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Happy Hanukkah 🕎

John 10:22-23 (KJV)

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.


The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is an eight day celebration starting on the evening preceding the 25 day of the Jewish month of Kislev. On the Gregorian calendar it can fall anytime from the end of November to the end of December.


Hanukkah means dedication in Hebrew


In Israel, when people move into a new house they have a house warming party which is called Hanukkat Bait - Dedication of the Home.


Hanukkah celebrates the dedication of the second temple and the Maccabean victory against the oppressive rule of Antiochus Epiphanes IV in 165 BC


“””This revolt was triggered by the Seleucid Empire under King Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempting to forcibly Hellenize the Jews and saw him forcibly fight against Jewish religious practices.


In this period, the Seleucids forcibly took over Jerusalem and desecrated the Second Temple with pagan rituals.””” (From newspaper article below.)


The events surrounding Hanukkah are described in the first and second book of Maccabee’s which are not part of the Hebrew canon.


First and Second Maccabee’s are included in the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek known as the Septuagint or LXX (70 in Roman numerals), after the 70 Jewish scholars responsible for the translation in the 3rd century BC. 
The Book of First Maccabee’s in the Septuagint


Article about Hanukkah 🕎 Also called the feast of lights.

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