Context No. 2705 of 4322 · 1 Maccabees

1 Maccabees 5:45-54: in context

45Judas gathered together all Israel, those who were in the land of Gilead, from the least to the greatest, with their wives, their children, and their stuff, an exceedingly great army, that they might come into the land of Judah. 46They came as far as Ephron, and this same city was large and very strong. It was on the road where they were going. They couldn’t turn away from it on the right hand or on the left, but needed to pass through the middle of it. 47The people of the city shut them out and blocked the gates with stones. 48Judas sent to them with words of peace, saying, “We will pass through your land to go into our own land, and no one will harm you. We will only pass by on our feet.” But they wouldn’t open to him. 49Then Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the army, that each man should encamp in the place where he was. 50So the men of the army encamped, and fought against the city all that day and all that night, and the city was delivered into his hands. 51He destroyed all the males with the edge of the sword, razed the city, took its plunder, and passed through the city over those who were slain. 52They went over the Jordan into the great plain near Bethshan. 53And Judas gathered together those who lagged behind and encouraged the people all the way through, until he came into the land of Judah. 54They went up to mount Zion with gladness and joy, and offered whole burnt offerings, because not so much as one of them was slain until they returned in peace.

Judas Maccabeus is leading the scattered Jews of Gilead back home to Judah, a long column of families with their children and everything they own. The fortified city of Ephron stands across the only road and bars the way even after Judas sends words of peace: let us simply pass through on foot, and no one will be harmed. They refuse, and in the fighting that follows the city falls.

The writer does not linger on the battle to celebrate it. His eye is on the ending: the whole company goes up to Mount Zion with gladness and joy, offering sacrifices, because not one of them was lost between Gilead and home. The story he wants remembered is a people brought safely through, and their first act on arriving is not self-congratulation but thanksgiving.

When I am brought through a hard passage with everything I feared to lose still intact, do I go up to give thanks, or take safe arrival for granted?

Sources

1 Maccabees 5:54: "They went up to mount Zion with gladness and joy, and offered whole burnt offerings, because not one of them was slain until they had returned in peace."
Psalm 107:2: "Let the redeemed by the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary."
Luke 15:6: "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!"