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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

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MACCABEUS, Judas

Third son of Mattathias; leader of the Jewish insurrection against Rome in 166 BC. His surname, Maccabeus (perhaps from an Aramaic word meaning “the Hammerer”), was later applied to all of the Hasmonean family.

Judas Maccabeus was one of the great generals in Jewish history. With but a few thousand followers, he faced the superior Syrian armies sent by Lysias under generals Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias with direct orders from Antiochus IV Epiphanes to “wipe out and destroy the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem; . . . to banish the memory of them from the place, settle aliens in all their territory, and distribute their land” (1 Macc 3:35-36, rsv). When confronted with over 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry, the Jewish insurrectionists said, “It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. But as his will in heaven may be, so he will do” (vv 59-60). First Maccabees 4:1-25 records their resounding victory over Gorgias, “Israel had a great deliverance that day” (v 25).

Judas won the peace from Lysias (165 BC), and in 164 BC his army occupied Jerusalem, where the temple was purified from the defilement of the worship of Zeus and the daily Jewish sacrifice was restored. This event is commemorated by the Jewish festival Hanukkah, or the Feast of Dedication (Jn 10:22). Judas continued the fight by opposing enemies in and around Judea, thus consolidating his authority, and extended the reach of his power north to Galilee and east to Gilead. In 163 BC Syria recognized the religious liberty of the Jews. As 1 Maccabees quotes Lysias: “Let us come to terms with these men, . . . and agree to let them live by their laws as they did before; for it was on account of their laws which we abolished that they became angry and did all these things” (1 Macc 6:58-59).

The rebellion against religious oppression that began with Judas’s father, Mattathias, had become a war for political independence. To this end, Judas initiated a pact of friendship with Rome (1 Macc 8:1ff). But the ascension of Demetrius I to the Syrian throne had an effect on Judea. A traitorous Jew named Alcimus, who had designs on the position of high priest, brought accusations against Judas to the new king. Therefore, Demetrius sent Bacchides and Alcimus with an army to punish Judas Maccabeus (7:1ff). They tried to overcome him by deceit but only succeeded in slaughtering 60 innocent Hasidim.

So Nicanor, “who hated and detested Israel” (1 Macc 7:26), was sent with yet another Syrian army. He also met with defeat at the hands of Judas (161 BC), and “the land of Judah had rest for a few days” (1 Macc 7:50). Finally Bacchides and Alcimus returned and again joined in battle with Judas. The Jews were outnumbered 20 to 1 because of the desertion of the majority of their forces, and Judas was killed in the ensuing battle at Alasa (9:1ff). Israel mourned, “How is the mighty fallen, the savior of Israel!” (v 21), and the Maccabean leadership fell to Jonathan and his brother Simon.