2 Maccabees 15
The fifteenth chapter of
2
Maccabees is offered here in the Revised Standard version; the first
chapter can be found here.
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Death of Nicanor
When
Nicanor heard that Judas and his men were in the region of Samaria,
he made plans to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest. 
And
when the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, "Do not destroy so
savagely and barbarously, but show respect for the day which he who sees
all things has honored and hallowed above other days," 
the
thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a sovereign in heaven who had
commanded the keeping of the sabbath day. 
And
when they declared, "It is the living Lord himself, the Sovereign in heaven,
Who ordered us to observe the seventh day," 
he
replied, "And I am a sovereign also, on earth, and I command you to take
up arms and finish the king's business." Nevertheless, he did not succeed
in carrying out his abominable design.
This
Nicanor in his utter boastfulness and arrogance had determined to erect
a public monument of victory over Judas and his men. 
But
Maccabeus did not cease to trust with all confidence that he would get
help from the Lord. 
And
he exhorted his men not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but to keep
in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven, and now
to look for the victory which the Almighty would give them. 
Encouraging
them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the struggles
they had won, he made them the more eager. 
And
when he had aroused their courage, he gave his orders, at the same time
pointing out the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths.
He armed each of
them not so much with confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration
of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of
vision, which was worthy of belief. 
What
he saw was this: Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man,
of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been
trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with
outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews. 
Then
likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and
of marvelous majesty and authority. 
And
Onias spoke, saying, "This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much
for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God." 
Jeremiah
stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he
gave it he addressed him thus: 
"Take
this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your
adversaries."
Encouraged by the
words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking
manliness in the souls of the young, they determined not to carry on a
campaign but to attack bravely, and to decide the matter, by fighting hand
to hand with all courage, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple
were in danger. 
Their
concern for wives and children, and also for brethren and relatives, lay
upon them less heavily; their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated
sanctuary. 
And
those who had to remain in the city were in no little distress, being anxious
over the encounter in the open country.
When all were now
looking forward to the coming decision, and the enemy was already close
at hand with their army drawn up for battle, the elephants strategically
stationed and the cavalry deployed on the flanks, 
Maccabeus,
perceiving the hosts that were before him and the varied supply of arms
and the savagery of the elephants, stretched out his hands toward heaven
and called upon the Lord Who works wonders; for he knew that it is not
by arms, but as the Lord decides, that He gains the victory for those who
deserve it.
And he called upon
him in these words: "O Lord, Thou didst send Thy angel in the time of Hezekiah
king of Judea, and he slew fully a hundred and eighty-five thousand in
the camp of Sennacherib.[1] 
So
now, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel to carry terror and
trembling before us. 
By
the might of Thy arm may these blasphemers who come against Thy holy people
be struck down." With these words he ended his prayer.
Nicanor and his
men advanced with trumpets and battle songs; 
and
Judas and his men met the enemy in battle with invocation to God and prayers. 
So,
fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they laid
low no less than thirty-five thousand men, and were greatly gladdened by
God's manifestation.
When the action
was over and they were returning with joy, they recognized Nicanor, lying
dead, in full armor. 
Then
there was shouting and tumult, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the
language of their fathers. 
And
the man who was ever in body and soul the defender of his fellow citizens,
the man who maintained his youthful good will toward his countrymen, ordered
them to cut off Nicanor's head and arm and carry them to Jerusalem.
And when he arrived
there and had called his countrymen together and stationed the priests
before the altar, he sent for those who were in the citadel. 
He
showed them the vile Nicanor's head and that profane man's arm, which had
been boastfully stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty; 
and
he cut out the tongue of the ungodly Nicanor and said that he would give
it piecemeal to the birds and hang up these rewards of his folly opposite
the sanctuary.
And they all, looking
to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, "Blessed
is he who has kept his own place undefiled." 
And
he hung Nicanor's head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous sign to
every one of the help of the Lord.
And they all decreed
by public vote never to let this day go unobserved, but to celebrate the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month - which is called
Adar
in the Aramaic language - the day before Mordecai's day.[2]
Postscript
This, then, is how
matters turned out with Nicanor. And from that time the city has been in
the possession of the Hebrews. So I too will here end my story. 
If
it is well told and to the point, that is what I myself desired; if it
is poorly done and mediocre, that was the best I could do. 
For
just as it is harmful to drink wine alone, or, again, to drink water alone,
while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one's enjoyment,
so also the style of the story delights the ears of those who read the
work. And here will be the end.
The Assyrian king Sennacherib had laid siege to Jerusalem but had been forced to retreat (2 Kings 19).
Latest revision: 8 December 2006
