Hanukkah is a popular Jewish holiday and festival of lights commemorating the miracle of a small cruse of oil kindled for eight days in the ancient temple when the Maccabees overthrew their Syrian-Greek oppressors. While most people know that Hanukkah is mentioned in the scroll called the ”Book of Maccabees,” what is lesser known is where is Hanukkah mentioned in the Bible itself?
Hanukkah is mentioned several times in the Bible, though not by its official name of Hanukkah. Rather, Hanukkah is alluded to by its Hebrew name, “Ḥanukkāh,” as well as the title of “the rededication of the altar,” (Heb. chanukat hama’ariv).
In the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 Maccabees, Chanukat HaMa’ariv (חנוכת המעריב) is mentioned in the context of the reinstitution of the sacrificial practice, after it has been suspended for a period of time. It is usually referred to as the dedication of the altar, a commemoration of the rededication of an altar in Jerusalem that had been desecrated by the Syrians.
In the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, Chanukat HaMa’ariv is mentioned as the occasion of the rededication of the temple after it had been desecrated by the Syrians. Both of these books recount the victory of the Jews over the Syrian-Greeks and their restoration of the temple worship and its rituals.
The Name “Ḥanukkāh” is mentioned in both 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees, where it is referred to as the festival of the dedication of the altar that is celebrated annually for eight days. This festival is referred to as both Chag HaḤanukkah (חג החנוכה) and Yom Ḥanukkāh (יום החנוכה) in 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees, respectively.
In addition, the Bible mentions the eight-day festival in Daniel 8. In this chapter, a vision is given of the ram and the he-goat which symbolically refer to Assyria and Greece. Verse fourteen (14) of this chapter discusses the discourse between Gabriel and Daniel concerning the latter’s understanding of the vision. Daniel is then informed that the vision refers to the desecration of the temple which would be cleansed by a people known as the “anointed one,” (Hebrew, mashiaḥ).
In response, the text mentions that it was also ordered that the “regular burnt offering,” (Hebrew, tamid kol yom) should be restored and the Temple rededicated. This incident is seen as a prophetic reference to the actually event which happened several hundred years later.
From the above, we can see that while Hanukkah is not mentioned by its official name in the Bible, it is instead alluded to by a Hebrew phrase as well as a reference to the rededication of the altar. This is seen in both the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Maccabees as well as in Daniel 8. Despite this, Hanukkah remains an important holiday in Jewish culture and is seen as a powerful celebration of light conquering the forces of darkness.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.