1 maccabees 6-8

 

Chapter 6

1	Now king Antiochus was going through the higher countries, and he heard that the city of Elymais in Persia was greatly renowned, and abounding in silver and gold.
2	And that there was in it a temple, exceeding rich: and coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields which king Alexander, son of Philip the Macedonian that reigned first in Greece, had left there.
3	Lo, he came, and sought to take the city and to pillage it: But he was not able, because the design was known to them that were in the city.
4	And they rose up against him in battle, and he fled away from thence, and departed with great sadness, and returned towards Babylonia.
5	And whilst he was in Persia, there came one that told him, how the armies that were in the land of Juda were put to flight:
6	And that Lysias went with a very great power, and was put to flight before the face of the Jews, and that thy were grown strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten out of the camps which they had destroyed:
7	And that they had thrown down the abomination which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls as before, and Bethsura also his city.
8	And it came to pass when the king heard these words, that he was struck with fear, and exceedingly moved: and he laid himself down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not fallen out to him as he imagined.
9	And he remained there many days: for great grief came more and more and more upon him, and he made account that he should die.
10	And he called for all his friends, and said to them: Sleep is gone from my eyes, and I am fallen away, and my heart is cast down for anxiety.
11	And I said in my heart: Into how much tribulation am I come, and into what floods of sorrow, wherein now I am: I that was pleasant and beloved in my power!
12	But now I remember the evils that I have done in Jerusalem, from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver that were in it, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without cause.
13	I know therefore that for this cause these evils have found me: and behold I perish with great grief in a strange land.
14	Then he called Philip, one of his friends, and he made him regent over all his kingdom.
15	And he gave him the crown, and his robe, and his ring, that he should go to Antiochus his son, and should bring him up for the kingdom.
16	So king Antiochus died there in the year one hundred and forty-nine.
17	And Lysias understood that the king was dead, and he set up Antiochus his son to reign, whom he brought up young: and he called his name Eupator.
18	Now they that were in the castle, had shut up the Israelites round about the holy places: and they were continually seeking their hurt, and to strengthen the Gentiles.
19	And Judas purposed to destroy them: and he called together all the people, to besiege them.
20	And they came together, and besieged them in the year one hundred and fifty, and they made battering slings and engines.
21	And some of the besieged got out: and some wicked men of Israel joined themselves unto them.
22	And they went to the king, and said: How long dost thou delay to execute the judgment, and to revenge our brethren?
23	We determined to serve thy father and to do according to his orders, and obey his edicts:
24	And for this they of our nation are alienated from us, and have slain as many of us as they could find, and have spoiled our inheritances.
25	Neither have they put forth their hand against us only, but also against all our borders.
26	And behold they have approached this day to the castle of Jerusalem to take it, and they have fortified the stronghold of Bethsura:
27	And unless thou speedily prevent them, they will do greater things than these, and thou shalt not be able to subdue them.
28	Now when the king heard this, he was angry: and he called together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and them that were over the horsemen.
29	There came also to him from other realms, and from the islands of the sea hired troops.
30	And the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants, trained to battle.
31	And they went through Idumea, and approached to Bethsura, and fought many days, and they made engines: but they sallied forth and burnt them with fire, and fought manfully.
32	And Judas departed from the castle, and removed the camp to Bethzacharam, over against the king's camp.
33	And the king rose before it was light, and made his troops march on fiercely towards the way of Bethzacharam: and the armies made themselves ready for the battle, and they sounded the trumpets:
34	And they shewed the elephants the blood of grapes, and mulberries to provoke them to fight.
35	And they distributed the beasts by the legions: and there stood by every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads: and five hundred horsemen set in order were chosen for every beast.
36	These before the time wheresoever the beast was, the were there: and withersoever it went, they went, and they departed not from it.
37	And upon the beast, there were strong wooden towers, which covered every one of them: and engines upon them: and upon every one thirty-two valiant men, who fought from above; and an Indian to rule the beast.
38	And the rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that side at the two wings, with trumpets to stir up the army, and to hasten them forward that stood thick together in the legions thereof.
39	Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold, and of brass, the mountains glittered therewith, and they shone like lamps of fire.
40	And part of the king's army was distinguished by the high mountains, and the other part by the low places: and they marched on warily and orderly.
41	And all the inhabitants of the land were moved at the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the armour, for the army was exceeding great and strong.
42	And Judas and his army drew near for battle: and there fell of the king's army six hundred men.
43	And Eleazar the son of Saura saw one of the beasts harnessed with the king's harness: and it was higher than the other beasts: and it seemed to him that the king was on it:
44	And he exposed himself to deliver his people and to get himself an everlasting name.
45	And he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on the right hand, and on the left, and they fell by him on this side and that side.
46	And he went between the feet of the elephant, and put himself under it: and slew it, and it fell to the ground upon him, and he died there.
47	Then they seeing the strength of the king and the fierceness of his army, turned away from them.
48	But the king's army went up against them to Jerusalem: and the king's army pitched their tents against Judea and mount Sion.
49	And he made peace with them that were in Bethsura: and they came forth out of the city, because they had no victuals, being shut up there, for it was the year of rest to the land.
50	And the king took Bethsura: and he placed there a garrison to keep it.
51	And he turned his army against the sanctuary for many days: and he set up there battering slings, and engines and instruments to cast fire, and engines to cast stones and javelins, and pieces to shoot arrows, and slings.
52	And they also made engines against their engines, and they fought for many days.
53	But there were no victuals in the city, because it was the seventh year: and such as had stayed in Judea of them that came from among the nations, had eaten the residue of all that which had been stored up.
54	And there remained in the holy places but a few, for the famine had prevailed over them: and they were dispersed every man to his own place.
55	Now Lysias heard that Philip, whom king Antiochus while he lived had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, and to reign, to be king,
56	Was returned from Persia, and Media, with the army that went with him, and that he sought to take upon him the affairs of the kingdom:
57	Wherefore he made haste to go, and say to the king and to the captains of the army: We decay daily, and our provision of victuals is small, and the place that we lay siege to is strong, and it lieth upon us to take order for the affairs of the kingdom.
58	Now therefore let us come to an agreement with these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation.
59	And let us covenant with them, that they may live according to their own laws as before. For because of our despising their laws, they have been provoked, and have done all these things.
60	And the proposal was acceptable in the sight of the king, and of the princes: and he sent to them to make peace: and they accepted of it.
61	And the king and the princes swore to them: and they came out of the stronghold.
62	Then the king entered into mount Sion, and saw the strength of the place: and he quickly broke the oath that he had taken, and gave commandment to throw down the wall round about.
63	And he departed in haste, and returned to Antioch, where he found Philip master of the city: and he fought against him, and took the city.

Chapter 7

1	In the hundred and fifty-first year Demetrius the son of Seleucus departed from the city of Rome, and came up with a few men into a city of the sea coast, and reigned there.
2	And it came to pass, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army seized upon Antiochus, and Lysias, to bring them unto him.
3	And when he knew it, he said: Let me not see their face.
4	So the army slew them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom:
5	And there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel: And Alcimus was at the head of them, who desired to be made high priest.
6	And they accused the people to the king, saying: Judas and his brethren have destroyed all thy friends, and he hath driven us out of our land.
7	Now therefore send some man whom thou trustest, and let him go, and see all the havock he hath made amongst us, and in the king's lands: and let him punish all his friends and their helpers.
8	Then the king chose Bacchides, one of his friends that ruled beyond the great river in the kingdom, and was faithful to the king: and he sent him,
9	To see the havock that Judas had made: and the wicked Alcimus he made high priest, and commanded him to take revenge upon the children of Israel.
10	And they arose, and came with a great army into the land of Juda: and they sent messengers, and spoke to Judas and his brethren with peaceable words deceitfully.
11	But they gave no heed to their words: for they saw that they were come with a great army.
12	Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of the scribes to require things that are just:
13	And first the Assideans that were among the children of Israel, and they sought peace of them.
14	For they said: One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come, he will not deceive us.
15	And he spoke to them peaceably: and he swore to them, saying: We will do you no harm nor your friends.
16	And they believed him. And he took threescore of them, and slew them in one day, according to the word that is written:
17	The flesh of thy saints, and the blood of them they have shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.
18	Then fear and trembling fell upon all the people: for they said: There is no truth, nor justice among them: for they have broken the covenant, and the oath which they made.
19	And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in Bethzecha: and he sent, and took many of them that were fled away from him, and some of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pit.
20	Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him troops to help him. So Bacchides went away to the king:
21	But Alcimus did what he could to maintain his chief priesthood.
22	And they that disturbed the people resorted to him, and they got the land of Juda into their power, and did much hurt in Israel.
23	And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and they that were with him, did to the children of Israel, much more than the Gentiles.
24	And he went out into all the coasts of Juda round about, and took vengeance upon the men that had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country.
25	And Alcimus saw that Judas, and they that were with him prevailed: and he knew that he could not stand against them, and he went back to the king, and accused them of many crimes.
26	And the king sent Nicanor one of his principal lords, who was a great enemy to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people.
27	And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to Judas and to his brethren deceitfully with friendly words,
28	Saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you: I will come with a few men to see your faces with peace.
29	And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably: and the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force.
30	And the thing was known to Judas that he was come to him with deceit: and he was much afraid of him, and would not see his face any more.
31	And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out to fight against Judas near Capharsalama.
32	And there fell of Nicanor's army almost five thousand men, and they fled into the city of David.
33	And after this Nicanor went up into mount Sion: and some of the priests and the people came out to salute him peaceably, and to shew him the holocausts that were offered for the king.
34	But he mocked them and despised them, and abused them: and he spoke proudly,
35	And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army be delivered into my hands, as soon as ever I return in peace, I will burn this house. And he went out in a great rage.
36	And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar and the temple: and weeping, they said:
37	Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house for thy name to be called upon therein, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people.
38	Be avenged of this man, and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue any longer.
39	Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and encamped near to Bethoron: and an army of Syria joined him.
40	But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed, and said:
41	O Lord, when they that were sent by king Sennacherib blasphemed thee, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five thousand:
42	Even so destroy this army in our sight to day, and let the rest know that he hath spoken ill against thy sanctuary: and judge thou him according to his wickedness.
43	And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first slain in the battle.
44	And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain, they threw away their weapons, and fled:
45	And they pursued after them one day's journey from Adazer, even till ye come to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals.
46	And they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and they pushed them with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they were all slain with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as one.
47	And they took the spoils of them for a booty, and they cut off Nicanor's head, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched out, and they brought it, and hung it up over against Jerusalem.
48	And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day with great joy.
49	And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the thirteenth of the month of Adar.
50	And the land of Juda was quiet for a short time.

Chapter 8

1	Now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and willingly agree to all things that are requested of them: and that whosoever have come to them, they have made amity with them, and that they are mighty in power.
2	And they heard of their battles, and their noble acts, which they had done in Galatia, how they conquered them, and brought them under tribute:
3	And how great things they had done in the land of Spain, and that they had brought under their power the mines of silver and of gold that are there, and had gotten possession of all the place by their counsel and patience:
4	And had conquered places that were very far off from them, and kings that came against them from the ends of the earth, and had overthrown them with great slaughter: and the rest pay them tribute every year.
5	And that they had defeated in battle Philip, and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne arms against them, and had conquered them:
6	And how Antiochus the great king of Asia, who went to fight against them, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and chariots, and a very great army, was routed by them:
7	And how they took him alive, and appointed to him, that both he and they that should reign after him, should pay a great tribute, and that he should give hostages, and that which was agreed upon,
8	And the country of the Indians, and of the Medes, and of the Lydians, some of their best provinces: and those which they had taken from them they gave to king Eumenes.
9	And that they who were in Greece had a mind to go and to destroy them: and they had knowledge thereof,
10	And they sent a general against them, and fought with them, and many of them were slain, and they carried away their wives and their children captives, and spoiled them, and took possession of their land, and threw down their walls, and brought them to be their servants unto this day.
11	And the other kingdoms, and islands, that at any time had resisted them, they had destroyed and brought under their power.
12	But with their friends, and such as relied upon them, they kept amity, and had conquered kingdoms that were near, and that were far off: for all that heard their name, were afraid of them.
13	That whom they had a mind to help to a kingdom, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from a kingdom: and they were greatly exalted.
14	And none of all these wore a crown, or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby.
15	And that they made themselves a senate house, and consulted daily three hundred and twenty men, that sat in council always for the people, that they might do the things that were right.
16	And that they committed their government to one man every year, to rule over all their country, and they all obey one, and there is no envy, nor jealousy amongst them.
17	So Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Jacob, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make a league of amity and confederacy with them.
18	And that they might take off from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.
19	And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said:
20	Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews have sent us to you, to make alliance and peace with you, and that we may be registered your confederates and friends.
21	And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.
22	And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again, graven in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace and alliance.
23	GOOD SUCCESS BE TO THE ROMANS, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: and far be the sword and enemy from them.
24	But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions:
25	The nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct, with all their heart:
26	Neither shall they give them, whilst they are fighting, or furnish them with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall obey their orders, without taking any thing of them.
27	In like manner also if war shall come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the time shall permit them.
28	And there shall not be given to them that come to their aid, either wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall observe their orders without deceit.
29	According to these articles did the Romans covenant with the people of the Jews.
30	And if after this one party or the other shall have a mind to add to these articles, or take away anything, they may do it at their pleasure: and whatsoever they shall add, or take away, shall be ratified.
31	Moreover concerning the evils that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we have written to him, saying: Why hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends, and allies, the Jews?
32	If therefore they come again to us complaining of thee, we will do them justice, and will make war against thee by sea and land.