Guides. Several were apostates Judas was at or near Maspha. (Calmet)

Verse 3

Rose up. The vigilance of rulers and pastors preserves from the devil's stratagems. (Worthington)

Verse 4

Camp, foraging, as they despised the forces of Judas, and supposed he was in the camp, or engaged with Gorgias.

Verse 6

Three. We find seven thousand elsewhere. He was at the head of three thousand, and set his three brothers over fifteen hundred each. --- Who. Some copies read, "because." He could arm no more completely. --- Swords. This is added in Greek and in some Latin copies. Having already gained two victories, they must have had some swords, through poverty (Josephus) chiefly, (Haydock) using slings, Zacharias ix. 15. (Calmet) --- Confidence in God procureth his assistance, ver. 8. (Worthington)

Verse 13

Trumpet. There were many priests in the army.

Verse 15

Gezeron, or Gazera, near Emmaus. --- Idumea. Alexandrian manuscript reads "Judea," which seems more probable. The enemy fled on all sides, some among the Philistines; (Calmet) others to the southern parts of Juda, occupied by Edom. (Haydock)

Verse 23

Sea. This sort of purple was most esteemed. The art of dying it is now lost. The merchants' goods fell into the hands of the Jews. The pursuit was interrupted by the sabbath. At various times Bacchides and Timothy lost above 20,000; Phylarchus and Callisthenese perished; and Nicanor saved himself by flight. The booty was laid up in places of security, 2 Machabees viii. 25, 30.

Verse 24

For ever. This was the chorus of Psalm cxxxv., which was sung; (Calmet) or the [Psalm] cxvii. might be used on this occasion. (Haydock)

Verse 27

Commanded. See what followed, 2 Machabees viii. 8., to the end. (Worthington)

Verse 32

Destruction. Let them perish, or fall upon each other.

Verse 38

Burnt by Callisthenes, whom the Jews burnt in a house, 2 Machabees viii. (Calmet) --- Chambers; (pastophoria. Septuagint) places for beds, veils, &c. (Haydock) --- St. Jerome commonly prefers "the treasury," with Aquila, or "beds," as Symmachus translates. Chambers for the officers of the temple were common both among pagans and Christians. (Rufin, Hist. ii. 23.; Com. Apost. ii. 57; Clement [of Alexandria] pæd. iii. 2.) (Calmet) --- As it was the chief design of Judas to defend religion, so he presently purifies the temple. (Worthington)

Verse 41

Fight, or to be ready, if the garrison should offer to molest them (Calmet) from the higher part of Sion, while they were performing what religion required of them. (Haydock)

Verse 42

Blemish. Legal uncleanness or immorality. (Calmet)

Verse 43

Defiled. Altars, temples, and statues of false gods made of stone, and set up in the temple, (chap. i. 50.; Worthington) and before the houses, (2 Machabees x. 1.) were now demolished and thrown into the vale of Cedron, 2 Paralipomenon xxix. 16.

Verse 44

Profaned with impure victims, and with the altar of Jupiter erected above it, chap. i. 23.

Verse 46

Stones; rough, and covered with brass: (Exodus xx. 25.) though this latter circumstances is not certain with respect to the altar built by the captives. --- Prophet. None was recognized after Malachias, as God prepared his people to pay more attention to the Messias.

Verse 47

Law. Nothing was specified. The altar in the desert was of wood. At Sinai and Hebal, turf or rough stones were used; whence unhewed stones were judged most proper.

Verse 48

Up, or repaired the temple chambers, &c.

Verse 51

Veils, at the entrance of the holy of holies. (Calmet)

Verse 52

Year. The temple was purified a little more than two years after it had been profaned. (The year [of the kingdom of the Greeks] 145.) (Worthington) --- The sacrifices had been interrupted just three years. The Second Book [of Machabees] (x. 3.) specifies two years; whence some infer, that the temple was twice dedicated. But these two years most probably refer to the administration of Judas. (St. Thomas Aquinas or some other com.[commentator]; Usher, the year of the world 3840.; Tirinus; Calmet; Salien; Menochius)

Verse 57

Excutcheons, or bucklers of gold, taken from the soldiers of Antiochus, chap. vi. 39. Such ornaments were placed in temples, to testify the gratitude of the people. They wished to restore as much as possible when had been taken away, chap. i. 23. On this occasion the Jews carried branches in memory of what they had suffered in desert places for three years. Hence they style it the feast of tabernacles of Casleu, 2 Machabees i. 9., and x. 6. (Calmet)

Verse 59

Decreed. Our Saviour observed this festival, which was appointed so long after Moses, John x. 22. (Worthington) --- It was styled Encœnia, and kept in winter while Solomon's temple was dedicated in Tisri, and Zorobabel's in Adar. The Jews light lamps, (Calmet) to testify their joy. (Josephus, Antiquities xii. 11.) --- The Rabbins add, that a small bottle of oil had been preserved by the high priest, which multiplied so as to supply the lamps during the whole octave. Hence they still have lights at their windows on this festival. (Selden, Syn. iii. 13.)

Verse 60

CHAPTER IV.

Verse 61

Bethsura, which might receive reinforcements from Sion; or rather, (Calmet) Greek, they "fortified Bethsura to keep it, (Sion) that," &c. (Grotius) (Vatable) --- Idumea. The people of that country had seized many cities of Juda. (Calmet) --- Read 2 Machabees x. 1. (Worthington)