The REAL story of Hannukah... ...and it's not what you learned in Hebrew School!

I Maccabees 1:10-15, 20-25 (New Revised Standard Version)

Then came forth a wicked root, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus III; he had been a hostage in Rome. Antiochus IV began to reign over the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the Greeks around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.” This proposal pleased the [renegades], and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Greeks. So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Greek custom, did not circumcise their sons, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Greeks and sold themselves to do evil... After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned... He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils... He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. Taking them all, he went into his own land. He shed much blood, and spoke with great arrogance. Israel mourned deeply in every community...

I Maccabees 2:1-7, 12-27 (NRSV)

In those days Mattathias, a priest, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modi'in. He had five sons, Jon, Simon, Judah who was called Maccabee, Eleazar, and Jonathan. [Mattathias] saw the blasphemies being committed in Jerusalem, and said... "See, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the Greeks have profaned them. Why should we live any longer?” Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly. The king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modi'in to make [Mattathias and his sons] offer sacrifice. The king’s officers spoke to Mattathias, saying: “You are a leader, honored and great in this town. Now, be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Greeks and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be counted among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.” But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, every one of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our religion.” When Mattathias had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the Greek altar in Modi'in, as the king had commanded. When Mattathias saw this, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He was filled with righteous anger; he ran and killed the man on the altar. At the same time, Mattathias killed the king’s officer who was enforcing the sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. Thus Mattathias burned with zeal for the law... Then Mattathias cried out with a loud voice, saying: “Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come with me!” Then Mattathias and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town.

I Maccabees 4:5-15 (Oxford Standard Revised Edition of the Bible)

Later, at daybreak, Judah appeared in the plain with three thousand men, but they did not have armor and swords such as they desired. They saw the camp of the Greeks, strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it; and these armies were trained in war. But Judah said to those who were with him, "Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. And now, let us cry to Heaven, to see whether God will favor us and remember the covenant with our ancestors, and crush this army before us today. Then all the Greeks will know that there is One who redeems and saves Israel!" When the Greeks looked up and saw them coming against them, they went out from their camp to battle. Then the men with Judah blew their trumpets and engaged in battle. The Greeks were crushed, and fled into the plain, and all those in the rear fell by the sword. The Maccabees pursued them to Gazara, and to the plains of Idumea, and to Azotus and Yavneh; and three thousand of the the Greeks fell.

I Maccabees 4:26-58 (OSR)

The Greeks who escaped went and reported to Lysias all that had happened. When he heard it, he was perplexed and discouraged, for things had not happened to Israel as he had intended, nor had they turned out as the king had ordered. So, the next year Lysias mustered sixty thousand trained infantry and five thousand cavalry to subdue the Maccabees and their supporters. Judah met them with ten thousand men. When he saw that their army was strong, he prayed, saying, "Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and gave the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan son of Saul, and of the man who carried his armor. Hem in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry. Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns." Then both sides attacked, and there fell of the army of Lysias; five thousand men fell in action. When Lysias saw the rout of his troops and observed the boldness that inspired those of Judah, and how ready they were either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries in order to invade Judea again with an even larger army. Then Judah and his brothers said, “See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.” So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. There, they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned... They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation...

Then Judah appointed men to continuing fighting until he had cleansed the sanctuary.

He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place... Then they took unhewn stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one. They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts. They made new holy vessels, and brought the lamp stand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lamp stand, and these gave light in the temple. They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Kislev, they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built. At the very season and on the very day that the Greeks had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. All the people fell on their faces and wished and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and joyfully offered burnt offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering... There was a very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the Greeks was removed.

II Maccabees 10:7 - 9 (OSR)

Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place. They decreed by public edict, ratified by vote, that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year. Such then was the end of Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes.