his mother governed for him at first. His mother, Cleopatra I (see above), was the sister of Antiochus IV, the Seleucid king of Syria. Ptolemy VI was thus the nephew of Antiochus IV. His formal coronation took place in 172 B.C.
Ptolemy Euergetes II Physcon (Ptolemy VIII): King of Egypt, 145–116 B.C., brother and successor of Ptolemy VI. (Ptolemy VII was the son of Ptolemy VI; he briefly shared rule with him but never was king in his own right.)
Ptolemy Macron: A defender of the Jews in the Seleucid government of Antiochus V. He was accused of treason and committed suicide. He is sometimes identified with Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, but most scholars doubt this.
Ptolemy son of Abubus: Treacherous son-in-law of Simon Maccabeus.
Razis: A highly respected Jewish leader who killed himself rather than allowing himself to be taken prisoner by the enemy.
Rhodocus: A Jewish traitor at Beth-zur.
Seleucids: The ruling dynasty in Syria during the Maccabean Period. They are named after the founder of the dynasty, Seleucus I ( ruled 312–281 B.C.), one of the senior officers of Alexander the Great.
Seleucus Philopator (Seleucus IV): Ruler of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria, 187–175 B.C.; son of Antiochus III, brother of Antiochus IV, and father of Demetrius I.
Sennacherib: King of Assyria about 705–681 B.C. He led a campaign against Judah during the reign of Hezekiah. He is referred to in 2 Macc 8.19 as a figure of the distant past.
Seron: Commander of a Seleucid army unit stationed in the vicinity of Judas Maccabeus’ earliest exploits. He tried to put down the rebellion, but was defeated.
Simon: An important Temple official while Onias III was High Priest. He betrayed his people by urging the Syrians to take the wealth of the Temple for themselves.
Simon Thassi: One of the sons of Mattathias; a brother of Judas Maccabeus. His exploits are described in 1 Macc 13.1–16.16.
Sosipater: A captain serving in the army of Judas Maccabeus.
Sostratus: A commander of the Syrian forces stationed at the fort in Jerusalem.
Timothy: In 1-2 Maccabees the name Timothy occurs in a number of passages, and there is considerable uncertainty about how many men there are by that name. Traditionally, all the references are thought to apply to one and the same man, but there are problems, most notably the fact that a Timothy is killed in 2 Macc 10.37, but in 2 Macc 12.24-25 a Timothy is defeated, but survives. Obviously if these are the same person, the accounts are out of order.
Trypho: A professional soldier in the service of Alexander Epiphanes who supported Alexander’s little son Antiochus against the claims of Demetrius II. He later killed Antiochus and made himself king, ruling the Seleucid Empire during 142–138 B.C. He also killed Jonathan Maccabeus (1 Macc 13.23).
Zabdiel: An Arab who killed Alexander Epiphanes and sent his head to King Ptolemy VI. Josephus refers to him as a prince.
List of places in 1-2 Maccabees (click or tap here to see the list)
Adasa: A town about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northwest of Jerusalem, on the road to Beth-horon.
Adora: A town about 13 kilometers (8 miles) southwest of Beth-zur.
Akrabattene: A place of uncertain identity and location. It was probably an area about 15 kilometers (9 miles) southeast of Shechem. Judas defeated some Idumeans there (1 Macc 5.3).
Alema: A fortified town in Gilead, east of Lake Galilee.
Ammon: A country just east of the Jordan River, northeast of the Dead Sea.
Antioch: The capital city of the Seleucid Empire, located in Syria.
Aradus: A small island off the coast of Syria. A city was there. In the Hebrew parts of the Old Testament it is known as Arvad.
Arbatta: A town in Galilee inland from Ptolemais. Its exact location is unknown.
Arbela: A village of uncertain location, either west or east of Lake Galilee.
Askalon (Ascalon): A town on the Palestinian coast, southwest of Jerusalem.
It is called Ashkelon in the Old Testament.
Asphar: A watering hole or oasis somewhere in the open country around Tekoa; its exact identification is unknown.
Assyria: A country in northern Mesopotamia that invaded the kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the eighth and seventh centuries B.C.
Azotus: A town on the Palestinian coast, west of Jerusalem. It is called Ashdod in the Old Testament.
Azotus, Mount: Unknown; it is probably a translational error for a Hebrew word meaning “foothills” (see the comments on 1 Macc 9.15).
Babylonia: The southern region of Mesopotamia. Its chief city was Babylon, quite near to modern-day Baghdad.
Baean: Unknown; it is perhaps the name of a tribe or a place. If a place, the likeliest guess is an area east of the northern reaches of the Dead Sea.
Baskama: The place where Jonathan Maccabeus was put to death (1 Macc 13.23). Its location is unknown, but was probably somewhere in Gilead, perhaps northeast of Lake Galilee.
Berea: An unknown village, thought by some to be either Bereth or Beerzeth. It is not the Berea of the New Testament.
Beroea: A city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Antioch in Syria; the site of modern Aleppo (Halab).
Bethbasi: A village about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) southeast of Bethlehem, where there was an abandoned fort. It may have been one of the forts built by King Uzziah (see 2 Chr 26.10).
Bethel: An important Judean city about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Jerusalem. It was one of the cities fortified by Bacchides.
Beth-horon: A mountain pass about 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Jerusalem. It was on the road from Jerusalem to Modein. Judas Maccabeus defeated Seron there (1 Macc 3.13-26).
Beth-shan: A town not far from the west bank of the Jordan River, about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) south of Lake Galilee. In Hellenistic times it was also known as Scythopolis.
Beth-zaith: A place between Beth-zachariah and Beth-zur. It was about 6 kilometers (3.5 miles) north of Beth-zur.
Beth-zechariah: A hill overlooking a mountain pass 18 kilometers (11 miles) south of Jerusalem and 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Beth-zur. Judas Maccabeus’ forces were defeated in a battle that took place there (see 1 Macc 6.32-47).
Beth-zur: A Judean town on the border with Idumea (Edom). It was about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) southeast of Emmaus, about 28 kilometers (17.5 miles) southwest of Jerusalem.
Bosor: A fortified town in Gilead, east of Lake Galilee.
Bozrah: There are three different places in Scripture with this name. The one mentioned in 1 Macc 5 was a fortified town in Gilead, east of Lake Galilee.
Caria: A region on the southwest coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Carnaim: A fortified town in Gilead, east of Lake Galilee.
Caspin: See Chaspho.
Charax: A place in the territory of the Tobiad Jews. It may not be a place name at all (see the comments on 2 Macc 12.17).
Chaspho: A fortified town in Gilead, east of Lake Galilee. It is also called Caspin in 2 Macc 12.13.
Cilicia: A district on the southeast coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Cnidus: A coastal city of Caria, in southwest Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Coelesyria: An administrative district of the Seleucid Empire consisting of most of the territory along the Mediterranean Sea, with the exception of Phoenicia (Lebanon). GNB calls it “Greater Syria.”
Cos: An island in the Aegean Sea.
Crete: A large island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Greece. It is approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the coast of Israel.
Cyprus: A large island in the northeast Mediterranean, between Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and Syria.
Cyrene: A city on the north coast of Africa, in what is now Libya.
Damascus: The capital city of Syria, about 90 kilometers (56 miles) east of Sidon, on the Mediterranean coast.
Daphne: A park-like area about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Antioch.
Dathema: A fortified site of undetermined location; possibly a few kilometers (miles) east of Lake Galilee.
Delos: A small island in the Aegean Sea.
Dok: A small fort near Jericho where Simon Maccabeus and two of his sons were killed.
Dor: An old Phoenician city on the coast, about 24 kilometers (15 miles) south of Mount Carmel.
Ekron: A city on the Philistine plain, located between Azotus and Jerusalem, about 15 kilometers (9.5 miles) east of Azotus (Ashdod).
Elasa: An unknown place mentioned in 1 Macc 9.5. It is sometimes identified with a place of similar name near Beth Horon, but that place is too far away from the scene of action in 1 Macc to make sense.
Elymais: A mountainous region just west of Persia, called Elam in the Hebrew Old Testament. Some manuscripts of 1 Macc 6.1 identify it as a city, but no such city is known.
Emmaus: A town in Judah about 35 kilometers (22 miles) west-northwest of Jerusalem. Judas Maccabeus’ victory over the Seleucid army in a battle fought in the nearby plains is told in 1 Macc 4.1-25.
Ephron: A strongly fortified town in Gilead, about 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) east of the Jordan River and south of Lake Galilee.
Euphrates: A river flowing from the mountains of Armenia down to the Persian Gulf through Mesopotamia, which is modern Iraq.
Galilee: The northern part of Palestine.
Gaul: A large area in western Europe, roughly modern France and Belgium.
Gaza: One of the old Philistine cities on the Mediterranean coast, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) south of Askalon.
Gazara: A town west of Jerusalem about halfway to the coast. In the Old Testament it is called Gezer.
Gerar: A city on the coastal plain of Palestine south of Gaza.
Gilead: A territory east of the Jordan River.
Gilgal: An unknown area or town in 1 Macc 9.2; possibly a scribal error for Gilead or Galilee.
Gortyna: A city on the Mediterranean island of Crete.
Halicarnassus: A large city in Caria, in southwest Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Hamath: A city in Syria about halfway between Antioch and Lake Galilee. The name is also applied to the surrounding area. It is in modern Syria, not far north of the border with Lebanon.
Hazor: A city about 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of Lake Galilee.
Hebron: An important town 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of Jerusalem. It was once an Israelite city and David’s first capital. The Jews did not reoccupy it after the exile, and in Maccabean times it was a Gentile city.
Idumea: A region south and west of Judah. This form of the name is used in the Greek Old Testament to refer to Edom.
India: The name for territory east of the Indus River, roughly modern India.
Ionia: The territory in western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) directly on the Aegean Sea.
Jambri: The name of an Arab tribe living east of the Jordan River.
Jamnia: A town on the coast of Palestine about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of Jerusalem. In the Old Testment it is called Jabneel (Josh 15.11; 19.33) and Jabneh ( 2 Chr 26.6).
Jazer: A town in Ammon.
Jezreel Valley: A wide plain cutting through the hills of Galilee, reaching from Mount Carmel on the coast to the area around Beth-shan. It is called the “Great Plain” in 1 Macc 12.49.
Joppa: A city on the Mediterranean coast of Palestine, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) northwest of Jerusalem.
Judah or Judea: The region of Palestine, especially its southern area. It is used when the writer wishes to speak of a geographical area. “Israel” or “the Jews” is usually used when referring to the people. For more on this, see page 4.
Kadesh (Kedesh): A town in northern Galilee, about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) north of Lake Galilee.
Kedron: A town near the Mediterranean coast, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) southeast of Jamnia. It is not to be confused with Kidron, the valley just east of Jerusalem.
Lycia: A region on the southwest coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), between Caria and Pamphylia.
Lydia: A territory in western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Macedon: An ancient country on the Balkan peninsula of Europe, roughly comprising what is now the northwestern portion of Greece (Greek Macedonia) as well as the modern state of Macedonia north of Greece. This ancient country is sometimes called Macedonia, but it is more customary to use Macedon to refer to the ancient land, and Macedonia for more recent times.
Maked: A fortified town in Gilead, east of Lake Galilee.
Mallus: A city in Cilicia.
Marisa: A Gentile city about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) northeast of Hebron, and 37 kilometers (23 miles) southwest of Jerusalem.
Medeba: A town about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the northern end of the Dead Sea.
Media: A territory located east of Mesopotamia in what is now northwestern Iran. In earlier times it was a kingdom.
Mesaloth: A Hebrew word that means literally “raised places,” usually in specific reference to “highways.” It can be understood as a place name in 1 Macc 9.2. If it is a place, it is unknown.
Mesopotamia: A vague but convenient term to refer to the area that is broadly equivalent to modern Iraq. So many kingdoms and states have existed there that it is helpful to have a term that can refer to that area at any time in history.
Mizpah: A town in Judah associated in ancient times with holy war. Judas Maccabeus and his army gathered there for prayer (1 Macc 3.46-60) before the battle of Emmaus. It is usually identified with a site about 13 kilometers (8 miles) north of Jerusalem, but its location is uncertain.
Modein: A village in the hill country of Palestine, about 27 kilometers (17 miles) northwest of Jerusalem. It was there that the Maccabean rebellion broke out, with the first defiant act of Mattathias.
Myndos: A small city on the west coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Mysia: An area in the northwestern part of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Soldiers from Mysia had a reputation as competent mercenaries—soldiers who could be employed by various rulers for military service.
Nabatea: A broad area south and east of Judah, beyond Idumea. It is more common to speak of the Nabateans, who were a nomadic people, than of the land of Nabatea.
Nadabath: An unknown town somewhere east of the Jordan River.
Orthosia: A city on the Phoenician (Lebanese) coast, near modern Tripoli.
Pamphylia: A region about midway along the southern coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), between Lycia and Cilicia.
Persepolis: A city in southern Persia, 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of modern Shiraz in Iran.
Persia: A large area stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Gulf of Oman in the Indian Ocean. It is roughly the area of modern Iran. It was the seat of the Persian Empire for about 200 years until Alexander the Great conquered it in 331 B.C. In the disturbances following Alexander’s death, it became part of the Seleucid Empire.
Pharathon: A town fortified by Bacchides, probably to be identified with Pirathon (Jdg 12.15). It was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Mount Gerizim.
Phaselis: A city on the coast of Lycia, in southwest Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Philistia: The region of Palestine along the southwestern coastal plain, where the Philistines lived in more ancient times.
Phoenicia: A coastal territory north of Palestine and south of Syria. Sidon and Tyre were its principal cities. It consisted of what is now the modern state of Lebanon.
Phrygia: An area in the interior of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Ptolemais: The ancient port city of Acco (Acre, modern Akko) on the southern coast of Phoenicia, and on the northern coast of modern-day Israel.
Rhodes: An island off the southwest coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Rome: A city in Italy that rose to a position of world power during Hellenistic times. The time of the Maccabees was before the establishment of the Roman Empire, but already Rome was the dominant power in the Mediterranean area.
Samos: An island in the Aegean Sea.
Sampsames: An unknown place. Some manuscripts give the variant Samp- sakes.
Scythopolis: The Greek name of Beth-shan.
Seleucia: A coastal city in Syria near the mouth of the Orontes River. It was the seaport for Antioch, the capital city of the Seleucid Empire, located about 16 kilometers (10 miles) upstream.
Sicyon: A city on the south shore of the Gulf of Corinth in Greece.
Side: A city on the coast of Pamphylia in southern Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Sidon: A coastal city of Phoenicia (Lebanon).
Sparta: A city-state in Greece that was once a world power. At the time of the Maccabees its power was considerably less, but it was still recognized as an important place of power in the Mediterranean.
Syria: A country that is roughly covered by the modern nation of Syria, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. During the time of the Maccabees Syria was ruled by the Seleucid dynasty of kings.
Tarsus: A city in Cilicia.
Tekoa: A town about 24 kilometers (15 miles) south of Jerusalem. The open country around it is referred to in 1 Macc 9.33 as “the wilderness of Tekoa.” Tephon: A town in Judea fortified by Bacchides. Its location is not definitely known, although some scholars identify it with the Tappuah of Josh 12.17.
Timnath: A town in Judea fortified by Bacchides, also known as Timnah.
This is probably the Timnath where Joshua was buried (Josh 24.30), about 16 kilometers (10 miles) northwest of Bethel.
Tripolis: A city on the coast of Syria about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Sidon.
Tyre: A coastal city of Phoenicia (Lebanon).
Outline of 1 Maccabees
A. Mattathias (1.1–2.70)
1. The persecution of the Jews (1.1-64) a. King Alexander and his successors (1.1-10) b. Some unfaithful Jews abandon God’s Law (1.11-15) c. King Antiochus attacks Egypt (1.16-19) d. Antiochus persecutes the Jews (1.20-64)
1) Antiochus robs the Temple (1.20-28)
2) Antiochus takes over Jerusalem (1.29-40)
3) Antiochus prohibits Jewish worship (1.41-64)
2. The revolt of Mattathias (2.1-70) a. The sorrow of the faithful Mattathias (2.1-14) b. Mattathias’ rebellion (2.15-28) c. Mattathias leads a guerrilla war (2.29-48) d. The death of Mattathias (2.49-70)
B. Judas Maccabeus (3.1–9.22)
1. In praise of Judas Maccabeus (3.1-9)
2. The early victories of Judas (3.10-26)
3. The Syrians attack Judas (3.27–4.35) a. The king takes action (3.27-37) b. The Syrians prepare for battle (3.38-41) c. Judas and his men prepare for battle (3.42-60) d. The battle of Emmaus (4.1-25) e. Judas defeats Lysias (4.26-35)
4. The purification of the Temple (4.36-61)
5. Wars with neighboring nations (5.1-68) a. Judas fights enemies near Jerusalem (5.1-8) b. Jews in Gilead and Galilee appeal for help (5.9-15) c. Simon invades Galilee (5.16-23) d. Judas and Jonathan invade Gilead (5.24-36) e. Judas defeats Timothy (5.37-44) f. Judas returns to Jerusalem (5.45-54) g. Joseph and Azariah are defeated (5.55-64) h. Battles in the southwest (5.65-68)
6. The death of King Antiochus IV (6.1-17)
7. Events during the reign of Antiochus V (6.18-63) a. Judas lays siege to the fort in Jerusalem (6.18-31) b. The battle of Beth Zechariah (6.32-47) c. The Temple under siege (6.48-54) d. The Syrian army withdraws from Jerusalem (6.55-63)
8. Further threats to the Jews (7.1-50) a. Demetrius becomes king (7.1-4) b. Alcimus and Bacchides stir up trouble in Judea (7.5-24) c. Nicanor goes to Jerusalem (7.25-32) d. Nicanor threatens the Temple (7.33-38) e. Nicanor is defeated (7.39-50)
9. Jewish relationships with Rome (8.1-32) a. Roman foreign policy (8.1-16) b. The Jewish treaty with Rome (8.17-32)
10. Judas Maccabeus dies in battle (9.1-22)
C. Jonathan (9.23–12.53)
1. Jonathan’s struggles with Demetrius I (9.23-73) a. Jonathan takes Judas’ place as leader (9.23-31) b. Jonathan’s first battles (9.32-49) c. Bacchides and Alcimus continue to harass the Jews (9.50-57) d. The end of the war (9.58-73)
2. Jonathan and Alexander Epiphanes (10.1–11.19) a. Demetrius I tries to win Jonathan’s friendship (10.1-14) b. Alexander Epiphanes appoints Jonathan High Priest (10.15-21) c. The letter of Demetrius I to the Jews (10.22-45) d. Jonathan supports Alexander Epiphanes (10.46-66) e. Jonathan’s victory over Apollonius (10.67-89) f. The fall of Alexander Epiphanes (11.1-19)
3. Jonathan and Demetrius II (11.20-53) a. Demetrius II honors Jonathan (11.20-27) b. Demetrius II grants favors to the Jews (11.28-37) c. Demetrius II betrays Jonathan (11.38-53)
4. Jonathan and Antiochus VI (11.54–12.53) a. Trypho crowns Antiochus VI king (11.54-59) b. Battles fought by Jonathan and Simon (11.60-74) c. Jewish alliances with Rome and Sparta (12.1-23) d. Battles of Jonathan and Simon (12.24-38) e. Trypho captures Jonathan (12.39-53)
D. Simon (13.1–16.24)
1. Simon takes Jonathan’s place (13.1-30) a. Simon becomes the leader (13.1-11) b. The death of Jonathan (13.12-24) c. Jonathan is buried in the family tomb (13.25-30)
2. Simon establishes an independent Jewish state (13.31–14.3) a Judea gains its independence (13.31-42) b. Simon captures Gezer (13.43-48) c. Simon takes complete control of Jerusalem (13.49-53) d. Arsaces captures Demetrius II (14.1-3)
3. In praise of Simon (14.4-49) a. Simon’s glorious accomplishments (14.4-15) b. Rome and Sparta honor Simon (14.16-24) c. An inscription in honor of Simon (14.25-49)
4. Further history (15.1–16.24) a. Antiochus VII writes a letter to Simon (15.1-9) b. Antiochus VII attacks Trypho (15.10-14) c. Rome supports the Jews (15.15-24) d. Antiochus VII quarrels with Simon (15.25-36) e. War with Antiochus VII (15.37–16.10) f. The death of Simon (16.11-17) g. John becomes High Priest (16.18-24)
Outline of 2 Maccabees
A. Letters to the Jews in Egypt (1.1–2.18)
1. A letter to the Jews in Egypt (1.1-9)
2. A letter to Aristobulus (1.10–2.18) a. The death of King Antiochus (1.10-17) b. Fire consumes Nehemiah’s sacrifice (1.18-36) c. Jeremiah hides the Tent of the Lord’s Presence (2.1-8) d. How Solomon dedicated the Temple (2.9-12) e. Nehemiah’s library (2.13-15) f. An invitation to celebrate the festival (2.16-18)
B. The writer’s introduction (2.19-32)
C. Heliodorus threatens the Temple (3.1-40)
1. The argument between Onias and Simon (3.1-6)
2. The king sends Heliodorus to Jerusalem (3.7-14a)
3. The distress of the High Priest and the people (3.14b-21)
4. The Lord protects his Temple from Heliodorus (3.22-28)
5. Onias prays for Heliodorus to recover (3.29-34)
6. Heliodorus praises God (3.35-40) D. Antiochus IV threatens the Temple (4.1–10.8)
1. Antiochus attacks the Jewish religion (4.1–6.17) a. Simon accuses Onias (4.1-6) b. Jason introduces Greek customs (4.7-22) c. Menelaus becomes High Priest (4.23-29) d. The murder of Onias (4.30-35) e. The king punishes Andronicus (4.36-38) f. Lysimachus is killed (4.39-42) g. Menelaus offers a bribe to escape punishment (4.43-50) h. Visions of a battle (5.1-4) i. Jason tries but fails to regain power (5.5-10) j. Antiochus orders a massacre in Jerusalem (5.11-20) k. Antiochus orders another massacre (5.21-27) l. The Jews are persecuted because of their faith (6.1-11) m. God’s punishment and mercy (6.12-17)
2. Faithful Jews suffer death rather than yield to Antiochus (6.18–7.42) a. Eleazar dies for his faith (6.18-31) b. A mother and her seven sons die for their faith (7.1-42)
3. Judas Maccabeus wins his first victories (8.1-36) a. Judas Maccabeus rebels against the king (8.1-7) b. Ptolemy sends Nicanor to attack Judas (8.8-11) c. Judas encourages his troops (8.12-20) d. Judas defeats Nicanor (8.21-29) e. Later victory celebrations (8.30-33) f. Nicanor is humiliated (8.34-36)
4. The death of Antiochus IV (9.1-29) a. God punishes Antiochus (9.1-10) b. Antiochus makes promises to God (9.11-17) c. Antiochus sends a letter to the Jews (9.18-29)
5. The rededication of the Temple (10.1-8)
E. Judas Maccabeus wins more victories (10.9–13.26)
1. Ptolemy Macron kills himself (10.9-13)
2. Judas Maccabeus defeats the Idumeans (10.14-23)
3. Judas defeats Timothy (10.24-38)
4. Judas defeats Lysias (11.1-12)
5. Peace negotiations (11.13-38) a. Lysias makes peace with the Jews (11.13-15) b. The letter of Lysias to the Jews (11.16-21) c. The king’s letter to Lysias (11.22-26) d. The king’s letter to the Jews (11.27-33) e. The letter from Rome to the Jews (11.34-38)
6. The people of Joppa murder the Jews (12.1-9)
7. Judas wins more victories (12.10-16)
8. Judas defeats Timothy’s army (12.17-25)
9. Judas wins other victories (12.26-31)
10. Judas defeats Gorgias (12.32-37)
11. Prayers for those killed in battle (12.38-45)
12. Menelaus is put to death (13.1-8)
13. A battle near the city of Modein (13.9-17)
14. Antiochus V makes a treaty with the Jews (13.18-26)
F. Judas defeats Nicanor (14.1–15.36)
1. Alcimus speaks against Judas (14.1-10)
2. Demetrius sends Nicanor to attack Judas (14.11-25)
3. Nicanor turns against Judas (14.26-36)
4. Razis dies for his country (14.37-46)
5. Nicanor plans to attack on the Sabbath (15.1-5)
6. Judas prepares his troops for battle (15.6-19)
7. The defeat and death of Nicanor (15.20-36)
G. Concluding words (15.37-39)
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.