This verse, 1 Maccabees 12:10, is part of a letter sent by the Jewish leader Jonathan Maccabeus to the Spartans. It essentially means:
"We have tried (or 'taken pains') to send messengers to you so that we can re-establish our relationship of brotherhood and friendship. We want to do this so that we don't completely lose touch with you, because it has been a long time since you sent a message to us."
Here's a breakdown of the key phrases:
"have assayed to send": This means "we have tried" or "we have made an effort" to send messengers. It emphasizes the deliberate action taken by Jonathan to re-establish contact.
"that we might renew our brotherhood and friendship with you": This clearly states the purpose of sending the messengers: to revitalize the existing bond of brotherhood and friendship between the Jews and the Spartans. This bond, according to the narrative, had existed historically.
"to the end that we should not become estranged from you altogether": This expresses the fear of losing the relationship entirely. "Estranged" means alienated or distanced. Jonathan doesn't want the two groups to drift apart completely.
"for long time is passed since you sent to us": This explains the motivation for the renewal. The Spartans hadn't contacted the Jews in a long time, raising concerns about the strength of the relationship.
In essence, Jonathan is reaching out to the Spartans because he fears that the existing friendly relations are fading due to a lack of communication and wants to rekindle that connection.
The significance of this verse and the entire correspondence between the Maccabees and the Spartans highlights the Maccabees' efforts to forge alliances and seek support in a turbulent political environment. They believed in leveraging historical ties, real or perceived, to strengthen their position.
This verse, 1 Maccabees 12:10, is part of a letter sent by the Jewish leader Jonathan Maccabeus to the Spartans. It essentially means:
"We have tried (or 'taken pains') to send messengers to you so that we can re-establish our relationship of brotherhood and friendship. We want to do this so that we don't completely lose touch with you, because it has been a long time since you sent a message to us."
Here's a breakdown of the key phrases:
"have assayed to send": This means "we have tried" or "we have made an effort" to send messengers. It emphasizes the deliberate action taken by Jonathan to re-establish contact.
"that we might renew our brotherhood and friendship with you": This clearly states the purpose of sending the messengers: to revitalize the existing bond of brotherhood and friendship between the Jews and the Spartans. This bond, according to the narrative, had existed historically.
"to the end that we should not become estranged from you altogether": This expresses the fear of losing the relationship entirely. "Estranged" means alienated or distanced. Jonathan doesn't want the two groups to drift apart completely.
"for long time is passed since you sent to us": This explains the motivation for the renewal. The Spartans hadn't contacted the Jews in a long time, raising concerns about the strength of the relationship.
In essence, Jonathan is reaching out to the Spartans because he fears that the existing friendly relations are fading due to a lack of communication and wants to rekindle that connection.
The significance of this verse and the entire correspondence between the Maccabees and the Spartans highlights the Maccabees' efforts to forge alliances and seek support in a turbulent political environment. They believed in leveraging historical ties, real or perceived, to strengthen their position.
