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WEBC: World English Bible, Catholic Edition

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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 154 of 365

about 22 minutes

2 Maccabees 8-10

2 Maccabees Chapter 8

¹But Judas, who is also called Maccabaeus, and those who were with him, making their way secretly into the villages, called together their kindred. Enlisting those who had continued in the Jews’ religion, they gathered together about six thousand. ²They called upon the Lord to look at the people who were oppressed by all, and to have compassion on the sanctuary that had been profaned by the ungodly men, ³and to have pity on the city that was suffering ruin and ready to be leveled to the ground, and to listen to the blood that cried out to him, ⁴and to remember the lawless destruction of the innocent infants, and concerning the blasphemies that had been committed against his name, and to show his hatred of wickedness. ⁵When Maccabaeus had trained his men for service, the heathen at once found him irresistible, for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy. ⁶Coming without warning, he set fire to cities and villages. And in winning back the most important positions, putting to flight no small number of the enemies, ⁷he especially took advantage of the nights for such assaults. His courage was loudly talked of everywhere. ⁸But when Philip saw the man gaining ground little by little, and increasing more and more in his success, he wrote to Ptolemy, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, that he should support the king’s cause. ⁹Ptolemy quickly appointed Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of the king’s chief friends, and sent him, in command of no fewer than twenty thousand of all nations, to destroy the whole race of Judea. With him he joined Gorgias also, a captain and one who had experience in matters of war. ¹⁰Nicanor resolved by the sale of the captive Jews to make up for the king the tribute of two thousand talents which he was to pay to the Romans. ¹¹Immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves, promising to deliver seventy slaves for a talent, not expecting the judgment that was to overtake him from the Almighty. ¹²News came to Judas concerning Nicanor’s invasion. When he communicated to those who were with him the presence of the army, ¹³those who were cowardly and distrustful of God’s judgment ran away and left the country. ¹⁴Others sold all that they had left, and at the same time implored the Lord to deliver those who had been sold as slaves by the impious Nicanor before he ever met them, ¹⁵if not for their own sakes, then for the covenants made with their ancestors, and because he had called them by his holy and glorious name. ¹⁶So Maccabaeus gathered his men together, six thousand in number, and exhorted them not to be frightened by the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen who came wrongfully against them, but to fight nobly, ¹⁷setting before their eyes the outrage that had been lawlessly perpetrated upon the holy place, and the torture of the city that had been turned to mockery, and further the overthrow of the way of life received from their ancestors. ¹⁸“For they,” he said, “trust their weapons and daring deeds, but we trust in the almighty God, since he is able at a nod to cast down those who are coming against us, and even the whole world.” ¹⁹Moreover, he recounted to them the help given from time to time in the days of their ancestors, both in the days of Sennacherib, when one hundred eighty-five thousand perished, ²⁰and in the land of Babylon, in the battle that was fought against the Gauls, how they came to the battle with eight thousand in all, with four thousand Macedonians, and how, the Macedonians being hard pressed, the six thousand destroyed the hundred and twenty thousand because of the help which they had from heaven, and took a great deal of plunder. ²¹And when he had with these words filled them with courage and made them ready to die for the laws and their country, he divided his army into four parts. ²²He appointed his brothers, Simon, Joseph, and Jonathan, to be leaders of the divisions with him, giving each the command of one thousand five hundred men. ²³Moreover Eleazer also, having read aloud the sacred book, and having given as watchword, “THE HELP OF GOD”, leading the first band himself, joined battle with Nicanor. ²⁴Since the Almighty fought on their side, they killed more than nine thousand of the enemy, and wounded and disabled most of Nicanor’s army, and compelled them all to flee. ²⁵They took the money of those who had come there to buy them as slaves. After they had pursued them for some distance, they returned, being constrained by the time of the day; ²⁶for it was the day before the Sabbath, and for this reason they made no effort to chase them far. ²⁷When they had gathered the weapons of the enemy together, and had stripped off their spoils, they kept the Sabbath, greatly blessing and thanking the Lord who had saved them to this day, because he had begun to show mercy to them. ²⁸After the Sabbath, when they had given some of the spoils to the maimed, and to the widows and orphans, they distributed the rest among themselves and their children. ²⁹When they had accomplished these things and had made a common supplication, they implored the merciful Lord to be wholly reconciled with his servants. ³⁰Having had an encounter with the forces of Timotheus and Bacchides, they killed more than twenty thousand of them, and made themselves masters of exceedingly high strongholds, and divided very much plunder, giving the maimed, orphans, widows, and the aged an equal share with themselves. ³¹When they had gathered the weapons of the enemy together, they stored them all up carefully in the most strategic positions, and they carried the rest of the spoils to Jerusalem. ³²They killed the phylarch of Timotheus’s forces, a most unholy man, and one who had done the Jews much harm. ³³As they celebrated the feast of victory in the city of their fathers, they burned those who had set the sacred gates on fire, including Callisthenes, who had fled into a little house. So they received the proper reward for their impiety. ³⁴The thrice-accursed Nicanor, who had brought the thousand merchants to buy the Jews as slaves, ³⁵being through the help of the Lord humbled by them who in his eyes were held to be of least account, took off his glorious apparel, and passing through the country, shunning all company like a fugitive slave, arrived at Antioch, having, as he thought, had the greatest possible good fortune, though his army was destroyed. ³⁶He who had taken upon himself to make tribute sure for the Romans by the captivity of the men of Jerusalem published abroad that the Jews had One who fought for them, and that because this was so, the Jews were invulnerable, because they followed the laws ordained by him.

1: But Judas, who is also called Maccabaeus, and those who were with him, making their way secretly into the villages, called together their kindred. Enlisting those who had continued in the Jews’ religion, they gathered together about six thousand.

2: They called upon the Lord to look at the people who were oppressed by all, and to have compassion on the sanctuary that had been profaned by the ungodly men,

3: and to have pity on the city that was suffering ruin and ready to be leveled to the ground, and to listen to the blood that cried out to him,

4: and to remember the lawless destruction of the innocent infants, and concerning the blasphemies that had been committed against his name, and to show his hatred of wickedness.

5: When Maccabaeus had trained his men for service, the heathen at once found him irresistible, for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.

6: Coming without warning, he set fire to cities and villages. And in winning back the most important positions, putting to flight no small number of the enemies,

7: he especially took advantage of the nights for such assaults. His courage was loudly talked of everywhere.

8: But when Philip saw the man gaining ground little by little, and increasing more and more in his success, he wrote to Ptolemy, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, that he should support the king’s cause.

9: Ptolemy quickly appointed Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of the king’s chief friends, and sent him, in command of no fewer than twenty thousand of all nations, to destroy the whole race of Judea. With him he joined Gorgias also, a captain and one who had experience in matters of war.

10: Nicanor resolved by the sale of the captive Jews to make up for the king the tribute of two thousand talents which he was to pay to the Romans.

11: Immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves, promising to deliver seventy slaves for a talent, not expecting the judgment that was to overtake him from the Almighty.

12: News came to Judas concerning Nicanor’s invasion. When he communicated to those who were with him the presence of the army,

13: those who were cowardly and distrustful of God’s judgment ran away and left the country.

14: Others sold all that they had left, and at the same time implored the Lord to deliver those who had been sold as slaves by the impious Nicanor before he ever met them,

15: if not for their own sakes, then for the covenants made with their ancestors, and because he had called them by his holy and glorious name.

16: So Maccabaeus gathered his men together, six thousand in number, and exhorted them not to be frightened by the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen who came wrongfully against them, but to fight nobly,

17: setting before their eyes the outrage that had been lawlessly perpetrated upon the holy place, and the torture of the city that had been turned to mockery, and further the overthrow of the way of life received from their ancestors.

18: “For they,” he said, “trust their weapons and daring deeds, but we trust in the almighty God, since he is able at a nod to cast down those who are coming against us, and even the whole world.”

19: Moreover, he recounted to them the help given from time to time in the days of their ancestors, both in the days of Sennacherib, when one hundred eighty-five thousand perished,

20: and in the land of Babylon, in the battle that was fought against the Gauls, how they came to the battle with eight thousand in all, with four thousand Macedonians, and how, the Macedonians being hard pressed, the six thousand destroyed the hundred and twenty thousand because of the help which they had from heaven, and took a great deal of plunder.

21: And when he had with these words filled them with courage and made them ready to die for the laws and their country, he divided his army into four parts.

22: He appointed his brothers, Simon, Joseph, and Jonathan, to be leaders of the divisions with him, giving each the command of one thousand five hundred men.

23: Moreover Eleazer also, having read aloud the sacred book, and having given as watchword, “THE HELP OF GOD”, leading the first band himself, joined battle with Nicanor.

24: Since the Almighty fought on their side, they killed more than nine thousand of the enemy, and wounded and disabled most of Nicanor’s army, and compelled them all to flee.

25: They took the money of those who had come there to buy them as slaves. After they had pursued them for some distance, they returned, being constrained by the time of the day;

26: for it was the day before the Sabbath, and for this reason they made no effort to chase them far.

27: When they had gathered the weapons of the enemy together, and had stripped off their spoils, they kept the Sabbath, greatly blessing and thanking the Lord who had saved them to this day, because he had begun to show mercy to them.

28: After the Sabbath, when they had given some of the spoils to the maimed, and to the widows and orphans, they distributed the rest among themselves and their children.

29: When they had accomplished these things and had made a common supplication, they implored the merciful Lord to be wholly reconciled with his servants.

30: Having had an encounter with the forces of Timotheus and Bacchides, they killed more than twenty thousand of them, and made themselves masters of exceedingly high strongholds, and divided very much plunder, giving the maimed, orphans, widows, and the aged an equal share with themselves.

31: When they had gathered the weapons of the enemy together, they stored them all up carefully in the most strategic positions, and they carried the rest of the spoils to Jerusalem.

32: They killed the phylarch of Timotheus’s forces, a most unholy man, and one who had done the Jews much harm.

33: As they celebrated the feast of victory in the city of their fathers, they burned those who had set the sacred gates on fire, including Callisthenes, who had fled into a little house. So they received the proper reward for their impiety.

34: The thrice-accursed Nicanor, who had brought the thousand merchants to buy the Jews as slaves,

35: being through the help of the Lord humbled by them who in his eyes were held to be of least account, took off his glorious apparel, and passing through the country, shunning all company like a fugitive slave, arrived at Antioch, having, as he thought, had the greatest possible good fortune, though his army was destroyed.

36: He who had taken upon himself to make tribute sure for the Romans by the captivity of the men of Jerusalem published abroad that the Jews had One who fought for them, and that because this was so, the Jews were invulnerable, because they followed the laws ordained by him.

2 Maccabees Chapter 9

¹Now about that time, Antiochus retreated in disorder from the region of Persia. ²For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and he attempted to rob a temple and to control the city. Therefore the multitudes rushed in and the people of the country turned to defend themselves with weapons; and it came to pass that Antiochus was put to flight by the people of the country and broke his camp with disgrace. ³While he was at Ecbatana, news was brought to him about what had happened to Nicanor and the forces of Timotheus. ⁴Being overcome by his anger, he planned to make the Jews suffer for the evil deeds of those who had put him to flight. Therefore, with judgment from heaven even now accompanying him, he ordered his charioteer to drive without ceasing until he completed the journey; for he arrogantly said this: “I will make Jerusalem a common graveyard of Jews when I come there.” ⁵But the All-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him with a fatal and invisible stroke. As soon as he had finished speaking this word, an incurable pain of the bowels seized him, with bitter torments of the inner parts— ⁶and that most justly, for he had tormented other men’s bowels with many and strange sufferings. ⁷But he in no way ceased from his rude insolence. No, he was filled with even more arrogance, breathing fire in his passion against the Jews, and giving orders to hasten the journey. But it came to pass moreover that he fell from his chariot as it rushed along, and having a grievous fall was tortured in all of the members of his body. ⁸He who had just supposed himself to have the waves of the sea at his bidding because he was so superhumanly arrogant, and who thought to weigh the heights of the mountains in a balance, was now brought to the ground and carried in a litter, showing to all that the power was obviously God’s, ⁹so that worms swarmed out of the impious man’s body, and while he was still living in anguish and pain, his flesh fell off, and by reason of the stench all the army turned with loathing from his decay. ¹⁰The man who a little before supposed himself to touch the stars of heaven, no one could endure to carry because of his intolerable stench. ¹¹Therefore he began in great part to cease from his arrogance, being broken in spirit, and to come to knowledge under the scourge of God, his pains increasing every moment. ¹²When he himself could not stand his own smell, he said these words: “It is right to be subject to God, and that one who is mortal should not think they are equal to God.” ¹³The vile man vowed to the sovereign Lord, who now no more would have pity upon him, saying ¹⁴that the holy city, to which he was going in haste to lay it even with the ground and to make it a common graveyard, he would declare free. ¹⁵Concerning the Jews, whom he had decided not even to count worthy of burial, but to cast them out to the animals with their infants for the birds to devour, he would make them all equal to citizens of Athens. ¹⁶The holy sanctuary, which before he had plundered, he would adorn with the best offerings, and would restore all the sacred vessels many times multiplied, and out of his own revenues would defray the charges that were required for the sacrifices. ¹⁷Beside all this, he said that he would become a Jew and would visit every inhabited place, proclaiming the power of God. ¹⁸But when his sufferings did in no way cease, for the judgment of God had come upon him in righteousness, having given up all hope for himself, he wrote to the Jews the letter written below, having the nature of a supplication, to this effect: ¹⁹“To the worthy Jewish citizens, Antiochus, king and general, wishes much joy and health and prosperity. ²⁰May you and your children fare well, and may your affairs be as you wish. Having my hope in heaven, ²¹I remembered with affection your honor and good will. Returning out of the region of Persia, and being taken with an annoying sickness, I deemed it necessary to take thought for the common safety of all, ²²not despairing of myself, but having great hope to escape from the sickness. ²³But considering that my father also, at the time he led an army into the upper country, appointed his successor, ²⁴to the end that, if anything fell out contrary to expectation, or if any unwelcome tidings were brought, the people in the country, knowing to whom the state had been left, might not be troubled, ²⁵and, moreover, observing how the princes who are along the borders and neighbors to my kingdom watch for opportunities and look for the future event, I have appointed my son Antiochus to be king, whom I often entrusted and commended to most of you when I was hurrying to the upper provinces. I have written to him what is written below. ²⁶I therefore urge you and beg you, having in your remembrance the benefits done to you in common and severally, to preserve your present good will, each of you, toward me and my son. ²⁷For I am persuaded that he in gentleness and kindness will follow my purpose and treat you with moderation and kindness. ²⁸So the murderer and blasphemer, having endured the most intense sufferings, even as he had dealt with other men, ended his life among the mountains by a most piteous fate in a strange land. ²⁹Philip his foster brother took the body home and then, fearing the son of Antiochus, he withdrew himself to Ptolemy Philometor in Egypt.

1: Now about that time, Antiochus retreated in disorder from the region of Persia.

2: For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and he attempted to rob a temple and to control the city. Therefore the multitudes rushed in and the people of the country turned to defend themselves with weapons; and it came to pass that Antiochus was put to flight by the people of the country and broke his camp with disgrace.

3: While he was at Ecbatana, news was brought to him about what had happened to Nicanor and the forces of Timotheus.

4: Being overcome by his anger, he planned to make the Jews suffer for the evil deeds of those who had put him to flight. Therefore, with judgment from heaven even now accompanying him, he ordered his charioteer to drive without ceasing until he completed the journey; for he arrogantly said this: “I will make Jerusalem a common graveyard of Jews when I come there.”

5: But the All-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him with a fatal and invisible stroke. As soon as he had finished speaking this word, an incurable pain of the bowels seized him, with bitter torments of the inner parts—

6: and that most justly, for he had tormented other men’s bowels with many and strange sufferings.

7: But he in no way ceased from his rude insolence. No, he was filled with even more arrogance, breathing fire in his passion against the Jews, and giving orders to hasten the journey. But it came to pass moreover that he fell from his chariot as it rushed along, and having a grievous fall was tortured in all of the members of his body.

8: He who had just supposed himself to have the waves of the sea at his bidding because he was so superhumanly arrogant, and who thought to weigh the heights of the mountains in a balance, was now brought to the ground and carried in a litter, showing to all that the power was obviously God’s,

9: so that worms swarmed out of the impious man’s body, and while he was still living in anguish and pain, his flesh fell off, and by reason of the stench all the army turned with loathing from his decay.

10: The man who a little before supposed himself to touch the stars of heaven, no one could endure to carry because of his intolerable stench.

11: Therefore he began in great part to cease from his arrogance, being broken in spirit, and to come to knowledge under the scourge of God, his pains increasing every moment.

12: When he himself could not stand his own smell, he said these words: “It is right to be subject to God, and that one who is mortal should not think they are equal to God.”

13: The vile man vowed to the sovereign Lord, who now no more would have pity upon him, saying

14: that the holy city, to which he was going in haste to lay it even with the ground and to make it a common graveyard, he would declare free.

15: Concerning the Jews, whom he had decided not even to count worthy of burial, but to cast them out to the animals with their infants for the birds to devour, he would make them all equal to citizens of Athens.

16: The holy sanctuary, which before he had plundered, he would adorn with the best offerings, and would restore all the sacred vessels many times multiplied, and out of his own revenues would defray the charges that were required for the sacrifices.

17: Beside all this, he said that he would become a Jew and would visit every inhabited place, proclaiming the power of God.

18: But when his sufferings did in no way cease, for the judgment of God had come upon him in righteousness, having given up all hope for himself, he wrote to the Jews the letter written below, having the nature of a supplication, to this effect:

19: “To the worthy Jewish citizens, Antiochus, king and general, wishes much joy and health and prosperity.

20: May you and your children fare well, and may your affairs be as you wish. Having my hope in heaven,

21: I remembered with affection your honor and good will. Returning out of the region of Persia, and being taken with an annoying sickness, I deemed it necessary to take thought for the common safety of all,

22: not despairing of myself, but having great hope to escape from the sickness.

23: But considering that my father also, at the time he led an army into the upper country, appointed his successor,

24: to the end that, if anything fell out contrary to expectation, or if any unwelcome tidings were brought, the people in the country, knowing to whom the state had been left, might not be troubled,

25: and, moreover, observing how the princes who are along the borders and neighbors to my kingdom watch for opportunities and look for the future event, I have appointed my son Antiochus to be king, whom I often entrusted and commended to most of you when I was hurrying to the upper provinces. I have written to him what is written below.

26: I therefore urge you and beg you, having in your remembrance the benefits done to you in common and severally, to preserve your present good will, each of you, toward me and my son.

27: For I am persuaded that he in gentleness and kindness will follow my purpose and treat you with moderation and kindness.

28: So the murderer and blasphemer, having endured the most intense sufferings, even as he had dealt with other men, ended his life among the mountains by a most piteous fate in a strange land.

29: Philip his foster brother took the body home and then, fearing the son of Antiochus, he withdrew himself to Ptolemy Philometor in Egypt.

2 Maccabees Chapter 10

¹Then Maccabaeus and those who were with him, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city. ²They pulled down the altars that had been built in the marketplace by the foreigners, and also the sacred enclosures. ³Having cleansed the sanctuary, they made another altar of sacrifice. Striking flint and starting a fire, they offered sacrifices after they had ceased for two years, burned incense, lit lamps, and set out the show bread. ⁴When they had done these things, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might fall no more into such evils; but that, if they ever did sin, they might be chastened by him with forbearance, and not be delivered to blaspheming and barbarous heathen. ⁵Now on the same day that the sanctuary was profaned by foreigners, upon that very day it came to pass that the sanctuary was cleansed, even on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which is Chislev. ⁶They observed eight days with gladness in the manner of the feast of tabernacles, remembering how not long before, during the feast of tabernacles, they were wandering in the mountains and in the caves like wild animals. ⁷Therefore carrying wands wreathed with leaves, and beautiful branches, and palm fronds also, they offered up hymns of thanksgiving to him who had successfully brought to pass the cleansing of his own place. ⁸They ordained also with a public statute and decree, for all the nation of the Jews, that they should observe these days every year. ⁹Such were the events of the end of Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes. ¹⁰Now we will declare what came to pass under Antiochus Eupator, who proved himself a son of that ungodly man, and will summarize the main evils of the wars. ¹¹For this man, when he succeeded to the kingdom, appointed one Lysias to be chancellor and supreme governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia. ¹²For Ptolemy who was called Macron, setting an example of observing justice toward the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, endeavored to deal with them on peaceful terms. ¹³Whereupon being accused by the king’s friends before Eupator, and hearing himself called traitor at every turn because he had abandoned Cyprus which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had withdrawn himself to Antiochus Epiphanes, and failing to uphold the honor of his office, he took poison and did away with himself. ¹⁴But when Gorgias was made governor of the district, he maintained a force of mercenaries, and at every turn kept up war with the Jews. ¹⁵Together with him the Idumaeans also, being masters of important strongholds, harassed the Jews; and received those who had taken refuge from Jerusalem, they endeavored to keep up the war. ¹⁶But Maccabaeus and his men, having made solemn supplication and having implored God to fight on their side, rushed upon the strongholds of the Idumaeans. ¹⁷Assaulting them vigorously, they took control of the positions, and kept off all who fought upon the wall, and killed those whom they encountered, killing no fewer than twenty thousand. ¹⁸Because no fewer than nine thousand had fled into two very strong towers having everything needed for a siege, ¹⁹Maccabaeus, having left Simon and Joseph, and also Zacchaeus and those who were with him, a force sufficient to besiege them, departed himself to places where he was most needed. ²⁰But Simon and those who were with him, yielding to covetousness, were bribed by some of those who were in the towers, and receiving seventy thousand drachmas, let some of them slip away. ²¹But when word was brought to Maccabaeus of what was done, he gathered the leaders of the people together, and accused those men of having sold their kindred for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them. ²²So he killed these men for having turned traitors, and immediately took possession of the two towers. ²³Prospering with his weapons in everything he undertook, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds. ²⁴Now Timotheus, who had been defeated by the Jews before, having gathered together foreign forces in great multitudes, and having collected the cavalry which belonged to Asia, not a few, came as though he would take Judea by force of weapons. ²⁵But as he drew near, Maccabaeus and his men sprinkled dirt on their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God, ²⁶and falling down upon the step in front of the altar, implored him to become gracious to them, and be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declares. ²⁷Rising from their prayer they took up their weapons, and advanced some distance from the city. When they had come near to their enemies, they halted. ²⁸When the dawn was now breaking, the two armies joined in battle, the one part having this, beside virtue, for a pledge of success and victory, that they had fled to the Lord for refuge, the others making their passion their leader in the fight. ²⁹When the battle became strong, there appeared out of heaven to their adversaries five splendid men on horses with bridles of gold, and two of them, leading on the Jews, ³⁰and taking Maccabaeus in the midst of them, and covering him with their own armor, guarded him from wounds, while they shot arrows and thunderbolts at the enemies. For this reason, they were blinded and thrown into confusion, and were cut to pieces, filled with bewilderment. ³¹Twenty thousand five hundred were slain, beside six hundred cavalry. ³²Timotheus himself fled into a stronghold called Gazara, a fortress of great strength, where Chaereas was in command. ³³Then Maccabaeus and his men were glad and laid siege to the fortress for four days. ³⁴Those who were within, trusting in the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and hurled out impious words. ³⁵But at dawn of the fifth day, certain young men of Maccabaeus’ company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall with masculine force and with furious anger, and cut down whoever came in their way. ³⁶Others climbing up in the same way, while the enemies were distracted with those who had made their way within, set fire to the towers, and kindled fires that burned the blasphemers alive, while others broke open the gates, and, having given entrance to the rest of the band, occupied the city. ³⁷They killed Timotheus, who was hidden in a cistern, and his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes. ³⁸When they had accomplished these things, they blessed the Lord with hymns and thanksgiving, blessing him who provides great benefits to Israel and gives them the victory.

1: Then Maccabaeus and those who were with him, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city.

2: They pulled down the altars that had been built in the marketplace by the foreigners, and also the sacred enclosures.

3: Having cleansed the sanctuary, they made another altar of sacrifice. Striking flint and starting a fire, they offered sacrifices after they had ceased for two years, burned incense, lit lamps, and set out the show bread.

4: When they had done these things, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might fall no more into such evils; but that, if they ever did sin, they might be chastened by him with forbearance, and not be delivered to blaspheming and barbarous heathen.

5: Now on the same day that the sanctuary was profaned by foreigners, upon that very day it came to pass that the sanctuary was cleansed, even on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which is Chislev.

6: They observed eight days with gladness in the manner of the feast of tabernacles, remembering how not long before, during the feast of tabernacles, they were wandering in the mountains and in the caves like wild animals.

7: Therefore carrying wands wreathed with leaves, and beautiful branches, and palm fronds also, they offered up hymns of thanksgiving to him who had successfully brought to pass the cleansing of his own place.

8: They ordained also with a public statute and decree, for all the nation of the Jews, that they should observe these days every year.

9: Such were the events of the end of Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes.

10: Now we will declare what came to pass under Antiochus Eupator, who proved himself a son of that ungodly man, and will summarize the main evils of the wars.

11: For this man, when he succeeded to the kingdom, appointed one Lysias to be chancellor and supreme governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia.

12: For Ptolemy who was called Macron, setting an example of observing justice toward the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, endeavored to deal with them on peaceful terms.

13: Whereupon being accused by the king’s friends before Eupator, and hearing himself called traitor at every turn because he had abandoned Cyprus which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had withdrawn himself to Antiochus Epiphanes, and failing to uphold the honor of his office, he took poison and did away with himself.

14: But when Gorgias was made governor of the district, he maintained a force of mercenaries, and at every turn kept up war with the Jews.

15: Together with him the Idumaeans also, being masters of important strongholds, harassed the Jews; and received those who had taken refuge from Jerusalem, they endeavored to keep up the war.

16: But Maccabaeus and his men, having made solemn supplication and having implored God to fight on their side, rushed upon the strongholds of the Idumaeans.

17: Assaulting them vigorously, they took control of the positions, and kept off all who fought upon the wall, and killed those whom they encountered, killing no fewer than twenty thousand.

18: Because no fewer than nine thousand had fled into two very strong towers having everything needed for a siege,

19: Maccabaeus, having left Simon and Joseph, and also Zacchaeus and those who were with him, a force sufficient to besiege them, departed himself to places where he was most needed.

20: But Simon and those who were with him, yielding to covetousness, were bribed by some of those who were in the towers, and receiving seventy thousand drachmas, let some of them slip away.

21: But when word was brought to Maccabaeus of what was done, he gathered the leaders of the people together, and accused those men of having sold their kindred for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them.

22: So he killed these men for having turned traitors, and immediately took possession of the two towers.

23: Prospering with his weapons in everything he undertook, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.

24: Now Timotheus, who had been defeated by the Jews before, having gathered together foreign forces in great multitudes, and having collected the cavalry which belonged to Asia, not a few, came as though he would take Judea by force of weapons.

25: But as he drew near, Maccabaeus and his men sprinkled dirt on their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God,

26: and falling down upon the step in front of the altar, implored him to become gracious to them, and be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declares.

27: Rising from their prayer they took up their weapons, and advanced some distance from the city. When they had come near to their enemies, they halted.

28: When the dawn was now breaking, the two armies joined in battle, the one part having this, beside virtue, for a pledge of success and victory, that they had fled to the Lord for refuge, the others making their passion their leader in the fight.

29: When the battle became strong, there appeared out of heaven to their adversaries five splendid men on horses with bridles of gold, and two of them, leading on the Jews,

30: and taking Maccabaeus in the midst of them, and covering him with their own armor, guarded him from wounds, while they shot arrows and thunderbolts at the enemies. For this reason, they were blinded and thrown into confusion, and were cut to pieces, filled with bewilderment.

31: Twenty thousand five hundred were slain, beside six hundred cavalry.

32: Timotheus himself fled into a stronghold called Gazara, a fortress of great strength, where Chaereas was in command.

33: Then Maccabaeus and his men were glad and laid siege to the fortress for four days.

34: Those who were within, trusting in the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and hurled out impious words.

35: But at dawn of the fifth day, certain young men of Maccabaeus’ company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall with masculine force and with furious anger, and cut down whoever came in their way.

36: Others climbing up in the same way, while the enemies were distracted with those who had made their way within, set fire to the towers, and kindled fires that burned the blasphemers alive, while others broke open the gates, and, having given entrance to the rest of the band, occupied the city.

37: They killed Timotheus, who was hidden in a cistern, and his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes.

38: When they had accomplished these things, they blessed the Lord with hymns and thanksgiving, blessing him who provides great benefits to Israel and gives them the victory.

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

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