the dedication, and of the finishing of the
temple.

2:10. And as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven,
and consumed the holocaust: so Solomon also prayed, and fire came down
from heaven and consumed the holocaust.

2:11. And Moses said: Because the sin offering was not eaten, it was
consumed.

2:12. So Solomon also celebrated the dedication eight days.

2:13. And these same things were set down in the memoirs, and
commentaries of Nehemias: and how he made a library, and gathered
together out of the countries, the books both of the prophets, and of
David, and the epistles of the kings, and concerning the holy gifts.

2:14. And in like manner Judas also gathered together all such things as
were lost by the war we had, and they are in our possession.

2:15. Wherefore, if you want these things, send some that may fetch them
to you.

2:16. As we are then about to celebrate the purification, we have
written unto you: and you shall do well, if you keep the same days.

The purification... That is, the feast of the purifying or cleansing of
the temple.

2:17. And we hope that God, who hath delivered his people, and hath
rendered to all the inheritance, and the kingdom, and the priesthood,
and the sanctuary,

2:18. As he promised in the law, will shortly have mercy upon us, and
will gather us together from every land under heaven into the holy
place.

2:19. For he hath delivered us out of great perils, and hath cleansed
the place.

2:20. Now as concerning Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the
purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar:

2:21. As also the wars against Antiochus, the Illustrious, and his son,
Eupator:

2:22. And the manifestations that came from heaven to them, that behaved
themselves manfully on the behalf of the Jews, so that, being but a few
they made themselves masters of the whole country, and put to flight the
barbarous multitude:

2:23. And recovered again the most renowned temple in all the world, and
delivered the city, and restored the laws that were abolished, the Lord
with all clemency shewing mercy to them.

2:24. And all such things as have been comprised in five books by Jason,
of Cyrene, we have attempted to abridge in one book.

2:25. For considering the multitude of books, and the difficulty that
they find that desire to undertake the narrations of histories, because
of the multitude of the matter,

2:26. We have taken care