1 After that Alexander king of Macedonia sonne of Phillip went forth of the lande of Cethim, and slew Darius king of the Persians and Medes, and raigned for him as he had done before in Grecia:
2 It happened that he toke great warres in hand, wanne very many strong cities, and slue many kinges of the earth,
3 Going through to the endes of the worlde, and getting many spoyles of the people, insomuch that the whole worlde stoode in awe of him, and therfore was he proude in his heart.
4 Now when he had gathered a mightie strong hoast,
5 And subdued the landes and people with their princes, so that they became tributaries vnto him,
6 Then he fell sicke, and when he perceaued that he must needes dye,
7 He called for his noble estates, which had ben brought vp with him of childre, and parted his kingdome among them while he was yet aliue.
8 So Alexander raigned twelue yeres, and then dyed.
9 After his death fell the kingdome vnto his princes, and they obtayned it euery one in his roome,
10 And caused them selues to be crowned as kinges: and so did their children after them many yeres, and much wickednes increased in the worlde.
11 Out of these came the vngratious roote noble Antiochus, the sonne of Antiochus the king, which had ben a pledge at Rome: and he raigned in the hundred thirtie and seuen yere of the empire of the Grekes.
12 In those dayes went there out of Israel wicked men, which moued much people with their counsel, saying, Let vs go and make a couenaunt with the heathen that are rounde about vs: for since we departed from them, we haue had much sorowe.
13 So this deuice pleased them well,
14 And certaine of the people toke vpon them for to go vnto the king, which gaue them licence to do after the ordinaunce of the heathen.
15 Then set they vp an open schoole at Hierusalem of the lawes of the Heathen:
16 And made themselues vncircumsized, but forsooke the holy testament, and ioyned them selues to the heathen, and were cleane soulde to do mischiefe.
17 So when Antiochus began to be mightie in his kingdome, he went about to obtayne the lande of Egypt also, that he might haue the dominion of two realmes.
18 Upon this entred he into Egypt with a strong hoast, with charets, Elephants, horsemen, and a great number of ships,
19 And began to warre against Ptolome the king of Egypt: But Ptolome was afrayde of him, and fled, and many of his people were wounded to death.
20 Thus Antiochus wanne many strong cities, and toke away great good out of the lande of Egypt.
21 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he turned againe in the hundred fourtie and three yere, and went toward Israel,
22 And came vp to Hierusalem with a mightie people,
23 And entred proudely into the sanctuarie, and toke away the golden alter, the candelsticke, and al the ornaments therof, the table of the shewbread, the pouring vessels, the chargers, the golden spoones, the vayle, the crownes, & golden apparell of the temple, and brake downe all in peeces.
24 He toke also the siluer and golde, the precious iewels, and the secret treasures that he founde.
25 And when he had taken away altogether, caused a great murther of men, and spoken very proudly, the departed ino his owne lande.
26 Therefore there was great lamentation throughout all Israel.
27 The princes and the elders of the people mourned, the young men and the maydens were defiled, and the faire beautie of women was chaunged:
28 The bridegrome and the bryde toke them to mourning,
29 The lande and those that dwelt therein was moued: for all the house of Iacob was brought to confusion.
30 After two yeres the king sent his chiefe treasurer vnto the cities of Iuda, which came to Hierusalem with a great multitude of people,
31 Speaking peaceable wordes vnto the, but all was deceite: for when they had geuen him credence,
32 He fell sodenly vpon the citie, & smote it sore, & destroyed much people of Israel:
33 And when he had spoyled the citie, he set fire on it, casting downe houses and walles on euery side.
34 The women and their children toke they captiue, and led away their cattell.
35 Then builded they the citie of Dauid with a great and thicke wall, and with mightie towres, and made it a strong holde for them.
36 Beside all this, they set wicked people and vngodlie men to kepe it,
37 Stored it with weapons and vitailes, gathered the goodes of Hierusalem, and layed them vp there: Thus became it a theenishe castel.
38 Thus they became a heauy burthen, laying wayte for the people that went into the sanctuary, and for the cruell destruction of Israel.
39 Thus they shed innocent blood on euery side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:
40 Insomuch that the citezins were faine to depart, and the citie became an habitation of straungers, being desolate of her owne seede: for her owne natiues were faine to leaue her.
41 Her sanctuary was cleane wasted, her holy dayes were turned into mourning, her Sabbathes were had in derision, & her honour brought to naught.
42 Loke how great her glory was before, so great was her confusion, and her ioye turned into sorowe.
43 Antiochus also the king sent out a commission vnto all his kingdome, that all the people should be one.
44 Then they left euery man his lawe, and al the heathen agreed to the commaundement of king Antiochus:
45 Yea, many of the Israelites consented therevnto, offering vnto idols, and defiling the Sabbath.
46 So the king Antiochus sent his messegers with his commission vnto Hierusalem, and to all the cities of Iuda, that they should folow the lawes of the heathen:
47 And forbad either burnt offering, meate offering, or peace offering to be made in the temple of God, & that there should no Sabbath nor hie feast day be kept:
48 But commaunded that the sanctuary and the holy people of Israel should be defiled:
49 He commaunded also, that there should be set vp other aulters, temples, & idols, to offer vp swines flesh, and other vncleane beastes,
50 That men should leaue their children vncircumcized, to defile their soules with all maner of vncleannesse and abhominations:
51 That they might so forget the lawe, and chaunge all the holy ordinaunces of God,
52 And that whosoeuer would not do according to the commaundement of king Antiochus, should suffer death.
53 In lyke maner comaunded he throughout all his realme, and set rulers ouer the people, for to compell them to do these thinges:
54 Commaunding al the cities of Iuda to do sacrifice vnto idols.
55 Then went the people vnto the heathen by heapes, forsooke the law of the Lorde, and committed much euil in the lande:
56 And the droue the Israelites into secrete places, euen where so euer they coulde flee for succour.
57 The fifteenth day of the moneth Casleu, in the hundred threescore and fifth yere, set king Antiochus an abhominable idoll of desolation vpon the aulter of God, and they builded aulters throughout all the cities of Iuda on euery side,
58 Before the doores of the houses, and in the streates, where they brent incense and did sacrifice.
59 And as for the bookes of the lawe of God, they brent them in the fire, and rent them in peeces.
60 Whatsoeuer he was that had a booke of the testament of the Lorde founde by him, yea whosoeuer endeuoured him selfe to kepe the lawe of the Lorde, the kinges comaundement was, that they should put him to death.
61 And through his aucthoritie they executed these thinges euery moneth, vpon the people of Israel that were founde in the cities.
62 The twentie and fifth day of the moneth, what time as they did sacrifice vpon the aulter, which stoode in the steade of the aulter of the Lorde:
63 According to the commaundement of king Antiochus they put certaine women to death, which had caused their children to be circumcized:
64 Not onely that, but they hanged vp the childre by the neckes throughout al their houses, and slue the circumcizers of the.
65 Yet were there many of the people of Israel, which determined in the selues that they woulde not eate vncleane thinges: but chose rather to suffer death, then to be defiled with vncleane meates:
66 So because they would not breake the blessed lawe of God, they were cruelly slaine.
67 And this great tiranny encreased very sore vpon the people of Israel.
1 In those dayes there did stand vp one Mathathias the sonne of Iohn, the sonne of Simeon the priest, out of the kinred of Ioarib, from Hierusalem, and dwelt vpon the mount of Modin,
2 And had fiue sonnes: Iohn, called Gaddis,
3 Simon called Thasi,
4 Iudas, otherwyse called Machabeus,
5 Eleazer, otherwyse called Abaron, and Ionatha whose sirname was Apphus.
6 These sawe the euill that was done among the people of Iuda and Hierusalem.
7 And Mathathias sayd: Wo is me, alas that euer I was borne, to see this miserie of my people, & the piteous destruction of the holy citie, and thus to sit so still, it beyng deliuered into the handes of the enemies.
8 Her sanctuarie is come into the power of straungers, her temple is as it were a man that hath lost his good name:
9 Her pretious ornamentes are caried away captiue, her olde men are slayne in the streetes, and her young men are fallen thorowe the sworde of the enemies.
10 What people is it that hath not some possession in her kingdome: or who hath not gotten some of her spoyles?
11 All her glorie is taken away, she was a free woman, and nowe she is become an handemayde.
12 Behold our sanctuarie, our beautie and honour is wasted away and defiled by the gentiles.
13 What helpeth it vs then to liue?
14 And Mathathias rent his clothes, he and his sonnes, and put sackecloth vpon them, and mourned very sore.
15 Then came the men thyther whiche were sent of king Antiochus, to compell such as were fled into the citie of Modin, for to do sacrifice, & to burne incense vnto idoles, and to forsake the lawe of God.
16 So many of the people of Israel consented and enclined vnto them: but Mathathias and his sonnes remayned stedfast.
17 Then spake the commissioners of king Antiochus, and sayd vnto Mathathias: Thou art a noble man, of hye reputation, and great in this citie, hauing many fayre children and brethren:
18 Come thou therfore first and fulfill the kinges commaundement, like as all the heathen haue done, yea and the men of Iuda, and such as remayne at Hierusalem: so shalt thou and thy children be in the kinges fauour, and enriched with golde, siluer, and great rewardes.
19 Mathathias aunswered, & spake with a loude voyce: Though all nations obey the king Antiochus, and fall away euery man from keping the law of their fathers, though they consent to his commaundementes:
20 Yet will I and my sonnes and my brethren not fall from the lawes of our fathers.
21 God forbid we shoulde: that were not good for vs that we shoulde forsake the lawe and ordinaunces of God, and to agree vnto the commaundement of king Antiochus.
22 Therfore we will do no such sacrifice, neither breake the statutes of our lawe, to go another way.
23 And when he had spoken these wordes, there came one of the Iewes, whiche openly in the sight of all, did sacrifice vnto the idoles vpon the aulter in the citie of Modin according to the kinges commaundement.
24 When Mathathias sawe this, it greeued hym at the heart, so that his reynes shoke withall, and his wrath kindled for very zeale of the law: With that he start vp, and killed the Iewe beside the aulter:
25 Yea and slue the kinges commissioner that compelled hym to do sacrifice, & destroyed the aulter at the same time:
26 Such a zeale had he vnto the lawe of God, like as Phinehes dyd vnto Zambri the sonne of Salomi.
27 And Mathathias cryed with a loude voyce thorow the citie, saying: Who so is feruent in the law, and will kepe the couenaunt, let him folowe me.
28 So he and his sonnes fled into the mountaynes, and left all that euer they had in the citie.
29 Many other godly men also which lyued iustly and vprightly departed into the wildernesse, with their children, their wiues, and their cattell, and remayned there: for the tiranny increased sore vpon them.
30 Now when the kinges seruauntes, and the hoast whiche was at Hierusalem in the citie of Dauid, hearde that certayne men had broken the kinges commaundement, and were gone their way to the wildernesse into secrete places:
31 Then many pursued after them, and after they had ouertaken them, they camped them selues, and set the battel in aray against them in the Sabbath day,
32 And sayd vnto them: Will ye yet rebell? Get you hence, and do the commaundement of king Antiochus, and ye shall lyue.
33 They aunswered: We will not go [for thee,] neither will we do the kinges commaundemet, to defile the Sabbath day.
34 Then began they to fight against them:
35 But the other gaue them none other aunswere, neither cast they one stone at them, nor made fast their priuie places:
36 But sayde, We will dye all in our innocencie, heauen & earth shall testifie with vs that ye put vs to death wrongfully.
37 Thus they fought against them vpon the Sabbath, and slue both men & cattayle, their wyues and their children, to the number of a thousande people.
38 When Mathathias and his friendes heard this, they mourned for them right sore,
39 And sayde one to another: If so be that we al do as our brethren haue done, and fight not for our lyues and for our lawes against the heathen, then shall they the sooner roote vs out of the earth.
40 So they concluded among them selues at the same time, saying:
41 Whatsoeuer he be that commeth to make battayle with vs vpon the Sabbath day, we will fight against him, and not dye all as our brethren that were murthered in the wildernesse.
42 Upon this came the assemblie of the Assideans vnto them, whiche were of the strongest men in Israel, and all such as were feruent in the lawe:
43 And al they that were fled for persecution, came to helpe them, and to stand by them:
44 Insomuch that they gathered an hoast of men, and slue the wicked doers in their gelousie, and the vngodly men in their wrath: but the rest fled vnto the heathen, and escaped.
45 Then Mathathias and his friendes went about, and destroyed the aulters,
46 And circumcised the children that had not yet receaued circumcision, as many as they found within the coastes of Israel:
47 And folowed mightily vpon the proud men: and this acte prospered in their handes,
48 Insomuch that they kept the lawe against the power of the gentiles and the kinges, and gaue not ouer their dominion vnto wicked doers.
49 After this, when the time drewe on fast that Mathathias shoulde dye, he sayde vnto his sonne: Now is pryde and persecution increased, nowe is the time of destruction & wrathfull displeasure:
50 Wherefore O my sonnes, be ye feruent in the lawe, and ieoparde your liues for the testament of the fathers.
51 Call to remembraunce what actes our fathers dyd in their time, so shall ye receaue great honour and an euerlasting name.
52 Remember Abraham: was not he founde faythful in temptation, & it was reckened vnto him for righteousnesse?
53 Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the commaundement, & was made a Lorde of Egypt.
54 Phinehes our father was so feruent for the honour of God, that he obtayned the couenaunt of an euerlasting priesthood.
55 Iosuah for fufilling the word of God, was made the captayne of Israel.
56 Caleb bare recorde before the congregation, and receaued an heritage.
57 Dauid also in his mercifull kindnesse, obtayned the throne of an euerlasting kingdome.
58 Elias being ielous and feruent in the law, was taken vp into heauen.
59 Ananias, Azarias, and Misael remayned stedfast in faith, and were deliuered out of the fire.
60 In like maner Daniel beyng vngiltie, was saued from the mouth of the lions.
61 And thus ye may consider throughout all ages sence the worlde began, that whosouer put their trust in God, were not ouercome.
62 Feare not ye then the wordes of an vngodly man, for his glorie is but doung and wormes:
63 To day is he set vp, and to morowe is he gone: for he is turned into earth, and his memoriall is come to naught.
64 Wherefore O my sonnes, take good heartes vnto you, and quyte your selues like men in the lawe: for if ye do the thinges that are commaunded you in the lawe of the Lorde your God, ye shall obtayne great honour therin.
65 And beholde, I knowe that your brother Simon is a man of wysdome: see that ye geue eare vnto him alway, he shalbe a father vnto you.
66 As for Iudas Machabeus, he hath euer ben mightie and strong from his youth vp: let him be your captayne, and order the battayle of the people.
67 Thus shall ye bring vnto you all those that fauour the lawe, and see that ye auenge the wrong of your people,
68 And recompence the heathen againe, & applie your selues wholly to the commaundement of the lawe.
69 So he gaue them his blessing, and was layed by his fathers:
70 And died in the hundred fourtie and sixe yere at Modin, where his sonnes buried him in his fathers sepulchre, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.
1 Then stoode vp Iudas Machabeus in his fathers steade,
2 And all his brethren helped hym, and so dyd all they that helde with his father, and fought with cherefulnesse for Israel.
3 So Iudas gate his people great honour: He put on a brest plate as a giaunt, and arayed him selfe with his harnesse, and defended the hoast with his sword.
4 In his actes he was like a lion, and as a lions whelpe roring at his pray.
5 He was an enemie to the wicked, and hunted them out, and brent vp those that vexed his people:
6 So that his enemies fled for feare of hym, and all the workers of vngodlinesse were put to trouble: such lucke and prosperitie was in his hande.
7 This greeued diuers kinges: but Iacob was greatly reioyced thorow his actes, and he gate hym selfe a great name for euer.
8 He went thorow the cities of Iuda, destroying the vngodly out of them, turning away the wrath from Israel,
9 And receauing such as were oppressed: and the fame of him went vnto the vttermost part of the earth.
10 Then Apollonius [a prince of Syria] gathered a mightie great hoast of the heathen, & out of Samaria, to fight against Israel:
11 Whiche when Iudas perceaued, he went foorth to meete him, fought with him, slue him, & a great multitude with hym: the remnaunt fled, and he toke their substaunce.
12 Iudas also toke Apollonius owne sworde, and fought with it all his lyfe long.
13 Nowe when Seron a prince of the armie of Syria, heard say that Iudas had gathered vnto hym the congregation and church of the faythfull,
14 He sayde: I will get me a name and a prayse thorowout the realme: for I wil go fight with Iudas and them that are with hym, as many as haue despised the kinges commaundement.
15 So he made him redy, and there went with hym a great mightie hoast of the vngodly, to stand by him, and to be auenged of the children of Israel.
16 And when they came nye vnto Bethoron, Iudas went foorth against them with a small companie.
17 And when his people sawe such a great hoast before them, they sayde vnto Iudas: Howe are we able, beyng so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seyng we be so weery, and haue fasted all this day?
18 But Iudas sayde, It is a small matter for many to be ouercome with fewe: yea there is no difference to the God of heauen, to deliuer by a great multitude, or by a small companie:
19 For the victorie of the battell standeth not in the multitude of the hoast, but the strength commeth from heauen.
20 Beholde, they come against vs with a cruell and proude multitude, to destroy vs, our wyues, and our children, and to robbe vs:
21 But we will fight for our lyues, and for our lawes,
22 And the Lorde hym selfe shall destroy them before our face: therefore be not ye afrayde of them.
23 Assoone as he had spoken these wordes, he leapt sodenly vpon them: Thus was Seron smitten, & his hoast put to flight,
24 And Iudas folowed vpon them beyonde Bethoron, vnto the playne fielde, where there were slaine eyght hundreth men of them, and the residue fledde into the lande of the Philistines.
25 Then all the heathen on euery side were afrayde of Iudas & his brethren:
26 So that the rumour of him came vnto the kinges eares, for all the gentiles coulde tell of the warres of Iudas.
27 So when king Antiochus heard these tidinges, he was angry in his mynde: wherfore he sent foorth, and gathered an hoast of his whole realme, very strong armies:
28 And opened his treasurie, and gaue his hoast a yeres wages in hande, commaunding them to be redy at all times.
29 Neuerthelesse, when he saw that there was not money enough in his treasuries, and that thorow the discorde and persecution which he made in the lande to put downe the lawes that had ben of olde times, his customes and tributes of the lande were minished:
30 He feared that he was not able for to beare the coastes and charges any lenger, nor to haue such giftes to geue so liberally as he dyd afore, more then the kinges that were before him.
31 Wherfore he was heauy in his minde, and thought to go into Persides for to take tributes of the lande, and so to gather much money.
32 So he left Lysias a noble man of the kinges blood to ouersee the kinges businesse, from the water Euphrates vnto the borders of Egypt:
33 And to kepe well his sonne Antiochus, till he came againe.
34 Moreouer, he gaue hym halfe of his hoast, and Elephantes, and committed vnto him euery thing, and gaue him the charge of all thinges that he woulde haue done, concerning those whiche dwelt in Iuda and Hierusalem:
35 That he shoulde sende out an armie against them, to destroy and to roote out the power of Israel and the remnaunt of Hierusalem, to put out their memoriall from that place,
36 To set straungers for to inhabite all their quarters, and to part their land among them.
37 Thus the king toke the other part of the hoast, and departed from Antioche a citie of his realme, ouer the water Euphrates, in the hundreth & fourtie and seuen yere, and went thorowe the hye countreys.
38 And Lysias those vnto hym Ptolomi the sonne of Dorymimus, Nicanor and Gorgias, mightie men, and the kinges friendes.
39 These he sent with fourtie thousande footemen, and seuen thousande horsemen, for to go into the land of Iuda, and to destroy it, as the king commaunded.
40 So they went foorth with all their power, and came to Emmaus into the playne fielde.
41 When the marchauntes of the countrey hearde the rumour of them, they & their seruauntes toke very much siluer & gold for to bye the children of Israel to be their bondemen: There came vnto them also yet mo men of warre on euery syde, out of Syria, and from the Palestines.
42 Now when Iudas and his brethren saw that trouble increased, and that the hoast drew nye vnto their borders, considering the kinges wordes whiche he commaunded vnto the people [namely] that they shoulde vtterly waste and destroy them:
43 They sayde one to another, Let vs redresse the decay of our people, let vs fight for our folke & for our sanctuarie.
44 Then the congregation were soone redy gathered to fight, to pray and to make supplication vnto God for mercie and grace.
45 As for Hierusalem, it lay voyde, & was as it had ben a wildernesse: there went no man in nor out at it, and the sanctuarie was troden downe, the aliauntes kept the castle, there was the habitation of the heathen, the mirth of Iacob was taken away, the pype and the harpe was gone from among them.
46 The Israelites gathered them together, & came to Maspha before Hierusalem: for in Maspha was the place where they prayed aforetime in Israel.
47 So they fasted that day, and put sackeclothes vpon them, cast asshes vpon their heades, rent their clothes,
48 And layde foorth the bookes of the lawe, wherout the heathen sought to paynt the lykenesse of their images:
49 And brought the priestes ornamentes, the firstlinges, and the tithes: they set there also the Nazarites, which had accomplished their vowes before God:
50 And cryed with a loude voyce toward heauen, saying: What shall we do with these? and whyther shall we cary them away?
51 For thy sanctuarie is troden downe and defiled, the priestes are come to heauinesse and dishonour,
52 And beholde, the heathen are come together for to destroy vs: Thou knowest what thinges they imagine against vs.
53 Howe may we stande before them, except thou (O God) be our helpe?
54 Then they blewe out the trumpet also with a loude voyce.
55 Then Iudas ordeyned captaynes ouer the people, ouer thousandes, ouer hundredes, ouer fiftie, and ouer ten.
56 But as for such as builded them houses, maried wyues, planted them vineyardes, and those that were fearfull, he commaunded them euery man to go home againe, according to the lawe.
57 So the hoast remoued, and pitched vpon the south side of Emmaus.
58 And Iudas sayd: Arme your selues, be strong O my children, make you redy against to morowe in the morning, that ye may fight with these people, whiche are agreed together to destroy vs and our sanctuarie.
59 Better is it for vs to dye in battayle, then to see our people and our sanctuarie in such a miserable case.
60 Neuerthelesse, as thy will is O God in heauen, so be it.
1 Then toke Gorgias fiue thousand me of foote, and a thousand of the best horsmen, and remoued out of the campe by night,
2 To come nye where the Iewes hoast lay, & so to slay them sodenly: (Nowe the men that kept the castle, were the conueyers of them.)
3 Nowe when Iudas heard this, he remoued, and al the strong men that were with hym, to smyte the chiefe and principall of the kinges hoast at Emmaus:
4 For the army was not yet come together.
5 In the meane season came Gorgias by night into Iudas tentes, and when he founde no man there, he sought them in the mountaynes, and thought they had ben fled away because of him.
6 But when it was day, Iudas shewed hym selfe in the fielde with three thousande men only, which had neither harnesse, nor swordes to their mindes.
7 But on the other side, they saw that the heathen were mightie and well harnessed, and their horsemen about them, and all these well expert in feates of warre.
8 Then sayde Iudas to the men that were with him: Feare not ye the multitude of them, be not afrayde of their violent running.
9 Remember howe our fathers were deliuered in the red sea, when Pharao folowed vpon them with a great hoast.
10 Euen so let vs also crye nowe towarde heauen, and the Lord shall haue mercie vpon vs, and remember the couenaunt of our fathers, yea & destroy this hoast before our face this day:
11 And all the heathen shall knowe, that it is God him selfe which deliuereth and saueth Israel.
12 Then the heathen lift vp their eyes, and when they sawe that they were comming against them,
13 They went out of their tentes into the battayle, and they that were with Iudas blewe vp the trumpettes.
14 So they buckled together, and the heathen were discomfited, and fled ouer the playne fielde:
15 But the hinmost of them were slayne with the sword: For they folowed them vnto Assaremoth, and into the fieldes of Idumea toward Azot and Iamnia: so that there were slayne of them vpon a three thousande men.
16 So Iudas turned againe with his hoast,
17 And sayd vnto the people, Be not greedy of the spoyles, we haue yet a battayle to fight:
18 For Gorgias and his hoast are here by vs in the mountaynes, but stand ye fast against our enemies, & ouercome them, then may ye safely take the spoyles.
19 As Iudas was speaking these wordes, behold, there appeared one part of them vpon the mount.
20 But when Gorgias sawe that they of his partie were fled, and the tentes brent vp (for by the smoke they might vnderstande what was done) they perceauing this, were very sore afrayde:
21 And when they sawe also that Iudas and his hoast were in the fielde redy to stryke battayle,
22 They fled euery one into the lande of the heathen.
23 So Iudas turned againe to spoyle the tentes, where they gat much golde and siluer, precious stones, purple, and great riches.
24 Thus they went home, and song a Psalme of thankesgeuing, and praysed God in heauen, For he is gracious, and his mercie endureth for euer.
25 And so Israel had a great victorie in that day.
26 Now all the heathen that escaped, came and tolde Lysias euery thing that had happened:
27 Wherfore Lysias was sore afrayde and greeued in his minde, because Israel had not gotten such misfortune as he woulde they should, neither as the king commaunded.
28 The next yere folowing, gathered Lysias three score thousande chosen men of foote, and fyue thousande horsemen, to fight against Hierusalem.
29 So they came into Iurie, and pitched their tentes at Bethoron: where Iudas came against them with ten thousande men.
30 And when he sawe so great and mightie an hoast, he made his prayer, & sayde: Blessed be thou O sauiour of Israel, which diddest destroy ye violent power of the giaunt in the hande of thy seruaunt Dauid, & gauest the hoast of the heathen into the hand of Ionathan the sonne of Saul, & of his harnesse bearer:
31 Put this hoast now into the hand of thy people of Israel, & let them be confounded in their multitude and horsemen.
32 Make them afrayde, and discomfite the boldnesse of their strength, that they may be moued thorowe their destruction.
33 Cast them downe thorowe the sworde of thy louers, then shall all they that knowe thy name, prayse thee with thankesgeuing.
34 So they stroke the battell, and there were slayne of Lysias hoast fiue thousande men.
35 Then Lysias seyng the discomfyting of his men, and the manlinesse of the Iewes, howe they were redy either to lyue or to dye lyke men: he went vnto Antioch, and chose out men of warre, that when they were gathered together, they might come againe into Iurie.
36 Then sayde Iudas and his brethren: Behold, our enemies are discomfited, let vs nowe go vp to clense and to repayre the sanctuarie.
37 Vpon this, al the hoast gathered them together, and went vp into mount Sion.
38 Nowe when they sawe the sanctuarie layed wast, the aulter defiled, the doores brent vp, the shrubbes growing in the courtes, like as in a wood or vpon mountaynes, yea and that the priestes chambers were broken downe:
39 They rent their clothes, & made great lamentation, cast asshes vpon their heades,
40 Fell downe flat to the grounde vpon their faces, made a great noyse with the trumpettes, and cryed toward heauen.
41 Then Iudas appoynted certayne men to fight against those which were in the castle, till they had clensed the sanctuarie.
42 So he chose priestes that were vndefiled, such as had pleasure in the lawe of God:
43 And they clensed the sanctuarie, and bare out the defiled stones into an vncleane place.
44 And forsomuch as the aulter of burnt offeringes was vnhalowed, he toke aduisement what he might do withall:
45 So he thought it was best to destroy it, lest it shoulde happen to do them any shame, for the heathen had defiled it: and therfore they brake it downe.
46 As for the stones, they layed them vp vpon the mountayne by the house in a conuenient place, till there came a prophete to shewe what shoulde be done with them.
47 So they toke whole stones, according to the lawe, and buylded a newe aulter, such one as was before,
48 And made vp the sanctuarie within and without, & halowed the house and the courtes:
49 They made newe holy ornamentes, & brought the candlesticke, the aulter of incense, and the table into the temple.
50 The incense layed they vpon the aulter, & lighted the lampes whiche were vpon the candelsticke, that they might burne in the temple:
51 They set the shew bread vpon the table, and hanged vp the vayle, and finished all the workes which they had begun to make,
52 And vpon the twentie and fifth day of the nynth moneth (whiche is called the moneth of Casleu) in the hundred fourtie and eyght yere:
53 They rose vp betimes in the morning, for to do sacrifice according to the lawe vpon the newe burnt offring aulter that they had made.
54 After the time and season that the heathen had defiled it, and the same day was it set vp againe, with songues, pypes, harpes, and cymbales,
55 And all the people fel vpon their faces, worshipping and thanking the God of heauen, whiche had geuen them the victorie.
56 So they kept the dedication of the aulter eyght dayes, offring burnt sacrifices and thanke offeringes with gladnesse:
57 They deckt the forefrunt of the temple also with crownes and shieldes of gold, and halowed the portes and celles, and hanged doores vpon them.
58 Thus there was very great gladnesse among the people, because the blasphemie of the heathen was put away.
59 So Iudas and his brethren, with the whole congregation of Israel, ordeyned that the time of the dedication of the aulter shoulde be kept in his season from yere to yere, by the space of eyght dayes, from the twentie and fifth day of the moneth Casleu with myrth and gladnesse.
60 And at the same time buylded they vp the mount Sion, with hye walles and strong towres round about, lest the gentiles shoulde come and treade it downe, as they did afore.
61 Therfore Iudas set men of warre in it to kepe it, and made it strong for to defend Bethsura, that the people might haue a refuge against the Edomites.
1 It happened also, that when the heathen rounde about hearde howe that the aulter & the sanctuarie were set vp in their old estate, it displeased them very sore,
2 Wherfore they thought to destroy the generation of Iacob that was among them: in so much that they began to slay and to persecute certayne of the people.
3 Then Iudas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at Arabathane: for they dwelt rounde about the Israelites, where he slue and spoyled a great multitude of them.
4 He thought also vpon the malice and vnfaythfulnesse of the children of Bean, how they were a snare and stoppe vnto the people, and howe they layed wayte for them in the hye way:
5 Wherfore he shut them vp into towres, and came vnto them, besieged them, and destroyed them vtterly, & brent vp their towres, with all that were in them.
6 Afterward went he against the children of Ammon, whereof he founde a mightie power and a great multitude of people, with Timothi their captayne.
7 So he stroke many battayles with them, which were destroyed before hym.
8 And when he had slayne them, he wan Gazer the citie, with the townes belonging therto, and so turned againe into Iurie.
9 The heathen also in Galaad, gathered them together against the Israelites that were in their quarters, to slay them: but they fled to the castle of Dathemam,
10 And sent letters vnto Iudas and his brethren, saying: The heathen that are about vs are gathered against vs on euery side, to destroy vs.
11 And nowe they make them redy for to come and lay siege to the castel whervnto we are fled, and Timothi is captayne of their hoast:
12 Come therefore and deliuer vs out of their handes, for there is a great multitude of vs slayne alredy.
13 Yea and our brethren that were at Tubin, are slayne and destroyed wellnye a thousande men and their wyues, their children and their goodes haue the enemies led away captiue.
14 Whyle these letters were yet a reading, beholde there came other messengers from Galilee with rent clothes, whiche tolde euen the same tidinges,
15 And sayde, that they of Ptolomais, of Tyrus, and of Sidon were gathered against them, and that all Galilee was filled with enemies to destroy Israel.
16 When Iudas and the people hearde this, they came together a great congregation, to deuise what they might do for their brethren that were in trouble and besieged of their enemies.
17 And Iudas sayd vnto Simon his brother: Choose thee out certayne men, & go deliuer thy brethren in Galilee: As for me & my brother Ionathas, we will go into Galaaditim.
18 So he left Iosephus the sonne of Zachari, and Azarias, to be captaynes of the people, to kepe the remnaunt of the hoast in Iewry,
19 And commaunded them, saying: Take the ouersight of this people, and see that ye make no warre against the heathen, vntill the time that we come againe.
20 And vnto Simon he gaue three thousand men for to go into Galilee: but Iudas him selfe had eyght thousand in Galaaditim.
21 Then went Simon into Galilee, and stroke diuers battayles with the heathen, whom he discomfited,
22 And folowed vpon them into the port of Ptolomais: and there were slayne of the heathen almost three thousande men.
23 So he toke the spoyles of them, and caried away the Israelites that were in Galilee and Arbatis, with their wyues, their children, and all that they had, and brought them into Iewry with great gladnesse.
24 Iudas Machabeus also and his brother Ionathas went ouer Iordane, and trauayled three dayes iourney in the wildernesse:
25 Where the Nabathees met them, and receaued them louingly, and tolde them euery thing that had happened vnto their brethren in Galaaditim:
26 And howe that many of them were besieged in Barasa, Bosor, Alimis, Casbon, Mageth, and Carnaim (all these are strong walled and mightie great cities,)
27 And that they were kept in other cities of Galaaditim also, and to morowe they are appoynted to bring their hoast vnto these cities, to take them, and to destroy them in one day.
28 So Iudas and his hoast turned in all the haste in the wildernesse toward Bosor, and wan the citie, slue all the males with the sworde, toke all their goodes, and set fire vpon the citie:
29 And in the night they toke their iourney from thence, and came to the castell,
30 And betimes in the morning when they loked vp, beholde there was an innumerable people bearing ladders and other instrumentes of warre, to take the castell, and to ouercome them.
31 When Iudas sawe that the battayl began, and that the noyse therof went vp and rang into the heauen, and that there was so a great crye in the citie,
32 He sayd vnto his hoast, Fight this day for your brethren:
33 And so came behinde their enemies in three companies, and blewe vp the trumpettes, and cryed in their prayer to God:
34 But so soone as Timotheus hoast perceaued that Machabeus was there, they fled from hym: and he slue them downe right sore, so that there were killed of them the same day almost eyght thousande men.
35 Then departed Iudas vnto Maspha, layed siege vnto it, and wan it, slue al the males in it, spoyled it, and set fire vpon it.
36 From thence went he and toke Casbon, Mageth, Bosor, and the other cities in Galaaditim.
37 After this, gathered Timothi another hoast, which pitched their tentes before Raphon beyond the water.
38 Iudas also sent to spye the hoast, and they brought him worde againe, saying: All the heathen that be rounde about vs, are gathered vnto him, and the hoast is very great:
39 Yea, they haue hired the Arabians to helpe them, & haue pitched their tentes beyond the water, and are redie to come and fight against thee. So Iudas went on to meete them.
40 And Timothi saide vnto the captaines of his hoast: Whe Iudas and his hoast come nye the ryuer, if he go ouer first, we shall not be able to withstand him: for why? he wyll be to strong for vs.
41 But if he dare not come ouer, so that he pitch his tent beyond the water: then wyll we go ouer, for we shalbe strong inough against him.
42 Now assoone as Iudas came to the riuer, he appoynted certaine scribes of the people by the riuer, and comaunded them, saying: See that ye leaue none behinde vpon this side of the riuer, but let euery man come to the battaile.
43 So he went first ouer vnto them, & all his people after him, and al the heathen were discomfited before him, & let their weapons fall, and ranne into the temple that was at Carnaim,
44 Which citie Iudas wanne, and brent the temple, with all that were in it: So was Carnaim subdued, and might not withstand Iudas.
45 Then Iudas gathered all the Israelites that were in Galaaditim, from the least vnto the most, with their wiues and their children, a very great hoast, for to come into the lande of Israel.
46 So they came vnto Ephron, which was a mightie great and strong citie, and laye in their way: for they coulde not go by it, neither on the right hande nor on the left, but must go through it.
47 Neuerthelesse, they that were in the citie, woulde not let them go through, but walled vp the portes with stones: And Iudas sent vnto them with peaceable wordes, saying:
48 Let vs passe through your lande, that we may go into our owne countrey, there shall no body do you harme, we wyl but onely go through on foote. But they would not let them in.
49 Wherfore Iudas commaunded a proclamation to be made throughout the hoast, that euery man should assault the citie in his order.
50 And so they did their best, lyke valiaunt men: and Iudas besieged the citie all that day, and all that night, and so wanne it,
51 Where they slue as many as were males, and destroyed the citie, and spoyled it, and went through al the citie ouer them that were slaine.
52 Then went they ouer Iordane into the playne fielde before Bethsam.
53 And Iudas helped those forward that came behinde, and gaue the people good exhortation al the way through, til they were come into the lande of Iuda.
54 Thus they went vp vnto the mount Sion, where they offered burnt offeringes with mirth and thankesgeuing, because there were none of them slaine, but came home againe peaceably.
55 Now what time as Iudas and Ionathas were in the land of Galaad, and Simon their brother in Galilee before Ptolomais:
56 Then Iosephus the sonne of Zachari and Azarias the captaynes, hearing of the actes that were done, and of the battailes that were striken, saide:
57 Let vs get vs a name also, and go fight against the heathen that are rounde about vs.
58 So they gaue their hoast a commaundement, and went toward Iamnia.
59 Then came Gorgias and his men out of the citie, to fight against them:
60 Iosephus also and Azarias were chased vnto the borders of Iewry, and ther were slaine that day of the people of Israel two thousand men: so that there was a great miserie among the people of Israel,
61 And all because they were not obedient vnto Iudas and his brethren, but thought they shoulde quite them selues manfully.
62 Neuerthelesse, they came not of the seede of these men by whom Israel was helped.
63 But the men that were with Iudas were greatly commended in the sight of all Israel, and all the Heathen, wheresoeuer their name was heard vpon.
64 And the people came vnto them, bidding them welcome.
65 After this, went Iudas foorth with his brethren, and fought against the children of Esau in the lande that lyeth toward the south, where he wan the citie of Hebron and the townes that lye beside it: and as for the walles and towers rounde about it, he brent them vp.
66 Then remoued he to go into the lande of the Philistines, and went through Samaria.
67 At the same time were there [many] priestes slaine in the battaile, which wilfully and without aduisement went out for to fight to get them honour.
68 And when Iudas came to Azot in the Philistines lande, he brake downe their aulters, brent the images of their idols, spoyled the cities, and came againe into the lande of Iuda.
1 Now when king Antiochus trauailed thorough ye hie countries, he heard that Elymas in Persia was a noble and plenteous citie in siluer and golde,
2 And that there was in it a very rich temple, where as were clothes, coate armours, and shieldes of golde, which Alexander the sonne of Philip king of Macedonia that raigned first in Grecia had left behinde him.
3 Wherefore he went about to take the citie & to spoyle it, but he was not able: for the citezins were warned of it, and fought with him:
4 And so he fled, and departed with great heauinesse, and came againe into Babylon.
5 Moreouer, there came one which brought him tidinges in Persia, that his hoastes which were in the lande of Iuda were driuen away,
6 And how that Lysias went foorth first with a great power, and was dryuen away of the Iewes, how that they had wonne the victory, and gotten great goodes out of the hoastes that perished,
7 How they had broken downe the abhomination which he set vp vpon the aulter at Hierusalem, & fenced the sanctuary with hie walles, lyke as it was afore, yea and Bethsura his citie also.
8 So it chaunced, that when the king heard these wordes, he was afrayde, & greeued very sore: Wherefore he layde him downe vpon his bed, and fell sicke for very sorowe, and all because it had not happened as he had deuised.
9 And there continued he long: for his griefe was euer more and more, so that he sawe he must needes dye.
10 Therfore he sent for all his friendes, & saide vnto them: The sleepe is gone fro myne eyes for the very sorowe and vexation of heart that I haue.
11 For when I consider in my minde the great aduersitie that I am come vnto, and the fluddes of heauines which I am come in, where as afore time I was so merie, and so greatlie set by by reason of my power:
12 Againe, considering the euill that I haue done at Hierusalem, from whence I toke all the riches of golde and siluer that were in it, and sent to destroye the inhabitours of Iurie without any reason why:
13 I know that these troubles are come vpon me for the same cause: and behold, I must dye with great sorowe in a straunge lande.
14 Then called he for one Phillip, a frend of his, whom he made ruler of all his realme,
15 And gaue him the crowne, his robe, and his ring, that he shoulde take his sonne Antiochus vnto him, & bring him vp, till he might raigne him selfe.
16 So the king Antiochus died there, in the hundred fourtie and nine yere.
17 When Lysias knew that the king was dead, he ordained Antiochus his sonne, whom he had brought vp, to raigne in his fathers steede, and called him Eupator.
18 Nowe they that were in the castle [at Hierusalem] kept in the Iewes rounde about the sanctuary, and sought euer still to do them harme, for the strengthening of the Heathen.
19 Wherefore Iudas thought to destroy them, and called all the people together, that they might lay siege vnto them.
20 So they came together in the hundred and fiftie yere, and besieged them, laying foorth their ordinaunce & instrumentes of warre.
21 Then certaine of them that were besieged, went foorth: vnto whom some vngodly men of Israel ioyned them selues also,
22 And went vnto the king, saying: how long wyll it be or thou punishe, and auenge our brethren?
23 We haue euer ben minded to do thy father seruice, to walke in his statutes, and to obey his commaundementes,
24 Therfore our people fell from vs: and wheresoeuer they founde any of vs, they slue them, and spoyled our enheritaunce.
25 And they haue not onely medled with vs, but with all our countries.
26 And beholde, this day are they besieging the castle at Hierusalem to take it, and haue made vp the strong holde in Bethsura:
27 And if thou doest not preuent them right soone, they wil do more then these, and thou shalt not be able to ouercome them.
28 When the king heard this, he was very angry, and called all his friendes, the captaines of his armie, and [all his footemen and] horsemen:
29 He hired men of warre also, of other realmes pertayning to the kinges that were confederate with him, and of the Iles of the sea, which came vnto him.
30 And the number of his hoast was an hundred thousand footemen, and twentie thousand horsemen, and thirtie & two Elephantes well exercised to battaile.
31 These came through Idumea vnto Bethsura, and besieged it a long season, & made diuers instrumentes of warre against it: but the Iewes came out and brent them with fire, & fought like men.
32 Then departed Iudas from the castle [at Hierusalem] and remoued the hoast toward Bethzacaran, ouer against the kinges armie.
33 So the king arose before the day, and brought the power of his hoast into the way to Bethzacara: where the hoastes made them redie to the battaile, blowing the trumpettes.
34 And to prouoke the Elephantes for to fight, they shewed them the sappe of red grapes, and mulberies.
35 And deuided the Elephantes among the hoast: so that by euery Elephant there stoode a thousand men well harnessed, & helmettes of steele vpon their heades: yea, vnto euery one of the Elephantes also were ordained fiue hundred horsemen of the best,
36 Which wayted on the Elephant, going wheresoeuer he went, and departed not from him.
37 Euery Elephant was couered with a strong towre of wood, fastened thereon with instrumentes, whereupon were thirtie, and two valiaunt men with weapons to fight, and within was a man of Inde, to rule the beaste.
38 As for the remnaunt of the horsemen, he set them vpon both the sides in two partes with trumpettes, to prouoke the hoast, & to stirre vp such as were slowe in the armie.
39 And when the sunne shone vpon their shieldes of golde and steele, the mountaines glistered againe at them, & were as bright as the cressets of fire.
40 The kinges hoast also was deuided, one parte vpon the hie mountaines, the other low beneath: so they went on, taking good heede, and keping their order.
41 And all they that dwelt in the lande, were afrayd at the noyse of their hoast when the multitude went foorth, and when the weapons smote together: for the hoast was both great and mightie.
42 Iudas also and his hoast entred into the battaile, and slue sixe hundred men of the kinges armie.
43 Now when Eleazar the sonne of Saura did see one of the Elephantes deckt with the kinges badge, and was a more goodly beast then the other, he thought the king should be vpon him:
44 And ieoparded him selfe to deliuer his people, & to get him a perpetual name.
45 Wherfore he ranne with a courage vnto the Elephant in the middest of the hoast, smiting them downe on both the sides, and slue many about him.
46 So went he to the Elephantes feete, and gat him vnder him, and slue him: then fel the Elephant downe vpon him, and there he dyed.
47 Iudas also and his men, seeing the power of the king and the mightie violence of his hoast, departed from them.
48 And the kinges armie went vp against them toward Hierusalem, and pitched their tentes in Iurie beside mount Sion.
49 Moreouer, the king toke truice with them that were in Bethsura: but whe they came out of the citie (because they had no vitayles, but were shut vp within, and the lande lay vntilled)
50 The king toke Bethsura, and set men to keepe it, and turned his hoast to the place of the sanctuary,
51 And layed siege to it a great while, where he made all maner ordinaunce, handbowes, firie dartes, racketts to cast stones, scorpions to shoote arrowes, and slinges.
52 The Iewes also made ordinaunce against theirs, and fought a long season.
53 But in the citie there were no vittailes, for it was the seuenth yere of ye warres: and those heathen that remayned in Iurie, had eaten vp all their store.
54 And in the sanctuary were fewe men left: for the hunger came so vpon them, that they were scattred abrode euery man to his owne place.
55 So when Lysias heard that Philip (whom Antiochus the king while he was yet liuing, had ordained to bring vp Antiochus his sonne, that he might be king)
56 Was come againe out of Persia & Medea with the kinges hoast, and thought to obtaine the kingdome with the gouernaunce of all thinges:
57 He gate him to the king in al the haste, and to the captaynes of the hoast, and saide, We decrease dayly, and our vittailes are but small: Againe, the place that we laye siege vnto is very strong, & it were our part to see for the realme:
58 Let vs agree with these men, and take truice with them, and with al their people,
59 And graunt them to lyue after their lawe, as they did afore: for they be greeued, and do all these thinges against vs, because we haue despised their lawe.
60 So the king and the princes were content, and sent vnto them to make peace: and they receaued it.
61 Now when the king and the princes had made an oth vnto them, they came out of the castle,
62 And the king went vp to mount Sion: but when he saw that the place was well fenced, he brake the oth that he had made, and commaunded to destroy the wall rounde about.
63 Then departed he in all the haste, and returned vnto Antioch, where he found Philip hauing dominion of the citie: So he fought against him, and toke the citie againe into his handes.
1 In the hundred fiftie and one yere, came Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus from the citie of Rome with a smal company of men, vnto a citie of the sea coast, and there he bare rule.
2 And when he came to Antioch the citie of his progenitours, his hoast toke Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them vnto him.
3 But when it was tolde him, he saide: let me not see their faces.
4 So the hoast put them to death. Now whe demetrius was set vpon the throne of his kingdome,
5 There came vnto him wicked and vngodlie men of Israel, whose captayne was Alcimus, that woulde haue ben made hie priest:
6 These men accused the people of Israel vnto the king, saying: Iudas and his brethren haue slaine thy frendes, and driuen vs out of our owne lande.
7 Wherfore, send now some man, to who thou geuest credence, that he may go and see al the destruction which he hath done vnto vs and to the kinges lande, and let him be punished, with all his friendes and fauourers.
8 Then the king chose Bacchides a friend of his, which was a man of great power in the realme beyond the water, and faithful vnto the king, and sent him [to see the destruction that Iudas had done.]
9 And as for that wicked Alcimus, he made him hie priest, and commaunded him to be auenged of the children of Israel.
10 So they departed [from the king] and came with a great hoast into the lande of Iuda, sending messengers to Iudas and his brethren, & speaking vnto them with peaceable wordes, but vnder disceite.
11 Therefore Iudas and his people beleued not their saying: for they saw that they were come with a great hoast.
12 After this, came the scribes together vnto Alcimus & Bacchides, to entreate of reasonable couenauntes:
13 And the Assideans were the first among the children of Israel that required peace of them,
14 Saying: Alcimus the priest is come of the seede of Aaron, how can he deceaue vs though he come with an armie?
15 So he gaue them louing wordes, and swore vnto them, & saide: We wyl do you no harme, neither your friendes.
16 And they beleued him: but the very same day toke he threescore men of them, and slue them, according to the wordes that are written,
17 They haue cast the fleshe of thy sainctes and shed their blood rounde about Hierusalem, & there was no man that would burie them.
18 So there came a great feare and dreade among al ye people, saying: There is neither trueth nor righteousnesse in them: for they haue broken the appoyntment and oth that they made.
19 And Bacchides remoued his hoast fro Hierusalem, & pitched his tent at Bethzecha, where he sent foorth, & toke many of them that had forsaken him: He slue many of the people also, and cast them into a great pit.
20 Then committed he the lande vnto Alcimus, and left men of warre with him to helpe him: and Bacchides him selfe went vnto the king.
21 And thus Alcimus defended his hye priesthood.
22 And all such as vexed Israel, resorted vnto him: insomuch that they obtayned the lande of Iuda, and did much euill vnto the Israelites.
23 Nowe when Iudas sawe all the mischiefe that Alcimus and his company had done (yea more then the heathen them selues) vnto the Israelites:
24 He went foorth rounde about all the borders of Iurie, and punished those vnfaithfull runnagates, so that they came no more out into the countrie.
25 So when Alcimus sawe that Iudas & his people had gotten the vpper hand, and that he was not able to abide them: he went againe to the king, and saide all the worst of them that he coulde.
26 Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his chiefe princes, which bare euil wil vnto Israel, and commaunded him that he should vtterly destroy the people.
27 So Nicanor came to Hierusalem with a great hoast, and sent vnto Iudas and his brethren with friendly wordes: but vnder disceyte, saying:
28 There shall be no warre betwixt me and you, I wyll come with a fewe men to see how ye do with frendship.
29 Upon this he came vnto Iudas, and they saluted one another peaceably: but the enemies were appoynted to take Iudas by violence.
30 Neuerthelesse, it was tolde Iudas that he came vnto him but vnder disceyte: wherfore he gate him away from him, and would see his face no more.
31 When Nicanor perceaued that his counsel was bewrayed, he went out to fight against Iudas, beside Capharsalama:
32 Where there were slaine of Nicanors hoast fiue thousand men, and the residue fled vnto the castle of Dauid.
33 After this came Nicanor vp vnto mount Sion, and the priestes with the elders of the people went foorth to salute him peaceably, & to shewe him the burnt sacrifices that were offered for the king.
34 But he laughed them and the people to scorne, mocked them, defiled their offeringes, and spake disdainefully:
35 Yea, and swore in his wrath, saying: If Iudas and his hoast be not deliuered nowe into my handes, assoone as euer I come againe and fare well, I shall burne vp this house. With that went he out in a great anger.
36 Then the priestes came in, and stoode before the aulter of the temple, weeping, and saying:
37 Forsomuch as thou O Lorde hast chosen this house, that thy name might be called vpon therin, and that it should be an house of prayer and petition for thy people:
38 Be auenged of this man and his hoast, and let them be slaine with the sword: remember the blasphemies of them, and suffer not them to continue any longer.
39 When Nicanor was gone from Hierusalem, he pitched his tent at Bethoron, and there an hoast met him out of Syria.
40 And Iudas came to Adarsa with three thousand men, and made his prayer vnto God, saying:
41 O Lorde, because the messengers of king Sennacherib blasphemed thee, the angell went foorth and slue an hundred fourscore and fiue thousand of them:
42 Euen so, destroy thou this hoast before vs to day, that other people may knowe howe that he hath blasphemed thy santuary, and punishe him according to his maliciousnes.
43 And so the hoastes stroke the fielde the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar: and Nicanors hoast was discomfited, and he him selfe was first slaine in the battaile.
44 When Nicanors men of warre sawe that he was killed, they cast away their weapons and fled:
45 But the Iewes folowed vpon them a whole dayes iourney, from Adazer vnto Gazara, blowing with the trumpettes, and making tokens after them.
46 So the Iewes came foorth of all the townes rounde about, & blew out their hornes vpon them, and turned against them: Thus were they all slaine, and not one of them left.
47 Then they toke their substaunce for a pray, and smote of Nicanors head, and his right hande which he helde vp so proudely, and brought it with them, and hanged it vp afore Hierusalem.
48 Wherefore the people were exceedingly reioyced, and passed ouer that day in great gladnes.
49 And Iudas ordayned that the same day [namely] the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar, shoulde be kept in mirth euery yere.
50 Thus the lande of Iuda was in rest a litle while.
1 Iudas heard also the fame of the Romaines, that they were mightie and valiaunt men, and agreeable to all thinges that are required of them, and make peace with all men which come vnto them,
2 And how they were doughtie men of strength: besides that, it was tolde him of their battailes and noble actes which they did in Galatia, how they had conquered them, and brought them vnder tribute,
3 And what great thinges they had done in Spayne: how that with their wysdome and sober behauour they had wonne the mines of siluer and gold that are there,
4 And obtayned al the land, with other places farre from them: how they had discomfited & slaine downe the kinges that came vpon them from the vttermost parte of the earth, and how other people gaue them tribute euery yere:
5 How they had slaine and ouercome Philip and Perses kinges of Cethim, and other mo in battaile, which had brought their ordinaunce against them:
6 How they discomfited great Antiochus king of Asia, that woulde needes fight with them, hauing an hundred and twentie Elephantes, with horsemen, charets, and a very great hoast:
7 How they toke him selfe aliue, and ordained him, with such as shoulde raigne after him, to pay them a great tribute, yea and to finde them good sureties and pledge besides all this:
8 How they had taken from him India, Media, and Lydia, his best landes, and geuen them to king Eumenus:
9 Againe, how they perceauing that the Grekes were comming to vexe them,
10 Sent against them a captayne of an hoast, which gaue them battaile, slue many of them, led away their wyues and children captiue, spoyled them, toke possession of their lande, and destroyed their strong holdes, and subdued them to be their bondmen, vnto this day.
11 Moreouer, how that as for other kingdomes and Iles which sometime with stoode them, they destroyed them, and brought them vnder their dominion:
12 But kept amitie with their owne frendes, and those that were confederate with them, and conquered kingdomes both farre and nye: & that whosoeuer heard of their renowme, was afrayde of the.
13 For whom they woulde helpe to their kingdomes, those raigned: and whom it lyked not them to raigne, they put them downe: And howe they were come to great preheminence,
14 Hauing no king among them, neither any man clothed in purple to be magnified therethrough:
15 But had ordained them selues a parliament, wherin there sat three hundred and twentie senatours dayly vpon the counsell, to dispatch euer the busines of the people, and to kepe good order:
16 And howe that euery yere they chose a Maire to haue the gouernaunce of al their lande, to whom euery man was obedient, and there was neither euill wyll nor discention among them.
17 Then Iudas chose Eupolemus, the sonne of Iohn the sonne of Iacob, and Iason the sonne of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome for to make frendship and a bonde of loue with them,
18 That they might take from them the bondage of the Grekes: for the Iewes saw that the Grekes would subdue the kingdome of Israel.
19 So they went vnto Rome, a very great iourney, & came vnto the parliament, and saide:
20 Iudas Machabeus, with his brethren, and the people of the Iewes, hath sent vs vnto you, to make a bond of frendship and peace with you, and ye to note vs as your louers and friendes.
21 And that matter pleased the Romanes right well:
22 Wherefore it was written vp: of the which the Romanes made a writing in tables of brasse, and sent it to Hierusalem, that they might haue by them a memoriall of the same peace and bonde of frendship, after this maner:
23 God saue the Romanes and the people of the Iewes both by sea & by lande, and kepe the sworde and enemie from them for euermore:
24 If there come first any warre vpon the Romanes or any of their friendes throughout all their dominion,
25 The people of the Iewes shall helpe them, as the time requireth, and that with all their heartes.
26 Also they shall neither geue nor send vnto their enemies vitailes, weapons, money, nor shippes: but fulfil their couenauntes at the Romanes pleasure, taking nothing of them therefore.
27 Againe, if the people of the Iewes happen first to haue warre, the Romanes shal stand by them with a good wyl, according as the time wyll suffer:
28 Neither shall they geue vnto the Iewes enemies vitailes, weapons, money, or shippes: Thus are the Romanes content to do, and shall fulfill their charge without any disceite.
29 According to these articles, the Romanes made ye bond with the Iewes.
30 Now after these articles [saide they] if any of the parties wyll put to them, or take any thing from them, they shall do it with the consent of both: and whatsoeuer they adde vnto them, or take from them, it shall stande fast.
31 And as touching the euill that Demetrius hath done vnto the Iewes, we haue writte vnto him, saying: Wherfore layest thou thy heauie yoke vpon the Iewes our friendes and louers?
32 If they make any complaint of thee againe vnto vs, we shall defende them, and fight with thee by sea and by lande, according to iustice.
1 I in the meane season, whe Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his hoast was slaine in the fielde, he proceeded further to send Bacchides and Alcimus againe into Iurie, & the chiefe strength of his hoast with them.
2 So they went foorth by the way that leadeth vnto Galgala, and pitched their tentes before Masaloth (which is in Arbellis) and wan the citie and slue much people.
3 In the first moneth of the hundred fiftie and two yere, they brought their hoast and layde their siege against Hierusalem:
4 But raysing their campe, they came to Berea with twentie thousand footemen, and two thousand horsemen.
5 Nowe Iudas had pitched his tent at Laisa, with three thousand chosen men,
6 And when they sawe the multitude of the other armie that it was so great, they were sore afrayde, and many conueyed them selues out of the hoast, insomuch that there abode no mo of them but eyght hundred men.
7 When Iudas sawe that his hoast failed him, and that he must needes fight, it brake his heart, that he had no time to gather them together: wherefore the man was in extreme trouble.
8 Neuerthelesse, he saide vnto them that remayned with him: Up, let vs go against our enemies, peraduenture we shall be able to fight with them.
9 But they woulde haue stopped him, saying, We shall not be able: therefore now let vs saue our lyues, and turne againe to our brethren: for shoulde we fight against them, being so fewe?
10 And Iudas saide, God forbyd that we should flee from them: wherefore if our time be come, let vs dye manfully for our brethren, and let vs not stayne our honour.
11 Then the hoast remoued out of the tentes, and stoode against them, and the horseme were deuided in two partes: the sling casters and archers went before the hoast, and all the mightie men were formost in the fielde.
12 Bacchides him selfe was in the right wing of the battaile, and the hoast drew nye in two partes, and blewe the trumpettes.
13 They of Iudas side blewe the trumpettes also, and the earth shooke at the noyse of the hoastes: and they strake a fielde from the morowe till night.
14 And when Iudas sawe that Bacchides hoast was strongest of the right side, he toke with him all the hardie men,
15 And brake the right wing of their order, & folowed vpon them vnto mount Azot.
16 Now when they which were the left wing, sawe that the right side was discomfited, they persecuted Iudas and them that were with him hard at the heeles.
17 Then was there a sore battaile: for many were slaine & wounded on both the partes.
18 Iudas also him selfe was killed, and the remnaunt fled.
19 So Ionathas and Simon toke Iudas their brother, and buried him in his fathers sepuchre in the citie of Modin.
20 And al the people of Israel made great lamentatio for him, and mourned long, saying:
21 Alas that this worthy should be slaine, which deliuered the people of Israel.
22 As for other thinges pertayning to the battailes of Iudas, the noble actes that he did, and of his worthynes, they are not written, for they were very many.
23 Now after the death of Iudas, wicked men came vp in al the coastes of Israel, & there arose all such as did worke vngodlinesse.
24 In those dayes was there a great dearth in the lande, and all the countrie gaue ouer them selues and theirs vnto Bacchides.
25 So Bacchides chose wicked men, and made them lordes in the lande.
26 These sought out and made search for Iudas friendes, and brought them vnto Bacchides, whiche auenged him selfe vpon them with great dispite.
27 And there came so great trouble in Israel, as was not since the time that no prophete was seene there.
28 Then came all Iudas friendes together, and sayde vnto Ionathas:
29 Forsomuch as thy brother Iudas is dead, there is none like him to go foorth against our enemies, against Bacchides and such as are aduersaries of our owne people:
30 Wherefore this day we choose thee for him, to be our prince and captayne, to order our battayle.
31 And Ionathas toke the gouernaunce vpon him at the same time, and ruled in steade of his brother Iudas.
32 When Bacchides gat knowledge therof, he sought for to slay hym.
33 But Ionathas & Simon his brother perceauing that, fled into the wildernesse of Thecua with al their campanie, and pitched their tentes by the water poole of Asphar.
34 Which when Bacchides vnderstoode, he came ouer Iordane with al his hoast vpon the Sabbath day.
35 Nowe had Ionathas sent his brother [Ihon] a captayne of the people, to pray his friendes the Nabuthites, that they would lende them their ordinaunce, for they had much.
36 So the children of Iambri came out of Madaba, and toke Ihon and all that he had, and went their way withall when they had taken it.
37 Then came worde vnto Ionathas and Simon his brother, that the children of Iambri made a great mariage, & brought the bride from Madaba with great pompe: for she was daughter to one of the noblest princes of Chanaan.
38 Wherefore they remembred the blood of Ihon their brother, and went vp, and hyd them selues vnder the shadowe of the mountayne.
39 So they lift vp their eyes, and loked, & beholde there was much a do & great preparation: for the brydegrome came foorth, and his friendes and his brethren mette them with tympanies, instrumentes of musicke, and many weapons.
40 Then Ionathas and they that were with hym, rose out of their lurking places against them, and slue many of them: and the remnaunt fled into the mountaynes, and they toke all their substaunce.
41 Thus the mariage was turned to mourning, and the noyse of their melody into lamentation.
42 And so when they had auenged the blood of their brother, they turned againe vnto Iordane.
43 Bacchides hearing this, came vnto the very border of Iordane with a great power, vpon the Sabbath day.
44 And Ionathas sayd to his companie, Let vs get vp, & fight against our enemies: for it standeth not with vs to day, as in time past.
45 Behold, our enemies are in our way, the water of Iordane vpon the one side of vs, with banckes, fennes, and woods on the other side, so that there is no place for vs to depart vnto.
46 Wherefore crye nowe vnto heauen, that ye may be deliuered from the power of your enemies: So they stroke the battayle.
47 And Ionathas stretched out his hande to smyte Bacchides, but he fled backwarde.
48 Then Ionathas and they that were with him, leapt into Iordane, & swimmed ouer Iordane vnto the further banke: but the other woulde not passe ouer Iordane after him.
49 And there were slayne of Bacchides side that day a thousande men.
50 Therfore Bacchides with his hoast turned againe to Hierusalem, and buylt vp the castles and strong holdes that were in Iurie, Iericho, Emaus, Bethoron, Bethel, Thamnata, Phara, and Thopo, with hye walles, with portes, and with lockes:
51 And set men to kepe them, that they might vse their malice vpon Israel.
52 He walled vp the citie Bethsura, Gazara, and the castle, and prouided them with men and vittayles.
53 He toke also the chiefest mens sonnes in the countrey for pledges, & put them in the castle at Hierusalem to be kept.
54 Afterwarde in the hundred fyftie and three yere, in the seconde moneth, Alcimus commaunded that they should destroy the walles of the inwarde court of the sanctuarie, and he pulled downe and began to destroy the monumentes of the prophetes,
55 But at the same time Alcimus was plagued and smitten with a paulsie, and his enterprises were hindered, & his mouth was stopped [by God] so that he could no more speake nor commaunde any of his house concerning his businesse.
56 Thus died Alcimus in great miserie at the same time.
57 And when Bacchides sawe that Alcimus was dead, he turned againe to the king: & so the land was in rest two yeres.
58 Then all the vngodly men held a counsell, saying: Behold, Ionathas and his company are at ease, and dwel without care, wherefore let vs bring Bacchides hyther, and he shall take them all in one night.
59 So they went and gaue Bacchides this counsell.
60 Which arose to come with a great hoast, & sent letters priuily to his adherentes which were in Iurie, to take Ionathas and those that were with hym: but they might not, for the other had gotten knowledge of their deuice.
61 And Ionathas toke fyftie men of the countrey, whiche were the ringleaders of them, and slue them.
62 Then Ionathas & Simon with their companie departed vnto the citie Bethbasin, whiche lyeth in the wildernesse, and repaired the decay therof, and made it strong.
63 When Bacchides knewe this, he gathered all his hoast, and sent word to them that were in Iurie.
64 Then came he & layed siege to Bethbasin, and fought against it a long season, and made instrumentes of warre.
65 Nowe Ionathas left his brother Simon in the citie, and went foorth hym selfe into the countrey, and came with a certayne number,
66 And slue Odomeras and his brethren, and the children of Phaseron in their tentes, so that he began to be strong and to increase in power.
67 As for Simon and his companie, they went out of the citie, and brent vp the instrumentes of warre,
68 And fought against Bacchides, and discomfited him: and Bacchides was sore vexed, because his counsell and trauayle was in vayne.
69 Wherfore he was wroth at the wicked men that gaue him counsel to come into their land, & slue many of them: Then purposed he with his companie to go away into his owne countrey.
70 Wherof when Ionathas had knowledge, he sent ambassadours vnto hym for to make peace with hym, and that he shoulde deliuer him his prisoners againe.
71 To the whiche Bacchides consented gladly, and dyd according to his desire: yea & made an oth that he should neuer do him harme all the dayes of his lyfe.
72 So he restored vnto him all the prisoners that he had taken out of the lande of Iuda, and then turned and went his way into his owne land, neither proceeded he any further to come vnto the borders of Iuda.
73 Thus Israel had no more warre, and Ionathas dwelt at Machmas, and began there to gouerne the people, and destroyed the vngodly men out of Israel.
1 In the hundred and threescore yere, came Alexander the sonne of noble Antiochus, and toke Ptolomais, whose citizines receaued him, and there he raygned.
2 When Demetrius heard therof, he gathered an exceeding great hoast, and went foorth against him to fight.
3 Wherfore Demetrius sent letters vnto Ionathas with louing wordes, and praysed him greatly.
4 For he sayde: We will first make peace with him, before he bynde him selfe with Alexander against vs:
5 Els he shall remember the euyl that we haue done against him, his brother, and his people.
6 And so he gaue Ionathas leaue to gather an hoast, to make weapons, & to be confederat with him, and commaunded the pledges that were in the castle to be deliuered vnto him.
7 Then came Ionathas to Hierusalem, and read the letters in the audience of al the people, and of them that were in the castle.
8 And therefore were they sore afrayde, because they hearde that the king had geuen him licence to gather an hoast.
9 Thus were the pledges deliuered vnto Ionathas, which restored them to their parentes.
10 Ionathas also dwelt at Hierusalem, and began to buylde vp and to repayre the citie:
11 Commaunding the workmen to wall it and the mount Sion rounde about with free stone, to be a strong hold: and so they did.
12 As for the heathen that were in the castles whiche Bacchides had made vp, they fled:
13 So that euery man left the place, and went into his owne countrey.
14 Only at Bethsura remayned certayne of the Iewes, whiche had forsaken the lawe and commaundementes of God, for Bethsura was their refuge.
15 Nowe when king Alexander heard of the promises that Demetrius had made vnto Ionathas, and when it was tolde him of the battayles and noble actes which he and his brethren had done, and of the great trauayles that they had taken,
16 He sayde: Where shall we finde such a man? well, we wil make him our friend, and be confederat with hym.
17 Upon this he wrote a letter vnto him, with these wordes:
18 King Alexander saluteth his brother Ionathas.
19 We haue hearde of thee that thou art a valiaunt man, and meete to be our friende:
20 Wherfore this day we ordayne thee to be the hye priest of thy people, and to be called the kinges friende (Upon this he sent hym a purple clothing, & a crowne of gold) that thou mayest consider what is for our profite, and kepe friendship towarde vs.
21 So in the seuenth moneth of the hundred and threescore yere, vpon the solempne feast day of the tabernacles, Ionathas put the holy rayment vpon him: then gathered he an hoast, and prepared many weapons.
22 Whiche when Demetrius hearde, he was marueylous sory,
23 And sayde: Alas what haue we done, that Alexander hath preuented vs, in getting the friendship of the Iewes for his owne defence?
24 Yet will I wryte louingly vnto them also, yea and promise them dignities and rewardes, that they may be of my syde.
25 Wherevpon he wrote vnto them these wordes: King Demetrius sendeth greeting vnto the people of the Iewes:
26 Whereas ye haue kept your couenaunt toward vs, and continued in our friendship, not inclining to our enemies, we were glad when we hearde therof.
27 Wherfore remayne still and be faythfull to vs, and we shall well recompence you for the thinges that ye haue done on our partie:
28 We shal releasse you of many charges, and geue you rewardes.
29 And now I discharge you and all the Iewes from tributes, I forgeue you the customes of salt, and releasse you of the crowne taxes, of the thirde part of seede,
30 And halfe the fruite of trees, whiche is myne owne duetie, I do releasse them from this day foorth, so that they shall not be taken of the lande of Iuda, nor of the three cities which are added therunto out of Samaria and Galilee, from this day foorth, for euermore.
31 Hierusalem also, with all thinges belonging therto shalbe holy and free, yea the tythes and tributes shall pertayne vnto it.
32 As for the power of the castle whiche is at Hierusalem, I remit and geue it vnto the hygh priest, that he may set in it such men as he shall choose to kepe it.
33 I freely deliuer all the Iewes that are prisoners throughout all my realme, so that euery one of them shalbe free from paying any tribute, yea euen of their cattell.
34 All the solempne feastes, Sabbathes, newe moones, the dayes appoynted, the three dayes before and after the feast, shalbe free for all the Iewes in my realme.
35 So that in them no man shall haue power to do any thing, or to vexe any of them in any maner of cause.
36 There shall thirtie thousand also of the Iewes be written vp in the kinges hoast, and haue their wages payed as all other men of warre of the kinges should haue: and of them shalbe ordeyned certayne to kepe the kinges strong holdes,
37 Yea and some of them shalbe set ouer the kinges secret affaires: and their gouernours and princes shalbe of them selues, and lyue after their owne lawes, as the king hath commaunded in the lande of Iuda.
38 And the three cities that are fallen vnto Iurie from the countrey of Samaria, shalbe taken as Iurie, and be vnder one, neither be subiect to any straunge lord, but to the hie priest.
39 As for Ptolomais and the land pertayning therto, I geue it vnto the sanctuarie at Hierusalem, for the necessarie expences of the holy thinges.
40 Moreouer, I will geue euery yere fyfteene thousande sicles of siluer of the kinges reuenues, out of the places appertayning vnto me.
41 And all the ouerplus which they haue not payed for thinges due, as they dyd in the former yeres, from hencefoorth they shall geue it towarde the workes of the temple.
42 And besides this, the fyue thousande sicles of siluer which they receaued yerely of the account appoynted for the interteynement of the sanctuarie these yeres passed, euen these thinges shalbe releassed, because they appertaine to the priestes that minister.
43 Item, whosoeuer they be that flee vnto the temple at Hierusalem, or within the liberties therof, where as they are fallen into the kinges daunger for any maner of businesse, they shalbe pardoned, and al the goodes that they haue in my realme shalbe free.
44 For the buylding also and repayring of the worke of the sanctuarie, expences shalbe geuen out of the kinges reuenues:
45 Yea and for the making of the walles rounde about Hierusalem, for the breaking downe of the olde, and for the setting vp of the strong holdes in Iurie, shall the costes and charges be geuen out of the kinges reuenues.
46 But when Ionathas and the people hearde these wordes, they gaue no credence vnto them, neither receaued them: for they remembred the great wickednesse that he had done vnto Israel, and howe sore he had vexed them.
47 Wherfore they agreed vnto Alexander, for he was a prince that had dealt friendly with them, and so they stoode by him alway.
48 Then gathered king Alexander a great hoast, and brought his armie against Demetrius:
49 So the two kinges stroke battayle together, but Demetrius hoast fled, and Alexander folowed after, and fell vpon them.
50 A mightie sore fielde was it, continuing till the sunne went downe: and Demetrius was slayne the same day.
51 And Alexander sent ambassadours vnto Ptolomi the king of Egypt, with these wordes, saying:
52 Forsomuch as I am come againe to my realme, and am set in the throne of my progenitours, and haue gotten the dominion, ouercommed Demetrius,
53 Conquered the lande, & striken a fielde with hym, so that we haue discomfited both hym and his hoast, and sit in the throne of his kingdome:
54 Let vs nowe make friendship together, geue me thy daughter to wyfe, so shal I be thy sonne in lawe, and both geue thee rewardes, and her accordyng to thy dignitie.
55 Ptolomi the king gaue aunswere, saying: Happy be the day wherein thou art come againe to the lande of thy progenitours, and set in the throne of their kingdome.
56 And nowe will I fulfill thy wryting: but meete me at Ptolomais, that we may see one another, and that I may marry my daughter vnto thee according to thy desire.
57 So Ptolomi went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, and came vnto Ptolomais in the hundred threescore and two yere,
58 Where king Alexander mette hym: and he gaue Alexander his daughter Cleopatra, and maried them at Ptolomais with great worship, like as the maner of kinges is to be.
59 Then wrote king Alexander vnto Ionathas, that he shoulde come and meete him.
60 So he went honorably vnto Ptolomais, & there he mette the two kinges, and gaue them and their friendes great presentes of golde and siluer, and founde fauour in their sight.
61 And there came together against Ionathas certayne wicked men and vngratious persons of Israel, making complayntes of him: but the king regarded them not.
62 As for Ionathas, the king commaunded to take of his garmentes, & to cloth him in purple: and so they did. Then the king appoynted him to sit by him,
63 And sayde vnto his princes: Go with him into the middest of the citie, & make a proclamation, that no man complayne against him of any matter, and that no man trouble hym for any maner of cause.
64 So it happened, that when his accusers sawe the worship whiche was proclaymed of hym, & that he was clothed in purple, they fled euery one.
65 And the king made much of him, wrote hym among his chiefe friendes, made hym a duke, and partaker of his dominion.
66 Thus Ionathas went againe to Hierusalem with peace and gladnesse.
67 In the hundred threescore & fyft yere, came Demetrius, the sonne of Demetrius, from Creta, into his fathers lande:
68 Wherof when Alexander heard tell, he was right sory, and returned vnto Antioch.
69 And Demetrius chose Apollonius, whiche had the gouernaunce of Celosiria, to be his captayne: So he gathered a great hoast, and came vnto Iamnia, & sent worde vnto Ionathas the hygh priest, saying:
70 Darest thou with stande vs thy selfe alone? As for me, I am but laughed to scorne, and shamed, because thou diddest vaunte thy strength against vs in the mountaynes.
71 Now therfore, if thou trustest in thyne owne strength, come downe to vs into the playne fielde, & there let vs trye the matter together, for thou shalt knowe that I haue the strength of many cities,
72 And shalt knowe who I am, and the other that stand by me, which say, That your foote is not able to stande before our face, for thy fathers haue ben twyse chased in their owne lande.
73 And nowe howe wilt thou be able to abyde so great an hoast of horsemen and footemen in the fielde, where as is neither rocke, stone, nor place to flee vnto?
74 When Ionathas hearde the wordes of Apollonius, he was moued in his mynde, wherfore he chose ten thousand men, and went out of Hierusalem: and Simon his brother mette hym for to helpe hym.
75 And they pitched their tentes at Ioppa: but the citie kept hym foorth, for Apollonius garrison was in Ioppa.
76 Then Ionathas layed siege to it, and they that were in the citie for very feare let him in: and so Ionathas wan Ioppa.
77 Apollonius hearing of this, toke three thousand horsemen, with a great hoast on foote, and went to Azotus as though he woulde go further, and came immediatly into the playne fielde, because he had so many horsemen, and put his trust in them.
78 So Ionathas folowed vpon hym to Azotus, and the army skirmished with his rereward, and there they stroke the battayle.
79 Nowe had Apollonius left a thousande horsemen behynde them priuily in the tentes.
80 And when Ionathas knewe that such wayte was layed behynde them, they went rounde about the enemies hoast, and shot dartes at the people from the morning to the euening.
81 As for Ionathas people, they kept their order as he had commaunded them, and the enemies horses were weery.
82 Then brought Simon foorth his hoast, and set them against the footemen (for the horsemen were weery alredy:) So he discomfited them, and they fled.
83 And they that were scattered in the fielde, gat them to Azotus, and came into the temple of Dagon their idoll, that they might there saue their liues.
84 But Ionathas set fire vpon Azotus and all the cities rounde about it, and toke their goodes, and brent vp the temple of Dagon, with all them that were fled into it.
85 Thus were slayne and brent welnye eyght thousande men.
86 So Ionathas remoued the hoast from thence, and brought them to Ascalon, where the men of the citie came foorth, and mette him with great worship.
87 After this, went Ionathas and his hoast againe to Hierusalem, with great substaunce of good.
88 And when king Alexander heard these thinges, he thought to do Ionathas more worship:
89 And sent him a coller of gold, as the vse is to be geuen vnto such as are of the kinges next blood: He gaue him also the citie of Accaron, with the landes belonging therto, in possession.
1 And the king of Egypt gathered an hoast like the sande that lyeth vpon the sea shore, and many shippes, & went about thorow disceyte to obtayne the kingdome of Alexander, and to ioyne it vnto his owne realme.
2 Upon this he toke his iourney into Syria, vsing gentle wordes, so that he was letten into the cities, & men came foorth to meete hym: for king Alexander had commaunded them so to do, because he was his father in lawe.
3 Nowe when Ptolomi entred into any citie, he left men of warre to kepe it: and this he did thorowout all the cities.
4 And when he came to Azotus, they shewed hym the temple of Dagon, and Azotus that was brent vp, with the other thinges which were destroyed, the dead bodies cast abrode, and the graues that they had made by the way side for such as were slayne in the fielde,
5 And tolde the king that Ionathas had done all these thinges, to the intent they might get him euyll will: But the king sayde not one worde therto.
6 And Ionathas mette the king with great honour at Ioppa, where they saluted one an other, and toke their rest.
7 So when Ionathas had gone with the king vnto the water that was called Eleutherus, he turned againe to Hierusalem.
8 Nowe Ptolomi had gotten the dominion of the cities vnto Seleucia vpon the sea coast, imagining wicked counsels against Alexander,
9 And sent ambassadours vnto Demetrius, saying: Come, let vs make a bonde betwixt vs, so shall I geue thee my daughter that Alexander hath, and thou shalt raigne in thy fathers kingdome.
10 I repent that I gaue Alexander my daughter, for he goeth about to slay me.
11 And thus he slaundered Alexander, because he woude haue had his realme.
12 Thus he toke his daughter from him, gaue her vnto Demetrius, and forsoke Alexander: so that his malice was openly knowen.
13 And Ptolomi came to Antioch, where he set two crownes vpon his owne head, the crowne of Egypt, and of Asia.
14 In the meane season was king Alexander in Cilicia: for they that dwelt in those places had rebelled against hym.
15 But when Alexander hearde of this, he came to warre against hym: So king Ptolomi brought foorth his hoast, and mette him with a mightie power, and chased him away.
16 Then fled Alexander into Arabia, there to be defended: and king Ptolomeus honour increased.
17 And Zabdiel the Arabian smote of Alexanders head, & sent it vnto Ptolomi.
18 But the thirde day after died king Ptolomi hym selfe, and they whom he had set in the strong holdes, were slayne one of another.
19 And Demetrius raigned in the hundred threscore and seuenth yere.
20 At the same time gathered Ionathas them that were in Iurie, to lay siege vnto the castle which was at Hierusalem, & so they made many instrumentes of warre against it.
21 Then went there certayne vngodly persons, whiche hated their owne people, vnto king Demetrius, and told hym that Ionathas besieged the castle.
22 So when he hearde it, he was angry, and immediatly came vnto Ptolomais, & wrote vnto Ionathas, that he should not lay siege to the castle, but come and speake with hym at Ptolomais in all haste.
23 Neuerthelesse, when Ionathas heard this, he commaunded to besiege it: He chose also certayne of the elders and priestes of Israel, and put him selfe in peryll,
24 And toke with him golde, siluer, clothing, and diuers presentes, and went to Ptolomais vnto the king, and founde him gracious.
25 And though certayne vngodly men of his owne people made complayntes vpon him,
26 Yet the king intreated him, like as his predecessours had done before, and promoted hym in the sight of all his friendes,
27 Confirmed hym in the hye priesthood with all the worship that he had afore, and made him his chiefe friend.
28 Ionathas also desired the king that he woulde make Iurie free, with the three head cities of Samaria, and the landes perteyning therto: vpon this did Ionathas promise hym three hundred talentes.
29 Wherunto the king consented, and gaue Ionathas wryting of the same, conteyning these wordes:
30 King Demetrius sendeth greeting vnto his brother Ionathas, and to the people of the Iewes.
31 We sende you here a copie of the letter which we did write vnto our cosen Lasthenus concerning you, that ye shoulde knowe it.
32 King Demetrius sendeth greeting vnto Lasthenus his father.
33 For the faythfulnesse that our friendes the people of the Iewes kepe vnto vs, and for the louing kindnesse which they beare towarde vs, we are determined to do them good.
34 Wherfore we assigne vnto the coastes of Iudea the three gouernemetes, Afferema, Lydda, and Ramatha, whiche are added vnto Iurie from Samaria and all the landes pertayning therevnto, to be freely separated for such as do sacrifice in Hierusalem, both concerning the paymentes whiche the king toke yerely aforetime, & the fruite also of the earth and trees:
35 As for other tithes and tributes that belonged vnto vs, we discharge them therof from this time foorth.
36 In like maner we graunt vnto them all the customes of salt, & crowne taxes, which were brought vnto vs: and this freedome shal they haue firme and stedfast from this time foorth for euermore.
37 Therefore, see that ye make a copie of these our letters, and deliuer it vnto Ionathas, that it may be set vpon the holy mount in a conuenient place.
38 After this, when Demetrius the king sawe that his land was in rest, and that no resistaunce was made against him, he sent away all his hoast, euery man to his owne place, except certayne bandes of straungers, whom he brought from the Iles of the heathen: wherefore all his fathers hoast hated him.
39 Now was ther one Tryphon that had ben of Alexanders part afore, whiche when he saw that all the hoast murmured against Demetrius, he went to Samalcue the Arabian, that brought vp Antiochus the sonne of Alexander,
40 And lay sore vpon him to deliuer hym this young Antiochus, that he might raine in his fathers steade: He tolde him also what great euyll Demetrius had done, & how his men of warre loued him not: & so remayned there a long season.
41 And Ionathas sent vnto king Demetrius, to driue them out which were in the castle at Hierusalem, and those that were in the fortresses, for they dyd Israel great harme.
42 So Demetrius sent word vnto Ionathas, saying, I will not only do these thinges for thee and thy people: but at time conuenient I wil do both thee and thy people great worship.
43 But now thou shalt do me a pleasure if thou wilt sende me men to helpe me: for all myne armie is gone fro me.
44 So Ionathas sent hym three thousande strong men vnto Antioch, & they came vnto the king, wherefore the king was very glad at their comming.
45 But they that were of the citie, euen an hundred and twentie thousand men, gathered them together in the middest of the citie, & would haue slaine the king:
46 Whiche fled into his court, and the citezins kept the streetes of the citie, and began to fight.
47 Then the king called for the Iewes helpe, which came vnto him altogether, and went abrode thorowe the citie,
48 And slue the same day an hundred thousand men, set fire vpon the citie, and gat many spoyles in that day, and deliuered the king.
49 So when the citezins sawe that the Iewes had gotten their will of the citie, and they them selues disapointed of their purpose, they made their supplication vnto the king, saying:
50 Graunt vs peace, and let the Iewes ceasse from troubling vs and the citie,
51 And vpon this they cast away their weapons. Thus they made peace, and the Iewes gat great worship in the sight of the king and in the sight of all that were in his realme, and were spoken of throughout the kingdome: and so they came againe to Hierusalem with great goodes.
52 So the king Demetrius sate in the throne of his kingdome, and had peace in his lande.
53 Neuerthelesse, he dissembled in all that euer he spake, and withdrewe hym selfe from Ionathas, neither rewarded him according to the benefites which he had done for hym, but troubled hym very sore.
54 After this came Tryphon againe with young Antiochus, which raigned & was crowned king.
55 Then there gathered vnto him all the men of warre whom Demetrius had put away, these fought against Demetrius: whith fled and turned his backe.
56 So Tryphon toke the Elephantes, and wan Antioche.
57 And young Antiochus wrote vnto Ionathas, saying: I confirme thee in thy pristhood, and make thee ruler of foure countreys, that thou mayst be a friende of the kinges.
58 Upon this he sent hym golden vessels to be serued in, and gaue hym leaue to drinke in golde, to be clothed in purple, and to weare a coller of golde.
59 He made his brother Simon also captayne, from the coastes of Tyrus vnto the borders of Egypt.
60 Then Ionathas toke his iourney, and went thorowe the cities beyonde the water of Iordane, and all the men of warre of Syria gathered them vnto hym for to helpe hym: So he came vnto Ascalon, & they of the citie receaued hym honorably.
61 And from thence went he to Gaza, but they woulde not let hym in: wherefore he layed siege vnto it, burning vp and spoyling the places that were about the citie.
62 And the citezins of Gaza submitted them selues vnto Ionathas, whiche made peace with them: but toke of their sonnes to pledge, sent them to Hierusalem, and went thorow the countrey vnto Damascus.
63 Now when Ionathas heard that Demetrius princes were come into Cades which is in Galilee, with a great hoast, purposing to dryue him out of the countrey:
64 He came against them, and left Simon his brother in the lande.
65 And Simon came to Bethsura, and layed siege to it a long season, and discomfited them.
66 So they desired to haue peace with hym: whiche he graunted them, & afterwarde put them out from thence, toke the citie, and set men to kepe it.
67 And Ionathas with his hoast came to the water of Genesar, and betimes in the morning gat them to the playne fielde of Azor:
68 And behold, the hoastes of the heathen mette them in the fielde, & layed watch for them in the mountaynes:
69 So that when Ionathas came against them, the other whiche were layed to watch rose out of their places and fought,
70 And they that were of Ionathas side fled euery man, & there was not one of them left, except Mathathias the sonne of Absalomus, and Iudas the sonne of Calphi the captayne of the hoast.
71 Then Ionathas rent his clothes, layde earth vpon his head, made his prayer,
72 And turned againe to them in the fielde, where they fought together, and he put them to flight.
73 Now when his owne men that were fled, sawe this, they turned againe vnto him, and helped him to folowe vpon all their enemies vnto their tentes at Cades, and there they camped.
74 So there were slaine of the heathen the same day three thousand men, and Ionathas turned againe to Hierusalem.
1 Ionathas seeing that the time was meete for him, chose certaine men, and sent them vnto Rome for to stablish and to renue the frendship with them:
2 He sent letters also vnto Sparta, and to other places in lyke maner.
3 So they went vnto Rome, and entred into the counsel, and saide: Ionathas the hie priest & the people of the Iewes, sent vs vnto you for to renue the olde frendship and bonde of loue.
4 Upon this the Romanes gaue them free pasportes, that men shoulde leade them home into the land of Iuda peaceably.
5 And this is the copie of the letters that Ionathas wrote vnto the Spartians.
6 Ionathas the hie priest, with the elders, priestes, and the other people of the Iewes, sende greeting vnto the Spartians their brethren.
7 There were letters sent long ago vnto Onias the hie priest, from Arius which then raigned among you, that ye are our brethren, as the copie here vnder written doth specifie.
8 And Onias entreated the Ambassadour that was sent honorably, and receaued the letters, wherein there was mention made of the bonde of loue and frendship.
9 But as for vs, we neede no such wrytinges, for why? we haue ye holy bookes of scripture in our handes to our comfort.
10 Neuerthelesse, we had rather sende vnto you, for the renuing of the brotherhood and frendship, lest we shoulde be straunge vnto you: for it is long since the time that ye sent worde vnto vs.
11 Wherfore, in the sacrifices that we offer, and other ceremonies vpon the hie solempe dayes, and other, we alway remember you without ceassing, lyke as reason is, and as it becommeth vs to thinke vpon our brethren,
12 Yea, and are right glad of your prosperous honour.
13 And though we haue had great troubles and warres, so that the kinges about vs haue fought against vs:
14 Yet woulde we not be greeuous vnto you, nor to other of our louers & frendes in these warres.
15 For we haue had helpe from heauen that hath succoured vs, so that we are deliuered, and our enemies subdued.
16 Wherefore we chose Numenius the sonne of Antiochus, and Antipater the sonne of Iason, and sent them vnto the Romanes, for to renue the olde bonde of frendship and loue with them.
17 We commaunded them also to come vnto you, to salute you, and to deliuer you our letters concerning the renouation of our brotherhood.
18 And now ye shal do right wel to geue vs an aunswere thereunto.
19 And this is the copie of the writing which Arius the king of Sparta sent vnto Onias.
20 Arius the king of the Spartians, sendeth greeting vnto Onias the hie priest:
21 It is founde in writing, that the Spartians and Iewes are brethren, & come out of the generation of Abraham:
22 And now forsomuch as this is come to our knowledge, ye shall do wel to write vnto vs of your prosperitie.
23 As for vs, we haue written our minde vnto you, our cattaile and goodes are yours, and yours ours: these thinges haue we comaunded to be shewed vnto you.
24 When Ionathas heard that Demetrius princes were come foorth to fight against him with a greater hoast then afore,
25 He went from Hierusalem, and met them in the land of Hemath: for he gaue them not space to come into his owne countrey.
26 And he sent spies vnto their tentes, which came againe and tolde him that they were appoynted to come vpon him in the night season.
27 Wherefore when the sunne was gone downe, Ionathas comaunded his men to watch all the night, and to be redie with weapons for to fight, and set watchmen rounde about the hoast.
28 But when the aduersaries heard that Ionathas was redie with his men to the battaile, they feared, & were afraid in their heartes, and kindled fires in their tentes, brake vp, and gat them away.
29 Neuerthelesse, Ionathas and his company knewe it not till the morning, for they sawe the fires burning.
30 Then Ionathas folowed vpon them, but he might not ouertake the, for they were gone ouer the water Eleutherus.
31 So Ionathas departed vnto the Arabians, which were called Zabadei, slue them, and toke their goodes.
32 He proceeded further also, and came vnto Damascus, and went through all the countrey.
33 But Simon his brother toke his iourney, and came to Ascalon, and to the next strong holdes, departing vnto Ioppa, and wan it,
34 (For he heard that they would deliuer the holde to them that toke Demetrius parte) wherfore he set men of warre in the citie to kepe it.
35 After this came Ionathas home againe, and called the elders of the people together, and deuised with them for to build vp the strong holdes in Iurie,
36 And to make the walles of Hierusalem higher, to set vp an hie wall betwixt the castle and the citie, for to separate it from the citie, that it might be alone, and that men should neither bye nor sell in it.
37 Upon this, they came together for to builde vp the citie, and forsomuch as the wall vpon the brooke of the east side, called Caphetetah was fallen downe, repaired it.
38 And Simon set vp Adiada in Sephela, and made it strong, setting portes and lockes vpon it.
39 Now when Tryphon purposed to raigne in Asia, to be crowned, and to slay the king Antiochus:
40 He was afraide that Ionathas would not suffer him, but fight against him: wherefore he went about to take Ionathas and to kill him: So he departed, and came vnto Bethsan.
41 Then went Ionathas foorth against him to the battaile with fourtie thousand chosen men, and came vnto Bethsan also:
42 But when Tryphon sawe that Ionathas came with so great an hoast to destroy him, he was afraide:
43 And therefore he receaued him honorably, commended him vnto all his friendes, and gaue him rewardes, and commaunded his men of warre to be as obedient vnto him, as to him selfe:
44 And saide vnto Ionathas, Why hast thou caused this people to take such trauaile, seeing there is no warre betwixt vs?
45 Therefore sende them home againe, and choose certaine men to wayte vpon thee, and come thou with me to Ptolomais: for I wyll geue it thee, with the other strong holdes, men of warre, and their officers: as for me, I must depart, this is onely the cause of my comming.
46 Ionathas beleued him, and did as he saide, putting away his hoast, which went into the lande of Iuda.
47 He kept but three thousand by him, whereof he sent two thousand into Galilee, and one thousand went with him selfe.
48 Now assoone as Ionathas entred into Ptolomais, the citezins sparred the gates of the citie, and toke him, and slue all them with the sworde that came in with him.
49 Then sent Tryphon an hoast of footemen and horsmen into Galilee, and into the great plaine field, to destroy all Ionathas company:
50 But when they knewe that Ionathas was taken, and all they slaine that waited vpon him, they toke counsel together, and encouraged one another, and came foorth against them redie to fight.
51 So when they which folowed vpon them, sawe that it was a matter of lyfe, they turned backe againe.
52 As for the other, they went into the lande of Iuda peaceably, and bewayled Ionathas and them that were with him right sore: and Israel made great lamentation.
53 Then al the heathen that were round about them, sought to destroy them:
54 For they said, Now haue they no captaine, nor any man to helpe them, therfore let vs ouercome them, and roote out their name from among men.
1 Nowe when Simon heard that Tryphon gathered a great hoast to come into the lande of Iuda, and to destroy it,
2 And saw that the people was in great fearefulnes and care: he came vp to Hierusalem, and gathered the people together,
3 And gaue them exhortation, saying: Ye know what great battailes I and my brethren and my fathers house haue fought for the lawe and the sanctuarie, and what maner of troubles we haue seene.
4 Through occasion whereof, all my brethren are slaine for Israels sake, and I am left alone.
5 And now let not me spare myne owne lyfe in any maner of trouble, for I am no better then my brethren:
6 But wyll auenge my people and the sanctuarie, our children and our wyues: for all the heathen are gathered together to destroy vs, of very malice.
7 At these wordes the heartes of the people were kindled together,
8 So that they cried with a loude voyce, saying: Thou shalt be our captaine, in steade of Iudas and Ionathas thy brethren:
9 Order thou our battaile, and whatsoeuer thou commaundest vs, we shall do it.
10 So he gathered all the men of warre, making haste to finishe all the walles of Hierusalem, which he made strong rounde about.
11 Then sent he Ionathas the sonne of Absalomus with a freshe hoast vnto Ioppa, which droue them out that were in the castle, and remained there him selfe.
12 Tryphon also remoued from Ptolomais with a great armie, to come into the lande of Iuda, and Ionathas with him, in warde.
13 And Simon pitched his tentes at Addus before the plaine fielde.
14 But when Tryphon knewe that Simon stoode vp in steade of his brother Ionathas, and that he would warre against him, he sent messengers vnto him, saying:
15 Where as we haue kept Ionathas thy brother, it is for money that he is owing in the kinges accompt, concerning the busines that he had in hande.
16 Wherefore, sende nowe a hundred talentes of siluer and his two sonnes for suretie (that when he is letten foorth, he shal not forsake vs) and we shall sende him againe.
17 Neuerthelesse, Simon knew that he discembled in his wordes: yet comaunded he the money and children to be deliuered vnto him, lest the Israelites might haue hated him,
18 And saide, Because he sent him not the money and the children, therefore is Ionathas dead.
19 So Simon sent him the children and an hundred talentes: but he dissembled, and would not let Ionathas go.
20 Afterwarde came Tryphon into the lande to destroy it, and went rounde about by the way that leadeth vnto Ador: But wheresoeuer they went, thyther went Simon and his hoast also.
21 Now they that were in the castle, sent messengers vnto Tryphon, that he should make haste to come by the wildernesse, and to sende them vitailes.
22 And Tryphon made redie al his horsmen to come the same night: neuerthelesse, it was a very great snowe, so that he came not because of the snowe, but he remoued and went into the countrey of Galaad.
23 And when he drue nye Baschama, he slue Ionathas and his sonnes there,
24 And then turned for to go home into his owne lande.
25 Then sent Simon for to fetch his brothers dead coarse, and buried it in Modin his fathers citie.
26 So al Israel bewayled him with great lamentation, and mourned for him very longe.
27 And Simon made vpon the sepulchre of his father and his brethren, a building, hie to loke vnto, of free stone, be hinde and before,
28 And set vp seuen pillers vpon it one against another, for his father, his mother, and foure brethren,
29 And set great pillers rounde about them, with armes vpon them for a perpetuall memorie, and carued shippes beside the armes, that they might be seene of men sayling in the sea.
30 This sepulchre which he made at Modin, standeth yet vnto this day.
31 Nowe as Tryphon went foorth to walke with the young king Antiochus, he slue him trayterously,
32 And raigned in his steade, crowned him selfe king of Asia, and did much euil in the lande.
33 Simon also built vp the castles in Iurie, making them strong with hie towers, great walles, portes and lockes, and layde vp vitailes in the stronge holdes.
34 And Simon chose certaine men, & sent them to king Demetrius, to desire him that he would discharge the lande from all bondage, for Tryphon had spoyled it very sore.
35 Whereupon Demetrius the king aunswered him, and wrote vnto him, after this maner:
36 Demetrius the king sendeth greeting vnto Simon the hie priest his friend, with the elders & people of the Iewes:
37 The golden crowne and precious stone that ye sent vnto vs, haue we receaued, and are redie to make a stedfast peace with you, yea and to write vnto our officers for to release you, concerning the thinges wherein we made you free.
38 And the appoyntment that we make with you, shalbe firme and stable: the strong holdes which ye haue builded, shalbe your owne.
39 As for any ouersight or fault committed vnto this day, we forgeue it, and the crowne taxe that ye ought vs also: And where as was any other tribute in Hierusalem, it shall now be no tribute:
40 And loke who are meete among you to be in our court, let them be written vp, that there may be peace betwixt vs.
41 Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken from Israel, in the hundred and seuentith yere.
42 And the people of the Iewes began to write in their letters and actes on this maner: In the first yere of Simon the hie priest, a gouernour and prince of the Iewes.
43 In those dayes went Simon vnto Gaza, & besieged it rounde about, where he set vp ordinaunce of warre, and wan a towre, which he toke.
44 So they that gat into the towre, lept into the citie, which was in a great feare:
45 Insomuch that the people of the citie rent their clothes, and clymed vp vpon the walles, with their wiues and children, beseching Simon to be at one with them, saying:
46 O rewarde vs not after our wickednesse, but be gratious vnto vs, [and we shall do thee seruice.]
47 Then Simon for very pitie woulde fight no more against them, but put the out of the citie, and caused the houses wherein the images were, to be clensed, and so entred the citie with psalmes of prayse, geuing thankes vnto the Lorde.
48 So when he had cast all abhominations out of the citie, he set such men in it as kept the lawe of God, and made the citie strong, and builded a dwelling place for him selfe.
49 Now when they in the castle at Hierusalem were kept so straightly that they coulde not come foorth nor go into the countrey, & might neither bye nor sel, they were very hungry, and many of them famished to death:
50 Insomuch that they besought Simon to be at one with them, which he graunted them: So he put them out from thence, and clensed the castle from filthinesse.
51 And vpon the twentie and three day of the second moneth, in the hundred threescore and eleuenth yere, they entred into it with thankesgeuing, and braunches of paulme trees, with harpes, croudes, cymbales, and lutes, singing psalmes and songes of praise vnto God, for that the great enemie of Israel was ouercome.
52 And Simon ordained that the same day shoulde be kept euery yere with gladnesse,
53 And made strong the hill of the temple that was beside the castle, where he dwelt him selfe with his company.
54 Simon also perceauing that Ihon his sonne was a mightie man of armes, made him captaine of all the hoastes, and caused him to dwell at Gaza.
1 In the hundred threescore and twelfth yere, gathered king Demetrius his hoast, and departed vnto Media, to get him helpe for to fight against Tryphon.
2 Now when Arsaces the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius was entred within his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him aliue, [and to bring him vnto him.]
3 So he went and slue Demetrius hoast, toke him selfe, brought him to Arsaces, which kept him in warde.
4 And all the lande of Iuda was in rest so long as Simon liued, for he sought the wealth of his people, therfore were they glad to haue him for their ruler, and to do him worship alway.
5 Simon wan the citie of Ioppa also for an hauen towne, and made it an entraunce into the Iles of the sea:
6 He enlarged the borders of his people, and conquered them more lande:
7 He gathered vp many of their people that were prisoners, he had the dominion of Gaza, Bethsura, and the castle which he cleansed from filthynes, and there was no man that resisted him.
8 So that euery man tilled his grounde in peace, the lande of Iuda and the trees gaue their fruite and encrease.
9 The elders sate all in iudgement, and toke their deuice for the wealth of the lande, the young men put on worshippe and harnesse vpon them.
10 He prouided vitailes for the cities, and made goodly strong holdes of them, so that the same of his worship was spoken of vnto the ende of the worlde.
11 For he made peace throughout the lande, and Israel was full of mirth and ioy.
12 Euery man sate vnder his vine & figge trees, and there was no man to fraye them away.
13 There was none in the lande to fight against them, for then the kinges were ouercome.
14 He helped those that were in aduersitie among his people, he was diligent to see the lawe kept: as for such as were vngodly and wicked, he toke them away.
15 He set vp the sanctuary, and encreased the holy vessels of the temple.
16 When the Romanes and Spartians had gotten worde that Ionathas was dead, they were right sory:
17 But when they heard that Simon his brother was made hie priest in his steade, and how he had wonne the land againe with the cities in it:
18 They wrote vnto him in tables of brasse, to renue the frendship and bonde of loue which they had made afore with Iudas and Ionathas his brethren.
19 Which writinges were read before the congregation at Hierusalem. And this is the copie of the letters that the Spartians sent:
20 The Senatours and citezins of Sparta send greeting vnto Simon the great priest, with the elders, priestes, and the other people of the Iewes their brethren:
21 When your Ambassadours that were sent vnto our people, certified vs of your worship, honour, & prosperous wealth: we were glad of their comming,
22 And haue written the ambassage in the publike recordes in this maner: [namely] that Numenius the sonne of Antiochus, and Antipater the sonne of Iason the Iewes ambassadours, are come vnto vs, for to renue the olde frendship with vs.
23 Upon this the people concented, that the men should be honorably intreated, and that the copie of their ambassage should be written in the speciall bookes of the people for a perpetuall memorie vnto the Spartians, yea and that we should send a copie of the same vnto Simon the great priest.
24 After this, did Simon send Numenius vnto Rome, with a golden shielde of a thousand pound waight, to confirme the frendship with them.
25 Which when the Romanes vnderstoode, they saide: what thankes shall we recompence againe vnto Simon and his children?
26 For he and his brethren and the house of his father, hath stablished Israel, and ouercommed their enemies, wherefore they graunted him to be free, and confirmed the libertie thereof: therefore they wrote this in tables of brasse, and set it vpon pillers in mount Sion.
27 The copie of the writing is this: The eighteenth day of the moneth Elul, in the hundred threescore and twelfth yere, in the third yere of Simon the hie priest,
28 In the great congregation of the priestes, rulers of the people, and elders of the countrey at Saramel, were these wordes openly declared:
29 Forsomuch as there was much warre in our lande, therfore Simon the sonne of Mathathias come of the children of Iarib, & his brethren put them selues in perill, and resisted the enemies of their people, that their sanctuary and lawe might be maintayned, and did their people great worship.
30 Ionathas in lyke maner, after that he had gouerned his people and ben their hie priest, dyed, and lyeth buried beside his elders.
31 After that would their enemies haue troden their holy thinges vnder foote, destroyed their lande, and vtterlie wasted their sanctuary.
32 Then Simon withstoode them, and fought for his people, spent much of his owne money, weaponed the valiaunt men of his people, gaue them wages,
33 Made strong the cities of Iuda, with Bethsura that lyeth vpon the borders of Iurie, where the ordinaunce of their enemies laye sometime, and set Iewes there for to kepe it.
34 He made fast Ioppa also which lyeth vpon the sea, and Gaza that bordereth vpon Azotus, where the enemies dwelt afore, and there he set Iewes to kepe it: and whatsoeuer was meete for the subduing of the aduersaries, that layed he therein.
35 Now when the people sawe the noble actes of Simon, and what worship he purposed to do for them, his godly behauour and faithfulnes which he kept vnto them, and how he sought by alwayes the wealth of his people: because he did all this, therefore they chose him to be their prince and hie priest.
36 And in his time they prospered wel by him, so that the heathen were taken out of their lande, and they also which were in the citie of Dauid at Hierusalem in the castle, where they went out and defiled all thinges that were about the sanctuary, and did great harme vnto cleanlinesse:
37 And Simon put men of the Iewes in it for the defence of the land and citie, and set vp the walles of Hierusalem.
38 And king Demetrius confirmed him in his high priesthood
39 For these causes: made him his friend, and did him great worship:
40 For he heard that the Romanes called the Iewes their friendes, louers, and brethren: howe honorably they receaued Simons Ambassadours:
41 Howe the Iewes and priestes concented that he should be their prince and hie priest perpetually, till God raysed vp the true prophete:
42 And that he shoulde be their captaine, to care for the sanctuarie, and to set officers vpon the workes thereof, ouer the lande, ouer the weapons, ouer the houses of defence, to make prouision for the holy thinges,
43 And to be obeyed of euery man, and all the writinges of the lande to be made in his name, that he should be clothed in purple and golde:
44 And that it should be lawfull for none of the people nor priestes to breake any of these thinges, to withstand his words, nor to call any congregation in the lande without him: that he should be clothed in purple, and weare a coller of golde.
45 And if there were any which disobeyed or brake this ordinaunce, that he should be punished.
46 So al the people consented to alow Simon, & to do according to these wordes:
47 Simon also him selfe toke it vpon him, and was content to be the hie priest, the captaine and prince of the Iewes and priestes, and to gouerne them all.
48 And they commaunded to make this writing in tables of brasse, and fasten it vnto the wall that compasseth the sanctuary, in an open place:
49 And to lay vp a copie of the same in the treasurie, that Simon and his posteritie might haue it.
1 Moreouer, king Antiochus the sonne of Demetrius, sent letters from the Iles of the sea, vnto Simon the hie priest and prince of the Iewes, and to all the people.
2 Concerning these wordes: Antiochus the king sendeth greeting vnto Simon the hie priest, and to the people of the Iewes.
3 Forsomuch as certaine wicked men haue gotten the kingdome of our progenitours, I haue purposed to chalenge the realme againe, and to restore it to the olde estate: Wherefore I haue gathered a great hoast, and made shippes of warre:
4 That I may go through the countrey, and be auenged of them which haue destroyed our lande, and wasted many cities in my realme.
5 And therefore nowe I make thee free also from all the tributes whereof all kinges my progenitours haue discharged thee, & from other customes wherefrom they haue releassed thee, whatsoeuer they be:
6 Yea, I geue thee leaue to smite money of thyne owne within thy lande.
7 As for Hierusalem, I wyll that it be holy and free, and all the weapons and houses of defence which thou hast builded and kepest in thyne handes shable thyne.
8 Whereas any thing is or shalbe owing vnto the king, I forgeue it thee, from this time foorth for euermore.
9 And when we haue obtayned our kingdome, we shall do thee, thy people, and the temple, great worship: so that your honour shalbe knowen throughout the whole worlde.
10 In the hundred threescore & fourteenth yere went Antiochus into his fathers land, and all the men of warre came together vnto him, so that fewe were left with Tryphon.
11 So the king Antiochus folowed vpon him: but he fled vnto Dora, which lyeth by the sea side:
12 For he sawe that there was mischiefe comming vnto him, and that his hoast had forsaken him.
13 Then came Antiochus vnto Dora with an hundred and twentie thousand men of armes on foote, and eyght thousand horsmen: so he compassed the citie rounde about, and the shippes came by the sea.
14 Thus they vexed the citie by land and by water, insomuch that they suffered no man to go in nor out.
15 In the meane season came Numenius, & they that had ben with him, from the citie of Rome, hauing letters written vnto the kinges & prouinces, wherein were contayned these wordes:
16 Lucius the consull of Rome, sendeth greeting vnto Ptolomi the king.
17 The Ambassadours of the Iewes our friendes, being sent from Simon the hie priest, and from the people of the Iewes, came vnto vs for to renue the olde friendship and bonde of loue,
18 Brought a shielde of golde weying a thousand pounde,
19 Wherefore, we thought it good to write vnto the kinges and prouinces, to do them no harme, nor to take part against them, their cities, nor countries, neither to maintaine their enemies against them.
20 And we were content to receaue of them the shielde.
21 If there be any wicked persons therefore fled from their countrey vnto you, deliuer them vnto Simon the hie priest, that he may punishe them according to their owne lawe.
22 The same wordes wrote the Romanes also vnto Demetrius the king, to Attalus, Araba, Arsaces,
23 And to all regions: as Samsanes, to them of Spartia, Delo, Mydo, Sidon, Caria, Samos, Pamphilia, Lycia, Alicarnassem, and to the Rhodes, to Faselidis, Coo, Sida, Arado, Cortyna, Gnidum, to Cypres, and Cyren.
24 And of euery letter they sent a copie to Simon the hie priest.
25 So Antiochus the king brought his hoast vnto Dora the second time to take it, where he made diuers ordinaunce of warre, and kept Tryphon in that he should not go eyther in or out.
26 Then sent Simon vnto Antiochus two thousand chosen men to helpe him, with golde, siluer, & other plenteous thinges.
27 Neuerthelesse, he woulde not receaue them, but brake all the couenaut which he made with Simon afore, and withdrewe him selfe from him.
28 He sent Athenobius also a frend of his vnto Simon for to reason with him, saying: Ye withholde fro me Ioppa and Gaza, with the castle that is at Hierusalem, which are cities of my realme,
29 Whose borders ye haue destroyed, and done great euill in the lande, hauing the dominion in many other places of my kingdome.
30 Wherfore deliuer now the cities which ye haue taken, with the tributes of the places that ye haue rule vpon without the borders of Iurie:
31 Or els geue me fiue hundred talentes of siluer: yea & for the harme that ye haue done in the cities & for the tributes of the same, other fiue hundred talentes: yf no, we shall come and fight against you.
32 So Athenobius the kinges friend came to Hierusalem, and when he sawe the great worship & honour of Simon in golde, siluer, & so great plentie of ornamentes, he maruailed: & tolde Simon as the king commaunded him.
33 Then aunswered Simon, and saide vnto him: As for vs, we haue neither taken other mens landes, nor withholden the: but onely our fathers heritage, which our enemies had vnrighteously in possession a certaine time.
34 This heritage of our fathers haue we chalenged in processe of time.
35 And whereas thou complaynest concerning Ioppa & Gaza, they did great harme to our people and in our lande, yet wyll we geue an hundred talentes for them. Neuerthelesse, Athenobius aunswered him not one worde:
36 But turned againe wrothfully vnto the king, & tolde him al these words, and the great dignitie of Simon, with al that he had seene: & the king was very angry.
37 And in the meane time fled Tryphon by ship vnto Orthosias.
38 Then the king made Cendebeus captaine of the sea coast, and gaue him an hoast of footemen and horsemen,
39 Commaunding him to remoue the hoast toward Iurie, & to builde vp the citie of Cedron, to make vp the portes, and to warre against the people of the Iewes: As for the king him selfe, he folowed vpon Tryphon.
40 So Cendebeus came vnto Iamnia, and began to vexe the people, to treade downe Iurie, to take the people prisoners, to slay them,
41 And to builde vp Cedron, where he set horsmen and other men of warre, that they might come foorth, and go through the streetes of Iurie, lyke as the king had commaunded him.
1 Then came Iohn vp from Gaza, and tolde Simon his father what Cendebeus had done [among their people.]
2 Upon this called Simon two of his eldest sonnes, Iudas and Iohn, and saide vnto them: I and my brethren and my fathers house haue euer from our youth vp vnto this day foughten against the enemies of Israel: and God gaue vs good fortune to deliuer Israel ofttimes.
3 And now forsomuch as I am olde, and ye by gods goodnesse are of a sufficient age, be ye in steade of me and my brother, to go foorth and fight for our people: and the helpe of God be with you.
4 So he chose twentie thousand fighting men of the countrey, with horsemen also, whiche went foorth against Cendebeus, and rested at Modin.
5 In the morning they arose and went into the playne fielde, and beholde a mightie great hoast came against them, both of footemen and horsemen: Nowe was there a water broke betwixt them,
6 And Iohn remoued the hoast towarde them: and when he saw that the people was afrayde to go ouer the water broke, he went ouer first him selfe: and the men seyng this, folowed him.
7 Then Iohn set his horsemen and footemen in order, the one by the other: for their enemies horseme were very many.
8 But when they blewe vp the priestes trumpettes, Cendebeus fled with his hoast: whereof many were slayne, and the remnaunt gat them to their strong holdes.
9 Iudas also Iohns brother was wounded at the same time, and Iohn folowed still vpon the enemies, till he came to Cedron, which Cendebeus had builded.
10 The [enemies] fled also vnto the towres that were in the fieldes of Azotus, and those dyd Iohn burne vp with fyre: Thus there were slayne two thousand men of them, and Iohn turned againe peaceably into Iurie.
11 And in the fielde of Iericho was Ptolomi the sonne of Abobus made captayne: which, because he had aboundaunce of siluer and golde
12 (For he had maried the daughter of Simon the hye priest)
13 Waxed proude in his minde, & thought to conquer the land, imagining falshood against Simon and his sonnes, to destroy them.
14 Nowe as Simon was goyng about thorow the cities that were in the countrey of Iurie, and caring for them, he came downe to Iericho with Mathathias & Iudas his sonnes, in the hundred threescore & seuenteenth yere, in the eleuenth moneth, called Sabat.
15 Then [Ptolomi] the sonne of Abobus receaued them, but with disceyte, into a strong house of his, called Dochus, whiche he had buylded, where he made them a banket, and had hyd men there.
16 So when Simon and his sonnes were mery, and had drunken well, Ptolomi stoode vp with his men [whom he had hid there] and toke their weapons, entred into the banket house, and slue Simon with his two sonnes, and certayne of his seruauntes.
17 Such great vnfaythfulnesse dyd Ptolomi in Israel, and recompenced euyll for good.
18 Then wrote Ptolomi these thinges, & sent vnto king [Antiochus] requiring him that he shoulde sende hym an hoast to helpe him: and so should he deliuer him the lande, with the cities and tributes of the same.
19 He sent other men also vnto Gaza for to take Iohn, and wrote vnto the captaynes to come to him, and he shoulde geue them siluer, gold, and rewardes.
20 And to Hierusalem he sent other to take it, and the sanctuarie.
21 Then ran there one before, and tolde Iohn in Gaza, that his father and his brethren were slayne, & howe that Ptolomi had sent to slay him also.
22 When Iohn hearde this, he was sore abashed, and layed handes of them that were come to destroy hym, and slue them: for he knewe that they went about to kill hym
23 As for other thinges concerning Iohn, of his warres, of his noble actes wherin he behaued hym selfe manfully, of the buylding of walles which he made, and other of his deedes,
24 They are written in the cronicles of his priesthood, from the time foorth that he was made hye priest after his father.