Books Jesus Read

Chapter 2: Hasmonean Holiness – Judas Maccabeus

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Alcimus and Bacchides seeking a just settlement between the warring parties. Even the Hasideans came forward to seek terms of peace saying, “They have a priest in the line of Aaron leading them. He will not deal unjustly with us.” Alcimus did meet with them, promising on oath, “We will harm neither you nor your brothers,” and they took him at his word. But then he took captive sixty of the warriors and had them put to death. As it is written, “The flesh of saints they have slain and the blood of the faithful they have poured out in Jerusalem. And there is no one to bury them” ( Ps 79:2–3 ). 7 Fear and trembling fell on all the people, who cried out, “In them there is no truth, no justice, for they have broken the oath they swore!” Bacchides then pulled out of Jerusalem, leaving most of his force behind to aid Alcimus. Before returning to the king, he rounded up the cowardly who pledged their loyalty to whomever had the strongest army. Slaughtering them, he threw their bodies into a pit. In Jerusalem, Alcimus could no longer maintain his authority as high priest. Yet, every traitor and apostate in Israel rallied to him in hopes of establishing themselves in Israel. He managed to gain control of the country for a while but did it much harm. Judas saw all the harm being done to Israel by Alcimus and his army of apostates, more harm even than the Gentiles. So, he and his men pursued the unfaithful throughout the land while hemming in their leadership in Jerusalem to prevent their leaving. Alcimus saw that he was losing his hold on Israel and

7 For the dead to lie unburied was a disgrace. Tobit made it his ministry to bury all the dead he encountered (see chapter five of Books Jesus Read ).