6
Eleazar Prays
1 2 Macc 6.18; 4 Macc 1.8; 6.5; 7.1; 3 Macc 2.1-20. Eleazar was a Jewish priest who had been highly respected for all his long life, and he was one of the prisoners there in the stadium. He turned to the leaders near him and told them to stop praying, then he prayed the following prayer:
2 God Most High, our All-Powerful King, you rule your creation with mercy. 3 We are your children, so look down on us, the descendants of Abraham and Jacob. Long ago, you chose us to be your own people, yet now we are dying as foreigners in a strange land.
4 Ex 15.1-27. Our ancestors were once slaves here in Egypt, and the king who ruled over them proudly boasted about the strength of his chariots and troops. You showed the greatness of your mercy for the people of Israel and drowned that king and his entire army in the sea.
5 2 K 18.13; 19.35-37. King Sennacherib of Assyria also boasted about his large number of troops, and he was able to take control of every nation in the world. But when he insulted and attacked Jerusalem, your holy city, you shattered that cruel king and showed the world your power.
6 Dn 3.21-23,27; Az/Song 23-27. Our Lord, you rescued the three young men who decided they would die in a flaming furnace rather than worship Babylonian idols. Not a hair on their heads was burned. You cooled the furnace with dew and burned up their enemies instead. 7 Dn 6.7,24. And you rescued Daniel, who was punished for lies that others told against him, and who was thrown into a pit of lions. 8 Jon 2.10. When you saw Jonah suffering in the stomach of a big fish in the ocean, you rescued him just as he was about to die, and you let him go safely back to his family.
9 We are the people of Israel, and these corrupt foreigners are torturing and abusing us. You hate pride and boasting, and you love to show mercy and protect the weak. So let us see your power!
10 Though we have turned against you in our captivity here in Egypt, please rescue us from our enemies. Our Lord, if you choose to destroy us, then do so now in whatever way you want. 11 Ps 22.8; 115.2; Ws 2.12-20. That way fools can't praise their worthless idols when we are killed or claim that you refused to rescue your own people.
12 You are the Eternal God, and you are strong and mighty. Protect us and have mercy on us, because these wicked people are about to put us to death as if we were traitors. 13 Make them tremble with fear at your strength. We honor you, Lord. You are always victorious and have the power to rescue us from death. 14 Hear our prayers and the prayers of our children, 15 Lv 26.44. and show all foreigners that you are on our side and have not rejected us. Keep your promise and be with us here in this enemy land.
God Appears
and Rescues the Jews
and Rescues the Jews
16 Just as Eleazar finished praying, King Philopator arrived at the stadium, along with the elephants and his proud army. 17 The Jews saw this and began praying so loudly that the nearby valleys echoed with their cries, and the noise terrified the soldiers.
18 Ws 17.3,15; 18.14-19; 2 Macc 3.25-29; Dn 10.7; Ac 9.7; 22.6-9; 4 Macc 4.10. Just then, the face of God All-Powerful, the one true God, appeared in the sky! He opened the gates of heaven, and two angels came down. Everyone in the stadium watched in complete horror, yet the Jews never saw a thing. 19 The two angels fought the enemy troops and tied them up with unbreakable chains, leaving them completely shocked and terrified. 20 Philopator himself began to shake with fear, and he was no longer puffed-up with pride. 21 Ps 7.15,16; 9.15,16; 35.8; 57.6. Just then, the elephants turned around and started trampling the troops who were marching behind them.
Philopator Orders the Release
of the Jews
of the Jews
22 Philopator's anger suddenly turned to pity, and he cried at the thought of his evil plan to wipe out these Jews. 23 When he heard them moaning and saw them bowed down ready to face death, he screamed in anger at his own trusted friends:*trusted friends: See the note at 5.3.
24 You have rebelled against me and have acted more cruelly than slavemasters! I have been kind to you, yet now you refuse to obey me and instead are secretly planning things that disgrace my kingdom. 25 3 Macc 3.21. You were wrong and foolish to take these Jews from their homes and bring them to Alexandria! They have faithfully guarded our nation for years 26 and are the only outsiders who have always been kind to us. I cannot believe that you disobeyed my law and planned to abuse these brave people. They have suffered long enough.
27 I order you to release these Jews and free them from this unfair punishment. Send them back to their own homes in peace and beg for their forgiveness as they go. 28 Ws 18.13. These are the children of God All-Powerful, the living God of heaven. He has constantly been a help to our kingdom since the days of our ancestors, and his children must be freed!
29 As soon as Philopator had said these things, the Jews were released, and they praised their God for rescuing them from death.
The Jews Celebrate
30 Philopator went back to Alexandria and sent for the official who kept track of the kingdom's money. Philopator told him to buy enough wine and food so that the Jews could celebrate seven days. The feast was to be held at the stadium, because that was where they had expected to die.
31 The Jews celebrated with shouts of joy. These same people who had been disgraced and close to death now cheered at the very place where they were supposed to die and be buried. 32 1 Ch 16.41, 42; 2 Ch 5.11-13; Ezra 3.11; Ps 136.1-26. They stopped their songs of mourning and sang praises to God, just like those their ancestors had sung, and they thanked him for saving them with his mighty power. They also arranged for musicians to celebrate by singing joyful songs.†by singing joyful songs: Or “by dancing to joyful songs.”
33 Philopator also celebrated at his own feast, and he thanked God for rescuing the Jews. 34 Gn 40.19; Ez 39.4; 2 Macc 9.15. His officials had believed that the Jews would die and be left as food for the birds—now these same officials groaned in disgrace. They had been filled with arrogance and fiery anger as they registered the Jews to die—now they were completely ashamed.
35 Es 9.18. While the Jews thanked God and ate at the feast, they listened to the musicians sing their songs of praise. 36 1 Macc 4.56; 7.48,49; 13.52; 2 Macc 10.6; 15.36. After the Jews had finished celebrating, they decided this rescue should be remembered as a joyful celebration for seven days each year. The festival would not be a time for getting drunk, but a time for them to remember how God had rescued them from death. 37 Then they asked Philopator to let them return to their homes, 38-41 and he agreed.
Philopator's officials had begun registering the Jews on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Pachon‡the twenty-fifth day of the month of Pachon: A month of the Egyptian calendar; the twenty-fifth day was probably around July 7. and ended on the fourth day of Epeiph§the fourth day of Epeiph: A month of the Egyptian calendar; the fourth day was probably around August 15.—a total of 40 days. The Jews were then supposed to have been punished and killed from the fifth day to the seventh day of Epeiph. But the Lord had shown his mercy and rescued every one of them.
So the Jews celebrated seven days, from the eighth day of Epeiph to the fourteenth day, and Philopator himself provided all the wine and food.
6.1 2 Macc 6.18; 4 Macc 1.8; 6.5; 7.1; 3 Macc 2.1-20.
6.4 Ex 15.1-27.
6.5 2 K 18.13; 19.35-37.
6.6 Dn 3.21-23,27; Az/Song 23-27.
6.7 Dn 6.7,24.
6.11 Ps 22.8; 115.2; Ws 2.12-20.
6.15 Lv 26.44.
6.18 Ws 17.3,15; 18.14-19; 2 Macc 3.25-29; Dn 10.7; Ac 9.7; 22.6-9; 4 Macc 4.10.
6.21 Ps 7.15,16; 9.15,16; 35.8; 57.6.
*6.23 trusted friends: See the note at 5.3.
6.25 3 Macc 3.21.
6.28 Ws 18.13.
6.32 1 Ch 16.41, 42; 2 Ch 5.11-13; Ezra 3.11; Ps 136.1-26.
†6.32 by singing joyful songs: Or “by dancing to joyful songs.”
6.34 Gn 40.19; Ez 39.4; 2 Macc 9.15.
6.35 Es 9.18.
6.36 1 Macc 4.56; 7.48,49; 13.52; 2 Macc 10.6; 15.36.
‡6.38-41 the twenty-fifth day of the month of Pachon: A month of the Egyptian calendar; the twenty-fifth day was probably around July 7.
§6.38-41 the fourth day of Epeiph: A month of the Egyptian calendar; the fourth day was probably around August 15.