And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by
reason
of transgression
Which some interpret of a garrison of soldiers placed by
Antiochus, through his sin and wickedness, to hinder the oblation
of the daily sacrifice, as Grotius: others, of a host of
apostates among the Jews, who advised Antiochus against the daily
sacrifice, and to kill swine, and offer them on the altar, as
Jacchiades; or rather it may be rendered, "and the host was given
over", or "delivered", i.e. to the enemy, "because of the
transgression against the daily sacrifice" F5; that
is, because of the transgression of the priests or the people, in
neglecting the daily sacrifice, the host or people of the Jews
were delivered up into the hands of Antiochus; or they were
delivered up, together with the daily sacrifice, for their sins
F6. The word (abu) is by Jarchi and Ben Melech interpreted a
set time, a fixed time which shall have an end; and Calvin
inclines to this sense, that though the daily sacrifice would be
taken away, because of the transgression of the people, yet it
was only for a certain time, and would be restored again when
that time was up; and so is spoken for the comfort of the Lord's
people: and it cast down the truth to the
ground:
that is, the little horn Antiochus, or his host and army; he did
all that in him lay to extirpate and abolish true religion and
godliness; he cut in pieces the copies of the book of the law,
and burnt them, called the law of truth in ( Malachi 2:6 ) , as
Jacchiades observes, and put to death the professors of the
truth; and showed all the contempt of true doctrine and worship
he was capable of; see the Apocrypha:
``57 And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that they should put him to death. 58 Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities. 59 Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God. 60 At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.'' (1 Maccabees 1)and it practised, and prospered;