MACCABEES (mak'ka-beez).
1. Name. The etymology of the name is very uncertain. Some have claimed that' it was formed from the combination of the initial letters of the Hebrew sentence, "Who among the gods is like unto thee, Jehovah" (Exod. xv ), which is posed to have been inscribed upon the banner of the patriot's. Another derivation has been given which may be considered as satisfactory : accord ing to this it is formed from the Heb. mak-kaw baw' ,713IM "a hammer," giving a sense not al together unlike that in which Charles Martcl de rived a surname from his favorite weapon. Al though the name Maccabccs has gained the widest currency, that of A smoncrans, or Hasznoizerans, is the proper name of the family. This name probably came from the great-grandfathcr of Mat tathias.
2. Pedigree. The connection of the several members of the family will be seen from the sub joined table: 3. History. As a family, the Maccabees. com menced their career of patriotic and rebgious heroism during the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, about the year B. C.167.
(1) Mattathias. At this time the aged Mat tathias, a descendant of the Asmonwans, and his five sons, inhabited the town of Modin, to which place Antiochus sent certain of his officers with instructions to erect an altar for heathen sacri fices, and to engage the inhabitants in the celebra tion of the most idolatrous and superstitious rites. The venerable Mattathias openly declared his resolution to oppose the orders of the tyrant, and one of the recreant Jews approaching the altar which had been set up, he rushed upon him, and slew him with his own hand. His part thus boldly taken, he called his sons and his friends around him, and immediately fled to the moun tains, inviting all to follow him who had any zeal for God and the law. A small band of reso lute and devoted men was thus formed, and the governor of the district saw reason to fear that a general insurrection would be the consequence of their proceeding. By a sudden attack directed against them on the Sabbath, when he knew the strictness of their principles would not allow them to take measures for their defense, he threw them into disorder, and slew about a thousand of their number, consisting of men, women, and children.
Warned by this event, and yielding to the necessity of their present condition, Mattathias and his sons determined that for the future they would defend themselves on the Sabbath in the same manner as on other days. The mountain hold of the little band was now guarded more cautiously than before. Fresh adherents to the holy cause were continually flocking in ; and in a few months the party found itself sufficiently strong to make attacks upon the towns and vil lages of the neighborhood, throwing down the heathen altars, and punishing the reprobates who had taken part with the enemies of God.
(2) judas Maccabseus. By the death of Mat tathias, the leadership of the party devolved upon his son Judas Maccabxus, whose worth and heroic courage pointed him out as most capable of carrying on the enterprise thus nobly begun. Judas lost no time in attacking the enemy. He made himself master of several towns, which he fortified and garrisoned. Apollonius, general of the army in Samaria, hastened to stop the prog ress of the insurgents. Judas met him on the way, joined battle with him, slew him, and routed his army. The same success attended him in his encounter with Seron, general of the Syrians; and it now became evident to Antiochus that the Jewish nation would soon be delivered from his yoke, unless he proceeded against them with a more formidable force. While, therefore, he him self. went into Persia to recruit his treasures, Lysias, whom he left as regent at home, sent an army into Judma, composed of forty thousand foot and seven thousand cavalry. This powerful array was further increased by auxiliaries from the provinces, and by bands of Jews, who dreaded nothing more than the triumph of those virtuous men of their own nation, who were struggling to save it from reprobation. So unequal did the forces of Judas appear to an encounter with such an army, that in addressing his followers he urged those among them who had any especial reason to love the present world to retire at once; while to those who remained he pointed out the prom ises of God as the best support of their courage and fidelity. By a forced march he reached a por tion of the enemy encamped at Emmaus, while utterly unprepared for his approach. Complete success attended this bold proceeding. The sev eral parts of the hostile army were successively put to flight, a splendid booty was secured, and Judas gained a position which made even the most powerful of his opponents tremble. Another and more numerous army was sent against him the following year, but with no better success. At the head of ten thousand determined follow ers, Judas defeated the army of Lysias, consisting of sixty thousand. A way was thereby opened for his progress to Jerusalem, whither he immediately hastened, with the devout purpose of purifying the Temple and restoring it to its former glory. The solemn religious rites having been performed which were necessary to the cleansing of the sacred edifice, the Festival of the Purification was instituted, and added to the number of the other national festivals of more ancient date.