Antiochus’ Prohibition of Circumcision
44And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50He added, “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”
Translation from the New Revised Standard Version.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
