2193: Why the Spelling for the Maccabees is Controversial Dec 16, 2020

An important source to understanding the story behind the holiday of Chanuka is from The Book of the Maccabees, but exactly how to spell 'Maccabees' in Hebrew is unclear. These days, it is 'מכבים' but irrespective of that it might be surprising there is the ambiguity at all. This is actually because the oldest known records are in Greek, where is it universally Μακκαβαῖοι (Makkabaioi), despite the fact the entire subject matter focuses on fighting the Greeks militarily and culturally. It is unclear whether the name originates, as is most commonly understood, as an acronym written on their flags from מי־כמכה באלם יי (mi chamocha ba'elim [Hashem]) meaning "who is like You among the heavens [G-d]?". The name could also come as a reference to the military strength, with [מקבי[ם‎ meaning 'hammer' in Aramaic. Keep in mind that while this is often taken to be a family name, as with Yehuda Maccabee, their actual dynastic name being חשמונאים‎ ([the] Hasmonaim).