1 maccabees 2:49 - And the days of Mattathias drew near that he should die, and he said to his sons, Now have pride and rebuke gotten strength, and a season of overthrow, and wrath of indignation.

Generated Verse: 1 maccabees 2:49

What does "1 maccabees 2:49" mean?


This verse from 1 Maccabees 2:49 is a poignant expression of Mattathias's despair and a call to action for his sons. Let's break down the meaning:

"And the days of Mattathias drew near that he should die...": This sets the scene. Mattathias, the leader of the Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire, is on his deathbed. He knows his time is short.

"...and he said to his sons, Now have pride and rebuke gotten strength...": This reflects Mattathias's assessment of the situation. "Pride" here likely refers to the arrogance and self-importance of those who have turned away from Jewish law and embraced Hellenistic customs. "Rebuke" means the power or the effectiveness of reprimanding wrongdoing has grown stronger.

"...and a season of overthrow, and wrath of indignation.": This is a bleak forecast. "Season of overthrow" suggests a time of instability, chaos, and societal collapse due to the abandonment of religious laws and traditions. "Wrath of indignation" conveys a sense of divine anger or judgment brought on by the apostasy. Mattathias feels that the current state of affairs is so severe that it is inviting divine punishment.

In essence, the verse conveys the following:

Mattathias recognizes the severity of the crisis: He sees that Jewish society is deeply corrupted by Hellenistic influence.
He is worried about the consequences: He believes that this apostasy will lead to ruin and divine wrath.
He is urging his sons to fight against this corruption: The speech that follows this verse is a call to his sons to continue the fight for religious freedom and to uphold the traditions of their ancestors.

The overall meaning is that Mattathias, on his deathbed, is passing the torch to his sons. He acknowledges the difficulty of the task ahead but emphasizes the importance of resisting assimilation and preserving Jewish identity in the face of external pressures and internal corruption. It's a somber warning about the consequences of abandoning faith and tradition.

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