102 Mitteilungen

185,000 Slain Maccabean Enemies (Times Two)

Hyperbole in the Books of Maccabees
By Benjamin D. H. Hilbert
(2315A Virginia Ave. St. Louis, Mo 63104 U.S.A.)

1. The Textual Witnesses

The thesis of this paper is that the translator of First Maccabees (or an editor), perhaps
in concert with the author of Second Maccabees, has constructed a chronotypical total of
370,000 (185,000 × two) enemy foot soldiers slain in order to antitype the miraculous
delivery of Jerusalem from the Assyrian king Sennacherib. (I define a »chronotype« as
»a number made to serve a typological function.«) In accordance with the story in II Kings
and par. Isaiah, which make no mention of cavalry, and which round the number of enemy
dead to the nearest thousand, our editor (1) does not count slain horsemen, (2) he rounds
numbers down to the nearest thousand, and (3) he produces a total of slain enemy soldiers
which is twice the total named in II Reg 19,35 because the total of 185,000 slain is reported
twice, in Kings and also in par. Isaiah.1 In this way, he antitypes twice over the miraculous
delivery that occurred when God heard Hezekiah. At the same time he likens the comple-
mentarity of the books of Maccabees to that of the accounts in II Kings and par. Isaiah.
For whoever shaped the numerical enemy totals, the final defeat of Nicanor marks
the end and epitome of the Maccabean religious mandate. Almost all of these totals can be
found in Rahlfs’ main text, which is based on the Alexandrine and Sinaitic codices. Except
for two Lucianic readings, our one variant comes from A.2 In two instances, at I Macc 16,10
and II Macc 13,15, we prefer Lucianic variants in place of the numbers underlined in Fig. 1.
If we include these variants, we find that the totals of enemy dead in I Maccabees (141,000)
and in II Maccabees (229,000) = 370,000 (2 × 185,000).3 From L we need only the
relatively small addition of 3,000 to get this total. If L preserves the redactor’s interest, we
could conclude that First and Second Maccabees were at least to this extent subjected to
harmonization.

1 II Reg 18,13–19,37; II Chr 32,1–21; Isa 36 f.

2 Thus, although we prefer »5,000«, found in a few Alexandrine MSS, instead of the
»500« specified in Rahlfs’ main text, we are still choosing a reading from A or S.
3 There is no evidence that Lucian does not preserve from earlier MSS the two variants
needed for this total. See G. D. Kilpatrick, LXX, VT Graecum, in: H. M. Orlinksy (ed.),
Studies in the Septuagint: Origins, Recensions, and Interpretation, 1974, 418–433,
432.

ZAW 122. Bd., S. 102–106 DOI 10.1515/ZAW.2010.010

© Walter de Gruyter 2010
 Mitteilungen 103

Fig. 1: Enemy Foot-Soldiers Slain by the Maccabees (In Thousands)

I Maccabees II Maccabees
4,15 3,000 τρισξιλοψ« 8,24 9,000 νακισξιλοψ«
4,34 5,000 πεντακισξιλοψ« 8,30 20,000 δισµψροψ«
5,22 3,000 τρισξιλοψ« 10,7 20,0004 δισµψρν
5,34 8,0005 κτακισξιλοψ« 10,23 20,000 δισµψρν
5,60 2,0006 δισξλιοι 10,31 20,0007 δισµριοι
7,32 5,0008 πεντακισξιλιοι 11,11 11,0009 ξιλοψ« πρ« το« µψροι«
9,49 1,000 ξιλοψ« 12,19 10,000 µψρν
10,85 8,000 κτακισξιλοψ« 12,23 30,000 µψριδα« τρε«
11,47 100,000 µψριδα« δωκα 12,26 25,000 µψριδα« δο κα
πεντακισξιλοψ«
11,74 3,000 τρισξιλοψ« 12,28 25,000 µψριδα« δο
πεντακισξιλοψ«
16,10 2,00010 δισξιλοψ« 13,15 2,00011 δισξιλοψ«
15,27 35,000 µψριδν τριν κα
πεντακισξιλν
Total: 140,000 Total: 227,000
(L: 141,000) (L: 229,000) 141,000 + 229,000 = 2×185,000

4567891011

2. The Translator of I Maccabees

Scholarly consensus has been that the two books are entirely separate.12 However, we know
very little about their dates of composition, nor in the case of I Maccabees, when the trans-
lator worked. »Since Josephus seems to base his account on the Greek version, it must have
been translated sometime before the end of the first century C.E.«13 As for the date and

4 In verse 18, 9,000 are referred to, but I omit them because an indeterminate number
escape through bribery – cf. 10,20.
5 So SA; S*† τρισξιλιοψ« δεκα ( ΓΙ [3,010] for Η [8,000]).
6 I include the slain troops of Joseph and Azariah. The author of I Macc considers them
to be no better than the gentiles, but our author may imply that atonement can be made
not only for them but for gentiles also.
7 Although the figure given is 20,500, I round off to thousands.
8 SA πεντακσιοι; « πεντακισξιλιοι (A† -λιοψ«: sic!) ανδρε« A pau.
9 Since only foot soldiers are counted here (see II Reg 19,35), I exclude the 1,600 of
II Macc 11,11. I also exclude totals which refer to events outside the locus of the book,
e.g., II Macc 8,20.
10 So S; δισ > ALa; L τρισξιλοψ«.
11 So SA; V† 1,000; L τετρακισξιλοψ«.
12 R. Doran, The First Book of Maccabees, in 1 & 2 Maccabees; Introduction to Hebrew
Poetry; Job; Psalms, vol. IV of The New Interpreter’s Bible, 1996, 3.9 f.
13 Doran, First Maccabees, 22. H. B. Swete, An Introduction to the Old Testament
in Greek, revised by R. R. Ottley, repr. 1989, 276, states that »it is doubtful whether
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authorship of II Maccabees, we know very little; dates range from the second century
B.C.E. to the first century C.E.14 The corelation of numerical totals, clearly shaped so that
the two books taken together contain a total of 2×185,000 dead enemy soldiers, suggests
that the translator of I Maccabees was a contemporary and perhaps a colleague of the
author of II Maccabees. In support of this proposition: 1) it stands to reason that the trans-
lator of I Maccabees would have worked in the Greek diaspora, probably in Alexandria,
where the concentration of Jews was very high.15 The same applies to the author of II Mac-
cabees.16 2) Both writers could have flourished at the turn of the century. 3) Variants from
Lucian, whose work dates to the last quarter of the third century C.E., are not likely to rep-
resent departures from earlier readings. Kilpatrick states that L presents »a distinct selec-
tion of already existing readings, some good, some bad. This explains the large number
of readings in common with other witnesses which are older than the historic Lucian or at
least independent of his text.«17

3. Typecasting the Villain

After describing the onset of Judas’ guerilla tactics, I Maccabees emphasizes tactical ma-
neuvers: an attack by Gorgias, Judas’ escape and surprise attack on Gorgias, and Gorgias’
flight (I Macc 4,1–25). In II Maccabees, there are no such maneuvers; one pitched battle de-
cides all. In I Maccabees, Demetrius sends Nicanor to destroy the Jewish people. In prep-
aration for battle, Judas offers this prayer: »When the king’s envoys blasphemed, your
angel went out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand of his men. In the
same way let us see you crush this army today, so that everyone else may know that
this man has spoken blasphemously against your sanctuary: pass judgment on him as his
wickedness deserves!« (I Macc 7,41).
In I Maccabees, when Antiochus appoints Lysias to invade Judea, the main villain
is Gorgias, but in II Maccabees the villain is Nicanor, sent by Ptolemy. Furthermore, »In
I Macc 3,41, the [slave] traders come of their own free will, whereas here [in II Macc 8,11],
Nicanor is the instigator of the plan for slavery. Nicanor is thus seen in II Maccabees as the

Josephus was acquainted with its [First Maccabees’] Greek form.« However, he else-
where states (citing H. Bloch, Die Quellen des Flavius Josephus in seiner Archäologie,
1879, 8 ff.) that »[T]he First Book of Maccabees was also known to Josephus in
its Greek form, which underlies his account of the Maccabean wars, just as the Greek
translation of the canonical books is used in the earlier books of the Antiquities«
(Swete, Introduction, 378 f.).
14 R. Doran, The Second Book of Maccabees, in 1 & 2 Maccabees; Introduction to He-
brew Poetry; Job; Psalms, vol. IV of The New Interpreter’s Bible, 1996, 183. According
to Kilpatrick, LXX, 421, I Macc was translated into Greek »perhaps by 50 B.C.«
15 The author of I Macc »was doubtless a Palestinian Jew, but his work would soon have
found its way to Alexandria, and if it had not already been translated into Greek, it
doubtless received its Greek dresss there shortly after its arrival« (Swete/Ottley, Intro-
duction, 278).
16 In my view the author of II Macc describes himself as an epitomist in order to enhance
his credibility and to convey the impression that he knows a great deal more than he is
telling us.
17 Kilpatrick, LXX, 429. Kilpatrick finds no evidence for the contribution in L of signifi-
cant conjectures in the tradition of I Macc (op. cit., 432).
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source of all evil designs against the Jews.«18 Doran is right to suggest that the author of
II Maccabees may have highlighted this name to balance and reflect the Nicanor in chs.
14–15, as both are called thrice-wretched ! δ" τρισαλιτ#ριο« (8,34; 15,3). Before his cli-
mactic battle against Nicanor, Judas stretches out his hands to heaven. He recalls the
angel’s destruction of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, something of which he had reminded his
troops before the first battle against Nicanor:19
»His prayer was worded thus: ›You, Master, sent your angel in the days of Hezekiah king of
Judaea, and he destroyed no less than one hundred and eighty-five thousand of Sennache-
rib’s army; now, once again, Sovereign of heaven, send a good angel before us to spread
terror and dismay. May these men be struck down by the might of your arm, since they
have come with blasphemy on their lips to attack your holy people (µεγω%ει βραξον«
σοψ καταπλαγεησαν ο( µετ) βλασ*ηµα« παραγινµενοι π τν +γιν σοψ
λαν).‹ And on these words he finished.«20

4. Conclusions

The Maccabean victory is presented as a divine answer to the blasphemies of archenemy

Nicanor, who is presented as antityping Sennacherib. The author surely had in mind
Yahweh’s words to Sennacherib (II Reg 19,22): »τνα ,νεδισα« κα βλασ*#µησα« κα
π τνα -χσα« *ν#ν κα /ρα« ε0« -χο« το1« *%αλµο« σοψ ε0« τν +γιον το2
Ισραηλ.« – »Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised
your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!«
I conclude that the translator of I Maccabees or an editor in his circle, perhaps in con-
cert with the author of II Maccabees, aimed to stress that throughout the timespan shared
by the two books, the Maccabean victories which gave birth to the Hasmonean dynasty
were a divine answer to the blasphemies and arrogance of the enemy (in whose number
rightly belong both the 2,000 rebel Jews of I Macc 5,60 and those who questioned the au-
thority of Demetrius in I Macc 11,47).21 To place this theme more securely in the context
of the miracle in Hezekiah’s time, our editor has put together from both books a total of
370,000 slain enemy foot soldiers. By producing a total that is exactly twice 185,000, he
implies that I & II Maccabees are in no less agreement than the accounts in Isaiah and
II Kings.

The translator of I Maccabees, or an editor in his circle, perhaps in concert with the author
of II Maccabees, implies that throughout the timespan shared by the two books the Mac-
cabean victories were a divine answer to the blasphemies of the enemy. By producing a total
of slain enemies that is exactly twice 185,000, he implies that the agreement between the
accounts in Isaiah and II Kings stands behind I and II Maccabees.
Le traducteur de I Macc, ou un éditeur de son cercle, peut-être de concert avec l’auteur
de II Macc, comprend les victoires maccabéennes communes au temps des deux livres des
Maccabées comme une réponse divine aux blasphèmes de l’ennemi. En avançant un chiffre

18 Here I follow Doran, Second Maccabees, 247 f.

19 II Macc 8,19; cf. I Macc 7,41 f.
20 II Macc 15,22–24; cf. vv. 30–35.
21 See Ant.Jud., 13.5.3 § 135–40. On myriadas, see BAGD, 661.
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d’ennemis abattus d’exactement deux fois 185 000, il présuppose que l’harmonie entre les
récits d’Esaïe et de II Rois fonde celle des deux livres des Maccabées.
Der Übersetzer von I Makk bzw. ein Schriftsteller in seinem Umkreis, vielleicht zusammen
mit dem Verfasser von II Makk, versteht die makkabäischen Siege in dem beiden Büchern
gemeinsamen Zeitabschnitt als göttliche Antwort auf die Gotteslästerungen des Feindes.
Indem er eine Summe von erschlagenen Feinden erzielt, die genau zweimal 185 000 beträgt,
erweist er, dass die Aussagen der beiden Makkabäerbücher ebenso übereinstimmen wie die
Berichte in Jes und II Reg.
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