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maccabees

maccabees

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Maccabees  \Mac"ca*bees\,  n.  pl 
  1.  The  name  given  later  times  to  the  Asmon[ae]ans,  a  family 
  of  Jewish  patriots,  who  headed  a  religious  revolt  in  the 
  reign  of  Antiochus  IV.,  168-161  B.  C.,  which  led  to  a 
  period  of  freedom  for  Israel.  --Schaff-Herzog. 
 
  2.  The  name  of  two  ancient  historical  books,  which  give 
  accounts  of  Jewish  affairs  in  or  about  the  time  of  the 
  Maccabean  princes,  and  which  are  received  as  canonical 
  books  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  but  are  included  in 
  the  Apocrypha  by  Protestants.  Also  applied  to  three  books, 
  two  of  which  are  found  in  some  MSS.  of  the  Septuagint. 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Maccabees 
  This  word  does  not  occur  in  Scripture.  It  was  the  name  given  to 
  the  leaders  of  the  national  party  among  the  Jews  who  suffered  in 
  the  persecution  under  Antiochus  Epiphanes  who  succeeded  to  the 
  Syrian  throne  B.C.  175.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  derived  from 
  the  Hebrew  word  makkabah  meaning  "hammer,"  as  suggestive  of 
  the  heroism  and  power  of  this  Jewish  family,  who  are  however, 
  more  properly  called  Asmoneans  or  Hasmonaeans  the  origin  of 
  which  is  much  disputed. 
 
  After  the  expulsion  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes  from  Egypt  by  the 
  Romans,  he  gave  vent  to  his  indignation  on  the  Jews,  great 
  numbers  of  whom  he  mercilessly  put  to  death  in  Jerusalem.  He 
  oppressed  them  in  every  way  and  tried  to  abolish  altogether  the 
  Jewish  worship.  Mattathias,  an  aged  priest,  then  residing  at 
  Modin,  a  city  to  the  west  of  Jerusalem,  became  now  the 
  courageous  leader  of  the  national  party;  and  having  fled  to  the 
  mountains,  rallied  round  him  a  large  band  of  men  prepared  to 
  fight  and  die  for  their  country  and  for  their  religion,  which 
  was  now  violently  suppressed.  In  1  Macc.  2:60  is  recorded  his 
  dying  counsels  to  his  sons  with  reference  to  the  war  they  were 
  now  to  carry  on  His  son  Judas,  "the  Maccabee,"  succeeded  him 
  (B.C.  166)  as  the  leader  in  directing  the  war  of  independence, 
  which  was  carried  on  with  great  heroism  on  the  part  of  the  Jews, 
  and  was  terminated  in  the  defeat  of  the  Syrians.