1 Maccabees 4:55 ??

[Jonathan95]

Hi,

"All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them." 1 Maccabees 4:55 NRSVCE

How is this to be interpreted, since to worship heaven would be idolatry.

I do believe the deuterocanonical books as well though.

 

[Kyprian]

unless they "worshiped, and blessed Heaven"?

 

[judechild]

It's a translation thing. Greek (which Maccabees was written in) very commonly uses nouns and adjectives as nominative-indicatives; in this case "The Heaven" (o ouranos) means "the Heaven[ly One]." That is confirmed by the context of the prayer of Judas: "“Blessed are you, Savior of Israel..." (v. 30), and the resolution, where the Israelites dedicate the temple of the Lord: "For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of deliverance and praise" (v. 56).

 

[Jonathan95]

It's a translation thing. Greek (which Maccabees was written in) very commonly uses nouns and adjectives as nominative-indicatives; in this case "The Heaven" (o ouranos) means "the Heaven[ly One]." That is confirmed by the context of the prayer of Judas: "“Blessed are you, Savior of Israel..." (v. 30), and the resolution, where the Israelites dedicate the temple of the Lord: "For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of deliverance and praise" (v. 56).

Ok thank you for the explanation.