menu_book Chapter 1

CHAPTER I. Now, it came to pass, after that Alexander, the son of Philip the Macedonian, who first reigned in Greece, coming out of the land of Sathim, had overthrown Darius, king of the Persians and Medes, he fought many battles, and took the strongholds of all, and slew the kings of the earth.

And he went through even to the ends of the earth, and took the spoils of many nations, and the earth was quiet before him. And he gathered a power and a very strong army, and his heart was exalted and lifted up. And he subdued countries of nations and princes, and they became tributaries to him. And after these things he fell down upon his bed, and knew that he should die.

And he called his servants, the nobles that were brought up with him from his youth. And he divided his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive. And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died. And his servants made themselves kings, every one in his place. And they all put crowns upon themselves after his death, and their sons after them many years.

And evils were multiplied in the earth. And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the Illustrious, the son of King Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome. And he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying,

Let us go and make a covenant with the heathens that are round about us. For since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us. And the word seemed good in their eyes. And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king, and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens.

And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations. And they made themselves preposes, and departed from the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathens, and were sold to do evil. And the kingdom was established before Antiochus, and he had a mind to reign over the land of Egypt, that he might reign over two kingdoms.

And he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots and elephants and horsemen and a great number of ships. And he made war against Ptolemy, king of Egypt. But Ptolemy was afraid at his presence, and fled, and many were wounded unto death. And he took the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils of the land of Egypt.

And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up against Israel. And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude. And he proudly entered into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light,

and all the vessels thereof, and the table of proposition, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament that was before the temple. And he broke them all in pieces. And he took the silver and gold, and the precious vessels,

and he took the hidden treasures which he found. And when he had taken all away, he departed into his own country. And he made a great slaughter of men, and spoke very proudly. And there was great mourning in Israel, and in every place where they were. And the princes, and the ancients mourned,

and the virgins, and the young men were made feeble, and the beauty of the women was changed. Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and the bride that sat in the marriage-bed mourned. And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof,

and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion. And after two full years, the king sent the chief collector of his tributes to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude. And he spoke to them peaceable words,

In deceit. And they believed him. And he fell upon the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter, and destroyed much people in Israel.

And he took the spoils of the city, and burnt it with fire, and threw down the houses thereof, and the walls thereof round about. And they took the women captive,

and the children, and the cattle they possessed. And they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers,

and made it a fortress for them. And they placed there a sinful nation, wicked men. Then they fortified themselves therein, and they stored up armor,

and victuals, and gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, and laid them up there. And they became a great snare. And this was a place

to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil devil in Israel. And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, and defiled the holy place.

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away by reason of them, and the city was made the habitation of strangers. And she became a stranger

to her own seed, and her children forsook her. Her sanctuary was desolate like a wilderness. Her festival days

were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach, her honors were brought to nothing. Her dishonor was increased according to her glory,

and her excellency was turned into mourning. And King Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people

should be one, and every one should leave his own law. And all nations consented according to the word

of King Antiochus. And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath.

And the king sent letters by the hands of messengers to Jerusalem, and to all the cities of Judah, that they should follow

the law of the nations of the earth, and should forbid holocausts and sacrifices and atonements

to be made in the temple of God, and should prohibit the sabbath and the festival days to be celebrated.

And he commanded the holy places to be profaned, and the holy people of Israel.

And he commanded altars to be built, and temples and idols, and swine's flesh to be immolated,

and unclean beasts. And that they should leave their children uncircumcised, and let their souls

be defiled with all uncleannesses and abominations, to the end that they should

forget the law, and should change all the justifications of God. And that whosoever

would not do according to the word of King Antiochus should be put to death. According to all

these words, he wrote to his whole kingdom, and he appointed rulers over the people

that should force them to do these things. And they commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice.

Then many of the people were gathered to them that had forsaken the law of the Lord, and they committed

evils in the land. And they drove away the people of Israel into lurking holes, and into the secret

places of fugitives. On the fifteenth day of the month, Kaslu, in the hundred

and forty-fifth year, King Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation upon the altar of God.

And they built altars throughout all the cities of Judah round about. And they burnt incense, and sacrificed at the doors

of the houses, and in the streets. And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire, the books of the law

of God. And every one with whom the books of the testament of the Lord

were found, and whosoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death, according to the edict

of the king. Thus, by their power did they deal with the people of Israel,

that were found in the cities month after month. And on the five and twentieth day

of the month, they sacrificed upon the altar of the idol that was over against

the altar of God. Now, the women that circumcised their children were slain,

according to the commandment of King Antiochus. And they hanged the children about their neck

and all their houses. And those that had circumcised them, they put to death. And many of the people

of Israel determined with themselves that they would not eat unclean things, and they chose

rather to die than to be defiled with unclean meats. And they would not break the holy law

of God, and they were put to death. And there was very great wrath upon the people.

End of chapter 1 Chapter 2 In those days arose Matthathias, the son of John,

the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem. And he abode

in the mountain of Modin. And he had five sons, John, who was surnamed Gaddis,

and Simon, who was surnamed Thassi, and Judas, who was called Maccabeus, and Eleazar,

who was surnamed Abarin, and Jonathan, who was surnamed Aphus. These saw the evils that were done

in the people of Judah and in Jerusalem. And Matthathias said, Woe is me! Wherefore was I born

to see the ruin of my people, and the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there,

when it is given into the hands of the enemies. The holy places are come into

the hands of strangers. Her temple is become as a man without honor. The vessels of her glory are carried away captive.

Her old men are murdered in the streets, and her young men are fallen by

the sword of the enemies. What nation hath not inherited her kingdom, and gotten

of her spoils? All her ornaments are taken away. She that was free is made a slave.

And behold, our sanctuary, and our beauty, and our glory is laid waste,

and the Gentiles have defiled them. To what end, then, should we live

any longer? And Mathathias and his sons rent their garments, and they covered

themselves with haircloth, and made great lamentation. And they that were sent from King Antiochus came thither,

to compel them that were fled into the city of Modin, to sacrifice, and to burn incense,

and to depart from the law of God. And many of the people of Israel consented, and came to them.

But Mathathias and his sons stood firm. And they that were sent from Antiochus

answering, said to Mathathias, Thou art a ruler, and an honorable, and great man

in this city, and adorned with sons and brethren. Therefore, come thou first,

and obey the king's commandment, as all nations have done, and the men of Judah,

and they that remain in Jerusalem. And thou and thy sons shall be in the number of the king's friends,

and enriched with gold and silver, and many presents. Then Mathathias answered and said with a loud voice,

Although all nations obey king Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law

of his fathers, and consent to his commandments, I and my sons, and my brethren,

will obey the law of our fathers. God be merciful unto us. It is not profitable

for us to forsake the law and the justices of God. We will not hearken

to the words of king Antiochus, neither will we sacrifice and transgress the commandments

of our law to go another way. Now, as he left off speaking these words,

there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar

in the city of Modine, according to the king's commandment. And Matthathias saw, and was grieved, and his reins trembled,

and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him, he slew him upon the altar.

Moreover, the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice,

he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar, and showed zeal for the law,

as Phinehas did by Zamri, the son of Salome. And Matthathias cried out in the city

with a loud voice, saying, Everyone that hath zeal for the law and maintaineth

the testament, let him follow me. So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all

that they had in the city. Then many that sought after judgment and justice

went down into the desert, and they abode there, they and their children, and their wives,

and their cattle, because afflictions increased upon them. And it was told to the king's men,

and to the army that was in Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men who had broken

the king's commandment were gone away into the secret places in the wilderness, and that many

were gone after them. And forthwith they went out towards them, and made war against them

on the Sabbath day. And they said to them, Do you still resist? Come forth, and do according

to the edict of king Antiochus, and you shall live. And they said, We will not come forth,

neither will we obey the king's edict to profane the Sabbath day. And they made haste

to give them battle. But they answered them not, neither did they cast a stone at them, nor stopped up

the secret places, saying, Let us all die in our innocency, and heaven and earth

shall be witnesses for us that you put us to death wrongfully. So they gave them

battle on the Sabbath, and they were slain, with their wives and their children and their cattle,

to the number of a thousand persons. And Mathathias and his friends heard of it,

and they mourned for them exceedingly. And every man said to his neighbor, If we shall all do

as our brethren have done, and not fight against the heathens for our lives,

and our justifications, they will now quickly root us out of the earth. And they determined

in that day, saying, Whosoever shall come up against us to fight on the Sabbath day,

we will fight against him, and we will not all die, as our brethren that were slain in the secret places.

Then was assembled to them the congregation of the Assyrians, the stoutest of Israel, every one

that had a good will for the law, and all they that fled from the evils, joined themselves

to them, and were a support to them. And they gathered an army,

and slew the sinners in their wrath, and the wicked men in their indignation, and the rest fled

to the nations for safety. And Matthathias and his friends went round about,

and they threw down the altars, and they circumcised all the children whom they found

in the confines of Israel that were uncircumcised, and they did valiantly. And they pursued

after the children of pride, and the work prospered in their hands. And they recovered

the law out of the hands of the nations, and out of the hands of the kings,

and they yielded not the horn to the sinner. Now the days drew near

that Matthathias should die. And he said to his sons, Now hath pride

and chastisement gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath

of indignation. Now therefore, O my sons, be ye zealous for the law,

and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers, and call to remembrance the works of the fathers,

which they have done in their generations, and you shall receive great glory and an everlasting name.

Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reputed to him unto justice?

Joseph, in the time of his distress, kept the commandment, and he was made

lord of Egypt. Phinehas, our father, by being fervent in the zeal of God,

received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. Jesus, whilst he fulfilled the word,

was made ruler in Israel. Caleb, forbearing witness before the congregation,

received an inheritance. David, by his mercy, obtained the throne of an everlasting kingdom.

Elias, while he is full of zeal for the law, was taken up

into heaven. Ananias and Azarias and Misael, by believing, were delivered

out of the flame. Daniel, in his innocency, was delivered out of the mouth

of the lions. And thus consider, through all generations, that none that trust in him

fail in strength. And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory

is dung and worms. Today he is lifted up, and tomorrow he shall not be found,

because he is returned into his earth, and his thought is come to nothing. You,

therefore, my sons, take courage and behave manfully in the law,

for by it you shall be glorious. And behold, I know that your brother Simon

is a man of counsel. Give ear to him always, and he shall be a father to you.

And Judas Maccabeus, who is valiant and strong from his youth up, let him be the leader

of your army, and he shall manage the war of the people. And you shall take to you all

that observe the law, and revenge ye the wrong of your people. Render to the Gentiles their reward,

and take heed to the precepts of the law. And he blessed them, and was joined

to his fathers. And he died in the hundred and forty-sixth year, and he was buried

by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin. And all Israel

mourned for him with great mourning. End of chapter 2 Chapter 3 Then his son Judas,

called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead, and all his brethren helped him, and all they

that had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.

And he got his people great honor, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike armor

about him in battles, and protected the camp with his sword. In his axe he was like a lion,

and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey. And he pursued the wicked and sought them out, and them that troubled

his people he burnt with fire. And his enemies were driven away for fear of him,

and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, and salvation prospered in his hand.

And he grieved many kings, and made Jacob glad with his works, and his memory

is blessed for ever. And he went through the cities of Judah, and destroyed

the wicked out of them, and turned away wrath from Israel. And he was renowned even to the utmost

part of the earth, and he gathered them that were perishing. And Apollonius gathered together

the Gentiles, and a numerous and great army from Samaria to make war

against Israel. And Judas understood it, and went forth to meet him.

And he overthrew him, and killed him, and many fell down slain, and the rest fled away. And he took their spoils,

and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime. And Saron,

captain of the army of Syria, heard that Judas had assembled a company of the faithful,

and a congregation with him. And he said, I will get me a name, and will be glorified

in the kingdom, and will overthrow Judas, and those that are with him, that have despised the edict of the king.

And he made himself ready, and the host of the wicked went up with him, strong succors, to be revenged

of the children of Israel. And they approached even as far as Bethoran, and Judas went forth to meet him

with a small company. But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas,

How shall we, being few, be able to fight against so great a multitude,

and so strong, and we are ready to faint with fasting to-day? And Judas said,

It is an easy matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few, and there is no difference in the sight

of the God of heaven to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small company. For the success of war

is not in the multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven. They come against us

with an insolent multitude, and with pride to destroy us, and our wives, and our children,

and to take our spoils. But we will fight for our lives and our laws, and the Lord himself

will overthrow them before our face. But as for you, fear them not. And as soon as he

had made an end of speaking, he rushed suddenly upon them, and Saren and his host

were overthrown before him. And he pursued him by the descent of Bethorin,

even to the plain, and there fell of them eight hundred men, and the rest fled into the land

of the Philistines. And the fear of Judas and of his brethren, and the dread of them,

fell upon all the nations round about them. And his fame came to the king, and all nations

told of the battles of Judas. Now when King Antiochus heard these words, he was angry

in his mind, and he sent and gathered the forces of all his kingdom,

an exceeding strong army. And he opened his treasury, and gave out pay

to the army for a year, and he commanded them that they should be ready

for all things. And he perceived that the money of his treasuries failed,

and that the tributes of the country were small, because of the dissension, and the evil

that he had brought upon the land, that he might take away the laws of old times. And he feared

that he should not have his formerly enough for charges and gifts which he had given

before with a liberal hand, for he had abounded more than the kings that had been before him. And he was greatly

perplexed in mind, and purposed to go into Persia, and to take tributes of the countries,

and to gather much money. And he left Lysias, a nobleman of the blood royal,

to oversee the affairs of the kingdom, from the river Euphrates, even to the river

of Egypt, and to bring up his son Antiochus, till he came again. And he delivered

to him half the army, and the elephants, and he gave him charge concerning all that he would

have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem. And that he should

send an army against them to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem,

and to take away the memory of them from that place. And that he should settle strangers

to dwell in all their coasts, and divide their land by a lot. So the king took

the half of the army that remained, and went forth from Antioch, the chief city

of his kingdom, in the hundred and forty-seventh year, and he passed over the river Euphrates,

and went through the higher countries. Then Lysias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenas,

and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends. And he sent with them

forty thousand men, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Judah, and to destroy it,

according to the king's orders. So they went forth with all their power, and came, and pitched near Emmaus,

in the plain country. And the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them, and they took silver

and gold in abundance, and servants, and they came into the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves.

And there were joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the strangers.

And Judas, and his brethren, saw that evils were multiplied, and that the armies

approached to their borders. And they knew the orders the king had given to destroy the people,

and utterly abolished them. And they said every man to his neighbor, Let us raise up the low condition

of our people, and let us fight for our people and our sanctuary. And the assembly

was gathered, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy

and compassion. Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert. There was none

of her children that went in or out, and the sanctuary was trodden down, and the children

of strangers were in the castle. There was the habitation of the Gentiles, and joy was taken

away from Jacob, and the pipe and harp ceased there. And they assembled together, and came to Maspah,

over against Jerusalem, for in Maspah was a place of prayer heretofore in Israel. And they fasted that day,

and put on haircloth, and put ashes upon their heads, and they rent their garments,

and they laid open the books of the law, in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols.

And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the first fruits and tithes, and stirred up

the Nazarites that had fulfilled their days. And they cried with a loud voice

toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and whither shall

we carry them? For thy holies are trodden down, and are profaned, and thy priests

are in mourning, and are brought low. And behold, the nations are come together against us,

to destroy us. Thou knowest what they intend against us. How shall we be able

to stand before their face, unless thou, O God, help us? Then they sounded

with trumpets, and cried out with a loud voice. And after this, Judas appointed captains

over the people, over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

And he said to them that were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful,

that they should return every man to his house, according to the law. So they removed the camp, and pitched on the south side

of Emmaus. And Judas said, Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready

against the mourning, that you may fight with these nations that are assembled against us

to destroy us and our sanctuary. For it is better for us to die in battle than to see the evils

of our nation and of the holies. Nevertheless, as it shall be the will of God

in heaven, so be it done. End of chapter 3 Then Gorgias took five thousand men

and a thousand of the best horsemen, and they removed out of the camp by night, that they might come

upon the camp of the Jews, and strike them suddenly. And the men that were of the castle were their guides.

And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to attack the king's forces that were in Emmaus.

For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp. And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas,

and found no man. And he sought them in the mountains, for he said, These men flee from us.

And when it was day, Judas showed himself in the plain, with three thousand men only, who neither had armor

nor swords. And they saw the camp of the Gentiles, that it was strong, and the men in breastplates,

and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war. And Judas said

to the men that were with him, Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye

afraid of their assault. Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them

with a great army. And now let us cry to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us,

and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army

before our face this day. And all nations shall know that there is one

that redeemeth and delivereth Israel. And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them

coming against them. And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were

with Judas sounded the trumpet, and they joined battle. And the Gentiles were routed,

and fled into the plain. But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword, and they pursued them as far as Gezerin,

and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Jamnia. And there fell of them

to the number of three thousand men. And Judas returned again with his army that followed him.

And he said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoils, for there is war before us. And Gorgias and his army are near us

in the mountain. But stand ye now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you shall take the spoils

afterwards with safety. And as Judas was speaking these words, behold, part of them

appeared, looking forth from the mountain. And Gorgias saw that his men

were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp, for the smoke that was seen

declared what was done. And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time

Judas and his army in the plain, ready to fight. So they all fled away into the land

of the strangers. And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold

and silver and blue silk and purple of the sea, and great riches. And returning home,

they sung a hymn and blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth forever.

So Israel had a great deliverance that day. And such of the strangers as escaped went and told Lysias

all that had happened. And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged,

because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king

had commanded. So the year following, Lysias gathered together three score thousand chosen men

and five thousand horsemen that he might subdue them. And they came into Judea and pitched their tents

in Bethorin, and Judas met them with ten thousand men. And they saw that the army

was strong, and he prayed and said, Blessed art thou, O Savior of Israel,

who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David,

and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan,

the son of Saul, and of his armor-bearer. Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel,

and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen. Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness

of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction. Cast them down

with the sword of them that love thee, and let all that know thy name praise thee

with hymns. And they joined battle, and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men.

And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold the Jews were,

and that they were ready either to live or to die manfully, he went to Antioch and chose soldiers,

that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers. Then Judas and his brethren said,

Behold, our enemies are discomfited. Let us go up now to cleanse the holy places

and to repair them. And all the army assembled together, and they went up into Mount Sion.

And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up

in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple

thrown down. And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes

on their heads. And they fell down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded

with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven. Then Judas appointed

men to fight against them that were in the castle, till they had cleansed the holy places.

And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the law of God. And they cleansed

the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place.

And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been profaned, what he should do with it.

And a good council came into their minds, to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them,

because the Gentiles had defiled it. So they threw it down, and they laid up the stones

in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, till there should come a prophet,

and give answer concerning them. Then they took whole stones according to the law,

and built a new altar according to the former. And they built up the holy places, and the things

that were within the temple, and they sanctified the temple and the courts. And they made

new holy vessels, and brought in the candlestick and the altar of incense, and the table

into the temple. And they put incense upon the altar, and lighted up the lamps

that were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple. And they set the loaves

upon the table, and hung up the veils, and finished all the works that they had begun to make.

And they arose before the morning on the five-and-twentieth day of the ninth month, which is the month

of Kaslu, in the hundred-and-forty-eighth year. And they offered sacrifice, according to the law, upon the new altar

of holocausts which they had made, according to the time, and according to the day wherein the heathens

had defiled it. And the same was it dedicated anew, with canticles,

and harps, and lutes, and cymbals. And all the people fell upon their faces,

and adored, and blessed up to heaven, him that had prospered them. And they kept the dedication

of the altar eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices

of salvation, and of praise. And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold,

and escutcheons, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doors

upon them. And there was exceeding great joy among the people, and the reproach

of the Gentiles was turned away. And Judas, and all his brethren, and all the church

of Israel, decreed that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept

in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day

of the month of Kaslu, with joy and gladness. They built up also at that time

Mount Sion, with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles

should at any time come, and tread it down as they did before. And he placed

a garrison there to keep it, and he fortified it to secure Bethsura, that the people

might have a defense against Ijumia. End of chapter 4 chapter 5. Now it came to pass,

when the nations round about heard that the altar and the sanctuary were built up

as before, that they were exceeding angry, and they thought to destroy the generation

of Jacob that were among them, and they began to kill some of the people, and to persecute them.

Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Ijumia, and them that were

in Acrebathein, because they beset the Israelites round about, and he made

a great slaughter of them, and he remembered the malice of the children

of Bean, who were a snare and a stumbling block to the people, by laying in wait

for them in the way, and they were shut up by him in towers, and he set upon them, and devoted them

to utter destruction, and burnt their towers with fire, and all that were in them. Then he passed over

to the children of Ammon, where he found a mighty power, and much people,

and Timotheus was their captain. And he fought many battles with them,

and they were discomfited in their sight, and he smote them. And he took the city of Gazer

and her towns, and returned into Judea. And the Gentiles that were in Galad

assembled themselves together against the Israelites that were in their quarters,

to destroy them, and they fled into the fortress of Dathaman. And they sent

letters to Judas and his brethren, saying, The heathens that are round about

are gathered together against us to destroy us, and they are preparing to come

and to take the fortress into which we are fled. And Timotheus is the captain of their host.

Now therefore come and deliver us out of their hands, for many of us are slain.

And all our brethren that were in the places of Tubin are killed, and they have carried

away their wives and their children, captives, and taken their spoils, and they have slain

there almost a thousand men. And while they were yet reading these letters,

behold, there came other messengers out of Galilee, with their garments rent, who related according

to these words, saying, That they of Ptolemaeus and of Tyre and of Sidon

were assembled against them, and all Galilee is filled with strangers in order to consume us.

Now when Judas and the people heard these words, a great assembly met together

to consider what they should do for their brethren that were in trouble and were assaulted

by them. And Judas said to Simon his brother, Choose thee, men,

and go, and deliver thy brethren in Galilee, and I and my brother Jonathan

will go into the country of Galilee. And he left Joseph the son of Zacharias

and Azarias, captains of the people, with the remnant of the army in Judea, to keep it.

And he commanded them, saying, Take ye the charge of this people, but make no war

against the heathens till we return. Now three thousand men were allotted to Simon to go into Galilee,

and eight thousand to Judas to go into the land of Galilee. And Simon went into Galilee

and fought many battles with the heathens, and the heathens were discomfited before his face,

and he pursued them even to the gate of Ptolemais. And there fell of the heathens

almost three thousand men, and he took the spoils of them. And he took with him those that were

in Galilee and in Arbatus with their wives and children and all that they had,

and he brought them into Judea with great joy. And Judas Maccabeus and Jonathan,

his brother, passed over the Jordan and went three days' journey through the desert. And the Nabuthians

met them and received them in a peaceable manner, and told them all that happened

to their brethren in the land of Galad, and that many of them were shut up in Barasa,

and in Bosor, and in Alima, and in Kasphor, and in Mageth, and in Karnaim,

all these strong and great cities. Yea, and that they were kept shut up

in the rest of the cities of Galad, and that they had appointed to bring their army on the morrow

near to these cities, and to take them and to destroy them all in one day. Then Judas

and his army suddenly turned their march into the desert, to Basor, and took the city,

and he slew every male by the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burnt it with fire. And they were moved

from thence by night, and went till they came to the fortress. And it came to pass that early in the morning,

when they lifted up their eyes, behold, there were people without number,

carrying ladders and engines to take the fortress and assault them. And Judas saw

that the fight was begun, and the cry of the battle went up to heaven like a trumpet,

and a great cry out of the city. And he said to his host, Fight ye today for your brethren.

And he came with three companies behind them, and they sounded their trumpets,

and cried out in prayer. And the host of Timotheus understood that it was Maccabeus,

and they fled away before his face, and they made a great slaughter of them.

And there fell of them in that day almost eight thousand men. And Judas turned aside to Maspha,

and assaulted and took it. And he slew every male thereof, and took the spoils

thereof, and burnt it with fire. From thence he marched

and took Kasban, and Magath, and Bosor, and the rest of the cities

of Galat. But after this Timotheus gathered another army, and camped over

against Raphon, beyond the torrent. And Judas sent men to view the army, and they brought him

word, saying, All the nations that are round about us are assembled unto him,

an army exceeding great. And they have hired the Arabians to help them, and they have pitched

their tents beyond the torrent, ready to come to fight against thee. And Judas went

to meet them. And Timotheus said to the captains of his army, When Judas and his army

come near the torrent of water, if he pass over unto us first, we shall not be able

to withstand him, for he will certainly prevail over us. But if he be afraid to pass over,

and camp on the other side of the river, we will pass over to them, and shall prevail

against him. Now when Judas came near the torrent of water, he set the scribes

of the people by the torrent, and commanded them, saying, Suffer no man

to stay behind, but let all come to the battle. And he passed over to them first,

and all the people after him, and all the heathens were discomfited before them,

and they threw away their weapons, and fled to the temple that was in Carnaim. And he took that city,

and the temple he burnt with fire, with all things that were therein, and Carnaim was subdued,

and could not stand against the face of Judas. And Judas gathered together all the Israelites

that were in the land of Galad, from the least even to the greatest, and their wives

and children, and an army exceeding great, to come into the land of Judah.

And they came as far as Ephron. Now this was a great city, situate in the way, strongly fortified,

and there was no means to turn from it on the right hand or on the left, but the way was

through the midst of it. And they that were in the city shut themselves in, and stopped up

the gates with stones, and Judas sent to them with peaceable words, saying, Let us pass through

your land, to go into our own country, and no man shall hurt you.

We will only pass through on foot. But they would not open to them. Then Judas commanded

proclamation to be made in the camp, that they should make an assault, every man in the place

where he was. And the men of the army drew near, and he assaulted that city all the day,

and all the night, and the city was delivered into his hands. And they slew every male with the edge of the sword,

and he raised the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through all the city over them that were slain.

Then they passed over the Jordan to the great plain that is over against Bethsaan.

And Judas gathered together the hindmost, and he exhorted the people all the way through till they came

into the land of Judah. And they went up to Mount Sin with joy and gladness, and offered holocausts,

because not one of them was slain, till they had returned in peace. Now,

in the days that Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Galad, and Simon his brother in Galilee

before Ptolemaeus, Joseph the son of Zacharias and Azarias, captain of the soldiers, heard of the good success

in the battles that were fought. And he said, Let us also get us a name, and let us go fight

against the Gentiles that are round about us. And he gave charge to them that were in his army, and they went towards Jamnia,

and Gorgias and his men went out of the city to give them battle. And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight,

and were pursued unto the borders of Judea, and there fell on that day of the people of Israel about two thousand men,

and there was a great overthrow of the people, because they did not hearken to Judas and his brethren, thinking that they should

do manfully. But they were not of the seed of those men by whom salvation was brought to Israel.

And the men of Judah were magnified exceedingly, in the sight of all Israel, and of all the nations where their name was heard.

And the people assembled to them with joyful acclamations. Then Judas and his brethren went forth and attacked the children of Esau,

and the land towards the south. And he took Hebron and her towns, and he burnt the walls thereof, and the towers all round it. And he removed his camp

to go into the land of the aliens, and he went through Samaria. In that day, some priests fell in battle, while desiring to do manfully,

they went out unadvisedly to fight. And Judas turned to Azotus, into the land of the strangers, and he threw down their altars, and he burnt the statues

of their gods with fire. And he took the spoils of the cities, and returned into the land of Judah. End of chapter 5

and he took the