He then purified[1] the Temple, celebrated his victory by a grand festival, and dedicated the altar anew, with the sound of harps, and lutes, and cymbals, and hymns of joy, in the sight of the wondering multitude.
Antiochus, hearing of the splendid victories of Judas Machabeus, was roused to fury, and, hastening to assume the command of his army, set out[2] at once for Jerusalem. But driving at full speed in his war-chariot, he was thrown[3] to the ground and grievously wounded. Soon worms came forth from the body of that impious king; the flesh rotted on his bones, and he became an object of horror and disgust, so that no one could approach him. He who so lately thought that the very stars of heaven should obey Him, was deserted even by his slaves.
Then, seeing the folly and wickedness of his pride, he began to humble himself[4] before the Lord, promising[5] to repair all the evil he had done and to proclaim throughout the whole earth that there was no god but the great God whom the Jews adored. But inasmuch as his repentance proceeded only from the fear of death and the dread of temporal punishment, it was of no avail before God. His sufferings continued unabated, and at last the wicked king, the blasphemer of God, the oppressor of His people,
- ↑ Purified. It had been polluted, made desolate, and desecrated by the erecting in it of altars to the false gods (chapter LXXXIII). The purification consisted in the removing of everything unholy and pagan which had served for the worship of false gods.
- ↑ Set out. It was after he had suffered a defeat in Persia, that he learnt that the Jews had gathered together to fight for the exercise of their religion. He determined to vent the anger he felt at his defeat in Persia on the little Jewish state. He intended to attack Jerusalem and ‘make it a common burying-place of the Jews’, i. e. destroy the city and bury its inhabitants under its ruins.
- ↑ Thrown. So that he had to be carried in a litter, and could advance but slowly.
- ↑ To humble himself. Holy Scripture says (2 Mach. 9, 12): “When he could not abide his own stench, he spoke thus: ‘It is just to be subject to God, and that a mortal man should not equal himself to God.’ " His pride had been so great that he would acknowledge no God, and, out of hatred for Him, inhumanly oppressed His people.
- ↑ Promising. He promised to guarantee freedom of worship to the Jews; even to become a Jew himself, and wander through the world proclaiming God's power (2 Mach. 9, 17). He promised a great deal, as is the way with those whose word is not to be depended on; but God, who sees the heart, would not hearken to him, because his promises were not sincere, and because God foreknew that he would not keep them.
