What conditions and dates belong to the four diplomatic letters?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The defeat is followed by Machabeus’s consent for the common good and four letters preserving royal concessions, loyalty conditions, limited safe conduct and Roman requests.

Chapter breakdown

Soon afterward Lysias, the king’s lieutenant and cousin with chief charge of affairs, displeased at events, gathers eighty thousand men and the horsemen against the Jews. He intends to take the city for Gentile habitation, profit from the temple like Gentile temples and sell the high priesthood yearly. The narrator describes pride and reliance on infantry, thousands of horsemen and eighty elephants rather than considering God’s power. In Judea he besieges Bethsura, described here as in a narrow place five furlongs from Jerusalem. That source distance is retained without substituting another geography.

Hearing that strongholds are besieged, Machabeus’s company and all the people ask with tears for a good angel to save Israel. Machabeus takes arms first and exhorts the others to share danger and help their brethren. Going willingly, they see at Jerusalem a horseman ahead in white clothing and gold armor, shaking a spear. They bless the merciful Lord and grow ready to break through men, fierce beasts and iron walls. The narrator calls their assistance heavenly. Rushing like lions, they kill eleven thousand footmen and sixteen hundred horsemen and rout the rest. Many wounded men escape naked; Lysias flees shamefully, with no transport specified.

Lysias considers his losses and perceives that the Hebrews cannot be overcome because they rely on Almighty God’s help. He promises agreement to all just things and to persuade the king toward friendship. Machabeus consents for the common good; the king approves what he writes concerning the Jews. Four letters follow, with their distinct audiences and conditions.

Lysias greets the Jewish people and acknowledges John and Abesalom’s delivery of their writings and request. He has represented matters to the king, who grants as much as circumstances permit. If they remain loyal, he will continue seeking their good; further particulars are entrusted verbally to both sets of envoys. His farewell is dated year one hundred forty-eight, Dioscorus twenty-four. The note says this is Greek computation, different from the Hebrew computation used in First Machabees. From the date and circumstances it identifies this expedition as distinct from First Machabees six. It supplies no autumn or spring epoch here.

King Antiochus greets Lysias as brother, says their father has been translated among the gods, and desires quiet and diligent private affairs throughout the realm. Having heard that Jews resisted his father’s Greek rites to keep their laws, he decrees the temple restored and ancestral customs allowed. He tells Lysias to grant peace and communicate this intention so they may take comfort and attend their affairs. The king’s pagan statement about his father is attributed to the letter.

The king separately greets the Jewish senate and people, wishing wellness and saying he is well. Menelaus reported their desire to come to their countrymen with the king. All coming and going receive safe conduct until Xanthicus thirty; Jews may use their own foods and laws, without molestation for things done in ignorance. Menelaus is sent to speak with them. This letter is dated year one hundred forty-eight, Xanthicus fifteen. Its limited ignorance provision is not an unrestricted amnesty.

Roman ambassadors Quintus Memmius and Titus Manilius greet the Jewish people. They confirm Lysias’s grants. Matters requiring royal referral should first be diligently discussed among the Jews, then someone sent promptly so the ambassadors may decree conveniently for them as they travel to Antioch. A quick written reply is requested to reveal their mind. The farewell shares year one hundred forty-eight, Xanthicus fifteen. It is not silently converted to a promise of advocacy at a named royal court.

The story inside

The siege prompts prayer and relief, with an apparition before battle. Lysias’s losses lead to an offer of just terms, accepted by Machabeus. The subsequent documents separately address envoys’ requests, restored temple and customs, time-limited travel and ignorance protection, and urgent consultation with Roman ambassadors.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Lysias is called cousin; the king’s letter addresses him as brother without a new guardian identification.
2
The edition distinguishes this expedition from First Machabees six and does not supply calendar epoch dates.
3
Safe conduct ends Xanthicus thirty, while the letter is dated Xanthicus fifteen; protection concerns acts done in ignorance.

Test your recall

What are the date and deadline of the king’s direct letter to the Jews?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 109482–109538
11:1. A short time after this Lysias, the king’s lieutenant, and cousin, and who had chief charge over all the affairs, being greatly displeased with what had happened, 11:2. Gathered together fourscore thousand men, and all the horsemen, and came against the Jews, thinking to take the city, and make it a habitation of the Gentiles: 11:3. And to make a gain of the temple, as of the other temples of the Gentiles and to set the high priesthood to sale every year: 11:4. Never considering the power of God, but puffed up in mind, and trusting in the multitude of his foot soldiers, and the thousands of his horsemen, and his fourscore elephants. 11:5. So he came into Judea, and approaching to Bethsura, which was in a narrow place, the space of five furlongs from Jerusalem, he laid siege to that fortress. 11:6. But when Machabeus, and they that were with him, understood that the strong holds were besieged, they and all the people besought the Lord with lamentations and tears, that he would send a good angel to save Israel. 11:7. Then Machabeus himself first taking his arms, exhorted the rest to expose themselves together with him, to the danger, and to succour their brethren. 11:8. And when they were going forth together with a willing mind, there appeared at Jerusalem a horseman going before them in white clothing, with golden armour, shaking a spear. 11:9. Then they all together blessed the merciful Lord, and took great courage: being ready to break through not only men, but also the fiercest beasts, and walls of iron. 11:10. So they went on courageously, having a helper from heaven, and the Lord, who shewed mercy to them. 11:11. And rushing violently upon the enemy, like lions, they slew of them eleven thousand footmen, and one thousand six hundred horsemen: 11:12. And put all the rest to flight; and many of them being wounded, escaped naked: Yea, and Lysias himself fled away shamefully, and escaped. 11:13. And as he was a man of understanding, considering with himself the loss he had suffered, and perceiving that the Hebrews could not be overcome, because they relied upon the help of the Almighty God, he sent to them: 11:14. And promised that he would agree to all things that are just, and that he would persuade the king to be their friend. 11:15. Then Machabeus consented to the request of Lysias, providing for the common good in all things; and whatsoever Machabeus wrote to Lysias, concerning the Jews, the king allowed of.
Lines 109540–109626
11:16. For there were letters written to the Jews from Lysias, to this effect: Lysias, to the people of the Jews, greeting. 11:17. John, and Abesalom, who were sent from you, delivering your writings, requested that I would accomplish those things which were signified by them. 11:18. Therefore whatsoever things could be reported to the king, I have represented to him: and he hath granted as much as the matter permitted. 11:19. If, therefore, you will keep yourselves loyal in affairs, hereafter also I will endeavour to be a means of your good. 11:20. But as concerning other particulars, I have given orders by word both to these, and to them that are sent by me, to commune with you. 11:21. Fare ye well. In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the four and twentieth day of the month of Dioscorus. In the year 148.... Viz., according to the computation followed by the Greeks; which was different from that of the Hebrews, followed by the writer of the first book of Machabees. However, by this date, as well as by other circumstances, it appears that the expedition of Lysias, mentioned in this chapter, is different from that which is recorded, 1 Mac. 6. 11:22. But the king’s letter contained these words King Antiochus to Lysias, his brother, greeting. 11:23. Our father being translated amongst the gods we are desirous that they that are in our realm should live quietly, and apply themselves diligently to their own concerns. 11:24. And we have heard that the Jews would not consent to my father to turn to the rites of the Greeks but that they would keep to their own manner of living and therefore that they request us to allow them to live after their own laws. 11:25. Wherefore being desirous that this nation also should be at rest, we have ordained and decreed, that the temple should be restored to them, and that they may live according to the custom of their ancestors. 11:26. Thou shalt do well, therefore, to send to them, and grant them peace, that our pleasure being known, they may be of good comfort, and look to their own affairs. 11:27. But the king’s letter to the Jews was in this manner: King Antiochus to the senate of the Jews, and to the rest of the Jews, greeting. 11:28. If you are well, you are as we desire: we ourselves also are well. 11:29. Menelaus came to us, saying that you desired to come down to your countrymen, that are with us. 11:30. We grant, therefore, a safe conduct to all that come and go, until the thirtieth day of the month of Xanthicus, 11:31. That the Jews may use their own kind of meats, and their own laws, as before: and that none of them any manner of ways be molested for things which have been done by ignorance. 11:32. And we have sent also Menelaus to speak to you. 11:33. Fare ye well. In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth day of the month of Xanthicus. 11:34. The Romans also sent them a letter, to this effect: Quintus Memmius, and Titus Manilius, ambassadors of the Romans, to the people of the Jews, greeting. 11:35. Whatsoever Lysias, the king’s cousin, hath granted to you, we also have granted. 11:36. But touching such things as he thought should be referred to the king, after you have diligently conferred among yourselves, send some one forthwith, that we may decree as it is convenient for you: for we are going to Antioch. 11:37. And therefore make haste to write back, that we may know of what mind you are. 11:38. Fare ye well. In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth day of the month of Xanthicus.