{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/apo/1mac.htm","path":"chr/apo/1mac.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/1mac.htm","text":"1Mac 1\nAnd it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the\nMacedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten\nDarius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his\nstead, the first over Greece,\n2\nAnd made many wars, and won many strong holds, and slew the\nkings of the earth,\n3\nAnd went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of\nmany nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him;\nwhereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.\n4\nAnd he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over\ncountries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto\nhim.\n5\nAnd after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he\nshould die.\n6\nWherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable,\nand had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his\nkingdom among them, while he was yet alive.\n7\nSo Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died.\n8\nAnd his servants bare rule every one in his place.\n9\nAnd after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so\ndid their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied\nin the earth.\n10\nAnd there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed\nEpiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at\nRome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year\nof the kingdom of the Greeks.\n11\nIn those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who\npersuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the\nheathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them\nwe have had much sorrow.\n12\nSo this device pleased them well.\n13\nThen certain of the people were so forward herein, that they\nwent to the king, who gave them licence to do after the\nordinances of the heathen:\n14\nWhereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem\naccording to the customs of the heathen:\n15\nAnd made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy\ncovenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to\ndo mischief.\n16\nNow when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he\nthought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of\ntwo realms.\n17\nWherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with\nchariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,\n18\nAnd made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was\nafraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.\n19\nThus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he\ntook the spoils thereof.\n20\nAnd after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again\nin the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel\nand Jerusalem with a great multitude,\n21\nAnd entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the\ngolden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels\nthereof,\n22\nAnd the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and\nthe vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown,\nand the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which\nhe pulled off.\n23\nHe took also the silver and the gold, and the precious\nvessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.\n24\nAnd when he had taken all away, he went into his own land,\nhaving made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.\n25\nTherefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every\nplace where they were;\n26\nSo that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young\nmen were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.\n27\nEvery bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the\nmarriage chamber was in heaviness,\n28\nThe land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all\nthe house of Jacob was covered with confusion.\n29\nAnd after two years fully expired the king sent his chief\ncollector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto\nJerusalem with a great multitude,\n30\nAnd spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for\nwhen they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the\ncity, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of\nIsrael.\n31\nAnd when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on\nfire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every\nside.\n32\nBut the women and children took they captive, and possessed\nthe cattle.\n33\nThen builded they the city of David with a great and strong\nwall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for\nthem.\n34\nAnd they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and\nfortified themselves therein.\n35\nThey stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they\nhad gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up\nthere, and so they became a sore snare:\n36\nFor it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and\nan evil adversary to Israel.\n37\nThus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary,\nand defiled it:\n38\nInsomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of\nthem: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers,\nand became strange to those that were born in her; and her own\nchildren left her.\n39\nHer sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts\nwere turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour\ninto contempt.\n40\nAs had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and\nher excellency was turned into mourning.\n41\nMoreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all\nshould be one people,\n42\nAnd every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen\nagreed according to the commandment of the king.\n43\nYea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion,\nand sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.\n44\nFor the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem\nand the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws\nof the land,\n45\nAnd forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink\nofferings, in the temple; and that they should profane the\nsabbaths and festival days:\n46\nAnd pollute the sanctuary and holy people:\n47\nSet up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and\nsacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts:\n48\nThat they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and\nmake their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and\nprofanation:\n49\nTo the end they might forget the law, and change all the\nordinances.\n50\nAnd whosoever would not do according to the commandment of\nthe king, he said, he should die.\n51\nIn the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and\nappointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities\nof Juda to sacrifice, city by city.\n52\nThen many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every\none that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the\nland;\n53\nAnd drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever\nthey could flee for succour.\n54\nNow the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred\nforty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation\nupon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of\nJuda on every side;\n55\nAnd burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the\nstreets.\n56\nAnd when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which\nthey found, they burnt them with fire.\n57\nAnd whosoever was found with any the book of the testament,\nor if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that\nthey should put him to death.\n58\nThus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every\nmonth, to as many as were found in the cities.\n59\nNow the five and twentieth day of the month they did\nsacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.\n60\nAt which time according to the commandment they put to death\ncertain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.\n61\nAnd they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled\ntheir houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.\n62\nHowbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in\nthemselves not to eat any unclean thing.\n63\nWherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled\nwith meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant:\nso then they died.\n64\nAnd there was very great wrath upon Israel.\n1Mac 2\nIn those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of\nSimeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and\ndwelt in Modin.\n2\nAnd he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis:\n3\nSimon; called Thassi:\n4\nJudas, who was called Maccabeus:\n5\nEleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was\nApphus.\n6\nAnd when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda\nand Jerusalem,\n7\nHe said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery\nof my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it\nwas delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into\nthe hand of strangers?\n8\nHer temple is become as a man without glory.\n9\nHer glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her\ninfants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword\nof the enemy.\n10\nWhat nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of\nher spoils?\n11\nAll her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is\nbecome a bondslave.\n12\nAnd, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is\nlaid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.\n13\nTo what end therefore shall we live any longer?\n14\nThen Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on\nsackcloth, and mourned very sore.\n15\nIn the mean while the king's officers, such as compelled the\npeople to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them\nsacrifice.\n16\nAnd when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and\nhis sons came together.\n17\nThen answered the king's officers, and said to Mattathias on\nthis wise, Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in\nthis city, and strengthened with sons and brethren:\n18\nNow therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king's\ncommandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men\nof Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and\nthy house be in the number of the king's friends, and thou and\nthy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many\nrewards.\n19\nThen Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice, Though\nall the nations that are under the king's dominion obey him, and\nfall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give\nconsent to his commandments:\n20\nYet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant\nof our fathers.\n21\nGod forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.\n22\nWe will not hearken to the king's words, to go from our\nreligion, either on the right hand, or the left.\n23\nNow when he had left speaking these words, there came one of\nthe Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was\nat Modin, according to the king's commandment.\n24\nWhich thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal,\nand his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his\nanger according to judgment: wherefore he ran, and slew him upon\nthe altar.\n25\nAlso the king's commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice,\nhe killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.\n26\nThus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees\ndid unto Zambri the son of Salom.\n27\nAnd Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice,\nsaying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the\ncovenant, let him follow me.\n28\nSo he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that\never they had in the city.\n29\nThen many that sought after justice and judgment went down\ninto the wilderness, to dwell there:\n30\nBoth they, and their children, and their wives; and their\ncattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them.\n31\nNow when it was told the king's servants, and the host that\nwas at Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who\nhad broken the king's commandment, were gone down into the\nsecret places in the wilderness,\n32\nThey pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken\nthem, they camped against them, and made war against them on the\nsabbath day.\n33\nAnd they said unto them, Let that which ye have done hitherto\nsuffice; come forth, and do according to the commandment of the\nking, and ye shall live.\n34\nBut they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the\nking's commandment, to profane the sabbath day.\n35\nSo then they gave them the battle with all speed.\n36\nHowbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at\nthem, nor stopped the places where they lay hid;\n37\nBut said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth\nwill testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully.\n38\nSo they rose up against them in battle on the sabbath, and\nthey slew them, with their wives and children and their cattle,\nto the number of a thousand people.\n39\nNow when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they\nmourned for them right sore.\n40\nAnd one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren\nhave done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the\nheathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth.\n41\nAt that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall\ncome to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight\nagainst him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were\nmurdered im the secret places.\n42\nThen came there unto him a company of Assideans who were\nmighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted\nunto the law.\n43\nAlso all they that fled for persecution joined themselves\nunto them, and were a stay unto them.\n44\nSo they joined their forces, and smote sinful men in their\nanger, and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the\nheathen for succour.\n45\nThen Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled\ndown the altars:\n46\nAnd what children soever they found within the coast of\nIsrael uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.\n47\nThey pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered\nin their hand.\n48\nSo they recovered the law out of the hand of the Gentiles,\nand out of the hand of kings, neither suffered they the sinner\nto triumph.\n49\nNow when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he\nsaid unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength,\nand the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:\n50\nNow therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give\nyour lives for the covenant of your fathers.\n51\nCall to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time;\nso shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.\n52\nWas not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was\nimputed unto him for righteousness?\n53\nJoseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and\nwas made lord of Egypt.\n54\nPhinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the\ncovenant of an everlasting priesthood.\n55\nJesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel.\n56\nCaleb for bearing witness before the congregation received\nthe heritage of the land.\n57\nDavid for being merciful possessed the throne of an\neverlasting kingdom.\n58\nElias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up\ninto heaven.\n59\nAnanias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of\nthe flame.\n60\nDaniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of\nlions.\n61\nAnd thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put\ntheir trust in him shall be overcome.\n62\nFear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall\nbe dung and worms.\n63\nTo day he shall be lifted up and to morrow he shall not be\nfound, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is\ncome to nothing.\n64\nWherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men in\nthe behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.\n65\nAnd behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of\ncounsel, give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you.\n66\nAs for Judas Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and strong, even\nfrom his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle\nof the people.\n67\nTake also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge\nye the wrong of your people.\n68\nRecompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the\ncommandments of the law.\n69\nSo he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.\n70\nAnd he died in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons\nburied him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all\nIsrael made great lamentation for him.\n1Mac 3\nThen his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.\n2\nAnd all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that\nheld with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the\nbattle of Israel.\n3\nSo he gat his people great honour, and put on a breastplate\nas a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made\nbattles, protecting the host with his sword.\n4\nIn his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp\nroaring for his prey.\n5\nFor He pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up\nthose that vexed his people.\n6\nWherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the\nworkers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered\nin his hand.\n7\nHe grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his\nacts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.\n8\nMoreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the\nungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:\n9\nSo that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth,\nand he received unto him such as were ready to perish.\n10\nThen Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great\nhost out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.\n11\nWhich thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him,\nand so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain,\nbut the rest fled.\n12\nWherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius' sword\nalso, and therewith he fought all his life long.\n13\nNow when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that\nJudas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the\nfaithful to go out with him to war;\n14\nHe said, I will get me a name and honour in the kingdom; for\nI will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who\ndespise the king's commandment.\n15\nSo he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a\nmighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the\nchildren of Israel.\n16\nAnd when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas\nwent forth to meet him with a small company:\n17\nWho, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto\nJudas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so\ngreat a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint\nwith fasting all this day?\n18\nUnto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be\nshut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is\nall one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company:\n19\nFor the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an\nhost; but strength cometh from heaven.\n20\nThey come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy\nus, and our wives and children, and to spoil us:\n21\nBut we fight for our lives and our laws.\n22\nWherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our\nface: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them.\n23\nNow as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly\nupon them, and so Seron and his host was overthrown before him.\n24\nAnd they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron unto\nthe plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and\nthe residue fled into the land of the Philistines.\n25\nThen began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an\nexceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about\nthem:\n26\nInsomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations\ntalked of the battles of Judas.\n27\nNow when king Antiochus heard these things, he was full of\nindignation: wherefore he sent and gathered together all the\nforces of his realm, even a very strong army.\n28\nHe opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a\nyear, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need\nthem.\n29\nNevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures\nfailed and that the tributes in the country were small, because\nof the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land\nin taking away the laws which had been of old time;\n30\nHe feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any\nlonger, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did\nbefore: for he had abounded above the kings that were before\nhim.\n31\nWherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined\nto go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries,\nand to gather much money.\n32\nSo he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to\noversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto\nthe borders of Egypt:\n33\nAnd to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.\n34\nMoreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces, and\nthe elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would\nhave done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Juda and\nJerusalem:\n35\nTo wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy\nand root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of\nJerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place;\n36\nAnd that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and\ndivide their land by lot.\n37\nSo the king took the half of the forces that remained, and\ndeparted from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and\nseventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went\nthrough the high countries.\n38\nThen Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and\nGorgias, mighty men of the king's friends:\n39\nAnd with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven\nthousand horsemen, to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy\nit, as the king commanded.\n40\nSo they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched\nby Emmaus in the plain country.\n41\nAnd the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them,\ntook silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the\ncamp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of\nSyria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto\nthem.\n42\nNow when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were\nmultiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their\nborders: for they knew how the king had given commandment to\ndestroy the people, and utterly abolish them;\n43\nThey said one to another, Let us restore the decayed fortune\nof our people, and let us fight for our people and the\nsanctuary.\n44\nThen was the congregation gathered together, that they might\nbe ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and\ncompassion.\n45\nNow Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her\nchildren that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden\ndown, and aliens kept the strong hold; the heathen had their\nhabitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob, and the\npipe with the harp ceased.\n46\nWherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and\ncame to Maspha, over against Jerusalem; for in Maspha was the\nplace where they prayed aforetime in Israel.\n47\nThen they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast\nashes upon their heads, and rent their clothes,\n48\nAnd laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had\nsought to paint the likeness of their images.\n49\nThey brought also the priests' garments, and the firstfruits,\nand the tithes: and the Nazarites they stirred up, who had\naccomplished their days.\n50\nThen cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What\nshall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them away?\n51\nFor thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and thy\npriests are in heaviness, and brought low.\n52\nAnd lo, the heathen are assembled together against us to\ndestroy us: what things they imagine against us, thou knowest.\n53\nHow shall we be able to stand against them, except thou, O\nGod, be our help?\n54\nThen sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.\n55\nAnd after this Judas ordained captains over the people, even\ncaptains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties,\nand over tens.\n56\nBut as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed\nwives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, those he\ncommanded that they should return, every man to his own house,\naccording to the law.\n57\nSo the camp removed, and pitched upon the south side of\nEmmaus.\n58\nAnd Judas said, arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see\nthat ye be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight\nwith these nations, that are assembled together against us to\ndestroy us and our sanctuary:\n59\nFor it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the\ncalamities of our people and our sanctuary.\n60\nNevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.\n1Mac 4\nThen took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of\nthe best horsemen, and removed out of the camp by night;\n2\nTo the end he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews, and\nsmite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his\nguides.\n3\nNow when Judas heard thereof he himself removed, and the\nvaliant men with him, that he might smite the king's army which\nwas at Emmaus,\n4\nWhile as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp.\n5\nIn the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of\nJudas: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the\nmountains: for said he, These fellows flee from us\n6\nBut as soon as it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain\nwith three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armour nor\nswords to their minds.\n7\nAnd they saw the camp of the heathen, that it was strong and\nwell harnessed, and compassed round about with horsemen; and\nthese were expert of war.\n8\nThen said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not\ntheir multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.\n9\nRemember how our fathers were delivered in the Red sea, when\nPharaoh pursued them with an army.\n10\nNow therefore let us cry unto heaven, if peradventure the\nLord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our\nfathers, and destroy this host before our face this day:\n11\nThat so all the heathen may know that there is one who\ndelivereth and saveth Israel.\n12\nThen the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming\nover against them.\n13\nWherefore they went out of the camp to battle; but they that\nwere with Judas sounded their trumpets.\n14\nSo they joined battle, and the heathen being discomfited fled\ninto the plain.\n15\nHowbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword:\nfor they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of\nIdumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them\nupon a three thousand men.\n16\nThis done, Judas returned again with his host from pursuing\nthem,\n17\nAnd said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch\nas there is a battle before us,\n18\nAnd Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain: but\nstand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after\nthis ye may boldly take the spoils.\n19\nAs Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part\nof them looking out of the mountain:\n20\nWho when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to\nflight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen\ndeclared what was done:\n21\nWhen therefore they perceived these things, they were sore\nafraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to\nfight,\n22\nThey fled every one into the land of strangers.\n23\nThen Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much\ngold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and\ngreat riches.\n24\nAfter this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving,\nand praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his\nmercy endureth forever.\n25\nThus Israel had a great deliverance that day.\n26\nNow all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias\nwhat had happened:\n27\nWho, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged,\nbecause neither such things as he would were done unto Israel,\nnor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass.\n28\nThe next year therefore following Lysias gathered together\nthreescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand\nhorsemen, that he might subdue them.\n29\nSo they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at\nBethsura, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.\n30\nAnd when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed\nart thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of\nthe mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the\nhost of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul,\nand his armourbearer;\n31\nShut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let\nthem be confounded in their power and horsemen:\n32\nMake them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of\ntheir strength to fall away, and let them quake at their\ndestruction:\n33\nCast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let\nall those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.\n34\nSo they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of\nLysias about five thousand men, even before them were they\nslain.\n35\nNow when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness\nof Judas' soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or\ndie valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a\ncompany of strangers, and having made his army greater than it\nwas, he purposed to come again into Judea.\n36\nThen said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are\ndiscomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary.\n37\nUpon this all the host assembled themselves together, and\nwent up into mount Sion.\n38\nAnd when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar\nprofaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the\ncourts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the\npriests' chambers pulled down;\n39\nThey rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast\nashes upon their heads,\n40\nAnd fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew\nan alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.\n41\nThen Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that\nwere in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.\n42\nSo he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had\npleasure in the law:\n43\nWho cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones\ninto an unclean place.\n44\nAnd when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt\nofferings, which was profaned;\n45\nThey thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a\nreproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore\nthey pulled it down,\n46\nAnd laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a\nconvenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what\nshould be done with them.\n47\nThen they took whole stones according to the law, and built a\nnew altar according to the former;\n48\nAnd made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within\nthe temple, and hallowed the courts.\n49\nThey made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they\nbrought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and\nof incense, and the table.\n50\nAnd upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that\nwere upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give\nlight in the temple.\n51\nFurthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread\nout the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun\nto make.\n52\nNow on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which\nis called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth\nyear, they rose up betimes in the morning,\n53\nAnd offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar\nof burnt offerings, which they had made.\n54\nLook, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it,\neven in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and\nharps, and cymbals.\n55\nThen all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and\npraising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.\n56\nAnd so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and\noffered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the\nsacrifice of deliverance and praise.\n57\nThey decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of\ngold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they\nrenewed, and hanged doors upon them.\n58\nThus was there very great gladness among the people, for that\nthe reproach of the heathen was put away.\n59\nMoreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation\nof Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar\nshould be kept in their season from year to year by the space of\neight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu,\nwith mirth and gladness.\n60\nAt that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high\nwalls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should\ncome and tread it down as they had done before.\n61\nAnd they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified\nBethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence\nagainst Idumea.\n1Mac 5\nNow when the nations round about heard that the altar was\nbuilt and the sanctuary renewed as before, it displeased them\nvery much.\n2\nWherefore they thought to destroy the generation of Jacob\nthat was among them, and thereupon they began to slay and\ndestroy the people.\n3\nThen Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at\nArabattine, because they besieged Gael: and he gave them a great\noverthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.\n4\nAlso he remembered the injury of the children of Bean, who\nhad been a snare and an offence unto the people, in that they\nlay in wait for them in the ways.\n5\nHe shut them up therefore in the towers, and encamped against\nthem, and destroyed them utterly, and burned the towers of that\nplace with fire, and all that were therein.\n6\nAfterward he passed over to the children of Ammon, where he\nfound a mighty power, and much people, with Timotheus their\ncaptain.\n7\nSo he fought many battles with them, till at length they were\ndiscomfited before him; and he smote them.\n8\nAnd when he had taken Jazar, with the towns belonging\nthereto, he returned into Judea.\n9\nThen the heathen that were at Galaad assembled themselves\ntogether against the Israelites that were in their quarters, to\ndestroy them; but they fled to the fortress of Dathema.\n10\nAnd sent letters unto Judas and his brethren, The heathen\nthat are round about us are assembled together against us to\ndestroy us:\n11\nAnd they are preparing to come and take the fortress\nwhereunto we are fled, Timotheus being captain of their host.\n12\nCome now therefore, and deliver us from their hands, for many\nof us are slain:\n13\nYea, all our brethren that were in the places of Tobie are\nput to death: their wives and their children also they have\ncarried away captives, and borne away their stuff; and they have\ndestroyed there about a thousand men.\n14\nWhile these letters were yet reading, behold, there came\nother messengers from Galilee with their clothes rent, who\nreported on this wise,\n15\nAnd said, They of Ptolemais, and of Tyrus, and Sidon, and all\nGalilee of the Gentiles, are assembled together against us to\nconsume us.\n16\nNow when Judas and the people heard these words, there\nassembled a great congregation together, to consult what they\nshould do for their brethren, that were in trouble, and\nassaulted of them.\n17\nThen said Judas unto Simon his brother, Choose thee out men,\nand go and deliver thy brethren that are in Galilee, for I and\nJonathan my brother will go into the country of Galaad.\n18\nSo he left Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captains\nof the people, with the remnant of the host in Judea to keep it.\n19\nUnto whom he gave commandment, saying, Take ye the charge of\nthis people, and see that ye make not war against the heathen\nuntil the time that we come again.\n20\nNow unto Simon were given three thousand men to go into\nGalilee, and unto Judas eight thousand men for the country of\nGalaad.\n21\nThen went Simon into Galilee, where he fought many battles\nwith the heathen, so that the heathen were discomfited by him.\n22\nAnd he pursued them unto the gate of Ptolemais; and there\nwere slain of the heathen about three thousand men, whose spoils\nhe took.\n23\nAnd those that were in Galilee, and in Arbattis, with their\nwives and their children, and all that they had, took he away\nwith him, and brought them into Judea with great joy.\n24\nJudas Maccabeus also and his brother Jonathan went over\nJordan, and travelled three days' journey in the wilderness,\n25\nWhere they met with the Nabathites, who came unto them in a\npeaceable manner, and told them every thing that had happened to\ntheir brethren in the land of Galaad:\n26\nAnd how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Bosor,\nand Alema, Casphor, Maked, and Carnaim; all these cities are\nstrong and great:\n27\nAnd that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the\ncountry of Galaad, and that against to morrow they had appointed\nto bring their host against the forts, and to take them, and to\ndestroy them all in one day.\n28\nHereupon Judas and his host turned suddenly by the way of the\nwilderness unto Bosora; and when he had won the city, he slew\nall the males with the edge of the sword, and took all their\nspoils, and burned the city with fire,\n29\nFrom whence he removed by night, and went till he came to the\nfortress.\n30\nAnd betimes in the morning they looked up, and, behold, there\nwas an innumerable people bearing ladders and other engines of\nwar, to take the fortress: for they assaulted them.\n31\nWhen Judas therefore saw that the battle was begun, and that\nthe cry of the city went up to heaven, with trumpets, and a\ngreat sound,\n32\nHe said unto his host, Fight this day for your brethren.\n33\nSo he went forth behind them in three companies, who sounded\ntheir trumpets, and cried with prayer.\n34\nThen the host of Timotheus, knowing that it was Maccabeus,\nfled from him: wherefore he smote them with a great slaughter;\nso that there were killed of them that day about eight thousand\nmen.\n35\nThis done, Judas turned aside to Maspha; and after he had\nassaulted it he took and slew all the males therein, and\nreceived the spoils thereof and and burnt it with fire.\n36\nFrom thence went he, and took Casphon, Maged, Bosor, and the\nother cities of the country of Galaad.\n37\nAfter these things gathered Timotheus another host and\nencamped against Raphon beyond the brook.\n38\nSo Judas sent men to espy the host, who brought him word,\nsaying, All the heathen that be round about us are assembled\nunto them, even a very great host.\n39\nHe hath also hired the Arabians to help them and they have\npitched their tents beyond the brook, ready to come and fight\nagainst thee. Upon this Judas went to meet them.\n40\nThen Timotheus said unto the captains of his host, When Judas\nand his host come near the brook, if he pass over first unto us,\nwe shall not be able to withstand him; for he will mightily\nprevail against us:\n41\nBut if he be afraid, and camp beyond the river, we shall go\nover unto him, and prevail against him.\n42\nNow when Judas came near the brook, he caused the scribes of\nthe people to remain by the brook: unto whom he gave\ncommandment, saying, Suffer no man to remain in the camp, but\nlet all come to the battle.\n43\nSo he went first over unto them, and all the people after\nhim: then all the heathen, being discomfited before him, cast\naway their weapons, and fled unto the temple that was at\nCarnaim.\n44\nBut they took the city, and burned the temple with all that\nwere therein. Thus was Carnaim subdued, neither could they stand\nany longer before Judas.\n45\nThen Judas gathered together all the Israelites that were in\nthe country of Galaad, from the least unto the greatest, even\ntheir wives, and their children, and their stuff, a very great\nhost, to the end they might come into the land of Judea.\n46\nNow when they came unto Ephron, (this was a great city in the\nway as they should go, very well fortified) they could not turn\nfrom it, either on the right hand or the left, but must needs\npass through the midst of it.\n47\nThen they of the city shut them out, and stopped up the gates\nwith stones.\n48\nWhereupon Judas sent unto them in peaceable manner, saying,\nLet us pass through your land to go into our own country, and\nnone shall do you any hurt; we will only pass through on foot:\nhowbeit they would not open unto him.\n49\nWherefore Judas commanded a proclamation to be made\nthroughout the host, that every man should pitch his tent in the\nplace where he was.\n50\nSo the soldiers pitched, and assaulted the city all that day\nand all that night, till at the length the city was delivered\ninto his hands:\n51\nWho then slew all the males with the edge of the sword, and\nrased the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through\nthe city over them that were slain.\n52\nAfter this went they over Jordan into the great plain before\nBethsan.\n53\nAnd Judas gathered together those that came behind, and\nexhorted the people all the way through, till they came into the\nland of Judea.\n54\nSo they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, where\nthey offered burnt offerings, because not one of them were slain\nuntil they had returned in peace.\n55\nNow what time as Judas and Jonathan were in the land of\nGalaad, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais,\n56\nJoseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captains of the\ngarrisons, heard of the valiant acts and warlike deeds which\nthey had done.\n57\nWherefore they said, Let us also get us a name, and go fight\nagainst the heathen that are round about us.\n58\nSo when they had given charge unto the garrison that was with\nthem, they went toward Jamnia.\n59\nThen came Gorgias and his men out of the city to fight\nagainst them.\n60\nAnd so it was, that Joseph and Azaras were put to flight, and\npursued unto the borders of Judea: and there were slain that day\nof the people of Israel about two thousand men.\n61\nThus was there a great overthrow among the children of\nIsrael, because they were not obedient unto Judas and his\nbrethren, but thought to do some valiant act.\n62\nMoreover these men came not of the seed of those, by whose\nhand deliverance was given unto Israel.\n63\nHowbeit the man Judas and his brethren were greatly renowned\nin the sight of all Israel, and of all the heathen, wheresoever\ntheir name was heard of;\n64\nInsomuch as the the people assembled unto them with joyful\nacclamations.\n65\nAfterward went Judas forth with his brethren, and fought\nagainst the children of Esau in the land toward the south, where\nhe smote Hebron, and the towns thereof, and pulled down the\nfortress of it, and burned the towers thereof round about.\n66\nFrom thence he removed to go into the land of the\nPhilistines, and passed through Samaria.\n67\nAt that time certain priests, desirous to shew their valour,\nwere slain in battle, for that they went out to fight\nunadvisedly.\n68\nSo Judas turned to Azotus in the land of the Philistines, and\nwhen he had pulled down their altars, and burned their carved\nimages with fire, and spoiled their cities, he returned into the\nland of Judea.\n1Mac 6\nAbout that time king Antiochus travelling through the high\ncountries heard say, that Elymais in the country of Persia was a\ncity greatly renowned for riches, silver, and gold;\n2\nAnd that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were\ncoverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which\nAlexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first\namong the Grecians, had left there.\n3\nWherefore he came and sought to take the city, and to spoil\nit; but he was not able, because they of the city, having had\nwarning thereof,\n4\nRose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed\nthence with great heaviness, and returned to Babylon.\n5\nMoreover there came one who brought him tidings into Persia,\nthat the armies, which went against the land of Judea, were put\nto flight:\n6\nAnd that Lysias, who went forth first with a great power was\ndriven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the\narmour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten of\nthe armies, whom they had destroyed:\n7\nAlso that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had\nset up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed\nabout the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city\nBethsura.\n8\nNow when the king heard these words, he was astonished and\nsore moved: whereupon he laid him down upon his bed, and fell\nsick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked\nfor.\n9\nAnd there he continued many days: for his grief was ever more\nand more, and he made account that he should die.\n10\nWherefore he called for all his friends, and said unto them,\nThe sleep is gone from mine eyes, and my heart faileth for very\ncare.\n11\nAnd I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come,\nand how great a flood of misery is it, wherein now I am! for I\nwas bountiful and beloved in my power.\n12\nBut now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and\nthat I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were\ntherein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a\ncause.\n13\nI perceive therefore that for this cause these troubles are\ncome upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a\nstrange land.\n14\nThen called he for Philip, one of his friends, who he made\nruler over all his realm,\n15\nAnd gave him the crown, and his robe, and his signet, to the\nend he should bring up his son Antiochus, and nourish him up for\nthe kingdom.\n16\nSo king Antiochus died there in the hundred forty and ninth\nyear.\n17\nNow when Lysias knew that the king was dead, he set up\nAntiochus his son, whom he had brought up being young, to reign\nin his stead, and his name he called Eupator.\n18\nAbout this time they that were in the tower shut up the\nIsraelites round about the sanctuary, and sought always their\nhurt, and the strengthening of the heathen.\n19\nWherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the\npeople together to besiege them.\n20\nSo they came together, and besieged them in the hundred and\nfiftieth year, and he made mounts for shot against them, and\nother engines.\n21\nHowbeit certain of them that were besieged got forth, unto\nwhom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves:\n22\nAnd they went unto the king, and said, How long will it be\nere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren?\n23\nWe have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he\nwould have us, and to obey his commandments;\n24\nFor which cause they of our nation besiege the tower, and are\nalienated from us: moreover as many of us as they could light on\nthey slew, and spoiled our inheritance.\n25\nNeither have they stretched out their hand against us only,\nbut also against their borders.\n26\nAnd, behold, this day are they besieging the tower at\nJerusalem, to take it: the sanctuary also and Bethsura have they\nfortified.\n27\nWherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly, they will do\nthe greater things than these, neither shalt thou be able to\nrule them.\n28\nNow when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered\ntogether all his friends, and the captains of his army, and\nthose that had charge of the horse.\n29\nThere came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles\nof the sea, bands of hired soldiers.\n30\nSo that the number of his army was an hundred thousand\nfootmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty\nelephants exercised in battle.\n31\nThese went through Idumea, and pitched against Bethsura,\nwhich they assaulted many days, making engines of war; but they\nof Bethsura came out, and burned them with fire, and fought\nvaliantly.\n32\nUpon this Judas removed from the tower, and pitched in\nBathzacharias, over against the king's camp.\n33\nThen the king rising very early marched fiercely with his\nhost toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to\nbattle, and sounded the trumpets.\n34\nAnd to the end they might provoke the elephants to fight,\nthey shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries.\n35\nMoreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for\nevery elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats\nof mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside\nthis, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the\nbest.\n36\nThese were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast\nwas, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither\ndeparted they from him.\n37\nAnd upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which\ncovered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with\ndevices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong\nmen, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.\n38\nAs for the remnant of the horsemen, they set them on this\nside and that side at the two parts of the host giving them\nsigns what to do, and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.\n39\nNow when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass,\nthe mountains glistered therewith, and shined like lamps of\nfire.\n40\nSo part of the king's army being spread upon the high\nmountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely\nand in order.\n41\nWherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and\nthe marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness,\nwere moved: for the army was very great and mighty.\n42\nThen Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle,\nand there were slain of the king's army six hundred men.\n43\nEleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the\nbeasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest,\nand supposing that the king was upon him,\n44\nPut himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his\npeople, and get him a perpetual name:\n45\nWherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of\nthe battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that\nthey were divided from him on both sides.\n46\nWhich done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him\nunder, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him,\nand there he died.\n47\nHowbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king,\nand the violence of his forces, turned away from them.\n48\nThen the king's army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and\nthe king pitched his tents against Judea, and against mount\nSion.\n49\nBut with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they\ncame out of the city, because they had no victuals there to\nendure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.\n50\nSo the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep\nit.\n51\nAs for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there\nartillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones,\nand pieces to cast darts and slings.\n52\nWhereupon they also made engines against their engines, and\nheld them battle a long season.\n53\nYet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for\nthat it was the seventh year, and they in Judea that were\ndelivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the\nstore;)\n54\nThere were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the\nfamine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to\ndisperse themselves, every man to his own place.\n55\nAt that time Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus\nthe king, whiles he lived, had appointed to bring up his son\nAntiochus, that he might be king,\n56\nWas returned out of Persia and Media, and the king's host\nalso that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the\nruling of the affairs.\n57\nWherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the\ncaptains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our\nvictuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is\nstrong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:\n58\nNow therefore let us be friends with these men, and make\npeace with them, and with all their nation;\n59\nAnd covenant with them, that they shall live after their\nlaws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and\nhave done all these things, because we abolished their laws.\n60\nSo the king and the princes were content: wherefore he sent\nunto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.\n61\nAlso the king and the princes made an oath unto them:\nwhereupon they went out of the strong hold.\n62\nThen the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the\nstrength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made, and\ngave commandment to pull down the wall round about.\n63\nAfterward departed he in all haste, and returned unto\nAntiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he\nfought against him, and took the city by force.\n1Mac 7\nIn the hundred and one and fiftieth year Demetrius the son of\nSeleucus departed from Rome, and came up with a few men unto a\ncity of the sea coast, and reigned there.\n2\nAnd as he entered into the palace of his ancestors, so it\nwas, that his forces had taken Antiochus and Lysias, to bring\nthem unto him.\n3\nWherefore, when he knew it, he said, Let me not see their\nfaces.\n4\nSo his host slew them. Now when Demetrius was set upon the\nthrone of his kingdom,\n5\nThere came unto him all the wicked and ungodly men of Israel,\nhaving Alcimus, who was desirous to be high priest, for their\ncaptain:\n6\nAnd they accused the people to the king, saying, Judas and\nhis brethren have slain all thy friends, and driven us out of\nour own land.\n7\nNow therefore send some man whom thou trustest, and let him\ngo and see what havock he hath made among us, and in the king's\nland, and let him punish them with all them that aid them.\n8\nThen the king chose Bacchides, a friend of the king, who\nruled beyond the flood, and was a great man in the kingdom, and\nfaithful to the king,\n9\nAnd him he sent with that wicked Alcimus, whom he made high\npriest, and commanded that he should take vengeance of the\nchildren of Israel.\n10\nSo they departed, and came with a great power into the land\nof Judea, where they sent messengers to Judas and his brethren\nwith peaceable words deceitfully.\n11\nBut they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they\nwere come with a great power.\n12\nThen did there assemble unto Alcimus and Bacchides a company\nof scribes, to require justice.\n13\nNow the Assideans were the first among the children of Israel\nthat sought peace of them:\n14\nFor said they, One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is\ncome with this army, and he will do us no wrong.\n15\nSo he spake unto them, peaceably, and sware unto them,\nsaying, we will procure the harm neither of you nor your\nfriends.\n16\nWhereupon they believed him: howbeit he took of them\nthreescore men, and slew them in one day, according to the words\nwhich he wrote,\n17\nThe flesh of thy saints have they cast out, and their blood\nhave they shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury\nthem.\n18\nWherefore the fear and dread of them fell upon all the\npeople, who said, There is neither truth nor righteousness in\nthem; for they have broken the covenant and oath that they made.\n19\nAfter this, removed Bacchides from Jerusalem, and pitched his\ntents in Bezeth, where he sent and took many of the men that had\nforsaken him, and certain of the people also, and when he had\nslain them, he cast them into the great pit.\n20\nThen committed he the country to Alcimus, and left with him a\npower to aid him: so Bacchides went to the king.\n21\nBut Alcimus contended for the high priesthood.\n22\nAnd unto him resorted all such as troubled the people, who,\nafter they had gotten the land of Juda into their power, did\nmuch hurt in Israel.\n23\nNow when Judas saw all the mischief that Alcimus and his\ncompany had done among the Israelites, even above the heathen,\n24\nHe went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and\ntook vengeance of them that had revolted from him, so that they\ndurst no more go forth into the country.\n25\nOn the other side, when Alcimus saw that Judas and his\ncompany had gotten the upper hand, and knew that he was not able\nto abide their force, he went again to the king, and said all\nthe worst of them that he could.\n26\nThen the king sent Nicanor, one of his honourable princes, a\nman that bare deadly hate unto Israel, with commandment to\ndestroy the people.\n27\nSo Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great force; and sent\nunto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with friendly words,\nsaying,\n28\nLet there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a\nfew men, that I may see you in peace.\n29\nHe came therefore to Judas, and they saluted one another\npeaceably. Howbeit the enemies were prepared to take away Judas\nby violence.\n30\nWhich thing after it was known to Judas, to wit, that he came\nunto him with deceit, he was sore afraid of him, and would see\nhis face no more.\n31\nNicanor also, when he saw that his counsel was discovered,\nwent out to fight against Judas beside Capharsalama:\n32\nWhere there were slain of Nicanor's side about five thousand\nmen, and the rest fled into the city of David.\n33\nAfter this went Nicanor up to mount Sion, and there came out\nof the sanctuary certain of the priests and certain of the\nelders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to shew him\nthe burnt sacrifice that was offered for the king.\n34\nBut he mocked them, and laughed at them, and abused them\nshamefully, and spake proudly,\n35\nAnd sware in his wrath, saying, Unless Judas and his host be\nnow delivered into my hands, if ever I come again in safety, I\nwill burn up this house: and with that he went out in a great\nrage.\n36\nThen the priests entered in, and stood before the altar and\nthe temple, weeping, and saying,\n37\nThou, O Lord, didst choose this house to be called by thy\nname, and to be a house of prayer and petition for thy people:\n38\nBe avenged of this man and his host, and let them fall by the\nsword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to\ncontinue any longer.\n39\nSo Nicanor went out of Jerusalem, and pitched his tents in\nBethhoron, where an host out of Syria met him.\n40\nBut Judas pitched in Adasa with three thousand men, and there\nhe prayed, saying,\n41\nO Lord, when they that were sent from the king of the\nAssyrians blasphemed, thine angel went out, and smote an hundred\nfourscore and five thousand of them.\n42\nEven so destroy thou this host before us this day, that the\nrest may know that he hath spoken blasphemously against thy\nsanctuary, and judge thou him according to his wickedness.\n43\nSo the thirteenth day of the month Adar the hosts joined\nbattle: but Nicanor's host was discomfited, and he himself was\nfirst slain in the battle.\n44\nNow when Nicanor's host saw that he was slain, they cast away\ntheir weapons, and fled.\n45\nThen they pursued after them a day's journey, from Adasa unto\nGazera, sounding an alarm after them with their trumpets.\n46\nWhereupon they came forth out of all the towns of Judea round\nabout, and closed them in; so that they, turning back upon them\nthat pursued them, were all slain with the sword, and not one of\nthem was left.\n47\nAfterwards they took the spoils, and the prey, and smote off\nNicanors head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so\nproudly, and brought them away, and hanged them up toward\nJerusalem.\n48\nFor this cause the people rejoiced greatly, and they kept\nthat day a day of great gladness.\n49\nMoreover they ordained to keep yearly this day, being the\nthirteenth of Adar.\n50\nThus the land of Juda was in rest a little while.\n1Mac 8\nNow Judas had heard of the the Romans, that they were mighty\nand valiant men, and such as would lovingly accept all that\njoined themselves unto them, and make a league of amity with all\nthat came unto them;\n2\nAnd that they were men of great valour. It was told him also\nof their wars and noble acts which they had done among the\nGalatians, and how they had conquered them, and brought them\nunder tribute;\n3\nAnd what they had done in the country of Spain, for the\nwinning of the mines of the silver and gold which is there;\n4\nAnd that by their policy and patience they had conquered all\nthe place, though it were very far from them; and the kings also\nthat came against them from the uttermost part of the earth,\ntill they had discomfited them, and given them a great\noverthrow, so that the rest did give them tribute every year:\n5\nBeside this, how they had discomfited in battle Philip, and\nPerseus, king of the Citims, with others that lifted up\nthemselves against them, and had overcome them:\n6\nHow also Antiochus the great king of Asia, that came against\nthem in battle, having an hundred and twenty elephants, with\nhorsemen, and chariots, and a very great army, was discomfited\nby them;\n7\nAnd how they took him alive, and covenanted that he and such\nas reigned after him should pay a great tribute, and give\nhostages, and that which was agreed upon,\n8\nAnd the country of India, and Media and Lydia and of the\ngoodliest countries, which they took of him, and gave to king\nEumenes:\n9\nMoreover how the Grecians had determined to come and destroy\nthem;\n10\nAnd that they, having knowledge thereof sent against them a\ncertain captain, and fighting with them slew many of them, and\ncarried away captives their wives and their children, and\nspoiled them, and took possession of their lands, and pulled\ndown their strong holds, and brought them to be their servants\nunto this day:\n11\nIt was told him besides, how they destroyed and brought under\ntheir dominion all other kingdoms and isles that at any time\nresisted them;\n12\nBut with their friends and such as relied upon them they kept\namity: and that they had conquered kingdoms both far and nigh,\ninsomuch as all that heard of their name were afraid of them:\n13\nAlso that, whom they would help to a kingdom, those reign;\nand whom again they would, they displace: finally, that they\nwere greatly exalted:\n14\nYet for all this none of them wore a crown or was clothed in\npurple, to be magnified thereby:\n15\nMoreover how they had made for themselves a senate house,\nwherein three hundred and twenty men sat in council daily,\nconsulting alway for the people, to the end they might be well\nordered:\n16\nAnd that they committed their government to one man every\nyear, who ruled over all their country, and that all were\nobedient to that one, and that there was neither envy nor\nemmulation among them.\n17\nIn consideration of these things, Judas chose Eupolemus the\nson of John, the son of Accos, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and\nsent them to Rome, to make a league of amity and confederacy\nwith them,\n18\nAnd to intreat them that they would take the yoke from them;\nfor they saw that the kingdom of the Grecians did oppress Israel\nwith servitude.\n19\nThey went therefore to Rome, which was a very great journey,\nand came into the senate, where they spake and said.\n20\nJudas Maccabeus with his brethren, and the people of the\nJews, have sent us unto you, to make a confederacy and peace\nwith you, and that we might be registered your confederates and\nfriends.\n21\nSo that matter pleased the Romans well.\n22\nAnd this is the copy of the epistle which the senate wrote\nback again in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that there\nthey might have by them a memorial of peace and confederacy:\n23\nGood success be to the Romans, and to the people of the Jews,\nby sea and by land for ever: the sword also and enemy be far\nfrom them,\n24\nIf there come first any war upon the Romans or any of their\nconfederates throughout all their dominion,\n25\nThe people of the Jews shall help them, as the time shall be\nappointed, with all their heart:\n26\nNeither shall they give any thing unto them that make war\nupon them, or aid them with victuals, weapons, money, or ships,\nas it hath seemed good unto the Romans; but they shall keep\ntheir covenants without taking any thing therefore.\n27\nIn the same manner also, if war come first upon the nation of\nthe Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart,\naccording as the time shall be appointed them:\n28\nNeither shall victuals be given to them that take part\nagainst them, or weapons, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed\ngood to the Romans; but they shall keep their covenants, and\nthat without deceit.\n29\nAccording to these articles did the Romans make a covenant\nwith the people of the Jews.\n30\nHowbeit if hereafter the one party or the other shall think\nto meet to add or diminish any thing, they may do it at their\npleasures, and whatsoever they shall add or take away shall be\nratified.\n31\nAnd as touching the evils that Demetrius doeth to the Jews,\nwe have written unto him, saying, Wherefore thou made thy yoke\nheavy upon our friends and confederates the Jews?\n32\nIf therefore they complain any more against thee, we will do\nthem justice, and fight with thee by sea and by land.\n1Mac 9\nFurthermore, when Demetrius heard the Nicanor and his host\nwere slain in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the\nland of Judea the second time, and with them the chief strength\nof his host:\n2\nWho went forth by the way that leadeth to Galgala, and\npitched their tents before Masaloth, which is in Arbela, and\nafter they had won it, they slew much people.\n3\nAlso the first month of the hundred fifty and second year\nthey encamped before Jerusalem:\n4\nFrom whence they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty\nthousand footmen and two thousand horsemen.\n5\nNow Judas had pitched his tents at Eleasa, and three thousand\nchosen men with him:\n6\nWho seeing the multitude of the other army to he so great\nwere sore afraid; whereupon many conveyed themselves out of the\nhost, insomuch as abode of them no more but eight hundred men.\n7\nWhen Judas therefore saw that his host slipt away, and that\nthe battle pressed upon him, he was sore troubled in mind, and\nmuch distressed, for that he had no time to gather them\ntogether.\n8\nNevertheless unto them that remained he said, Let us arise\nand go up against our enemies, if peradventure we may be able to\nfight with them.\n9\nBut they dehorted him, saying, We shall never be able: let us\nnow rather save our lives, and hereafter we will return with our\nbrethren, and fight against them: for we are but few.\n10\nThen Judas said, God forbid that I should do this thing, and\nflee away from them: if our time be come, let us die manfully\nfor our brethren, and let us not stain our honour.\n11\nWith that the host of Bacchides removed out of their tents,\nand stood over against them, their horsemen being divided into\ntwo troops, and their slingers and archers going before the host\nand they that marched in the foreward were all mighty men.\n12\nAs for Bacchides, he was in the right wing: so the host drew\nnear on the two parts, and sounded their trumpets.\n13\nThey also of Judas' side, even they sounded their trumpets\nalso, so that the earth shook at the noise of the armies, and\nthe battle continued from morning till night.\n14\nNow when Judas perceived that Bacchides and the strength of\nhis army were on the right side, he took with him all the hardy\nmen,\n15\nWho discomfited the right wing, and pursued them unto the\nmount Azotus.\n16\nBut when they of the left wing saw that they of the right\nwing were discomfited, they followed upon Judas and those that\nwere with him hard at the heels from behind:\n17\nWhereupon there was a sore battle, insomuch as many were\nslain on both parts.\n18\nJudas also was killed, and the remnant fled.\n19\nTHen Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried\nhim in the sepulchre of his fathers in Modin.\n20\nMoreover they bewailed him, and all Israel made great\nlamentation for him, and mourned many days, saying,\n21\nHow is the valiant man fallen, that delivered Israel!\n22\nAs for the other things concerning Judas and his wars, and\nthe noble acts which he did, and his greatness, they are not\nwritten: for they were very many.\n23\nNow after the death of Judas the wicked began to put forth\ntheir heads in all the coasts of Israel, and there arose up all\nsuch as wrought iniquity.\n24\nIn those days also was there a very great famine, by reason\nwhereof the country revolted, and went with them.\n25\nThen Bacchides chose the wicked men, and made them lords of\nthe country.\n26\nAnd they made enquiry and search for Judas' friends, and\nbrought them unto Bacchides, who took vengeance of them, and\nused them despitefully.\n27\nSo was there a great affliction in Israel, the like whereof\nwas not since the time that a prophet was not seen among them.\n28\nFor this cause all Judas' friends came together, and said\nunto Jonathan,\n29\nSince thy brother Judas died, we have no man like him to go\nforth against our enemies, and Bacchides, and against them of\nour nation that are adversaries to us.\n30\nNow therefore we have chosen thee this day to be our prince\nand captain in his stead, that thou mayest fight our battles.\n31\nUpon this Jonathan took the governance upon him at that time,\nand rose up instead of his brother Judas.\n32\nBut when Bacchides gat knowledge thereof, he sought for to\nslay him\n33\nThen Jonathan, and Simon his brother, and all that were with\nhim, perceiving that, fled into the wilderness of Thecoe, and\npitched their tents by the water of the pool Asphar.\n34\nWhich when Bacchides understood, he came near to Jordan with\nall his host upon the sabbath day.\n35\nNow Jonathan had sent his brother John, a captain of the\npeople, to pray his friends the Nabathites, that they might\nleave with them their carriage, which was much.\n36\nBut the children of Jambri came out of Medaba, and took John,\nand all that he had, and went their way with it.\n37\nAfter this came word to Jonathan and Simon his brother, that\nthe children of Jambri made a great marriage, and were bringing\nthe bride from Nadabatha with a great train, as being the\ndaughter of one of the great princes of Chanaan.\n38\nTherefore they remembered John their brother, and went up,\nand hid themselves under the covert of the mountain:\n39\nWhere they lifted up their eyes, and looked, and, behold,\nthere was much ado and great carriage: and the bridegroom came\nforth, and his friends and brethren, to meet them with drums,\nand instruments of musick, and many weapons.\n40\nThen Jonathan and they that were with him rose up against\nthem from the place where they lay in ambush, and made a\nslaughter of them in such sort, as many fell down dead, and the\nremnant fled into the mountain, and they took all their spoils.\n41\nThus was the marriage turned into mourning, and the noise of\ntheir melody into lamentation.\n42\nSo when they had avenged fully the blood of their brother,\nthey turned again to the marsh of Jordan.\n43\nNow when Bacchides heard hereof, he came on the sabbath day\nunto the banks of Jordan with a great power.\n44\nThen Jonathan said to his company, Let us go up now and fight\nfor our lives, for it standeth not with us to day, as in time\npast:\n45\nFor, behold, the battle is before us and behind us, and the\nwater of Jordan on this side and that side, the marsh likewise\nand wood, neither is there place for us to turn aside.\n46\nWherefore cry ye now unto heaven, that ye may be delivered\nfrom the hand of your enemies.\n47\nWith that they joined battle, and Jonathan stretched forth\nhis hand to smite Bacchides, but he turned back from him.\n48\nThen Jonathan and they that were with him leapt into Jordan,\nand swam over unto the other bank: howbeit the other passed not\nover Jordan unto them.\n49\nSo there were slain of Bacchides' side that day about a\nthousand men.\n50\nAfterward returned Bacchides to Jerusalem and repaired the\nstrong cites in Judea; the fort in Jericho, and Emmaus, and\nBethhoron, and Bethel, and Thamnatha, Pharathoni, and Taphon,\nthese did he strengthen with high walls, with gates and with\nbars.\n51\nAnd in them he set a garrison, that they might work malice\nupon Israel.\n52\nHe fortified also the city Bethsura, and Gazera, and the\ntower, and put forces in them, and provision of victuals.\n53\nBesides, he took the chief men's sons in the country for\nhostages, and put them into the tower at Jerusalem to be kept.\n54\nMoreover in the hundred fifty and third year, in the second\nmonth, Alcimus commanded that the wall of the inner court of the\nsanctuary should be pulled down; he pulled down also the works\nof the prophets\n55\nAnd as he began to pull down, even at that time was Alcimus\nplagued, and his enterprizes hindered: for his mouth was\nstopped, and he was taken with a palsy, so that he could no more\nspeak any thing, nor give order concerning his house.\n56\nSo Alcimus died at that time with great torment.\n57\nNow when Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, he returned to\nthe king: whereupon the land of Judea was in rest two years.\n58\nThen all the ungodly men held a council, saying, Behold,\nJonathan and his company are at ease, and dwell without care:\nnow therefore we will bring Bacchides hither, who shall take\nthem all in one night.\n59\nSo they went and consulted with him.\n60\nThen removed he, and came with a great host, and sent letters\nprivily to his adherents in Judea, that they should take\nJonathan and those that were with him: howbeit they could not,\nbecause their counsel was known unto them.\n61\nWherefore they took of the men of the country, that were\nauthors of that mischief, about fifty persons, and slew them.\n62\nAfterward Jonathan, and Simon, and they that were with him,\ngot them away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and they\nrepaired the decays thereof, and made it strong.\n63\nWhich thing when Bacchides knew, he gathered together all his\nhost, and sent word to them that were of Judea.\n64\nThen went he and laid siege against Bethbasi; and they fought\nagainst it a long season and made engines of war.\n65\nBut Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city, and went\nforth himself into the country, and with a certain number went\nhe forth.\n66\nAnd he smote Odonarkes and his brethren, and the children of\nPhasiron in their tent.\n67\nAnd when he began to smite them, and came up with his forces,\nSimon and his company went out of the city, and burned up the\nengines of war,\n68\nAnd fought against Bacchides, who was discomfited by them,\nand they afflicted him sore: for his counsel and travail was in\nvain.\n69\nWherefore he was very wroth at the wicked men that gave him\ncounsel to come into the country, inasmuch as he slew many of\nthem, and purposed to return into his own country.\n70\nWhereof when Jonathan had knowledge, he sent ambassadors unto\nhim, to the end he should make peace with him, and deliver them\nthe prisoners.\n71\nWhich thing he accepted, and did according to his demands,\nand sware unto him that he would never do him harm all the days\nof his life.\n72\nWhen therefore he had restored unto him the prisoners that he\nhad taken aforetime out of the land of Judea, he returned and\nwent his way into his own land, neither came he any more into\ntheir borders.\n73\nThus the sword ceased from Israel: but Jonathan dwelt at\nMachmas, and began to govern the people; and he destroyed the\nungodly men out of Israel.\n1Mac 10\nIn the hundred and sixtieth year Alexander, the son of\nAntiochus surnamed Epiphanes, went up and took Ptolemais: for\nthe people had received him, by means whereof he reigned there,\n2\nNow when king Demetrius heard thereof, he gathered together\nan exceeding great host, and went forth against him to fight.\n3\nMoreover Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with loving\nwords, so as he magnified him.\n4\nFor said he, Let us first make peace with him, before he join\nwith Alexander against us:\n5\nElse he will remember all the evils that we have done against\nhim, and against his brethren and his people.\n6\nWherefore he gave him authority to gather together an host,\nand to provide weapons, that he might aid him in battle: he\ncommanded also that the hostages that were in the tower should\nbe delivered him.\n7\nThen came Jonathan to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the\naudience of all the people, and of them that were in the tower:\n8\nWho were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given\nhim authority to gather together an host.\n9\nWhereupon they of the tower delivered their hostages unto\nJonathan, and he delivered them unto their parents.\n10\nThis done, Jonathan settled himself in Jerusalem, and began\nto build and repair the city.\n11\nAnd he commanded the workmen to build the walls and the mount\nSion and about with square stones for fortification; and they\ndid so.\n12\nThen the strangers, that were in the fortresses which\nBacchides had built, fled away;\n13\nInsomuch as every man left his place, and went into his own\ncountry.\n14\nOnly at Bethsura certain of those that had forsaken the law\nand the commandments remained still: for it was their place of\nrefuge.\n15\nNow when king Alexander had heard what promises Demetrius had\nsent unto Jonathan: when also it was told him of the battles and\nnoble acts which he and his brethren had done, and of the pains\nthat they had endured,\n16\nHe said, Shall we find such another man? now therefore we\nwill make him our friend and confederate.\n17\nUpon this he wrote a letter, and sent it unto him, according\nto these words, saying,\n18\nKing Alexander to his brother Jonathan sendeth greeting:\n19\nWe have heard of thee, that thou art a man of great power,\nand meet to be our friend.\n20\nWherefore now this day we ordain thee to be the high priest\nof thy nation, and to be called the king's friend; (and\ntherewithal he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold:) and\nrequire thee to take our part, and keep friendship with us.\n21\nSo in the seventh month of the hundred and sixtieth year, at\nthe feast of the tabernacles, Jonathan put on the holy robe, and\ngathered together forces, and provided much armour.\n22\nWhereof when Demetrius heard, he was very sorry, and said,\n23\nWhat have we done, that Alexander hath prevented us in making\namity with the Jews to strengthen himself?\n24\nI also will write unto them words of encouragement, and\npromise them dignities and gifts, that I may have their aid.\n25\nHe sent unto them therefore to this effect: King Demetrius\nunto the people of the Jews sendeth greeting:\n26\nWhereas ye have kept covenants with us, and continued in our\nfriendship, not joining yourselves with our enemies, we have\nheard hereof, and are glad.\n27\nWherefore now continue ye still to be faithful unto us, and\nwe will well recompense you for the things ye do in our behalf,\n28\nAnd will grant you many immunities, and give you rewards.\n29\nAnd now do I free you, and for your sake I release all the\nJews, from tributes, and from the customs of salt, and from\ncrown taxes,\n30\nAnd from that which appertaineth unto me to receive for the\nthird part or the seed, and the half of the fruit of the trees,\nI release it from this day forth, so that they shall not be\ntaken of the land of Judea, nor of the three governments which\nare added thereunto out of the country of Samaria and Galilee,\nfrom this day forth for evermore.\n31\nLet Jerusalem also be holy and free, with the borders\nthereof, both from tenths and tributes.\n32\nAnd as for the tower which is at Jerusalem, I yield up\nauthority over it, and give the high priest, that he may set in\nit such men as he shall choose to keep it.\n33\nMoreover I freely set at liberty every one of the Jews, that\nwere carried captives out of the land of Judea into any part of\nmy kingdom, and I will that all my officers remit the tributes\neven of their cattle.\n34\nFurthermore I will that all the feasts, and sabbaths, and new\nmoons, and solemn days, and the three days before the feast, and\nthe three days after the feast shall be all of immunity and\nfreedom for all the Jews in my realm.\n35\nAlso no man shall have authority to meddle with or to molest\nany of them in any matter.\n36\nI will further, that there be enrolled among the king's\nforces about thirty thousand men of the Jews, unto whom pay\nshall be given, as belongeth to all king's forces.\n37\nAnd of them some shall be placed in the king's strong holds,\nof whom also some shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom,\nwhich are of trust: and I will that their overseers and\ngovernors be of themselves, and that they live after their own\nlaws, even as the king hath commanded in the land of Judea.\n38\nAnd concerning the three governments that are added to Judea\nfrom the country of Samaria, let them be joined with Judea, that\nthey may be reckoned to be under one, nor bound to obey other\nauthority than the high priest's.\n39\nAs for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining thereto, I give it\nas a free gift to the sanctuary at Jerusalem for the necessary\nexpences of the sanctuary.\n40\nMoreover I give every year fifteen thousand shekels of silver\nout of the king's accounts from the places appertaining.\n41\nAnd all the overplus, which the officers payed not in as in\nformer time, from henceforth shall be given toward the works of\nthe temple.\n42\nAnd beside this, the five thousand shekels of silver, which\nthey took from the uses of the temple out of the accounts year\nby year, even those things shall be released, because they\nappertain to the priests that minister.\n43\nAnd whosoever they be that flee unto the temple at Jerusalem,\nor be within the liberties hereof, being indebted unto the king,\nor for any other matter, let them be at liberty, and all that\nthey have in my realm.\n44\nFor the building also and repairing of the works of the\nsanctuary expences shall be given of the king's accounts.\n45\nYea, and for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the\nfortifying thereof round about, expences shall be given out of\nthe king's accounts, as also for the building of the walls in\nJudea.\n46\nNow when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave\nno credit unto them, nor received them, because they remembered\nthe great evil that he had done in Israel; for he had afflicted\nthem very sore.\n47\nBut with Alexander they were well pleased, because he was the\nfirst that entreated of true peace with them, and they were\nconfederate with him always.\n48\nThen gathered king Alexander great forces, and camped over\nagainst Demetrius.\n49\nAnd after the two kings had joined battle, Demetrius' host\nfled: but Alexander followed after him, and prevailed against\nthem.\n50\nAnd he continued the battle very sore until the sun went\ndown: and that day was Demetrius slain.\n51\nAfterward Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemee king of\nEgypt with a message to this effect:\n52\nForasmuch as I am come again to my realm, and am set in the\nthrone of my progenitors, and have gotten the dominion, and\noverthrown Demetrius, and recovered our country;\n53\nFor after I had joined battle with him, both he and his host\nwas discomfited by us, so that we sit in the throne of his\nkingdom:\n54\nNow therefore let us make a league of amity together, and\ngive me now thy daughter to wife: and I will be thy son in law,\nand will give both thee and her as according to thy dignity.\n55\nThen Ptolemee the king gave answer, saying, Happy be the day\nwherein thou didst return into the land of thy fathers, and\nsatest in the throne of their kingdom.\n56\nAnd now will I do to thee, as thou hast written: meet me\ntherefore at Ptolemais, that we may see one another; for I will\nmarry my daughter to thee according to thy desire.\n57\nSo Ptolemee went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra,\nand they came unto Ptolemais in the hundred threescore and\nsecond year:\n58\nWhere king Alexander meeting him, he gave unto him his\ndaughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais\nwith great glory, as the manner of kings is.\n59\nNow king Alexander had written unto Jonathan, that he should\ncome and meet him.\n60\nWho thereupon went honourably to Ptolemais, where he met the\ntwo kings, and gave them and their friends silver and gold, and\nmany presents, and found favour in their sight.\n61\nAt that time certain pestilent fellows of Israel, men of a\nwicked life, assembled themselves against him, to accuse him:\nbut the king would not hear them.\n62\nYea more than that, the king commanded to take off his\ngarments, and clothe him in purple: and they did so.\n63\nAnd he made him sit by himself, and said into his princes, Go\nwith him into the midst of the city, and make proclamation, that\nno man complain against him of any matter, and that no man\ntrouble him for any manner of cause.\n64\nNow when his accusers saw that he was honored according to\nthe proclamation, and clothed in purple, they fled all away.\n65\nSo the king honoured him, and wrote him among his chief\nfriends, and made him a duke, and partaker of his dominion.\n66\nAfterward Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and\ngladness.\n67\nFurthermore in the; hundred threescore and fifth year came\nDemetrius son of Demetrius out of Crete into the land of his\nfathers:\n68\nWhereof when king Alexander heard tell, he was right sorry,\nand returned into Antioch.\n69\nThen Demetrius made Apollonius the governor of Celosyria his\ngeneral, who gathered together a great host, and camped in\nJamnia, and sent unto Jonathan the high priest, saying,\n70\nThou alone liftest up thyself against us, and I am laughed to\nscorn for thy sake, and reproached: and why dost thou vaunt thy\npower against us in the mountains?\n71\nNow therefore, if thou trustest in thine own strength, come\ndown to us into the plain field, and there let us try the matter\ntogether: for with me is the power of the cities.\n72\nAsk and learn who I am, and the rest that take our part, and\nthey shall tell thee that thy foot is not able to to flight in\ntheir own land.\n73\nWherefore now thou shalt not be able to abide the horsemen\nand so great a power in the plain, where is neither stone nor\nflint, nor place to flee unto.\n74\nSo when Jonathan heard these words of Apollonius, he was\nmoved in his mind, and choosing ten thousand men he went out of\nJerusalem, where Simon his brother met him for to help him.\n75\nAnd he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa\nshut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison\nthere.\n76\nThen Jonathan laid siege unto it: whereupon they of the city\nlet him in for fear: and so Jonathan won Joppa.\n77\nWhereof when Apollonius heard, he took three thousand\nhorsemen, with a great host of footmen, and went to Azotus as\none that journeyed, and therewithal drew him forth into the\nplain. because he had a great number of horsemen, in whom he put\nhis trust.\n78\nThen Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies\njoined battle.\n79\nNow Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in ambush.\n80\nAnd Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him;\nfor they had compassed in his host, and cast darts at the\npeople, from morning till evening.\n81\nBut the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them:\nand so the enemies' horses were tired.\n82\nThen brought Simon forth his host, and set them against the\nfootmen, (for the horsemen were spent) who were discomfited by\nhim, and fled.\n83\nThe horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to\nAzotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol's temple, for\nsafety.\n84\nBut Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about\nit, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them\nthat were fled into it, he burned with fire.\n85\nThus there were burned and slain with the sword well nigh\neight thousand men.\n86\nAnd from thence Jonathan removed his host, and camped against\nAscalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with\ngreat pomp.\n87\nAfter this returned Jonathan and his host unto Jerusalem,\nhaving any spoils.\n88\nNow when king ALexander heard these things, he honoured\nJonathan yet more.\n89\nAnd sent him a buckle of gold, as the use is to be given to\nsuch as are of the king's blood: he gave him also Accaron with\nthe borders thereof in possession.\n1Mac 11\nAnd the king of Egypt gathered together a great host, like\nthe sand that lieth upon the sea shore, and many ships, and went\nabout through deceit to get Alexander's kingdom, and join it to\nhis own.\n2\nWhereupon he took his journey into Spain in peaceable manner,\nso as they of the cities opened unto him, and met him: for king\nAlexander had commanded them so to do, because he was his\nbrother in law.\n3\nNow as Ptolemee entered into the cities, he set in every one\nof them a garrison of soldiers to keep it.\n4\nAnd when he came near to Azotus, they shewed him the temple\nof Dagon that was burnt, and Azotus and the suburbs thereof that\nwere destroyed, and the bodies that were cast abroad and them\nthat he had burnt in the battle; for they had made heaps of them\nby the way where he should pass.\n5\nAlso they told the king whatsoever Jonathan had done, to the\nintent he might blame him: but the king held his peace.\n6\nThen Jonathan met the king with great pomp at Joppa, where\nthey saluted one another, and lodged.\n7\nAfterward Jonathan, when he had gone with the king to the\nriver called Eleutherus, returned again to Jerusalem.\n8\nKing Ptolemee therefore, having gotten the dominion of the\ncities by the sea unto Seleucia upon the sea coast, imagined\nwicked counsels against Alexander.\n9\nWhereupon he sent ambasadors unto king Demetrius, saying,\nCome, let us make a league betwixt us, and I will give thee my\ndaughter whom Alexander hath, and thou shalt reign in thy\nfather's kingdom:\n10\nFor I repent that I gave my daughter unto him, for he sought\nto slay me.\n11\nThus did he slander him, because he was desirous of his\nkingdom.\n12\nWherefore he took his daughter from him, and gave her to\nDemetrius, and forsook Alexander, so that their hatred was\nopenly known.\n13\nThen Ptolemee entered into Antioch, where he set two crowns\nupon his head, the crown of Asia, and of Egypt.\n14\nIn the mean season was king Alexander in Cilicia, because\nthose that dwelt in those parts had revolted from him.\n15\nBut when Alexander heard of this, he came to war against him:\nwhereupon king Ptolemee brought forth his host, and met him with\na mighty power, and put him to flight.\n16\nSo Alexander fled into Arabia there to be defended; but king\nPtolemee was exalted:\n17\nFor Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexander's head, and sent\nit unto Ptolemee.\n18\nKing Ptolemee also died the third day after, and they that\nwere in the strong holds were slain one of another.\n19\nBy this means Demetrius reigned in the hundred threescore and\nseventh year.\n20\nAt the same time Jonathan gathered together them that were in\nJudea to take the tower that was in Jerusalem: and he made many\nengines of war against it.\n21\nThen came ungodly persons, who hated their own people, went\nunto the king, and told him that Jonathan besieged the tower,\n22\nWhereof when he heard, he was angry, and immediately\nremoving, he came to Ptolemais, and wrote unto Jonathan, that he\nshould not lay siege to the tower, but come and speak with him\nat Ptolemais in great haste.\n23\nNevertheless Jonathan, when he heard this, commanded to\nbesiege it still: and he chose certain of the elders of Israel\nand the priests, and put himself in peril;\n24\nAnd took silver and gold, and raiment, and divers presents\nbesides, and went to Ptolemais unto the king, where he found\nfavour in his sight.\n25\nAnd though certain ungodly men of the people had made\ncomplaints against him,\n26\nYet the king entreated him as his predecessors had done\nbefore, and promoted him in the sight of all his friends,\n27\nAnd confirmed him in the high priesthood, and in all the\nhonours that he had before, and gave him preeminence among his\nchief friends.\n28\nThen Jonathan desired the king, that he would make Judea free\nfrom tribute, as also the three governments, with the country of\nSamaria; and he promised him three hundred talents.\n29\nSo the king consented, and wrote letters unto Jonathan of all\nthese things after this manner:\n30\nKing Demetrius unto his brother Jonathan, and unto the nation\nof the Jews, sendeth greeting:\n31\nWe send you here a copy of the letter which we did write unto\nour cousin Lasthenes concerning you, that ye might see it.\n32\nKing Demetrius unto his father Lasthenes sendeth greeting:\n33\nWe are determined to do good to the people of the Jews, who\nare our friends, and keep covenants with us, because of their\ngood will toward us.\n34\nWherefore we have ratified unto them the borders of Judea,\nwith the three governments of Apherema and Lydda and Ramathem,\nthat are added unto Judea from the country of Samaria, and all\nthings appertaining unto them, for all such as do sacrifice in\nJerusalem, instead of the payments which the king received of\nthem yearly aforetime out of the fruits of the earth and of\ntrees.\n35\nAnd as for other things that belong unto us, of the tithes\nand customs pertaining unto us, as also the saltpits, and the\ncrown taxes, which are due unto us, we discharge them of them\nall for their relief.\n36\nAnd nothing hereof shall be revoked from this time forth for\never.\n37\nNow therefore see that thou make a copy of these things, and\nlet it be delivered unto Jonathan, and set upon the holy mount\nin a conspicuous place.\n38\nAfter this, when king Demetrius saw that the land was quiet\nbefore him, and that no resistance was made against him, he sent\naway all his forces, every one to his own place, except certain\nbands of strangers, whom he had gathered from the isles of the\nheathen: wherefore all the forces of his fathers hated him.\n39\nMoreover there was one Tryphon, that had been of Alexander's\npart afore, who, seeing that all the host murmured against\nDemetrius, went to Simalcue the Arabian that brought up\nAntiochus the young son of Alexander,\n40\nAnd lay sore upon him to deliver him this young Antiochus,\nthat he might reign in his father's stead: he told him therefore\nall that Demetrius had done, and how his men of war were at\nenmity with him, and there he remained a long season.\n41\nIn the mean time Jonathan sent unto king Demetrius, that he\nwould cast those of the tower out of Jerusalem, and those also\nin the fortresses: for they fought against Israel.\n42\nSo Demetrius sent unto Jonathan, saying, I will not only do\nthis for thee and thy people, but I will greatly honour thee and\nthy nation, if opportunity serve.\n43\nNow therefore thou shalt do well, if thou send me men to help\nme; for all my forces are gone from me.\n44\nUpon this Jonathan sent him three thousand strong men unto\nAntioch: and when they came to the king, the king was very glad\nof their coming.\n45\nHowbeit they that were of the city gathered themselves\ntogether into the midst of the city, to the number of an hundred\nand twenty thousand men, and would have slain the king.\n46\nWherefore the king fled into the court, but they of the city\nkept the passages of the city, and began to fight.\n47\nThen the king called to the Jews for help, who came unto him\nall at once, and dispersing themselves through the city slew\nthat day in the city to the number of an hundred thousand.\n48\nAlso they set fire on the city, and gat many spoils that day,\nand delivered the king.\n49\nSo when they of the city saw that the Jews had got the city\nas they would, their courage was abated: wherefore they made\nsupplication to the king, and cried, saying,\n50\nGrant us peace, and let the Jews cease from assaulting us and\nthe city.\n51\nWith that they cast away their weapons, and made peace; and\nthe Jews were honoured in the sight of the king, and in the\nsight of all that were in his realm; and they returned to\nJerusalem, having great spoils.\n52\nSo king Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom, and the\nland was quiet before him.\n53\nNevertheless he dissembled in all that ever he spake, and\nestranged himself from Jonathan, neither rewarded he him\naccording to the benefits which he had received of him, but\ntroubled him very sore.\n54\nAfter this returned Tryphon, and with him the young child\nAntiochus, who reigned, and was crowned.\n55\nThen there gathered unto him all the men of war, whom\nDemetrius had put away, and they fought against Demetrius, who\nturned his back and fled.\n56\nMoreover Tryphon took the elephants, and won Antioch.\n57\nAt that time young Antiochus wrote unto Jonathan, saying, I\nconfirm thee in the high priesthood, and appoint thee ruler over\nthe four governments, and to be one of the king's friends.\n58\nUpon this he sent him golden vessels to be served in, and\ngave him leave to drink in gold, and to be clothed in purple,\nand to wear a golden buckle.\n59\nHis brother Simon also he made captain from the place called\nThe ladder of Tyrus unto the borders of Egypt.\n60\nThen Jonathan went forth, and passed through the cities\nbeyond the water, and all the forces of Syria gathered\nthemselves unto him for to help him: and when he came to\nAscalon, they of the city met him honourably.\n61\nFrom whence he went to Gaza, but they of Gaza shut him out;\nwherefore he laid siege unto it, and burned the suburbs thereof\nwith fire, and spoiled them.\n62\nAfterward, when they of Gaza made supplication unto Jonathan,\nhe made peace with them, and took the sons of their chief men\nfor hostages, and sent them to Jerusalem, and passed through the\ncountry unto Damascus.\n63\nNow when Jonathan heard that Demetrius' princes were come to\nCades, which is in Galilee, with a great power, purposing to\nremove him out of the country,\n64\nHe went to meet them, and left Simon his brother in the\ncountry.\n65\nThen Simon encamped against Bethsura and fought against it a\nlong season, and shut it up:\n66\nBut they desired to have peace with him, which he granted\nthem, and then put them out from thence, and took the city, and\nset a garrison in it.\n67\nAs for Jonathan and his host, they pitched at the water of\nGennesar, from whence betimes in the morning they gat them to\nthe plain of Nasor.\n68\nAnd, behold, the host of strangers met them in the plain,\nwho, having laid men in ambush for him in the mountains, came\nthemselves over against him.\n69\nSo when they that lay in ambush rose out of their places and\njoined battle, all that were of Jonathan's side fled;\n70\nInsomuch as there was not one of them left, except Mattathias\nthe son of Absalom, and Judas the son of Calphi, the captains of\nthe host.\n71\nThen Jonathan rent his clothes, and cast earth upon his head,\nand prayed.\n72\nAfterwards turning again to battle, he put them to flight,\nand so they ran away.\n73\nNow when his own men that were fled saw this, they turned\nagain unto him, and with him pursued them to Cades, even unto\ntheir own tents, and there they camped.\n74\nSo there were slain of the heathen that day about three\nthousand men: but Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.\n1Mac 12\nNow when Jonathan saw that time served him, he chose certain\nmen, and sent them to Rome, for to confirm and renew the\nfriendship that they had with them.\n2\nHe sent letters also to the Lacedemonians, and to other\nplaces, for the same purpose.\n3\nSo they went unto Rome, and entered into the senate, and\nsaid, Jonathan the high priest, and the people of the Jews, sent\nus unto you, to the end ye should renew the friendship, which ye\nhad with them, and league, as in former time.\n4\nUpon this the Romans gave them letters unto the governors of\nevery place that they should bring them into the land of Judea\npeaceably.\n5\nAnd this is the copy of the letters which Jonathan wrote to\nthe Lacedemonians:\n6\nJonathan the high priest, and the elders of the nation, and\nthe priests, and the other of the Jews, unto the Lacedemonians\ntheir brethren send greeting:\n7\nThere were letters sent in times past unto Onias the high\npriest from Darius, who reigned then among you, to signify that\nye are our brethren, as the copy here underwritten doth specify.\n8\nAt which time Onias entreated the ambassador that was sent\nhonourably, and received the letters, wherein declaration was\nmade of the league and friendship.\n9\nTherefore we also, albeit we need none of these things, that\nwe have the holy books of scripture in our hands to comfort us,\n10\nHave nevertheless attempted to send unto you for the renewing\nof brotherhood and friendship, lest we should become strangers\nunto you altogether: for there is a long time passed since ye\nsent unto us.\n11\nWe therefore at all times without ceasing, both in our\nfeasts, and other convenient days, do remember you in the\nsacrifices which we offer, and in our prayers, as reason is, and\nas it becometh us to think upon our brethren:\n12\nAnd we are right glad of your honour.\n13\nAs for ourselves, we have had great troubles and wars on\nevery side, forsomuch as the kings that are round about us have\nfought against us.\n14\nHowbeit we would not be troublesome unto you, nor to others\nof our confederates and friends, in these wars:\n15\nFor we have help from heaven that succoureth us, so as we are\ndelivered from our enemies, and our enemies are brought under\nfoot.\n16\nFor this cause we chose Numenius the son of Antiochus, and\nAntipater he son of Jason, and sent them unto the Romans, to\nrenew the amity that we had with them, and the former league.\n17\nWe commanded them also to go unto you, and to salute and to\ndeliver you our letters concerning the renewing of our\nbrotherhood.\n18\nWherefore now ye shall do well to give us an answer thereto.\n19\nAnd this is the copy of the letters which Oniares sent.\n20\nAreus king of the Lacedemonians to Onias the high priest,\ngreeting:\n21\nIt is found in writing, that the Lacedemonians and Jews are\nbrethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham:\n22\nNow therefore, since this is come to our knowledge, ye shall\ndo well to write unto us of your prosperity.\n23\nWe do write back again to you, that your cattle and goods are\nour's, and our's are your's We do command therefore our\nambassadors to make report unto you on this wise.\n24\nNow when Jonathan heard that Demebius' princes were come to\nfight against him with a greater host than afore,\n25\nHe removed from Jerusalem, and met them in the land of\nAmathis: for he gave them no respite to enter his country.\n26\nHe sent spies also unto their tents, who came again, and told\nhim that they were appointed to come upon them in the night\nseason.\n27\nWherefore so soon as the sun was down, Jonathan commanded his\nmen to watch, and to be in arms, that all the night long they\nmight be ready to fight: also he sent forth centinels round\nabout the host.\n28\nBut when the adversaries heard that Jonathan and his men were\nready for battle, they feared, and trembled in their hearts, and\nthey kindled fires in their camp.\n29\nHowbeit Jonathan and his company knew it not till the\nmorning: for they saw the lights burning.\n30\nThen Jonathan pursued after them, but overtook them not: for\nthey were gone over the river Eleutherus.\n31\nWherefore Jonathan turned to the Arabians, who were called\nZabadeans, and smote them, and took their spoils.\n32\nAnd removing thence, he came to Damascus, and so passed\nthrough all the country,\n33\nSimon also went forth, and passed through the country unto\nAscalon, and the holds there adjoining, from whence he turned\naside to Joppa, and won it.\n34\nFor he had heard that they would deliver the hold unto them\nthat took Demetrius' part; wherefore he set a garrison there to\nkeep it.\n35\nAfter this came Jonathan home again, and calling the elders\nof the people together, he consulted with them about building\nstrong holds in Judea,\n36\nAnd making the walls of Jerusalem higher, and raising a great\nmount between the tower and the city, for to separate it from\nthe city, that so it might be alone, that men might neither sell\nnor buy in it.\n37\nUpon this they came together to build up the city, forasmuch\nas part of the wall toward the brook on the east side was fallen\ndown, and they repaired that which was called Caphenatha.\n38\nSimon also set up Adida in Sephela, and made it strong with\ngates and bars.\n39\nNow Tryphon went about to get the kingdom of Asia, and to\nkill Antiochus the king, that he might set the crown upon his\nown head.\n40\nHowbeit he was afraid that Jonathan would not suffer him, and\nthat he would fight against him; wherefore he sought a way how\nto take Jonathan, that he might kill him. So he removed, and\ncame to Bethsan.\n41\nThen Jonathan went out to meet him with forty thousand men\nchosen for the battle, and came to Bethsan.\n42\nNow when Tryphon saw Jonathan came with so great a force, he\ndurst not stretch his hand against him;\n43\nBut received him honourably, and commended him unto all his\nfriends, and gave him gifts, and commanded his men of war to be\nas obedient unto him, as to himself.\n44\nUnto Jonathan also he said, Why hast thou brought all this\npeople to so great trouble, seeing there is no war betwixt us?\n45\nTherefore send them now home again, and choose a few men to\nwait on thee, and come thou with me to Ptolemais, for I will\ngive it thee, and the rest of the strong holds and forces, and\nall that have any charge: as for me, I will return and depart:\nfor this is the cause of my coming.\n46\nSo Jonathan believing him did as he bade him, and sent away\nhis host, who went into the land of Judea.\n47\nAnd with himself he retained but three thousand men, of whom\nhe sent two thousand into Galilee, and one thousand went with\nhim.\n48\nNow as soon as Jonathan entered into Ptolemais, they of\nPtolemais shut the gates and took him, and all them that came\nwith him they slew with the sword.\n49\nThen sent Tryphon an host of footmen and horsemen into\nGalilee, and into the great plain, to destroy all Jonathan's\ncompany.\n50\nBut when they knew that Jonathan and they that were with him\nwere taken and slain, they encouraged one another; and went\nclose together, prepared to fight.\n51\nThey therefore that followed upon them, perceiving that they\nwere ready to fight for their lives, turned back again.\n52\nWhereupon they all came into the land of Judea peaceably, and\nthere they bewailed Jonathan, and them that were with him, and\nthey were sore afraid; wherefore all Israel made great\nlamentation.\n53\nThen all the heathen that were round about then sought to\ndestroy them: for said they, They have no captain, nor any to\nhelp them: now therefore let us make war upon them, and take\naway their memorial from among men.\n1Mac 13\nNow when Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a\ngreat host to invade the land of Judea, and destroy it,\n2\nAnd saw that the people was in great trembling and fear, he\nwent up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together,\n3\nAnd gave them exhortation, saying, Ye yourselves know what\ngreat things I, and my brethren, and my father's house, have\ndone for the laws and the sanctuary, the battles also and\ntroubles which we have seen.\n4\nBy reason whereof all my brethren are slain for Israel's\nsake, and I am left alone.\n5\nNow therefore be it far from me, that I should spare mine own\nlife in any time of trouble: for I am no better than my\nbrethren.\n6\nDoubtless I will avenge my nation, and the sanctuary, and our\nwives, and our children: for all the heathen are gathered to\ndestroy us of very malice.\n7\nNow as soon as the people heard these words, their spirit\nrevived.\n8\nAnd they answered with a loud voice, saying, Thou shalt be\nour leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother.\n9\nFight thou our battles, and whatsoever, thou commandest us,\nthat will we do.\n10\nSo then he gathered together all the men of war, and made\nhaste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it\nround about.\n11\nAlso he sent Jonathan the son of Absolom, and with him a\ngreat power, to Joppa: who casting out them that were therein\nremained there in it.\n12\nSo Tryphon removed from Ptolemaus with a great power to\ninvade the land of Judea, and Jonathan was with him in ward.\n13\nBut Simon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain.\n14\nNow when Tryphon knew that Simon was risen up instead of his\nbrother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, he sent\nmessengers unto him, saying,\n15\nWhereas we have Jonathan thy brother in hold, it is for money\nthat he is owing unto the king's treasure, concerning the\nbusiness that was committed unto him.\n16\nWherefore now send an hundred talents of silver, and two of\nhis sons for hostages, that when he is at liberty he may not\nrevolt from us, and we will let him go.\n17\nHereupon Simon, albeit he perceived that they spake\ndeceitfully unto him yet sent he the money and the children,\nlest peradventure he should procure to himself great hatred of\nthe people:\n18\nWho might have said, Because I sent him not the money and the\nchildren, therefore is Jonathan dead.\n19\nSo he sent them the children and the hundred talents: howbeit\nTryphon dissembled neither would he let Jonathan go.\n20\nAnd after this came Tryphon to invade the land, and destroy\nit, going round about by the way that leadeth unto Adora: but\nSimon and his host marched against him in every place,\nwheresoever he went.\n21\nNow they that were in the tower sent messengers unto Tryphon,\nto the end that he should hasten his coming unto them by the\nwilderness, and send them victuals.\n22\nWherefore Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that\nnight: but there fell a very great snow, by reason whereof he\ncame not. So he departed, and came into the country of Galaad.\n23\nAnd when he came near to Bascama he slew Jonathan, who was\nburied there.\n24\nAfterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land.\n25\nThen sent Simon, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother,\nand buried them in Modin, the city of his fathers.\n26\nAnd all Israel made great lamentation for him, and bewailed\nhim many days.\n27\nSimon also built a monument upon the sepulchre of his father\nand his brethren, and raised it aloft to the sight, with hewn\nstone behind and before.\n28\nMoreover he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for\nhis father, and his mother, and his four brethren.\n29\nAnd in these he made cunning devices, about the which he set\ngreat pillars, and upon the pillars he made all their armour for\na perpetual memory, and by the armour ships carved, that they\nmight be seen of all that sail on the sea.\n30\nThis is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, and it standeth\nyet unto this day.\n31\nNow Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus,\nand slew him.\n32\nAnd he reigned in his stead, and crowned himself king of\nAsia, and brought a great calamity upon the land.\n33\nThen Simon built up the strong holds in Judea, and fenced\nthem about with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and\nbars, and laid up victuals therein.\n34\nMoreover Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the\nend he should give the land an immunity, because all that\nTryphon did was to spoil.\n35\nUnto whom king Demetrius answered and wrote after this\nmanner:\n36\nKing Demetrius unto Simon the high priest, and friend of\nkings, as also unto the elders and nation of the Jews, sendeth\ngreeting:\n37\nThe golden crown, and the scarlet robe, which ye sent unto\nus, we have received: and we are ready to make a stedfast peace\nwith you, yea, and to write unto our officers, to confirm the\nimmunities which we have granted.\n38\nAnd whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand;\nand the strong holds, which ye have builded, shall be your own.\n39\nAs for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we\nforgive it, and the crown tax also, which ye owe us: and if\nthere were any other tribute paid in Jerusalem, it shall no more\nbe paid.\n40\nAnd look who are meet among you to be in our court, let then\nbe enrolled, and let there be peace betwixt us.\n41\nThus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in\nthe hundred and seventieth year.\n42\nThen the people of Israel began to write in their instruments\nand contracts, In the first year of Simon the high priest, the\ngovernor and leader of the Jews.\n43\nIn those days Simon camped against Gaza and besieged it round\nabout; he made also an engine of war, and set it by the city,\nand battered a certain tower, and took it.\n44\nAnd they that were in the engine leaped into the city;\nwhereupon there was a great uproar in the city:\n45\nInsomuch as the people of the city rent their clothes, and\nclimbed upon the walls with their wives and children, and cried\nwith a loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace.\n46\nAnd they said, Deal not with us according to our wickedness,\nbut according to thy mercy.\n47\nSo Simon was appeased toward them, and fought no more against\nthem, but put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses\nwherein the idols were, and so entered into it with songs and\nthanksgiving.\n48\nYea, he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed such men\nthere as would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was\nbefore, and built therein a dwellingplace for himself.\n49\nThey also of the tower in Jerusalem were kept so strait, that\nthey could neither come forth, nor go into the country, nor buy,\nnor sell: wherefore they were in great distress for want of\nvictuals, and a great number of them perished through famine.\n50\nThen cried they to Simon, beseeching him to be at one with\nthem: which thing he granted them; and when he had put them out\nfrom thence, he cleansed the tower from pollutions:\n51\nAnd entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second\nmonth in the hundred seventy and first year, with thanksgiving,\nand branches of palm trees, and with harps, and cymbals, and\nwith viols, and hymns, and songs: because there was destroyed a\ngreat enemy out of Israel.\n52\nHe ordained also that that day should be kept every year with\ngladness. Moreover the hill of the temple that was by the tower\nhe made stronger than it was, and there he dwelt himself with\nhis company.\n53\nAnd when Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man, he\nmade him captain of all the hosts; and he dwelt in Gazera.\n1Mac 14\nNow in the hundred threescore and twelfth year king Demetrius\ngathered his forces together, and went into Media to get him\nhelp to fight against Tryphone.\n2\nBut when Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that\nDemetrius was entered within his borders, he sent one of his\nprinces to take him alive:\n3\nWho went and smote the host of Demetrius, and took him, and\nbrought him to Arsaces, by whom he was put in ward.\n4\nAs for the land of Judea, that was quiet all the days of\nSimon; for he sought the good of his nation in such wise, as\nthat evermore his authority and honour pleased them well.\n5\nAnd as he was honourable in all his acts, so in this, that he\ntook Joppa for an haven, and made an entrance to the isles of\nthe sea,\n6\nAnd enlarged the bounds of his nation, and recovered the\ncountry,\n7\nAnd gathered together a great number of captives, and had the\ndominion of Gazera, and Bethsura, and the tower, out of the\nwhich he took all uncleaness, neither was there any that\nresisted him.\n8\nThen did they till their ground in peace, and the earth gave\nher increase, and the trees of the field their fruit.\n9\nThe ancient men sat all in the streets, communing together of\ngood things, and the young men put on glorious and warlike\napparel.\n10\nHe provided victuals for the cities, and set in them all\nmanner of munition, so that his honourable name was renowned\nunto the end of the world.\n11\nHe made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great\njoy:\n12\nFor every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there\nwas none to fray them:\n13\nNeither was there any left in the land to fight against them:\nyea, the kings themselves were overthrown in those days.\n14\nMoreover he strengthened all those of his people that were\nbrought low: the law he searched out; and every contemner of the\nlaw and wicked person he took away.\n15\nHe beautified the sanctuary, and multiplied vessels of the\ntemple.\n16\nNow when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that\nJonathan was dead, they were very sorry.\n17\nBut as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made\nhigh priest in his stead, and ruled the country, and the cities\ntherein:\n18\nThey wrote unto him in tables of brass, to renew the\nfriendship and league which they had made with Judas and\nJonathan his brethren:\n19\nWhich writings were read before the congregation at\nJerusalem.\n20\nAnd this is the copy of the letters that the Lacedemonians\nsent; The rulers of the Lacedemonians, with the city, unto Simon\nthe high priest, and the elders, and priests, and residue of the\npeople of the Jews, our brethren, send greeting:\n21\nThe ambassadors that were sent unto our people certified us\nof your glory and honour: wherefore we were glad of their\ncoming,\n22\nAnd did register the things that they spake in the council of\nthe people in this manner; Numenius son of Antiochus, and\nAntipater son of Jason, the Jews' ambassadors, came unto us to\nrenew the friendship they had with us.\n23\nAnd it pleased the people to entertain the men honourably,\nand to put the copy of their ambassage in publick records, to\nthe end the people of the Lacedemonians might have a memorial\nthereof: furthermore we have written a copy thereof unto Simon\nthe high priest.\n24\nAfter this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of\ngold of a thousand pound weight to confirm the league with them.\n25\nWhereof when the people heard, they said, What thanks shall\nwe give to Simon and his sons?\n26\nFor he and his brethren and the house of his father have\nestablished Israel, and chased away in fight their enemies from\nthem, and confirmed their liberty.\n27\nSo then they wrote it in tables of brass, which they set upon\npillars in mount Sion: and this is the copy of the writing; The\neighteenth day of the month Elul, in the hundred threescore and\ntwelfth year, being the third year of Simon the high priest,\n28\nAt Saramel in the great congregation of the priests, and\npeople, and rulers of the nation, and elders of the country,\nwere these things notified unto us.\n29\nForasmuch as oftentimes there have been wars in the country,\nwherein for the maintenance of their sanctuary, and the law,\nSimon the son of Mattathias, of the posterity of Jarib, together\nwith his brethren, put themselves in jeopardy, and resisting the\nenemies of their nation did their nation great honour:\n30\n(For after that Jonathan, having gathered his nation\ntogether, and been their high priest, was added to his people,\n31\nTheir enemies prepared to invade their country, that they\nmight destroy it, and lay hands on the sanctuary:\n32\nAt which time Simon rose up, and fought for his nation, and\nspent much of his own substance, and armed the valiant men of\nhis nation and gave them wages,\n33\nAnd fortified the cities of Judea, together with Bethsura,\nthat lieth upon the borders of Judea, where the armour of the\nenemies had been before; but he set a garrison of Jews there:\n34\nMoreover he fortified Joppa, which lieth upon the sea, and\nGazera, that bordereth upon Azotus, where the enemies had dwelt\nbefore: but he placed Jews there, and furnished them with all\nthings convenient for the reparation thereof.)\n35\nThe people therefore sang the acts of Simon, and unto what\nglory he thought to bring his nation, made him their governor\nand chief priest, because he had done all these things, and for\nthe justice and faith which he kept to his nation, and for that\nhe sought by all means to exalt his people.\n36\nFor in his time things prospered in his hands, so that the\nheathen were taken out of their country, and they also that were\nin the city of David in Jerusalem, who had made themselves a\ntower, out of which they issued, and polluted all about the\nsanctuary, and did much hurt in the holy place:\n37\nBut he placed Jews therein. and fortified it for the safety\nof the country and the city, and raised up the walls of\nJerusalem.\n38\nKing Demetrius also confirmed him in the high priesthood\naccording to those things,\n39\nAnd made him one of his friends, and honoured him with great\nhonour.\n40\nFor he had heard say, that the Romans had called the Jews\ntheir friends and confederates and brethren; and that they had\nentertained the ambassadors of Simon honourably;\n41\nAlso that the Jews and priests were well pleased that Simon\nshould be their governor and high priest for ever, until there\nshould arise a faithful prophet;\n42\nMoreover that he should be their captain, and should take\ncharge of the sanctuary, to set them over their works, and over\nthe country, and over the armour, and over the fortresses, that,\nI say, he should take charge of the sanctuary;\n43\nBeside this, that he should be obeyed of every man, and that\nall the writings in the country should be made in his name, and\nthat he should be clothed in purple, and wear gold:\n44\nAlso that it should be lawful for none of the people or\npriests to break any of these things, or to gainsay his words,\nor to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be\nclothed in purple, or wear a buckle of gold;\n45\nAnd whosoever should do otherwise, or break any of these\nthings, he should be punished.\n46\nThus it liked all the people to deal with Simon, and to do as\nhath been said.\n47\nThen Simon accepted hereof, and was well pleased to be high\npriest, and captain and governor of the Jews and priests, and to\ndefend them all.\n48\nSo they commanded that this writing should be put in tables\nof brass, and that they should be set up within the compass of\nthe sanctuary in a conspicuous place;\n49\nAlso that the copies thereof should be laid up in the\ntreasury, to the end that Simon and his sons might have them.\n1Mac 15\nMoreover Antiochus son of Demetrius the king sent letters\nfrom the isles of the sea unto Simon the priest and prince of\nthe Jews, and to all the people;\n2\nThe contents whereof were these: King Antiochus to Simon the\nhigh priest and prince of his nation, and to the people of the\nJews, greeting:\n3\nForasmuch as certain pestilent men have usurped the kingdom\nof our fathers, and my purpose is to challenge it again, that I\nmay restore it to the old estate, and to that end have gathered\na multitude of foreign soldiers together, and prepared ships of\nwar;\n4\nMy meaning also being to go through the country, that I may\nbe avenged of them that have destroyed it, and made many cities\nin the kingdom desolate:\n5\nNow therefore I confirm unto thee all the oblations which the\nkings before me granted thee, and whatsoever gifts besides they\ngranted.\n6\nI give thee leave also to coin money for thy country with\nthine own stamp.\n7\nAnd as concerning Jerusalem and the sanctuary, let them be\nfree; and all the armour that thou hast made, and fortresses\nthat thou hast built, and keepest in thine hands, let them\nremain unto thee.\n8\nAnd if anything be, or shall be, owing to the king, let it be\nforgiven thee from this time forth for evermore.\n9\nFurthermore, when we have obtained our kingdom, we will\nhonour thee, and thy nation, and thy temple, with great honour,\nso that your honour shall be known throughout the world.\n10\nIn the hundred threescore and fourteenth year went Antiochus\ninto the land of his fathers: at which time all the forces came\ntogether unto him, so that few were left with Tryphon.\n11\nWherefore being pursued by king Antiochus, he fled unto Dora,\nwhich lieth by the sea side:\n12\nFor he saw that troubles came upon him all at once, and that\nhis forces had forsaken him.\n13\nThen camped Antiochus against Dora, having with him an\nhundred and twenty thousand men of war, and eight thousand\nhorsemen.\n14\nAnd when he had compassed the city round about, and joined\nships close to the town on the sea side, he vexed the city by\nland and by sea, neither suffered he any to go out or in.\n15\nIn the mean season came Numenius and his company from Rome,\nhaving letters to the kings and countries; wherein were written\nthese things:\n16\nLucius, consul of the Romans unto king Ptolemee, greeting:\n17\nThe Jews' ambassadors, our friends and confederates, came\nunto us to renew the old friendship and league, being sent from\nSimon the high priest, and from the people of the Jews:\n18\nAnd they brought a shield of gold of a thousand pound.\n19\nWe thought it good therefore to write unto the kings and\ncountries, that they should do them no harm, nor fight against\nthem, their cities, or countries, nor yet aid their enemies\nagainst them.\n20\nIt seemed also good to us to receive the shield of them.\n21\nIf therefore there be any pestilent fellows, that have fled\nfrom their country unto you, deliver them unto Simon the high\npriest, that he may punish them according to their own law.\n22\nThe same things wrote he likewise unto Demetrius the king,\nand Attalus, to Ariarathes, and Arsaces,\n23\nAnd to all the countries and to Sampsames, and the\nLacedemonians, and to Delus, and Myndus, and Sicyon, and Caria,\nand Samos, and Pamphylia, and Lycia, and Halicarnassus, and\nRhodus, and Aradus, and Cos, and Side, and Aradus, and Gortyna,\nand Cnidus, and Cyprus, and Cyrene.\n24\nAnd the copy hereof they wrote to Simon the high priest.\n25\nSo Antiochus the king camped against Dora the second day,\nassaulting it continually, and making engines, by which means he\nshut up Tryphon, that he could neither go out nor in.\n26\nAt that time Simon sent him two thousand chosen men to aid\nhim; silver also, and gold, and much armour.\n27\nNevertheless he would not receive them, but brake all the\ncovenants which he had made with him afore, and became strange\nunto him.\n28\nFurthermore he sent unto him Athenobius, one of his friends,\nto commune with him, and say, Ye withhold Joppa and Gazera; with\nthe tower that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my realm.\n29\nThe borders thereof ye have wasted, and done great hurt in\nthe land, and got the dominion of many places within my kingdom.\n30\nNow therefore deliver the cities which ye have taken, and the\ntributes of the places, whereof ye have gotten dominion without\nthe borders of Judea:\n31\nOr else give me for them five hundred talents of silver; and\nfor the harm that ye have done, and the tributes of the cities,\nother five hundred talents: if not, we will come and fight\nagainst you\n32\nSo Athenobius the king's friend came to Jerusalem: and when\nhe saw the glory of Simon, and the cupboard of gold and silver\nplate, and his great attendance, he was astonished, and told him\nthe king's message.\n33\nThen answered Simon, and said unto him, We have neither taken\nother men's land, nor holden that which appertaineth to others,\nbut the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies had\nwrongfully in possession a certain time.\n34\nWherefore we, having opportunity, hold the inheritance of our\nfathers.\n35\nAnd whereas thou demandest Joppa and Gazera, albeit they did\ngreat harm unto the people in our country, yet will we give thee\nan hundred talents for them. Hereunto Athenobius answered him\nnot a word;\n36\nBut returned in a rage to the king, and made report unto him\nof these speeches, and of the glory of Simon, and of all that he\nhad seen: whereupon the king was exceeding wroth.\n37\nIn the mean time fled Tryphon by ship unto Orthosias.\n38\nThen the king made Cendebeus captain of the sea coast, and\ngave him an host of footmen and horsemen,\n39\nAnd commanded him to remove his host toward Judea; also he\ncommanded him to build up Cedron, and to fortify the gates, and\nto war against the people; but as for the king himself, he\npursued Tryphon.\n40\nSo Cendebeus came to Jamnia and began to provoke the people\nand to invade Judea, and to take the people prisoners, and slay\nthem.\n41\nAnd when he had built up Cedrou, he set horsemen there, and\nan host of footmen, to the end that issuing out they might make\noutroads upon the ways of Judea, as the king had commanded him.\n1Mac 16\nThen came up John from Gazera, and told Simon his father what\nCendebeus had done.\n2\nWherefore Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John,\nand said unto them, I, and my brethren, and my father's house,\nhave ever from my youth unto this day fought against the enemies\nof Israel; and things have prospered so well in our hands, that\nwe have delivered Israel oftentimes.\n3\nBut now I am old, and ye, by God's mercy, are of a sufficient\nage: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go and fight for\nour nation, and the help from heaven be with you.\n4\nSo he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war\nwith horsemen, who went out against Cendebeus, and rested that\nnight at Modin.\n5\nAnd when as they rose in the morning, and went into the\nplain, behold, a mighty great host both of footmen and horsemen\ncame against them: howbeit there was a water brook betwixt them.\n6\nSo he and his people pitched over against them: and when he\nsaw that the people were afraid to go over the water brook, he\nwent first over himself, and then the men seeing him passed\nthrough after him.\n7\nThat done, he divided his men, and set the horsemen in the\nmidst of the footmen: for the enemies' horsemen were very many.\n8\nThen sounded they with the holy trumpets: whereupon Cendebeus\nand his host were put to flight, so that many of them were\nslain, and the remnant gat them to the strong hold.\n9\nAt that time was Judas John's brother wounded; but John still\nfollowed after them, until he came to Cedron, which Cendebeus\nhad built.\n10\nSo they fled even unto the towers in the fields of Azotus;\nwherefore he burned it with fire: so that there were slain of\nthem about two thousand men. Afterward he returned into the land\nof Judea in peace.\n11\nMoreover in the plain of Jericho was Ptolemeus the son of\nAbubus made captain, and he had abundance of silver and gold:\n12\nFor he was the high priest's son in law.\n13\nWherefore his heart being lifted up, he thought to get the\ncountry to himself, and thereupon consulted deceitfully against\nSimon and his sons to destroy them.\n14\nNow Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country,\nand taking care for the good ordering of them; at which time he\ncame down himself to Jericho with his sons, Mattathias and\nJudas, in the hundred threescore and seventeenth year, in the\neleventh month, called Sabat:\n15\nWhere the son of Abubus receiving them deceitfully into a\nlittle hold, called Docus, which he had built, made them a great\nbanquet: howbeit he had hid men there.\n16\nSo when Simon and his sons had drunk largely, Ptolemee and\nhis men rose up, and took their weapons, and came upon Simon\ninto the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and\ncertain of his servants.\n17\nIn which doing he committed a great treachery, and\nrecompensed evil for good.\n18\nThen Ptolemee wrote these things, and sent to the king, that\nhe should send him an host to aid him, and he would deliver him\nthe country and cities.\n19\nHe sent others also to Gazera to kill John: and unto the\ntribunes he sent letters to come unto him, that he might give\nthem silver, and gold, and rewards.\n20\nAnd others he sent to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the\ntemple.\n21\nNow one had run afore to Gazera and told John that his father\nand brethren were slain, and, quoth he, Ptolemee hath sent to\nslay thee also.\n22\nHereof when he heard, he was sore astonished: so he laid\nhands on them that were come to destroy him, and slew them; for\nhe knew that they sought to make him away.\n23\nAs concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and\nworthy deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which\nhe made, and his doings,\n24\nBehold, these are written in the chronicles of his\npriesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his\nfather.","title":"The First Book of the Maccabees","type":"page"}