The Macabean Revolt

The conflict with antiochus the fourth was not merely an external one to the nation of judah. It was also one bound up with internal divisions between hellenizes and conservative jews. While faithful jews resisted ant Antiochus and his forced paganization of the land, many were martyred. Many commentators speculateth the little help received by the wise among the people referred to in verse 34 relates to the macabean revolt as judean rebels under judas. Macabes, a nickname meaning hammer, sparked the revolt, defeated the syrian army and re established the worship of the temple. This would later be commemorated as the feast of dedication, or