BibleRead365

WEBC: World English Bible, Catholic Edition

View Reading Plan Day 141 of 365 38%

Day

Day 1 Day 365

Early World
Patriarchs
Egypt and Exodus
Desert Wanderings
Conquest and Judges
Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
Exile
Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
Exile
Return
Maccabean Revolt
Wisdom & Poetry
Exile
Divided Kingdom
Return
Messianic Fulfillment
The Church

Day 141 of 365

about 23 minutes

Esther 8-10

Esther Chapter 8

¹On that day, King Ahasuerus gave to Esther all that belonged to Haman the slanderer. The king called Mordecai, for Esther had told that he was related to her. ²The king took the ring which he had taken away from Haman and gave it to Mordecai. Esther appointed Mordecai over all that had been Haman’s. ³She spoke yet again to the king, and fell at his feet, and implored him to undo Haman’s mischief and all that he had done against the Jews. ⁴Then the king extended the golden sceptre to Esther; and Esther arose to stand near the king. ⁵Esther said, “If it seems good to you, and I have found favor in your sight, let an order be sent that the letters sent by Haman may be reversed—letters that were written for the destruction of the Jews who are in your kingdom. ⁶For how could I see the affliction of my people, and how could I survive the destruction of my kindred?” ⁷Then the king said to Esther, “If I have given and freely granted you all that was Haman’s, and hanged him on a gallows because he laid his hands upon the Jews, what more do you seek? ⁸Write in my name whatever seems good to you, and seal it with my ring; for whatever is written at the command of the king, and sealed with my ring, cannot be countermanded. ⁹So the scribes were called in the first month, which is Nisan, on the twenty-third day of the same year; and orders were written to the Jews, whatever the king had commanded to the local governors and chiefs of the local governors, from India even to Ethiopia—one hundred twenty-seven local governors, according to the several provinces, in their own languages. ¹⁰They were written by order of the king, sealed with his ring, and the letters were sent by the couriers. ¹¹In them, he charged them to use their own laws in every city, to help each other, and to treat their adversaries and those who attacked them as they pleased, ¹²on one day in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar. ¹³The following is a copy of the letter containing orders: [The great King Ahasuerus sends greetings to the rulers of provinces in one hundred twenty-seven local governance regions, from India to Ethiopia, even to those who are faithful to our interests. Many who have been frequently honored by the most abundant kindness of their benefactors have conceived ambitious designs, and not only endeavor to hurt our subjects, but moreover, not being able to bear prosperity, they also endeavor to plot against their own benefactors. They not only would utterly abolish gratitude from among men, but also, elated by the boastings of men who are strangers to all that is good, they supposed that they would escape the sin-hating vengeance of the ever-seeing God. And oftentimes evil exhortation has made partakers of the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable calamities many of those who had been appointed to offices of authority, who had been entrusted with the management of their friends’ affairs; while men, by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple goodwill of the ruling powers. And it is possible to see this, not so much from more ancient traditional accounts, as it is immediately in your power to see it by examining what things have been wickedly perpetrated by the baseness of men unworthily holding power. It is right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undisturbed peace for all men, adopting needful changes, and ever judging those cases which come under our notice with truly equitable decisions. For whereas Haman, a Macedonian, the son of Hammedatha, in reality an alien from the blood of the Persians, and differing widely from our mild course of government, having been hospitably entertained by us, obtained so large a share of our universal kindness as to be called our father, and to continue the person next to the royal throne, reverenced of all; he however, overcome by pride, endeavored to deprive us of our dominion, and our life; having by various and subtle artifices demanded for destruction both Mordecai our deliverer and perpetual benefactor, and Esther the blameless consort of our kingdom, along with their whole nation. For by these methods he thought, having surprised us in a defenseless state, to transfer the dominion of the Persians to the Macedonians. But we find that the Jews, who have been consigned to destruction by the most abominable of men, are not malefactors, but living according to the most just laws, and being the sons of the living God, the most high and mighty, who maintains the kingdom, to us as well as to our forefathers, in the most excellent order. You will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letter sent by Haman the son of Hammedatha, because he who has done these things has been hanged with his whole family at the gates of Susa, Almighty God having swiftly returned to him a worthy punishment. We enjoin you then, having openly published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Jews permission to use their own lawful customs and to strengthen them, that on the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar, on the self-same day, they may defend themselves against those who attack them in a time of affliction. For in the place of the destruction of the chosen race, Almighty God has granted them this time of gladness. Therefore you also, among your notable feasts, must keep a distinct day with all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of deliverance to us and who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to those that plotted against us a memorial of destruction. And every city and province collectively, which shall not do accordingly, shall be consumed with vengeance by spear and fire. It shall be made not only inaccessible to men, but most hateful to wild beasts and birds forever.] Let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the kingdom. Let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight against their enemies. ¹⁴So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king’s commands. The ordinance was also published in Susa. ¹⁵Mordecai went out robed in royal apparel, wearing a golden crown and a diadem of fine purple linen. The people in Susa saw it and rejoiced. ¹⁶The Jews had light and gladness ¹⁷in every city and province where the ordinance was published. Wherever the proclamation took place, the Jews had joy and gladness, feasting and mirth. Many of the Gentiles were circumcised and became Jews for fear of the Jews.

1: On that day, King Ahasuerus gave to Esther all that belonged to Haman the slanderer. The king called Mordecai, for Esther had told that he was related to her.

2: The king took the ring which he had taken away from Haman and gave it to Mordecai. Esther appointed Mordecai over all that had been Haman’s.

3: She spoke yet again to the king, and fell at his feet, and implored him to undo Haman’s mischief and all that he had done against the Jews.

4: Then the king extended the golden sceptre to Esther; and Esther arose to stand near the king.

5: Esther said, “If it seems good to you, and I have found favor in your sight, let an order be sent that the letters sent by Haman may be reversed—letters that were written for the destruction of the Jews who are in your kingdom.

6: For how could I see the affliction of my people, and how could I survive the destruction of my kindred?”

7: Then the king said to Esther, “If I have given and freely granted you all that was Haman’s, and hanged him on a gallows because he laid his hands upon the Jews, what more do you seek?

8: Write in my name whatever seems good to you, and seal it with my ring; for whatever is written at the command of the king, and sealed with my ring, cannot be countermanded.

9: So the scribes were called in the first month, which is Nisan, on the twenty-third day of the same year; and orders were written to the Jews, whatever the king had commanded to the local governors and chiefs of the local governors, from India even to Ethiopia—one hundred twenty-seven local governors, according to the several provinces, in their own languages.

10: They were written by order of the king, sealed with his ring, and the letters were sent by the couriers.

11: In them, he charged them to use their own laws in every city, to help each other, and to treat their adversaries and those who attacked them as they pleased,

12: on one day in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar.

13: The following is a copy of the letter containing orders: [The great King Ahasuerus sends greetings to the rulers of provinces in one hundred twenty-seven local governance regions, from India to Ethiopia, even to those who are faithful to our interests. Many who have been frequently honored by the most abundant kindness of their benefactors have conceived ambitious designs, and not only endeavor to hurt our subjects, but moreover, not being able to bear prosperity, they also endeavor to plot against their own benefactors. They not only would utterly abolish gratitude from among men, but also, elated by the boastings of men who are strangers to all that is good, they supposed that they would escape the sin-hating vengeance of the ever-seeing God. And oftentimes evil exhortation has made partakers of the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable calamities many of those who had been appointed to offices of authority, who had been entrusted with the management of their friends’ affairs; while men, by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple goodwill of the ruling powers. And it is possible to see this, not so much from more ancient traditional accounts, as it is immediately in your power to see it by examining what things have been wickedly perpetrated by the baseness of men unworthily holding power. It is right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undisturbed peace for all men, adopting needful changes, and ever judging those cases which come under our notice with truly equitable decisions. For whereas Haman, a Macedonian, the son of Hammedatha, in reality an alien from the blood of the Persians, and differing widely from our mild course of government, having been hospitably entertained by us, obtained so large a share of our universal kindness as to be called our father, and to continue the person next to the royal throne, reverenced of all; he however, overcome by pride, endeavored to deprive us of our dominion, and our life; having by various and subtle artifices demanded for destruction both Mordecai our deliverer and perpetual benefactor, and Esther the blameless consort of our kingdom, along with their whole nation. For by these methods he thought, having surprised us in a defenseless state, to transfer the dominion of the Persians to the Macedonians. But we find that the Jews, who have been consigned to destruction by the most abominable of men, are not malefactors, but living according to the most just laws, and being the sons of the living God, the most high and mighty, who maintains the kingdom, to us as well as to our forefathers, in the most excellent order. You will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letter sent by Haman the son of Hammedatha, because he who has done these things has been hanged with his whole family at the gates of Susa, Almighty God having swiftly returned to him a worthy punishment. We enjoin you then, having openly published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Jews permission to use their own lawful customs and to strengthen them, that on the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar, on the self-same day, they may defend themselves against those who attack them in a time of affliction. For in the place of the destruction of the chosen race, Almighty God has granted them this time of gladness. Therefore you also, among your notable feasts, must keep a distinct day with all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of deliverance to us and who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to those that plotted against us a memorial of destruction. And every city and province collectively, which shall not do accordingly, shall be consumed with vengeance by spear and fire. It shall be made not only inaccessible to men, but most hateful to wild beasts and birds forever.] Let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the kingdom. Let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight against their enemies.

14: So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king’s commands. The ordinance was also published in Susa.

15: Mordecai went out robed in royal apparel, wearing a golden crown and a diadem of fine purple linen. The people in Susa saw it and rejoiced.

16: The Jews had light and gladness

17: in every city and province where the ordinance was published. Wherever the proclamation took place, the Jews had joy and gladness, feasting and mirth. Many of the Gentiles were circumcised and became Jews for fear of the Jews.

Esther Chapter 9

¹Now in the twelfth month, on the thirteenth day of the month, which is Adar, the letters written by the king arrived. ²In that day, the adversaries of the Jews perished; for no one resisted, through fear of them. ³For the chiefs of the local governors, and the princes and the royal scribes, honored the Jews; for the fear of Mordecai was upon them. ⁴For the order of the king was in force, that he should be celebrated in all the kingdom. ⁶In the city Susa the Jews killed five hundred men, ⁷including Pharsannes, Delphon, Phasga, ⁸Pharadatha, Barea, Sarbaca, ⁹Marmasima, Ruphaeus, Arsaeus, and Zabuthaeus, ¹⁰the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha the Bugaean, the enemy of the Jews; and they plundered their property on the same day. ¹¹The number of those who perished in Susa was reported to the king. ¹²Then the king said to Esther, “The Jews have slain five hundred men in the city Susa. What do you think they have done in the rest of the country? What more do you ask, that it may be done for you?” ¹³Esther said to the king, “Let it be granted to the Jews to do the same to them tomorrow. Also, hang the bodies of the ten sons of Haman.” ¹⁴He permitted it to be done; and he gave up to the Jews of the city the bodies of the sons of Haman to hang. ¹⁵The Jews assembled in Susa on the fourteenth day of Adar and killed three hundred men, but plundered no property. ¹⁶The rest of the Jews who were in the kingdom assembled, and helped one another, and obtained rest from their enemies; for they destroyed fifteen thousand of them on the thirteenth day of Adar, but took no spoil. ¹⁷They rested on the fourteenth of the same month, and kept it as a day of rest with joy and gladness. ¹⁸The Jews in the city of Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day and rested; and they also observed the fifteenth with joy and gladness. ¹⁹On this account then, the Jews dispersed in every foreign land keep the fourteenth of Adar as a holy day with joy, each sending gifts of food to his neighbor. ²⁰Mordecai wrote these things in a book and sent them to the Jews, as many as were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, both those who were near and those who were far away, ²¹to establish these as joyful days and to keep the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar; ²²for on these days the Jews obtained rest from their enemies; and in that month, which was Adar, in which a change was made for them from mourning to joy, and from sorrow to a holiday, to spend the whole of it in good days of feasting and gladness, sending portions to their friends and to the poor. ²³And the Jews consented to this as Mordecai wrote to them, ²⁴showing how Haman the son of Hammedatha the Macedonian fought against them, how he made a decree and cast lots to destroy them utterly; ²⁵also how he went in to the king, telling him to hang Mordecai; but all the calamities he tried to bring upon the Jews came upon himself, and he was hanged, along with his children. ²⁶Therefore these days were called Purim, because of the lots (for in their language they are called Purim) because of the words of this letter, and because of all they suffered on this account, and all that happened to them. ²⁷Mordecai established it, and the Jews took upon themselves, upon their offspring, and upon those who were joined to them to observe it, neither would they on any account behave differently; but these days were to be a memorial kept in every generation, city, family, and province. ²⁸These days of Purim shall be kept forever, and their memorial shall not fail in any generation. ²⁹Queen Esther the daughter of Aminadab and Mordecai the Jew wrote all that they had done, and gave the confirmation of the letter about Purim. ³¹Mordecai and Esther the queen established this decision on their own, pledging their own well-being to their plan. ³²And Esther established it by a command forever, and it was written for a memorial.

1: Now in the twelfth month, on the thirteenth day of the month, which is Adar, the letters written by the king arrived.

2: In that day, the adversaries of the Jews perished; for no one resisted, through fear of them.

3: For the chiefs of the local governors, and the princes and the royal scribes, honored the Jews; for the fear of Mordecai was upon them.

4: For the order of the king was in force, that he should be celebrated in all the kingdom.

6: In the city Susa the Jews killed five hundred men,

7: including Pharsannes, Delphon, Phasga,

8: Pharadatha, Barea, Sarbaca,

9: Marmasima, Ruphaeus, Arsaeus, and Zabuthaeus,

10: the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha the Bugaean, the enemy of the Jews; and they plundered their property on the same day.

11: The number of those who perished in Susa was reported to the king.

12: Then the king said to Esther, “The Jews have slain five hundred men in the city Susa. What do you think they have done in the rest of the country? What more do you ask, that it may be done for you?”

13: Esther said to the king, “Let it be granted to the Jews to do the same to them tomorrow. Also, hang the bodies of the ten sons of Haman.”

14: He permitted it to be done; and he gave up to the Jews of the city the bodies of the sons of Haman to hang.

15: The Jews assembled in Susa on the fourteenth day of Adar and killed three hundred men, but plundered no property.

16: The rest of the Jews who were in the kingdom assembled, and helped one another, and obtained rest from their enemies; for they destroyed fifteen thousand of them on the thirteenth day of Adar, but took no spoil.

17: They rested on the fourteenth of the same month, and kept it as a day of rest with joy and gladness.

18: The Jews in the city of Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day and rested; and they also observed the fifteenth with joy and gladness.

19: On this account then, the Jews dispersed in every foreign land keep the fourteenth of Adar as a holy day with joy, each sending gifts of food to his neighbor.

20: Mordecai wrote these things in a book and sent them to the Jews, as many as were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, both those who were near and those who were far away,

21: to establish these as joyful days and to keep the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar;

22: for on these days the Jews obtained rest from their enemies; and in that month, which was Adar, in which a change was made for them from mourning to joy, and from sorrow to a holiday, to spend the whole of it in good days of feasting and gladness, sending portions to their friends and to the poor.

23: And the Jews consented to this as Mordecai wrote to them,

24: showing how Haman the son of Hammedatha the Macedonian fought against them, how he made a decree and cast lots to destroy them utterly;

25: also how he went in to the king, telling him to hang Mordecai; but all the calamities he tried to bring upon the Jews came upon himself, and he was hanged, along with his children.

26: Therefore these days were called Purim, because of the lots (for in their language they are called Purim) because of the words of this letter, and because of all they suffered on this account, and all that happened to them.

27: Mordecai established it, and the Jews took upon themselves, upon their offspring, and upon those who were joined to them to observe it, neither would they on any account behave differently; but these days were to be a memorial kept in every generation, city, family, and province.

28: These days of Purim shall be kept forever, and their memorial shall not fail in any generation.

29: Queen Esther the daughter of Aminadab and Mordecai the Jew wrote all that they had done, and gave the confirmation of the letter about Purim.

31: Mordecai and Esther the queen established this decision on their own, pledging their own well-being to their plan.

32: And Esther established it by a command forever, and it was written for a memorial.

Esther Chapter 10

¹The king levied a tax upon his kingdom both by land and sea. ²As for his strength and valour, and the wealth and glory of his kingdom, behold, they are written in the book of the Persians and Medes for a memorial. ³Mordecai was viceroy to King Ahasuerus, and was a great man in the kingdom, honored by the Jews, and lived his life loved by all his nation. ⁴[Mordecai said, “These things have come from God. ⁵For I remember the dream which I had concerning these matters; for not one detail of them has failed. ⁶There was the little spring which became a river, and there was light, and the sun and much water. The river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen. ⁷The two serpents are Haman and me. ⁸The nations are those which combined to destroy the name of the Jews. ⁹But as for my nation, this is Israel, even those who cried to God and were delivered; for the Lord delivered his people. The Lord rescued us out of all these calamities; and God worked such signs and great wonders as have not been done among the nations. ¹⁰Therefore he ordained two lots. One for the people of God, and one for all the other nations. ¹¹And these two lots came for an appointed season, and for a day of judgment, before God, and for all the nations. ¹²God remembered his people and vindicated his inheritance. ¹³They shall observe these days in the month Adar, on the fourteenth and on the fifteenth day of the month, with an assembly, joy, and gladness before God, throughout the generations forever among his people Israel. ¹⁴In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and Ptolemeus his son brought this letter of Purim, which they said was authentic, and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, who was in Jerusalem, had interpreted.]

1: The king levied a tax upon his kingdom both by land and sea.

2: As for his strength and valour, and the wealth and glory of his kingdom, behold, they are written in the book of the Persians and Medes for a memorial.

3: Mordecai was viceroy to King Ahasuerus, and was a great man in the kingdom, honored by the Jews, and lived his life loved by all his nation.

4: [Mordecai said, “These things have come from God.

5: For I remember the dream which I had concerning these matters; for not one detail of them has failed.

6: There was the little spring which became a river, and there was light, and the sun and much water. The river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen.

7: The two serpents are Haman and me.

8: The nations are those which combined to destroy the name of the Jews.

9: But as for my nation, this is Israel, even those who cried to God and were delivered; for the Lord delivered his people. The Lord rescued us out of all these calamities; and God worked such signs and great wonders as have not been done among the nations.

10: Therefore he ordained two lots. One for the people of God, and one for all the other nations.

11: And these two lots came for an appointed season, and for a day of judgment, before God, and for all the nations.

12: God remembered his people and vindicated his inheritance.

13: They shall observe these days in the month Adar, on the fourteenth and on the fifteenth day of the month, with an assembly, joy, and gladness before God, throughout the generations forever among his people Israel.

14: In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and Ptolemeus his son brought this letter of Purim, which they said was authentic, and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, who was in Jerusalem, had interpreted.]

1 Maccabees 1

1 Maccabees Chapter 1

¹After Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip, who came out of the land of Chittim, and struck Darius king of the Persians and Medes, it came to pass, after he had struck him, that he reigned in his place, in former time, over Greece. ²He fought many battles, won many strongholds, killed the kings of the earth, ³went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of a multitude of nations. The earth was quiet before him. He was exalted. His heart was lifted up. ⁴He gathered together an exceedingly strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and principalities, and they paid him tribute. ⁵After these things he fell sick, and perceived that he was going to die. ⁶He called his honorable servants, which had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided to them his kingdom while he was still alive. ⁷Alexander reigned twelve years, then he died. ⁸Then his servants ruled, each one in his place. ⁹They all put crowns upon themselves after he was dead, and so did their sons after them many years; and they multiplied evils on the earth. ¹⁰There came out of them a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the one hundred thirty seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. ¹¹In those days transgressors of the law came out of Israel and persuaded many, saying, “Let’s go make a covenant with the Gentiles around us; for since we were separated from them many evils have befallen us.” ¹²That proposal was good in their eyes. ¹³Some of the people eagerly went to the king, and he authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. ¹⁴So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the laws of the Gentiles. ¹⁵They made themselves uncircumcised, forsook the holy covenant, joined themselves to the Gentiles, and sold themselves to do evil. ¹⁶The kingdom was established in the sight of Antiochus, and he planned to reign over Egypt, that he might reign over both kingdoms. ¹⁷He entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, with elephants, with cavalry, and with a great navy. ¹⁸He made war against Ptolemy king of Egypt. Ptolemy was put to shame before him, and fled; and many fell wounded to death. ¹⁹They took possession of the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils of Egypt. ²⁰Antiochus, after he had defeated Egypt, returned in the one hundred forty third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude, ²¹and entered presumptuously into the sanctuary, and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. ²²He took the table of the show bread, the cups for the drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the veil, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple. He peeled it all off. ²³He took the silver, the gold, and the precious vessels. He took the hidden treasures which he found. ²⁴When he had taken all of these, he went away into his own land. He made a great slaughter, and spoke very arrogantly. ²⁵Great mourning came upon Israel, in every place where they were. ²⁶The rulers and elders groaned. The virgins and young men were made feeble. The beauty of the women was changed. ²⁷Every bridegroom took up lamentation. She who sat in the marriage chamber was mourning. ²⁸The land was moved for its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame. ²⁹After two full years, the king sent a chief collector of tribute to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude. ³⁰He spoke words of peace to them in subtlety, and they believed him. Then he fell upon the city suddenly, struck it very severely, and destroyed many people of Israel. ³¹He took the spoils of the city, set it on fire, and pulled down its houses and its walls on every side. ³²They led captive the women and the children, and seized the livestock. ³³Then they fortified the city of David with a large, strong wall and with strong towers, and it became their citadel. ³⁴They put a sinful nation, transgressors of the law, there, and they strengthened themselves in it. ³⁵They stored up weapons and food, and gathering together the spoils of Jerusalem, they stored them there, and they became a great menace. ³⁶It became a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel continually. ³⁷They shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. ³⁸The inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them. She became a habitation of foreigners. She became foreign to those who were born in her, and her children forsook her. ³⁹Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, and her honor into contempt. ⁴⁰According to her glory, so was her dishonor multiplied, and her exaltation was turned into mourning. ⁴¹King Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, ⁴²and that each should forsake his own laws. All the nations agreed according to the word of the king. ⁴³Many of Israel consented to his worship, sacrificed to the idols, and profaned the Sabbath. ⁴⁴The king sent letters by the hand of messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, that they should follow laws strange to the land, ⁴⁵and should forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the sanctuary; and should profane the Sabbaths and feasts, ⁴⁶and pollute the sanctuary and those who were holy; ⁴⁷that they should build altars, and temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swine’s flesh and unclean animals; ⁴⁸and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, that they should make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation; ⁴⁹so that they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. ⁵⁰Whoever doesn’t do according to the word of the king, he shall die. ⁵¹He wrote according to all these words to his whole kingdom. He appointed overseers over all the people, and he commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city. ⁵²From the people were gathered together to them many, everyone who had forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land. ⁵³They made Israel hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had. ⁵⁴On the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the cities of Judah on every side they built idol altars. ⁵⁵At the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense. ⁵⁶They tore up the books of the law which they found and set them on fire. ⁵⁷Anyone who was found with any book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the king’s sentence delivered him to death. ⁵⁸Thus did they in their might to Israel, to those who were found month by month in the cities. ⁵⁹On the twenty-fifth day of the month they sacrificed upon the idol altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. ⁶⁰They put to death women who had circumcised their children, according to the commandment. ⁶¹They hung their babies around their necks, and their houses, and those who had circumcised them. ⁶²Many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat unclean things. ⁶³They chose to die, that they might not be defiled with the food, and that they might not profane the holy covenant; and they died. ⁶⁴Exceedingly great wrath came upon Israel.

1: After Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip, who came out of the land of Chittim, and struck Darius king of the Persians and Medes, it came to pass, after he had struck him, that he reigned in his place, in former time, over Greece.

2: He fought many battles, won many strongholds, killed the kings of the earth,

3: went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of a multitude of nations. The earth was quiet before him. He was exalted. His heart was lifted up.

4: He gathered together an exceedingly strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and principalities, and they paid him tribute.

5: After these things he fell sick, and perceived that he was going to die.

6: He called his honorable servants, which had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided to them his kingdom while he was still alive.

7: Alexander reigned twelve years, then he died.

8: Then his servants ruled, each one in his place.

9: They all put crowns upon themselves after he was dead, and so did their sons after them many years; and they multiplied evils on the earth.

10: There came out of them a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the one hundred thirty seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

11: In those days transgressors of the law came out of Israel and persuaded many, saying, “Let’s go make a covenant with the Gentiles around us; for since we were separated from them many evils have befallen us.”

12: That proposal was good in their eyes.

13: Some of the people eagerly went to the king, and he authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles.

14: So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the laws of the Gentiles.

15: They made themselves uncircumcised, forsook the holy covenant, joined themselves to the Gentiles, and sold themselves to do evil.

16: The kingdom was established in the sight of Antiochus, and he planned to reign over Egypt, that he might reign over both kingdoms.

17: He entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, with elephants, with cavalry, and with a great navy.

18: He made war against Ptolemy king of Egypt. Ptolemy was put to shame before him, and fled; and many fell wounded to death.

19: They took possession of the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils of Egypt.

20: Antiochus, after he had defeated Egypt, returned in the one hundred forty third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,

21: and entered presumptuously into the sanctuary, and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils.

22: He took the table of the show bread, the cups for the drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the veil, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple. He peeled it all off.

23: He took the silver, the gold, and the precious vessels. He took the hidden treasures which he found.

24: When he had taken all of these, he went away into his own land. He made a great slaughter, and spoke very arrogantly.

25: Great mourning came upon Israel, in every place where they were.

26: The rulers and elders groaned. The virgins and young men were made feeble. The beauty of the women was changed.

27: Every bridegroom took up lamentation. She who sat in the marriage chamber was mourning.

28: The land was moved for its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

29: After two full years, the king sent a chief collector of tribute to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude.

30: He spoke words of peace to them in subtlety, and they believed him. Then he fell upon the city suddenly, struck it very severely, and destroyed many people of Israel.

31: He took the spoils of the city, set it on fire, and pulled down its houses and its walls on every side.

32: They led captive the women and the children, and seized the livestock.

33: Then they fortified the city of David with a large, strong wall and with strong towers, and it became their citadel.

34: They put a sinful nation, transgressors of the law, there, and they strengthened themselves in it.

35: They stored up weapons and food, and gathering together the spoils of Jerusalem, they stored them there, and they became a great menace.

36: It became a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel continually.

37: They shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary.

38: The inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them. She became a habitation of foreigners. She became foreign to those who were born in her, and her children forsook her.

39: Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, and her honor into contempt.

40: According to her glory, so was her dishonor multiplied, and her exaltation was turned into mourning.

41: King Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,

42: and that each should forsake his own laws. All the nations agreed according to the word of the king.

43: Many of Israel consented to his worship, sacrificed to the idols, and profaned the Sabbath.

44: The king sent letters by the hand of messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, that they should follow laws strange to the land,

45: and should forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the sanctuary; and should profane the Sabbaths and feasts,

46: and pollute the sanctuary and those who were holy;

47: that they should build altars, and temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swine’s flesh and unclean animals;

48: and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, that they should make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation;

49: so that they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.

50: Whoever doesn’t do according to the word of the king, he shall die.

51: He wrote according to all these words to his whole kingdom. He appointed overseers over all the people, and he commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city.

52: From the people were gathered together to them many, everyone who had forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land.

53: They made Israel hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had.

54: On the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the cities of Judah on every side they built idol altars.

55: At the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense.

56: They tore up the books of the law which they found and set them on fire.

57: Anyone who was found with any book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the king’s sentence delivered him to death.

58: Thus did they in their might to Israel, to those who were found month by month in the cities.

59: On the twenty-fifth day of the month they sacrificed upon the idol altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering.

60: They put to death women who had circumcised their children, according to the commandment.

61: They hung their babies around their necks, and their houses, and those who had circumcised them.

62: Many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat unclean things.

63: They chose to die, that they might not be defiled with the food, and that they might not profane the holy covenant; and they died.

64: Exceedingly great wrath came upon Israel.

Track your progress

Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

Donate Privacy Policy

View the full reading schedule