rushed against Gorgias’ troops when they were not expecting it, and put them to flight.
38 Judas gathered his army and came to the city of §Adullam. As the seventh day was coming on, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the Sabbath there.
39 On the following day, †when it had become necessary, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of those who had fallen, ‡and in company with their kinsmen to bring them back to the sepulchres of their ancestors. 40 But under the garments of each one of the dead they found §consecrated tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to have anything to do with. It became clear to all that it was for this cause that they had fallen. 41 All therefore, blessing the ways of the Lord, the righteous Judge, who makes manifest the things that are hidden, 42 turned themselves to supplication, praying that the sin committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the multitude to keep themselves from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. 43 When he had made a collection man by man to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver, he sent to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for sin, doing very well and honourably in this, in that he took thought for the resurrection. 44 For if he wasn’t expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would be superfluous and idle to pray for the dead. 45 But if he was looking forward to an honourable memorial of gratitude laid up for those who †die ‡in godliness, then the thought was holy and godly. Therefore he made the atoning sacrifice for those who had died, that they might be released from their sin.
13
1 In the one hundred and forty-ninth year, news was brought to Judas and his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming with multitudes against Judea, 2 and with him Lysias his guardian and chancellor, each having a Greek force of one hundred and ten thousand infantry, five thousand and three hundred cavalry, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.
3 And Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great hypocrisy encouraged Antiochus, not for the saving of his country, but because he thought that he would be set over the government. 4 But the King of kings stirred up the anger of Antiochus against the wicked wretch. When Lysias informed him that this man was the cause of all the evils, the king commanded to bring him to Beroea, and to put him to death in the way customary in that place. 5 Now there is in that place a tower that is fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had all around it a †circular rim sloping steeply on every side into the ashes. 6 Here one who is guilty of sacrilege or notorious for other crimes is pushed down to destruction. 7 By such a fate it happened that the breaker of the law, Menelaus, died, without obtaining so much as a grave in the earth, and that justly; 8 for inasmuch as he had perpetrated many sins ‡ against the altar, whose fire and whose ashes were holy, he received his death in ashes.
9 Now the king,§ infuriated in spirit, was coming with intent to inflict on the Jews the very worst of the sufferings that had been done in his father’s time. 10 But when Judas heard of these things, he commanded the multitude to call upon the Lord day and night, if ever at any other time, so now to help those who were at the point of being deprived of the law, their country, and the holy temple, 11 and not to allow the people who had just begun to be revived to fall into the hands of those profane heathen. 12 So when they had all done the same thing together, † begging the merciful Lord with weeping and fastings and prostration for three days without ceasing, Judas exhorted them and commanded they should join him.
13 Having consulted privately with the elders, he resolved that before the king’s army entered into Judea and made themselves masters of the city, they should go out and decide the matter by the help of ‡God. 14 And committing the decision to the §Lord of the world, and exhorting those who were with him to contend nobly even to death for laws, temple, city, country, and way of life, he pitched his camp by Modin. 15 He gave out to his men the watchword, “VICTORY IS GOD’S”, with a chosen force of the bravest young men he attacked by the king’s pavilion by night, and killed of his army as many as two thousand men, and †brought down the leading elephant with him who was in the ‡tower on him. 16 At last they filled the §army with terror and alarm, and departed with good success. 17 This had been accomplished when the day was just dawning, because of the Lord’s protection that gave †Judas help.
18 But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews, made strategic attacks on their positions, 19 and on a strong fortress of the Jews at Bethsura. He advanced, was turned back, failed, and was defeated. 20 Judas sent the things that were necessary to those who were within. 21 But Rhodocus, from the Jewish ranks, made secrets known to the enemy. He was sought out, arrested, and shut up in prison. 22 The king negotiated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took theirs, departed, attacked the forces of Judas, was put to the worse, 23 heard that Philip who had been left as chancellor in Antioch had become reckless, was confounded, made to the Jews an overture of peace, submitted himself and swore to acknowledge all their rights, came to terms with them and offered sacrifice, honoured the sanctuary and the place, 24 showed kindness and graciously received Maccabaeus, left Hegemonides governor from Ptolemais even to the ‡ Gerrenians, 25 and came to Ptolemais. The men of Ptolemais were displeased at the treaty, for they had exceedingly great indignation against the Jews. They desired to annul the articles of the agreement. 26 Lysias §came forward to speak, made the best defence that was possible, persuaded, pacified, gained their good will, and departed to Antioch. This was the issue of the attack and departure of the king.
14
1 Three years later, news was brought to Judas and his company that Demetrius the son of Seleucus, having sailed into the harbour of Tripolis with a mighty army and a fleet, 2 had taken possession of the country, having made away with Antiochus and his guardian Lysias.
3 But one Alcimus, who had formerly been high priest, and had wilfully polluted himself in the times when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, considering that there was no deliverance for him in any way, nor any more access to the holy altar, 4 came to King Demetrius in about the one hundred and fifty-first year, presenting to him a crown of gold and a palm, and beside these some of the festal olive boughs of the temple. For that day, he held his peace; 5 but having gotten opportunity to further his own madness, being called by Demetrius into a meeting of his council, and asked how the Jews stood affected and what they intended, he answered:
6 “Those of the Jews called †Hasidaeans, whose leader is Judas Maccabaeus, keep up war and are seditious, not allowing the kingdom to find tranquillity. 7 Therefore, having laid aside my ancestral glory—I mean the high priesthood—I have now come ‡here, 8 first for the genuine care I have for the things that concern the king, and secondly because I have regard also to my own fellow citizens. For through the unadvised dealing of those of whom I spoke before, our whole race is in no small misfortune. 9 O king, having informed yourself of these things, take thought both for our country and for our race, which is surrounded by enemies, according to the gracious kindness with which you receive all. 10 For as long as Judas remains alive, it is impossible for the government to find peace. 11 When he had spoken such words as these, at once §the rest of the king’s †friends, having ill will against Judas, inflamed Demetrius yet more. 12 He immediately appointed Nicanor, who had been master of the elephants, and made him governor of Judea. He sent him out, 13 giving him written instructions to kill Judas himself and to scatter those who were with him, and to set up Alcimus as high priest of the ‡great temple. 14 Those in Judea who §had driven Judas into exile thronged to Nicanor in flocks, supposing that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would be successes to themselves.
15 But when the Jews heard of Nicanor’s advance and the assault of the heathen, they sprinkled dirt on their heads and made solemn prayers to him who had established his own people for evermore, and who always, making manifest his presence, upholds those who are his own heritage. 16 †When the leader had given orders, he immediately set out from there and joined battle with them at a village called Lessau. 17 But Simon, the brother of Judas, had encountered Nicanor, yet not till late, having been delayed by reason of