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2 Maccabees 8:21-23
New Catholic Bible
2 Maccabees 8:21-23
New Catholic Bible
21 With words such as these he roused their courage and made them ready to die for their laws and their country.
Then Judas divided his army into four sections, 22 placing his brothers, Simon, Joseph,[a] and Jonathan, in command of one division each and assigning them fifteen hundred men apiece. 23 Next, he appointed Eleazar[b] to read aloud from the holy book, and he gave them the rallying cry, “The help of God.” Then, taking command of the first division, he joined battle with Nicanor.
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- 2 Maccabees 8:22 Joseph: called John in 1 Mac 2:2; 9:36, 38. The story of Nicanor’s defeat is interrupted here and resumed in verse 34. The author seeks to group together the defeats that the Syrians suffered on various occasions. For the battles against Timothy, see 2 Mac 12:10-25; 1 Mac 5:37-44; for those against Bacchides, see 1 Mac 7:8-20.
- 2 Maccabees 8:23 Eleazar: another brother, who was killed at Beth-zechariah (1 Mac 2:5; 6:43-46). The help of God: a motto prescribed also in the War Scroll of Qumran for one of the banners of a returning army.
