World English Bible

1 In the hundred forty and ninth year tidings were brought to Judas and his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming withgreatmultitudes against Judaea,

2 and with him Lysias his guardian and chancellor,each having a Greek force, a hundred and ten thousand footmen, and five thousand and three hundred horsemen, and two and twenty elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.

3 And Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great dissimulation encouraged Antiochus, not for the saving of his country, but because he thought that he would be set over the government.

4 But the King of kings stirred up thepassion of Antiochus against the wicked wretch; and when Lysias informed him that this man was the cause of all the evils,the kingcommanded to bring him to Beroea, andto put him to death after the manner of that place.

5 Now there is in that place a tower of fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had all round it agallerydescending sheer on every side into the ashes.

6 Here him that is guilty of sacrilege, or has attained a preeminence in any other evil deeds, theyall push forward into destruction.

7 By such a fate it befell the breaker of the law, Menelaus, to die, without obtaining so much asa grave inthe earth, and that right justly;

8 for inasmuch as he had perpetrated many sinsagainst the altar, whose fire and whose ashes were holy, in ashes did he receive his death.

9 Now the king,infuriated in spirit, was coming with intent to inflict on the Jews the very worst of the sufferings that had befallenthemin his father’s time.

10 But when Judas heard of these things, he gave charge to the multitude to call upon the Lord day and night,beseeching him,if ever at any other time, so now to succour them that were at the point to be deprived of the law and their country and the holy temple,

11 and not to suffer the people that had been but now a little while revived to fall into the hands of those profane heathen.

12 So when they had all done the same thing together,beseeching the merciful Lord with weeping and fastings and prostration for three days without ceasing, Judas exhorted them and commanded they should join himfor service.

13 And having gone apart with the elders he resolved that, before the king’s army should enter into Judaea and make themselves masters of the city, they should go forth and try the matterin fightby the help ofGod.

14 And committing the decision to theLord of the world, and exhorting them that were with him to contend nobly even to death for laws, temple, city, country,commonwealth, he pitched his camp by Modin.

15 And given out to his men the watchword, VICTORY IS GOD’S, with a chosen body of the bravest young men he fell uponthe campby nightand penetratedto the king’stent, and killedofthearmy as many as two thousand men, andbrought down the chiefest elephant with him that was in thetower upon him.

16 And at last they filled thearmy with terror and alarm, and departed with good success.

17 And this had been accomplished when the day was but now dawning, because of the Lord’s protection that gaveJudas help.

18 But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews, made attempts by stratagem upon their positions,

19 andupona strong fortress of the Jews at Bethsura; he advanced, was turned back, failed, was defeated,

20 And Judas conveyed such things as were necessary to them that were within.

21 But Rhodocus, from the Jewish ranks, made known to the enemy the secretsof his countrymen.He was sought out, and taken, and shut up in prison.

22 The king treated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took theirs, departed, attacked the forces of Judas, was put to the worse,

23 heard that Philip who had been left as chancellor in Antioch had become reckless, was confounded, made to the Jews an overtureof peace,submitted himself and sware to acknowledge all their rights, came to terms with them and offered sacrifice, honored the sanctuary and the place,

24 showed kindness and graciously received Maccabaeus, left Hegemonides governor from Ptolemais even to theGerrenians,

25 came to Ptolemais. The men of Ptolemais were displeased at the treaty, for they had exceeding great indignationagainst the Jews:they desired to annul the articles of the agreement.

26 Lysiascame forward to speak, made the best defence that was possible, persuaded, pacified, made them well affected, departed to Antioch. This was the issue of the inroad and departure of the king.

1 But Nicanor, hearing that Judas and his company were in the region of Samaria, resolved to set upon them with all security on the day of rest.

2 And when the Jews that were compelled to follow him said, O destroy not so savagely and barbarously, but give due glory to the day which he that sees all things hashonored and hallowed aboveother days;

3 then the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a Sovereign in heaven that had commanded to keep the Sabbath day.

4 And when they declared, There is the Lord, living himself a Sovereign in heaven, who badeusobserve the seventh day;

5 then says the other, I also am a sovereign upon the earth,whonowcommand to take up arms and execute the king’s business. Nevertheless he prevailed not to execute hiscruel purpose.

6 And Nicanor,bearing himself haughtily in all vaingloriousness, had determined to set up a monument of complete victory over Judas and all them that were with him:

7 but Maccabaeus still trusted unceasingly, with all hope that he should obtain help from the Lord.

8 And he exhorted his company not to be fearful at theinroad of the heathen, but, keeping in mind the help which of old they had oftentimes received from heaven, so now also to look for the victory which would come to them from the Almighty;

9 and comforting them out of the law and the prophets, and withal putting them in mind of the conflicts that they had maintained, he made them more eagerfor the battle.

10 And when he had roused theirspirit, he gave themhiscommands, at the same time pointing out the perfidiousness of the heathen and their breach of their oaths.

11 And arming each one of them, not so much with the sure defence of shields and spears as with the encouragementthat liesin good words, and moreover relating to them a dreamworthy to be believed, he made them all exceeding glad.

12 And the vision of thatdreamwas this:He sawOnias, him that was high priest, a noble and good man, reverend in bearing, yet gentle in manner and well-spoken, and exercised from a child in all points of virtue, with outstretched hands invokingblessingson the whole body of the Jews:

13 thereuponhe sawa man appear, of venerable age and exceeding glory, and wonderful and most majestic was the dignity around him:

14 and Onias answered and said, This is the lover of the brethren, he who prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah the prophet of God:

15 and Jeremiah stretching forth his right hand delivered to Judas a sword of gold, and in giving it addressedhimthus,

16 Take the holy sword, a gift from God, wherewith you shall strike down the adversaries.

17 And being encouraged by the words of Judas, which were of a lofty strain, and able to incite to virtue and to stir the souls of the young to manly courage, they determinednot to carry on a campaign, but nobly to bear down uponthe enemy,and fighting hand to hand with all courage bring the matter to an issue, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.

18 For their fear for wives and children, and furthermore for brethren and kinsfolk, was in less account with them; but greatest and first was their fear for the consecrated sanctuary.

19 And they also that were shut up in the city were in no light distress, being troubled because of the encounter in the open ground.

20 And when all were now waiting for the decision of the issue, and the enemy had already joined battle, and the army had been set in array, and theelephantsbrought back to a convenient post, and the horsemen drawn upon the flank,

21 Maccabaeus, perceiving the presence of thetroops, and the various arms with which they were equipped, and the savageness of theelephants, holding up his hands to heaven called upon the Lord that works wonders, recognising thatsuccesscomes not by arms, but that, according asthe Lordshall judge, he gaineth the victory for them that are worthy.

22 And calling uponGodhe said after this manner: You, O Sovereign Lord, did send your angel in the time of Hezekiah king of Judaea, and he killed of thehost of Sennacherib as many as a hundred fourscore and five thousand;

23 so now also, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel before us to bring terror and trembling:

24 through the greatness of your arm let them be stricken with dismay that with blasphemy are come here against your holy people. And as he ended with these words,

25 Nicanor and his company advanced with trumpets and paeans;

26 but Judas and his company joined battle with the enemy with invocation and prayers.

27 And contending with their hands, and praying to God with their hearts, they killed no less than thirty and five thousand men, being made exceeding glad by the manifestation of God.

28 And when the engagement was over, and they were returning again with joy, they recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor;

29 and there arose a shout andtumult, andthenthey blessed the SovereignLordin the language of their fathers.

30 And he that in all things was in body and soul the foremost champion of his fellow-citizens, he that kept through life the good will of his youth toward his countrymen, commanded to cut off Nicanor’s head, and his hand with the shoulder, and bring them to Jerusalem.

31 And when he had arrived there, and had called his countrymen together and set the priests before the altar, he sent for them that were in the citadel;

32 and showing the head of the vile Nicanor, and the hand of that profane man, which with proud brags he had stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty,

33 and cutting out the tongue of the impious Nicanor, he said that he would giveit by pieces to the birds, and hang up therewards of his madness over against the sanctuary.

34 And they alllooking upto heaven blessedthe Lord who had manifested himself, saying, Blessed be he that has preserved his own place undefiled.

35 And he hanged Nicanor’s head and shoulder from the citadel, a sign, evident to all and manifest, of the help of the Lord.

36 And they all ordained with a common decree in no wise to let this day pass undistinguished, but to mark with honor the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (it is called Adar in the Syrian tongue), the day before the day of Mordecai.

37 THIS then having been the issue of the attempt of Nicanor, and the city having from those times been held by the Hebrews, I also will here make an end of my book.

38 And ifI have writtenwell and to the point in my story, this is what I myself desired; but if meanly and indifferently, this is all I could attain to.

39 For as it isdistasteful to drink wine alone and in like manner againto drinkwateralone,while the mingling of wine with water at oncegives full pleasantness to the flavour; so also the fashioning of the language delights the ears of them that read the story.

And here shall be the end.

THE END OF APOCRYPHA.

1 AND it came to pass, after that Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip, who came out of the land of Chittim, and struck Darius king of the Persians and Medes,it came to pass,after he had struck him, that he reigned in his stead, in former time, overGreece.

2 And he fought many battles, and won many strongholds, and killed the kings of the earth,

3 and went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of a multitude of nations. And the earth was quiet before him, and he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up,

4 and he gathered together an exceeding strong host, and ruled over countries and nations and principalities, and they became tributary to him.

5 And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die.

6 And he called his servants, which were honorable, which had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided to them his kingdom, while he was yet alive.

7 And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died.

8 And his servants bare rule, each one in his place.

9 And they did all put diadems upon themselves after that he was dead, and so did their sons after them many years: and they multiplied evils in the earth.

10 And there came forth out of them a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned inthe hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

11 In those days came there forth out of Israel transgressors of the law, and persuaded many, saying, let us go and make a covenant with theGentiles that are round about us; for since we were parted from them many evils have befallen us.

12 And the saying was good in their eyes.

13 And certain of the people were forwardhereinand went to the king, and he gave them licence to do after the ordinances of theGentiles.

14 Andthey built a place of exercise in Jerusalem according to the laws of theGentiles;

15 and they made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to theGentiles, and sold themselves to do evil.

16 And the kingdom was well ordered in the sight of Antiochus, and he thought to reign over Egypt, that he might reign over the two kingdoms.

17 And he entered into Egypt with agreat multitude, with chariots, and with elephants, and with horsemen, and with a greatnavy;

18 and he made war against Ptolemy king of Egypt; and Ptolemy was put to shame before him, and fled; and many fell wounded to death.

19 And they got possession of the strong cities in the land of Egypt; and he took the spoils of Egypt.

20 And Antiochus, after that he had struck Egypt, returned inthe hundred and forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with agreat multitude,

21 and entered presumptuously into the sanctuary, and took the golden altar, and the candlestick of the light, and all that pertained thereto,

22 and the table of the show bread, and the cups to pour withal, and the bowls, and the golden censers, and the veil, and the crowns, and the adorning of gold which was on the face of the temple, and he scaled it all off.

23 And he took the silver and the gold and the precious vessels; and he took the hidden treasures which he found.

24 And when he had taken all, he went away into his own land, and he made a great slaughter, and spoke very presumptuously.

25 And there came great mourning upon Israel, in every place where they were;

26 and the rulers and elders groaned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of the women was changed.

27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness.

28 And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

29 Andaftertwo full years the king sent a chief collector of tribute to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with agreat multitude.

30 And he spoke words of peace to them in subtilty, and they gave him credence: and he fell upon the city suddenly, and struck it very sore, and destroyed much people out of Israel.

31 And he took the spoils of the city, and set it on fire, and pulled down the houses thereof and the walls thereof on every side.

32 And they led captive the women and the children, and the cattle they took in possession.

33 And they builded the city of David with a great and strong wall, with strong towers, and it became to them a citadel.

34 And they put there a sinful nation, transgressors of the law, and they strengthened themselves therein.

35 And they stored up arms and food, and gathering together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and they became a sore snare:

36 and it became a place to lie in wait in against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel continually.

37 And they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary.

38 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them; and she became a habitation of strangers, and she became strange to them that were born in her, and her children forsook her.

39 Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness,her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, her honor into contempt.

40 According to her glory, so was her dishonor multiplied, and her high estate was turned into mourning.

41 And king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,

42 and that each should forsake his own laws. And all the nations agreed according to the word of the king;

43 and many of Israel consented to his worship, and sacrificed to the idols, and profaned the Sabbath.

44 And the king sent letters by the hand of messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, that they should follow laws strange to the land,

45 and should forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the sanctuary; and should profane the Sabbaths and feasts,

46 and pollute the sanctuary and them that were holy;

47 that they should build altars, and temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swine’s flesh and unclean beasts:

48 and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, that they should make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation;

49 so that they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.

50 And whoever shall not do according to the word of the king, he shall die.

51 According to all these words wrote he to his whole kingdom; and he appointed overseers over all the people, and he commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city.

52 And from the people were gathered together to them many, every one that had forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land;

53 and they made israel to hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had.

54 And on the fifteenth day of Chislev, inthe hundred and forty and fifth year, they builded an abomination of desolation upon thealtar, and in the cities of Judah on every side they buildedidolaltars.

55 And at the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense.

56 And they tore in pieces the books of the law which they found, and set them on fire.

57 And wherever was found with any a book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the king’s sentence delivered him to death.

58 Thus did they in their might to Israel, to those that were found month by month in the cities.

59 And on the five and twentieth day of the month they sacrificed upon theidolaltarof God.

60 Andthe women that had circumcised their children they put to death according to the commandment.

61 And they hanged their babes about their necks, anddestroyedtheir houses, and them that had circumcised them.

62 And many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat unclean things.

63 Andthey chose to die, that they might not be defiled with the meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: and they died.

64 And there came exceeding great wrath uponn Israel.

1 In those days rose up Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem; and he lived at Modin.

2 And he had five sons,John, who was surnamed Gaddis;

3 Simon, who was called Thassi;

4 Judas, who was called Maccabaeus;

5 Eleazar, who was called Avaran; Jonathan, who was called Apphus.

6 And he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,

7 and he said,

Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see the destruction of my people, and the destruction of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was given into the hand of the enemy, the sanctuary into the hand of aliens?

8 Her temple is become as a manthat was glorious:

9 her vessels of glory are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in her streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.

10 What nation has not inherited her palaces, and gotten possession of her spoils?

11 her adorning is all taken away; instead of a free woman she is become a bond woman:

12 and, behold, our holy things and our beauty and our glory are laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned them.

13 Wherefore should we live any longer?

14 And Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned exceedingly.

15 And the king’s officers, that were enforcing the apostasy, came into the city Modin to sacrifice.

16 And many of Israel came to them, and Mattathias and his sons were gathered together.

17 And the king’s officers answered and spoke to Mattathias, saying, You are a ruler and an honorable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren:

18 now therefore come you first and do the commandment of the king, as all the nations have done, and the men of Judah, and they that remain in Jerusalem: and you and your house shall be in the number of the king’sFriends, and you and your sons shall be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.

19 And Mattathias answered and said with a loud voice, If all the nations that are in the house of the king’s dominion hearken to him, to fall away each one from the worship of his fathers, and have made choice to follow his commandments,

20 yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.

21 Heaven forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.

22 We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go aside from our worship, on the right hand, or on the left.

23 And when he had left speaking these words, there came a Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment.

24 And Mattathias saw it, and his zeal was kindled, and his reins trembled, and he showed forth his wrath according to judgement, and ran, and killed him upon the altar.

25 And the king’s officer, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and pulled down the altar.

26 And he was zealous for the law, even as Phinehas did to Zimri the son of Salu.

27 And Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous for the law, and maintains the covenant, let him come forth after me.

28 And he and his sons fled into the mountains, and forsook all that they had in the city.

29 Then many that sought after justice and judgement went down into the wilderness, to dwell there,

30 they, and their sons, and their wives, and their cattle; because evils were multiplied upon them.

31 And it was told the king’s officers, and the forces that were in Jerusalem, the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king’s commandment, were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness;

32 and many pursued after them, and having overtaken them, they encamped against them, and set the battle in array against them on the Sabbath day.

33 And they said to them, Thus far. Come forth, and do according to the word of the king, and you⌃ shall live.

34 And they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the word of the king, to profane the Sabbath day.

35 And they hasted to give them battle.

36 And they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,

37 saying, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth witness over us, that you⌃ put us to death without trial.

38 And they rose up against them in battle on the Sabbath, and they died, they and their wives and their children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousandsouls.

39 And Mattathias and his friends knew it, and they mourned over them exceedingly.

40 And one said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not against the Gentiles for our lives and our ordinances, they will now quickly destroy us from off the earth.

41 And they took counsel on that day, saying, whoever shall come against us to battle on the Sabbath day, let us fight against him, and we shall in no wise all die, as our brethren died in the secret places.

42 Then were gathered together to them a company ofHasidaeans, mighty men of Israel, every one that offered himself willingly for the law.

43 And all they that fled from the evils were added to them, and became a stay to them.

44 And they mustered a host, and struck sinners in their anger, and lawless men in their wrath: and the rest fled to the Gentiles for safety.

45 And Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars;

46 and they circumcised by force the children that were uncircumcised, as many as they found in the coasts of Israel.

47 And they pursued after the sons of pride, and the work prospered in their hand.

48 And they rescued the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of the kings, neithersuffered they the sinner to triumph.

49 And the days of Mattathias drew near that he should die, and he said to his sons,

Now have pride and rebuke gotten strength, and a season of overthrow, and wrath of indignation.

50 And now, my children, be you⌃ zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.

51 And call to remembrance the deeds of our fathers which they did in their generations; and receive great glory and an everlasting name.

52 Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness?

53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt.

54 Phinehas our father, for that he was zealous exceedingly, obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.

55 Joshua for fulfilling the word became a judge in Israel.

56 Caleb for bearing witness in the congregation obtained a heritage in the land.

57 David for being merciful inherited the throne of a kingdom for ever and ever.

58 Elijah, for that he was exceeding zealous for the law, was taken up into heaven.

59 Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, believed, and were saved out of the flame.

60 Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.

61 And thus consider you⌃ from generation to generation, that none that put their trust in him shall lack for strength.

62 And be not afraid of the words of a sinful man; for his glory shall be dung and worms.

63 To-day he shall be lifted up, and to-morrow he shall in no wise be found, because he is returned to his dust, and his thought is perished.

64 And you⌃, my children, be strong, and show yourselves men in behalf of the law; for therein shall you⌃ obtain glory.

65 And, behold, Simon your brother, I know that he is a man of counsel; give ear to him always: he shall be a father to you.

66 And Judas Maccabaeus, he has been strong and mighty from his youth: he shall be your captain, andshall fight the battle of the people.

67 And take you⌃ to you all the doers of the law, and avenge the wrong of your people.

68 Render a recompense to the Gentiles, and take heed to the commandments of the law.

69 And he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.

70 And he died inthe hundred and forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.

1 And his son Judas, who was called Maccabaeus, rose up in his stead.

2 And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that clave to his father, and they fought with gladness the battle of Israel.

3 And he got his people great glory, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girded his warlike harness about him, and set battles in array, protecting the army with his sword.

4 And he was like a lion in his deeds, and as a lion’s whelp roaring for prey.

5 And he pursued the lawless, seeking them out, and he burned up those that troubled his people.

6 And the lawless shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of lawlessness were sore troubled, and salvation prospered in his hand.

7 And he angered many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.

8 And he went about among the cities of Judah, and destroyed the ungodlyout of the land, and turned away wrath from Israel:

9 and he was renowned to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered together such as were ready to perish.

10 And Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host from Samaria, to fight against Israel.

11 And Judas perceived it, and he went forth to meet him, and struck him, and killed him: and many fell wounded to death, and the rest fled.

12 And they took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and therewith he fought all his days.

13 And Seron, the commander of the host of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered a gathering and a congregation of faithful men with him, and of such as went out to war;

14 And he said, I will make myself a name and get me glory in the kingdom; and I will fight against Judas and them that are with him, that set at nothing the word of the king.

15 And there went up with him also a mighty army of the ungodly to help him, to take vengeance on the children of Israel.

16 And he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, and Judas went forth to meet him with a small company.

17 But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas, What? shall we be able, being a small company, to fight against so great and strong a multitude? and we for our part are faint, having tasted no food this day.

18 And Judas said, It is an easy thing for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and withheaven it is all one, to save by many or by few:

19 for victory in battle stands not in the multitude of a host; but strength is from heaven.

20 They come to us in fulness of insolence and lawlessness, to destroy us and our wives and our children, for to spoil us:

21 but we fight for our lives and our laws.

22 And he himself will discomfit them before our face: but as for you, be you⌃ not afraid of them.

23 Now when he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and Seron and his army were discomfited before him.

24 And they pursued them in the going down of Bethhoron to the plain, and there fell of them about eight hundred men; but the residue fled into the land of the Philistines.

25 And the fear of Judas and his brethren, and the dread of them, began to fall upon the nations round about them:

26 and his name came near even to the king, and every nation told of the battles of Judas.

27 But when king Antiochus heard these words, he was full of indignation: and he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, an exceeding strong army.

28 And he opened his treasury, and gave his forces pay for a year, and commanded them to be ready for every need.

29 And he saw that the money failed from his treasures, and that the tributes of the country were small, because of the dissension and plague which he had brought upon the land, to the end that he might take away the laws which had been from the first days;

30 and he feared that he should not have enough as at other times for the charges and the gifts which he gave aforetime with a liberal hand, and he abounded above the kings that were before him.

31 And he was exceedingly perplexed in his mind, and he determined to go into Persia, and to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.

32 And he left Lysias, an honorable man, and one of the seed royal, to be over the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates to the borders of Egypt,

33 and to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.

34 And he delivered to him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all the things that he would have done, and concerning them that lived in Judaea and in Jerusalem,

35 that he should send a host against them, to root out and destroy the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from the place;

36 And that he should make strangers to dwell on all their coasts, and should divide their land to them by lot.

37 And the king took the half that remained of the forces, and removed from Antioch, from his royal city,the hundred and forty and seventh year; and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went through the upper countries.

38 And Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’sFriends;

39 and with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horse, to go into the land of Judah, and to destroy it, according to the word of the king.

40 And they removed with all their host, and came and pitched near to Emmaus in the plain country.

41 And the merchants of the country heard the fame of them, and took silver and gold exceeding much, withfetters, and came into the camp to take the children of Israel for servants: and there were added to them the forces of Syria and of the land of thePhilistines.

42 And Judas and his brethren saw that evils were multiplied, and that the forces were encamping in their borders; and they took knowledge of the king’s words which he had commanded, to destroy the people and make an end of them;

43 and they said each man to his neighbor, Let us raise up the ruin of our people, and let us fight for our people and the holy place.

44 And the congregation was gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask for mercy and compassion.

45 And Jerusalem was without inhabitant as a wilderness, there was none of her offspring that went in or went out; and the sanctuary was trodden down, and the sons of strangers were in the citadel, the Gentiles lodged therein; and joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and the harp ceased.

46 And they gathered themselves together, and came to Mizpeh, over against Jerusalem; for in Mizpeh was there a place of prayer aforetime for Israel.

47 And they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, andputashes upon their heads, and tore their clothes,

48 and laid open the book of the law, concerning which the Gentiles were wont to inquire, seeking the likenesses of their idols.

49 And they brought the priests’ garments, and the first fruits, and the tithes: and they stirred up the Nazarites, who had accomplished their days.

50 And they cried aloud toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these men, and whither shall we carry them away?

51 And your holy place is trodden down and profaned, and your priests are in heaviness and brought low.

52 And, behold, the Gentiles are assembled together against us to destroy us: you know what things they imagine against us.

53 How shall we be able to stand before them, except you be our help?

54 And they sounded with the trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.

55 And after this Judas appointed leaders of the people, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens.

56 And he said to them that were building houses, and were betrothing wives, and were planting vineyards, and were fearful, that they should return, each man to his own house, according to the law.

57 And the army removed, and encamped upon the south side of Emmaus.

58 And Judas said, Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be in readiness against the morning, that you⌃ may fight with these Gentiles, that are assembled together against us to destroy us, and our holy place:

59 for it is better for us to die in battle, than to look upon the evils of our nation and the holy place.

60 Nevertheless, as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do.

1 And it came to pass, when the Gentiles round about heard that the altar was built, and the sanctuary dedicated as aforetime, they were exceeding angry.

2 And they took counsel to destroy the race of Jacob that was in the midst of them, and they began to kill and destroy among the people.

3 And Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumaea at Akrabattine, because they besieged Israel: and he struck them with a great slaughter, and brought down their pride, and took their spoils.

4 And he remembered the wickedness of the children ofBaean, who were to the people a snare and a stumbling block, lying in wait for them in the ways.

5 And they were shut up by him in the towers; and he encamped against them, and destroyed them utterly, and burned with fire the towers of the place, with all that were therein.

6 And he passed over to the children of Ammon, and found a mighty band, and much people, with Timotheus for their leader.

7 And he fought many battles with them, and they were discomfited before his face; and he struck them,

8 and got possession of Jazer, and thevillages thereof, and returned again into Judaea.

9 And the Gentiles that were in Gilead gathered themselves together against the Israelites that were on their borders, to destroy them. And they fled to the stronghold of Dathema,

10 and sent letters to Judas and his brethren, saying, The Gentiles that are round about us are gathered together against us to destroy us:

11 and they are preparing to come and get possession of the stronghold whereunto we are fled for refuge, and Timotheus is the leader of their host.

12 Now therefore come and deliver us from their hand, for many of us are fallen.

13 And all our brethren that were in the land ofTubias have been put to death; and they have carried into captivity their wives and their children and their stuff; and they destroyed there about a thousand men.

14 While the letters were yet reading, behold, there came other messengers from Galilee with their clothes tore, bringing a report after this wise,

15 saying, That there were gathered together against them those of Ptolemais, and of Tyre, and of Sidon, and all Galilee of theGentiles to consume them.

16 Now when Judas and the people heard these words, there assembled together a great congregation, to consult what they should do for their brethren, that were in tribulation, and were assaulted of them.

17 And Judas said to Simon his brother, Choose you out men, and go and deliver your brethren that are in Galilee, but I and Jonathan my brother will go into the land of Gilead.

18 And he left Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, as leaders of the people, with the remnant of the host, in Judaea, for to keep it.

19 And he gave commandment to them, saying, Take you⌃ the charge of this people, and fight no battle with the Gentiles until that we come again.

20 And to Simon were divided three thousand men to go into Galilee, but to Judas eight thousand mento gointo the land of Gilead.

21 And Simon went into Galilee, and fought many battles with the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were discomfited before him.

22 And he pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais; and there fell of the Gentiles about three thousand men, and he took their spoils.

23 And they took to them those that were in Galilee, and in Arbatta, with their wives and their children, and all that they had, and brought them into Judaea with great gladness.

24 And Judas Maccabaeus and his brother Jonathan passed over Jordan, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness;

25 and they met with the Nabathaeans, and these met them in a peaceful manner, and told them all things that had befallen their brethren in the land of Gilead:

26 and how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Bosor, and Alema,Casphor, Maked, andCarnaim; all these cities are strong and great:

27 and how that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the land of Gilead, and that tomorrow they have appointed to encamp against the strongholds, and to take them, and to destroy all these men in one day.

28 And Judas and his army turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness to Bosora; and he took the city, and killed all the males with the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned the city with fire.

29 And he removed from thence by night, and went till he came to the stronghold.

30 And the morning came, and they lifted up their eyes, and, behold, much people which could not be counted, bearing ladders and engines of war, to take the stronghold; and they were fighting against them.

31 And Judas saw that the battle was begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven, with trumpets and a great sound,

32 and he said to the men of his host, Fight this day for your brethren.

33 And he went forth behind them in three companies, and they sounded with their trumpets, and cried out in prayer.

34 And the army of Timotheus perceived that it was Maccabaeus, and they fled from before him: and he struck them with a great slaughter; and there fell of them on that day about eight thousand men.

35 And he turned aside to Mizpeh and fought against it, and took it, and killed all the males thereof, and took the spoils thereof, and burned it with fire.

36 From thence he removed, and tookCasphor, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of the land of Gilead.

37 Now after these things Timotheus gathered another army, and encamped over against Raphon beyond the brook.

38 And Judas sent men to espy the army; and they brought him word, saying, All the Gentiles that be round about us are gathered together to them, an exceeding great host.

39 And they have hired Arabians to help them, and are encamping beyond the brook, ready to come against you to battle. And Judas went to meet them.

40 And Timotheus said to the captains of his host, when Judas and his army drew near to the brook of water, If he pass over first to us, we shall not be able to withstand him; for he will mightily prevail against us:

41 but if he be afraid, and encamp beyond the river, we will cross over to him, and prevail against him.

42 Now when Judas came near to the brook of water, he caused the scribes of the people to remain by the brook, and gave commandment to them, saying, Suffer no man to encamp, but let all come to the battle.

43 And he crossed over the first against them, and all the people after him: and all the Gentiles were discomfited before his face, and cast away their arms, and fled to the temple atCarnaim.

44 And they took the city, and burned the temple with fire, together with all that were therein. And Carnaim was subdued, neither could they stand any longer before the face of Judas.

45 And Judas gathered together all Israel, them that were in the land of Gilead, from the least to the greatest, and their wives, and their children, and their stuff, an exceeding great army, that they might come into the land of Judah.

46 And they came as far as Ephron, and this same city was great,and it wasin the way as they should go, exceeding strong: they could not turn aside from it on the right hand or on the left, but must needs pass through the midst of it.

47 And they of the city shut them out, and stopped up the gates with stones.

48 And Judas sent to them with words of peace, saying, We will pass through your land to go into our own land, and none shall do you any hurt, we will only pass by on our feet. And they would not open to him.

49 And Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the army, that each man should encamp in the place where he was.

50 And the men of the host encamped, and fought against the city all that day and all that night, and the city was delivered into his hands;

51 and he destroyed all the males with the edge of the sword, and rased the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through the city over them that were slain.

52 And they went over Jordan into the great plain over against Bethshan.

53 And Judas gathered together those that lagged behind, and encouraged the people all the way through, until he came into the land of Judah.

54 And they went up to mount Sion with gladness and joy, and offered whole burnt offerings, because not so much as one of them was slain until they returned in peace.

55 And in the days when Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais,

56 Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, rulers of the host, heard of their exploits and of the war, what things they had done;

57 and they said, Let us also get us a name, and let us go fight against the Gentiles that are round about us.

58 And they gave charge to the men of the host that was with them, and went toward Jamnia.

59 And Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle.

60 And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight, and were pursued to the borders of Judaea; and there fell on that day of the people of Israel about two thousand men.

61 And there was a great overthrow among the people, because they hearkened not to Judas and his brethren, thinking to do some exploit.

62 But they were not of the seed of those men, by whose hand deliverance was given to Israel.

63 And the man Judas and his brethren were glorified exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and of all the Gentiles, wherever their name was heard of;

64 and men gathered together to them, acclaiming them.

65 And Judas and his brethren went forth, and fought against the children of Esau in the land toward the south; and he struck Hebron and thevillages thereof, and pulled down the strongholds thereof, and burned the towers thereof round about.

66 And he removed to go into the land of thePhilistines, and he went throughSamaria.

67 In that day certain priests, desiring to do exploits there, were slain in battle, when ashe went out to battle unadvisedly.

68 And Judas turned aside to Azotus, to the land of thePhilistines, and pulled down their altars, and burned the carved images of their gods with fire, and took the spoil of their cities, and returned into the land of Judah.

1 And king Antiochus was journeying through the upper countries; and he heard say, that in Elymais in Persia there was a city renowned for riches, for silver and gold;

2 and that the temple which was in it was rich exceedingly, and that therein were golden shields, and breastplates, and arms, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Greeks, left behind there.

3 And he came and sought to take the city, and to pillage it; and he was not able, because the thing was known to them of the city,

4 and they rose up against him to battle: and he fled, and removed thence with great heaviness, to return to Babylon.

5 And there came one bringing him tidings into Persia, that the armies, which went against the land of Judah, had been put to flight;

6 and that Lysias went first with a strong host, and was put to shame before them; and that they had waxed strong by reason of arms and power, and with store of spoils, which they took from the armies that they had cut off;

7 and that they had pulled down the abomination which he had built upon the altar that was in Jerusalem; and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and Bethsura, his city.

8 And it came to pass, when the king heard these words, he was astonished and moved exceedingly: and he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked for.

9 And he was there many days, because great grief was renewed upon him, and he made account that he should die.

10 And he called for all hisFriends, and said to them, Sleep departs from mine eyes, and my heart fails for care.

11 And I said in my heart, To what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood is it, wherein I now am! for I was gracious and beloved in my power.

12 But now I remember the evils which I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of silver and gold that were therein, and sent forth to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without a cause.

13 I percieve that on this account these evils are come upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land.

14 And he called for Philip, one of hisFriends, and set him over all his kingdom,

15 and gave him his diadem, and his robe, and his signet ring, to the end he should bring Antiochus his son, and nourish him up that he might be king.

16 And king Antiochus died there inthe hundred and forty and ninth year.

17 And Lysias knew that the king was dead, and he set up Antiochus his son to reign, whom he had nourished up being young, and he called his name Eupator.

18 And they that were in the citadel shut up Israel round about the sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the Gentiles.

19 And Judas thought to destroy them, and called all the people together to besiege them.

20 And they were gathered together, and besieged them inthe hundred and fifties year, and he made mounds to shoot from, and engines of war.

21 And there came forth some of them that were shut up, and there were joined to them certain ungodly men of Israel.

22 And they went to the king, and said, How long will you not execute judgement, and avenge our brethren?

23 We were willing to serve your father, and to walk after his words, and to follow his commandments;

24 and for this cause the children of our people besiegedthe citadel, and were alienated from us; but as many of us as they could light on they killed, and spoiled our inheritances.

25 And not against us only did they stretch out their hand, but also against all their borders.

26 And, behold, they are encamped this day against the citadel at Jerusalem, to take it: and the sanctuary and Bethsura have they fortified.

27 And if you⌃ are not beforehand with them quickly, they will do greater things than these, and you shall not be able to control them.

28 And when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all hisFriends,even therulers of his host, and them that were over the horse.

29 And there came to him from other kingdoms, and from isles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers.

30 And the number of his forces was a hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants trained for war.

31 And they went through Idumaea, and encamped against Bethsura, and fought against it many days, and made engines of war; and theyof Bethsuracame out, and burned them with fire, and fought valiantly.

32 And Judas removed from the citadel, and encamped at Bethzacharias, over against the king’s camp.

33 And the king rose early in the morning, and removed his armyat full speed along the road to Bethzacharias, and his forces made them ready to battle, and sounded with the trumpets.

34 And they showed the elephants the blood of grapes and mulberries, that they might prepare them for the battle.

35 And they divided the beasts among the phalanxes, and they set by each elephant a thousand men armed with coats of mail, and helmets of brass on their heads; and for each beast were appointed five hundred chosen horsemen.

36 These were ready beforehand, wherever the beast was; and wherever the beast went, they went with him; they departed not from him.

37 And towers of wood were upon them, strongandcovered, one upon each beast, girded fast upon him with cunning contrivances; and upon eachbeastwere two and thirty valiant men that fought upon them, beside his Indian

38 (and the residue of the horsemen he set on this side and that side at the two parts of the army), striking terrorinto the enemy,and protected by the phalanxes.

39 Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains shone therewith, and blazed like torches of fire.

40 And a part of the king’s army was spread upon the high mountains, and some on the low ground, and they went on firmly and in order.

41 And all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the multitude, and the rattling of the arms, did quake: for the army was exceeding great and strong.

42 And Judas and his army drew near for battle, and there fell of the king’s army six hundred men.

43 And Eleazar, who wascalledAvaran, saw one of the beasts armed with royal breastplates, and he was higher than all the beasts, and the king seemed to be upon him;

44 and he gave himself to deliver his people, and to get him an everlasting name;

45 and he ran upon him courageously into the midst of the phalanx, and killed on the right hand and on the left, and they parted asunder from him on this side and on that.

46 And he crept under the elephant, and thrust him from beneath, and killed him; andthe elephantfell to the earth upon him, and he died there.

47 And they saw the strength of the kingdom, and the fierce onset of the hosts, and turned away from them.

48 But they of the king’s army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king encamped toward Judaea, and toward mount Sion.

49 And he made peace with them of Bethsura; and he came out of the city, because they had no food there to endure the siege, because it was a Sabbath to the land.

50 And the king took Bethsura, and appointed a garrison there to keep it.

51 And he encamped against the sanctuary many days; and set there mounds to shoot from, and engines of war, and instruments for casting fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts, and slings.

52 And they also made engines against their engines, and fought for many days.

53 But there were no food in the sanctuary, because it was the seventh year, and they that fled for safety into Judaea from among the Gentiles had eaten up the residue of the store;

54 and there were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine prevailed against them, and they were scattered, each man to his own place.

55 And Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus the king, whiles he was yet alive, appointed to nourish up his son Antiochus, that he might be king,

56 was returned from Persia and Media, and with him the forces that went with the king, and that he was seeking to take to him the government.

57 And he made haste, and gave consent to depart; and he said to the king and the leaders of the host and to the men, We decay daily, and our food is scant, and the place where we encamp is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:

58 now therefore let us give the right hand to these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation,

59 and covenant with them, that they shall walk after their own laws, as aforetime: for because of their laws which we abolished they were angered, and did all these things.

60 And the saying pleased the king and the princes, and he sent to them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.

61 And the king and the princes sware to them: thereupon they came forth from the stronghold.

62 And the king entered into mount Sion; and he saw the strength of the place, and set at nothing the oath which he had sworn, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.

63 And he removed in haste, and returned to Antioch, and found Philip master of the city; and he fought against him, and took the city by force.

1 Inthe hundred and one and fifties year Demetrius the son of Seleucus came forth from Rome, and went up with a few men to a city by the sea, and reigned there.

2 And it came to pass, when he would go into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army laid hands on Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them to him.

3 And the thing was known to him, and he said, show me not their faces.

4 And the army killed them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom.

5 And there came to him all the lawless and ungodly men of Israel; and Alcimus was their leader, desiring to be high priest;

6 and they accused the people to the king, saying, Judas and his brethren have destroyed all your friends, and have scattered us from our own land.

7 Now therefore send a man whom you trust, and let him go and see all the havock which he has made of us, and of the king’s country, andhowhe has punished them and all that helped them.

8 And the king chose Bacchides, one of the king’sFriends, who was ruler in the country beyond the river, and was a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king.

9 And he sent him, and that ungodly Alcimus, and made sure to him the high priesthood, and he commanded him to take vengeance upon the children of Israel.

10 And they removed, and came with a great host into the land of Judah, and he sent messengers to Judas and his brethren with words of peace deceitfully.

11 And they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they were come with a great host.

12 And there were gathered together to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of scribes, to seek for justice.

13 And theHasidaeans were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace of them;

14 for they said, One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come with the forces, and he will do us no wrong.

15 And he spoke with them words of peace, and sware to them, saying, We will seek the hurt neither of you nor your friends.

16 And they gave him credence: and he laid hands on threescore men of them, and killed them in one day, according to the word whichthe psalmistwrote,

17 The flesh of your saintsdid they cast out,

And their blood did they shed round about Jerusalem;

And there was no man to bury them.

18 And the fear and the dread of them fell upon all the people, for they said, There is neither truth nor judgement in them; for they have broken the covenant and the oath which they sware.

19 And Bacchides removed from Jerusalem, and encamped in Bezeth; and he sent and took away many of the deserters that were with him, and certain of the people, and he killed them,and cast theminto the great pit.

20 And he made sure the country to Alcimus, and left with him a force to aid him; and Bacchides went away to the king.

21 And Alcimus strove for his high priesthood.

22 And there were gathered to him all they that troubled their people, and they got the mastery of the land of Judah, and did great hurt in Israel.

23 And Judas saw all the mischief that Alcimus and his company had done among the children of Israel,evenabove the Gentiles,

24 and he went out into all the coasts of Judaea round about, and took vengeance on the men that had deserted from him, and they were restrained from going forth into the country.

25 But when Alcimus saw that Judas and his company waxed strong, and knew that he was not able to withstand them, he returned to the king, and brought evil accusations against them.

26 And the king sent Nicanor, one of his honorable princes, a man that hated Israel and was their enemy, and commanded him to destroy the people.

27 And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great host; and he sent to Judas and his brethren deceitfully with words of peace, saying,

28 Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a few men, that I may see your faces in peace.

29 And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. And the enemies were ready to take away Judas by violence.

30 And the thing was known to Judas,to wit,that he came to him with deceit, and he was sore afraid of him, and would see his face no more.

31 And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered; and he went out to meet Judas in battle beside Capharsalama;

32 and there fell of Nicanor’s side aboutfive hundred men, and they fled into the city of David.

33 And after these things Nicanor went up to mount Sion: and there came some of the priests out of the sanctuary, and some of the elders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to show him the whole burned sacrifice that was being offered for the king.

34 And he mocked them, and laughed at them, andentreated them shamefully, and spoke haughtily,

35 and sware in a rage, saying, Unless Judas and his army be now delivered into my hands, it shall be that, if I come again in peace, I will burn up this house: and he went out in a great rage.

36 And the priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple; and they wept, and said,

37 You did choose this house to be called by your name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for your people:

38 take vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to live any longer.

39 And Nicanor went forth from Jerusalem, and encamped in Bethhoron, and there met him the host of Syria.

40 And Judas encamped in Adasa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed and said,

41 When they that came from the king blasphemed, your angel went out, and struck among them a hundred and fourscore and five thousand.

42 Even so discomfit you this army before us today, and let all the rest know that he has spoken wickedly against your sanctuary, and judge you him according to his wickedness.

43 And on the thirteenth day of the month Adar the armies joined battle: and Nicanor’s army was discomfited, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle.

44 Now when his army saw that Nicanor was fallen, they cast away their arms, and fled.

45 And they pursued after them a day’s journey from Adasa until you come toGazara, and they sounded an alarm after them with thesolemn trumpets.

46 And they came forth out of all the villages of Judaea round about, andclosed them in; and these turned them back on those, and they all fell by the sword, and there was not one of them left.

47 And they took the spoils, and the booty, and they struck off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so haughtily, and brought them, andhanged them up beside Jerusalem.

48 And the people were exceeding glad, and they kept that day as a day of great gladness.

49 Andthey ordained to keep this day year by year,to wit,the thirteenth day of Adar.

50 And the land of Judah had resta little while.

1 And Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are valiant men, and have pleasure in all that join themselves to them, and make amity with all such as come to them,

2 and that they are valiant men. And they told him of their wars and exploits which they do among the Gauls, and how that they conquered them, and brought them under tribute;

3 and what things they did in the land of Spain, that they might become masters of the mines of silver and gold which were there;

4 and how that by their policy and persistence they conquered all the place (and the place was exceeding far from them), and the kings that came against them from the uttermost part of the earth, until they had discomfited them, and struck them very sore; and how the rest give them tribute year by year:

5 and Philip, and Perseus, king of Chittim, and them that lifted up themselves against them, did they discomfit in battle, and conquered them:

6 Antiochus also, the great king of Asia, who came against them to battle, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horse, and chariots, and an exceeding great host, and he was discomfited by them,

7 and they took him alive, and appointed that both he and such as reigned after him should give them a great tribute, and should give hostages, and a parcelof land, to wit,

8 the country of India, and Media, and Lydia, and of the goodliest of their countries; and they took them from him, and gave them to king Eumenes:

9 and how they of Greece took counsel to come and destroy them;

10 and the thing was known to them, and they sent against them a captain, and fought against them, and many of them fell down wounded to death, and they made captive their wives and their children, and spoiled them, and conquered their land, and pulled down their strongholds, and spoiled them, and brought them into bondage to this day:

11 and the residue of the kingdoms and of the isles, as many as rose up against them at any time, they destroyed and made them to be their servants;

12 but with their friends and such as relied upon them they kept amity; and they conquered the kingdoms that were near and those that were far off, and all that heard of their fame were afraid of them:

13 moreover, whoever they will to succour and to make kings, these do they make kings; and whoever they will, do they depose; and they are exalted exceedingly:

14 and for all this none of them did ever put on a diadem, neither did they clothe themselves with purple, to be magnified thereby:

15 and how they had made for themselves a senate house, and day by day three hundred and twenty men sat in council, consulting always for the people, to the end they might be well ordered:

16 and how they commit their government to one man year by year, that he should rule over them, and be lord over all their country, and all are obedient to that one, and there is neither envy nor emulation among them.

17 And Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Accos, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome, to make a league of amity and confederacy with them,

18 and that they should take the yoke from them; for they saw that the kingdom of the Greeks did keep Israel in bondage.

19 And they went to Rome (and the way was exceeding long), and they entered into the senate house, and answered and said,

20 Judas, who is alsocalledMaccabaeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews, have sent us to you, to make a confederacy and peace with you, and that we might be registered your confederates and friends.

21 And the thing was well-pleasing in their sight.

22 And this is the copy of the writing which they wrote back again on tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of peace and confederacy:

23 Good success be to the Romans, and to the nation of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: the sword also and the enemy be far from them.

24 But if war arise for Rome first, or any of their confederates in all their dominion,

25 the nation of the Jews shall help them as confederates, as the occasion shall prescribe to them, with all their heart:

26 and to them that make war upon them they shall not give, neither supply, food, arms, money, or ships, as it has seemed good to Rome, and they shall keep their ordinances without taking anything therefore.

27 In the same manner, moreover, if war come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them as confederates with all their soul, as the occasion shall prescribe to them:

28 and to them that are confederateswith their foesthere shall not be given food, arms, money, or ships, as it has seemed good to Rome; and they shall keep these ordinances, and that without deceit.

29 According to these words have the Romans made a covenant thus with the people of the Jews.

30 But if hereafter the one party and the other shall take counsel to add or diminish anything, they shall do it at their pleasure, and whatever they shall add or take away shall be established.

31 And as touching the evils which king Demetrius does to them, we have written to him, saying, Wherefore have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and confederates the Jews?

32 If therefore they plead any more against you, we will do them justice, and fight with you by sea and by land.

1 And Demetrius heard that Nicanor was fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wingof his armywith them:

2 and they went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and got possession of it, and destroyed much people.

3 And the first month ofthe hundred and fifty and second year they encamped against Jerusalem:

4 and they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horse.

5 And Judas was encamped at Elasa, and three thousand chosen men with him:

6 and they saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they feared exceedingly: and many slipped away out of the army; there were not left of them more than eight hundred men.

7 And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was sore troubled in heart, for that he had no time to gather them together, and he waxed faint.

8 And he said to them that were left, Let us arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.

9 And they would have dissuaded him, saying, We shall in no wise be able: but let us rather save our lives now: let us return again,weand our brethren, and fight against them: but we are few.

10 And Judas said, let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them: and if our time is come, let us die manfully for our brethren’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our glory.

11 And the host removed from the camp, and stood to encounter them, and the horse was parted into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the host, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle.

12 But Bacchides was in the right wing; and the phalanx drew near on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets.

13 And the men of Judas’ side, even they sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening.

14 And Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and there went with him all that were brave in heart,

15 and the right wing was discomfited by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotus.

16 And they that were on the left wing saw that the right wing was discomfited, and they turned and followed upon the footsteps of Judas and of those that were with him:

17 and the battle waxed sore, and many on both parts fell wounded to death.

18 And Judas fell, and the rest fled.

19 And Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers at Modin.

20 And they bewailed him, and all Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said,

21 How is the mighty fallen, the savior of Israel!

22 And the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars, and the valiant deeds which he did, and his greatness, they are not written; for they were exceeding many.

23 And it came to pass after the death of Judas, that the lawless put forth their heads in all the coasts of Israel, and all they that wrought iniquity rose up

24 (in those days there was an exceeding great famine), and the country went over with them.

25 And Bacchides chose out the ungodly men, and made them lords of the country.

26 And they sought out and searched for the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides, and he took vengeance on them, and used them despitefully.

27 And there was great tribulation in Israel, such as was not since the time that no prophet appeared to them.

28 And all the friends of Judas were gathered together, and they said to Jonathan,

29 Since your brother Judas has died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies and Bacchides, and among them of our nation that hate us.

30 Now therefore we have chosen you this day to be our prince and leader in his stead, that you may fight our battles.

31 And Jonathan took the governance upon him at that time, and rose up in the stead of his brother Judas.

32 And Bacchides knew it, and he sought to kill him.

33 And Jonathan, and Simon his brother, and all that were with him, knew it; and they fled into the wilderness of Tekoah, and encamped by the water of the pool Asphar.

34 And Bacchides knew it on the Sabbath day, and came, he and all his army, over Jordan.

35 AndJonathansent his brother, a leader of the multitude, and implored his friends the Nabathaeans, that they might leave with them their baggage, which was much.

36 And the children of Jambri came out of Medaba, and took John, and all that he had, and went their way with it.

37 But after these things they brought word to Jonathan and Simon his brother, that the children of Jambri were making a great marriage, and were bringing the bride from Nadabath with a great train, a daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan.

38 And they remembered John their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under the covert of the mountain:

39 and they lifted up their eyes, and saw, and, behold, a great ado and much baggage: and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends and his brethren, to meet them with timbrels, and minstrels, and many weapons.

40 And they rose up against them from their ambush, and killed them, and many fell wounded to death, and the remnant fled into the mountain, and they took all their spoils.

41 And the marriage was turned into mourning, and the voice of their minstrels into lamentation.

42 And they avenged fully the blood of their brother, and turned back to the marsh of Jordan

43 And Bacchides heard it, and he came on the Sabbath day to the banks of Jordan with a great host.

44 And Jonathan said to his company, Let us stand up now and fight for our lives, for it is notwith ustoday, as yesterday and the day before.

45 For, behold, the battle is before us and behind us; moreover the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that side, and marsh and wood; and there is no place to turn aside.

46 Now therefore cry to heaven, that you⌃ may be delivered out of the hand of your enemies.

47 And the battle was joined, and Jonathan stretched forth his hand to strike Bacchides, and he turned away back from him.

48 And Jonathan and they that were with him leapt into the Jordan, and swam over to the other side: and they did not pass over Jordan against them.

49 And there fell of Bacchides’ company that day about a thousand men;

50 and he returned to Jerusalem. And they builded strong cities in Judaea, the stronghold that was in Jericho, and Emmaus, and Bethhoron, and Bethel, and Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars.

51 And in them he set a garrison, to vex Israel.

52 And he fortified the city Bethsura, and Gazara, and the citadel, and put forces in them, and store of food.

53 And he took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them in ward in the citadel at Jerusalem.

54 And inthe hundred and fifty and third year, in the second month, Alcimus commanded to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary; he pulled down also the works of the prophets;

55 and he began to pull down. At that time was Alcimus stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give order concerning his house.

56 And Alcimus died at that time with great torment.

57 And Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, and he returned to the king: and the land of Judah had rest two years.

58 And all the lawless men took counsel, saying, Behold, Jonathan and they of his part are dwelling at ease, and in security: now therefore we will bring Bacchides, and he shall lay hands on them all in one night.

59 And they went and consulted with him.

60 And he removed, and came with a great host, and sent letters privily to all his confederates that were in Judaea, that they should lay hands on Jonathan and those that were with him: and they could not, because their counsel was known to them.

61 Andthey that were of Jonathan’s partlaid hands on about fifty of the men of the country, that were authors of the wickedness, and he killed them.

62 And Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him, got them away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down thereof, and they made it strong.

63 And Bacchides knew it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent word to them that were of Judaea.

64 And he went and encamped against Bethbasi, and fought against it many days, and made engines of war.

65 And Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city, and went forth into the country, and he went with a few men.

66 And he struck Odomera and his brethren, and the children of Phasiron in their tent.

67 And they began to strike them, and to go up with their forces. And Simon and they that were with him went out of the city, and set on fire the engines of war,

68 and fought against Bacchides, and he was discomfited by them, and they afflicted him sore; for his counsel was in vain, and his inroad.

69 And they were very angry with the lawless men that gave him counsel to come into the country, and they killed many of them. And he took counsel to depart into his own land.

70 And Jonathan had knowledge thereof, and sent ambassadors to him, to the end that they should make peace with him, and that he should restore to them the captives.

71 And he accepted the thing, and did according to his words, and sware to him that he would not seek his hurt all the days of his life.

72 And he restored to him the captives which he had taken aforetime out of the land of Judah, and he returned and departed into his own land, and came not any more into their borders.

73 And the sword ceased from Israel. And Jonathan lived at Michmash; and Jonathan began to judge the people; and he destroyed the ungodly out of Israel.