Editing Maccabees (section)

==Etymology==
The name Maccabee<ref>Latin: ''Maccabaeus''; Greek: Μακκαβαῖος ''Makkabaios''; from Hebrew ''maqqeb et'', "hammer" (''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'').</ref> is often used as a synonym for the entire [[Hasmonean dynasty]], but the Maccabees proper comprised [[Judas Maccabeus]] and his four brothers. The name Maccabee was a personal epithet of Judah,<ref>See 1 Maccabees 2:4</ref> and the later generations were not his direct descendants. One explanation of the name's origins is that it derives from the [[Aramaic]] ''maqqəḇa'', "the hammer", in recognition of Judah's ferocity in battle.<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=The Machabees}}</ref> The traditional Jewish explanation is that Maccabee ({{langx|he|מכבים}} {{transliteration|he|Makkabi}}) is an [[acronym]] for the [[Torah]] verse that was the battle-cry of the Maccabees, ''"[[Song of the Sea|'''M'''i '''k'''amocha]] '''ba''''elim [[YHWH|'''Y'''HWH]]"'', "Who is like You among the heavenly powers, oh God!",<ref name=SET-Ex>{{cite book|editor-last=Scherman|editor-first=Nosson |title=Tanakh = Tanach : Torah, Neviʼim, Ketuvim : the Torah, Prophets, Writings : the twenty-four books of the Bible, newly translated and annotated|year=1998|publisher=Mesorah Publications|location=Brooklyn, N.Y.|isbn=1578191092|pages=171–172|edition=1st student size ed., Stone}}</ref><ref>[[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 15:11</ref> as well as an [[acronym]] for ''"[[Mattathias|'''M'''atityahu]] [[Kohen|ha'''K'''ohen]] '''b'''en '''Y'''ochanan''" (Matthias the priest, son of John). The correlating [[Torah]] verse [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 15:11, ''The song of Moses and the Children of Israel by the Sea'',<ref name=SET-Ex/> makes a reference to ''elim'', with a mundane notion of natural forces, heavenly might, war and governmental powers. The scholar and poet Aaron Kaminka argues that the name is a corruption of [[Machbanai]], a mighty warrior in the army of King [[David]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oztorah.com/2008/01/what-does-maccabee-mean-ask-the-rabbi/ |title=What does "Maccabee" mean? – Ask the Rabbi |publisher=Oztorah.com |access-date=2013-07-29}}</ref>