Hasmonean History of Hanukah

By Josef I Hammer

New version combining Maccabees I & Maccabess II in 26 chapters with insightful footnotes identifying placenames and explaing historical context.

Prefaced with an Overview describing geopolitical historical and cultural background.

Followed by extensive PostScript narrating resultant aftermath, strife and civil war leading to the Temple destruction and Exile.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Josef I Hammer
• Release date: Nov 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223567493

Book preview

Chapter One

IMPERIALISTS’ LOOTING

OF THE TREASURY

*I:1:1-13

After Alexander son of Philip the Macedonian* who first ruled over Greece, crushed King Darius of the Persians and Medes*, he reigned in his place. He fought many wars, captured many strongholds, and put kings around the world to the sword. He seized the spoils of many nations as he passed through the ends of the earth until the world was humbled before him while he became exalted and haughty. He gathered a massive army and ruled over countries, nations and kings, who became his tributaries.

But after these successes he fell sick* and realized he was dying. He summoned his courtiers and servants who had grown up with him since his youth and divided his empire among them while he was still alive. Alexander died after reigning twelve years and these servants ruled in his place*. They all crowned themselves following his death as did their sons after them for many years while wickedness flourished.  From among them emerged that source of evil, Antiochus Epiphanes* son of King Antiochus*, who had been held hostage* in Rome; and he reigned in the 137th year of the Greek kingdom*.

*II:3:1-6

The holy capital had been at peace until then while the Torah was observed and acted upon since the High Priest Chonyo’s* heart was at one with God and despised corruption. Kings of the surrounding provinces honoured the city and glorified the Temple with precious gifts. Seleucus of Asia* had even donated* part of his treasures to purchase sacrifices to be offered at the Temple.

At that time however one of the Jerusalem Temple’s guardians* was Simon of the Benjamin tribe who hated the High Priest after he had prevented him from inflicting any evil in Jerusalem. In fear of Chonyo, he fled to Apollonius son of Thras’us, Governor of Tyre and Coele-Syria,* and maliciously informed him the Temple treasury was full of countless gold and silver – far too much for the sacrifices and service – and it would be worth the king’s while to seize them.

II:3:7-13

When Apollonius came and reported this to Seleucus, he selected Heliodorus his minister*, and instructed him to bring him this money. Heliodorus immediately set out under the guise of inspecting the provinces of Tyre and Coele-Syria but his real motive was to fulfil the king’s directive. On his arrival in Jerusalem, the High Priest came out to greet him and ask after his welfare; Heliodorus told him what the king had been told of those treasures and asked if this was true or not?

The High Priest replied this money was only deposited there for safekeeping and destined for the relief of widows and orphans, other deposits belong to Hyrcanus son of Tobiah*, a man of integrity and sincerity. Everything that wicked Simon has told you are exaggerations or outright lies! There are no more than 400 silver talents and 200 gold talents kept here. And who would dare desecrate the inviolable sanctity of God’s Temple honoured throughout the world or lay their hands on funds entrusted to its sacrosanct care? However Heliodorus declared he was unable to disobey the king’s instructions who had directed him to bring him these treasures without fail.

II:3:14-21

On the day appointed for Heliodorus to enter the Sanctuary, check and remove these deposits, the city was in turmoil. The Kohanim in their priestly vestments*, prostrated themselves before the Altar and prayed to God who had forbidden them from despoiling the sanctuary and commanded them to safeguard their sacred trust. The spirit of those closest to the High Priest sank when they saw his ashen face, agonised demeanour and broken heart; all his limbs were trembling while his countenance revealed how troubled his soul was.

Crowds left their homes and flocked together in gathered prayers, crying to God in their sorrow on witnessing His Temple brought to contempt and looting. Women clad in sackcloth roamed the streets, while young girls usually concealed*, were seen either at the entrances, on the walls, or peeping from windows. All spread their hands toward heaven in desperate supplication. Everyone’s heart melted at the sight of the people’s fear and the dread of the High Priest as he begged Heaven for salvation.

II:3:22-30

As the Jews prayed to the Almighty to safeguard those private funds entrusted to the Temple’s care, Heliodorus and his guards stood at the Treasury entrance to carry out the evil scheme. But he and his entourage’s hearts pounded with overwhelming fear when God, the Lord of spirits, displayed a terrifying vision*: they saw a fearful rider wearing golden armour mounted on an exquisitely adorned horse which raced straight at Heliodorus and kicked him with its two front feet while two handsome and beautifully dressed youths who flanked this apparition on either side began continually beating and wounding him. Heliodorus lost his sight, fell to the ground and collapsed in a deep faint; they picked him up, placed him on a sedan-chair and hurried him outside.

All saw how he who had arrogantly strode into the Treasury at the head of his guards and entourage was unceremoniously carried out as a weak nonentity with all his strength and pride dissipated like smoke. For God’s Hand had struck him so that he lay totally speechless without assistance or any hope of life. All the people praised God who had honoured his Mikdash by an open miracle so the holy House filled with the sounds of joy and gladness, replacing the previous mourning and wailing.

II:3:31-35

Meanwhile Heliodorus’ friends approached Chonyo and asked if he would pray to God to grant him life since he appeared about to succumb. The High Priest accepted their request, as he feared the king might otherwise accuse them of physically attacking Heliodorus, and he offered up a minchah sacrifice* on his behalf. As he prayed, those two ethereal youths in their original apparel reappeared at Heliodorus’ bedside and declared:

Proffer your gratitude and honour to the High Priest as you are spared for life solely in his merit! Arise now and proclaim God’s honour to the nations since His Hand has struck to punish you. No sooner had these words ceased when they suddenly vanished. Then Heliodorus too offered a sacrifice to God and made great vows for saving his life; he blessed Chonyo and returned with his entourage to the king.

II:3:36-40

He testified to everyone the miracles of the great God, which he had personally witnessed with his own eyes. When the king asked Heliodorus, whom he might now send instead to confiscate the Temple treasures, he replied: If you have any enemy or someone seeking your throne – send him there and you will get him back badly beaten and sick, if indeed he ever escapes with his life! Their God who dwells in Heaven is terribly attached to that place so his eyes remain upon it to guard and defend it. Whoever comes to harm it is surely condemned to death. This ended the affair of Heliodorus with the Temple treasury.

ch 1 a.jpg

Heliodorus’ Expulsion from the Temple

(1500s pen & paper drawing Brazil’s National Library, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

ch 1 b.jpg

Heliodrus’ Stele (Israel Museum, Jerusalem, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

FOOTNOTES

Para Maccabees I:1:1-13

The narrative includes some sections from Maccabees II. Though less reliable than Maccabees I, it adds the historical background to the religious persecutions as well as detailing the Greek excesses. Here the narrative begins with the opening paragraphs of Maccabees I.

Macedonian: Alexander Mokdon in the Talmud and commonly known now as Alexander the Great; from the then backward northern Greek province of Macedonia but tutored by Aristotle. Succeeded to the throne at 20 on his father’s assassination and spent the next 10 years carving out an expansive empire across Asia and northeast Africa, stretching from Greece to Egypt and across Iraq and Iran into present-day Pakistan. He spread Greek culture or Hellenism throughout the Middle East which became the background for the Maccabee struggle during