2 Maccabees

Nicanor was told that Judas’s men were in nearby villages in Samaria, so he prepared to attack them safely on the Sabbath.

The Jews, who were compelled to go with him, said to him: “Do not destroy them so savagely and barbarously, but show respect for the day of the Sabbath, for He who sees all has honored this day and sanctified it.”

But the wretch asked if a sovereign in heaven had commanded that the Sabbath be kept holy.

They answered: It is the living God Himself, the Sovereign in heaven, who has commanded us to observe the seventh day.

“So I, as sovereign on earth, command you to take up arms and carry out the king’s decrees.” However, he was unable to carry out his evil designs.

Nicanor was so confident of victory that he planned to build a monument with the remains of Judas and his men.

But Maccabeus, for his part, felt confident and trusted in God’s help.

He urged his men not to fear the attack of the pagans and to remember the times God had helped them, confident that even now God would grant them victory.

He inspired their spirit with the words of the law and the prophets, reminding them of past triumphs.

Encouraging his men more and more, he concluded by revealing the evil of the pagans and how they had broken their oath.

So he armed them not with a sword or shield but with confidence that comes from noble words. Then, he made them all happy by sharing what he had seen in a dream.

He had seen Onias, the former high priest, a courteous, good man, humble in his ways, distinguished in his words, and exemplary in his spotless conduct since childhood. With arms outstretched, Onias prayed for the Jewish community.

Then, a gray-haired, honorable man appeared, praying similarly and marked by dignity and majesty.

Then Onias, the high priest, said to Judas: This is he who loves his compatriots, who prays tirelessly for the people and the Holy City. He is Jeremiah, the prophet of God.

Jeremiah extended his right hand, offering a golden sword to Judas, as he said:

“Receive this sword as a gift from God, with which you shall defeat your enemies.”

Encouraged by these beautiful words of Judas, which were able to uplift righteous people and strengthen young souls, they decided not to set up camp with defenses. Instead, they chose to charge forward bravely and take the offensive to resolve the issue through fighting, because the Holy City Jerusalem, their faith, and the temple were in peril.

They considered concerns for their wives, children, and friends as secondary because they primarily feared for the temple dedicated to God.

Regarding those who had stayed in the city, their anxiety was not small since they were worried about the battle that was about to begin in the camp.

Everyone waited for the imminent outcome as the enemy launched its attack. They had positioned their troops, led the elephants to strategic locations, and had the cavalry on the wings.

Then Maccabeus could see this multitude with their weapons of every kind and the ferocious elephants. He stretched forth his hands to heaven and called on the Lord who works marvels, for he knew that God gives victory to those who deserve it, and this does not depend on weapons but on the will of God.

So Judas said in prayer: “You, Master, sent your angel in the days of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and he wiped out one hundred and eighty-five thousand men of the army of Sennacherib.

So now, Sovereign of the heavens, send your good angel before us to fill our enemies with fear and terror.

Show your power and let your arm strike those who insult you and who come to destroy your holy people.” With this, he ended his prayer.

Meanwhile, Nicanor and his men advanced amid blasts of trumpets and shouts of war.

Judas and his men, for their part, entered battle with supplication and prayer.

As they fought with their hands, their hearts prayed to God. And being so magnificently strengthened by the manifest presence of God, they killed no less than thirty-five thousand enemies.

When the battle was over and they returned rejoicing, they found Nicanor dead, lying on the ground with all his armor.

Then they praised God in their ancestral language amid shouts and clamors.

Judas, who had once dedicated himself fully to the welfare of his fellow residents and had never wavered in his love for them, ordered Nicanor’s head and arms up to the shoulders to be cut off and brought to Jerusalem.

There, he summoned his compatriots and priests. He stood before the altar and ordered them to send for those in the Citadel.

He showed them the head of that miserable Nicanor and the hand that wicked man had lifted in pride above the house of God.

He ordered that Nicanor’s tongue be cut into pieces and given to the birds, and his hand be hung in front of the Sanctuary as punishment for his arrogance.

At this, everyone sent blessings heavenwards, saying: “Blessed be he who did not let his sacred house be defiled!”

Finally, Judas ordered that Nicanor’s head be hung in the citadel as a sign of God’s help.

By widespread agreement, they decided that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, called Adar in Aramaic, the vespers of the day of Mordecai would be commemorated as a festival day.

Epilogue

These events occurred during Nicanor’s time. Since then, the city has stayed under Hebrew control, so I will end my account here.

If the narration is well done and thoughtfully crafted, that’s what I wanted; but if it is poorly done and mediocre, it is the best I could do.

The enjoyment of readers depends on how the story is told, just like with someone who drinks. It’s pointless to drink only pure wine or water; a mix of wine and water is both flavorful and enjoyable. Let this, then, be my final word.