A Letter to the Jews in Egypt
1 “From the Jews of Jerusalem and Judea to those in Egypt, warm greetings.
2 “May God be good to you and keep the covenant he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants. 3 May he fill each of you with the desire to worship him and to do his will eagerly with all your heart and soul. 4 May he enable you to understand his Law and his commands. May he give you peace, 5 answer your prayers, forgive your sins, and never abandon you in times of trouble. 6 Here in Judah we are now praying for you.
7 “In the year 169, when Demetrius the Second was king of Syria, we wrote to tell you about the persecution and the hard times that came upon us in the years after Jason revolted against authority in the Holy Land. 8 Jason and his men set fire to the Temple gates and slaughtered innocent people. Then we prayed to the Lord and he answered our prayers. So we sacrificed animals, gave offerings of grain, lit the lamps in the Temple, and set out the sacred loaves. 9 This is why we urge you to celebrate in the month of Kislev a festival similar to the Festival of Shelters. Written in the year 188.”
A LETTER TO ARISTOBULUS
The Death of King Antiochus
10 “From the Jews of Jerusalem and Judea, the Jewish Senate, and Judas, to Aristobulus, a descendant of priests and the teacher of King Ptolemy, and to the Jews in Egypt, greetings and good health.
11 “We thank God because he saved us from great danger. We were like men ready to fight against a king, 12 but God drove the enemy from our holy city. 13 When King Antiochus arrived in Persia, his army seemed impossible to defeat, but they were cut to pieces in the temple of the goddess Nanea by an act of treachery on the part of her priests. 14 King Antiochus had gone to the temple with some of his most trusted advisers, so that he might marry the goddess and then take away most of the temple treasures as a wedding gift. 15 After the priests had laid out the treasure, he and a few of his men went into the temple to collect it. But the priests closed the doors behind him 16 and stoned him and his men from trap doors hidden in the ceiling. Then they cut up the bodies and threw the heads to the people outside. 17 Praise God for punishing those evil men! Praise him for everything!
Fire Consumes Nehemiah's Sacrifice
18 “On the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev we will celebrate the Festival of Rededication just as we celebrate the Festival of Shelters. We thought it important to remind you of this, so that you too may celebrate this festival. In this way you will remember how fire appeared when Nehemiah offered sacrifices after he had rebuilt the Temple and the altar. 19 At the time when our ancestors were being taken to exile in Persia, a few devout priests took some fire from the altar and secretly hid it in the bottom of a dry cistern. They hid the fire so well that no one ever discovered it. 20 Years later, when it pleased God, the Persian emperor sent Nehemiah back to Jerusalem, and Nehemiah told the descendants of those priests to find the fire. They reported to us that they had found no fire but only some oily liquid. Nehemiah then told them to scoop some up and bring it to him. 21 When everything for the sacrifice had been placed on the altar, he told the priests to pour the liquid over both the wood and the sacrifice. 22 After this was done and some time had passed, the sun appeared from behind the clouds, and suddenly everything on the altar burst into flames. Everyone looked on in amazement. 23 Then, while the fire was consuming the sacrifice, Jonathan the High Priest led the people in prayer, and Nehemiah and all the people responded.
Nehemiah's Prayer
24 “Nehemiah's prayer went something like this: ‘Lord God, Creator of all things, you are awesome and strong, yet merciful and just. You alone are king. No one but you is kind; 25 no one but you is gracious and just. You are almighty and eternal, forever ready to rescue Israel from trouble. You chose our ancestors to be your own special people. 26 Accept this sacrifice which we offer on behalf of all Israel; protect your chosen people and make us holy. 27 Free those who are slaves in foreign lands and gather together our scattered people. Have mercy on our people, who are mistreated and despised, so that all other nations will know that you are our God. 28 Punish the brutal and arrogant people who have oppressed us, 29 and then establish your people in your holy land, as Moses said you would.’
The Persian Emperor Hears about the Fire
30 “Then the priests sang hymns. 31 After the sacrifices had been consumed, Nehemiah gave orders for the rest of the liquid to be poured over some large stones. 32 Immediately a fire blazed up, but it was extinguished by a flame from the fire on the altar.
33 “News of what had happened spread everywhere. The Persian emperor heard that a liquid had been found in the place where the priests had hidden the altar fire, just before they were taken into exile. He also heard that Nehemiah and his friends had used this liquid to burn the sacrifice on the altar. 34 When the emperor investigated the matter and found out that this was true, he had the area fenced off and made into a shrine. 35 It became a substantial source of income for him, and he used the money for gifts to anyone who was in his good favor. 36 Nehemiah and his friends called the liquid nephthar which means ‘purification,’ but most people call it ‘naphtha.’
Vēstījums jūdiem Ēģiptē
1 Jūdi, kas ir Jeruzālemē un Jūdejas zemē, sveic savus brāļus jūdus Ēģiptē un vēl svētīgu mieru. 2 Lai Dievs jūs svētī un piemin savu derību ar Ābrahāmu, Īzaku un Jēkabu, kas viņam kalpojuši uzticīgi. 3 Lai Dievs jums visiem sirdī iedveš godbijību pret sevi, tā ka jūs ar stipru sirdi un labprātīgu garu darāt visu, ko viņš pavēl. 4 Lai viņš atver jūsu sirdis savai bauslībai un pavēlēm un dod jums mieru. 5 Lai viņš uzklausa jūsu vajadzības, lai izlīgst ar jums un nepamet jūs briesmu brīdī. 6 Tā mēs allaž lūdzam par jums. 7 Dēmētrija valdīšanas laikā 169. gadā mēs, jūdi, rakstījām jums par lielo postu, kas mūs bija piemeklējis tajā laikā, kad Jāsons kopā ar saviem ļaudīm kā atkritēji pameta svēto zemi un valsti. 8 Viņi aizdedzināja pilsētas vārtus un izlēja nevainīgas asinis. Mēs lūdzām Kungu un tikām uzklausīti. Mēs nesām viņam lejamo upuri un kviešu miltus, aizdedzām gaismekļus un ziedojām upurmaizes. 9 Mudinām jūs svinēt telts iedibināšanas dienu kislēva mēnesī 188. gadā.
Vēstījums Aristobūlam
10 Jūdi Jeruzālemē un visā Jūdejā, kā arī vecajie un Jūda sveic un vēl labklājību kā Aristobūlam, ķēniņa Ptolemaja skolotājam, kas cēlies no svēto priesteru dzimtas, tā arī jūdiem Ēģiptē. 11 Mēs bezgala pateicamies Dievam, ka viņš izglāba mūs no lielām briesmām, kad bijām spiesti nostāties pret ķēniņu, 12 jo Dievs mūsu pretiniekus izraidīja no svētās pilsētas: 13 kad ķēniņš un viņa šķietami neuzvaramais karaspēks ieradās Persīdā, viņus Nanajas templī viltīgi nokāva tempļa priesteri. 14 Antiohs ar saviem draugiem atnāca uz šo templi ar nolūku padarīt dievieti par savu sievu un iegūt sev pūrā milzīgās tempļa bagātības. 15 Tempļa priesteri viņam tās piedāvāja, un, kad viņš kopā ar nedaudziem bija iegājis svētvietā, viņi aizslēdza durvis 16 un no apslēptas atveres jumtā meta uz viņiem akmeņus, gluži kā zibens raida spērienus. Nogalinātos viņi sacirta gabalos un galvas nosvieda pie tiem, kas bija palikuši ārā. 17 Lai slava Dievam, kas bezdievīgos ir tā nodevis. 18 Tā kā mēs gribam kislēva mēneša divdesmit piektajā dienā veikt tempļa šķīstīšanu, mēs uzskatījām par vajadzīgu dot jums skaidru izklāstu, lai arī jūs varētu svinēt telts iedibināšanas un uguns svētkus. Nehemija bija tas, kurš uzcēla templi un altāri un pienesa ziedojumu. 19 Kad mūsu tēvi bija aizvesti uz Persiju, dievbijīgie priesteri toreiz slepus paņēma no altāra uguni un noslēpa to akā, kurā nebija ūdens. Tur uguns bija droši noglabāta, tā ka neviens to vietu nezināja. 20 Pagāja daudzi gadi. Pēc Dieva gribas Persijas ķēniņš lika Nehemijam sūtīt toreizējo priesteru pēcnācējus pēc uguns. Viņi mums darīja zināmu, ka nav atraduši uguni, bet gan daudz ūdens. Viņš pavēlēja tiem pasmelt ūdeni un atnest. 21 Kad upuri bija sanesti, Nehemija pavēlēja apliet ar ūdeni pagales un to, kas bija uz pagalēm. 22 Kad tas bija izdarīts, pēc kāda brīža no mākoņiem parādījās saule, un pēkšņi no krāvuma pacēlās lielas uguns liesmas. Visi brīnījās. 23 Kamēr uguns aprija upuri, priesteri pielūdza Dievu. Lūdza visi – gan priesteri, gan pārējie. Lūgšanu sāka Jonāts, bet pārējie skandēja kopā ar Nehemiju. 24 Viņa lūgšana bija šāda:
Kungs, Kungs Dievs, tu visa Radītājs, tu, kas esi bargs un stiprs, taisnīgs un žēlsirdīgs, tu esi vienīgais patiesais valdnieks, 25 vienīgais labdaris, vienīgais taisnīgais un mūžīgais Kungs, tu esi izglābis Israēlu no visa ļauna, esi izredzējis un svētījis mūsu tēvus, 26 pieņem šo upuri par visu savu Israēla tautu, pasargā un svētī to, kas ir tava daļa. 27 Saved kopā mūs, izkliedētos, atbrīvo tos, kuri spiesti vergot citām tautām, vērs savu skatienu uz pazemotiem un nicinātiem, lai citas tautas zina, ka tu esi mūsu Dievs. 28 Uzliec pārbaudījumus tiem, kas augstprātīgā lepnībā valda pār mums. 29 Ļauj lai tava tauta iesakņojas tavā svētajā vietā, kā Mozus ir teicis.
30 Priesteri dziedāja slavas dziesmas, 31 līdz kamēr upuris bija sadedzis. Pāri palikušo ūdeni Nehemija lika izliet uz lielākiem akmeņiem. 32 Kad tas bija izdarīts, izšāvās liesma, un to aprija uguns no altāra. 33 Šis notikums drīz kļuva plaši zināms. Arī Persijas ķēniņam tika pavēstīts, ka tajā vietā, kur uguns bija noslēpta, aizsūtītie priesteri atraduši ūdeni, bet Nehemija un citi, kas bija līdz ar viņu, upurēšanas laikā ar to bija aizdedzinājuši dedzināmo upuri. 34 Pārbaudījis šo ziņu patiesumu, ķēniņš lika nožogot šo svēto vietu. 35 Tiem, pret kuriem ķēniņš bija labvēlīgs, viņš ņēma un izdalīja daudz vērtīgu dāvanu. 36 Nehemijas līdzbiedri šo ūdeni nosauca par “nefthar”, kas tulkojumā nozīmē “šķīstīšana”. Daudzi to sauc “nefthai”.
