who were with Judas, and how they were ready either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch, and gathered together hired soldiers, that he might come again into Judea with an even greater army.
36 But Judas and his kindred said, “Behold, our enemies are defeated. Let’s go up to cleanse the holy place and to rededicate it.” 37 All the army was gathered together, and they went up to mount Zion. 38 They saw the sanctuary laid desolate, the altar profaned, the gates burnt up, shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest or as on one of the mountains, and the priests’ chambers pulled down; 39 and they tore their clothes, made great lamentation, put ashes upon their heads, 40 fell on their faces to the ground, † blew with the solemn trumpets,‡ and cried towards heaven. 41 Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those who were in the citadel until he had cleansed the holy place.
42 He chose blameless priests who were devoted to the law; 43 and they cleansed the holy place and carried the defiled stones out to an unclean place. 44 They deliberated what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been profaned. 45 A good plan came into their mind, that they should pull it down, lest it would be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it. So they pulled down the altar 46 and laid up the stones on the temple hill in a convenient place, until a prophet would come to give an answer concerning them. 47 They took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar like the former. 48 They built the holy place and the inner parts of the house; and they consecrated the courts. 49 They made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. 50 They burnt incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps that were upon the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple. 51 They set loaves upon the table, hung up the curtains, and finished all the work which they had done.
52 They rose up early in the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month Chislev, in§ the one hundred and forty eighth year, 53 and offered sacrifice according to the law on the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made. 54 At the time and day the Gentiles had profaned it, even then it was dedicated with songs, harps, lutes, and with cymbals. 55 All the people fell on their faces, worshipped, and gave praise towards heaven, which had given them good success. 56 They celebrated the dedication of the altar eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed a sacrifice of deliverance and praise. 57 They decorated the front of the temple with crowns of gold and small shields. They dedicated the gates and the priests’ chambers, and made doors for them. 58 There was exceedingly great gladness amongst the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.
59 Judas and his kindred and the whole congregation of Israel ordained that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their seasons from year to year for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev, with gladness and joy.
60 At that time, they fortified mount Zion with high walls and strong towers around it, lest perhaps the Gentiles might come and trample them down, as they had done before. 61 Judas stationed a garrison to guard it. They fortified Bethsura to keep it, that the people might have a stronghold near Idumaea.
5
1 It came to pass, when the Gentiles all around heard that the altar had been rebuilt and the sanctuary dedicated as before, they were exceedingly angry. 2 They took counsel to destroy the race of Jacob that was in the midst of them, and they began to kill and destroy amongst the people. 3 Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumaea at Akrabattine, because they besieged Israel. He struck them with a great slaughter, humbled them, and took their spoils. 4 He remembered the wickedness of the children of† Baean, who were a snare and a stumbling block to the people, lying in wait for them on the highways. 5 They were shut up by him in the towers. He encamped against them, and destroyed them utterly, and burnt with fire the towers of the place with all who were in them. 6 He passed over to the children of Ammon, and found a mighty band and many people, with Timotheus for their leader. 7 He fought many battles with them, and they were defeated before his face. He struck them, 8 and took possession of Jazer and its villages,‡ and returned again into Judea.
9 The Gentiles who were in Gilead gathered themselves together against the Israelites who were on their borders, to destroy them. They fled to the stronghold of Dathema, 10 and sent letters to Judas and his kindred, saying, “The Gentiles who are around us are gathered together against us to destroy us. 11 They are preparing to come and get possession of the stronghold where we fled for refuge, and Timotheus is the leader of their army. 12 Now therefore come and deliver us from their hand, for many of us have fallen. 13 All our kindred who were in the land of §Tubias have been put to death. They have carried their wives, their children, and their stuff into captivity. They destroyed about a thousand men there.”
14 While the letters were still being read, behold, other messengers came from Galilee with their clothes torn, bringing a similar report, 15 saying, “People of Ptolemais, of Tyre, of Sidon, and all Galilee of the† Gentiles have gathered together to destroy us.”
16 Now when Judas and the people heard these words, a great congregation assembled together to determine what they should do for their kindred who were in distress and under attack. 17 Judas said to Simon his brother, “Choose men and go deliver your kindred who are in Galilee, but Jonathan my brother and I will go into the land of Gilead.” 18 He left Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, as leaders of the people, with the remnant of the army, in Judea, to guard it. 19 He commanded them, saying, “Take charge of this people, and fight no battle with the Gentiles until we return.” 20 Then three thousand men were assigned to go into Galilee with Simon, but eight thousand men were assigned to Judas to go into the land of Gilead.
21 Simon went into Galilee and fought many battles with the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were defeated before him. 22 He pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais. About three thousand men of the Gentiles fell, and he took their spoils. 23 They took to them those who were in Galilee and in Arbatta, with their wives, their children, and all that they had, and brought them into Judea with great gladness. 24 Judas Maccabaeus and his brother Jonathan passed over the Jordan, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness. 25 They met with the Nabathaeans, and these met them in a peaceful manner and told them all things that had happened to their kindred in the land of Gilead, 26 and how many of them were shut up in Bosora, Bosor, Alema,‡ Casphor, Maked, and§ Carnaim—all these cities are strong and large— 27 and how they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the land of Gilead, and that tomorrow they planned to encamp against the strongholds, and to take them, and to destroy all these men in one day.
28 Judas and his army turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness to Bosora; and he took the city, and killed all the males with the edge of the sword, took all their spoils, and burnt the city with fire. 29 He left there at night, and went until he came to the stronghold. 30 When the morning came, they lifted up their eyes and saw many people who couldn’t be counted, bearing ladders and engines of war, to take the stronghold; and they were fighting against them. 31 Judas saw that the battle had begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven, with trumpets and a great sound, 32 and he said to the men of his army, “Fight today for your kindred!” 33 Then he went out behind them in three companies. They sounded with their trumpets and cried out in prayer. 34 And the army of Timotheus perceived that it was Maccabaeus, and they fled from before him. He struck them with a great slaughter. About eight thousand men of them fell on that day.
35 He turned away to Mizpeh and fought against it, took it, killed all its males, took its spoils, and burnt it with fire. 36 From there he marched and took† Casphor, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of the land of Gilead.
37 Now after these things, Timotheus gathered another army and encamped near Raphon beyond the brook. 38 Judas sent men to spy on the army; and they brought him word, saying, “All the Gentiles who are around us are gathered together to them, an exceedingly great army. 39 They have hired Arabians to help them, and are encamped beyond the brook, ready to come against you to battle.”