March 1, 2017

Tom Lowe

 

PSALM 79

(Maschil of Asaph.)

 

Title: How Long Lord? 

 

Theme: Israel in captivity asks the Lord to deliver them and punish their captors.

 

 

Psalm 79 (KJV)

 

1{A Psalm of Asaph.} O God, the Heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

2The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

5How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

10Wherefore should the Heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the Heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

 

 

Introduction to Psalm 79

 

This Psalm, like the seventy-fourth, probably depicts the desolations of the Chaldeans (Jer 52:12-24). It comprises the usual complaint, prayer, and promised thanks for relief.

 

 

Commentary

 

1{A Psalm of Asaph.} O God, the Heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

 

“O God, the Heathen are come into thine inheritance”

“Thine inheritance” is the land of Canaan, which was divided among the children of Israel by lot for an inheritance. The Heathen were cast out to make room for them; but now they are coming back into the landas invaders and conquerors. This is called the Lord's (“Thine”)inheritance, because He gave it as such to the people of Israel, and dwelt in it Himself. It is truly marvelous, that He should put up with Heathens possessing His own inheritance; or the city of Jerusalem, which was the place the Lord chose to put His name on; or the temple, where He had His residence, called the mountain of His “inheritance,” (Exodus 15:17), and into which it was always deemed profane for Heathens to enter (*Acts 21:28). Into each of these places the Heathen came; the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar; the Syrians under Antiochus.

 

“thy holy temple have they defiled”

This was done in the times of Antiochus, by entering into it, torching and taking away the holy vessels, shedding innocent blood in it, removing the sacred furniture, cutting down the carved work and setting up the abomination of desolation on the altar, and sacrificing to it,and finally burning it.

 

“they have laid Jerusalem on heaps”

The walls and buildings were pulled down, and made a heap of stones and rubbish. It happened during the times of Antiochus and of the Maccabees, when it was set on fire, and the houses and the walls pulled down on every side, and was greatly defaced, and threatened to be laid level with the ground.

 

Thus, in this verse, the psalmist names three deplorable calamities which had come upon God’s people: “the alienation of God’s inheritance, the profanation of his sanctuary, and the desolation of the beloved city.”

 

2The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

 

“The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven”

There were a multitude of “dead bodies” both at the time of the Babylonian captivity, and in the times of Antiochus. These were good men, and they served the Lord, and yet they suffered in the widespread calamity. They were not only killed, but were cast out like dung, and no one was allowed to bury them. This was a terrible calamity to behold, or even imagine, for the heaps of slaughtered bodies lying unburied, and exposed to birds and beasts of prey, is inexpressibly shocking to humanity. The incident is recorded as follows: “So the LORD brought the king of Babylon against them. The Babylonians killed Judah's young men, even chasing after them into the Temple. They had no pity on the people, killing both young men and young women, the old and the infirm. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar” (2 Chronicles 36:17).This is a description of widespread carnage and slaughter, such as we know occurred at the time when Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians. At such a time, it is not probable that the Babylonians would pause to bury the slain, nor is it probable that they would give the captive Hebrews the opportunity to remain to bury them. That would occur, therefore, which often occurs in war that the slain would be left on the field to be devoured by wild animals and by the fowls of heaven.

 

“the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth”

This clause and the following verse are applicable to an occurrence in the times of the †Maccabees, when sixty men of the †Assideans were slain--religious, devout, and holy men, which is implied from the word translated here as “saints.”  The bodies of the dead were left to rot in the sun; hyenas and jackals would fight over the flesh of the slain with vultures and crows.

 

  • “Now the Assideans were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace with them” (1 Maccabees 7:13).
  • "The flesh of thy saints have they cast out, and their blood have they shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.'' (1 Maccabees 7:17)

 

3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

 

“Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem”

The blood of the saints was shed contemptuously and abundantly, for it was of no more consequence than common water. 

 

“and there was none to bury them”

Because their friends, who should have done it, were either slain or had fled, or were not permitted, or did not take upon themselves to perform that service for them; and the Jews who were not slain were carried into captivity.

 

4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

 

“We are become a reproach to our neighbours”

This verse may have been copied from Psalm 44:13, or vise versa.

The word “neighbors” refers to surrounding people or nations; to the Edomites, Philistines, Syrians, Tyrians, etc. The people of God were rebuked, treated with contempt, always represented as cruel and despicable, and reckoned ignorant and accursed, and ridiculed as forsaken by God, and given up to their foes. They no longer commanded the admiration of other nations for being a prosperous, favored, happy people. Surrounding nations treated them with contempt for they could no longer inspire fear, and have nothing to entitle them to respect.

 

“A scoffing and a derision to them that are round about us”

The object of the taunting neighbors was to claim a triumph over the God of Israel. “Where is their God?” (79:10). Among all the nations of antiquity, any disaster that overcame a people was always considered as proof that the God or gods worshipped by that people had no power to protect them.

 

What the psalmist describes in this verse is the common lot of Christians, even today: Christ and His apostles have given plenty of reasons for the saints in all ages to expect abuse and even persecution, and have fortified their minds to bear it patiently, and to regard it an honor to suffer for Christ’s sake.

 

5How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

 

“How long, Lord?”

This is the language, not of impatience, but of anxiety; not of complaining, but of wonder. It is language like the people of God are often heard to use when under heavy trials--trials which continue so long that it seems as if they would never end (74:1; 74:10; 77:7-9; 85:4)

 

The Jewish people had already been told by Jeremiah that the captivity would last for seventy years; but there were many of the people who did not know this. There can be no doubt that they were in a big hurry to get the tragic experience behind them, as indicated by Psalm 79:8, where they cried for a “speedy” resolution of the problem. However, it was not the will of God that any quick end would come to Israel's punishment.

 

“wilt thou be angry? for ever?”

That is, “how long wilt thou be angry?” shall it be “forever?” (see 85:4), for though what was done, or to be done, as related before, was or will be done by the enemies of the Lord's people, yet by His permission, and as a sign of His anger and displeasure against them: at least, this is how it might be understood, both by them and by their enemies; and hence this inquiry.

 

"Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?" 

The psalmist indicates that he knew the reason that lay behind the nation's destruction; it was the jealousy of God, continually provoked by Israel throughout their previous history by their worshipping false gods in the pagan shrines of Canaan. God had already tried every other possible means of curing this shameful "sickness" of Israel, before bringing about their captivity. The terrible defeat and captivity that followed accomplished God's purpose; because, Israel never again resorted to the worship of the pagan gods.

 

“Jealousy burn’s like fire”; its coals are coals of fire (*Song of Solomon 8:6), there were, during the times of the psalmist, those among the people, as there is now, men who did evil things, and provoked the Lord to jealousy and wrath. Hence, the inquiry “Shall God’s jealousy continue to burn like fire? Shall it utterly consume us?” and the language here is such as often occurs in the Scriptures, when anger or wrath is compared with fire (Deuteronomy 32:22; Jeremiah 15:14; 78:58).

 

6Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

 

“Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen”

The Heathen poured out the blood of the saints like water, and therefore, it was a righteous thing for God to pour out the cup of wrath in his hands, and cause them to drink the dregs of it. These words, though they are in the form of an appeal for retribution, yet they do not relate to private revenge, but to public justice, and the honor of God; and, besides, it may be considered a prophecy of what would come, and particularly of God's pouring out the vials of His wrath on the antichristian nations; who, though they profess Christianity, are nothing other than Heathens, and have no spiritual and serious knowledge of Christ.

 

The word rendered “pour out” is used with reference to a cup or vial, containing a mixture of some kind of poison, for the people to drink (*Isaiah 51:17).

 

 

“That have not known thee

They are strangers to thee, and thy enemies. The prayer that the wrath of God might be poured upon them was not because they were ignorant of Him, but on account of their wicked conduct toward the people of God. The phrase “that have not known thee” is used merely to designate them, or to describe their character. The prayer is not necessarily a prayer for vengeance, or in the spirit of revenge; it is simply a prayer that justice might be done to them, and is a prayer such as any man may offer who is anxious that justice may be done in the world.

 

“And upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name”

Punish, as they deserve, the nations that have risen up against thy people, and that have brought desolation upon the land.

 

The people that have not called upon thy name”do not worship thee; referring here particularly to those who had invaded the land, and made it desolate. They call upon their idols of gold, silver, brass, and stone, on the Virgin Mary, angels, and departed saints, instead of the true God.

 

As a nation, Israel had become one and the same as the pagan kingdoms around them. Oh yes, they knew God's name; and, in times of emergency they loved to call upon God for help; but the people as a whole had become even worse than Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16). If God's moral character was to be established as a fact in the minds of mankind, something drastic had to be done about Israel and their gross wickedness.

 

The name of God could not be used merely as a charm to get Israel out of every disaster; there positively had to be some moral integrity on the part of the people themselves. There were, no doubt, a few devout souls who sincerely called upon God and walked in His ways, among whom the psalmist was surely numbered; but those like him were so few that no observer in that day could have identified any moral difference between Israel and any other pagan nation of that era. Their philosophy was, as bad as we are, we are yet less wicked than they. We, it is true, have been unfaithful; but they never knew thy name, and are totally abandoned to idolatry.

 

7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

 

“For they have devoured Jacob”

As wolves and other ravenous creatures do the harmless sheep. They laid waste to Jerusalem, the Temple, and the dwelling-places of people, and ate up the produce of the land, and they killed or took the people captive. “Jacob” stands here for the “descendents of Jacob,” whom Thou loved, and with whom and his seed Thou made a guaranteed and everlasting covenant; whereby Thou didst pledge Thyself to be an enemy to their enemies (Exodus 23:22). Besides, thou hatest cruelty, especially when the wicked devour those who are more righteous than themselves (*Habakkuk 1:13).

 

“and laid waste his dwelling place”

There are several opinions concerning what is meant by “dwelling place”--His home; His habitation; the residence of Jacob, or of the people of Israel. The *Chaldee, which understands this to mean the “temple” seems to best match the context. This, by way of prominence, was Jacob's place.

 

8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

 

“O remember not against us former iniquities”

The term “former iniquities” should be taken to mean the sins committed by our forefathers, and by those of us who have filled up the measure of our sins, for which we confess You have most righteously brought this desolating judgment upon us. The Hebrew may mean either former times or former generations. The allusion, however, is substantially the same. It is not their own sins which are particularly referred to, but the sins of the nation committed in former times; and the prayer is that God would not punish them for the sins of former generations, even their own ancestors. The language is derived from the idea constantly affirmed in Scripture, and so often observed in life, that the effects of sin pass from one generation to the next, and often involve calamity. Our Heavenly Father has told us, “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:5; NIV).

 

“let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us”

Literally, “Hasten; let thy tender mercies anticipate us.” The word “prevent,” as elsewhere in the Scriptures, does not mean to put a stop to, as it does with us, but to go before; to anticipate (Job 3:12; Psalm 17:13; Psalm 21:3; Isaiah 21:14; Matthew 17:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:15). The prayer of the singer is that God, in His tender mercy or compassion, would anticipate their downfall; would step in before matters had gone so far that their destruction was inevitable. He wants mercy and he wants it “speedily”; for that is where we have placed all our confidence; as for merit and righteousness we have none (Daniel 9:7-9).

 

The mercy of God is rich and plentiful; many are the acts, and numerous the instances of it; and there is a heart of compassion, and a tenderness expressed in it; and it is freely given to unworthy men, and it is often applied when the situation is desperate, and requires haste, and the danger is such that nothing but mercy could prevent it; and indeed it is mercy that prevents both our temporal and eternal ruin. The reason given for this request is,

 

for we are brought very low

The idea expressed in the original words is that of lacking confidence, or hanging down as vines do, or as anything does that is wilted, or withered, or as the hands do when one is weak, faint, or sick. Then it refers to a failure or exhaustion of strength; and the idea here is that their strength as a nation was exhausted.

 

Sin brings men into a low estate, and only the grace and mercy of God can raise them up, and exalt them to a high estate, or they become very “weak” and helpless. Sin strips men of their strength, leaves them without any, and incapable of helping themselves out of that estate into which it has brought them: or they are utterly “exhausted” and emaciated, have no good thing in them, no comfort left to them; but are poor, and wretched, and miserable.

 

9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

 

“Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name”

“Help us” out of the troubles we are in; enable us to bear them with patience, and without murmuring, for as long as it is thy will to continue them. Assist us against our powerful enemies, and give us the strength to do our duty; give us more grace and fresh supplies of it in our time of need. The arguments favoring these petitions are; first, because God is the “God of our salvation,” to whom it belongs, and from him only can it be expected; he is the sole author and giver of it; and, second, because to help and save is for the glory of His name (so that His name may be honored), which is significant in the salvation of His people. Bringing glory and honor to the name of God is the highest and purest ground for prayer. Jesus taught His Disciples, “After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). The word "hallowed" means to render or pronounce holy. God's name is essentially holy; and the meaning of this petition is, "Let thy name be celebrated, venerated, and esteemed as holy everywhere, and receive from all people proper honor." It is thus the expression of a wish or desire, on the part of the worshipper, that the name of God, or that God himself, should be held everywhere in proper veneration.

 

 “and deliver us”

Out of the hands of all our enemies, and out of all our afflictions, and out of this low estate which we are in.

 

“and purge away our sins for thy name's sake”

Our sins were the cause of all our calamities and distress, but they could only be purged away by the blood and sacrifice of Christ (*Hebrews 1:3). The word purge” means to “expiate” (to atone for; make amends for or reparation for) sin; which was the work and business of Christ our High Priest, who has made amends for sin (once and for all time) and reconciled us to God, for the sake of which God is †propitious; or forgiving of our unrighteousness, for the sake of Christ the great †propitiation; or through the propitiatory sacrifice to be offered up by him; or, in other words, "cover our sins" (l); which is also the sense of the phrase, that they may be seen no more; pardon and forgive them for Christ's sake (*Psalm 32:1).

 

“for thy name's sake”

These words seem to be directed to Christ the Son of God, and who is the true God, and the God of His people, for whose sake prayer and supplication were made in *Daniel 9:17 and here again.

 

10Wherefore should the Heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the Heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

 

“Wherefore should the Heathen say Where is their God?”

The Heathen mock them by ridiculing their God: He has never been seen by them, He is not with them; he has forsaken them, and will not help them. Nothing can be more upsetting and painful to the Lord's people than poking fun at God--“My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalm 42:3).

 

The gods of the Heathen could be seen and pointed at, as the host of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars, and idols of gold, silver, brass, wood, and stone. Therefore they ask, where was their God? But Israel’s God was invisible; he is in the heavens, and does what He pleases [“Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?” (Psalm 115:2)]; or the sense is, that if there was such a God they believed in and professed, and was His servant, surely He would never have allowed them to fall into so much distress and calamity, but would have appeared for their assistance and deliverance; and therefore tauntingly, and by way of rebuke, ask where He was.

 

“let him be known among the Heathen”

Let him so manifest Himself among them that they cannot keep from seeing that He is God, that He is a just God, and that He is the Friend and Protector of His people.And let Him be known by His judgments executed upon the Heathen, openly and publicly “in our sight,” and in the view of the whole world--“The LORD is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands” (Psalm 9:16).

 

“In our sight”

So that we (Israelites) may see it; or, so that it may be seen that he is our Friend and Protector; or, that we may live to see it, and praise thy name for it.

 

“By the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed”

 They are seeking vengeance for the hardships and suffering caused them by their Heathen oppressors. The real idea is, “Let the avenging of “the blood” of thy servants--the blood poured out, or shed, be known among the nations ‘in our sight.’” The prayer is that God would step in and that there could be no doubt that it was on account of the blood of His people which had been shed by their enemies. It is a prayer that just punishment might be executed--a prayer which may be offered at anytime.

 

11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

 

“Let the sighing of the prisoner”

That is, “Let the sighing” of thy poor people now in prison, or, at least, in captivity.” The allusion here is, doubtless, to those among the Hebrews who had been taken captive, and who “sighed” not only on account of the sufferings which they endured during their bondage, but because they had been taken from their country and home. The meaning is, “Hear those sighs; come and deliver those who are held in captivity.”

 

“come before thee”

 The sighs and groans of the children of Israel were not hid from the Lord; they come up into His ears as did the sighing and groaning of the children of Israel when in Egypt (Exodus 2:23).

 

“according to the greatness of thy power” (Heb. of thine arm)

 The arm is the symbol of power. It is implied here that great power was needed to set free those who were held in captivity, power that only God could exert--power which could be wielded only by an Omnipotent Being, power with which no creature can contend. It was the power of God only which could rescue them, and it is only by the power of God that sinners can be saved.

 

“preserve thou those that are appointed to die”

That is, those who were either intended for death, not by the Lord, as all men are, but by men; or those in obvious danger of it, seeing that they were entirely in the power of their cruel and barbarous enemies. So, next to those who had been slain, the case of persons groaning in captivity, lying bound in chains and shackles, under sentence of death, to be inflicted at the will of their cruel and insulting conquerors, is raised in prayer to God.

 

12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

 

“And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom”

That is, the “neighbors” who had harassed them; the people of the surrounding nations, who had seen these calamities come upon them, and who had regarded these calamities as proof that their God was unable to protect them, or that they were suffering under his displeasure.

 

The term “sevenfold” indicates severe punishment; they ask the Lord to take vengeance upon their enemies; but not beyond measure, or exceeding the rules of justice--And the LORD said to him, Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. (Genesis 4:15).In other words, let them get in this world what they deserve for the cruelties they have inflicted on us. Let them suffer in captivity, as we have. Probably this is a prediction.

 

“Into their bosom” is perhaps an allusion to the custom of carrying things in the bosom of a robe that was girded around the waist. This then is their prayer, “Let them be made to carry with them seven times the amount of reproach which they have endeavored to heap on us.

 

“their reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord”

They evidenced their hatred for the Hebrew God by denying His existence, or calling in question His perfections of power, truth, and goodness, and His ability to help His people. They poked fun at His providence, despised His word and ordinances, and even ridiculed His people for worshiping a God that no one could see.

 

13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

 

“So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture”

 We are the people of God, not by creation and providence only, as all men are, for we are all His creatures, and provided for by Him; but by His special choosing, and by covenant grace. And we are “the sheep of His pasture”; whom He feeds as a shepherd does his flock, provides good pasture for them, and leads them to it.The people of God are called “sheep,” because they are likely to go astray, not only before conversion, but after; and because they are harmless and inoffensive in their lives and conversations;

 

“Will give thee thanks for ever”

 I will praise thee always, will acknowledge thee as our God, and will forever render thee thanksgiving. “Such is the resolution of a church under persecution; and such ought to be the practice of every church when delivered out of it, and restored to the favor and protection of her God. The same is the duty of every soul with regard to afflictions and mercies of a personal kind. But how glorious will be the day, when, triumphant over sin and sorrow, over everything that exalteth itself, the church universal shall behold the adversary disarmed forever.” When the Lord God, having swallowed up death in victory, will wipe away tears from off all faces, and take away the rebuke of his people from off all the earth: when it shall be said, Lo! this is our God, we have waited for him, and he hath saved us: this is Jehovah; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:8-9”).

 

 

“We will shew forth thy praise to all generations” (Heb., to generation and generation)

That is, We will make arrangements so that the memory of these gracious acts shall be transmitted to future times; to distant generations. This was done by the permanent record, made in the Scriptures of these gracious interventions of God, and by their being carefully preserved by each generation to whom they came. No work has been more faithfully done than that by which the records of God's ancient dealings with his people have been preserved from age to age--in this manner, the sacred Scriptures have been guarded against error, and handed down from one generation to another.

 

 

Scripture Reference

* Acts 21:28: “shouting, ‘Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.’”

* Song of Solomon 8:6: “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.”

*Isaiah 51:17:“Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which have drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; you have drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.”

* Habakkuk 1:13: “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and can not look on iniquity: why look you on them that deal treacherously, and hold your tongue when the wicked devours the man that is more righteous than he?”

* Hebrews 1:3: “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

* Psalm 32:1: “Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

* Daniel 9:17: “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and do; defer not, for your own sake, O my God: for your city and your people are called by your name.

 

 

 

 

Definitions

Assideans (Hasidaeans): A name assumed by the orthodox Jews ( 1 Maccabees 2:42 ; 7:13 ) to distinguish them from the Hellenizing faction described in the Maccabean books as the "impious," the "lawless," the "transgressors." They held perhaps narrow but strict and seriously honest views in religion, and recognized Judas Maccabeus as their leader (2 Maccabees 14:6 ).

Maccabees:  The name Maccabeus was first applied to Judas, one of the sons of Mattathias generally called in English the Maccabees, a celebrated family who defended Jewish rights and customs in the 2nd century BC (1 Maccabees 2:1-3 ).

Chaldee language: Employed by the sacred writers in certain portions of the Old Testament, viz., Dan. 2:4-7, 28; Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Genesis 31:46; Jeremiah 10:11. It is the Aramaic dialect, as it is sometimes called, as distinguished from the Hebrew dialect. It was the language of commerce and of social intercourse in Western Asia, and after the Exile gradually came to be the popular language of Palestine.

Propitious: favorable, kind, gracious, well-disposed.

Propitiation: that by which God is rendered propitious, i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procure His love or make Him loving; it only renders it consistent for Him to exercise His love towards sinners. See Rom. 3:25 and Heb. 9:5