1 Maccabees — Chapter 7

In anno centesimo et quinquagesimo primo

VERSE 1. IN ANNO CENTESIMO ET QUINQUAGESIMO PRIMO EXIIT DEMETRIUS FILIUS SELEUCI DE ROMA. — In the year 151 (Seleucid era = 161 BC) Demetrius the son of Seleucus came forth from Rome. Lapide provides the historical background: Demetrius I Soter had been a hostage in Rome since childhood, left there by his father Seleucus IV as security for tribute owed to Rome. When his uncle Antiochus IV died, Demetrius petitioned Rome to release him as the rightful heir to the Seleucid throne, but the Senate refused. He escaped on his own and returned to Syria, where he seized the throne.

Et venerunt ad eum omnes homines iniqui

VERSE 5. ET VENERUNT AD EUM OMNES HOMINES INIQUI ET IMPII EX ISRAEL ET ALCIMUS ERAT DUX EORUM QUI VOLEBAT FIERI SACERDOS. — Then all the lawless and ungodly men of Israel came to him; they were led by Alcimus, who wanted to be high priest. Lapide discusses Alcimus (Hebrew: Eliakim) as one of the most despicable figures in the book: a Jewish apostate who sought the high priesthood through collaboration with the Seleucid power. His name \"Alcimus\" is a Hellenized form of Eliakim, meaning \"my God raises up\" — but he had abandoned God. Lapide traces the history of how Jason, Menelaus, and Alcimus all obtained the high priesthood through bribery and political manipulation, corrupting the sacred office.

Et congregata est synagoga Scribarum

VERSE 12. ET CONGREGATA EST SYNAGOGA SCRIBARUM AD ALCIMUM ET NICANOREM QUAERERE JUSTA. — A group of scribes appeared before Nicanor and Alcimus to discuss just terms. The Hasideans were first among the Israelites to seek peace with them, for they said, \"A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not harm us.\" Lapide explains the political naivety of the Hasideans here: they trusted Alcimus because he was technically of priestly descent, not recognizing that descent alone does not make a legitimate high priest. Their trust was immediately betrayed when Alcimus seized and killed sixty of them.

Et interfecit ex eis sexaginta viros

VERSE 16. ET INTERFECIT EX EIS SEXAGINTA VIROS. — And he seized sixty of them and killed them in one day, in accordance with the word which was written: \"The flesh of thy saints and their blood they poured out round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.\" Lapide notes that this verse from Psalm 79 (78):2-3 was written prophetically by David over three hundred years before and was now fulfilled literally by Alcimus. The slaughter of the sixty Hasideans who had come seeking peace was one of the most notorious acts of treachery in the entire Maccabean crisis.

Et misit rex Nicanorem unum de principibus gloriosioribus

VERSE 26. ET MISIT REX NICANOREM UNUM DE PRINCIPIBUS GLORIOSIORIBUS SUIS QUI ERAT INIMICUS ISRAEL IN ODIUM. — Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honored princes, who hated and detested Israel, and he commanded him to destroy the people. Lapide identifies Nicanor as one of the most hated figures in Jewish memory: he is the villain of the climax of both 1 and 2 Maccabees. His name means \"conqueror\" and his end was the ultimate proof of divine justice. Lapide notes that Nicanor's hatred for Israel was personal and visceral, not merely political — he was a genuine enemy of God and His people.

Et post haec verba venit Nicanor in montem Sion

VERSE 33. ET POST HAEC VERBA VENIT NICANOR IN MONTEM SION ET EXIERUNT DE SACERDOTIBUS DE SANCTIS SALUTARE EUM IN PACE ET OSTENDERE EI HOLOCAUSTA QUAE OFFEREBANTUR PRO REGE. — After these events Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests from the sanctuary and some of the elders of the people came out to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being offered for the king. But he mocked them and derided them and defiled them and spoke arrogantly, and in anger he swore this oath: \"Unless Judas and his army are delivered into my hands this time, then if I return safely I will burn up this house.\" Lapide treats Nicanor's threat against the Temple as the ultimate blasphemy. It provoked the special divine wrath that led to his total defeat and death.

Et exiit Nicanor ab Jerusalem

VERSE 39. ET EXIIT NICANOR AB JERUSALEM ET APPLICUIT CASTRA IN BETHERON. — Then Nicanor left Jerusalem and encamped in Beth-horon, and the Syrian army joined him. Lapide discusses the battle of Adasa (verse 43), where Judas defeated and killed Nicanor with 33,000 of his men. He quotes Josephus's account (from the parallel in 2 Maccabees 15) which adds dramatic details about Judas's vision of the deceased Onias and Jeremiah giving him a golden sword.

Et commiserunt praelium tertia decima mensis Adar

VERSE 43. ET COMMISERUNT PRAELIUM TERTIA DECIMA MENSIS ADAR ET CONTRITA SUNT CASTRA NICANORIS ET CECIDIT IPSE PRIMUS. — The armies met in battle on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. The army of Nicanor was crushed, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle. Lapide notes the powerful symbolism: Nicanor who had sworn to destroy the Temple was himself the first to die in the battle. He who had boasted of burning God's house was burned himself, in a sense, by the divine wrath. The 35,000 Syrian casualties mentioned by Josephus (more than the text states) indicate the completeness of the victory.

Et constituit Judas dies istos

VERSE 49. ET CONSTITUIT JUDAS DIES ISTOS UT AGERETUR OMNIBUS ANNIS DIE TERTIA DECIMA MENSIS ADAR. — Judas established that this day should be observed every year on the thirteenth of Adar. This is the institution of \"Nicanor's Day,\" one of the Jewish festivals commemorated in the Talmud. Lapide notes that this day (the 13th of Adar) coincides with the eve of Purim (14 Adar), and discusses the relationship between the two feasts. \"Nicanor's Day\" was eventually eclipsed by the more popular Purim celebration.