{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_8346/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_8346","id":"gutenberg_8346","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8346","summary":null,"tags":["Bible. Apocrypha. Maccabees, 2nd","Category: History - Ancient","Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality"],"text":"This eBook was produced by David Widger\nfrom etext #1581 prepared by Dennis McCarthy, Atlanta, Georgia\nand Tad Book, student, Pontifical North American College, Rome.\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE HOLY BIBLE\n\n\n\n\nTranslated from the Latin Vulgate\n\n\nDiligently Compared with the Hebrew, Greek,\nand Other Editions in Divers Languages\n\n\nTHE OLD TESTAMENT\nFirst Published by the English College at Douay\nA.D. 1609 & 1610\n\nand\n\nTHE NEW TESTAMENT\nFirst Published by the English College at Rheims\nA.D. 1582\n\n\nWith Annotations\n\n\nThe Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with\nthe Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner\nA.D. 1749-1752\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE SECOND BOOK OF MACHABEES\n\nThis second book of MACHABEES is not a continuation of the history\ncontained in the first: nor does is come down so low as the first does:\nbut relates many of the same facts more at large, and adds other\nremarkable particulars, omitted in the first book, relating to the state\nof the Jews, as well before as under the persecution of ANTIOCHUS. The\nauthor, who is not the same with that of the first book, has given (as\nwe learn from chap. 2.20, etc.) a short abstract of what JASON of Cyrene\nhad written in the five volumes, concerning JUDAS and his brethren. He\nwrote in Greek, and begins with two letters, sent by the Jews of\nJerusalem to their brethren in Egypt.\n\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 1\n\nLetters of the Jews of Jerusalem to them that were in Egypt. They give\nthanks for their delivery from Antiochus: and exhort their brethren to\nkeep the feast of the dedication of the altar, and of the miraculous\nfire.\n\n1:1. To the brethren, the Jews that are throughout Egypt; the brethren,\nthe Jews that are in Jerusalem, and in the land of Judea, send health\nand good peace.\n\n1:2. May God be gracious to you, and remember his covenant that he made\nwith Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants:\n\n1:3. And give you all a heart to worship him, and to do his will with a\ngreat heart, and a willing mind.\n\n1:4. May he open your heart in his law, and in his commandments, and\nsend you peace.\n\n1:5. May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled unto you, and never\nforsake you in the evil time.\n\n1:6. And now here we are praying for you.\n\n1:7. When Demetrius reigned, in the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we\nJews wrote to you in the trouble and violence that came upon us in those\nyears, after Jason withdrew himself from the holy land, and from the\nkingdom.\n\n1:8. They burnt the gate, and shed innocent blood: then we prayed to the\nLord, and were heard, and we offered sacrifices, and fine flour, and\nlighted the lamps, and set forth the loaves.\n\n1:9. And now celebrate ye the days of Scenopegia in the month of Casleu.\n\nScenopegia... Viz., the Encenia, or feast of the dedication of the\naltar, called here Scenopegia, or feast of tabernacles, from being\ncelebrated with the like solemnity.\n\n1:10. In the year one hundred and eighty-eight, the people that is at\nJerusalem, and in Judea, and the senate, and Judas, to Aristobolus, the\npreceptor of king Ptolemee, who is of the stock of the anointed priests,\nand to the Jews that are in Egypt, health and welfare.\n\n1:11. Having been delivered by God out of great dangers, we give him\ngreat thanks, forasmuch as we have been in war with such a king.\n\nSuch a king... Viz., Antiochus Sidetes, who began to make war upon the\nJews, whilst Simon was yet alive. 1 Mac. 15.39. And afterwards besieged\nJerusalem under John Hircanus. So that the Judas here mentioned, ver.\n10, is not Judas Machabeus, who was dead long before the year 188 of the\nkingdom of the Greeks, for he died in the year 146 of that epoch, (see\nabove 1 Mac. chap. 2., ver. 70, also the note on chap. 1, ver. 2,) but\neither Judas the eldest son of John Hircanus, or Judas the Essene,\nrenowned for the gift of prophecy, who flourished about that time.\n\n1:12. For he made numbers of men swarm out of Persia, that have fought\nagainst us, and the holy city.\n\n1:13. For when the leader himself was in Persia, and with him a very\ngreat army, he fell in the temple of Nanea, being deceived by the\ncounsel of the priests of Nanea.\n\nNanea... A Persian goddess, which some have taken for Diana, others for\nVenus.\n\n1:14. For Antiochus, with his friends, came to the place as though he\nwould marry her, and that he might receive great sums of money under the\ntitle of a dowry.\n\n1:15. And when the priests of Nanea had set it forth, and he with a\nsmall company had entered into the compass of the temple, they shut the\ntemple,\n\n1:16. When Antiochus was come in: and opening a secret entrance of the\ntemple, they cast stones and slew the leader, and them that were with\nhim, and hewed them in pieces; and cutting off their heads, they threw\nthem forth.\n\n1:17. Blessed be God in all things, who hath delivered up the wicked.\n\n1:18. Therefore, whereas we purpose to keep the purification of the\ntemple on the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, we thought\nit necessary to signify it to you: that you also may keep the day of\nScenopegia, and the day of the fire, that was given when Nehemias\noffered sacrifice, after the temple and the altar was built.\n\n1:19. For when our fathers were led into Persia, the priests that then\nwere worshippers of God, took privately the fire from the altar, and hid\nit in a valley where there was a deep pit without water, and there they\nkept it safe, so that the place was unknown to all men.\n\nPersia... Babylonia, called here Persia, from being afterwards a part of\nthe Persian empire.\n\n1:20. But when many years had passed, and it pleased God that Nehemias\nshould be sent by the king of Persia, he sent some of the posterity of\nthose priests that had hid it, to seek for the fire: and as they told\nus, they found no fire, but thick water.\n\n1:21. Then he bade them draw it up, and bring it to him: and the priest,\nNehemias, commanded the sacrifices that were laid on, to be sprinkled\nwith the same water, both the wood, and the things that were laid upon\nit.\n\n1:22. And when this was done, and the time came that the sun shone out,\nwhich before was in a cloud, there was a great fire kindled, so that all\nwondered.\n\n1:23. And all the priests made prayer, while the sacrifice was\nconsuming, Jonathan beginning, and the rest answering.\n\n1:24. And the prayer of Nehemias was after this manner: O Lord God,\nCreator of all things, dreadful and strong, just and merciful, who alone\nart the good king,\n\n1:25. Who alone art gracious, who alone art just, and almighty, and\neternal, who deliverest Israel from all evil, who didst choose the\nfathers, and didst sanctify them:\n\n1:26. Receive the sacrifice for all thy people Israel, and preserve thy\nown portion, and sanctify it.\n\n1:27. Gather together our scattered people, deliver them that are slaves\nto the Gentiles, and look upon them that are despised and abhorred: that\nthe Gentiles may know that thou art our God.\n\n1:28. Punish them that oppress us, and that treat us injuriously with\npride.\n\n1:29. Establish thy people in thy holy place, as Moses hath spoken.\n\n1:30. And the priests sung hymns till the sacrifice was consumed.\n\n1:31 .And when the sacrifice was consumed, Nehemias commanded the water\nthat was left to be poured out upon the great stones.\n\n1:32. Which being done, there was kindled a flame from them: but it was\nconsumed by the light that shined from the altar.\n\n1:33. And when this matter became public, it was told to the king of\nPersia, that in the place where the priests that were led away, had hid\nthe fire, there appeared water, with which Nehemias and they that were\nwith him had purified the sacrifices.\n\n1:34. And the king considering, and diligently examining the matter,\nmade a temple for it, that he might prove what had happened.\n\nA temple... That is, an enclosure, or a wall round about the place where\nthe fire was hid, to separate it from profane uses, to the end that it\nmight be respected as a holy place.\n\n1:35. And when he had proved it, he gave the priests many goods, and\ndivers presents, and he took and distributed them to them with his own\nhand.\n\n1:36. And Nehemias called this place Nephthar, which is interpreted\npurification. But many call it Nephi.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 2\n\nA continuation of the second letter. Of Jeremias' hiding the ark at the\ntime of the captivity. The author's preface.\n\n2:1. Now it is found in the descriptions of Jeremias, the prophet, that\nhe commanded them that went into captivity, to take the fire, as it hath\nbeen signified, and how he gave charge to them that were carried away\ninto captivity.\n\nThe descriptions... That is, the records or memoirs of Jeremias, a work\nthat is now lost.\n\n2:2. And how he gave them the law, that they should not forget the\ncommandments of the Lord, and that they should not err in their minds,\nseeing the idols of gold, and silver, and the ornaments of them.\n\n2:3. And with other such like speeches, he exhorted them that they would\nnot remove the law from their heart.\n\n2:4. It was also contained in the same writing, how the prophet, being\nwarned by God, commanded that the tabernacle and the ark should\naccompany him, till he came forth to the mountain where Moses went up,\nand saw the inheritance of God.\n\n2:5. And when Jeremias came thither he found a hollow cave: and he\ncarried in thither the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of\nincense, and so stopped the door.\n\n2:6 .Then some of them that followed him, came up to mark the place: but\nthey could not find it.\n\n2:7. And when Jeremias perceived it, he blamed them, saying: The place\nshall be unknown, till God gather together the congregation of the\npeople, and receive them to mercy.\n\n2:8. And then the Lord will shew these things, and the majesty of the\nLord shall appear, and there shall be a cloud as it was also shewed to\nMoses, and he shewed it when Solomon prayed that the place might be\nsanctified to the great God.\n\n2:9. For he treated wisdom in a magnificent manner: and like a wise man,\nhe offered the sacrifice of the dedication, and of the finishing of the\ntemple.\n\n2:10. And as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven,\nand consumed the holocaust: so Solomon also prayed, and fire came down\nfrom heaven and consumed the holocaust.\n\n2:11. And Moses said: Because the sin offering was not eaten, it was\nconsumed.\n\n2:12. So Solomon also celebrated the dedication eight days.\n\n2:13. And these same things were set down in the memoirs, and\ncommentaries of Nehemias: and how he made a library, and gathered\ntogether out of the countries, the books both of the prophets, and of\nDavid, and the epistles of the kings, and concerning the holy gifts.\n\n2:14. And in like manner Judas also gathered together all such things as\nwere lost by the war we had, and they are in our possession.\n\n2:15. Wherefore, if you want these things, send some that may fetch them\nto you.\n\n2:16. As we are then about to celebrate the purification, we have\nwritten unto you: and you shall do well, if you keep the same days.\n\nThe purification... That is, the feast of the purifying or cleansing of\nthe temple.\n\n2:17. And we hope that God, who hath delivered his people, and hath\nrendered to all the inheritance, and the kingdom, and the priesthood,\nand the sanctuary,\n\n2:18. As he promised in the law, will shortly have mercy upon us, and\nwill gather us together from every land under heaven into the holy\nplace.\n\n2:19. For he hath delivered us out of great perils, and hath cleansed\nthe place.\n\n2:20. Now as concerning Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the\npurification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar:\n\n2:21. As also the wars against Antiochus, the Illustrious, and his son,\nEupator:\n\n2:22. And the manifestations that came from heaven to them, that behaved\nthemselves manfully on the behalf of the Jews, so that, being but a few\nthey made themselves masters of the whole country, and put to flight the\nbarbarous multitude:\n\n2:23. And recovered again the most renowned temple in all the world, and\ndelivered the city, and restored the laws that were abolished, the Lord\nwith all clemency shewing mercy to them.\n\n2:24. And all such things as have been comprised in five books by Jason,\nof Cyrene, we have attempted to abridge in one book.\n\n2:25. For considering the multitude of books, and the difficulty that\nthey find that desire to undertake the narrations of histories, because\nof the multitude of the matter,\n\n2:26. We have taken care for those indeed that are willing to read, that\nit might be a pleasure of mind: and for the studious, that they may more\neasily commit to memory: and that all that read might receive profit.\n\n2:27. And as to ourselves indeed, in undertaking this work of abridging,\nwe have taken in hand no easy task; yea, rather a business full of\nwatching and sweat.\n\nNo easy task, etc... The spirit of God, that assists the sacred penmen,\ndoes not exempt them from labour in seeking out the matter which they\nare to treat of, and the order and manner in which they are to deliver\nit. So St. Luke writ the gospel having diligently attained to all\nthings. Luke 1. ver. 3.\n\n2:28. But as they that prepare a feast, and seek to satisfy the will of\nothers: for the sake of many, we willingly undergo the labour.\n\n2:29. Leaving to the authors the exact handling of every particular, and\nas for ourselves, according to the plan proposed, studying to be brief.\n\n2:30. For as the master builder of a new house must have care of the\nwhole building: but he that taketh care to paint it, must seek out fit\nthings for the adorning of it: so must it be judged of us.\n\n2:31. For to collect all that is to be known, to put the discourse in\norder, and curiously to discuss every particular point, is the duty of\nthe author of a history:\n\n2:32. But to pursue brevity of speech, and to avoid nice declarations of\nthings, is to be granted to him that maketh an abridgment.\n\n2:33. Here then we will begin the narration: let this be enough by way\nof a preface: for it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue, and to\nbe short in the story itself.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 3\n\nHeliodorus is sent by king Seleucus to take away the treasures deposited\nin the temple. He is struck by God, and healed by the prayers of the\nhigh priest.\n\n3:1. Therefore, when the holy city was inhabited with all peace, and the\nlaws as yet were very well kept, because of the godliness of Onias, the\nhigh priest and the hatred his soul had of evil,\n\n3:2. It came to pass that even the kings themselves and the princes\nesteemed the place worthy of the highest honour, and glorified the\ntemple with very great gifts:\n\n3:3. So that Seleucus, king of Asia, allowed out of his revenues all the\ncharges belonging to the ministry of the sacrifices.\n\nSeleucus... Son of Antiochus the Great, and elder brother of Antiochus\nEpiphanes.\n\n3:4. But one Simon, of the tribe of Benjamin, who was appointed overseer\nof the temple, strove in opposition to the high priest, to bring about\nsome unjust thing in the city.\n\n3:5. And when he could not overcome Onias, he went to Apollonius, the\nson of Tharseas, who at that time was governor of Celesyria, and\nPhenicia:\n\n3:6. And told him, that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of immense\nsums of money, and the common store was infinite, which did not belong\nto the account of the sacrifices: and that it was possible to bring all\ninto the king's hands.\n\n3:7. Now when Apollonius had given the king notice concerning the money\nthat he was told of, he called for Heliodorus, who had the charge over\nhis affairs, and sent him with commission to bring him the foresaid\nmoney.\n\n3:8. So Heliodorus forthwith began his journey, under a colour of\nvisiting the cities of Celesyria and Phenicia, but indeed to fulfil the\nking's purpose.\n\n3:9. And when he was come to Jerusalem, and had been courteously\nreceived in the city by the high priest, he told him what information\nhad been given concerning the money: and declared the cause for which he\nwas come: and asked if these things were so indeed.\n\n3:10. Then the high priest told him that these were sums deposited, and\nprovisions for the subsistence of the widows and the fatherless:\n\n3:11. And that some part of that which wicked Simon had given\nintelligence of belonged to Hircanus, son of Tobias, a man of great\ndignity; and that the whole was four hundred talents of silver, and two\nhundred of gold.\n\n3:12. But that to deceive them who had trusted to the place and temple\nwhich is honoured throughout the whole world, for the reverence and\nholiness of it, was a thing which could not by any means be done.\n\n3:13. But he, by reason of the orders he had received from the king,\nsaid, that by all means the money must be carried to the king.\n\n3:14. So on the day he had appointed, Heliodorus entered in to order\nthis matter. But there was no small terror throughout the whole city.\n\n3:15. And the priests prostrated themselves before the altar in their\npriests' vestments, and called upon him from heaven, who made the law\nconcerning things given to be kept, that he would preserve them safe,\nfor them that had deposited them.\n\n3:16. Now whosoever saw the countenance of the high priest, was wounded\nin heart: for his face, and the changing of his colour, declared the\ninward sorrow of his mind.\n\n3:17. For the man was so compassed with sadness and horror of the body,\nthat it was manifest to them that beheld him, what sorrow he had in his\nheart.\n\n3:18. Others also came flocking together out of their houses, praying\nand making public supplication, because the place was like to come into\ncontempt.\n\n3:19. And the women, girded with haircloth about their breasts, came\ntogether in the streets. And the virgins also that were shut up, came\nforth, some to Onias, and some to the walls, and others looked out of\nthe windows.\n\n3:20. And all holding up their hands towards heaven made supplication.\n\n3:21. For the expectation of the mixed multitude, and of the high\npriest, who was in an agony, would have moved any one to pity.\n\n3:22. And these indeed called upon almighty God, to preserve the things\nthat had been committed to them safe and sure for those that had\ncommitted them.\n\n3:23. But Heliodorus executed that which he had resolved on, himself\nbeing present in the same place with his guard about the treasury.\n\n3:24. But the spirit of the Almighty God gave a great evidence of his\npresence, so that all that had presumed to obey him, falling down by the\npower of God, were struck with fainting and dread.\n\n3:25. For there appeared to them a horse, with a terrible rider upon\nhim, adorned with a very rich covering: and he ran fiercely and struck\nHeliodorus with his fore feet, and he that sat upon him seemed to have\narmour of gold.\n\n3:26. Moreover there appeared two other young men, beautiful and strong,\nbright and glorious, and in comely apparel: who stood by him, on either\nside, and scourged him without ceasing with many stripes.\n\n3:27. And Heliodorus suddenly fell to the ground, and they took him up,\ncovered with great darkness, and having put him into a litter, they\ncarried him out.\n\n3:28. So he that came with many servants, and all his guard, into the\naforesaid treasury, was carried out, no one being able to help him, the\nmanifest power of God being known.\n\n3:29. And he indeed, by the power of God, lay speechless, and without\nall hope of recovery.\n\n3:30. But they praised the Lord, because he had glorified his place: and\nthe temple, that a little before was full of fear and trouble, when the\nAlmighty Lord appeared, was filled with joy and gladness.\n\n3:31. Then some of the friends of Heliodorus forthwith begged of Onias,\nthat he would call upon the Most High to grant him his life, who was\nready to give up the ghost.\n\n3:32. So the high priest, considering that the king might perhaps\nsuspect that some mischief had been done to Heliodorus by the Jews,\noffered a sacrifice of health for the recovery of the man.\n\n3:33. And when the high priest was praying, the same young men in the\nsame clothing stood by Heliodorus, and said to him: Give thanks to Onias\nthe priest: because for his sake the Lord hath granted thee life.\n\n3:34. And thou having been scourged by God, declare unto all men the\ngreat works and the power of God.  And having spoken thus, they appeared\nno more.\n\n3:35. So Heliodorus, after he had offered a sacrifice to God, and made\ngreat vows to him, that had granted him life, and given thanks to Onias,\ntaking his troops with him, returned to the king.\n\n3:36. And he testified to all men the works of the great God, which he\nhad seen with his own eyes.\n\n3:37. And when the king asked Heliodorus, who might be a fit man to be\nsent yet once more to Jerusalem, he said:\n\n3:38. If thou hast any enemy, or traitor to thy king dom, send him\nthither, and thou shalt receive him again scourged, if so be he escape:\nfor there is undoubtedly in that place a certain power of God.\n\n3:39. For he that hath his dwelling in the heavens, is the visiter and\nprotector of that place, and he striketh and destroyeth them that come\nto do evil to it.\n\n3:40. And the things concerning Heliodorus, and the keeping of the\ntreasury, fell out in this manner.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 4\n\nOnias has recourse to the king. The ambition and wickedness of Jason and\nMenelaus. Onias is treacherously murdered.\n\n4:1. But Simon, of whom we spoke before, who was the betrayer of the\nmoney, and of his country, spoke ill of Onias, as though he had incited\nHeliodorus to do these things, and had been the promoter of evils:\n\n4:2. And he presumed to call him a traitor to the kingdom, who provided\nfor the city, and defended his nation, and was zealous for the law of\nGod.\n\n4:3. But when the enmities proceeded so far, that murders also were\ncommitted by some of Simon's friends:\n\n4:4. Onias, considering the danger of this contention, and that\nApollonius, who was the governor of Celesyia, and Phenicia, was\noutrageous, which increased the malice of Simon, went to the king,\n\n4:5. Not to be an accuser of his countrymen, but with view to the common\ngood of all the people.\n\n4:6. For he saw that, except the king took care, it was impossible that\nmatters should be settled in peace, or that Simon would cease from his\nfolly.\n\n4:7. But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus, who was called the\nIllustrious, had taken possession of the kingdom, Jason, the brother of\nOnias, ambitiously sought the high priesthood:\n\n4:8. And went to the king, promising him three hundred and sixty talents\nof silver, and out of other revenues fourscore talents.\n\n4:9. Besides this he promised also a hundred and fifty more, if he might\nhave license to set him up a place for exercise, and a place for youth,\nand to entitle them that were at Jerusalem, Antiochians.\n\n4:10. Which when the king had granted, and he had gotten the rule into\nhis hands, forthwith he began to bring over his countrymen to the\nfashion of the heathens.\n\n4:11. And abolishing those things, which had been decreed of special\nfavour by the kings in behalf of the Jews, by the means of John, the\nfather of that Eupolemus, who went ambassador to Rome to make amity and\nalliance, he disannulled the lawful ordinances of the citizens, and\nbrought in fashions that were perverse.\n\n4:12. For he had the boldness to set up, under the very castle, a place\nof exercise, and to put all the choicest youths in brothel houses.\n\n4:13. Now this was not the beginning, but an increase, and progress of\nheathenish and foreign manners, through the abominable and unheard of\nwickedness of Jason, that impious wretch, and no priest.\n\n4:14. Insomuch that the priests were not now occupied about the offices\nof the altar, but despising the temple and neglecting the sacrifices,\nhastened to be partakers of the games, and of the unlawful allowance\nthereof, and of the exercise of the discus.\n\n4:15. And setting nought by the honours of their fathers, they esteemed\nthe Grecian glories for the best:\n\n4:16. For the sake of which they incurred a dangerous contention, and\nfollowed earnestly their ordinances, and in all things they coveted to\nbe like them, who were their enemies and murderers.\n\n4:17. For acting wickedly against the laws of God doth not pass\nunpunished: but this the time following will declare.\n\n4:18. Now when the game that was used every fifth year was kept at Tyre,\nthe king being present,\n\n4:19. The wicked Jason sent from Jerusalem sinful men, to carry three\nhundred didrachmas of silver for the sacrifice of Hercules; but the\nbearers thereof desired it might not be bestowed on the sacrifices,\nbecause it was not necessary, but might be deputed for other charges.\n\n4:20. So the money was appointed by him that sent it to the sacrifice of\nHercules: but because of them that carried it was employed for the\nmaking of galleys.\n\n4:21. Now when Apollonius, the son of Mnestheus was sent into Egypt to\ntreat with the nobles of king Philometor, and Antiochus understood that\nhe was wholly excluded from the affairs of the kingdom, consulting his\nown interest, he departed thence and came to Joppe, and from thence to\nJerusalem.\n\n4:22. Where he was received in a magnificent manner by Jason, and the\ncity, and came in with torch lights, and with praises, and from thence\nhe returned with his army into Phenicia.\n\n4:23. Three years afterwards Jason sent Menelaus, brother of the\naforesaid Simon, to carry money to the king, and to bring answers from\nhim concerning certain necessary affairs.\n\n4:24. But he being recommended to the king, when he had magnified the\nappearance of his power, got the high priesthood for himself, by\noffering more than Jason by three hundred talents of silver.\n\n4:25. So having received the king's mandate, he returned, bringing\nnothing worthy of the high priesthood: but having the mind of a cruel\ntyrant, and the rage of a savage beast.\n\n4:26. Then Jason, who had undermined his own brother, being himself\nundermined, was driven out a fugitive into the country of the Ammonites.\n\n4:27. So Menelaus got the principality: but as for the money he had\npromised to the king, he took no care, when Sostratus, the governor of\nthe castle, called for it.\n\n4:28. For to him appertained the gathering of the taxes: wherefore they\nwere both called before the king.\n\n4:29. And Menelaus was removed from the priesthood, Lysimachus, his\nbrother, succeeding: and Sostratus alas made governor of the Cyprians.\n\n4:30. When these things were in doing, it fell out that they of Tharsus,\nand Mallos, raised a sedition, because they were given for a gift to\nAntiochus, the king's concubine.\n\n4:31. The king, therefore, went in all haste to appease them, leaving\nAndronicus, one of his nobles, for his deputy.\n\n4:32. Then Menelaus supposing that he had found a convenient time,\nhaving stolen certain vessels of gold out of the temple, gave them to\nAndronicus, and others he had sold at Tyre, and in the neighbouring\ncities:\n\n4:33. Which when Onias understood most certainly, he reproved him,\nkeeping himself in a safe place at Antioch, beside Daphne.\n\n4:34. Whereupon Menelaus coming to Andronicus, desired him to kill\nOnias. And he went to Onias, and gave him his right hand with an oath,\nand (though he were suspected by him) persuaded him to come forth out of\nthe sanctuary, and immediately slew him, without any regard to justice.\n\n4:35. For which cause not only the Jews, but also the other nations,\nconceived indignation, and were much grieved for the unjust murder of so\ngreat a man.\n\n4:36. And when the king was come back from the places of Cilicia, the\nJews that were at Antioch, and also the Greeks, went to him: complaining\nof the unjust murder of Onias.\n\n4:37. Antiochus, therefore, was grieved in his mind for Onias, and being\nmoved to pity, shed tears, remembering the sobriety and modesty of the\ndeceased.\n\n4:38. And being inflamed to anger, he commanded Andronicus to be\nstripped of his purple, and to be led about through all the city: and\nthat in the same place wherein he had committed the impiety against\nOnias, the sacrilegious wretch should be put to death, the Lord repaying\nhim his deserved punishment.\n\n4:39. Now when many sacrileges had been committed by Lysimachus in the\ntemple, by the counsel of Menelaus, and the rumour of it was spread\nabroad, the multitude gathered themselves together against Lysimachus, a\ngreat quantity of gold being already carried away.\n\n4:40. Wherefore the multitude making an insurrection, and their minds\nbeing filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men, and\nbegan to use violence, one Tyrannus being captain, a man far gone both\nin age and in madness.\n\n4:41. But when they perceived the attempt of Lysimachus, some caught up\nstones, some strong clubs, and some threw ashes upon Lysimachus.\n\n4:42. And many of them were wounded, and some struck down to the ground,\nbut all were put to flight: and as for the sacrilegious fellow himself,\nthey slew him beside the treasury.\n\n4:43. Now concerning these matters, an accusation was laid against\nMenelaus.\n\n4:44. And when the king was come to Tyre, three men were sent from the\nancients to plead the cause before him.\n\n4:45. But Menelaus being convicted, promised Ptolemee to give him much\nmoney to persuade the king to favour him.\n\nPtolemee... The son of Dorymenus, a favourite of the king.\n\n4:46. So Ptolemee went to the king in a certain court where he was, as\nit were to cool himself, and brought him to be of another mind:\n\n4:47. So Menelaus, who was guilty of all the evil, was acquitted by him\nof the accusations: and those poor men, who, if they had pleaded their\ncause even before Scythians, should have been judged innocent, were\ncondemned to death.\n\n4:48. Thus they that persecuted the cause for the city, and for the\npeople, and the sacred vessels, did soon suffer unjust punishment.\n\n4:49. Wherefore even the Tyrians, being moved with indignation, were\nvery liberal towards their burial.\n\n4:50. And so through the covetousness of them that were in power,\nMenelaus continued in authority, increasing in malice to the betraying\nof the citizens.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 5\n\nWonderful signs are seen in the air. Jason's wickedness and end.\nAntiochus takes Jerusalem, and plunders the temple.\n\n5:1. At the same time Antiochus prepared for a second journey into\nEgypt.\n\n5:2. And it came to pass, that through the whole city of Jerusalem, for\nthe space of forty days, there were seen horsemen running in the air, in\ngilded raiment, and armed with spears, like bands of soldiers.\n\n5:3. And horses set in order by ranks, running one against another, with\nthe shakings of shields, and a multitude of men in helmets, with drawn\nswords, and casting of darts, and glittering of golden armour, and of\nharnesses of all sorts.\n\n5:4. Wherefore all men prayed that these prodigies might turn to good.\n\n5:5. Now when there was gone forth a false rumour as though Antiochus\nhad been dead, Jason taking with him no fewer than a thousand men,\nsuddenly assaulted the city: and though the citizens ran together to the\nwall, the city at length was taken, and Menelaus fled into the castle.\n\n5:6. But Jason slew his countrymen without mercy, not considering that\nprosperity against one's own kindred is a very great evil, thinking they\nhad been enemies, and not citizens, whom he conquered.\n\n5:7. Yet he did not get the principality, but received confusion at the\nend, for the reward of his treachery, and fled again into the country of\nthe Ammonites.\n\n5:8. At the last, having been shut up by Aretas, the king of the\nArabians, in order for his destruction, flying from city to city, hated\nby all men, as a forsaker of the laws and execrable, as an enemy of his\ncountry and countrymen, he was thrust out into Egypt:\n\n5:9. And he that had driven many out of their country perished in a\nstrange land, going to Lacedemon, as if for kindred sake he should have\nrefuge there:\n\n5:10. But he that had cast out many unburied, was himself cast forth\nboth unlamented and unburied, neither having foreign burial, nor being\npartaker of the sepulchre of his fathers.\n\n5:11. Now when these things were done, the king suspected that the Jews\nwould forsake the alliance: whereupon departing out of Egypt with a\nfurious mind, he took the city by force of arms,\n\n5:12. And commanded the soldiers to kill, and not to spare any that came\nin their way, and to go up into the houses to slay.\n\n5:13. Thus there was a slaughter of young and old, destruction of women\nand children, and killing of virgins and infants.\n\n5:14. And there were slain in the space of three whole days fourscore\nthousand, forty thousand were made prisoners, and as many sold.\n\n5:15. But this was not enough, he presumed also to enter into the\ntemple, the most holy in all the world Menelaus, that traitor to the\nlaws, and to his country, being his guide.\n\n5:16. And taking in his wicked hands the holy vessels, which were given\nby other kings and cities, for the ornament and the glory of the place,\nhe unworthily handled and profaned them.\n\n5:17. Thus Antiochus going astray in mind, did not consider that God was\nangry for a while, because of the sins of the inhabitants of the city:\nand therefore this contempt had happened to the place:\n\n5:18. Otherwise had they not been involved in many sins, as Heliodorus,\nwho was sent by king Seleucus to rob the treasury, so this man also, as\nsoon as he had come, had been forthwith scourged, and put back from his\npresumption.\n\n5:19. But God did not choose the people for the place's sake, but the\nplace for the people's sake.\n\n5:20. And, therefore, the place also itself was made partaker of the\nevils of the people: but afterwards shall communicate in the good things\nthereof, and as it was forsaken in the wrath of Almighty God, shall be\nexalted again with great glory, when the great Lord shall be reconciled.\n\n5:21. So when Antiochus had taken away out of the temple a thousand and\neight hundred talents, he went back in all haste to Antioch, thinking\nthrough pride that he might now make the land navigable, and the sea\npassable on foot: such was the haughtiness of his mind.\n\n5:22. He left also governors to afflict the people: at Jerusalem,\nPhilip, a Phrygian by birth, but in manners more barbarous than he that\nset him there:\n\n5:23. And in Gazarim, Andronicus and Menelaus, who bore a more heavy\nhand upon the citizens than the rest.\n\n5:24. And whereas he was set against the Jews, he sent that hateful\nprince, Apollonius, with an army of two and twenty thousand men,\ncommanding him to kill all that were of perfect age, and to sell the\nwomen and the younger sort.\n\n5:25. Who, when he was come to Jerusalem, pretending peace, rested till\nthe holy day of the sabbath: and then the Jews keeping holiday, he\ncommanded his men to take arms.\n\n5:26. And he slew all that were come forth to flee: and running through\nthe city with armed men, he destroyed a very great multitude.\n\n5:27. But Judas Machabeus, who was the tenth, had withdrawn himself into\na desert place, and there lived amongst wild beasts in the mountains\nwith his company: and they continued feeding on herbs, that they might\nnot be partakers of the pollution.\n\nWas the tenth... That is, he had nine others in his company.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 6\n\nAntiochus commands the law to be abolished, sets up an idol in the\ntemple, and persecutes the faithful. The martyrdom of Eleazar.\n\n6:1. But not long after the king sent a certain old man of Antioch, to\ncompel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers and of God:\n\n6:2. And to defile the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to call it the\ntemple of Jupiter Olympius: and that in Garazim of Jupiter Hospitalis,\naccording as they were that inhabited the place.\n\nThat in Gazarim... Viz., the temple of the Samaritans. And as they were\noriginally strangers, the name of Hospitalis (which signifies of or\nbelonging to strangers) was applicable to the idol set up in their\ntemple.\n\n6:3. And very bad was this invasion of evils, and grievous to all.\n\n6:4. For the temple was full of the riot and revellings of the Gentiles:\nand of men lying with lewd women.  And women thrust themselves of their\naccord into the holy places, and brought in things that were not lawful.\n\n6:5. The altar also was filled with unlawful things, which were\nforbidden by the laws.\n\n6:6. And neither were the sabbaths kept, nor the solemn days of the\nfathers observed, neither did any man plainly profess himself to be a\nJew.\n\n6:7. But they were led by bitter constraint on the king's birthday to\nthe sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they were\ncompelled to go about crowned with ivy in honour of Bacchus.\n\n6:8. And there went out a decree into the neighbouring cities of the\nGentiles, by the suggestion of the Ptolemeans, that they also should act\nin like manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice:\n\n6:9. And whosoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the\nGentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.\n\n6:10. For two women were accused to have circumcised their children:\nwhom, when they had openly led about through the city, with the infants\nhanging at their breasts, they threw down headlong from the walls.\n\n6:11. And others that had met together in caves that were near, and were\nkeeping the sabbath day privately, being discovered by Philip, were\nburnt with fire, because they made a conscience to help themselves with\ntheir hands, by reason of the religious observance of the day.\n\nPhilip... The governor of Jerusalem.\n\n6:12. Now I beseech those that shall read this book, that they be not\nshocked at these calamities, but that they consider the things that\nhappened, not as being for the destruction, but for the correction of\nour nation.\n\n6:13. For it is a token of great goodness, when sinners are not suffered\nto go on in their ways for a long time, but are presently punished.\n\n6:14. For, not as with other nations, (whom the Lord patiently\nexpecteth, that when the day of judgment shall come, he may punish them\nin the fulness of their sins:)\n\n6:15. Doth he also deal with us, so as to suffer our sins to come to\ntheir height, and then take vengeance on us.\n\n6:16. And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: but though\nhe chastise his people with adversity he forsaketh them not.\n\n6:17. But let this suffice in a few words for a warning to the readers.\nAnd now we must come to the narration.\n\n6:18. Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man advanced in years,\nand of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth to eat\nswine's flesh.\n\n6:19. But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life,\nwent forward voluntarily to the torment.\n\n6:20. And considering in what manner he was to come to it, patiently\nbearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of\nlife.\n\n6:21. But they that stood by, being moved with wicked pity, for the old\nfriendship they had with the man, taking him aside, desired that flesh\nmight be brought which it was lawful for him to eat, that he might make\nas if he had eaten, as the king had commanded, of the flesh of the\nsacrifice:\n\nWicked pity... Their pity was wicked, inasmuch as it suggested that\nwicked proposal of saving his life by dissimulation.\n\n6:22. That by so doing he might be delivered from death; and for the\nsake of their old friendship with the man, they did him this courtesy.\n\n6:23. But he began to consider the dignity of his age, and his ancient\nyears, and the inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life and\nconversation from a child; and he answered without delay, according to\nthe ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather\nbe sent into the other world.\n\n6:24. For it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble: whereby\nmany young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of fourscore and\nten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens:\n\n6:25. And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a\ncorruptible life, should be deceived, and hereby I should bring a stain\nand a curse upon my old age.\n\n6:26. For though, for the present time, I should be delivered from the\npunishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty\nneither alive nor dead.\n\n6:27. Wherefore, by departing manfully out of this life, I shall shew\nmyself worthy of my old age:\n\n6:28. And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young men, if with a\nready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the most\nvenerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith\ncarried to execution.\n\n6:29. And they that led him, and had been a little before more mild,\nwere changed to wrath for the words he had spoken, which they thought\nwere uttered out of arrogancy.\n\n6:30. But when he was now ready to die with the stripes, he groaned: and\nsaid: O Lord, who hast the holy knowledge, thou knowest manifestly that\nwhereas I might be delivered from death, I suffer grievous pains in\nbody: but in soul am well content to suffer these things, because I fear\nthee.\n\n6:31. Thus did this man die, leaving not only to young men, but also to\nthe whole nation, the memory of his death, for an example of virtue and\nfortitude.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 7\n\nThe glorious martyrdom of the seven brethren and their mother.\n\n7:1. It came to pass also, that seven brethren, together with their\nmother, were apprehended, and compelled by the king to eat swine's flesh\nagainst the law, for which end they were tormented with whips and\nscourges.\n\n7:2. But one of them, who was the eldest, said thus: What wouldst thou\nask, or learn of us? we are ready to die, rather than to transgress the\nlaws of God, received from our fathers.\n\n7:3. Then the king being angry, commanded fryingpans and brazen caldrons\nto be made hot: which forthwith being heated,\n\n7:4. He commanded to cut out the tongue of him that had spoken first:\nand the skin of his head being drawn off, to chop off also the\nextremities of his hands and feet, the rest of his brethren and his\nmother looking on.\n\n7:6. And when he was now maimed in all parts, he commanded him, being\nyet alive, to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the fryingpan:\nand while he was suffering therein long torments, the rest, together\nwith the mother, exhorted one another to die manfully,\n\n7:6. Saying: The Lord God will look upon the truth, and will take\npleasure in us, as Moses declared in the profession of the canticle; And\nin his servants he will take pleasure.\n\n7:7. So when the first was dead after this manner, they brought the next\nto make him a mocking stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of\nhis head with the hair, they asked him if he would eat, before he were\npunished throughout the whole body in every limb.  7:8. But he answered\nin his own language, and said: I will not do it. Wherefore he also, in\nthe next place, received the torments of the first:\n\n7:9. And when he was at the last gasp, he said thus: Thou indeed, O most\nwicked man, destroyest us out of this present life: but the King of the\nworld will raise us up, who die for his laws, in the resurrection of\neternal life.\n\n7:10. After him the third was made a mocking-stock, and when he was\nrequired, he quickly put forth his tongue, and courageously stretched\nout his hands:\n\n7:11. And said with confidence: These I have from heaven, but for the\nlaws of God I now despise them, because I hope to receive them again\nfrom him.\n\n7:12. So that the king, and they that were with him, wondered at the\nyoung man's courage, because he esteemed the torments as nothing.\n\n7:13. And after he was thus dead, they tormented the fourth in the like\nmanner.\n\n7:14. And when he was now ready to die, he spoke thus: It is better,\nbeing put to death by men, to look for hope from God, to be raised up\nagain by him; for, as to thee, thou shalt have no resurrection unto\nlife.\n\n7:15. And when they had brought the fifth, they tormented him. But he,\nlooking upon the king, 7:16. Said: Whereas thou hast power among men\nthough thou art corruptible, thou dost what thou wilt but think not that\nour nation is forsaken by God.\n\n7:17. But stay patiently a while, and thou shalt see his great power, in\nwhat manner he will torment thee and thy seed.\n\n7:18. After him they brought the sixth, and he being ready to die, spoke\nthus: Be not deceived without cause: for we suffer these things for\nourselves, having sinned against our God, and things worthy of\nadmiration are done to us:\n\n7:19. But do not think that thou shalt escape unpunished, for that thou\nhast attempted to fight against God.\n\n7:20. Now the mother was to be admired above measure, and worthy to be\nremembered by good men, who beheld her seven sons slain in the space of\none day, and bore it with a good courage, for the hope that she had in\nGod:\n\n7:21. And she bravely exhorted every one of them in her own language,\nbeing filled with wisdom; and joining a man's heart to a woman's\nthought,\n\n7:22. She said to them: I know not how you were formed in my womb; for I\nneither gave you breath, nor soul, nor life, neither did I frame the\nlimbs of every one of you.\n\n7:23. But the Creator of the world, that formed the nativity of man, and\nthat found out the origin of all, he will restore to you again, in his\nmercy, both breath and life, as now you despise yourselves for the sake\nof his laws.\n\n7:24. Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and withal despising the\nvoice of the upbraider, when the youngest was yet alive, did not only\nexhort him by words, but also assured him with an oath, that he would\nmake him a rich and a happy man, and, if he would turn from the laws of\nhis fathers, would take him for a friend, and furnish him with things\nnecessary.\n\n7:25. But when the young man was not moved with these things, the king\ncalled the mother, and counselled her to deal with the young man to save\nhis life.\n\n7:26. And when he had exhorted her with many words she promised that she\nwould counsel her son.\n\n7:27. So bending herself towards him, mocking the cruel tyrant, she said\nin her own language: My son have pity upon me, that bore thee nine\nmonths in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and nourished thee,\nand brought thee up unto this age.\n\n7:28. I beseech thee, my son, look upon heaven and earth, and all that\nis in them, and consider that God made them out of nothing, and mankind\nalso:\n\n7:29. So thou shalt not fear this tormentor, but being made a worthy\npartner with thy brethren, receive death, that in that mercy I may\nreceive thee again with thy brethren.\n\n7:30. While she was yet speaking these words, the young man said: For\nwhom do you stay? I will not obey the commandment of the king, but the\ncommandment of the law which was given us by Moses.\n\n7:31. But thou that hast been the author of all mischief against the\nHebrews, shalt not escape the hand of God.\n\n7:32. For we suffer thus for our sins.\n\n7:33. And though the Lord, our God, is angry with us a little while, for\nour chastisement and correction, yet he will be reconciled again to his\nservants.\n\n7:34. But thou, O wicked, and of all men most flagitious, be not lifted\nup without cause with vain hopes, whilst thou art raging against his\nservants.\n\n7:35. For thou hast not yet escaped the judgment of the Almighty God,\nwho beholdeth all things.\n\n7:36. For my brethren having now undergone a short pain, are under the\ncovenant of eternal life: but thou, by the judgment of God, shalt\nreceive just punishment for thy pride.\n\n7:37. But I, like my brethren, offer up my life and my body for the laws\nof our fathers: calling upon God to be speedily merciful to our nation,\nand that thou by torments and stripes mayst confess that he alone is\nGod.\n\n7:38. But in me, and in my brethren, the wrath of the Almighty, which\nhath justly been brought upon all our nation, shall cease.\n\n7:39. Then the king being incensed with anger, raged against him more\ncruelly than all the rest, taking it grievously that he was mocked.\n\n7:40. So this man also died undefiled, wholly trusting in the Lord.\n\n7:41. And last of all, after the sons, the mother also was consumed.\n\n7:42. But now there is enough said of the sacrifices and of the\nexcessive cruelties.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 8\n\nJudas Machabeus gathering an army gains divers victories.\n\n8:1. But Judas Machabeus, and they that were with him, went privately\ninto the towns: and calling together their kinsmen and friends, and\ntaking unto them such as continued in the Jews' religion, they assembled\nsix thousand men.\n\n8:2. And they called upon the Lord, that he would look upon his people\nthat was trodden down by all and would have pity on the temple, that was\ndefiled by the wicked:\n\n8:3. That he would have pity also upon the city that was destroyed, that\nwas ready to be made even with the ground, and would hear the voice of\nthe blood that cried to him:\n\n8:4. That he would remember also the most unjust deaths of innocent\nchildren, and the blasphemies offered to his name, and would shew his\nindignation on this occasion.\n\n8:5. Now when Machabeus had gathered a multitude, he could not be\nwithstood by the heathens: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into\nmercy.\n\n8:6. So coming unawares upon the towns and cities, he set them on fire,\nand taking possession of the most commodious places, he made no small\nslaughter of the enemies:\n\n8:7. And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and\nthe fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.\n\n8:8. Then Philip seeing that the man gained ground by little and little,\nand that things for the most part succeeded prosperously with him, wrote\nto Ptolemee, the governor of Celesyria and Phenicia, to send aid to the\nking's affairs.\n\nPhilip seeing, etc... The governor of Jerusalem found himself unable to\ncontend with Judas, especially after the victories he had obtained over\nApollonius and Seron. 1 Mac. 3.\n\n8:9. And he with all speed sent Nicanor, the son of Patroclus, one of\nhis special friends, giving him no fewer than twenty thousand armed men\nof different nations, to root out the whole race of the Jews, joining\nalso with him Gorgias, a good soldier, and of great experience in\nmatters of war.\n\nTwenty thousand... The whole number of the forces sent at that time into\nJudea, was 40,000 footmen, and 7000 horsemen, 1 Mac. 3.30. But only\n20,000 are here taken notice of, because there were no more with Nicanor\nat the time of the battle.\n\n8:10. And Nicanor purposed to raise for the king the tribute of two\nthousand talents, that was to be given to the Romans, by making so much\nmoney of the captive Jews:\n\n8:11. Wherefore he sent immediately to the cities upon the sea coast, to\ninvite men together to buy up the Jewish slaves, promising that they\nshould have ninety slaves for one talent, not reflecting on the\nvengeance which was to follow him from the Almighty.\n\n8:12. Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the\nJews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand.\n\n8:13. And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God,\nfled away.\n\n8:14. Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord,\nthat he would deliver them from the wicked Nicanor, who had sold them\nbefore he came near them:\n\n8:15. And if not for their sakes, yet for the covenant that he had made\nwith their fathers, and for the sake of his holy and glorious name that\nwas invoked upon them.\n\n8:16. But Machabeus calling together seven thousand that were with him,\nexhorted them not to be reconciled to the enemies, nor to fear the\nmultitude of the enemies who came wrongfully against them, but to fight\nmanfully:\n\nSeven thousand... In the Greek it is six thousand. But then three\nthousand of them had no arms. 1 Mac. 4.6.\n\n8:17. Setting before their eyes the injury they had unjustly done the\nholy place, and also the injury they had done to the city, which had\nbeen shamefully abused, besides their destroying the ordinances of the\nfathers.\n\n8:18. For, said he, they trust in their weapons, and in their boldness:\nbut we trust in the Almighty Lord, who at a beck can utterly destroy\nboth them that come against us, and the whole world.\n\n8:19. Moreover, he put them in mind also of the helps their fathers had\nreceived from God: and how, under Sennacherib, a hundred and eighty-five\nthousand had been destroyed.\n\n8:20. And of the battle that they had fought against the Galatians, in\nBabylonia; how they, being in all but six thousand, when it came to the\npoint, and the Macedonians, their companions, were at a stand, slew a\nhundred and twenty thousand, because of the help they had from heaven,\nand for this they received many favours.\n\nGalatians... That is, the Gauls, who having ravaged Italy and Greece,\npoured themselves in upon Asia, in immense multitudes, where also they\nfounded the kingdom of Galatia or Gallo Graecia.\n\n8:21. With these words they were greatly encouraged and disposed even to\ndie for the laws and their country.\n\n8:22. So he appointed his brethren captains over each division of his\narmy; Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to each one fifteen\nhundred men.\n\n8:23. And after the holy book had been read to them by Esdras, and he\nhad given them for a watchword, The help of God: himself leading the\nfirst band, he joined battle with Nicanor:\n\n8:24. And the Almighty being their helper, they slew above nine thousand\nmen: and having wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor's army,\nthey obliged them to fly.\n\nAbove nine thousand... Viz., including the three thousand slain in the\npursuit.\n\n8:25. And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they\npursued them on every side.\n\n8:26. But they came back for want of time: for it was the day before the\nsabbath: and therefore they did not continue the pursuit.\n\n8:27. But when they had gathered together their arms and their spoils,\nthey kept the sabbath: blessing the Lord who had delivered them that\nday, distilling the beginning of mercy upon them.\n\n8:28. Then after the sabbath they divided the spoils to the feeble and\nthe orphans, and the widows, and the rest they took for themselves and\ntheir servants.\n\n8:29. When this was done, and they had all made a common supplication,\nthey besought the merciful Lord, to be reconciled to his servants unto\nthe end.\n\n8:30. Moreover, they slew above twenty thousand of them that were with\nTimotheus and Bacchides, who fought against them, and they made\nthemselves masters of the high strong holds: and they divided amongst\nthem many spoils, giving equal portions to the feeble, the fatherless,\nand the widows; yea, and the aged also.\n\n8:31. And when they had carefully gathered together their arms, they\nlaid them all up in convenient places, and the residue of their spoils\nthey carried to Jerusalem:\n\n8:32. They slew also Philarches, who was with Timotheus, a wicked man,\nwho had many ways afflicted the Jews.\n\n8:33. And when they kept the feast of the victory at Jerusalem, they\nburnt Callisthenes, that had set fire to the holy gates, who had taken\nrefuge in a certain house, rendering to him a worthy reward for his\nimpieties:\n\n8:34. But as for that most wicked man, Nicanor, who had brought a\nthousand merchants to the sale of the Jews,\n\n8:35. Being, through the help of the Lord, brought down by them, of whom\nhe had made no account, laying aside his garment of glory, fleeing\nthrough the midland country, he came alone to Antioch, being rendered\nvery unhappy by the destruction of his army.\n\nLaying aside his garment of glory... That is, his splendid apparel,\nwhich he wore through ostentation; he now throws it off, lest he should\nbe known on his flight.\n\n8:36. And he that had promised to levy the tribute for the Romans, by\nthe means of the captives of Jerusalem, now professed that the Jews had\nGod for their protector, and therefore they could not be hurt, because\nthey followed the laws appointed by him.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 9\n\nThe wretched end, and fruitless repentance of king Antiochus.\n\n9:1. At that time Antiochus returned with dishonour out of Persia.\n\n9:2. For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and attempted\nto rob the temple, and to oppress the city, but the multitude running\ntogether to arms, put them to flight: and so it fell out that Antiochus\nbeing put to flight, returned with disgrace.\n\nPersepolis... Otherwise called Elymais.\n\n9:3. Now when he was come about Ecbatana, he received the news of what\nhad happened to Nicanor and Timotheus.\n\n9:4. And swelling with anger, he thought to revenge upon the Jews the\ninjury done by them that had put him to flight. And therefore he\ncommanded his chariot to be driven, without stopping in his journey, the\njudgment of heaven urging him forward, because he had spoken so proudly,\nthat he would come to Jerusalem, and make it a common burying place of\nthe Jews.\n\n9:5. But the Lord, the God of Israel, that seeth all things, struck him\nwith an incurable and an invisible plague. For as soon as he had ended\nthese words, a dreadful pain in his bowels came upon him, and bitter\ntorments of the inner parts.\n\n9:6. And indeed very justly, seeing he had tormented the bowels of\nothers with many and new torments, albeit he by no means ceased from his\nmalice.\n\n9:7. Moreover, being filled with pride, breathing out fire in his rage\nagainst the Jews, and commanding the matter to be hastened, it happened\nas he was going with violence, that he fell from the chariot, so that\nhis limbs were much pained by a grievous bruising of the body.\n\n9:8. Thus he that seemed to himself to command even the waves of the\nsea, being proud above the condition of man, and to weigh the heights of\nthe mountains in a balance, now being cast down to the ground, was\ncarried in a litter, bearing witness to the manifest power of God in\nhimself:\n\n9:9. So that worms swarmed out of the body of this man, and whilst he\nlived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell off, and the filthiness of his\nsmell was noisome to the army.\n\n9:10. And the man that thought a little before he could reach to the\nstars of heaven, no man could endure to carry, for the intolerable\nstench.\n\n9:11. And by this means, being brought from his great pride, he began to\ncome to the knowledge of himself, being admonished by the scourge of\nGod, his pains increasing every moment.\n\n9:12. And when he himself could not now abide his own stench, he spoke\nthus: It is just to be subject to God, and that a mortal man should not\nequal himself to God.\n\n9:13. Then this wicked man prayed to the Lord, of whom he was not like\nto obtain mercy.\n\nOf whom he was not like to obtain mercy... Because his repentance was\nnot for the offence committed against God: but barely on account of his\npresent sufferings.\n\n9:14. And the city, to which he was going in haste to lay it even with\nthe ground, and to make it a common burying place, he now desireth to\nmake free:\n\n9:15. And the Jews, whom he said he would not account worthy to be so\nmuch as buried, but would give them up to be devoured by the birds and\nwild beasts, and would utterly destroy them with their children, he now\npromiseth to make equal with the Athenians.\n\n9:16. The holy temple also, which before he had spoiled, he promised to\nadorn with goodly gifts, and to multiply the holy vessels, and to allow\nout of his revenues the charges pertaining to the sacrifices.\n\n9:17. Yea also, that he would become a Jew himself, and would go through\nevery place of the earth, and declare the power of God.\n\n9:18. But his pains not ceasing, (for the just judgment of God was come\nupon him) despairing of life, he wrote to the Jews, in the manner of a\nsupplication, a letter in these words:\n\n9:19. To his very good subjects the Jews, Antiochus, king and ruler,\nwisheth much health, and welfare, and happiness.\n\n9:20. If you and your children are well, and if all matters go with you\nto your mind, we give very great thanks.\n\n9:21. As for me, being infirm, but yet kindly remembering you, returning\nout of the places of Persia, and being taken with a grievous disease, I\nthought it necessary to take care for the common good:\n\n9:22. Not distrusting my life, but having great hope to escape the\nsickness.\n\n9:23. But considering that my father also, at what time he led an army\ninto the higher countries, appointed who should reign after him:\n\n9:24. To the end that if any thing contrary to expectation should fall\nout, or any bad tidings should be brought, they that were in the\ncountries, knowing to whom the whole government was left, might not be\ntroubled.\n\n9:25. Moreover, considering that neighbouring princes, and borderers,\nwait for opportunities, and expect what shall be the event, I have\nappointed my son, Antiochus, king, whom I often recommended to many of\nyou, when I went into the higher provinces: and I have written to him\nwhat I have joined here below.\n\n9:26. I pray you, therefore, and request of you, that, remembering\nfavours both public and private, you will every man of you continue to\nbe faithful to me and to my son.\n\n9:27. For I trust that he will behave with moderation and humanity, and\nfollowing my intentions, will be gracious unto you.\n\n9:28. Thus the murderer and blasphemer being grievously struck, as\nhimself had treated others, died a miserable death in a strange country,\namong the mountains.\n\n9:29. But Philip, that was brought up with him, carried away his body:\nand out of fear of the son of Antiochus, went into Egypt to Ptolemee\nPhilometor.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 10\n\nThe purification of the temple and city. Other exploits of Judas. His\nvictory over Timotheus.\n\n10:1. But Machabeus, and they that were with him, by the protection of\nthe Lord, recovered the temple and the city again.\n\n10:2. But he threw down the altars which the heathens had set up in the\nstreets, as also the temples of the idols.\n\n10:3. And having purified the temple, they made another altar: and\ntaking fire out of the fiery stones, they offered sacrifices after two\nyears, and set forth incense, and lamps, and the loaves of proposition.\n\n10:4. And when they had done these things, they besought the Lord, lying\nprostrate on the ground, that they might no more fall into such evils;\nbut if they should at any time sin, that they might be chastised by him\nmore gently, and not be delivered up to barbarians and blasphemous men.\n\n10:5. Now upon the same day that the temple had been polluted by the\nstrangers on the very same day it was cleansed again; to wit, on the\nfive and twentieth day of the month of Casleu.\n\n10:6. And they kept eight days with joy, after the manner of the feast\nof the tabernacles, remembering that not long before they had kept the\nfeast of the tabernacles when they were in the mountains, and in dens\nlike wild beasts.\n\n10:7. Therefore they now carried boughs and green branches and palms,\nfor him that had given them good success in cleansing his place.\n\n10:8. And they ordained by a common statute, and decree, that all the\nnation of the Jews should keep those days every year.\n\n10:9. And this was the end of Antiochus, that was called the\nIllustrious.\n\n10:10. But now we will repeat the acts of Eupator, the son of that\nwicked Antiochus, abridging the account of the evils that happened in\nthe wars.\n\n10:11. For when he was come to the crown, he appointed over the affairs\nof his realm one Lysias, general of the army of Phenicia and Syria.\n\n10:12. For Ptolemee, that was called Macer, was determined to be\nstrictly just to the Jews and especially by reason of the wrong that had\nbeen done them, and to deal peaceably with them.  10:13. But being\naccused for this to Eupator by his friends, and being oftentimes called\ntraitor, because he had left Cyprus, which Philometor had committed to\nhim, and coming over to Antiochus the Illustrious, had revolted also\nfrom him, he put an end to his life by poison.\n\n10:14. But Gorgias, who was governor of the holds, taking with him the\nstrangers, often fought against the Jews.\n\n10:15. And the Jews that occupied the most commodious holds, received\nthose that were driven out of Jerusalem, and attempted to make war.\n\nThe Jews, etc... He speaks of them that had fallen from their religion,\nand were enemies of their country, who joining with the Idumeans or\nEdomites, kept possession of the strong holds, and from thence annoyed\ntheir countrymen.\n\n10:16. Then they that were with Machabeus, beseeching the Lord by\nprayers to be their helper, made a strong attack upon the strong holds\nof the Idumeans:\n\n10:17. And assaulting them with great force, won the holds, killed them\nthat came in the way, and slew altogether no fewer than twenty thousand.\n\n10:18. And whereas some were fled into very strong towers, having all\nmanner of provision to sustain a siege,\n\n10:19. Machabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zacheus, and them that were\nwith them, in sufficient number to besiege them, and departed to those\nexpeditions which urged more.\n\n10:20. Now they that were with Simon, being led with covetousness, were\npersuaded for the sake of money by some that were in the towers: and\ntaking seventy thousand didrachmas, let some of them escape.\n\n10:21. But when it was told Machabeus what was done, he assembled the\nrulers of the people, and accused those men that they had sold their\nbrethren for money, having let their adversaries escape.  10:22. So he\nput these traitors to death, and forthwith took the two towers.\n\n10:23. And having good success in arms, and all things he took in hand,\nhe slew more than twenty thousand in the two holds.\n\n10:24. But Timotheus, who before had been overcome by the Jews, having\ncalled together a multitude of foreign troops, and assembled horsemen\nout of Asia, came as though he would take Judea by force of arms.\n\n10:26. But Machabeus, and they that were with him, when he drew near,\nprayed to the Lord, sprinkling earth upon their heads, and girding their\nloins with haircloth,\n\n10:26. And lying prostrate at the foot of the altar, besought him to be\nmerciful to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary\nto their adversaries, as the law saith.\n\n10:27. And so after prayer taking their arms, they went forth further\nfrom the city, and when they were come very near the enemies they\nrested.\n\n10:28. But as soon as the sun was risen both sides joined battle: the\none part having, with their valour, the Lord for a surety of victory,\nand success: but the other side making their rage their leader in\nbattle.\n\n10:29. But when they were in the heat of the engagement, there appeared\nto the enemies from heaven five men upon horses, comely, with golden\nbridles, conducting the Jews:\n\n10:30. Two of them took Machabeus between them, and covered him on every\nside with their arms, and kept him safe; but cast darts and fireballs\nagainst the enemy, so that they fell down, being both confounded with\nblindness, and filled with trouble.\n\n10:31. And there were slain twenty thousand five hundred, and six\nhundred horsemen.\n\n10:32. But Timotheus fled into Gazara, a strong hold where Chereas was\ngovernor.\n\n10:33. Then Machabeus, and they that were with him cheerfully laid siege\nto the fortress four days.\n\n10:34. But they that were within, trusting to the strength of the place,\nblasphemed exceedingly, and cast forth abominable words.\n\n10:35. But when the fifth day appeared, twenty young men of them that\nwere with Machabeus, inflamed in their minds, because of the blasphemy,\napproached manfully to the wall, and pushing forward with fierce\ncourage, got up upon it:\n\n10:36. Moreover, others also getting up after them, went to set fire to\nthe towers and the gates, and to burn the blasphemers alive.\n\n10:37. And having for two days together pillaged and sacked the\nfortress, they killed Timotheus, who was found hid in a certain place:\nthey slew also his brother Chereas, and Apollophanes.\n\nTimotheus... This man, who was killed at the taking of Gazara, is\ndifferent from that Timotheus who is mentioned in the fifth chapter of\nthe first book of Machabees, and of whom there is mention in the\nfollowing chapter.\n\n10:38. And when this was done, they blessed the Lord with hymns and\nthanksgiving, who had done great things in Israel, and given them the\nvictory.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 11\n\nLysias is overthrown by Judas. He sues for peace.\n\n11:1. A short time after this Lysias, the king's lieutenant, and cousin,\nand who had chief charge over all the affairs, being greatly displeased\nwith what had happened,\n\n11:2. Gathered together fourscore thousand men, and all the horsemen,\nand came against the Jews, thinking to take the city, and make it a\nhabitation of the Gentiles:\n\n11:3. And to make a gain of the temple, as of the other temples of the\nGentiles and to set the high priesthood to sale every year:\n\n11:4. Never considering the power of God, but puffed up in mind, and\ntrusting in the multitude of his foot soldiers, and the thousands of his\nhorsemen, and his fourscore elephants.\n\n11:5. So he came into Judea, and approaching to Bethsura, which was in a\nnarrow place, the space of five furlongs from Jerusalem, he laid siege\nto that fortress.\n\n11:6. But when Machabeus, and they that were with him, understood that\nthe strong holds were besieged, they and all the people besought the\nLord with lamentations and tears, that he would send a good angel to\nsave Israel.\n\n11:7. Then Machabeus himself first taking his arms, exhorted the rest to\nexpose themselves together with him, to the danger, and to succour their\nbrethren.\n\n11:8. And when they were going forth together with a willing mind, there\nappeared at Jerusalem a horseman going before them in white clothing,\nwith golden armour, shaking a spear.\n\n11:9. Then they all together blessed the merciful Lord, and took great\ncourage: being ready to break through not only men, but also the\nfiercest beasts, and walls of iron.\n\n11:10. So they went on courageously, having a helper from heaven, and\nthe Lord, who shewed mercy to them.\n\n11:11. And rushing violently upon the enemy, like lions, they slew of\nthem eleven thousand footmen, and one thousand six hundred horsemen:\n\n11:12. And put all the rest to flight; and many of them being wounded,\nescaped naked: Yea, and Lysias himself fled away shamefully, and\nescaped.\n\n11:13. And as he was a man of understanding, considering with himself\nthe loss he had suffered, and perceiving that the Hebrews could not be\novercome, because they relied upon the help of the Almighty God, he sent\nto them:\n\n11:14. And promised that he would agree to all things that are just, and\nthat he would persuade the king to be their friend.\n\n11:15. Then Machabeus consented to the request of Lysias, providing for\nthe common good in all things; and whatsoever Machabeus wrote to Lysias,\nconcerning the Jews, the king allowed of.\n\n11:16. For there were letters written to the Jews from Lysias, to this\neffect: Lysias, to the people of the Jews, greeting.\n\n11:17. John, and Abesalom, who were sent from you, delivering your\nwritings, requested that I would accomplish those things which were\nsignified by them.  11:18. Therefore whatsoever things could be reported\nto the king, I have represented to him: and he hath granted as much as\nthe matter permitted.\n\n11:19. If, therefore, you will keep yourselves loyal in affairs,\nhereafter also I will endeavour to be a means of your good.\n\n11:20. But as concerning other particulars, I have given orders by word\nboth to these, and to them that are sent by me, to commune with you.\n\n11:21. Fare ye well. In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the four\nand twentieth day of the month of Dioscorus.\n\nIn the year 148... Viz., according to the computation followed by the\nGreeks; which was different from that of the Hebrews, followed by the\nwriter of the first book of Machabees. However, by this date, as well as\nby other circumstances, it appears that the expedition of Lysias,\nmentioned in this chapter, is different from that which is recorded, 1\nMac. 6.\n\n11:22. But the king's letter contained these words King Antiochus to\nLysias, his brother, greeting.\n\n11:23. Our father being translated amongst the gods we are desirous that\nthey that are in our realm should live quietly, and apply themselves\ndiligently to their own concerns.\n\n11:24. And we have heard that the Jews would not consent to my father to\nturn to the rites of the Greeks but that they would keep to their own\nmanner of living and therefore that they request us to allow them to\nlive after their own laws.\n\n11:25. Wherefore being desirous that this nation also should be at rest,\nwe have ordained and decreed, that the temple should be restored to\nthem, and that they may live according to the custom of their ancestors.\n\n11:26. Thou shalt do well, therefore, to send to them, and grant them\npeace, that our pleasure being known, they may be of good comfort, and\nlook to their own affairs.\n\n11:27. But the king's letter to the Jews was in this manner: King\nAntiochus to the senate of the Jews, and to the rest of the Jews,\ngreeting.\n\n11:28. If you are well, you are as we desire: we ourselves also are\nwell.\n\n11:29. Menelaus came to us, saying that you desired to come down to your\ncountrymen, that are with us.\n\n11:30. We grant, therefore, a safe conduct to all that come and go,\nuntil the thirtieth day of the month of Xanthicus,\n\n11:31. That the Jews may use their own kind of meats, and their own\nlaws, as before: and that none of them any manner of ways be molested\nfor things which have been done by ignorance.\n\n11:32. And we have sent also Menelaus to speak to you.\n\n11:33. Fare ye well. In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the\nfifteenth day of the month of Xanthicus.\n\n11:34. The Romans also sent them a letter, to this effect: Quintus\nMemmius, and Titus Manilius, ambassadors of the Romans, to the people of\nthe Jews, greeting.\n\n11:35. Whatsoever Lysias, the king's cousin, hath granted to you, we\nalso have granted.\n\n11:36. But touching such things as he thought should be referred to the\nking, after you have diligently conferred among yourselves, send some\none forthwith, that we may decree as it is convenient for you: for we\nare going to Antioch.\n\n11:37. And therefore make haste to write back, that we may know of what\nmind you are.\n\n11:38. Fare ye well. In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the\nfifteenth day of the month of Xanthicus.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 12\n\nThe Jews are still molested by their neighbours. Judas gains divers\nvictories over them. He orders sacrifice and prayers for the dead.\n\n12:1. When these covenants were made, Lysias went to the king, and the\nJews gave themselves to husbandry.\n\n12:2. But they that were behind, viz. Timotheus, and Apollonius, the son\nof Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and besides them Nicanor, the\ngovernor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to live in peace, and to be\nquiet.\n\n12:3. The men of Joppe also were guilty of this kind of wickedness: they\ndesired the Jews, who dwelt among them, to go with their wives and\nchildren into the boats, which they had prepared, as though they had no\nenmity to them.\n\n12:4. Which when they had consented to, according to the common decree\nof the city, suspecting nothing, because of the peace: when they were\ngone forth into the deep, they drowned no fewer than two hundred of\nthem.\n\n12:5. But as soon as Judas heard of this cruelty done to his countrymen,\nhe commanded the men that were with him: and after having called upon\nGod, the just judge,\n\n12:6. He came against those murderers of his brethren, and set the haven\non fire in the night, burnt the boats, and slew with the sword them that\nescaped from the fire.\n\n12:7. And when he had done these things in this manner, he departed as\nif he would return again, and root out all the Joppites.\n\n12:8. But when he understood that the men of Jamnia also designed to do\nin like manner to the Jews that dwelt among them,\n\n12:9. He came upon the Jamnites also by night, and set the haven on\nfire, with the ships, so that the light of the fire was seen at\nJerusalem, two hundred and forty furlongs off.\n\n12:10. And when they were now gone from thence nine furlongs, and were\nmarching towards Timotheus, five thousand footmen, and five hundred\nhorsemen of the Arabians, set upon them.\n\n12:11. And after a hard fight, in which, by the help of God, they got\nthe victory, the rest of the Arabians being overcome, besought Judas for\npeace, promising to give him pastures, and to assist him in other\nthings.\n\n12:12. And Judas thinking that they might be profitable indeed in many\nthings, promised them peace, and after having joined hands, they\ndeparted to their tents.\n\n12:13. He also laid siege to a certain strong city, encompassed with\nbridges and walls, and inhabited by multitudes of different nations, the\nname of which is Casphin.\n\n12:14. But they that were within it, trusting in the strength of the\nwalls, and the provision of victuals, behaved in a more negligent\nmanner, and provoked Judas with railing and blaspheming, and uttering\nsuch words as were not to be spoken.\n\n12:15. But Machabeus calling upon the great Lord of the world, who\nwithout any rams or engines of war threw down the walls of Jericho, in\nthe time of Josue, fiercely assaulted the walls.\n\nRams... That is, engines for battering walls, etc., which were used in\nsieges in those times.\n\n12:16. And having taken the city by the will of the Lord, he made an\nunspeakable slaughter, so that a pool adjoining, of two furlongs broad,\nseemed to run with the blood of the slain.\n\n12:17. From thence they departed seven hundred and fifty furlongs, and\ncame to Characa, to the Jews that are called Tubianites.\n\n12:18. But as for Timotheus, they found him not in those places, for\nbefore he had dispatched any thing he went back, having left a very\nstrong garrison in a certain hold:\n\n12:19. But Dositheus, and Sosipater, who were captains with Machabeus,\nslew them that were left by Timotheus in the hold, to the number of ten\nthousand men.\n\n12:20. And Machabeus having set in order about him six thousand men, and\ndivided them by bands, went forth against Timotheus, who had with him a\nhundred and twenty thousand footmen, aad two thousand five hundred\nhorsemen.\n\n12:21. Now when Timotheus had knowledge of the coming of Judas, he sent\nthe women and children, and the other baggage, before him into a\nfortress, called Carnion: for it was impregnable, and hard to come at,\nby reason of the straitness of the places.\n\n12:22. But when the first band of Judas came in sight, the enemies were\nstruck with fear, by the presence of God, who seeth all things, and they\nwere put to flight one from another, so that they were often thrown down\nby their own companions, and wounded with the strokes of their own\nswords.\n\n12:23. But Judas pursued them close, punishing the profane, of whom he\nslew thirty thousand men.\n\n12:24. And Timotheus himself fell into the hands of the band of\nDositheus and Sosipater, and with many prayers he besought them to let\nhim go with his life, because he had the parents and brethren of many of\nthe Jews, who, by his death, might happen to be deceived.\n\n12:25. And when he had given his faith that he would restore them\naccording to the agreement, they let him go without hurt, for the saving\nof their brethren.\n\n12:26. Then Judas went away to Carnion, where he slew five and twenty\nthousand persons.\n\n12:27. And after he had put to flight and destroyed these, he removed\nhis army to Ephron, a strong city, wherein there dwelt a multitude of\ndivers nations: and stout young men standing upon the walls, made a\nvigorous resistance: and in this place there were many engines of war,\nand a provision of darts.\n\n12:28. But when they had invocated the Almighty, who with his power\nbreaketh the strength of the enemies, they took the city: and slew five\nand twenty thousand of them that were within.\n\n12:29. From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred\nfurlongs from Jerusalem.\n\nScythopolis... Formerly called Bethsan.\n\n12:30. But the Jews that were among the Scythopolitans testifying that\nthey were used kindly by them, and that even in the times of their\nadversity they had treated them with humanity:\n\n12:31. They gave them thanks, exhorting them to be still friendly to\ntheir nation, and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks\nbeing at hand.\n\n12:32. And after Pentecost they marched against Gorgias, the governor of\nIdumea.\n\n12:33. And he came out with three thousand footmen and four hundred\nhorsemen.\n\n12:34. And when they had joined battle, it happened that a few of the\nJews were slain.\n\n12:35. But Dositheus, a horseman, one of Bacenor's band, a valiant man,\ntook hold of Gorgias: and when he would have taken him alive, a certain\nhorseman of the Thracians came upon him, and cut off his shoulder: and\nso Gorgias escaped to Maresa.\n\n12:36. But when they that were with Esdrin had fought long, and were\nweary, Judas called upon the Lord to be their helper, and leader of the\nbattle:\n\n12:37. Then beginning in his own language, and singing hymns with a loud\nvoice, he put Gorgias's soldiers to flight.\n\n12:38. So Judas having gathered together his army, came into the city\nOdollam: and when the seventh day came, they purified themselves\naccording to the custom, and kept the sabbath in the same place.\n\n12:39. And the day following Judas came with his company, to take away\nthe bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen,\nin the sepulchres of their fathers.\n\n12:40. And they found under the coats of the slain, some of the donaries\nof the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth to the Jews: so that\nall plainly saw, that for this cause they were slain.\n\nOf the donaries, etc... That is, of the votive offerings, which had been\nhung up in the temples of the idols, which they had taken away when they\nburnt the port of Jamnia, ver. 9., contrary to the prohibition of the\nlaw, Deut. 7.25.\n\n12:41. Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had\ndiscovered the things that were hidden.\n\n12:42. And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that\nthe sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most\nvaliant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch\nas they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of\nthose that were slain.\n\n12:43. And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver\nto Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead,\nthinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection.\n\n12:44. (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise\nagain, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,)\n\n12:45. And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with\ngodliness, had great grace laid up for them.\n\nWith godliness... Judas hoped that these men who died fighting for the\ncause of God and religion, might find mercy: either because they might\nbe excused from mortal sin by ignorance; or might have repented of their\nsin, at least at their death.\n\n12:46. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the\ndead, that they may be loosed from sins.\n\nIt is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead...\nHere is an evident and undeniable proof of the practice of praying for\nthe dead under the old law, which was then strictly observed by the\nJews, and consequently could not be introduced at that time by Judas,\ntheir chief and high priest, if it had not been always their custom.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 13\n\nAntiochus and Lysias again invade Judea. Menelaus is put to death. The\nking's great army is worsted twice. The peace is renewed.\n\n13:1. In the year one hundred and forty-nine, Judas understood that\nAntiochus Eupator was coming with a multitude against Judea,\n\n13:2. And with him Lysias, the regent, who had charge over the affairs\nof the realm, having with him a hundred and ten thousand footmen, five\nthousand horsemen, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots.\n\nA hundred and ten thousand, etc... The difference between the numbers\nhere set down, and those recorded, 1 Mac. 4, is easily accounted for; if\nwe consider that such armies as these are liable to be at one time more\nnumerous than at another; either by sending away large detachments, or\nbeing diminished by sickness; or increased by receiving fresh supplies\nof troops, according to different exigencies or occurrences.\n\n13:3. Menelaus also joined himself with them: and with great\ndeceitfulness besought Antiochus, not for the welfare of his country,\nbut in hopes that he should be appointed chief ruler.\n\n13:4. But the King of kings stirred up the mind of Antiochus against the\nsinner, and upon Lysias suggesting that he was the cause of all the\nevils, he commanded (as the custom is with them) that he should be\napprehended and put to death in the same place.\n\n13:5. Now there was in that place a tower fifty cubits high, having a\nheap of ashes on every side: this had a prospect steep down.\n\n13:6. From thence he commanded the sacrilegious wretch to be thrown down\ninto the ashes, all men thrusting him forward unto death.\n\n13:7. And by such a law it happened that Menelaus the transgressor of\nthe law, was put to death: not having so much as burial in the earth.\n\n13:8. And indeed very justly, for insomuch as he had committed many sins\nagainst the altar of God, the fire and ashes of which were holy: he was\ncondemned to die in ashes.\n\n13:9. But the king, with his mind full of rage, came on to shew himself\nworse to the Jews than his father was.\n\n13:10. Which when Judas understood, he commanded the people to call upon\nthe Lord day and night, that as he had always done, so now also he would\nhelp them:\n\n13:11. Because they were afraid to be deprived of the law, and of their\ncountry, and of the holy temple: and that he would not suffer the\npeople, that had of late taken breath for a little while, to be again in\nsubjection to blasphemous nations.\n\n13:12. So when they had all done this together, and had craved mercy of\nthe Lord with weeping and fasting, lying prostrate on the ground for\nthree days continually, Judas exhorted them to make themselves ready.\n\n13:13. But he, with the ancients, determined before the king should\nbring his army into Judea, and make himself master of the city, to go\nout, and to commit the event of the thing to the judgment of the Lord.\n\n13:14. So committing all to God, the Creator of the world, and having\nexhorted his people to fight manfully, and to stand up even to death for\nthe laws, the temple, the city, their country, and citizens: he placed\nhis army about Modin.\n\n13:15. And having given his company for a watchword, The victory of God,\nwith most valiant chosen young men, he set upon the king's quarter by\nnight, and slew four thousand men in the camp, and the greatest of the\nelephants, with them that had been upon him,\n\n13:16. And having filled the camp of the enemies with exceeding great\nfear and tumult, they went off with good success.\n\n13:17. Now this was done at the break of day, by the protection and help\nof the Lord.\n\n13:18. But the king having taken a taste of the hardiness of the Jews,\nattempted to take the strong places by policy:\n\n13:19. And he marched with his army to Bethsura, which was a strong hold\nof the Jews: but he was repulsed, he failed, he lost his men.\n\n13:20. Now Judas sent necessaries to them that were within\n\n13:21. But Rhodocus, one of the Jews' army, disclosed the secrets to the\nenemies, so he was sought out, and taken up, and put in prison.\n\n13:22. Again the king treated with them that were in Bethsura: gave his\nright hand: took theirs: and went away.\n\n13:23. He fought with Judas: and was overcome. And when he understood\nthat Philip, who had been left over the affairs, had rebelled at\nAntioch, he was in a consternation of mind, and intreating the Jews, and\nyielding to them, he swore to all things that seemed reasonable, and,\nbeing reconciled, offered sacrifice, honoured the temple, and left\ngifts.\n\n13:24. He embraced Machabeus, and made him governor and prince from\nPtolemais unto the Gerrenians.\n\n13:25. But when he was come to Ptolemais, the men of that city were much\ndispleased with the conditions of the peace, being angry for fear they\nshould break the covenant.\n\n13:26. Then Lysias went up to the judgment seat, and set forth the\nreason, and appeased the people, and returned to Antioch: and thus\nmatters went with regard to the king's coming and his return.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 14\n\nDemetrius challenges the kingdom. Alcimus applies to him to be made high\npriest: Nicanor is sent into Judea: his dealings with Judas: his\nthreats. The history of Razias.\n\n14:1. But after the space of three years Judas, and they that were with\nhim, understood that Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, was come up with a\ngreat power, and a navy by the haven of Tripolis, to places proper for\nhis purpose,\n\n14:2. And had made himself master of the countries against Antiochus,\nand his general, Lysias.\n\n14:3. Now one Alcimus, who had been chief priest, but had wilfully\ndefiled himself in the time of mingling with the heathens, seeing that\nthere was no safety for him, nor access to the altar,\n\nNow Alcimus, who had been chief priest... This Alcimus was of the stock\nof Aaron, but for his apostasy here mentioned was incapable of the high\npriesthood, but king Antiochus Eupator appointed him in place of the\nhigh priest, (see above, 1 Mac. chap. 7., ver. 9,) as Menelaus had been\nbefore him, set up by Antiochus, (above chap. 4.,)yet neither of them\nwere truly high priests; for the true high priesthood was amongst the\nMachabees, who were also of the stock of Aaron, and had strictly held\ntheir religion, and were ordained according to the rites commanded in\nthe law of Moses.-Ibid. Mingling... with the heathens; that is, in their\nidolatrous worship.\n\n14:4. Came to king Demetrius in the year one hundred and fifty,\npresenting unto him a crown of gold, and a palm, and besides these, some\nboughs that seemed to belong to the temple. And that day indeed he held\nhis peace.\n\n14:5. But having gotten a convenient time to further his madness, being\ncalled to counsel by Demetrius, and asked what the Jews relied upon, and\nwhat were their counsels,\n\n14:6. He answered thereunto: They among the Jews that are called\nAssideans, of whom Judas Machabeus is captain, nourish wars, and raise\nseditions, and will not suffer the realm to be in peace.\n\n14:7. For I also being deprived of my ancestor's glory (I mean of the\nhigh priesthood) am now come hither:\n\n14:8. Principally indeed out of fidelity to the king's interests, but in\nthe next place also to provide for the good of my countrymen: for all\nour nation suffereth much from the evil proceedings of these men.\n\n14:9. Wherefore, O king, seeing thou knowest all these things, take\ncare, I beseech thee, both of the country, and of our nation, according\nto thy humanity which is known to all men.\n\n14:10. For as long as Judas liveth it is not possible that the state\nshould be quiet.\n\n14:11. Now when this man had spoken to this effect the rest also of the\nking's friends, who were enemies of Judas, incensed Demetrius against\nhim.\n\n14:12. And forthwith he sent Nicanor, the commander over the elephants,\ngovernor into Judea:\n\n14:13. Giving him in charge, to take Judas himself: and disperse all\nthem that were with him, and to make Alcimus the high priest of the\ngreat temple.\n\n14:14. Then the Gentiles who had fled out of Judea, from Judas, came to\nNicanor by flocks, thinking the miseries and calamities of the Jews to\nbe the welfare of their affairs.\n\n14:15. Now when the Jews heard of Nicanor's coming, and that the nations\nwere assembled against them, they cast earth upon their heads, and made\nsupplication to him who chose his people to keep them for ever, and who\nprotected his portion by evident signs.\n\n14:16. Then at the commandment of their captain, they forthwith removed\nfrom the place where they were, and went to the town of Dessau, to meet\nthem.\n\n14:17. Now Simon, the brother of Judas, had joined battle with Nicanor:\nbut was frightened with the sudden coming of the adversaries.\n\n14:18. Nevertheless Nicanor hearing of the valour of Judas's companions,\nand the greatness of courage, with which they fought for their country,\nwas afraid to try the matter by the sword.\n\n14:19. Wherefore he sent Posidonius, and Theodotius and Matthias before\nto present and receive the right hands.\n\n14:20. And when there had been a consultation thereupon, and the captain\nhad acquainted the multitude with it, they were all of one mind to\nconsent to covenants.\n\n14:21. So they appointed a day upon which they might comne together by\nthemselves: and seats were brought out, and set for each one.\n\n14:22. But Judas ordered armed men to be ready in convenient places,\nlest some mischief might be suddenly practised by the enemies: so they\nmade an agreeable conference.\n\n14:23. And Nicanor abode in Jerusalem, and did no wrong, but sent away\nthe flocks of the multitudes that had been gathered together.\n\n14:24. And Judas was always dear to him from the heart, and he was well\naffected to the man.\n\n14:25. And he desired him to marry a wife, and to have children. So he\nmarried: he lived quietly, and they lived in common.\n\n14:26. But Alcimus seeing the love they had one to another, and the\ncovenants, came to Demetrius, and told him that Nicanor had assented to\nthe foreign interest, for that he meant to make Judas, who was a traitor\nto the kingdom, his successor.\n\n14:27. Then the king, being in a rage, and provoked with this man's\nwicked accusation, wrote to Nicanor, signifying that he was greatly\ndispleased with the covenant of friendship: and that he commanded him\nnevertheless to send Machabeus prisoner in all haste to Antioch.\n\n14:28. When this was known, Nicanor was in a consternation, and took it\ngrievously that he should make void the articles that were agreed upon,\nhaving received no injury from the man.\n\n14:29. But because he could not oppose the king, he watched an\nopportunity to comply with the orders.\n\n14:30. But when Machabeus perceived that Nicanor was more stern to him,\nand that when they met together as usual he behaved himself in a rough\nmanner; and was sensible that this rough behaviour came not of good, he\ngathered together a few of his men, and hid himself from Nicanor.\n\n14:31. But he finding himself notably prevented by the man, came to the\ngreat and holy temple: and commanded the priests that were offering the\naccustomed sacrifices, to deliver him the man.\n\n14:32. And when they swore unto him, that they knew not where the man\nwas whom he sought, he stretched out his hand to the temple,\n\n14:33. And swore, saying: Unless you deliver Judas prisoner to me, I\nwill lay this temple of God even with the ground, and will beat down the\naltar, and I will dedicate this temple to Bacchus.\n\n14:34. And when he had spoken thus, he departed.  But the priests\nstretching forth their hands to heaven, called upon him that was ever\nthe defender of their nation, saying in this manner:\n\n14:35. Thou, O Lord of all things, who wantest nothing, wast pleased\nthat the temple of thy habitation should be amongst us.\n\n14:36. Therefore now, O Lord, the holy of all holies, keep this house\nfor ever undefiled, which was lately cleansed.\n\n14:37. Now Razias, one of the ancients of Jerusalem, was accused to\nNicanor, a man that was a lover of the city, and of good report, who for\nhis kindness was called the father of the Jews.\n\n14:38. This man, for a long time, had held fast his purpose of keeping\nhimself pure in the Jews' religion, and was ready to expose his body and\nlife, that he might persevere therein.\n\n14:39. So Nicanor being willing to declare the hatred that he bore the\nJews, sent five hundred soldiers to take him.\n\n14:40. For he thought by ensnaring him to hurt the Jews very much.\n\n14:41. Now as the multitude sought to rush into his house, and to break\nopen the door, and to set fire to it, when he was ready to be taken, he\nstruck himself with his sword:\n\nHe struck himself, etc... St. Augustine, (Epist. 61, ad Dulcitium, et\nlib. 2, cap. 23, ad Epist. 2, Gaud.) discussing this fact of Razias,\nsays, that the holy scripture relates it, but doth not praise it, as to\nbe admired or imitated, and that either it was not well done by him, or\nat least not proper in this time of grace.\n\n14:42. Choosing to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of the\nwicked, and to suffer abuses unbecoming his noble birth.\n\n14:43. But whereas through haste he missed of giving a sure wound, and\nthe crowd was breaking into the doors, he ran boldly to the wall, and\nmanfully threw himself down to the crowd:\n\n14:44. But they quickly making room for his fall, he came upon the midst\nof the neck.\n\nHe came upon the midst of the neck... Venit per mediam cervicem. In the\nGreek it is keneona, which signifies a void place, where there is no\nbuilding.\n\n14:45. And as he had yet breath in him, being inflamed in mind, he\narose: and while his blood ran down with a great stream, and he was\ngrievously wounded, he ran through the crowd:\n\n14:46. And standing upon a steep rock, when he was now almost without\nblood, grasping his bowels, with both hands he cast them upon the\nthrong, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit, to restore these to\nhim again: and so he departed this life.\n\n2 Machabees Chapter 15\n\nJudas encouraged by a vision gains a glorious victory over Nicanor. The\nconclusion.\n\n15:1. But when Nicanor understood that Judas was in the places of\nSamaria, he purposed to set upon him with all violence, on the sabbath\nday.\n\n15:2. And when the Jews that were constrained to follow him, said: Do\nnot act so fiercely and barbarously, but give honour to the day that is\nsanctified: and reverence him that beholdeth all things:\n\n15:3. That unhappy man asked, if there were a mighty One in heaven, that\nhad commanded the sabbath day to be kept.\n\n15:4. And when they answered: There is the living Lord himself in\nheaven, the mighty One, that commanded the seventh day to be kept.\n\n15:5. Then he said: And I am mighty upon the earth, and I command to\ntake arms, and to do the king's business. Nevertheless he prevailed not\nto accomplish his design.\n\n15:6. So Nicanor being puffed up with exceeding great pride, thought to\nset up a public monument of his victory over Judas.\n\n15:7. But Machabeus ever trusted with all hope that God would help them.\n\n15:8. And he exhorted his people not to fear the coming of the nations,\nbut to remember the help they had before received from heaven, and now\nto hope for victory from the Almighty.\n\n15:9. And speaking to them out of the law, and the prophets, and withal\nputting them in mind of the battles they had fought before, he made them\nmore cheerful:\n\n15:10. Then after he had encouraged them, he shewed withal the falsehood\nof the Gentiles, and their breach of oaths.\n\n15:11. So he armed every one of them, not with defence of shield and\nspear, but with very good speeches, and exhortations, and told them a\ndream worthy to be believed, whereby he rejoiced them all.\n\n15:12. Now the vision was in this manner. Onias, who had been high\npriest, a good and virtuous man, modest in his looks, gentle in his\nmanners, and graceful in speech, and who from a child was exercised in\nvirtues holding up his hands, prayed for all the people of the Jews:\n\n15:13. After this there appeared also another man, admirable for age,\nand glory, and environed with great beauty and majesty:\n\n15:14. Then Onias answering, said: This is a lover of his brethren, and\nof the people of Israel: this is he that prayeth much for the people,\nand for all the holy city, Jeremias, the prophet of God.\n\n15:15. Whereupon Jeremias stretched forth his right hand, and gave to\nJudas a sword of gold, saying:\n\n15:16. Take this holy sword, a gift from God, wherewith thou shalt\noverthrow the adversaries of my people Israel.\n\n15:17. Thus being exhorted with the words of Judas, which were very\ngood, and proper to stir up the courage, and strengthen the hearts of\nthe young men, they resolved to fight, and to set upon them manfully:\nthat valour might decide the matter, because the holy city, and the\ntemple were in danger.\n\n15:18. For their concern was less for their wives, and children, and for\ntheir brethren, and kinsfolks: but their greatest and principal fear was\nfor the holiness of the temple.\n\n15:19. And they also that were in the city, had no little concern for\nthem that were to be engaged in battle.\n\n15:20. And now when all expected what judgment would be given, and the\nenemies were at hand, and the army was set in array, the beasts and the\nhorsemen ranged in convenient places,\n\n15:21. Machabeus considering the coming of the multitude, and the divers\npreparations of armour, and the fierceness of the beasts, stretching out\nhis hands to heaven, called upon the Lord, that worketh wonders, who\ngiveth victory to them that are worthy, not according to the power of\ntheir arms, but according as it seemeth good to him.\n\n15:22. And in his prayer he said after this manner: Thou, O Lord, who\ndidst send thy angel in the time of Ezechias, king of Juda, and didst\nkill a hundred and eighty-five thousand of the army of Sennacherib:\n\n15:23. Send now also, O Lord of heaven, thy good angel before us, for\nthe fear and dread of the greatness of thy arm,\n\n15:24. That they may be afraid, who come with blasphemy against thy holy\npeople. And thus he concluded his prayer.\n\n15:25. But Nicanor, and they that were with him came forward, with\ntrumpets and songs.\n\n15:26. But Judas, and they that were with him, encountered them, calling\nupon God by prayers:\n\n15:27. So fighting with their hands, but praying to the Lord with their\nhearts, they slew no less than five and thirty thousand, being greatly\ncheered with the presence of God.\n\n15:28. And when the battle was over, and they were returning with joy,\nthey understood that Nicanor was slain in his armour.\n\n15:29. Then making a shout, and a great noise, they blessed the Almighty\nLord in their own language.\n\n15:30. And Judas, who was altogether ready, in body and mind, to die for\nhis countrymen, commanded that Nicanor's head, and his hand, with the\nshoulder, should be cut off, and carried to Jerusalem.\n\n15:31. And when he was come thither, having called together his\ncountrymen, and the priests to the altar, he sent also for them that\nwere in the castle,\n\n15:32. And shewing them the head of Nicanor, and the wicked hand, which\nhe had stretched out, with proud boasts, against the holy house of the\nAlmighty God,\n\n15:33. He commanded also, that the tongue of the wicked Nicanor should\nbe cut out, and given by pieces to birds, and the hand of the furious\nman to be hanged up over against the temple.\n\n15:34. Then all blessed the Lord of heaven, saying: Blessed be he that\nhath kept his own place undefiled.\n\n15:35. And he hung up Nicanor's head in the top of the castle, that it\nmight be an evident and manifest sign of the help of God.\n\n15:36. And they all ordained by a common decree, by no means to let this\nday pass without solemnity:\n\n15:37. But to celebrate the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, called\nin the Syrian language, the day before Mardochias' day.\n\n15:38. So these things being done with relation to Nicanor, and from\nthat time the city being possessed by the Hebrews, I also will here make\nan end of my narration.\n\n15:39. Which if I have done well, and as it becometh the history, it is\nwhat I desired: but if not so perfectly, it must be pardoned me.\n\nIf not so perfectly, etc... This is not said with regard to the truth of\nthe narration; but with regard to the style and manner of writing: which\nin the sacred penmen is not always the most accurate. See St. Paul, 2\nCor. 11.6.\n\n15:40. For as it is hurtful to drink always wine, or always water, but\npleasant to use sometimes the one, and sometimes the other: so if the\nspeech be always nicely framed, it will not be grateful to the readers.\nBut here it shall be ended.","title":"The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 46: 2 Machabees: The Challoner Revision","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":18503}