July 22, 2013 – 1 Maccabees 9:35 – 9:73

I found myself focusing on Bacchides as I read this.  He seemed like a mercenary more than a general.  He would come in, defeat someone, then leave again.  When he came in and was defeated, he quickly turned on those that hired him.  There doesn’t seem to be any loyalty or real care in the cause, he is just a fighting man, which makes him seem a mercenary.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacchides_(general)  This makes it sound like he broke one treaty and then ended by making another.  I remember their being a peace made with Rome at one point a couple chapters ago, but not lasting long, so he must have had some part in that, though I don’t recall his name.  The peace they come to with him in the end here appears to be with him and not really with Rome.  But if he is the one that Rome kept sending, then making peace with him is the way to go.