 chapters one through five of the first book of Maccabees. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information on the volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The first book of Maccabees, King James Version Chapter 1. And it happened after that, Alexander's son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chittim, had spit in Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead the first of her Greece and made many wars and won many strongholds and slew the kings of the earth and went through to the ends of the earth and took the spoils of many nations and so much that the earth was quiet before him, whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up. And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries and nations and kings who became tributaries unto him. And after these things he fell sick and perceived that he should die. Wherefore, he called his servants such as were honorable and had been brought up with him from his youth and parted his kingdom among them while he was yet alive. So Alexander reigned twelve years and then died and his servants bear rule everyone in his place. And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves so did their sons after them for many years and evils were multiplied in the earth. And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus, surname Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king who had been in hostage at Rome and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days went there out of Israel wicked men who persuaded him saying, let us go and make a covenant with the heathen for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow so this device pleased them well. Then certain of the people were so forward herein that they went to the king who gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathen whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen and made themselves uncircumcised and forsook the covenant and joined themselves to the heathen and were sold to do mischief. Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have dominion of two realms. Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude with chariots and elephants and horsemen and a great navy and he made war against Ptolemy, king of Egypt but Ptolemy was afraid of him and fled and many were wounded to death thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and took the spoils thereof and after that Antiochus had spent in Egypt he returned again in the hundred forty and third year and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude and he entered proudly into the sanctuary and took away the golden altar and the candlestick of light and all the vessels thereof and the table of the showbread and the pouring vessels and the vials and the sensors of gold and the veil and the crown and the golden ornaments that were before the temple all which he pulled off he took also the silver and the gold and the precious vessels also he took the hidden treasures which he found and when he had taken all away he went into his own land having made a great massacre and spoken very proudly therefore there was a great mourning in Israel in every place where they were so that the princes and elders mourned the virgins and young men were made feeble and the beauty of women was changed every bridegroom took up lamentation and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness the land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion and after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Judah who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude and they took peaceable words unto them but all was deceit for when they had given him credence he fell suddenly upon the city and smelt it very sore and destroyed much people of Israel and when he had taken the spoils of the city he set it on fire and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side the women and children took they captive and possessed the cattle then build a day the city of David with a great and strong wall and made it a stronghold for them and they put therein a sinful nation wicked men and fortified themselves therein they stored it also with armor and vitals and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem they laid them up there so that they became a sore snare for it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary and an evil adversary to Israel thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary and defiled it and so much that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them whereupon the city was made in habitation of strangers and became strange to those that were born in her and her own children left her her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness her feasts were turned into mourning her Sabbaths into reproach her honor into contempt as it had been her glory so was her dishonor increased and her excellency was turned into mourning moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people and everyone should leave his laws so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king yay many also of the Israelites consented to his religion sacrificed unto idols and profaned the Sabbath for the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that they should follow the strange laws of the land and forbid burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the temple and that they should profane the Sabbaths and festival days and pollute the sanctuary and holy people set up altars and groves and chapels of idols and sacrifice swine's flesh and unclean beasts and that they should also leave their children uncircumcised and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation to the end that they might forget the law and change all the ordinances and whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king he said he should die and the self same manner wrote he to his whole kingdom and appointed overseers over all the people commanding the cities of Judah to sacrifice city by city and many of the people were gathered unto them to wit everyone that forsook the law and so they committed evils in the land and drove the Israelites into secret places even where soever they could flee for sucker. Now the fifteenth day of the month Kasslu in the hundred forty and fifth year they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Judah on every side and burnt incense at the doors of their houses and in the streets and when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found they burnt them with fire and whatever was found with any the book of the testament or if any committed to the law the king's command was that they should put him to death thus did they by their authority under the Israelites every month to as many as were found in the cities now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar which was upon the altar of God at which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women that had caused their children to be circumcised and they hanged the infants about their necks and rifled their houses and slew them that had circumcised them how be it many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing where for the rather to die that they might not be defiled with meats and that they might not profane the holy covenant so then they died and there was death upon Israel chapter two in those days arose Matatheus the son of John the son of Simeon the priest of the sons of Jorib from Jerusalem and he had five sons Joannon called Kaddus Simon called Thassi Judas who was called Maccabeus Eleazar called Avaran whose surname was Atheus and when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judea and Jerusalem he said woe to me wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people and of the holy city and to dwell there when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers her temple is become as a man without glory her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity her infants are slain in the streets her young men with the sword of the enemy what nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils all her ornaments are taken away of a free woman she is become a bondslave and behold our sanctuary even our beauty and our glory is laid waste and the Gentiles have profaned it to what end therefore shall we live any longer then Matatheus and his sons rent their clothes and put on sackcloth and mourned very sore in the meanwhile the king's officers such as compelled the people to revolt came into the city of Modan to make them sacrifice and when many of Israel came unto them Matatheus also and his sons came together then answered the king's officers and said to Matatheus on this wise thou art a ruler and an honorable and a great man in this city and strengthened with sons and brethren the king's command like as all the heathen have done yea and the men of Judah also and such as remain at Jerusalem so shall thou and thy house be in the number of the king's friends and thou and thy children shall be honored with gold and silver and many rewards then Matatheus answered and spake with a loud voice though all the nations that are under the king's dominion obey him from the religion of their fathers and give consent to his commandments yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances we will not harken to the king's words to go from our religion either on the right hand or the left now when he had left speaking these words there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modan according to the king's commandments which thing when Matatheus saw he was inflamed with zeal and his reigns trembled neither could he forbear to show his anger according to judgment wherefore he ran and slew him upon the altar also the king's commissioner who compelled men to sacrifice he killed him at that time and the altar he pulled down thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phineas did unto Zambary the son of Salem and Matatheus cried throughout the city with a loud voice saying whosoever is zealous of the law and maintaineth the covenant let him follow me so he and his sons fled into the mountains and left all that ever they had in the city then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness to dwell there both they and their children and their wives and their cattle both of the afflictions increased sore upon them now when it was told the king's servants that the host was at Jerusalem in the city of David that certain men who had broken the king's commandment were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness they pursued after them a great number having overtaken them they camped against them and made war against them on the Sabbath day and they said unto them let that which ye have done here to suffice come forth according to the commandment of the king and ye shall live but they said we will not come forth neither will we do the king's commandment to profane the Sabbath day so then he gave them the battle with all speed albeit they answered them not neither cast they a stone at them nor stop the places where they lay hid but said let us all die in our innancy heaven and earth will testify for us that ye put us to death wrongfully so they rose up against them in battle on the Sabbath and they slew them with their wives and children in their cattle to the number of a thousand people now when Methodius and his friends understood hereof they mourned for them right sore and one of them said to another if we all do as our brethren have done and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen they will now quickly root us out of the earth at that time therefore they decreed saying whosoever shall come battle with us on the Sabbath day we will fight against him neither will we die all as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places then came there unto him a company of Asidians who were mighty men of Israel even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them and were a stay unto them so they joined their forces and smote sinful men in their anger and wicked men in their wrath but the rest fled to the heathen for succor then Methodius and his friends went round about and pulled down the altars and what children so ever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised those they circumcised valiantly they pursued also after the proud men and the work prospered in their hands so they recovered the law out of the hand of the gentiles and out of the hand of kings neither suffered they this sinner to triumph now when the time drew near that Methodius should die he said unto his sons now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength and the time of destruction and the wrath of Ignatian now therefore my sons be zealous for the law and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers call to remember it's what acts our fathers did in their time so shall ye receive great honor and an everlasting name was not Abraham found faithful in temptation and it was imputed unto him for righteousness Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and was made lord of Egypt Finnes our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven and Anaias, Azarias, and Michiel by believing were saved out of the flame Daniel for his inancy was delivered from the mouth of lions and thus consider ye throughout all ages that none that their trust in him shall be overcome fear not then the words of a sinful man for his glory shall be dung and worms today he shall be lifted up and tomorrow he shall not be found because he returned into his dust and his thought is come to nothing wherefore ye my sons be valiant and show yourselves men in behalf of the law for by it shall ye obtain the glory and behold I know your brother Simon is a man of counsel give ear unto him always he shall be a father unto you as for Judas Maccabeus he hath been mighty and strong even from his youth up let him be your captain and fight the battle of the people take also unto you all those that observe the law and avenge the wrong of your people recompense fully the heathen of the law so he blessed them and was gathered to his fathers and he died in the hundred fortieth and sixth year and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his father at Modin and all Israel made a great lamentation for him chapter three then his son Judas called Maccabeus rose up in his stead and all his brethren helped him and so did all they that held with his father and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel so he got his people great honor and put on a breastplate as a giant and girt his warlike harness about him and he made battles protecting the host with his sword in his axe he was like a lion and like a lion's wealth roaring for his prey for he pursued the wicked and sought them out and burnt up those that vexed his people wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him and all the workers of iniquity were troubled because salvation prospered in his hand he grieved also many kings and made Jacob glad with his axe and his memorial is blessed forever moreover he went through the cities of Judah destroying the ungodly out of them and turning away wrath from Israel so that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth and he received unto him such as were ready to perish then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together and a great host out of Samaria to fight against Israel which thing then Judas perceived he went forth to meet him and so he smote him and slew him and he also fell down slain but the rest fled wherefore Judas took their spoils and Apollonius his sword also and therewith he fought all his life long now when Siron a prince of the army of Syria heard say that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war he said I will get me a name and honor in the kingdom for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him who despise the king's commandment so he made him ready to go up and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him and to be avenged of the children of Israel and when he came near to the going up of Beth Horon Judas went forth to meet him with a small company who when they saw the host coming to meet them said unto Judas how shall we be able being so few to fight against so great a multitude and so strong seeing that we are ready to faint with fasting all this day unto whom Judas answered it is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few and with the God of heaven it is all one to deliver with a great multitude or a small company for the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of and host but strength cometh from heaven they come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us and our wives and children into spoil us but we fight for our lives and our laws wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face and as for you be ye not afraid of them now as soon as he had left off speaking he leapt suddenly upon them and so Seron and his host was overthrown before him and they pursued them from the going down of Beth Horon unto the plain where were slain about 800 men of them and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines then began the fear of Judas and his brethren preceding great dread to fall upon the nations round about them and so much as his fame came unto the king and all nations talked of the battles of Judas now when the King Antiochus heard these things he was full of indignation wherefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm even a very strong army he opened also his treasured and gave his soldiers pay for a year to bring them to be ready when so ever he should need them nevertheless when he saw that the money of his treasures failed and that the tributes in the country were small because of the dissension and plague which he had brought upon the land and taking away the laws which had been of old time he feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer nor have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before he was surrounded above the kings that were before him wherefore being greatly perplexed in his mind he determined to go to Persia there to take the tributes of the countries and to gather much money so he left Lysius a nobleman and one of the blood royal to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates and to bring up his son Antiochus until he came again moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces and the elephants and gave him charge of all the things that he would have done as also concerning them that developed in Judah and Jerusalem to wit that he should send an army against them to destroy and root out the strength of Israel and the remnants of Jerusalem and to take away the memorial from that place and that he should place strangers in all their quarters and divide their land by lot so the king took the half of the forces that remained and departed from Antioch his royal city the hundred forty and seventh year and having passed the river Euphrates he went through the high countries and Lysius chose Ptolemy the son of Doriminius and Nicantor and Gorgias mighty men of the kings friends and with them he sent forty thousand footmen and seven thousand horsemen to go into the land of Judah and to destroy it as the king commanded so they went forth with all their power and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country and the merchants of the country hearing the fame of them took silver and gold very much with servants and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them now in Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied and that the forces did encamp themselves in their borders for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people and utterly abolished them they said one to another let us restore the decayed fortune of our people and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary then was the congregation gathered together that they might be ready for battle and that they might pray and ask mercy and compassion now Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness there was none of her children that went in or out the sanctuary also was trodden down and aliens kept the stronghold he then had their habitation in that place and joy was taken from Jacob and the pipe with the harp ceased where for the Israelites assembled themselves together and came to Masvah over against Jerusalem for in Masvah was the place where they prayed a four time in Israel and laid that day and put on sackcloth and cast ashes upon their heads and rent their clothes and laid open the book of the law where in the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their images they brought also the priest garments and the first fruits and the ties and the Nezerites they stirred up who had accomplished their days then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven saying what shall we do with these and whether shall we carry them away for thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned and thy priests are in heaviness and brought low and lo the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us what things they imagine against us thou knowest how shall we be able to stand against them except thou O God be our help then sounded they with trumpets and cried with a loud voice and after this Judas ordained captains over the people even captains over thousands and over hundreds and over fifties and over tens but as for such as were building houses or had betrothed wives or were planting vineyards or were fearful those he commanded that they should return every man to his own house according to the law so the camp removed and pitched on the south side of Emmaus and Judas said arm yourselves and be valiant men and see that ye be in readiness against the morning that ye may fight with these nations that are assembled together against us to destroy us in our sanctuary for it is better for us to die in battle than to behold the calamities of our people in our sanctuary nevertheless as the will of God is in heaven so let him do then took Gorgias 5000 footmen and a thousand of the best horsemen and removed out of the camp by night to the end that he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews and smite them suddenly and the men of the fortress were his guides now when Judas heard thereof he himself removed and the valiant men with him that he might smite the king's army which was at Emmaus while as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp in the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of Judas and when he found no man there he sought them in the mountains for said he these fellows flee from us but as soon as it was day Judas showed himself in the plane the 3000 men who nevertheless had neither armor nor swords to their minds and they saw the camp of the heathen that it was strong and well harnessed and compassed round about with horsemen and these were expert of war then said Judas to the men that were with him fear ye not their multitude neither ye be afraid of their assault remember how our fathers were delivered in the Red Sea when Pharaoh pursued them with an army now therefore let us cry into heaven if per adventure the Lord will have mercy upon us and remember the covenants of our fathers and destroy this host before our face this day that so all the heathen may know that there is one who delivereth and save with Israel then the strangers lifted up their eyes covering over against them wherefore they went out of the camp to battle and they that were with Judas sounded their trumpets so they joined battle and the heathen being discomforted fled into the plane albeit all the hind most of them were slain with the sword for they pursued them into Gazera and unto the planes of Ijumia and Azotus and Gemnia so that there were slain of them upon a 3,000 men this done Judas returned again with his host from pursuing them and said to the people be not greedy of the spoil and as much as there is a battle before us and Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain but stand ye now against our enemies and overcome them and after this ye may boldly take the spoils as Judas was yet speaking these words there appeared a part of them coming out of the mountain who when they perceived the Jews had put their host to flight and were burning the tents for the smoke that was seen declared what was done when therefore they perceived these things they were sore afraid and seeing also the host of Judas in the plane ready to fight they fled everyone into the land of strangers then Judas returned to spoil the tents where they got much and silver and blue silk and purple of the sea and great riches after this they went home and sung a song of Thanksgiving and praised the Lord of Heaven because it is good because his mercy endureth forever thus Israel had a great deliverance that day now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias what had happened who when he heard thereof was confounded and discouraged because neither such things as he would were done until Israel nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass the next year therefore following Lysias gathered together three score a thousand choice men of foot and five thousand horsemen that he might subdue them so they came unto Ijumia and pitched their tents at Beshura and Judas met them with ten thousand men and when he saw that mighty army he prayed and said blessed art thou O savior of Israel who did as quell the violence of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David and give us the host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul and his armor bearer shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel and let them be confounded in their power and horsemen make them to be of no courage and cause the boldness of their strength to fall away and let them quake at their destruction cast them down with the sword of them that love thee and let all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving so they joined battle and there were slain of the host of Lysias about five thousand men even before them were they slain now when Lysias saw the army put to flight and the manliness of Judas's soldiers and how they were ready either to live or die valiantly he went into Antiochia and gathered together a company of strangers and having made his army greater than it was he purposed to come again into Judea then said Judas and his brethren behold our enemies are discomforted let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary upon this all the host assembled themselves together and went up into Mount Zion and when they saw the sanctuary desolate and the altar profane and the gates burned up and the shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest or in one of the mountains yay and the priests chambers pulled down they rent their clothes and made great lamentation and cast ashes upon their heads and fell down flats to the ground upon their faces and blew an alarm with the trumpets and cried toward heaven then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress until he had cleansed the sanctuary so he chose priests of blameless conversion such as had pleasure in the law who cleansed the sanctuary and bear out the defiled stones into an unclean place and when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings which was profaned they thought it best to pull it down lest it should be a reproach to them because the heathen had defiled it wherefore they pulled it down and laid up stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place and told there should come a prophet to show what should be done with them then they took whole stones according to the law and built a new altar according to the former and made up the sanctuary and the things that were within the temple and hallowed the courts they made also new holy vessels and into the temple they brought the candlestick and the altar of burnt offerings and of incense and the table and upon the altar they burnt incense and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted that they may give light in the temple furthermore they set the loaves upon the table and spread out the veils and finished all the works which they had begun to make now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month which is called the month of kaslu and the hundred fortieth and eighth year they rose up betimes in the morning and offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made look at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it even in that was it dedicated with songs and sitherns and harps and symbols then all the people fell upon their faces worshiping and praising the god of heaven who had given them good success and so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise they decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold and with shields and the gates and the chambers they renewed and hang doors upon them thus was their very great gladness among the people for that the reproach of the heathen was put away moreover judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of israel ordained that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days from the five and twentieth day of the month of kaslu with mirth and gladness at that time also they build it up the mount zion with high walls and strong towers round about less the gentiles should come and tread it down as they had done before and they set there a garrison to keep it and fortified to preserve it that the people might have a defense against the jumea chapter five now with the nations round about her that the altar was built and that the sanctuary renewed as before it displeased them very much where for they thought to destroy the generation of jacob that was among them and there upon they began to slay and destroy the people then judas fought against the children of isa in jumea at erbat time because they besieged gale and he gave them a great overthrow and abated their courage and took their spoils also he remembered the injury of the children of being who had been a snare in an offense unto the people in that they laid in wait for them in the ways he shut them up therefore in the towers and encamped against them and destroyed them utterly and burnt the towers of that place with fire and all that were therein afterward he passed over to the children of jumea where he found a mighty power and much people with timotheus their captain so he fought many battles with them till at length they were discomfited before him and he smote them and when he had taken jazar with the towns belonging there too he returned into judaea then the heathen that were at galed assembled themselves together against the israelites that were in their quarters to destroy them but they fled to the fortress of jumea and sent letters unto judaea and his brethren the heathen that are round about us are assembled together against us to destroy us and they are preparing to come and take the fortress where into we are fled timotheus being captain of their host come now therefore and deliver us from their hands for many of us are slain yea all our brethren that were in the places of tobi are put to death their wives and their children also they have carried away captives and borne away their stuff and they have destroyed there about a thousand men while these letters were yet reading behold there came other messengers from galilee with their clothes rents who reported on this wise and said they are of tolemaeus and of tirius and sydon and all galilee of the gentiles are assembled together against us to consume us now when judaeus and the people heard these words their assembled a great congregation together to consult what they should do for their brethren that were in trouble and assaulted of them then said judaeus unto simon his brother choose the out men and go and deliver thy brethren that are in galilee for I and jonathan my brother will go into the country of galad so he left joseph the son of zacharias and azarias the captains of the people with the remnants of the host of judaeo to keep it unto whom he gave commandment saying take ye the charge of this people and see that ye make not war against the heathen until the time that we come again now unto simon were given three thousand men to go into galilee and unto judaeus eight thousand men for the country of galad then went simon into galilee where he fought many battles with the heathen so that the heathen were discomforted by him so he pursued them unto the gates of tolemaeus where they were slain of the heathen about three thousand men whose spoils he took and those that were in galilee and in arbatis with their wives and their children on all that they had took he away with him and brought them into judaeo with great joy judas mechabias also and his brother jonathan went over jordan and traveled to the journey in the wilderness where they met with nebethites who came unto them in a peaceable manner and told them everything that had happened to their brethren in the land of galad and how that many of them were shut up in bosora and bosor and elma kasfor maked and carnaium all these cities are strong and great and that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the country of galad and that against all they had appointed to bring their host against the forts and to take them and to destroy them all in one day here upon judas and his host turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness unto bosora and when he had won the city he slew all the males with the edge of the sword and took all their spoils and burnt the city with fire from whence he removed by night and went till he came to the fortress and be times in the morning they looked up and behold there wasn't innumerable people bearing ladders and other engines of war to take the fortress for they assaulted them when judas therefore saw that the battle was begun and that the cry of the city went up to heaven with trumpets and a great sound he said unto his host fight this day for your brethren so he went forth behind them in three companies who sounded their trumpets and cried with prayer then the host of thymotheus knowing that it was Maccabeus fled from him wherefore he smote them with a great slaughter so that there were killed of them that day about 8000 men this done judas turned aside to masfah and after he had assaulted it he took and slew all the males therein and received the spoils thereof and burnt it with fire and he took Casfon, Maged, Bosor and the other cities of the country of Galad after these things gathered thymotheus another host and he camped against Raphon beyond the brook so judas sent men to spy the host who brought him word saying all the heathen that be round about us are assembled unto them even a great host he had also hired the arabians to help them and they had pitched their tents beyond the brook ready to come and fight against thee upon this judas went to meet them then thymotheus said unto the captains of his host when judas and his host come near the brook if he pass over unto us we shall not be able to withstand him for he will mightily prevail against us but if he be afraid and camp beyond the river we shall go over unto him and prevail against him now when judas came near the brook he caused the scribes of the people to remain by the brook unto whom he gave commandment saying suffer no man to remain in the camp but let all come to the battle so he went first over unto them and to all people after him then all the heathen being discomfited before him cast away their weapons and fled into the temple that was in carnaium but they took the city and burnt the temple with all that were therein thus was carnaium subdued neither could they stand any longer before judas then judas gathered together all the israelites that were in the country of galad from the least unto the greatest even their wives and their children and their stuff a very great host to the end they might come into the land of judia now when they came unto Ephron this was a great city and the way as they should go very well fortified they would not turn from it either to the right hand or to the left but must need pass through the midst of it then they of the city shut them out and stopped up the gates with stones whereupon judas sent unto them in peaceful manner saying let us pass through your land to go into our own country and none shall do you any hurt we will only pass through on foot albeit they would not open unto him wherefore judas commanded a proclamation to be made throughout the host that every man should pitch his tent in the place where he was so the soldiers pitched and assaulted the city all that day and all that night till at length the city was delivered into his hands who then slew all the males with the edge of the sword and raised the city and took the spoils thereof and passed through the city over them that were slain after this went they over jordan to the great plain before bethsan and judas gathered together those that came behind and exhorted the people all the way through till they came into the land of judia so they went up to Mount Zion with joy and gladness where they offered burnt offerings because not one of them were slain until they had returned in peace now what time as judas and jonathan were in the land of galad and simon his brother in galley before tolemaeus joseph the son of zacharias and azerias captains of the garrisons heard of the valiant acts and more like deeds which they had done wherefore they said let us also get us a name and go and fight against the heathen that are round about us so when they had given charge under the garrison that was with them they went into gemnia then came gorgias and his men out of the city to fight against them and so it was that joseph and azerias were put to flight and pursued into the borders of judia and there were slain that day of the people of israel about 2,000 men thus was there a great overthrow among the children of israel because they were not obedient unto judas and his brethren but thought to do some valiant act moreover these men came not of the seed of those by whose hand deliverance was given unto israel albeit the man judas and his brethren were greatly renowned in the sight of all israel and of all the heathen wheresoever their name was heard of and so much as the people assembled unto them with joyful acclamations afterward went judas forth with his brethren and fought against the children of isu in the lands against the south where he smote hebron and the towns thereof and pulled down the fortress of it and burned the towers thereof round about from thence he removed to go into the land of the philistines and passed through samaria at that time certain priests desirous to show their valor were slain in battle for that they went out to fight uninvisibly so judas turned to isotus in the land of the philistines and when he had pulled down their altars and burned their carved images with fire and spoiled their cities into the land of judia end of chapters one through five chapters six through ten of the first book of maccabees king james version the sleeper box recording is in the public domain chapter six about that time king antiochus traveling through the high countries heard say that elimaeus in the country of persia was a city greatly renowned for riches silver and gold was in it's a very rich temple wherein were coverings of gold and breastplates and shields which alexander the son of philip the mastodonian king who reigned first among the grecians had left there wherefore he came and sought to take the city and spoil it but he was not able because they of the city having had warning thereof rose up against him in battle so he fled and departed thence with great heaviness and returned to bebelon moreover there came one who brought him tidings into persia that the armies which went against the land of judaea were put to flight and alexias who went forth first with a great power was driven away of the jews in that they were made strong by the armor and power in store of spoils which they had gotten of the armies whom they had destroyed also that they had pulled 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 in his city beshura now when the king heard these words he was astonished and sore moved whereupon he laid him down upon his bed and fell sick for grief because it had not befallen him as he looked for and there he continued many days for his grief was ever more and more and he made account that he should die wherefore he called for his friends and said unto them the sleep has gone from mine eyes and my heart faileth for very care and I thought with myself into what tribulation am I come and how great a flood of misery is it wherein now I am for I was bountiful and beloved in my power but now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein and sent to destroy the inhabitants of judaea without a cause I perceived therefore that for this cause these troubles are come upon me and behold I perish through great grief in a strange land and he called he for Philip one of his friends who he made ruler over all his realm and gave him the crown and his robe and his signet to the end that he should bring up his son Antiochus and nourish him up for the kingdom so king Antiochus died there in the 140th and 9th year now when Lysius knew that the king was dead he set up Antiochus his son whom he had brought up being young to reign in his stead in his name he called Eupator about this time they that were in the tower shut up the Israelites round about the sanctuary and sought always their hurt and the strengthening of the heathen wherefore Judas called all the people together to besiege them so they came together and besieged them in the 150th year and he made mounts for shot against them and other engines albeit certain of them that were besieged got forth unto whom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves and they went unto the king and said how long will it be ere thou execute judgment and avenge our brethren and serve thy father and to do as he would have us and to obey his commandments for which cause they of our nation besiege the tower and are alienated from us or over as many of us as they could light on they slew and they spoiled our inheritance neither have they stretched out their hand against us only but also against their borders and behold this day are they besieging the tower and besieging it the sanctuary also and Beshura have they fortified wherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly they will do the greater things than these either shalt thou be able to rule them and when the king heard this he was angry and gathered together all his friends and the captains of his army and those that had charge of the horse there came also unto him from the other kingdoms from the lands of hired soldiers so that the number of his army was in hundred thousand footmen and twenty thousand horsemen and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle these went through Ijumea and pitched against Beshura which they assaulted many days making engines of war but they of Beshura came out and burned them with fire and fought valiantly upon this Judas removed from the tower in Bezacarias over against the king's camp then the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host towards Bezacarias where his enemies made them ready to battle and sounded the trumpets and to the end they might provoke the elephants to fight they show them the blood of grapes and mulberries moreover they divided the beasts among the armies and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men armed with coats of mail and with helmets of brass on their heads and besides these for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best these were ready at every occasion wheresoever the beast was and wheresoever the beast went they went also neither departed they from him and upon the beasts were their strong towers of wood which covered every one of them and were girt fast unto them with devices upon every one two and thirty strong men that fought upon them beside the indian that ruled him as for the remnant of the horsemen they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host giving them signs what to do and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass the mountains glistened therewith and shined like lamps of fire so parted of the king's army being spread upon the high mountains and part on the valleys below they marched on safety and in order wherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude and the marching of the company and the rattling of the harness removed for the army was very great and mighty then judas and his host drew near and entered into the battle and there was slain of the king's army six hundred men a liesar also, surnamed savaron, perceiving that one of the beasts armed with royal harness was higher than all the rest and supposing that the king was upon him put himself in jeopardy to the end that he might deliver his people and get him a perpetual name wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle slaying on the right hand and on the left so that they were divided from him on both sides which done he crept under the elephant and thrust him under and slew him whereupon the elephant fell down upon him and there he died albeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king and the violence of his forces turned away from them then the king's army went up to Jerusalem to meet them and the king pitched his tents against judia and against mount zion but with them that were in basura he made peace for they came out of the city because they had no vitals there to endure the siege it being a year of rest to the land so the king took basura and set a garrison there to keep it as for the sanctuary he besieged it many days and set their artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones and pieces to cast darts and slings whereupon they also made engines against their engines and held them battle a long season yet at last their vessels being without vitals for it was the seventh year and they in judia that were delivered from the Gentiles had eaten up the residue of the store there were but a few left in the sanctuary because the famine did prevail against them that they were feigned to disperse themselves every man to his own place at that time lyceus heard say that philip who antiochus the king while he lived had appointed to bring up his son antiochus that he might be king was returned out of persia and media and the king's host also that went with him and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of the affairs wherefore he went in all haste and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company we decay daily and our vitals are but small and the place we lay siege unto is strong and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us now therefore let us be friends with these men and make peace with them and with all their nation and covenant with them and they shall live after their laws as they did before for they are therefore displeased and have done all these things because we have abolished their laws so the king and the princes were content therefore he sent unto them to make peace and they accepted thereof also the king and the princes made an oath unto them that they went out of the stronghold then the king entered into Mount Zion and when he saw the strength of the place he broke his oath that he had made and give a commandment to pull down the wall round about afterward he departed, he in all haste and returned unto Antiochia where he found Philip to be master of the city so he fought against him and took the city by force Chapter 7 In the 101 and 50th year Demetrius the son of Seleucus departed from Rome and came up with a few men unto a city of the sea coast and reigned there and as he entered into the palace of his ancestors so it was that his forces had taken Antiochus and Lyceus to bring them unto him wherefore when he knew it he said, let me not see their faces so his host slew them now when Demetrius was set upon the throne of his kingdom there came unto him all the wicked and ungodly men of Israel having Elsimus who was desirous to be high priest for their captain and they accused the people to the king saying, Judas and his brethren have slain all thy friends and driven us out of our own land now therefore send some man whom thou trustest and let him go and see what havoc he hath made among us and in the king's land and let him punish them with all them that aid them Antiochus Bekides, a friend of the king who ruled beyond the flood and was a great man in the kingdom and faithful to the king and him he sent with the wicked Elsimus whom he made high priest and commanded that he should take vengeance of the children of Israel so they departed and came with a great power into the land of Judea where they sent messengers 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 power then did their assemble unto Alchemus and Bekides, a company of scribes to require justice and the Asedians were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace of them for said they one that is a priest of the seat of Aaron has come with this army and he will do us no wrong so he spake unto them peaceably and swear unto them saying we will procure the harm neither of you nor your friends whereupon they believed him albeit he took of them three score men and slew them in one day according to the words which he wrote the flesh of thy saints have they cast out their blood have they shed round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them wherefore the fear and dread of them fell upon all the people who said there is neither truth nor righteousness in them for they have broken the covenant and oath that they made after this removed Bekides from Jerusalem and pitched his tents and beseth where he sent and took many of the men that had forsaken him and certain of the people also and when he had slain them he cast them into the great pit then committed he the country to Al-Simos and left him with the power to aid him so Bekides went to the king but Al-Simos contended for the high priesthood and unto him resorted all as trouble to people after they had gotten the land of Judah into their power did much to hurt Israel now when Judas saw all the mischief that Al-Simos and his company had done among the Israelites even above the heathen he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about and took vengeance of them that had revolted from him so that they durst no more go forth into the country on the other side when Al-Simos saw that Judas and his company had gotten the upper hand and knew that he was not able to abide their force he went again to the king and said all the worst of them that he could then the king sent Nikonor one of his honorable princes a man that bear deadly hate unto Israel with commandment to destroy the people so Nikonor came to Jerusalem with a great force and sent unto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with friendly words saying let there be no battle between me and you I am with a few men that I may see you in peace he came therefore to Judas and they saluted one another peaceably albeit the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by violence which thing after it was known to Judas to wit that he came unto him with deceit he was sore afraid of him and would see his face no more Nikonor also when he saw that his council was discovered went out to fight against Judas beside Qafar Salama Jerusalem of Nikonor side about 5,000 men and the rest fled into the city of David after this went Nikonor up to Mount Sion and there came out of the sanctuary certain of the priests and certain of the elders of the people to salute him peaceably and to show him the burnt sacrifice that was offered to the king but he mocked them and laughed at them and abused them shamefully and spake proudly and swear in his wrath and now delivered into my hands if I ever come again in safety I will burn up this house and wit that he went out in a great rage then the priests entered in and stood before the altar and temple weeping and saying thou, O Lord, didest choose this house to be called by thy name and to be a house of prayer and petition for thy people be avenged of this man and his host and let them fall by the sword remember their blasphemies and they will not continue any longer so Nikonor went out of Jerusalem and pitched his tents in Bethoron where and host out of Syria met him but Judas pitched in Adasah with three thousand men and there he prayed saying O Lord when they that were sent from the king of the Assyrians blasphemed thine angel went out and smote so destroy thou this host before this day that the rest may know that he has spoken blasphemy against thy sanctuary and judge thou him according to his wickedness so the thirteenth day of the battle Adar the hosts joined the battle but Nikonor's host was discomforted and he himself was first slain in the battle now when Nikonor's host saw that he was slain and he cast away their weapons and fled then they pursuing after them a day's journey from Adasah unto Gazerah sounding an alarm after them with their trumpets whereupon they came forth out of all the towns of Judea around about and closed them in so that they turning back upon them that pursued them were all slain with the sword and not one of them was left afterwards they took the spoils and the prey and smote off Nikonor's head and his right hand which he stretched out so proudly and brought them away and hang them up toward Jerusalem for this cause the people rejoiced greatly and they kept that day a day of great gladness moreover they ordained to keep yearly this day being the thirteenth of Adar thus the land of Judea was in rest a little while Chapter 8 now Judas had heard of the Romans that they were mighty and valiant men who would lovingly accept all that joined themselves unto them and make a league of amity with all that came unto them and that they were men of great valor it was told him also of their wars and noble acts which they had done among the Galatians and how they had conquered them and brought them under tributes and what they had done in the country of Spain for the winning of the mines of the silver and gold which is there and that with jealousy and patience they had conquered all the place though it were very far from them and the kings also that came against them from the uttermost part of the earth till they had discomforted them and given them a great overthrow so that the rest did give them tribute every year besides this how they discomforted in battle Philip and Perseus king of the sitims with others that lifted up themselves against them and had overcome them how also greats Antiochus the great king of Asia that came against them in battle having 120 elephants with horsemen and chariots and a very great army was discomforted by them and how they took him alive and covenanted that he and such as reigned after him should pay a great tribute and give hostages and that which was agreed upon by the country of India and Medea and Lydia and of the goodliest countries which they took of him and gave to king Eumenes moreover how the Grecians had determined to come and destroy them and that they having knowledge thereof sent against them a certain captain and fighting with them slew many of them and carried away captives their wives and their children and pulled down their strongholds and brought them to be their servants unto this day it was told him besides how they destroyed and brought under the dominion all other kingdoms and isles that at any time resisted them but with their friends and such as relied upon them they kept amity and that they had conquered kingdoms both far and nigh in so much as all that heard of them also that whom they would help to a kingdom whose reign and whom again they would they displace finally that they were greatly exalted yet for all this none of them wore a crown or was clothed in purple to be magnified thereby moreover how they had made for themselves a senate house wherein 320 men sat in council daily consulting all way for the people to the end that they might be well ordered and that they committed their governments to one man every year who ruled over all their country and that all were obedient to that one and that there was neither envy nor emulation among them in consideration of these things Judas chose Eupolamus the son of John the son of Akkos and Jason the son of Eleazar they went them to Rome to make a league of amity and confederacy with them and to entreat them that they would take the yoke from them for they saw that the kingdom of the Grecians did oppress Israel with servitude they went therefore to Rome which was a very great journey and came into the senate where they spake and said Judas Maccabeus with his brethren and the people of the Jews have sent us unto you a piece with you that we might be registered your confederates and friends so that matter pleased the Romans well and this is the copy of the epistle which the senate wrote back again in tables of brass and sent to Jerusalem that they might have by them a memorial of peace and confederacy good success be to the Romans to the people of the Jews by sea and by air forever far from them if there come first any war upon the Romans or any of their confederates throughout all their dominion the people of the Jews shall help them as the time shall be appointed with all their heart neither shall they give anything unto them that make war upon them or aid them with vitals weapons, money, or ships as it had seemed good unto the Romans but they shall keep their covenants if war come first upon the nation of the Jews Romans shall help them with all their hearts according as the time shall be appointed neither shall vitals be given to them that take parts against them or weapons or money or ships as it had seemed good to the Romans but they shall keep their covenants and that without deceit according to these articles did the Romans make a covenants with the people of the Jews. Albeit, if hereafter the one party or the other shall think to meet, to add or diminish anything, they may do it at their pleasures, and whatsoever they shall add or take away shall be ratified. And as touching the evils that Demetrius doeth to the Jews, we have written unto him, saying, Wherefore thou make thy yoke heavy upon our friends and confederates the Jews. If therefore they complain any more against thee, we will do them justice, and fight with thee by sea and by land. Chapter 9 Furthermore, when Demetrius heard, the Nicanor and his host were slain in battle, he sent batchides and Alzheimer's into the land of Judah the second time, and with them the chief strength of his host, who went forth by the way that leadeth to Galgalah, and pitched their tents before Masaloth, which is in Arbella, and after they had won it, they slew much people. Also the first month of the 152nd year they encamped before Jerusalem, from whence they removed and went to Bariah, with 20,000 footmen and 2,000 horsemen. Now Judas had pitched his tents at Eliazah, and 3,000 chosen men with him, who, seeing the multitude of the other army to be so great, were sore afraid, whereupon many conveyed themselves out to the host, insomuch as abode of them, no more but 800 men. When Judas therefore saw that his host slipped away, and that the battle pressed upon him, he was sore troubled in mind, and much distressed, for that he had no time to gather them together. Nevertheless, unto them that remained he said, Let us arise and go up against their enemies, if per adventure we may be able to fight with them. But they dehorded him, saying, We shall never be able, let us rather save our lives, and hereafter we will return with our brethren, and fight against them, for we are but few. Then Judas said, God forbid that I should do this thing, and flee away from them. If our time become, let us die manfully for our brethren, and let us not stain our honor. With that the host of the back-guides removed out of their tent, and stood over against them, their horsemen being divided into two troops, and their slingers and archers going before the host, and they that marched in the forward were all mighty men. As for back-guides, he was in the right wing, so the host drew near on the two parts and sounded their trumpets. They also, of Judas' side, even they sounded their trumpet also, so that the earth shook at the noise of the armies. And the battle continued from morning till night. Now when Judas perceived that back-guides and the strength of his army were on the right side, he took with him all the hearty men, who discomfited the right wing and pursued them onto the Mount Azotus. But when they were of the left wing, saw that they of the right wing were discomfited, they followed upon Judas, and those that were with him hard at the heels from behind, or upon there was a sore battle, in so much as many were slain on both parts. Judas also was killed, and the remnant fled. Then Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the supple-curve of his fathers in Modin. Moreover they beweld him, and all Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, saying, How is the valiant man fallen that delivered Israel? As for the other things concerning Judas and his wars and the noble acts which he did, and his greatness, they are not written, for they were very many. Now after the death of Judas the wicked began to put forth their heads in all the coasts of Israel, and there rose up all such as wrought iniquity. In those days also there was a great famine, by reason whereof the country revolted, and went with them. Then back-eyes chose the wicked men, and made them lords of the country, and they made inquiry and search for Judas' friends, and brought them unto back-eyes, who took vengeance of them, and used them despitefully. So it was there a great affliction in Israel, the like-whereof was not since the time that a prophet was not seen among them. For this cause all Judas' friends came together, and said unto Jonathan, Since my brother Judas died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies, and back-eyes and against them of our nation that are adversaries to us. Now therefore we have chosen thee this day to be our prince and captain in his stead, that thou mayest fight our battles. Upon this Jonathan took the governance upon him at that time, and rose up instead of his brother Judas. But when back-eyes got knowledge thereof, he sought forth to slay him. Then Jonathan and Simon his brother, and all that were with him, perceiving that, fled into the wilderness of Thaco, and pitched their tents by the water of the pool of Asfar, which when back-eyes understood, he came nearer to Jordan with all his host upon the Sabbath Day. Now when Jonathan had sent his brother John, a captain of the people, to pray his friends and the bath-ites, that they might leave with them their carriage, which was much, but the children of Jambri came out of Medaba and took John and all that he had, and went their way with it. After this came word to Jonathan and Simon his brother, that the children of Jambri made a great marriage, and were bringing the bride from Nabatha with a great train, as being the daughter of one of the greatest princes of Canaan. Therefore they remembered John their brother, and went up and hid themselves under the covert of the mountain, where they lifted up their eyes, and looked, and beheld, there was much ado and great carriage, and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends and brethren, to meet them with drums and instruments of music, and many weapons. Then Jonathan and they that were with him, rose up against them from that place where they lay in ambush, and made a slaughter of them in such sort, as many fell down dead, and the remnant fled into the mountain, and they took all their spoils. This was the marriage turned into mourning, and the noise of their melody into lamentation. So when they had avenged fully the blood of their brother, they turned again to the marsh of Jordan. Now when Bacchides heard the hear of, he came on the Sabbath day onto the banks of Jordan with a great power. Then Jonathan said to his company, Let us go up now and fight for our lives, for it standeth not with us today as in time past. For behold, the battle is before us and behind us, in the water of Jordan on this side and that side, the marsh likewise, and wood. Neither is there place for us to turn aside. Wherefore, cry ye now into heaven, that ye may be delivered from the hand of your enemies. With that they joined the battle, and Jonathan stretched forth his hand to smite Bacchides. But he turned back from him. Then Jonathan and they that were with him leapt into the Jordan, and swam over unto the other bank, albeit the other past not over the Jordan unto them. So there were slain a Bacchide side that day about a thousand men. Afterward returned Bacchides to Jerusalem, and repaired the strong cities in Judah, the fort in Jericho, and Emmaus, and Bethoron, in Bethel, in Thymnathla, Farathani, and Taphon. These did he strengthen with high walls, with gates, and with bars, and in them he set a garrison, that they might work malice upon Israel. He fortified also the city of Beshura, and Gazzara, in the tower, and put forces in them, and provision of vitals. Besides he took the chief's men's sons in the country for hostages, and put them into the tower at Jerusalem to be kept. Moreover, in the 150 and third year, in the second month, Al-Semus commanded that the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary should be pulled down. He pulled down also the works of the prophets. And as he began to pull down, even at that time, was Al-Semus plagued, and his enterprises hindered, for his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with palsy, so that he could no more speak anything, nor give order concerning his house. So Al-Semus died at that time with great torment. Now when Back-Eyed saw that Al-Semus was dead, he returned to the king, whereupon the land of Judah was in rest two years. Then all the ungodly men held a council, saying, Behold, Jonathan and his company are at ease, and dwell without care. Now, therefore, we will bring back Back-Eyed's hither, who shall take them all in one night. So they went and consulted with him. Then removed he, and came with a great host, and sent letters, privily, to his adherents in Judah, that they should take Jonathan and those that were with him, albeit they could not, because their council was known unto them. Wherefore, they took of the man of the country, that were authors of that mischief, about fifty persons, and slew them. After Jonathan and Simon, and they that were with him, got them away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and they repaired the decays thereof, and made it strong. Which thing, when Back-Eyed's knew, he gathered together all his host, and sent words of them that were of Judah. Then went he, and laid siege against Bethbasi, and they fought against it a long season, and made engines of war. When Jonathan left his brother Simon in a city, and went forth himself into the country, and with a certain number went he forth, and he smote Odornarchs in his brethren, and the children of Bass-Iron in their tent. And when he began to smite them, and came up with his forces, Simon and his company went out of the city, and burned up the engines of war, and fought against Back-Eyed's, who was discomfited by them, and they afflicted him sore, for his counsel and travail was in vain. Wherefore, he was very wroth at the wicked men that gave him counsel to come into the country, in as much as he slew many of them, and purposed to return to his own country. Whereof when Jonathan had knowledge, he sent ambassadors unto him, to the end that he should make peace with him, and deliver them the prisoners. Which thing he accepted, and did according to his demands, and swear unto him that he would never do him harm all the days of his life. When therefore he had restored unto him the prisoners that he had taken a foretime out of the land of Judah, he returned and went his way into his own land, neither came he any more into their borders. Thus the sword seized from Israel, but Jonathan dwelt at Makamos, and began to govern the people, and he destroyed the ungodly men out of Israel. In the hundredth and sixtieth year, Alexander the son of Antiochus, surname Epiphanes, went up and took Ptolemies, for the people had received him, by means whereof he reigned there. Now when King Demetrius heard thereof, he gathered together an exceeding great host, and went forth against him to fight. Moreover Demetrius sent letters unto Jonathan with loving words, so as he magnified him. Or said he, Let us first make peace with him, before he join with Alexander against us, else he will remember all the evils that we have done against him, and against his brethren and his people. Wherefore he gave him authority to gather together and host, and to provide weapons that he might aid him in battle. He commanded also that the hostages that were in the tower should be delivered him. Then came Jonathan to Jerusalem, and read the letters in the audience of all the people, and of them that were in the tower. Who were sore afraid, when they heard that the king had given him authority to gather together and host. Whereupon they of the tower delivered their hostages unto Jonathan, and he delivered them unto their parents. This done Jonathan settled himself in Jerusalem, and began to build and repair the city. And he commanded the workmen to build the walls, and the Mount Zion, and about was square stones for fortifications, and they did so. Then the strangers that were in the fortresses which Pachids had built, fled away, in so much as every man left his place and went into his own country. Only at Pesura certain of those that had forsaken the law and the commandments remained still, for it was their place of refuge. Now when King Alexander had heard what promises Demetrios had sent unto Jonathan, when also it was told him of the battles and the noble acts which he and his brethren had done, and of the pains that they had endured, he said, Shall we find such another man? Now therefore we will make them our friends and confederates. Upon this he wrote a letter and sent it unto him, according to these words, saying, King Alexander to his brother Jonathan sendeth greeting. We have heard of thee, that thou art a man of great power, and meet to be our friend, wherefore now this day we ordain thee to be the high priest of thy nation, and to be called the king's friend. And therewithal he sent him a purple robe and a crown of gold, and required thee to take our part and keep friendship with us. So in the seventh month of the hundred and sixtieth year at the Feast of the Tabernacles, Jonathan put on a holy robe and gathered together forces, and provided much armor, whereof when Demetrius heard, he was very sorry, and said, What have we done that Alexander hath prevented us in making amity with the Jews to strengthen himself? So also I will write unto them words of encouragement, and promise them dignities and gifts, that I may have their aid. He sent unto them therefore to this effect. King Demetrius unto the people of the Jews sendeth greeting, as ye have kept covenants with us and continued in our friendship, not joining yourselves with our enemies. We have heard hereof in our glad, wherefore now continue ye still to be faithful unto us, and we will well recompense you for the things ye do on our behalf, and will grant you many immunities and give you rewards. And now do I free you, and for your sake I release all the Jews from tributes, and from customs of salt, and from crown taxes, and from that which I pertaineth unto me to receive for the third part, or the seed, and the half of the fruit of the trees. I release it from this day forth, so that they shall not be taken of the land of Judea, nor of the three governments which are added there unto out of the country of Samaria and Galilee, from this day forth forevermore. Let Jerusalem also be holy and free, with the borders thereof, both from tents and tributes, and as for the tower which is at Jerusalem, I yield up authority over it, and give the high priest that he may set in its such man as he shall choose to keep it. Moreover, I freely set at liberty every one of the Jews that were carried captives out of the land of Judea into any part of my kingdom, and I will let all my officers remit the tributes even of their cattle. Furthermore, I will that all the feasts and sabbaths, and new moons, and solemn days, and the three days before the feast, and the three days after the feast, shall be all of immunity and freedom for all the Jews in my realm. Also, no man shall have authority to meddle with, or to molest any of them in any matter. I will further that there be enrolled among the king's forces about 30,000 men of the Jews unto whom pay shall be given, as belongeth to all king's forces, and of them some shall be placed in the king's strongholds, of whom also some shall be set over the affairs of the kingdom, which are of trust, and I will that their overseers and governors be of themselves, and that they live after their own laws, even as the king hath commanded in the land of Judea. In concerning the three governments that are added to Judea from the land of Samaria, let them be joined with Judah, that they may be reckoned to be under one, nor bound to obey other authority than the high priests. As for the Ptolemies and the land pertaining thereto, I give it as a free gift to the sanctuary at Jerusalem for the necessary expenses of the sanctuary. Moreover, I give every year 15,000 shekels of silver out of the king's accounts from the places appertaining, and all the over-plus, which the officers paid not in as in former time, from henceforth shall be given toward the works of the temple. And besides this, the 5,000 shekels of silver, which they took from the uses of the temple out of the accounts year by year, even those things shall be released, because they appertain to the priests that minister. And whosoever they be that flee under the temple at Jerusalem, or be within the liberties thereof, being indebted unto the king, for any other matter, let them be at liberty, and all that they have in my realm. For the building also, and the repairing of the works of the sanctuary expenses, shall be given of the king's accounts, yea, and for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying thereof roundabout, expenses shall be given out of the king's accounts, as also for the building of the walls in Judea. Now, when Jonathan and the people heard these words, they gave no credit unto them, nor received them, because they remembered the great evil that he had done in Israel, for he had afflicted them very sore. But with Alexander they were well pleased, because he was the first that entreated of true peace with them, and they were confederate with them always. Then gathered King Alexander, great forces, and encamped over against Demetrios, and after the two kings had joined battle, Demetrios' host fled, but Alexander followed after him, and prevailed against them, and he continued the battle very sore until the sun went down, and that day was Demetrios' slain. Afterward Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy King of Egypt, with a message to this effect, for as much as I am come again into my realm, and am set in the throne of my progenitors, and have gotten the dominion and overthrown Demetrios and recovered our country, for after I had joined battle with him, both he and his host was discomfited by us, so that we sit in the throne of his kingdom. Now therefore, let us make a league of enmity together, and give me now thy daughter to wife, and I will be thy son in law, and will give both thee and her as according to thy dignity. Then Ptolemy the King gave answer, saying, Happy be the day wherein thou didst return into the land of thy fathers, and saddest in the throne of their kingdom, and now will I do to thee as thou hast written. Meet me therefore at Ptolemaus, that we may see one another, for I will marry my daughter to thee according to thy desire. So Ptolemy went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra, and they came onto Ptolemaus in the 103 score and second year, where King Alexander, meeting him, he gave unto him his daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated her marriage at Ptolemaus with great glory, as the manner of kings is. Now King Alexander had written unto Jonathan that he should come and meet him, who thereupon went honorably to Ptolemaus, where he met the two kings, and gave them and their friends silver and gold in many presents, and found favor in their sight. At that time certain pestilent fellows of Israel, men of a wicked life, assembled themselves against him to accuse him, but the king would not hear them. Yea, more than that, the king commanded to take off his garments, and cloth him in purple, and they did so, and he made him sit by himself and said into his princes, go with him into the midst of the city, and make proclamation that no man complain against him of any manner, and that no man trouble him for any manner of cause. Now when his accusers saw that he was honored according to the proclamation, and clothed in purple, they fled all away. So the king honored him, and wrote him among his chief friends, and made him a duke, and partaker of his dominion, after where Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness. Furthermore, in the hundred three score and fifth year came Demetrius, son of Demetrius, out of Crete, into the land of his fathers, whereof then king Alexander heard tell he was right sorry, and returned to Antioch. Then Demetrius made Apollonius, the governor of Silo-Syria, his general, who gathered together a great host, and camped in Jemnia, and sent unto Jonathan the High Priest, saying, Thou alone liftest up thyself against us, and I am laugh to scorn for thy sake, and reproached, and why dost thou want thy power against us in the mountains? Now, therefore, if thou trustest in thine own strength, come down to us into the plain field, and there let us try the matter together, for with me is the power of the cities. Ask and learn who I am, and the rest that take our part, and they shall tell thee that thy foot is not able to fight in their own land, wherefore now thou shalt not be able to abide the horsemen, and so great a power in the plain, whereas neither stone nor flint nor place to flee unto. So when Jonathan heard these words of Apollonius, he was moved in his mind, and choosing 10,000 men, he went out of Jerusalem, where Simon his brother met him for to help him, and he pitched his tents against Joppa. But they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there. Then Jonathan laid siege unto it, where upon they of the city let him in for fear, and so Jonathan won Joppa, whereof when Apollonius heard he took 3,000 horsemen with a great host of footmen, and went to Azotus as one that journeyed, and therewith drew him forth into the plain, because he had a great number of horsemen in whom he put his trust. Now Jonathan followed after him to Azotus, where the armies joined battle. Now Apollonius had left a thousand horsemen in ambush, and Jonathan knew that there was an ambushment behind him, for they had compassed in his host, and cast darts at the people from morning till evening. But the people stood still, as Jonathan had commanded them, and so the enemy's horses were tired. Then brought Simon forth his host, and set them against the footmen, for the horsemen were spent, who were discomforted by him, and fled. The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Beth-Dagon, their idols' temple for safety. But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils, and the temple of Dagon. With them that were fled into it, he burned with fire. Thus there were burned and slain with the sword well nigh 8,000 men. And from thence Jonathan removed his host, and camped against Ascalon, where the men of the city came forth, and met him with great pomp. After this returned Jonathan and his host onto Jerusalem, having any spoils. Now when King Alexander heard these things, he honored Jonathan yet more, and sent him a buckle of gold, as the use is to be given to such as are of the King's blood. He gave him also a Charon, with the borders thereof in possession. End of chapters 6 through 10.