li, THE NAME MACCABEE.—As already indicated, Maccabeus (Gr. Μακκαβαῖος, ? Heb. *27>) is properly the distinctive surname of Judas, third son of Mattathias, and after him leader of the heroic struggle against the Seleucid (1 Mac 2® 31 etc.). For long it was held that Maccabee was formed from the initials of the opening words of Ex 15": mi khamokhah baélim Jahweh (‘who is like thee among the gods, Jahweh?’), which were further con- jectured to have been inscribed by the party upon their banners. But (1) the custom of forming new words in this fashion, although common among the Jews ata later date, does not appear to have as yet come into vogue; (2) the Gr. form as written with xx cannot upon this theory be accounted for ; (3) this interpretation of the name is too vague to fit in with the facts of the history, for in the first instance it was not the watchword of the party, but the individual surname of Judas (ὁ Μακκα- Batos). In a treatise upon The Name Machabee (Leipzig, 1876), S. J. Curtiss contends that the word is derived from kaba@h and means ‘the ex- tinguisher’ (of his enemies), after Is 4317; but this derivation also rests on precarious grounds. The original Heb. form having been lost, it is impossible to say with certainty whether it was written with & (3) or with & (>), and in fact the Rabbinical texts use both letters indifferently. Curtiss argues that Jerome’s spelling of the word (Machabaeus) points to his acquaintance with a Heb. form ‘120, whereas he probably adopted the Latin ortho- graphy current in his time. But as the Old Latin version is derived from the Gr. text of 1 Mac, we are thrown back upon the Gr. form of the name as the nearest indication of the original, and this leaves the matter uncertain, as Μακκαβαῖος might come either from a word with & or from one with /. There remains what must be regarded as the most probable derivation, viz., that from makkabah (7372) = ‘hammer.’ If, as Ewald supposes, the surnames of the sons of Mattathias were intended merely as distinctive titles, that of ‘hammerer’ appeara to be natural enough ; while, on the theo that they were symbolical, the idea conveyed wi be that of ‘vigorous, sharp-beating warrior,’ or ‘chivalrous hero.’ The case of Charles Martel is not strictly analogous, as he derived the title directly from his battle-axe. A better parallel is afforled by the designation of Edward I. as ‘Scotorum malleus.’ Curtiss may be right in his assertion that in the OT (Jg 47, 1 K 67, Is 44%,
Jer 102) makkabah denotes an ordinary hammer, and not the heavy sledge-hammer whith woul more adequately symbolize the impetuosity of Judas; but this circumstance can scarcely be con- sidered decisive. See, further, Kautzsch (Apoer. u. Pseudepigr. d. AT, 24, where the interpretation ‘hammerer’ is adopted).
The name Maccabee was gradually widened in scope so as to embrace not only the brothers of Judas and all who were his blood relations, but also all his followers and coadjutors in the desperate struggle against the tyranny of the Syrian en It became in a special manner connected with the seven martyred brethren whose story is (rhetori- cally) told in 2 Mac 68-7, and whose moral bravery is reckoned worthy to stand alongside of that shown by those who fell in battle for the same sacred cause. Ultimately the name came to have a purely ideal significance, as, ¢.g., in the titles of the so-called Third and Fourth Books of Maccabees. At present, however, it is used to designate only the sons and descendants of Matta- thias. Although even in this limited sense the term Maccabees has established itself in general usage, the proper name of the family is that of Hasmonzans (or Asmonzeans), derived from Hash- mon (i.e. ‘fat,’ ‘rich’ = magnate; cf. Ps 68%! 8), Gr. ᾿Ασαμωναῖος (Jos. Ant. XI. vi. 1), the great-
andfather of Mattathias. Jewish writers accord- ingly use this name in preference to that of Macca- bees, and among the Jews 1 and 2 Mac are known as ‘Books of the Hasmonzans’ (o'xnDwnn 5D; see Winer, Realwérterb. under ‘ Makkabier’).
iii. THE JEWISH WAR OF INDEPENDENCE LED BY THE MACCABEES.
(i.) Campaigns of Judas Maccabzeus (166-161).— The prescience of Mattathias in nominating Judas as his successor was fully justified by events. Judas soon proved himself a born general. He united in his own person the faith of Abraham, the zeal of Elijah, the stature of Saul, and the courage of David. He was at once the terror of his enemies and the pride of his nation. ‘He angered many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever’ (1 Mac 3’), In the very first year of his leadershi he rose to fame by defeating the Syrian generals Apollonius and Seron: ‘Every nation told of the battles of Judas’ (1 Mac 3%). Enraged at the defeat of his forces, Antiochus sent his kinsman Lysias with half of his whole army to root out the Jewish nation and divide their land among strangers, while he himself with the rest of the troops crossed the Euphrates to exact tribute and collect money. Lysias at once sent against Judea a large army under three trusted generals, Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias. The Syrians made so sure of victory that they had arranged for the attend- ance of slave-dealers to buy up Israelitish prisoners, but Judas and his brethren met them fearlessly. Gathering at Mizpeh, they observed a day of fasting and prayer, and further prepared for battle Ὁ; organizing their troops into a regular army. Wit a detachment of 6000 men Gorgias planned a night attack on the Jewish camp; but Judas cleverly removed his forces, smote the main army under Nicanor, set fire to the Syrian camp, and waited for the disappointed Gorgias, whose troops fled on sighting the smoke of the burning tents. Thus ‘Tsrael had a great deliverance that day’ (1 Mac 45), The next year (165-164) Lysias himself led a still larger army against Judea, but was heavily defeated by Judas at Bethzur, between Hebron and Jerusalem. He then retired to Antioch with the view of enlisting the services of mercenary troops to suppress the rebellion in Judea. Mean- while Judas took occasion to restore the temple worship. The shrubs that were growing wild in