An Invitation to Celebrate Hanukkah

1 The Jews in Jerusalem and in the country of Judea send greetings and good peace to their fellow Jews throughout Egypt.

2 May God do good to you, and remember his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants, 3 and give you all a heart to worship him and do his will with a strong heart and a willing soul. 4 May God open your heart to his law and his statutes, and make peace,⁠a 5 and listen to your requests, and be reconciled with you, and not abandon you in an evil time.

6 Now we are praying for you here.

7 In the reign of Demetrius, in the one hundred sixty-ninth year, we the Jews have already written to you in the suffering and in the distress that has come on us in these years, from the time that Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom,⁠b 8 and set the gate on fire, and shed innocent blood. We prayed to the Lord, and were heard. We offered sacrifices and meal offerings. We lit the lamps. We set out the bread of the Presence.

9 Now see that you keep the days of the Festival of Shelters in the month Kislev in the one hundred eighty-eighth year.

A Second Letter to the Jews in Egypt

10 The people of Jerusalem and those who are in Judea, with the senate and Judas, to Aristobulus, King Ptolemy’s teacher, who is also from the line of the anointed priests, and to the Jews who are in Egypt, we send greetings and health.

11 Having been saved by God out of great dangers, as men drawn up for battle against a king, we thank him greatly. 12 For he drove out those who fought against us in the holy city.

13 For when the prince had come into Persia, with an army that seemed irresistible, they were cut to pieces in the temple of Nanaea by the treachery of Nanaea’s priests. 14 For Antiochus, on the pretense that he would marry her, came into the place, he and his friends who were with him, that they might take a large part of the treasures as a dowry. 15 And when the priests of Nanaea’s temple had set the treasures out, and he had come there with a small company within the wall of the sacred precinct, they locked the temple when Antiochus had come in. 16 Opening the secret door of the paneled ceiling, they threw stones and struck down the prince. They cut him and his company in pieces, and cut off their heads, and threw them to the people who were outside.

17 Blessed be our God in all things, who handed over those who had acted irreverently.

The Temple Fire in Nehemiah’s Time

18 Since we are now about to celebrate the purification of the temple in the month Kislev, on the twenty-fifth day, we thought it necessary to notify you, so that you may also keep a Festival of Shelters, and remember the fire which was given when Nehemiah offered sacrifices, after he had built both the temple and the altar.

19 For indeed when our ancestors were about to be led into the land of Persia, the godly priests of that time took some of the fire of the altar, and hid it secretly in the hollow of a well that was without water, where they made sure that the place was unknown to anyone.⁠c

20 Now after many years, when it pleased God, Nehemiah, having received orders from the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden it to search for the fire.⁠d When they declared to us that they had found no fire, but thick liquid, he commanded them to draw some of it out and bring it to him.

21 When the sacrifices had been offered, Nehemiah commanded the priests to sprinkle with that liquid both the wood and the things laid on it.

22 When that was done and some time had passed, and the sun shone out, which before was hidden by clouds, a great blaze flared up, so that everyone was amazed.

23 Both the priests and all the others prayed while the sacrifice was being consumed. Jonathan led and the rest responded, as Nehemiah did.

Prayer at the Sacrifice

24 The prayer was like this, “Lord, Lord God, the Creator of all things, you are awesome, strong, righteous, and merciful, you alone are King and gracious, 25 you alone supply every need, you alone are righteous, almighty, and eternal, you who save Israel out of all evil, who chose the ancestors and consecrated them, 26 accept the sacrifice for all your people Israel, and preserve your own portion, and consecrate it. 27 Gather together our scattered people, free those who are enslaved among the Gentiles, look on those who are despised and detested, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God. 28 Punish those who oppress us and in arrogance shamefully mistreat us. 29 Plant your people in your holy place, just as Moses said.”⁠e

30 Then the priests sang the hymns.

31 As soon as the sacrifice was consumed, then Nehemiah commanded that the rest of the liquid be poured on large stones. 32 When this was done, a flame flared up, but when the light from the altar shone back, it went out.

33 When the matter became known, and the king of the Persians was told that in the place where the priests who were led away had hidden the fire, the liquid had appeared with which Nehemiah and those who were with him purified the sacrifice, 34 then the king enclosed the place and made it sacred after he had investigated the matter.

35 When the king would show favor to any, he would exchange many presents and give them some of this liquid.

36 Nehemiah and those who were with him called this thing “Nephthar,” which means “Cleansing.” But most people call it Nephthai.⁠f