eeded in
establishing for a period the independence of the Jews. The origin of
the term has been variously explained; but the most common account of it
is, that it comes from a Hebrew word signifying _hammer_, so that the
adjective _Maccabee_ (Greek [Greek: Makkabaios]) will denote _Hammerer_.
According to Josephus (Antiq. 12, 6, 1) Mattathias was descended from
one _Asmonaeus_: Hence the family of the Maccabees are also called
_Asmoneans_.

23. _The first book of the Maccabees._ This is one of the most important
of all the apocryphal books. It contains a narrative of the long and
bloody struggle of the Jews, under their Maccabean leaders, for the
preservation of their religion, and the deliverance of the nation from
the yoke of their Syrian oppressors. The history bears the internal
marks of authenticity and credibility, being distinguished by simplicity
and candor. It is only when speaking of foreign nations that the writer
falls into some inaccuracies. These do not detract from his
trustworthiness in relating the affairs of his own nation through a
period of forty years of the most eventful character (B.C. 175-135). The
book is pervaded throughout by the Jewish spirit, and must have been
written by a Palestinian Jew. Its date is uncertain, but may probably be
placed somewhere during the government of the high priest John Hyrcanus
(B.C. 135-106). According to the testimony of Origen, the book was
originally written in Hebrew. With this agrees its internal character;
for the Greek version of it contains many Hebraisms, as well as
difficulties which are readily accounted for upon the supposition of a
Hebrew original.

21. _The second book of Maccabees._ This book opens with two letters
purporting to have been written by the Jews of Palestine to their
brethren in Egypt, in which the former invite the latter to join with
them in the celebration of "the feast of tabernacles in the month
Caslen," that is, the feast of dedication established to commemorate the
purification of the temple after its pollution by Antiochus Epiphanes.
To the latter of these is appended an epitome of the five books of Jason
of Cyrene, containing the history of the Maccabean struggle, beginning
with Heliodorus' attempt to plunder the temple, about B.C. 180, and
ending with the victory of Judas Maccabeus over Nicanor, B.C. 161. Both
of the letters are regarded as spurious. The second of them abounds in
marvellous legends--how, upon the destruction