1 maccabees 13:6 - Howbeit I will take vengeance for my nation, and for the sanctuary, and for our wives and children; because all the Gentiles are gathered to destroy us of very hatred.

Generated Verse: 1 maccabees 13:6

What does "1 maccabees 13:6" mean?


This verse from 1 Maccabees 13:6 reflects the sentiments of Simon Maccabeus, a leader of the Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire. Let's break down the meaning:

"Howbeit I will take vengeance for my nation..." This expresses Simon's resolve to avenge the suffering and injustices inflicted upon the Jewish people (his nation) by their oppressors.
"...and for the sanctuary..." "Sanctuary" refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religious life. The Seleucids had desecrated the Temple, and Simon vows to avenge this sacrilege.
"...and for our wives and children..." This highlights the broader scope of the Seleucid persecution, which threatened the lives and well-being of Jewish families. Simon is vowing to protect them.
"...because all the Gentiles are gathered to destroy us of very hatred." This reveals the perceived motive behind the Seleucid aggression: deep-seated hatred for the Jewish people and a desire for their annihilation. The phrase "all the Gentiles" is a generalization, referring to the Seleucid army and their supporters, who were primarily of Greek origin but also included people from other ethnicities within the empire.

In essence, this verse encapsulates the Maccabean revolt's core motivations: a desire for national liberation, religious purification, and the protection of Jewish families from what they perceived as a genocidal threat fueled by ethnic hatred.