Chapter 1-5 of the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees, Dewey Reem's version. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information and to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sam Stinson. Chapter 1. Now. It came to pass, after that Alexander, the son of Philip the Macedonian, who first reigned in Greece, coming out of the land of Sathim, had overthrown Darius, king of the Persians and Medes. He fought many battles, and took the strongholds of all, and slew the kings of the earth. And he went through even to the ends of the earth, and took the spoils of many nations, and the earth was quiet before him. And he gathered a power in a very strong army, and his heart was exalted and lifted up. And he subdued countries of nations and princes, and they became tributaries to him.  And he called his servants, the nobles that were brought up with him, from his youth. And he divided his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive. And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died. And his servants made themselves kings, every one in his place. And they all put crowns upon themselves after his death, and their sons after them many years. And evils were multiplied in the earth. And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the illustrious, the son of King Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome. And he reigned in the 137th year of the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathens that are round about us, for since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us. And the word seemed good in their eyes. And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king, and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens. And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations. And they made themselves prepasses, and departed from the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathens, and were sold to do evil. And the kingdom was established before Antiochus, and he had a mind to reign over the land of Egypt, that he might reign over two kingdoms. And he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots and elephants and horsemen and a great number of ships. And he made war against Ptolemy, king of Egypt. But Ptolemy was afraid at his presence, and fled, and many were wounded unto death. And he took the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils of the land of Egypt. And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the 143rd year, he returned and went up against Israel. And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude, and he proudly entered into the sanctuary, and took away the gold and altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, and the table of proposition, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament that was before the temple. And he broke them all in pieces.  And he made a great slaughter of men, and spoke very proudly, and there was great mourning in Israel, and in every place where they were. And the princes, and the ancients mourned, and the virgins, and the young men were made feeble, and the beauty of the women was changed. Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and the bride that sat in the marriage bed mourned, and the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion. And after two full years the king sent the chief collector of his tributes to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude. And he spoke to them peaceable words in deceit, and they believed him. And he fell upon the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter, and destroyed much people in Israel. And he took the spoils of the city, and burnt it with fire, and threw down the houses thereof, and the walls thereof round about. And they took the women captive, and the children, and the cattle they possessed. And they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers, and made it a fortress for them.  And they stored up armor and victuals, and gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, and laid them up there, and they became a great snare.  And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, and defiled the holy place. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away by reason of them, and the city was made the habitation of strangers, and she became a stranger to her own seed, and her children forsook her.  Her dishonor was increased according to her glory, and her excellency was turned into mourning. And King Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom that all the people should be one, and every one should leave his own law. And all nations consented according to the word of King Antiochus, and many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath. And the king sent letters by the hands of messengers to Jerusalem, and to all the cities of Judah, that they should follow the law of the nations of the earth, and should forbid holocaust and sacrifices and atonements to be made in the temple of God, and should prohibit the sabbath and the festival days to be celebrated. And he commanded the holy places to be profaned, and the holy people of Israel, and he commanded altars to be built in temples and idols, and swine's flesh to be emulated, and unclean beasts, and that they should leave their children uncircumcised, and let their souls be defiled with all uncleannesses and abominations to the end that they should forget the law, and should change all the justifications of God, and that whosoever would not do according to the word of King Antiochus should be put to death. According to all these words he wrote to his whole kingdom, and he appointed rulers over the people that should force them to do these things. And they commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice. Then many of the people were gathered to them that had forsaken the law of the Lord, and they committed evils in the land, and they drove away the people of Israel into lurking holes, and into the secret places of fugitives. On the fifteenth day of the month, Kazlou, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, King Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation upon the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the cities of Judah round about. And they burnt incense, and sacrificed at the doors of the houses, and in the streets. And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire the books of the law of God. And everyone with whom the books of the testament of the Lord were found, and whosoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death according to the edict of the King. Thus, by their power did they deal with the people of Israel that were found in the cities month after month. And on the five-and-twentieth day of the month, they sacrificed upon the altar of the idol that was over against the altar of God. Now, the women that circumcised their children were slain according to the commandment of King Antiochus, and they hanged the children about their neck in all their houses. And those that had circumcised them, they put to death. And many of the people of Israel determined with themselves that they would not eat unclean things, and they chose rather to die than to be defiled with unclean meats. And they would not break the holy law of God. And they were put to death. And there was very great wrath upon the people. And of chapter 1, chapter 2. In those days arose Methethias, the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib from Jerusalem, and he abode in the mountain of Maudine. And he had five sons, John, who was surnamed Gaddus, and Simeon, who was surnamed Thassi, and Judas, who was called Maccabeus, and Eleazar, who was surnamed Aberon, and Jonathan, who was surnamed Aphos. These saw the evils that were done in the people of Judah and in Jerusalem. And Methethias said, Woe is me! Wherefore was I born to see the ruin of my people, and the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it is given into the hands of the enemies? The holy places are come into the hands of strangers. Her temple is become as a man without honor. The vessels of her glory are carried away captive. Her old men are murdered in the streets, and her young men are fallen by the sword of the enemies. What nation hath not inherited her kingdom and gotten of her spoils? All her ornaments are taken away. She that was free is made a slave. And behold, our sanctuary and our beauty and our glory is laid waste, and the Gentiles have defiled them. To what end, then, should we live any longer? And Methethias and his sons rent their garments, and they covered themselves with haircloth and made great lamentation. And they that were sent from King Antiochus came thither to compel them that were fled into the city of Moudin to sacrifice and to burn incense and to depart from the law of God. And many of the people of Israel consented and came to them. But Methethias and his sons stood firm, and they that were sent from Antiochus answering said to Methethias, thou art a ruler and an honorable and great man in this city, and adorned with sons and brethren. Therefore come thou first and obey the King's commandment, as all nations have done, and the men of Judah, and they that remain in Jerusalem, and thou and thy sons shall be in the number of the King's friends, and enriched with gold and silver and many presents. Then Methethias answered and said with a loud voice, although all nations obey King Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law of his fathers and consent to his commandments, I and my sons and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers. God be merciful unto us. It is not profitable for us to forsake the law in the justices of God. We will not hearken to the words of King Antiochus. Neither will we sacrifice and transgress the commandments of our law to go another way. Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Moudin, according to the King's commandment. And Methethias saw and was grieved, and his reigns trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him, he slew him upon the altar. Moreover, the man whom King Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time and pulled down the altar and showed zeal for the law as Phenaeus did by Zamri, the son of Salami. And Methethias cried out in the city with a loud voice saying, everyone that hath zeal for the law and maintain it the testament, let him follow me. So he and his sons fled into the mountains and left all that they had in the city. Then many that sought after judgment and justice went down into the desert, and they abode there. They and their children and their wives and their cattle because afflictions increased upon them. And it was told to the King's men and to the army that was in Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men who had broken the King's commandment were gone away into the secret places in the wilderness, and that many were gone after them. And forthwith they went out towards them and made war against them on the Sabbath day. And they said to them, do you still resist? Come forth and do according to the edict of King Antiochus, and you shall live. And they said, we will not come forth. Neither will we obey the King's edict to profane the Sabbath day. And they made haste to give them battle. But they answered them not.  So they gave them battle on the Sabbath, and they were slain, with their wives and their children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand persons. And Matthethias and his friends heard of it, and they mourned for them exceedingly. And every man said to his neighbor, if we shall all do as our brethren have done, and not fight against the heathens for our lives and our justifications, they will now quickly root us out of the earth. And they determined in that day, saying, whosoever shall come up against us to fight on the Sabbath day, we will fight against him, and we will not all die as our brethren that were slain in the secret places. Then was assembled to them the congregation of the Assyrians, the stoutest of Israel, every one that had a good will for the law, and all they that fled from the evils joined themselves to them, and were a support to them. And they gathered an army, and slew the sinners in their wrath, and the wicked men in their indignation, and the rest fled to the nations for safety. And Matthethias and his friends went round about, and they threw down the altars, and they circumcised all the children whom they found in the confines of Israel that were uncircumcised. And they did valiantly. And they pursued after the children of pride in the work prospered in their hands, and they recovered the law out of the hands of the nations, and out of the hands of the kings, and they yielded not the horn to the sinner. Now the days drew near that Matthethias should die. And he said to his sons, Now hath pride in chastisement gotten strength, and the time of destruction and the wrath of indignation. Now therefore, O my sons, Be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers, and call to remembrance the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations, and ye shall receive great glory in an everlasting name. Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reputed to him unto justice? Joseph, in the time of his distress, kept the commandment, and he was made Lord of Egypt. Phenaeus, our father, by being fervent in the zeal of God, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. Jesus, whilst he fulfilled the word, was made ruler in Israel. Caleb, forbearing witness before the congregation, received an inheritance. David, by his mercy, obtained the throne of an everlasting kingdom. Elias, while he is full of zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. Ananias and Azarias in Missael, by believing, were delivered out of the flame. Daniel, in his innocencey, was delivered out of the mouth of the lions. And thus consider, through all generations, that none that trust in him fail in strength. And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory is dung and worms. Today he is lifted up, and tomorrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his earth, and his thought is come to nothing. You therefore, my sons, take courage and behave manfully in the law, for by it you shall be glorious. And behold, I know that your brother Simon, as a man of counsel, give ear to him always, and he shall be a father to you. And Judas Maccabeus, who is valiant and strong from his youth up, let him be the leader of your army, and he shall manage the war of the people. And you shall take to you all that observe the law, and revenge ye the wrong of your people, render to the Gentiles their reward, and take heed to the precepts of the law. And he blessed them, and was joined to his fathers. And he died in the hundred and forty-sixth year, and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with great mourning. And of chapter two, chapter three. Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead, and all his brethren helped him, and all they that had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel. And he got his people great honor, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and gird his warlike armor about him in battles, and protected the camp with his sword. In his axe he was like a lion, and like a lion's wealth roaring for his prey. And he pursued the wicked and sought them out, and them that troubled his people he burnt with fire. And his enemies were driven away for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, and salvation prospered in his hand. And he grieved many kings, and made Jacob glad with his works, and his memory is blessed forever. And he went through the cities of Judah, and destroyed the wicked out of them, and turned away wrath from Israel. And he was renowned even to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered them that were perishing. And Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, and a numerous and great army from Samaria to make war against Israel. And Judas understood it, and went forth to meet him, and he overthrew him, and killed him, and many fell down slain, and the rest fled away. And he took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime. And Saren, captain of the army of Syria, heard that Judas had assembled a company of the faithful in a congregation with him. And he said, I will get me a name, and will be glorified in the kingdom, and will overthrow Judas, and those that are with him, that have despised the edict of the king. And he made himself ready, and the host of the wicked went up with him, strong sacours, to be revenged of the children of Israel. And they approached even as far as Bethoron, and Judas went forth to meet him with a small company. But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas, how shall we, being few, be able to fight against so great a multitude, and so strong, and we are ready to faint with fasting today? And Judas said, it is an easy matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few, and there is no difference in the sight of the God of Heaven to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small company. For the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven. They come against us with an insolent multitude, and with pride to destroy us, and our wives, and our children, and to take our spoils. But we will fight for our lives and our laws, and the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face. But as for you, fear them not. And as soon as he had made an end of speaking, he rushed suddenly upon them, and Saren and his host were overthrown before him. And he pursued him by the descent of Bethoron, even to the plain, and there fell of them eight hundred men, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines. And the fear of Judas and of his brethren and the dread of them fell upon all the nations round about them, and his fame came to the king, and all nations told of the battles of Judas. Now when King Antiochus heard these words, he was angry in his mind, and he sent and gathered the forces of all his kingdom, an exceeding strong army. And he opened his treasury, and gave out pay to the army for a year, and he commanded them that they should be ready for all things. And he perceived that the money of his treasuries failed, and that the tributes of the country were small because of the dissension, and the evil that he had brought upon the land, that he might take away the laws of old times. And he feared that he should not have his formerly enough for charges and gifts which he had given before with a liberal hand, for he had abounded more than the kings that had been before him. And he was greatly perplexed in mind, and purposed to go into Persia and to take tributes of the countries and to gather much money. And he left Lyceus, a nobleman of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the kingdom from the river Euphrates, even to the river of Egypt, and to bring up his son Antiochus till he came again. And he delivered to him half the army and the elephants, and he gave him charge concerning all that he would have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem, and that he should send an army against them to destroy and root out the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place, and that he should settle strangers to dwell in all their coasts and divide their land by a lot. So the king took the half of the army that remained, and went forth from Antioch, the chief city of his kingdom, in the 147th year, and he passed over the river Euphrates and went through the higher countries. Then Lyceus chose Ptolemy, the son of Dori Menas, and Nicainer, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends, and he sent with them 40,000 men and 7,000 horsemen to go into the land of Judah and to destroy it, according to the king's orders. So they went forth with all their power and came and pitched near Emmaus in the plain country, and the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them, and they took silver and gold in abundance and servants, and they came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves, and there were joined to them the forces of Syria and of the land of the strangers, and Judas and his brethren saw that evils were multiplied, and that the armies approached to their borders, and they knew the orders the king had given to destroy the people and utterly abolished them, and they said every man to his neighbor, let us raise up the low condition of our people and let us fight for our people and our sanctuary, and the assembly was gathered that they might be ready for battle and that they might pray and ask mercy and compassion. Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert. There was none of her children that went in or out, and the sanctuary was trodden down, and the children of strangers were in the castle. There was the habitation of the Gentiles, and joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and harp ceased there, and they assembled together and came to Masphah over against Jerusalem, for in Masphah was a place of prayer here to for in Israel, and they fasted that day and put on haircloth and put ashes upon their heads, and they rent their garments, and they laid open the books of the law in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols, and they brought the priestly ornaments and the first fruits and tithes and stirred up the Nazorites that had fulfilled their days, and they cried with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and whether shall we carry them? For thy holies are trodden down, and are profaned, and thy priests are in mourning, and are brought low.  Thou knowest what they intend against us? How shall we be able to stand before their face, unless thou, O God, help us? Then they sounded with trumpets, and cried out with a loud voice. And after this, Judas appointed captains over the people, over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens. And he said to them that were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, that they should return every man to his house, according to the law. So they removed the camp, and pitched on the south side of Emmaus.  For it is better for us to die in battle than to see the evils of our nation and of the Holies. Nevertheless, as it shall be the will of God in heaven, so be it done. End of chapter 3. Chapter 4 Then Gorgias took five thousand men and a thousand of the best horsemen, and they removed out of the camp by night, that they might come upon the camp of the Jews, and strike them suddenly, and the men that were of the castle were their guides. And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to attack the king's forces that were in Emmaus. For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp. And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man. And he sought them in the mountains, for he said, these men flee from us. And when it was day, Judas showed himself in the plane, with three thousand men only, who neither had armor nor swords. And they saw the camp of the Gentiles, that it was strong, and the men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war. And Judas said to the men that were with him, fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault. Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a great army. And now let us cry to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before our face this day. And all nations shall know that there is one that redeemeth and delivereth Israel. And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming against them. And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were with Judas sounded the trumpet, and they joined battle. And the Gentiles were routed and fled into the plain. But all the hind most of them fell by the sword, and they pursued them as far as Gesserin, and even to the planes of Ijumea, and of Asetus, and of Jamnia, and there fell of them to the number of 3,000 men. And Judas returned again with his army that followed him. And he said to the people, be not greedy of the spoils, for there is war before us. And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain. But stand ye now against our enemies and overthrow them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards with safety. And as Judas was speaking these words, behold, part of them appeared, looking forth from the mountain. And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp, for the smoke that was seen declared what was done. And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plane, ready to fight. So they all fled away into the land of the strangers. And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold and silver and blue silk and purple of the sea and great riches. And returning home, they sung a hymn and blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endured forever. So Israel had a great deliverance that day. And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lyceus all that had happened. And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged because things had not succeeded in Israel, according to his mind, and as the king had commanded. So the year following, Lyceus gathered together three scored thousand chosen men and five thousand horsemen that he might subdue them. And they came into Judea and pitched their tents in Bethoran. And Judas met them with ten thousand men. And they saw that the army was strong. And he prayed and said, Blessed art thou, O savior of Israel, who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and of his armor-bearer. Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen. Strike them with fear and cause the boldness of their strength to languish and let them quake at their own destruction. Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee and let all that know thy name praise thee with hymns. And they joined battle and there fell of the army of Lyceus five thousand men. And when Lyceus saw that his men were put to flight and how bold the Jews were and that they were ready either to live or to die manfully, he went to Antioch and chose soldiers that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers. Then Judas and his brethren said, Behold, our enemies are discomfited. Let us go up now to cleanse the holy places and to repair them. And all the army assembled together and they went up into Mount Sion. And they saw the sanctuary desolate and the altar profane and the gates burnt and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest or on the mountains and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down. And they rent their garments and made great lamentation and put ashes on their heads. And they fell down to the ground on their faces and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm and they cried towards heaven. Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the castle till they had cleansed the holy places. And he chose priests without blemish whose will was set upon the law of God and they cleansed the holy places and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place. And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been profaned what he should do with it. And a good council came into their minds to pull it down lest it should be a reproach to them because the Gentiles had defiled it. So they threw it down and they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place till there should come a prophet and give answer concerning them. Then they took whole stones according to the law and built a new altar according to the former. And they built up the holy places and the things that were within the temple and they sanctified the temple in the courts. And they made new holy vessels and brought in the candlestick and the altar of incense and the table into the temple. And they put incense upon the altar and lighted up the lamps that were upon the candlestick and they gave light in the temple. And they set the loaves upon the table and hung up the veils and finished all the works that they had begun to make. And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month which is the month of Kazlou in the hundred and forty-eighth year. And they offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of holocausts which they had made. According to the time and according to the day wherein the heathens had defiled it and the same was it dedicated anew with canticles and harps and loots and symbols. And all the people fell upon their faces and adored and blessed up to heaven him that had prospered them. And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and they offered holocausts with joy and sacrifices of salvation and of praise. And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold and escuchians. And they renewed the gates and the chambers and hanged doors upon them. And there was exceeding great joy among the people and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away. And Judas and all his brethren and all the church of Israel decreed that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days from the five and twentieth day of the month of Kazlou with joy and gladness. They built up also at that time Mount Zion with high walls and strong towers round about lest the Gentiles should at any time come and tread it down as they did before. And he placed a garrison there to keep it and he fortified it to secure Beth Surah that the people might have a defense against Ijumea. End of chapter four, chapter five. Now it came to pass when the nations round about heard that the altar and the sanctuary were built up as before that they were exceeding angry and they thought to destroy the generation of Jacob that were among them and they began to kill some of the people and to persecute them. Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Ijumea and them that were in Akraba Thayn because they beset the Israelites round about and he made a great slaughter of them and he remembered the malice of the children of Bean who were a snare and a stumbling block to the people by laying in wait for them in the way and they were shut up by him in towers and he set upon them and devoted them to utter destruction and burnt their towers with fire and all that were in them. Then he passed over to the children of Amon where he found a mighty power and much people and Timothyus was their captain and he fought many battles with them and they were discomfited in their sight and he smote them and he took the city of Gaza and her towns and returned into Judea and the Gentiles that were in Galad assembled themselves together against the Israelites that were in their quarters to destroy them and they fled into the fortress of Dathaman and they sent letters to Judas and his brethren saying the heathens that are round about are gathered together against us to destroy us and they are preparing to come and to take the fortress into which we are fled and Timothyus is the captain of their host. Now therefore come and deliver us out of their hands for many of us are slain and all our brethren that were in the places of Tubin are killed and they have carried away their wives and their children, captives and taken their spoils and they have slain their almost a thousand men and while they were yet reading these letters behold there came other messengers out of Galilee with their garments rent who related according to these words saying that they of Ptolemaus and of Tyre and of Sidon were assembled against them and all Galilee is filled with strangers in order to consume us. Now when Judas and the people heard these words a great assembly met together to consider what they should do for their brethren that were in trouble and were assaulted by them and Judas said to Simon his brother choose thee men and go and deliver thy brethren in Galilee and I and my brother Jonathan will go into the country of Galad and he left Joseph the son of Zacharias and Azarias captains of the people with the remnant of the army in Judea to keep it and he commanded them saying take ye the charge of this people but make no war against the heathens till we return. Now three thousand men were allotted to Simon to go into Galilee and eight thousand to Judas to go into the land of Galad and Simon went into Galilee and fought many battles with the heathens and the heathens were discomfited before his face and he pursued them even to the gate of Ptolemaus and there fell of the heathens almost three thousand men and he took the spoils of them and he took with him those that were in Galilee and in Arbatis with their wives and children and all that they had and he brought them into Judea with great joy and Judas Maccabeus and Jonathan his brother passed over the Jordan and went three days journey through the desert and the Nabuthians met them and received them in a peaceable manner and told them all that happened to their brethren in the land of Galad and that many of them were shut up in Barassa and in Vosor and in Alima and in Kasfor and in Mageth and in Karnaim all these strong and great cities yay and that they were kept shut up in the rest of the cities of Galad and that they had appointed to bring their army on the morrow near to these cities and to take them and to destroy them all in one day then Judas and his army suddenly turned their march into the desert to Vosor and took the city and he slew every mail by the edge of the sword and took all their spoils and burnt it with fire and they removed from thence by night and went till they came to the fortress and it came to pass that early in the morning when they lifted up their eyes behold there were people without number carrying ladders and engines to take the fortress and assault them and Judas saw that the fight was begun and the cry of the battle went up to heaven like a trumpet and a great cry out of the city and he said to his host fight ye today for your brethren and he came with three companies behind them and they sounded their trumpets and cried out in prayer and the host of Timothyus understood that it was Maccabeus and they fled away before his face and they made a great slaughter of them and there fell of them in that day almost 8,000 men and Judas turned aside to Mosfah and assaulted and took it and he slew every mail thereof and took the spoils thereof and burnt it with fire from thence he marched and took Casbon and Mageth and Beausaur and the rest of the cities of Galat but after this Timothyus gathered another army and camped over against Raphon beyond the torrent and Judas sent men to view the army and they brought him word saying all the nations that are round about us are assembled unto him and army exceeding great and they have hired the Arabians to help them and they have pitched their tents beyond the torrent ready to come to fight against thee and Judas went to meet them and Timothyus said to the captains of his army when Judas and his army come near the torrent of water if he pass over unto us first we shall not be able to withstand him for he will certainly prevail over us but if he be afraid to pass over and camp on the other side of the river we will pass over to them and shall prevail against him now when Judas came near the torrent of water he set the scribes of the people by the torrent and commanded them saying suffer no man to stay behind but let all come to the battle and he passed over to them first and all the people after him and all the heathens were discomfited before them and they threw away their weapons and fled to the temple that was in Karnaim and he took that city and the temple he burnt with fire with all things that were therein and Karnaim was subdued and could not stand against the face of Judas and Judas gathered together all the Israelites that were in the land of Galat from the least even to the greatest and their wives and children and an army exceeding great to come into the land of Judah and they came as far as Ephraim now this was a great city situate in the way strongly fortified and there was no means to turn from it on the right hand or on the left but the way was through the midst of it and they that were in the city shut themselves in and stopped up the gates with stones and Judas sent to them with peaceable words saying let us pass through your land to go into our own country and no man shall hurt you we will only pass through on foot but they would not open to them then Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the camp that they should make an assault every man in the place where he was and the men of the army drew near and he assaulted that city all the day and all the night and the city was delivered into his hands and they slew every male with the edge of the sword and he raised the city and took the spoils thereof and passed through all the city over them that were slaying then they passed over the Jordan to the great plane that is over against Bethsan and Judas gathered together the hindmost and he exhorted the people all the way through till they came into the land of Judah and they went up to Mount Sin with joy and gladness and offered holocausts because not one of them was slain till they had returned in peace now and the days that Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Galad and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemaus Joseph the son of Zacharias and Azarias captain of the soldiers heard of the good success in the battles that were fought and he said let us also get us a name and let us go fight against the Gentiles that are round about us and he gave charge to them that were in his army and they went towards Jamnia and Gorgias and his men went out of the city to give them battle and Joseph and Azarias were put to flight and were pursued onto the borders of Judea and there fell on that day of the people of Israel about 2000 men and there was a great overthrow of the people because they did not harken to Judas and his brethren thinking that they should do manfully but they were not of the seed of those men by whom salvation was brought to Israel and the men of Judah were magnified exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and of all the nations where their name was heard and the people assembled to them with joyful acclamations then Judas and his brethren went forth and attacked the children of Esau and the land towards the south and he took Hebron and her towns and he burnt the walls thereof and the towers all rounded and he removed his camp to go into the land of the aliens and he went through Samaria in that day some priests fell in battle while desiring to do manfully they went out unadvisedly to fight and Judas turned to Azatis into the land of the strangers and he threw down their altars and he burnt the statues of their gods with fire and he took the spoils of the cities and returned into the land of Judah End of Chapter 5 Chapters 6-10 of the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees Dewey Reem's version This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Sam Stinson Chapter 6 Now, King Antiochus was going through the higher countries and he heard that the city of Elimius in Persia was greatly renowned and abounding in silver and gold and that there was in it a temple exceeding rich and coverings of gold and breastplates and shields which King Alexander's son of Philip the Macedonian that reigned first in Greece had left there so he came and sought to take the city and to pillage it but he was not able because the design was known to them that were in the city and they rose up against him in battle and he fled away from thence and departed with great sadness and returned towards Babylonia and whilst he was in Persia there came one that told him how the armies that were in the land of Judah were put to flight and that Lyceus went with a very great power and was put to flight before the face of the Jews and that they were grown strong by the armor and power and store of spoils which they had gotten out of the camps which they had destroyed and that they had thrown down the abomination which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls as before and Bethsura also his city and it came to pass when the king heard these words that he was struck with fear and exceedingly moved and he laid himself down upon his bed and fell sick for grief because it had not fallen out to him as he imagined and he remained there many days for great grief came more and more upon him and he made account that he should die and he called for all his friends and said to them sleep is gone from my eyes and I am fallen away and my heart is cast down for anxiety and I said in my heart into how much tribulation am I come and into what floods of sorrow wherein now I am I that was pleasant and beloved in my power but now I remember the evils that I did in Jerusalem from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold and of silver that were in it and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without cause I know therefore that for this cause these evils have found me and behold I perish with great grief in a strange land then he called Philip one of his friends and he made him regent over all his kingdom and he gave him the crown and his robe and his ring that he should go to Antiochus his son and should bring him up for the kingdom so Antiochus died there in the year 149 and Lyceus understood that the king was dead and he set up Antiochus his son to reign whom he had brought up young and he called his name now they that were in the castle had shut up the Israelites round about the holy places and they were continually seeking their hurt and to strengthen the Gentiles and Judah's purpose to destroy them and he called together all the people to besiege them and they came together and besieged them in the year 150 and they made battering slings and engines and some of the besieged got out and some wicked men of Israel joined themselves unto them and they went to the king and said how long dost thou delay to execute judgment and to revenge our brethren we determined to serve thy father and to do according to his orders and obey his edicts and for this they of our nation are alienated from us and have slain as many of us as they could find and have spoiled our inheritances neither have they put forth their hand against us only but also against all our borders and behold they have approached this day to the castle of Jerusalem to take it and they have fortified the stronghold of Bethsura and unless thou speedily prevent them they will do greater things than these and thou shalt not be able to subdue them now when the king heard this he was angry and he called together all his friends and the captains of his army and them that were over the horsemen there came also to him from other realms and from the islands of the sea hired troops and the number of his army was 100,000 footmen and 20,000 horsemen and 32 elephants trained to battle and they went through Ijumia and approached to Bethsura and fought many days and they made engines but they sallied forth and burnt them with fire and fought manfully and Judas departed from the castle and removed the camp to Beth Zech Arem over against the king's camp and the king rose before it was light and made his troops march on fiercely towards the way of Beth Zech Arem and the armies made themselves ready for the battle and they sounded the trumpets and they showed the elephants the blood of grapes and mulberries to provoke them to fight and they distributed the beasts by the legions and there stood by every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail and with helmets of brass on their heads and 500 horsemen set in order were chosen for every beast these before the time where so ever the beast was they were there and whether so ever it went they went and they departed not from it and upon the beast there were strong wooden towers which covered every one of them and engines upon them and upon every one 32 valiant men who fought from above and an Indian to rule the beast and the rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that side at the two wings with trumpets to stir up the army and to hasten them forward that stood thick together in the legions thereof now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and of brass the mountains glittered therewith and they shone like lamps of fire and part of the king's army was distinguished by the high mountains and the other part by the low places and they marched on warily and orderly and all the inhabitants of the land were moved at the noise of their multitude and the marching of the company and the rattling of the armor for the army was exceeding great and strong and Judas and his army drew near for battle and there fell of the king's army 600 men and Eleazar the son of Sara saw one of the beasts harnessed with the king's harness and it was higher than the other beasts and it seemed to him that the king was on it and he exposed himself to deliver his people and to get himself an everlasting name and he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion killing on the right hand and on the left and they fell by him on this side and that side and he went between the feet of the elephant and put himself under it and slew it and it fell to the ground upon him and he died there then they seeing the strength of the king and the fierceness of his army turned away from them but the king's army went up against them to Jerusalem and the king's army pitched their tents against Judea and Mount Zion and he made peace with them that were in Bethsura and they came forth out of the city because they had no victuals being shot up there for it was the year of rest to the land and the king took Bethsura and he placed there a garrison to keep it and he turned his army against the sanctuary for many days and he set up their battering slings and engines and instruments to cast fire and engines to cast stones and javelins and pieces to shoot arrows and slings and they also made engines against their engines and they fought for many days but there were no victuals in the city because it was the seventh year and such as had stayed in Judea of them that came from among the nations had eaten the residue of all that which had been stored up and there remained in the holy places but a few for the famine had prevailed over them and they were dispersed every man to his own place now Lyceus heard that Philip whom King Antiochus while he lived had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus into reign was returned from Persia and media with the army that went with him and that he sought to take upon him the affairs of the kingdom wherefore he made haste to go and say to the king and to the captains of the army we decay daily and our provision of victuals is small and the place that we lay siege to is strong and it lies upon us to take order for the affairs of the kingdom now therefore let us come to an agreement with these men and make peace with them and with all their nation and let us covenant with them that they may live according to their own laws as before for because of our despising their laws they have been provoked and have done all these things and the proposal was acceptable in the side of the king and of the princes and he sent to them to make peace and they accepted of it and the king and the princes swore to them and they came out of the stronghold then the king entered into Mount Sion and saw the strength of the place and he quickly broke the oath that he had taken and gave commandment to throw down the wall round about and he departed in haste and returned to Antioch where he found Philip master of the city and he fought against him and took the city End of Chapter 6 Chapter 7 In the 151st year Demetrius the son of Seleuces departed from the city of Rome and came up with few men into a city of the sea coast and reigned there and it came to pass as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers that the army seized upon Antiochus and Lyceus to bring them unto him and when he knew it he said let me not see their face so the army slew them and Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom and there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel and Alchemus was at the head of them who desired to be made high priest and they accused the people to the king saying Judas and his brethren have destroyed all thy friends and he hath driven us out of our land now therefore send some men whom thou trustest and let him go and see all the havoc he hath made amongst us and in the king's lands and let him punish all his friends and their helpers then the king chose Bacchides one of his friends that ruled beyond the great river in the kingdom and was faithful to the king and he sent him to see the havoc that Judas had made and the wicked Alchemist he made high priest and commanded him to take revenge upon the children of Israel and they arose and came with a great army into the land of Judah and they sent messengers and spoke to Judas and his brethren with peaceable words deceitfully but they gave no heed to their words for they saw that they were come with a great army then they're assembled to Alchemist in Bacchides a company of the scribes to require things that are just and first the Assyrians that were among the children of Israel and they sought peace of them for they said one that is a priest of the seed of Aaron has come he will not deceive us and he spoke to them peaceably and he swore to them saying we will do you no harm nor your friends and they believed him and he took three score of them and slew them in one day according to the word that is written the flesh of thy saints and the blood of them they have shed round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them then fear and trembling fell upon all the people for they said there is no truth nor justice among them for they have broken the covenant and the oath which they made and Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem and pitched in Beth Zika and he sent and took many of them that were fled away from him and some of the people he killed and threw them into a great pit then he committed the country to Alchemist and left with him troops to help him so Bacchides went away to the king but Alchemist did what he could to maintain his chief priesthood and they that disturbed the people resorted to him and they got the land of Judah into their power and did much hurt in Israel and Judah saw all the evils that Alchemist and they that were with him did to the children of Israel much more than the Gentiles and he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about and took vengeance upon the men that had revolted and they ceased to go forth any more into the country and Alchemist saw that Judah's and they that were with him prevailed and he knew that he could not stand against them and he went back to the king and accused them of many crimes and the king sent Necaner one of his principal lords who was a great enemy to Israel and he commanded him to destroy the people and Necaner came to Jerusalem with a great army and he sent to Judas and to his brethren deceitfully with friendly words saying let there be no fighting between me and you I will come with a few men to see your faces with peace and he came to Judas and they saluted one another peaceably and the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force and the thing was known to Judas that he was come to him with deceit and he was much afraid of him and would not see his face anymore and Necaner knew that his council was discovered and he went out to fight against Judas near Kaffir Salama and there fell of Necaner's army almost 5000 men and they fled into the city of David and after this Necaner went up into Mount Sin and some of the priests and the people came out to salute him peaceably and to show him the Holocausts that were offered for the king but he mocked and despised them and abused them and he spoke proudly and swore in anger saying unless Judas and his army be delivered into my hands as soon as ever I return in peace I will burn this house and he went out in a great rage and the priest went in and stood before the face of the altar in the temple and weeping they said Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house for Thy name to be called upon therein that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for Thy people be avenged of this man and his army and let them fall by the sword remember their blasphemies and suffer them not to continue any longer then Necaner went out from Jerusalem and encamped near to Beth Oren and an army of Syria joined him but Judas pitched in Edarsa with 3000 men and Judas prayed and said O Lord, when they that were sent by King Sennacher blasphemed thee an angel went out and slew of them 185,000 even so destroyed this army in our sight today and let the rest know that he had spoken ill against Thy sanctuary and judge Thou him according to his wickedness and the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month Adar and the army of Necaner was defeated and he himself was first slain in the battle and when his army saw that Necaner was slain they threw away their weapons and fled and they pursued after them one day's journey from Adaser even till ye come to Gaza and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals and they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about and they pushed them with the horns and they turned again to them and they were all slain with the sword and there was not left of them so much as one and they took the spoils of them for a booty and they cut off Necaner's head and his right hand which he had proudly stretched out and they brought it and hung it up over against Jerusalem and the people rejoiced exceedingly and they spent that day with great joy and he ordained that this day should be kept every year being the thirteenth of the month of Adar and the land of Judea was quiet for a short time end of chapter seven chapter eight now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans that they are powerful and strong and willingly agree to all things that are requested of them and that whosoever have come to them they have made amity with them and that they are mighty in power and they heard of their battles and their noble acts which they had done in Galatia how they had conquered them and brought them under tribute and how great things they had done in the land of Spain and that they had brought under their power the mines of silver and of gold that are there and had gotten possession of all the place by their council and patience and had conquered places that were very far off from them and kings that came against them from the ends of the earth and had overthrown them with great slaughter and the rest pay them tribute every year and that they had defeated in battle Philip and purses the king of the Cetians and the rest that had borne arms against them and had conquered them and how Antiochus the great king of Asia who went to fight against them having 120 elephants with horsemen and chariots and a very great army was routed by them and how they took him alive and appointed to him that both he and they that should reign after him should pay a great tribute and that he should give hostages and that which was agreed upon and the country of the Indians and of the Medes and of the Lydians some of their best provinces and those which they had taken from them they gave to King Eumenes and that they who were in Greece had a mind to go and to destroy them and they had knowledge thereof and they sent a general against them and fought with them and many of them were slain and they carried away their wives and their children captives and spoiled them and took possession of their land and threw down their walls and brought them to be their servants until this day and the other kingdoms and islands that at any time had resisted them they had destroyed and brought under their power but with their friends and such as relied upon them they kept amity and had conquered kingdoms that were near and that were far off for all that heard their name were afraid of them that whom they had a mind to help to a kingdom those reigned and whom they would they deposed from the kingdom and they were greatly exalted and none of all these wore a crown or was clothed in purple to be magnified thereby and that they had made themselves a senate house and consulted daily 320 men that sat in council always for the people that they might do the things that were right and that they committed their government to one man every year to rule over all their country and they all obey one and there is no envy nor jealousy amongst them so Judas chose Eupolimus the son of John the son of Jacob and Jason the son of Eliezer and he sent them to Rome to make a league of amity and confederacy with them and that they might take off from them the yoke of the greecians for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude and they went to Rome a very long journey and they entered into the senate house and said Judas Maccabeus and his brethren and the people of the Jews have sent us to you to make alliance and peace with you and that we may be registered your confederates and friends and the proposal was pleasing in their sight and this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again graven in tables of brass and sent to Jerusalem that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace and alliance good success be to the Romans and to the people of the Jews by sea and by land forever and far be the sword and enemy from them but if there come first any war upon the Romans or any of their confederates and all their dominions the nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct with all their heart neither shall they give them whilst they are fighting or furnish them with wheat or arms or money or ships as it hath seemed good to the Romans and they shall obey their orders without taking anything of them and like man are also if war shall come first upon the nation of the Jews the Romans shall help them with all their heart according as the time shall permit them and there shall not be given to them that come to their aid either wheat or arms or money or ships as it hath seemed good to the Romans and they shall observe their orders without deceit according to these articles did the Romans covenant with the people of the Jews and if after this one party or the other shall have a mind to add to these articles or take away anything they may do it at their pleasure and whatsoever they shall add or take away shall be ratified moreover concerning the evils that Demetrius the king hath done against them we have written to him saying why hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends and allies the Jews if therefore they come again to us complaining of thee we will do them justice and will make war against thee by sea and land end of chapter eight chapter nine in the meantime when Demetrius heard that Nicainer and his army were fallen in battle he sent again Bacchidus and Alchemus into Judea and the right wing of his army with them and they took the road that leadeth to Galgal and they camped in Masaloth which is in Arabella and they made themselves masters of it and slew many people in the first month of the 152nd year they brought the army to Jerusalem and they arose and went to Berea with 20,000 men and 2,000 horsemen now Judas had pitched his tents in Lysa and 3,000 chosen men with him and they saw the multitude of the army that they were many and they were seized with great fear and many withdrew themselves out of the camp and there remained of them no more than 800 men and Judas saw that his army slipped away and the battle pressed upon him and his heart was cast down because he had not time to gather them together and he was discouraged then he said to them that remained let us arise and go against our enemies if we may be able to fight against them but they dissuaded him saying we shall not be able but let us save our lives now and return to our brethren and then we will fight against them for we are but few then Judas said God forbid we should do this thing and flee away from them but if our time become let us die manfully for our brethren and let us not stain our glory and the army removed out of the camp and they stood over against them and the horsemen were divided into two troops and the slingers and the archers went before the army and they that were in the front were all men of valor and Bacchides was in the right wing and the legion drew near on two sides and they sounded the trumpets and they also that were on Judas's side even they also cried out and the earth shook at the noise of the armies and the battle was fought from morning even unto the evening and Judas perceived that the stronger part of the army of Bacchides was on the right side and all the stout of heart came together with him and the right wing was discomfited by them and he pursued them even to the Mount Asatos and they that were in the left wing saw that the right wing was discomfited and they followed after Judas and them that were with him at their back and the battle was hard fought and there fell many wounded of the one side and of the other and Judas was slain and the rest fled away and Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother and buried him in the sepulcher of their fathers in the city of Maudine and all the people of Israel bewailed him with great lamentation and they mourned for him many days and said how is the mighty man fallen that saved the people of Israel but the rest of the words of the wars of Judas and of the noble acts that he did and of his greatness are not written for they were very many and it came to pass after the death of Judas that the wicked began to put forth their heads and all the confines of Israel and all the workers of iniquity rose up in those days there was a very great famine and they and all their country yielded to Bacchides and Bacchides chose the wicked men and made them lords of the country and they sought out and made diligent search after the friends of Judas and brought them to Bacchides and he took vengeance of them and abused them and there was a great tribulation in Israel such as was not since the day that there was no prophet seen in Israel and all the friends of Judas came together and said to Jonathan since thy brother Judas died there is not a man like him to go forth against our enemies Bacchides and them that are the enemies of our nation now therefore we have chosen thee this day to be our prince and captain in his stead to fight our battles so Jonathan took upon him the government at that time and rose up in the place of Judas his brother and Bacchides had knowledge of it and sought to kill him and Jonathan and Simon his brother knew it and all that were with them and they fled into the desert of Thukua and they pitched by the water of the lake Asfar and Bacchides understood it and he came himself with all his army over the Jordan on the Sabbath day and Jonathan sent his brother a captain of the people to desire the Nabuthians his friends that they would lend them their equipage which was copious and the children of Jamboree came forth out of Madapa and took John and all that he had and went away with them after this it was told Jonathan and Simon his brother that the children of Jamboree made a great marriage and were bringing the bride out of Madaba the daughter of one of the great princes of Canaan with great pomp and they remembered the blood of John their brother and they went up and hid themselves under the covert of the mountain and they lifted up their eyes and saw and behold a tumult and great preparation and the bridegroom came forth and his friends and his brethren to meet them with timbrels and musical instruments and many weapons and they rose up against them from the place where they lay in ambush and slew them and there fell many wounded and the rest fled into the mountains and they took all their spoils and the marriage was turned into mourning and the noise of their musical instruments into lamentation and they took revenge for the blood of their brother and they returned to the bank of the Jordan and Bacchities heard it and he came on the Sabbath day even to the bank of the Jordan with the great power and Jonathan said to his company let us arise and fight against our enemies for it is not now as yesterday and the day before for behold the battle is before us and the water of the Jordan on this side and on that side and banks and marshes and woods and there is no place for us to turn aside now therefore cry ye to heaven that ye may be delivered from the hand of your enemies and they joined battle and Jonathan stretched forth his hand to strike Bacchities but he turned away from him backwards and Jonathan and they that were with him leapt into the Jordan and swam over the Jordan to them and there fell of Bacchities side that day a thousand men and they returned to Jerusalem and they built strong cities in Judea the fortress that was in Jericho and in Amos and in Bethorah and in Bethel and Thamnata and Phara and Thopo with high walls and gates and bars and he placed garrisons in them that they might wage war against Israel and he fortified the city of Bethsura and Gaza and the castle and set garrisons in them and provisions of victuals and he took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages and put them in the castle in Jerusalem in custody now in the year 153 the second month Alchemist commanded the walls of the inner court of the sanctuary to be thrown down and the works of the prophets to be destroyed and he began to destroy at that time Alchemist was struck and his works were hindered and his mouth was stopped and he was taken with a palsy so that he could no more speak a word nor give order concerning his house and Alchemist died at that time in great torment and Bacchus saw that Alchemist was dead and he returned to the king and the land was quiet for two years and all the wicked held the council saying Behold Jonathan and they that are with him dwell at ease and without fear now therefore let us bring Bacchus hither and he shall take them all in one night so they went and gave him council and he arose to come with a great army and he sent secretly letters to his adherents that were in Judea to seize upon Jonathan and them that were with him but they could not for their design was known to them and he apprehended of the men of the country that were the principal authors of the mischief fifty men and he slew them and Jonathan and Simon and they that were with him were tired into Beth Besen which is in the desert and he repaired the breeches thereof and they fortified it and when Bacchides knew it he gathered together all his multitude and sent word to them that were of Judea and he came and camped above Beth Besen and fought against it many days and made engines but Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city and went forth into the country and came with a number of men and struck Odares and his brethren and the children of Phaseron in their tents and he began to slay and to increase in forces but Simon and they that were with him sallied out of the city and burnt the engines and they fought against Bacchides and he was discomfited by them and they afflicted him exceedingly for his counsel and his enterprise was in vain and he was angry with the wicked men that had given him counsel to come into their country and he slew many of them and he purposed to return with the rest into their country and Jonathan had knowledge of it and he sent ambassadors to him to make peace with him and to restore to him the prisoners and he accepted it willingly and did according to his words and swore that he would do him no harm all the days of his life and he restored to him the prisoners which he before had taken out of the land of Judah and he returned and went away into his own country and he came no more into their borders so the sword ceased from Israel and Jonathan dwelt in Macmas and Jonathan began there to judge the people and he destroyed the wicked out of Israel End of Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Now in the 160th year Alexander the son of Antiochus surnamed the illustrious came up and took Ptolemaus and they received him and he reigned there and King Demetrius heard of it and gathered together an exceeding great army and went forth against him to fight and Demetrius sent a letter to Jonathan with peaceable words to magnify him for he said Let us first make a peace with him before he make one with Alexander against us for he will remember all the evils that we have done against him and against his brother and against his nation and he gave him authority to gather together a army and to make arms and that he should be his confederate and the hostages that were in the castle he commanded to be delivered to him and Jonathan came to Jerusalem and read the letters and the hearing of all the people and of them that were in the castle and they were struck with great fear because they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together an army and the hostages were delivered to Jonathan and he restored them to their parents and Jonathan dwelt in Jerusalem and began to build and to repair the city and he ordered workmen to build the walls and mount Zion round about with square stones for fortification and so they did then the strangers that were in the strongholds which Bacchities had built fled away and every man left his place and departed into his own country only in Bethsura there remained some of them that had forsaken the law and the commandments of God for this was a place of refuge for them and king Alexander heard of the promises that Demetrius had made Jonathan and they told him of the battles and the worthy acts that he and his brethren had done and the labors that they had endured and he said shall we find such another man now therefore we will make him our friend and our confederate so he wrote a letter and sent it to him according to these words saying king Alexander to his brother Jonathan greetings we have heard of thee that thou art a man of great power and fit to be our friend now therefore we make thee this day high priest of thy nation and that thou be called the king's friend and he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold and that thou be of one mind with us in our affairs and keep friendship with us then Jonathan put on the holy vestment in the seventh month in the year 103 score at the feast day of the tabernacles and he gathered together an army and made a great number of arms and Demetrius heard these words and was exceeding sorry and said what is this that we have done that Alexander hath prevented us to gain the friendship of the Jews to strengthen himself I also will write to them words of request and offer dignities and gifts that they may be with me to aid me and he wrote to them in these words King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews greeting whereas you have kept covenant with us and have continued in our friendship and have not joined with our enemies we have heard of it and are glad wherefore now continue still to keep fidelity towards us and we will reward you with good things for what you have done in our behalf and we will remit to you many charges and will give you gifts and now I free you and all the Jews from tributes and I release you from the customs of salt and remit the crowns and the thirds of the seed and the half of the fruit of trees which is my share I leave to you from this day forward so that it shall not be taken of the land of Judah and of the three cities that are added there too out of Samaria and Galilee from this day forth and forever and let Jerusalem be holy and free with the borders thereof and let the tents and tributes be for itself I yield up also the power of the castle that is in Jerusalem and I give it to the high priest to place therein such men as he shall choose to keep it and every soul of the Jews that hath been carried captive from the land of Judah and all my kingdom I set it liberty freely that all be discharged from tributes even of their cattle and I will that all the feasts and the Sabbaths and the new moons and the days appointed and three days before the solemn day and three days after the solemn day be all days of immunity and freedom for all the Jews that are in my kingdom and no man shall have power to do anything against them or to molest any of them in any cause and let there be enrolled in the king's army to the number of 30,000 of the Jews and allowance shall be made them as is due to all the king's forces and certain of them shall be appointed to be in the fortresses of the great king and some of them shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom that are of trust and let the governors be taken from among themselves and let them walk in their own laws as the king hath commanded in the land of Judah and the three cities that are added to Judea out of the country of Samaria let them be accounted with Judea that they may be under one and obey no other authority but that of the high priest Ptolemaus and the confines thereof I give as a free gift to the holy places that are in Jerusalem for the necessary charges of the holy things and I give every year 15,000 sickles of silver out of the king's accounts of what belongs to me and all that is above which they that were over the affairs the years before had not paid from this time they shall give it to the works of the house moreover the 5,000 sickles of silver which they received from the account of the holy places every year shall also belong to the priests that execute the ministry and whosoever shall flee into the temple that is in Jerusalem and in all the borders thereof being indebted to the king for any matter let them be set at liberty and all that they have in my kingdom let them have it free for the building also or repairing the works of the holy places the charges shall be given out of the king's revenues for the building also of the walls of Jerusalem and the fortifying thereof round about the charges shall be given out of the king's account as also for the building of the walls in Judea now when Jonathan and the people heard these words they gave no credit to them nor received them because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel for he had afflicted them exceedingly and their inclinations were towards Alexander because he had been the chief promoter of peace in their regard and him they always helped and king Alexander gathered together a great army and moved his camp near to Demetrius and the two kings joined battle and the army of Demetrius fled away and Alexander pursued after him and pressed them close and the battle was hard fought till the sun went down and Demetrius was slain that day and Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy king of Egypt with words to this effect saying for as much as I am returned into my kingdom and am set in the throne of my ancestors and have gotten the dominion and have overthrown Demetrius and possessed our country and have joined battle with him and both he and his army have been destroyed by us and we are placed in the throne of his kingdom now therefore let us make friendship one with another and give me now thy daughter to wife and I will be thy son-in-law and I will give both thee and her gifts worthy of thee and king Ptolemy answered saying happy is the day wherein thou didst return to the land of thy fathers and saddest in the throne of their kingdom and now I will do to thee as thou hast written but meet me at Ptolemyus that we may see one another and I may give her to thee as thou hast said so Ptolemy went out of Egypt with Cleopatra his daughter and he came to Ptolemyus in the 162nd year and king Alexander met him and he gave him his daughter Cleopatra and he celebrated her marriage at Ptolemyus with great glory after the manner of kings and king Alexander wrote to Jonathan that he should come and meet him and he went honorably to Ptolemyus and he met there the two kings and he gave them much silver and gold and presents and he found favor in their sight and some pestilent men of Israel men of a wicked life assembled themselves against him to accuse him and the king gave no heed to them and he commanded that Jonathan's garments should be taken off and that he should be clothed with purple and they did so and the king made him sit by himself and he said to his princes go out with him into the midst of the city and make proclamation that no man complain against him of any matter and that no man trouble him for any manner of cause so when his accusers saw his glory proclaimed and him clothed with purple they all fled away and the king magnified him and enrolled him amongst his chief friends and made him governor and partaker of his dominion and Jonathan returned into Jerusalem with peace and joy and the year 165 Demetrius the son of Demetrius came from Crete into the land of his fathers and King Alexander heard of it and was much troubled and returned to Antioch and King Demetrius made Apollonius his general who was governor of Celesyria and he gathered together a great army and came to Jamnia and he sent to Jonathan the high priest saying thou alone standest against us and I am laughed at and reproached because thou showest thy power against us in the mountains now therefore if thou trustest in thy forces come down to us into the plain and there let us try one another for with me is the strength of war ask and learn who I am and the rest that helped me who also say that your foot cannot stand before our face for thy fathers have twice been put to flight in their own land and now how will thou be able to abide the horsemen and so great an army in the plain where there is no stone nor rock nor place to flee to now when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius he was moved in his mind and he chose 10,000 men and went out of Jerusalem and Simon his brother met him to help him and they pitched their tents near Jopi but they shut him out of the city because a garrison of Apollonius was in Jopi and he laid siege to it and they that were in the city being affrighted opened the gates to him so Jonathan took Jopi and Apollonius heard of it and he took 3,000 horsemen and a great army and he went to Azotus as one that was making a journey and immediately he went forth into the plain because he had a great number of horsemen and he trusted in them and Jonathan followed after him to Azotus and they joined battle and Apollonius left privately in the camp a thousand horsemen behind them and Jonathan knew that there was an ambush behind him and they surrounded his army and cast darts at the people from morning till evening but the people stood still as Jonathan had commanded them and so their horses were fatigued then Simon drew forth his army and attacked a legion for the horsemen were wearied and they were discomfited by him and fled and they that were scattered about the plain fled into Azotus and went into Beth Dagon their idols temple there to save themselves but Jonathan set fire to Azotus and the cities that were round about it and took the spoils of them and the temple of Dagon and all them that were fled into it he burnt with fire so they that were slain by the sword with them that were burnt were almost eight thousand men and Jonathan removed his army from thence and camped against Ascalon and they went out of the city to meet him with great honor and Jonathan returned into Jerusalem with his people having many spoils and it came to pass when Alexander the king heard these words that he honored Jonathan yet more and he sent him a buckle of gold as the custom is to be given to such as are of the royal blood and he gave him Acheron and all the borders thereof in possession End of chapter 10