This verse, 3 Maccabees 6:34, describes the utter defeat and humiliation of those who had persecuted the Jewish people. Let's break it down:
"Those who had marked them out as for death and for carrion...": This refers to the Ptolemaic officials (likely under Ptolemy IV Philopator) who had planned the mass execution of the Jews in Alexandria. They viewed the Jews with contempt, treating them as if they were already dead, fit only to be left for scavengers ("carrion"). "Marked them out" suggests they had a specific list or plan for identifying and killing them.
"...and had registered them with joy...": The act of registering the Jews shows the meticulous, bureaucratic nature of the persecution. The phrase "with joy" highlights the officials' malicious pleasure in planning the Jews' demise. It underscores their hatred and cruelty.
"...howled aloud, and were clothed with shame...": This describes the dramatic reversal of fortune. The intended perpetrators, who anticipated enjoying the spectacle of the Jews' suffering, are now the ones in despair. "Howled aloud" indicates intense grief, fear, and frustration. "Clothed with shame" means they are completely disgraced and humiliated.
"...and had the fire of their rage ingloriously put out.": Their initial fury and desire for vengeance have been extinguished. "Ingloriously" is key; their power and anger are not being suppressed by a heroic or noble force, but by divine intervention, which makes their defeat all the more humiliating. Their rage has been extinguished without achieving its intended goal.
In essence, the verse portrays a complete reversal of power and fortune. The persecutors, who were gleefully planning the annihilation of the Jewish community, are suddenly overwhelmed by shame, fear, and despair. Their plans are thwarted, and their cruelty is met with divine intervention (implied in the broader context of 3 Maccabees), rendering their rage impotent. It emphasizes the futility of opposing God's chosen people and the ultimate triumph of justice.
This verse, 3 Maccabees 6:34, describes the utter defeat and humiliation of those who had persecuted the Jewish people. Let's break it down:
"Those who had marked them out as for death and for carrion...": This refers to the Ptolemaic officials (likely under Ptolemy IV Philopator) who had planned the mass execution of the Jews in Alexandria. They viewed the Jews with contempt, treating them as if they were already dead, fit only to be left for scavengers ("carrion"). "Marked them out" suggests they had a specific list or plan for identifying and killing them.
"...and had registered them with joy...": The act of registering the Jews shows the meticulous, bureaucratic nature of the persecution. The phrase "with joy" highlights the officials' malicious pleasure in planning the Jews' demise. It underscores their hatred and cruelty.
"...howled aloud, and were clothed with shame...": This describes the dramatic reversal of fortune. The intended perpetrators, who anticipated enjoying the spectacle of the Jews' suffering, are now the ones in despair. "Howled aloud" indicates intense grief, fear, and frustration. "Clothed with shame" means they are completely disgraced and humiliated.
"...and had the fire of their rage ingloriously put out.": Their initial fury and desire for vengeance have been extinguished. "Ingloriously" is key; their power and anger are not being suppressed by a heroic or noble force, but by divine intervention, which makes their defeat all the more humiliating. Their rage has been extinguished without achieving its intended goal.
In essence, the verse portrays a complete reversal of power and fortune. The persecutors, who were gleefully planning the annihilation of the Jewish community, are suddenly overwhelmed by shame, fear, and despair. Their plans are thwarted, and their cruelty is met with divine intervention (implied in the broader context of 3 Maccabees), rendering their rage impotent. It emphasizes the futility of opposing God's chosen people and the ultimate triumph of justice.
