1 maccabees 6:53 - But there were no food in the sanctuary, because it was the seventh year, and those who fled for safety into Judea from among the Gentiles had eaten up the residue of the store;
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What does "1 maccabees 6:53" mean?
Let's break down this verse from 1 Maccabees 6:53:
"But there were no food in the sanctuary..."
This refers to the Temple in Jerusalem. The sanctuary was supposed to have a store of food. This absence of food is significant.
"...because it was the seventh year..."
This refers to the Sabbatical Year (Shmita in Hebrew). According to Jewish law (Leviticus 25), every seventh year the land was to lie fallow. No sowing or harvesting was allowed. This would naturally lead to food shortages. This is a critical piece of context.
"...and those who fled for safety into Judea from among the Gentiles had eaten up the residue of the store;"
"Those who fled for safety into Judea from among the Gentiles": This refers to Jews or people sympathetic to Jews who were being persecuted or threatened by the Seleucid Greek rulers and their supporters in surrounding territories. They sought refuge in Judea, which was under the control (at this time) of the Maccabees.
"Had eaten up the residue of the store": Because it was the Sabbatical year and because Judea was becoming a refuge for those being persecuted, the stores of food that were there (likely meant to last through the Sabbatical year or for other sacred purposes) had already been consumed by those who had fled to Judea for safety. The influx of refugees strained the already limited food supply.
In Summary:
The verse describes a dire situation in Jerusalem:
1. Food Shortage: There was no food in the Temple sanctuary.
2. Sabbatical Year: The Sabbatical Year was taking place, which meant agricultural production was limited.
3. Refugee Crisis: The influx of refugees fleeing persecution had depleted the remaining food supplies.
Significance in the Context of 1 Maccabees:
1 Maccabees tells the story of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire, which was attempting to Hellenize Judea and suppress Jewish religious practices. This verse highlights a difficult situation faced by the Maccabees and their supporters during this conflict. They were not only fighting a military struggle but also dealing with the hardship of food shortages due to both the Sabbatical year and the refugee crisis. The verse is used to help explain the difficulty in sieging the citadel in Jerusalem later in the chapter.
1 maccabees 6:53 - But there were no food in the sanctuary, because it was the seventh year, and those who fled for safety into Judea from among the Gentiles had eaten up the residue of the store;
What does "1 maccabees 6:53" mean?
Let's break down this verse from 1 Maccabees 6:53:
"But there were no food in the sanctuary..."
This refers to the Temple in Jerusalem. The sanctuary was supposed to have a store of food. This absence of food is significant.
"...because it was the seventh year..."
This refers to the Sabbatical Year (Shmita in Hebrew). According to Jewish law (Leviticus 25), every seventh year the land was to lie fallow. No sowing or harvesting was allowed. This would naturally lead to food shortages. This is a critical piece of context.
"...and those who fled for safety into Judea from among the Gentiles had eaten up the residue of the store;"
"Those who fled for safety into Judea from among the Gentiles": This refers to Jews or people sympathetic to Jews who were being persecuted or threatened by the Seleucid Greek rulers and their supporters in surrounding territories. They sought refuge in Judea, which was under the control (at this time) of the Maccabees.
"Had eaten up the residue of the store": Because it was the Sabbatical year and because Judea was becoming a refuge for those being persecuted, the stores of food that were there (likely meant to last through the Sabbatical year or for other sacred purposes) had already been consumed by those who had fled to Judea for safety. The influx of refugees strained the already limited food supply.
In Summary:
The verse describes a dire situation in Jerusalem:
1. Food Shortage: There was no food in the Temple sanctuary.
2. Sabbatical Year: The Sabbatical Year was taking place, which meant agricultural production was limited.
3. Refugee Crisis: The influx of refugees fleeing persecution had depleted the remaining food supplies.
Significance in the Context of 1 Maccabees:
1 Maccabees tells the story of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire, which was attempting to Hellenize Judea and suppress Jewish religious practices. This verse highlights a difficult situation faced by the Maccabees and their supporters during this conflict. They were not only fighting a military struggle but also dealing with the hardship of food shortages due to both the Sabbatical year and the refugee crisis. The verse is used to help explain the difficulty in sieging the citadel in Jerusalem later in the chapter.