This verse from 1 Maccabees 4:52 is a precise dating of a significant event: the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it had been desecrated by the Seleucid King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Let's break it down:
"And they rose up early in the morning...": This sets the scene of an important and anticipated event happening with deliberate haste.
"...on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is the month Chislev...": This gives the specific date: the 25th day of the month of Chislev in the Jewish calendar. Chislev generally corresponds to November/December in the Gregorian calendar.
"...in the hundred and forty and eighth year...": This is where it gets tricky, as it's counting from a specific starting point. The "year" is the Seleucid era, which began in 312 BCE. Thus, the "148th year" refers to 312 BCE - 148 = 164 BCE.
Therefore, the verse is saying that on the 25th of Chislev in the year 164 BCE, the Jewish people rose early in the morning to rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem.
Significance:
This verse is crucial because it pinpoints the date of the event that is now celebrated as Hanukkah. The rededication of the Temple marked the victory of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire and the restoration of Jewish religious freedom.
This verse from 1 Maccabees 4:52 is a precise dating of a significant event: the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it had been desecrated by the Seleucid King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Let's break it down:
"And they rose up early in the morning...": This sets the scene of an important and anticipated event happening with deliberate haste.
"...on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is the month Chislev...": This gives the specific date: the 25th day of the month of Chislev in the Jewish calendar. Chislev generally corresponds to November/December in the Gregorian calendar.
"...in the hundred and forty and eighth year...": This is where it gets tricky, as it's counting from a specific starting point. The "year" is the Seleucid era, which began in 312 BCE. Thus, the "148th year" refers to 312 BCE - 148 = 164 BCE.
Therefore, the verse is saying that on the 25th of Chislev in the year 164 BCE, the Jewish people rose early in the morning to rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem.
Significance:
This verse is crucial because it pinpoints the date of the event that is now celebrated as Hanukkah. The rededication of the Temple marked the victory of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire and the restoration of Jewish religious freedom.
