1 offered sacrifice for the dedication and completion of the temple.
10Just as Moses prayed to the Lord and fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices, so also Solomon prayed, and the fire came down and consumed the whole burnt offerings.
11Lev 9.24; 10.16And Moses said, “They were consumed because the purification offering had not been eaten.”
121 Kings 8.65, 66Likewise Solomon also kept the eight days.
13 2 Macc 1.4; 5.16 The same things are reported in the records and in the memoirs of Nehemiah and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and prophets and the writings of David and letters of kings about votive offerings.
14In the same way Judas also collected all the books that had been lost on account of the war that had come upon us, and they are in our possession.
15So if you have need of them, send people to get them for you.
16 2 Macc 1.18 Since, therefore, we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. You will do well if you celebrate these days.
171 Macc 4.43, 48; 2 Macc 10.3It is God who has saved all his people and has returned the inheritance to all and the kingship and the priesthood and the consecration,
18Deut 30.3–5; Ezek 39.27, 28; 2 Macc 10.3as he promised through the law. We have hope in God that he will soon have mercy on us and will gather us from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified the place.
The Compiler’s Preface19 1 Macc 2.2–5; 4.43, 48; 2 Macc 10.3 The story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and the purification of the greatest temple, and the dedication of the altar,
201 Macc 1.10; 6.17; 2 Macc 10.10and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator,
212 Macc 3.24; 5.4; 10.29; 11.8; 12.22; 3 Macc 6.18and the appearances that came from heaven to those who fought bravely for Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes
222 Macc 3.12; 5.15; 10.1and regained possession of the temple famous throughout the world and liberated the city and reestablished the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them—
23all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.
24For considering the flood of lines written and the difficulty there is for those who wish to enter upon the narratives of history because of the mass of material,
25we have aimed to please those who wish to read, to make it easy for those who are inclined to memorize, and to profit all readers.
26For us who have undertaken the toil of abbreviating, it is no light matter but calls for sweat and loss of sleep,
27Sir 32.1, 2just as it is not easy for one who prepares a banquet and seeks the benefit of others. Nevertheless, to secure the gratitude of many we will gladly endure the uncomfortable toil,
28leaving the responsibility for exact details to the compiler, while devoting our effort to arriving at the outlines of the condensation.
292 Macc 15.39For as the master builder of a new house must be concerned with the whole construction, while the one who undertakes its painting and decoration has to consider only what is suitable for its adornment, such in my judgment is the case with us.
30It is the duty of the original historian to occupy the ground, to discuss matters from every side, and to take trouble with details,
31but the one who recasts the narrative should be allowed to strive for brevity of expression and to forego exhaustive treatment.
322 Macc 6.17At this point, therefore, let us begin our narrative, without adding any more to what has already been said, for it would be foolish to lengthen the preface while cutting short the history itself.
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