(4.) One who was sent by king Josiah to repair the temple (2 Chronicles
34:8). He was governor (Hebrews sar, rendered elsewhere in the
Authorized Version “prince,” “chief captain,” chief ruler”) of Jerusalem.
(5.) The father of the priest Zephaniah (Jeremiah 21:1; 37:3).
(6.) The father of the false prophet Zedekiah (Jeremiah 29:21).
Maase’iah, refuge is Jehovah, a priest, the father of Neriah (Jeremiah
32:12; 51:59).
- MAASIAI work of Jehovah, one of the priests resident at Jerusalem at
the Captivity (1 Chronicles 9:12). - MAATH small, a person named in our Lord’s ancestry (Luke 3:26).
- MAAZIAH strength or consolation of Jehovah. (1.) The head of the
twenty-fourth priestly course (1 Chronicles 24:18) in David’s reign.
(2.) A priest (Nehemiah 10:8).
- MACCABEES This word does not occur in Scripture. It was the name
given to the leaders of the national party among the Jews who suffered in
the persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes, who succeeded to the Syrian
throne B.C. 175. It is supposed to have been derived from the Hebrew
word (makkabah) meaning “hammer,” as suggestive of the heroism and
power of this Jewish family, who are, however, more properly called
Asmoneans or Hasmonaeans, the origin of which is much disputed.
After the expulsion of Antiochus Epiphanes from Egypt by the Romans,
he gave vent to his indignation on the Jews, great numbers of whom he
mercilessly put to death in Jerusalem. He oppressed them in every way,
and tried to abolish altogether the Jewish worship. Mattathias, an aged
priest, then residing at Modin, a city to the west of Jerusalem, became
now the courageous leader of the national party; and having fled to the
mountains, rallied round him a large band of men prepared to fight and die
for their country and for their religion, which was now violently
suppressed. In 1 Macc. 2:60 is recorded his dying counsels to his sons
with reference to the war they were now to carry on. His son Judas, “the
Maccabee,” succeeded him (B.C. 166) as the leader in directing the war of
independence, which was carried on with great heroism on the part of the
Jews, and was terminated in the defeat of the Syrians.