
190 BC to 170 BC, Psalm 38: Antiochus Epiphanes.
This generation is that of the years between 190 BC and 170 BC.
It is in this context that the governor of Great Syria sends Heliodorus, his prime minister, to Jerusalem to monopolize the riches of the Temple.
- Onias [1], [1], a high priest, being dead at the same time (- Hyrcanus, the last representative of the Tobiads, master of territories beyond the Jordan, family opposed to that of the Oniads who were responsible for worship in Jerusalem –), Antiochus ( Epiphanius), king of Syria, gave the great priesthood to Jesus, nicknamed Jason, brother of Onias, who had left only a young son, which we will talk about again. But Antiochus, having since been dissatisfied with Jason, deprived him of this dignity. He gave it to Onias, nicknamed Menelaus, his younger brother, who was one of the three sons that Simon had left and who were all successively high priests as we have said. Jason, not being able to suffer to be deprived of this charge, entered into a great dispute with Menelaus; and the children of Tobias declared for the latter. But most of the people favored Jason, and so they were forced to retreat alongside Antiochus. They told this prince that they were determined to renounce the customs of their country to embrace his religion and the way of life of the Greeks. They asked him to allow them to build a place of exercises in Jerusalem. He gave it to them; and then they covered the marks of circumcision so that they could not be distinguished from the Greeks even when, running and struggling, they would be naked, and thus abandoning all the laws of their fathers, they differed in no way from foreign nations.
(extract of the psalm 38 associated to this generation, verses 1 to 5 )
- A song of David, to make remembrance.
- O Lord, do not reprove me with Your anger, nor chastise me with Your wrath.
- For Your arrows have been shot into me, and Your hand has come down upon me.
- There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your fury; there is no peace in my bones because of my sin.
- For my iniquities passed over my head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
To this drift of the Jews towards the Greek practices is added to the misfortune of the people of Israel the hostile attitude of Antiochus Epiphanes:
- In [2] the year 143 (169 BC), after the conquest of Egypt, Antiochus marched with a great army against the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
- In his arrogance, he entered the Temple and took away the gold altar, the lampstand with all its equipment,
- the table for the bread offered to the Lord, the cups and bowls, the gold fire pans, the curtain, and the crowns. He also stripped all the gold from the front of the Temple
- and carried off the silver and gold and everything else of value, including all the treasures that he could find stored there.
- Then he took it all to his own country. He had also murdered many people and boasted arrogantly about it. 25 There was great mourning everywhere in the land of Israel.
- Rulers and leaders groaned in sorrow. Young men and young women grew weak.The beauty of our women faded.
- Every bridegroom sang a funeral song, and every bride sat mourning in her room.
- All our people were clothed with shame, and our land trembled for them.
(extract of the psalm 38 associated to this generation, verses 6 to 11 )
- My boils are putrid; they fester because of my folly.
- I am very much stunned and bowed; all day I go around in gloom.
- For my loins are full of self-effacement; there is no soundness in my flesh.
- I passed out and was very crushed; I moaned from the turmoil in my heart.
- O Lord, all my desire is before You, and my sigh is not hidden from You.
- My heart is engulfed; my strength has left me, and the light of my eyes- they too are not with me.
(extract of the psalm 38 associated to this generation, verses 12 and 13 )
- And those who seek my life lay traps, and those who seek my harm speak treachery, and all day long they think of deceits.
- But I am as a deaf person, I do not hear, and like a mute, who does not open his mouth.
(extract of the psalm 38 associated to this generation, verses 14 to 23 )
- But I am as a deaf person, I do not hear, and like a mute, who does not open his mouth.
- And I was as a man who does not understand and in whose mouth are no arguments.
- Because I hoped for You, O Lord; You shall answer, O Lord, my God.
- For I said, « Lest they rejoice over me; when my foot faltered, they magnified themselves over me. »
- For I am ready for disaster, and my pain is always before me.
- For I relate my iniquity; I worry about my sin.
- But my enemies are in the vigor of life, and those who hate me for false reasons have become great.
- And they repay evil for good; they hate me for my pursuit of goodness.
- Do not forsake me, O Lord, my God; do not distance Yourself from me.
- Hasten to my aid, O Lord, my salvation.
[1] Flavius Josephus / Jewish Antiquities / Twelfth Book / Chapter 6. (French: Flavius Josèphe/Antiquités Juives/Livre douzième/chapitre 6).
[2] 1 Maccabees, Chapter 1, verses 20 to 28 (« Antiochus Persecutes the Jews« ).
(Following the translation of https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Maccabees+1&version=GNT )