May 5 - Esther 12-16, 1 Maccabees 1-6
Esther
1Now he was staying at that time in the king’s court with Bagatha and Thara the king’s eunuchs, who were porters of the palace2And when he realized their thoughts, and had diligently paid close attention, he learned that they were attempting to cast their hand against king Artaxerxes, and he reported this to the king3Then the king had both of them questioned, and when they confessed, he ordered a sentence of death4But the king had what had happened written in the commentaries. And even Mordecai handed over the memory of these things into writing5And the king instructed him to remain in the court of the palace, having given him this position for the information6In truth, Haman the son of Hammedatha the Bougaean had great honor in the eyes of the king, and he wanted to harm Mordecai and his people because of the two eunuchs of the king who had been executed
1And this was the text of the letter: "Artaxerxes, the great king from India all the way to Ethiopia, to the leaders and generals of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces, which are subject to his authority, greetings2Although I have reigned over many nations and subjugated the whole world under my realm, I was by no means willing to abuse the greatness of this power, but to govern my subjects with clemency and leniency, so that they would settle into a quiet life, apart from any terror, and delight in peace, as all mortals would choose to do3Yet, in asking my counselors how this might be able to be accomplished, one who excelled the others in wisdom and fidelity, and who was second after the king, named Haman4explained to me that there was a people, scattered throughout the whole world, that used strange laws, and, acting against the customs of all peoples, despised the commandments of kings and violated the harmony of all nations with their dissension5When we had learned this, seeing one nation rebellious against all mankind, having overthrown the usefulness of laws, and going against our orders, and disturbing the peace and harmony of the provinces subject to us6we commanded that whomever Haman, who is chief over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honor in the place of a father, whomever he would point out should be destroyed by their enemies, with their wives and children, and that no one may take pity on them, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year7so that these guilty men, all on one day, may go down to the underworld, restoring to our empire the peace that they had disturbed.8Now Mordecai beseeched the Lord, remembering all his works9and he said, "O Lord, Lord, almighty King, truly all things are possible for you, and there is no one who is able to resist your will, if you would determine to save Israel10You have created heaven and earth, and everything that is contained under the cycle of heaven11You are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist your majesty12You know everything, and you know that it was not out of arrogance or indignation or some desire for glory that I did this, so that I refused to adore the very proud Haman13(For I was freely prepared, for the sake of the salvation of Israel, to have willingly kissed even the footsteps of his feet.14But I feared, lest I should transfer the honor of my God to a man, and lest I should adore anyone except my God15And now Lord, King, God of Abraham, may you have mercy on your people because our enemies want to destroy us and to erase your inheritance16Do not despise your portion, which you have redeemed for yourself out of Egypt17Listen to my supplication, and be gracious to your lot and your token, and change our sorrow into gladness, so that, in living, we may praise your name, Lord; and do not close the mouths of those who sing to you.18Likewise, all Israel cried out to the Lord with the same intention and supplication because certain death was hanging over them
1Queen Esther also, fearing the danger that was imminent, fled to the Lord2And when she had put aside her royal apparel, she took up garments suitable for weeping and mourning, and instead of various ointments, she covered her head with ashes from burnt dung, and she humbled her body with fasting, and all the aspects of her beauty, she covered with her torn hair3And she begged the Lord God of Israel, saying, "My Lord, who alone is our King, help me, a solitary woman, for there is no other helper but you4My peril is close at hand5I have heard from my father that you, Lord, chose Israel from among all nations and our fathers from among all their former ancestors, to possess them as an everlasting inheritance, and you have done for them just as you said6We have sinned in your sight, and therefore you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies7for we have worshipped their gods. You are just, O Lord8And now they are not content to oppress us with a very difficult servitude, but attributing the strength of their hands to the power of their idols9they want to alter your promises, and erase your inheritance, and close the mouths of those who praise you, and extinguish the glory of your temple and your altar10so that they may open the mouths of the nations, and praise the strength of idols, and proclaim a worldly king in perpetuity11Lord, do not hand over your scepter to that which does not exist, lest they laugh at our ruin, but turn their counsel upon themselves and destroy him who has begun to rage against us12Be mindful, Lord, and show yourself to us in the time of our tribulation, and give me faith, Lord, King of gods and of every power13Grant fitting words to my mouth in the sight of the lion, and transform his heart to hate our enemy, so that both he, and the others who conspire with him, may perish14But free us by your hand, and help me, who has no other helper but you, Lord, who holds the knowledge of all things15And you know that I hate the glory of the wicked, and I detest the bed of the uncircumcised, and of all outsiders16You know my necessity, that I loathe the sign of my exaltation and glory, which is on my head in the days of my exhibition, and that I detest it like a menstruous rag and do not wear it in the days of my silence17and that I have not eaten at Haman’s table, nor has the king’s feasts pleased me, and that I have not drunk the wine of his libations18and that your handmaid has never rejoiced, from the time that I was carried here until this very day, except in you, Lord, God of Abraham19O God, whose strength is above all things, heed the voice of those who have no other hope, and free us from the hand of the wicked, and rescue me from my fear.
1And he entrusted her (there was no question but that it was Mordecai) to go in to the king, and to petition on behalf of her people and her native land2"Remember," he said, "the days of your lowliness, how you were nurtured as if in my hand, because Haman, who is second after the king, has spoken against us to death3And you must call upon the Lord, and speak with the king on our behalf, and free us from death."4So, on the third day, she put away her ornate apparel, and surrounded herself with glory5And when she was shining in a royal manner, and had called upon God, the Guide and Savior of all, she took two maids with her6And she was leaning upon one of them, as if, out of delicateness and great tenderness, she were not able to bear carrying her own body7And the other maid followed her lady, carrying her garment flowing on the ground8Yet she had a rosy color pouring over her face, for, with gracious and bright eyes, she restrained a sorrowful soul and very great fear9And so, entering hesitantly through a series of doors, she stood opposite the king, where he sat upon his royal throne, clothed in royal robes, and shining with gold and precious stones. And he was terrible to behold10And when he had lifted up his face, and with burning eyes had shown the fury of his heart, the queen collapsed, and her color turned pale, and she rested her exhausted head upon her handmaid11And God changed the king’s spirit into gentleness; quickly and apprehensively, he leapt from his throne, and lifting her up in his arms until she came to herself, he coaxed her with these words12"What is the matter, Esther? I am your brother, do not be afraid13You will not die. For this law has not been established for you, but for all others14So approach and touch the scepter.15And since she remained silent, he took the golden scepter and placed it on her neck, and he kissed her and said, "Why do you not speak to me?16She answered, "I saw you, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was disturbed for fear of your glory17For you, my lord, are great and wonderful, and your face is full of grace.18And while she was speaking, she collapsed again, because she was out of breath19But the king was troubled, and all his servants consoled her
1"Artaxerxes, the great king from India all the way to Ethiopia, to the generals and leaders of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces that obey our command: greetings, he says2In arrogance, many have abused the goodness of leaders and the honor that has been bestowed on them3and they strive, not only to oppress the king’s subjects, but, not acting according to the glory given to them, set in motion a plan to ambush those very ones who gave it4Neither are they content to withhold thanks for benefits and to violate in themselves the laws of humanity, but they also think they are able to escape from every sentence of the sifting judgment of God5And they rush forth in such insanity that they attempt to subvert by filthy lies those who carefully fulfill the offices delegated to them and so perform everything that is deserving of the praise of all6Meanwhile, they craftily deceive by fraud the ears of single-minded leaders, and they judge others according to their own nature7These things are proven both from the ancient histories and from those things which happen daily: how the zeal of kings can be corrupted by the evil suggestions of such persons8Therefore, we will make provision for the peace of all the provinces9Neither should you think, if we change our orders, that they come from a fickle mind, but that we draw conclusions from the quality and necessity of the times, just as the expediency of the public good demands10And, so that you may more clearly understand what we are saying: Haman the son of Hammedatha, a Macedonian both in mind and ancestry, and foreign to Persian blood, and with his cruelty contaminating our piety, was accepted by us as a sojourner11And our humanity proved to be so great towards him that he was called our father and was adored by all as second only to the king12But he was so filled with arrogance as to strive to deprive us of our kingdom and our life13For example, with certain strange and unheard of machinations, he sought the death of Mordecai, whose faith and kindness kept us alive, and Esther, the partner of our kingdom, and all their people14This he planned so that, after they were executed, he might work treason against us in our solitude and transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians15But we, having been resolved to ruin in death the mortal Jews, discovered no fault within them, but on the contrary, they use just law16and are sons of the highest and greatest and ever-living God, by whose kindness the kingdom was handed down both to our fathers and to us, and is cared for even unto this day17Therefore, you should understand to be null and void those letters that he administered under our name18For this crime, before the gates of this city, that is, Susa, both he who devised it, and all his associates, hang on gallows: not we, but God repaying him as he deserved19But this edict, which we now send, shall be displayed in all cities so that the Jews may be allowed to use their own laws20You must be a support to them, so that they may be able to execute those, who themselves had prepared to kill them, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar21For the almighty God has turned this day of grief and sorrow into joy for them22Therefore, you too will keep this day, along with the other festival days, and celebrate it with all joy, so that it may be known even by future generations23All those who faithfully obey the Persians deserve, for their fidelity, to receive a reward, but those who are traitors to their kingdom deserve to be destroyed for their crime24But every province and city, which is not willing to participate in this solemnity, must perish by the sword and by fire, and be destroyed in this way so that they will be forever an indisputable example of contempt and disobedience, not only to humans, but even to wild animals.
1 Maccabees
1And it happened afterwards that Alexander, the son of Philip the Macedonian, who first reigned in Greece having come from the land of Kittim, struck Darius the king of the Persians and the Medes2He appointed many battles, and he took hold of all the fortifications, and he executed the kings of the earth3And he passed through even to the ends of the earth. And he received the spoils of many nations. And the earth was silenced in his sight4And he gathered together power, and an exceedingly strong army. And he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up5And he captured the regions of nations and of sovereign leaders, and they became tributaries to him6And after these things, he fell down on his bed, and he knew that he would die7And he called his servants, nobles who were raised with him from his youth. And he divided his kingdom to them, while he was still alive8And Alexander reigned twelve years, and then he died9And his servants obtained his kingdom, each one in his place10And they all put diadems on themselves after his death, and their sons after them, for many years; and evils were multiplied on the earth11And there went forth from among them a sinful root, Antiochus the illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome. And he reigned in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks12In those days, there went forth from Israel sons of iniquity, and they persuaded many, saying: "Let us go and negotiate a covenant with the Gentiles that are all around us. For since we have withdrawn from them, many evils have found us.13And the word seemed good in their eyes14And some of the people determined to do this, and they went to the king. And he gave them the power to act according to the justice of the Gentiles15And they built a sports arena in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the Nations16And they made themselves uncircumcised, and they withdrew from the holy covenant, and they were joined to the nations, and they were sold into evil-doing17And the kingdom was ready in the sight of Antiochus, and he began to reign over the land of Egypt, so that he might reign over two kingdoms18And he entered into Egypt with an oppressive multitude, with swift chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great abundance of ships19And he appointed a war against Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, and Ptolemy was filled with dread before his face, and he fled, and many fell down wounded20And he took hold of the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he received the spoils of the land of Egypt21And Antiochus turned back, after he struck Egypt, in the one hundred and forty-third year, and he ascended against Israel22And he ascended to Jerusalem, with an oppressive multitude23And he entered into the sanctuary with arrogance, and he took the golden altar, and the lampstand of light, and all the vessels, and the table for the bread of the Presence, and the vessels of libation, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament, which was at the face of the temple. And he crushed them all24And he took the silver and gold, and the precious vessels, and he took the hidden treasures, which he found. And having taken all these things away, he departed into his own land25And he caused a massacre of men, and he was speaking with great arrogance26And there was great wailing in Israel and in all of their places27And the leaders and elders mourned, and the virgins and young men became weak, and the splendor of the women was changed28Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and those who sat in the marriage bed mourned29And the land shook on behalf of the inhabitants in it, and the entire house of Jacob was clothed with confusion30And after two years of days, the king sent the prince of his tributes to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great crowd31And he spoke peaceful words to them, in deceitfulness; and they believed him32And he rushed upon the city suddenly, and he struck it with a great scourging, and he destroyed many of the people of Israel33And he took the spoils of the city, and he burned it with fire, and he destroyed its houses and the walls around it34And they led away the women as captives, and they possessed the children and the cattle35And they built up the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers, and it became a stronghold for them36And they set up in that place a sinful people, wicked men, and together they grew strong in it. And they stored up weapons and provisions. And they gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem37and deposited them in that place. And they became a great snare38And this became a place of ambush against the sanctuary and a diabolical evil in Israel39And they poured out innocent blood around the sanctuary, and they contaminated the sanctuary40And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them, and the city became the dwelling place of outsiders, and she became a stranger to her own offspring, and her own children abandoned her41Her sanctuary was desolate, like a place of solitude, her feast days were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into disgrace, her honors into nothing42Her shame was multiplied according to her glory, and her loftiness was turned into lamentation43And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people must be one, and that each one should relinquish his own law44And all Gentiles consented, according to the word of king Antiochus45And many out of Israel consented to his servitude, and they sacrificed to idols, and they polluted the Sabbath46And the king sent letters, by the hand of messengers, to Jerusalem and to all the cities of Judah: that they should follow the law of the Nations of the earth47and that they should prohibit holocausts and sacrifices and atonements to be made in the temple of God48and that they should prohibit the celebration of the Sabbath and the solemn days49And he ordered the holy places to be defiled, along with the holy people of Israel50"Grant us a pledge, and let the Jews cease from assailing us and the city.51and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, and defile their souls with all that is unclean, and with abominations, so that they would forget the law and would alter all the justifications of God52and that whoever would not act according to the word of king Antiochus should be put to death53According to all these words, he wrote to all his kingdom. And he appointed leaders over the people, who would compel them to do these things54And these ordered the cities of Judah to sacrifice55And many from the people, who had abandoned the law of the Lord, were gathered together by them. And they committed evils upon the land56And they drove the people of Israel into hiding and into the secret places of fugitives57On the fifteenth day of the month of Kislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation on the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the surrounding cities of Judah58And they burned frankincense, and they sacrificed before the doors of houses and in the streets59And they cut up the books of the law of God and destroyed them with fire60And all those who were found with the books of the testament of the Lord, and whoever observed the law of the Lord, they butchered, according to the edict of the king61By their power, they did these things to the people of Israel, as they were discovered in the cities, month after month62And on the twenty-fifth day of the month, they sacrificed on that altar which was opposite the high altar63And the women who circumcised their sons were butchered, according to the order of king Antiochus64And they suspended the children by their necks in all their houses, and those who had circumcised them, they butchered65And many of the people of Israel decided within themselves that they would not eat unclean things. And they chose to die, rather than to be defiled with unclean foods66And they were not willing to infringe upon the holy law of God, and they were butchered67And there was a very great wrath upon the people
1In those days, there rose up Mattathias, the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib from Jerusalem, and he settled on the mountain of Modin2And he had five sons: John, who was surnamed Gaddi3and Simon, who was surnamed Thassi4and Judas, who was called Maccabeus5and Eleazar, who was surnamed Avaran, and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus6These saw the evils that were done among the people of Judah and in Jerusalem7And Mattathias said: "Woe to me, for why was I born to see the grief of my people and the grief of the holy city, and to sit there, while it is given into the hands of the enemies8The holy places have fallen into the hands of outsiders. Her temple is like a man without honor9The vessels of her glory have been taken away captive. Her old men have been butchered in the streets, and her young men have fallen by the sword of the enemies10What nation has not inherited her kingdom and taken from her spoils11All her beauty has been taken away. She who was free, has become a slave12And behold, our sanctuary, and our beauty, and our splendor has been desolated, and the Gentiles have defiled them13Therefore, what is it to us that we still live?14And Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, and they covered themselves with haircloth, and they lamented greatly15And those who had been sent from king Antiochus came to that place, to compel those who fled into the city of Modin to immolate, and to burn frankincense, and to depart from the law of God16And many of the people of Israel consented and came to them. But Mattathias and his sons stood firm17And those who had been sent from Antiochus, responding, said to Mattathias: "You are a ruler, and very splendid and great in this city, and you are adorned with sons and brothers18Therefore, approach first, and carryout the order of the king, as all the nations have done, and the men of Judah, and those who remained in Jerusalem. And you and your sons will be among the friends of the king, and enriched with gold and silver and many gifts.19And Mattathias responded, and he said with a loud voice: "Even if all nations obey king Antiochus, so that each one departs from the service of the law of his fathers and consents to his commandments20I and my sons and my brothers will obey the law of our fathers21May God be forgiving to us. It is not useful for us to abandon the law and the justices of God22We will not listen to the words of king Antiochus, nor will we sacrifice, transgressing the commandments of our law, so as to set out on another way.23And, as he ceased speaking these words, a certain Jew approached in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the order of the king24And Mattathias saw, and he grieved, and his temperament trembled, and his fury was enkindled according to the judgment of the law, and leaping up, he slaughtered him on the altar25Moreover, the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to immolate, he killed at the same time, and he destroyed the altar26and he was zealous for the law, just as Phinehas did to Zimri, the son of Salomi27And Mattathias exclaimed with a loud voice in the city, saying, "All who hold zeal for the law, maintaining the covenant, let them follow me.28And he and his sons fled to the mountains, and they left behind whatever they had in the city29Then many who sought judgment and justice went down into the desert30And they camped there, with their sons, and their wives, and their herds, because evils had overwhelmed them31And it was reported to the king’s men, and to the army that was in Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had cast aside the commandment of the king, had departed into the hidden places in the desert, and that many had followed after them32And immediately, they went out to them, and they arranged a battle against them, on the day of the Sabbath33And they said to them: "And now, do you still resist? Go out and act according to the word of king Antiochus, and you will live.34And they said, "We will not go out, and we will not do the king’s word, so as to profane the day of the Sabbath.35And they rushed against them in battle36But they did not respond, nor did they cast a stone at them, nor did they barricade the hidden places37for they said, "Let us all die in our simplicity. And heaven and earth will testify for us, that you destroyed us unjustly.38So they carried out a battle on the Sabbath. And they were put to death, with their wives, and their sons, and their cattle, even to the number of a thousand souls of men39And Mattathias and his friends heard of it, and they held a very great lamentation for them40And every man said to his neighbor, "If we all do just as our brothers have done, and if we do not fight against the Gentiles for the sake of our lives and our justifications, then they will quickly eradicate us from the earth.41And they decided, on that day, saying: "Every man, who will come against us in warfare on the day of the Sabbath, we will fight against him. And we will not all die, like our brothers who were put to death in the hidden places.42Then there was assembled before them the synagogue of the Hasideans, strong men from Israel, each one with a will for the law43And all those who fled from the evils added themselves to them, and they became a firmament to them44And they gathered together an army, and they struck down the sinners in their wrath and the wicked men in their indignation. And the others fled to the nations, so as to escape45And Mattathias and his friends traveled around, and they destroyed the altars46And they circumcised all the uncircumcised boys, whom they found within the limits of Israel, and they acted with fortitude47And they pursued the sons of arrogance, and the work was prosperous in their hands48And they obtained the law from the hands of the Gentiles, and from the hands of the kings. And they did not surrender the horn to the sinner49Then the days drew near when Mattathias would die, and he said to his sons: "Now arrogance and chastisement have been strengthened, and it is a time of overturning and of the wrath of indignation50Now therefore, O sons, be imitators of the law, and give your lives for the sake of the covenant of your fathers51And call to mind the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations. And you will receive great glory and an eternal name52Was not Abraham found to be faithful in temptation, and so it was accounted to him as justice53Joseph, in the time of his anguish, kept the commandment, and he was made ruler of Egypt54Phinehas our father, being zealous in the zeal of God, received the covenant of an eternal priesthood55Jesus, since he fulfilled the word, was made a commander in Israel56Caleb, since he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance57David, in his mercy, obtained the throne of a kingdom for all generations58Elijah, since he was zealous with a zeal for the law, was received into heaven59Hananiah and Azariah and Mishael, by believing, were delivered from the flame60Daniel, in his simplicity, was delivered from the mouth of the lions61And so, consider that, through generation after generation of all those who trusted in him, none have failed in strength62And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory is dung and worms63Today he is extolled, and tomorrow he will not be found, because he has returned into his earth and his thinking has perished64Therefore, you sons, be strengthened and act manfully in the law. For by it, you shall become glorious65And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel. Heed him always, and he will be a father to you66And Judas Maccabeus, who has been strong and resourceful from his youth, let him be the leader of your militia, and he will manage the war of the people67And you shall add to yourselves all who observe the law, and you shall claim the vindication of your people68Render to the Gentiles their retribution, and pay attention to the precepts of the law.69And he blessed them, and he was added to his fathers70And he passed away in the one hundred and forty-sixth year, and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchers of his fathers, in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with a great mourning
1And his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, rose up in his place2And all his brothers assisted him, along with all those who had joined themselves to his father. And they fought the battle of Israel with rejoicing3And he expanded the glory of his people, and he clothed himself with a breastplate like a giant, and he surrounded himself his weapons of war in battles, and he protected the camp with his sword4In his actions, he became like a lion, and like a young lion roaring in the hunt5And he pursued the wicked and tracked them down. And those who disturbed his people, he burned with fire6And his enemies were repelled by the fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled. And salvation was well-directed in his hand7And he provoked many kings, and he gave joy to Jacob by his works, and his memory will be a blessing for all generations8And he traveled through the cities of Judah, and he destroyed the impious out of them, and he turned wrath away from Israel9And he was renowned, even to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered together those who were perishing10And so Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, with a numerous and great army from Samaria, to make war against Israel11And Judas knew about it, and he went forth to meet him. And he struck him and killed him. And many fell down wounded, and the rest fled away12And he took away their spoils. And Judas took possession of the sword of Apollonius, and he fought with it during all his days13And Seron, the leader of the army of Syria, heard that Judas had gathered together a company of the faithful and an assembly with him14And he said, "I will make a name for myself, and I will be glorified in the kingdom, and I will defeat Judas in warfare, and those who are with him, who have spurned the word of the king.15And he prepared himself. And the camp of the impious went up with him, with strong auxiliaries, so as to act with vengeance upon the sons of Israel16And they approached even as far as Bethhoron. And Judas went forth to meet him, with a few men17But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas, "How will we few be able to fight against so great and so strong a multitude, even though we are weakened by fasting today?18And Judas said: "It is easy for many to be enclosed in the hands of a few, for there is no difference in the sight of the God of heaven to liberate by means of many, or by means of few19For victory in warfare is not in the multitude of the army, but in the strength from heaven20They come to us with a contemptuous multitude and with arrogance, in order to destroy us, with our wives and our sons, and to despoil us21In truth, we will fight on behalf of our souls and our laws22And the Lord himself will crush them before our face. But as for you, do not fear them.23And as soon as he had ceased speaking, he attacked them suddenly. And Seron and his army were crushed in his sight24And he pursued him from the descent of Bethhoron, even to the plains. And eight hundred of their men were cut down, but the rest fled into the land of the Philistines25And the fear and dread of Judas, as well as his brothers, fell upon all the nations around them26And his name reached even to the king, and all the nations told stories of the battles of Judas27But when king Antiochus heard these accounts, he was angry to his very soul. And he sent and gathered together forces from his entire kingdom, a very strong army28And he opened his treasury, and he gave out stipends to the army for a year. And he commanded them to make ready for all things29And he saw that the money from his treasures had failed, and that the tributes of the country were small, because of the dissension and the scourging that he had caused on earth in order to take away the legitimate laws, which had been since the first days30And he feared, lest he not have enough the second time as the first, for expenses and gifts, which he had given before with a liberal hand. For his excesses were more than the kings who had been before him31And he was alarmed to his very soul, and he intended to go into Persia, and to take tributes from the regions, and to gather together much money32And he left behind Lysias, a nobleman of royal family, to preside over the kingdom from the river Euphrates, even to the river of Egypt33and to raise his son, Antiochus, until he would return34And he handed over to him half of the army, and the elephants. And he commanded him concerning all that he wanted, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem35so that he would send an army against them to crush and to root out the virtue of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place36and so that he would establish dwelling places for the sons of foreigners in all their parts, and would distribute their land by lot37And so, the king took the remaining part of the army, and he went forth from Antioch, the city of his kingdom, in the one hundred and forty-seventh year. And he crossed over the river Euphrates, and he traveled through the upper regions38Then Lysias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor and Gorgias, powerful men from among the king’s friends39And he sent them with forty thousand men, and seven thousand horsemen, to enter into the land of Judah, and to destroy it, according to the word of the king40And so, they proceeded with all their power, and they arrived and took a position near Emmaus, in the land of the plains41And the merchants of the regions heard of their name. And they took very much silver, and gold, and servants, and they came into the camp to take the sons of Israel into servitude. And armies from Syria and from the lands of foreigners were added to them42And Judas and his brothers saw that evils were being multiplied, and that armies had been positioned near their borders. And they knew the words of the king, which ordered the people to be put to death and to be utterly consumed43And they said, each one to his neighbor, "Let us relieve the dejection of our people, and let us fight on behalf of our people and our sacred places.44And an assembly was gathered together, so that they would be prepared for battle, and so that they could pray and ask for mercy and compassion45Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert. There was no one who entered or exited from among her children. And the sanctuary was trampled upon, and the sons of foreigners were in the stronghold. This place was the habitation of the Gentiles. And delight was taken away from Jacob, and the music of flute and harp ceased in that place46And they gathered together and came to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem. For a place of prayer was in Mizpah, in the former Israel47And they fasted on that day, and they clothed themselves with haircloth, and they placed ashes on their heads, and they tore their garments48And they laid open the books of the law, in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols49And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the first fruits and tithes, and they roused the Nazirites, who had fulfilled their days50And they cried out with a loud voice toward heaven, saying: "What shall we do with these, and where shall we take them51For your holy things have been trampled and defiled, and your priests have been in mourning and in humiliation52And behold, the Nations gather together against us, to destroy us. You know what they intend against us53How shall we be able to stand before their face, unless you, O God, assist us?54Then they sounded the trumpets with a loud call55And after this, Judas appointed commanders over the people: over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens56And he said to those who were building houses, or who had betrothed wives, who were planting vineyards, or who were terribly afraid, that they should return, each one to his own house, according to the law57So they moved the camp, and relocated to the south of Emmaus58And Judas said: "Gird yourselves, and be sons of power, and be ready in the morning, so that you may fight against these nations that have assembled against us, so as to destroy us and our sacred things59For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see evils come to our nation and to the sacred places60Nevertheless, as it shall be willed in heaven, so let it be.
1Then Gorgias took five thousand men and a thousand chosen horsemen, and they moved out of the camp by night2so that they might set upon the camp of the Jews and strike them suddenly. And the sons who were from the stronghold were their guides3And Judas heard of it, and he rose up, with his powerful men, to strike the force from the king’s army that was in Emmaus4For the army was still dispersed from the camp5And Gorgias came by night, into the camp of Judas, and found no one, and he sought them in the mountains. For he said, "These men flee from us.6And when it had become day, Judas appeared in the plain with only three thousand men, who had neither armor nor swords7And they saw the strength of the camp of the Gentiles, and the men in armor, and the horsemen surrounding them, and that these were trained to fight8And Judas said to the men who were with him: "Do not be afraid of their multitude, and do not dread their attack9Remember in what way salvation came to our fathers in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a great army10And now, let us cry out to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us, and he will remember the covenant of our fathers, and he will crush this army before our face this day11And all nations shall know that there is One who redeems and frees Israel.12And the foreigners lifted up their eyes, and they saw them coming against them13And they went out of the camp into battle, and those who were with Judas sounded the trumpet14And they came together. And the Gentiles were crushed, and they fled into the plains15But the last of them all fell by the sword, and they pursued them even to Gazara, and even to the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia. And there fell from them as many as three thousand men16And Judas returned, with his army following him17And he said to the people: "Do not desire the spoils; for there is war before us18And Gorgias and his army are near us on the mountain. But stand firm now against our enemies, and fight against them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards, securely.19And while Judas was speaking these words, behold, a certain part of them appeared, looking out from the mountain20And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, and that they had set fire to the camp. For the smoke that he saw declared what had happened21When they had seen this, they became very afraid, seeing at the same time both Judas and his army in the plains prepared to do battle22So they all fled away into the encampment of the foreigners23And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they obtained much gold and silver, and hyacinth, and purple of the sea, and great riches24And returning, they sang a canticle, and they blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy is with every generation25And so, a great salvation occurred in Israel in that day26But those among the foreigners who escaped went and reported to Lysias all that had happened27And when he heard these things, he was discouraged, being alarmed to his very soul. For things had not occurred in Israel according to his wishes, nor as the king had commanded28And, in the following year, Lysias gathered together sixty thousand chosen men and five thousand horsemen, so that he might defeat them in warfare29And they came into Judea, and they positioned their camp in Bethzur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men30And they saw the strength of the army, and so he prayed, and he said: "Blessed are you, Savior of Israel, who crushed the assault of the powerful by the hand of your servant David, and who delivered up the camp of the foreigners into the hand of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and his armor bearer31Enclose this army in the hand of your people Israel, and let them be confounded in their soldiers and their horsemen32Strike them with dread, and melt away the boldness of their strength, and let them shudder in their grief33Cast them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns.34And they went forth to battle, and there fell from the army of Lysias five thousand men35But Lysias, seeing their flight and the boldness of the Jews, and that they were prepared either to live or to die with fortitude, went to Antioch and chose soldiers, so that they might come back to Judea with greater numbers36Then Judas and his brothers said: "Behold, our enemies have been crushed. Let us go up now to cleanse and renew the holy places.37And all the army gathered together, and they ascended to Mount Zion38And they saw the sanctuary deserted, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned, and weeds growing up in the courts, as in a forest or as on the mountains, and the adjoining chambers demolished39And they rent their garments, and they made a great wailing, and they placed ashes on their heads40And they fell to the ground on their faces, and they sounded the trumpets of alarm, and they cried out toward heaven41Then Judas numbered men to fight against those who were in the stronghold, until they had cleansed the holy places42And he chose priests without blemish, whose will held to the law of God43And they cleansed the holy places, and they took away the stones of defilement to an unclean place44And he considered the altar of holocausts, which had been profaned, as to what he should do with it45And a good counsel fell upon them, to destroy it, lest it might become a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so they demolished it46And they stored the stones in the mountain house, in a fitting place, until there should come a prophet, who would provide an answer about these47Then they took whole stones, according to the law, and they built a new altar, according to that which was before48And they rebuilt the holy places and the things that were in the inner parts of the temple, and they sanctified the temple and the courts49And they made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, and the altar of incense, and the table into the temple50And they placed incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps, which were on the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple51And they placed the bread on the table, and they hung up the veils, and they completed all the works which they had begun52And they arose before the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, (which is the month of Kislev) in the one hundred and forty-eighth year53And they offered sacrifice, according to the law, on the new altar of holocausts that they made54According to the time and according to the day, on which the Gentiles had contaminated it, on the same day, it was renewed with canticles, and lutes, and lyres, and cymbals55And all the people fell upon their faces, and they adored, and they blessed, toward heaven, him that had prospered them56And they kept the dedication of the altar for eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation and praise57And they adorned the face of the temple with crowns of gold and small shields. And they dedicated the gates and the adjoining chambers, and they set up doors on them58And there was very great rejoicing among the people, and the disgrace of the Gentiles was averted59And Judas, and his brothers, and all the assembly of Israel decreed that the day of the dedication of the altar must be kept in its time, from year to year, for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, with joy and gladness60And they built up, at that time, Mount Zion, with high walls and strong towers all around, lest the Gentiles should at any time come and trample upon it, as they did before61And he stationed a garrison there, to keep it, and he fortified it, in order to guard Bethzur, so that the people might have a fortification opposite the face of Idumea
1And it happened that, when the surrounding nations heard that the altar and the sanctuary had been rebuilt as before, they were very angry2And they intended to destroy the people of Jacob that were among them, and they began to kill some of the people, and to persecute them3Then Judas defeated in warfare the sons of Esau in Idumea, and those who were in Akrabattene, because they besieged the Israelites, and he struck them with a great scourging4And he remembered the malice of the sons of Baean, who were a snare and a scandal to the people, lying in ambush for them in the way5And they were trapped by him in the towers, and he took up a position near them, and he anathematized them, and he burned their towers with fire, along with all who were in them6Then he crossed over to the sons of Ammon, and he found a strong hand, and an abundant people, and Timothy was their commander7And he engaged in many battles with them, and they were crushed in their sight, and he struck them down8And he seized the city of Jazer, and her sister cities, and he returned to Judea9And the Gentiles, who were in Gilead, gathered together against the Israelites, who were within their borders, to take them away, and so they fled into the fortress of Dathema10And they sent letters to Judas and his brothers, saying: "The Gentiles all around have been gathering together against us to carry us away11And they are preparing to come and occupy the fortress into which we have fled. And Timothy is the commander of their army12Now, therefore, come and rescue us from their hands, for many of us have fallen13And all our brothers, who were in the places of Tob, have been put to death. And they have led away as captives their wives, and their children, and their spoils. And they have slain nearly a thousand men in that place.14And while they were still reading these letters, behold, there arrived from Galilee other messengers, with torn garments, who announced according to these words15saying that those of Ptolemais and Tyre and Sidon have assembled against them, "and all of Galilee has been filled with foreigners, in order to consume us.16So then, when Judas and the people heard these words, a great assembly came together, to consider what they should do for their brothers who were in trouble and were being assailed by them17And Judas said to Simon his brother: "Choose men for yourself, and go, and free your brothers in Galilee. But I and my brother Jonathan, will go into the country of Gilead.18And he left behind Joseph, son of Zachariah, and Azariah, as commanders of the people, with the remainder of the army, in Judea, to guard it19And he instructed them, saying, "Take charge of this people, but do not go to war against the Gentiles, until we return.20Now three thousand men were divided to Simon, to go into Galilee, but eight thousand were divided to Judas, to go into the land of Gilead21And Simon went into Galilee, and he engaged in many battles with the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were crushed before his face, and he pursued them even to the gates of Ptolemais22And there fell of the Gentiles nearly three thousand men, and he took their spoils23And he took with him those who were in Galilee and in Arbatta, with their wives and children, and all that was theirs, and he led them into Judea with great rejoicing24And Judas Maccabeus, and Jonathan his brother, crossed over the Jordan, and they traveled three days’ journey through the desert25And the Nabateans met them, and they accepted them peacefully, and they described to them all that had happened to their brothers in the land of Gilead26and that many of them were trapped in Bozrah, and Bosor, and Alema, and in Chaspho, and Maked, and Carnaim. All these are large and fortified cities27Moreover, they were held in their grasp in the other cities of Gilead, and they had arranged to move their army, on the next day, to these cities, and to seize them, and to destroy them all in one day28Then Judas and his army unexpectedly turned their path into the desert, to Bosor, and they occupied the city. And he killed every male by the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned it with fire29And they arose from there by night, and they went forth all the way to the fortress30And it happened that, at first light, when they lifted up their eyes, behold, there was a multitude of people, which could not be numbered, bringing ladders and machines, in order to seize the fortress, and to assault them31And Judas saw that the fight had begun, and the cry of the battle went up to heaven like a trumpet, and a great cry went out of the city32And he said to his army, "Fight today on behalf of your brothers.33And he came, with three companies behind them, and they sounded the trumpets, and they cried out in prayer34And the camp of Timothy knew that it was Maccabeus, and they took flight before his face. And they struck them with a great scourging. And there fell from them in that day nearly eight thousand men35And Judas diverted to Mizpah, and he fought and seized it. And he killed all of its males, and he took its spoils, and he burned it with fire36From there, he continued on, and he seized Chaspho, and Maked, and Bosor, and the rest of the cities of Gilead37But after these events, Timothy gathered together another army, and he positioned his camp opposite Raphon, across the torrent38And Judas sent men to catch sight of the army. And they reported back to him, saying: "All the nations that surround us have assembled before him, with an exceedingly great army39And they have brought the Arabians as auxiliaries to them, and they have set up camp across the torrent, in preparation to come against you in battle." And Judas went to meet them40And Timothy said to the leaders of his army: "When Judas and his army approach, close to the torrent of water, if he crosses over to us first, we will not be able to withstand him. For he will be able to prevail against us41If, truly, he is afraid to cross over, and so he sets up camp across the river, we will cross over to them, and we will prevail against him.42But when Judas approached, close to the torrent of water, he stationed the scribes of the people near the torrent, and he commanded them, saying, "Permit no man to stay behind, but let all come into the battle.43And he crossed over to them first, and all the people after him. And all the Gentiles were crushed before their face, and they threw away their weapons, and they fled to the temple that was in Carnaim44And he occupied that city, and he burned the temple with fire, along with all the things that were in it. And Carnaim was subdued, and it could not stand against the face of Judas45And Judas gathered together all the Israelites who were in the land of Gilead, from the least even to the greatest, with their wives and children, and a very great army, to come into the land of Judah46And they came as far as Ephron. And this was a great city, positioned at the entrance, strongly fortified, and there was no way to go around it on the right or on the left, but the path was through the midst of it47And those who were in the city shut themselves in and barricaded the gates with stones. And so Judas sent to them with words of peace48saying, "Let us cross through your land, to go into our own land, and no one will harm you; we will only cross through on foot." But they were not willing to open to them49Then Judas instructed a proclamation to be made in the camp, that they would engage them, each one from the place where he was50And the men of the army drew close. And he assaulted that city all day and all night. And the city was delivered into his hand51And they destroyed every male with the edge of the sword, and he eradicated the city, and he took its spoils, and he crossed through the entire city, over those who had been slain52Then they crossed over the Jordan to the great plain that is opposite the face of Bethshan53And Judas was gathering the stragglers and exhorting the people, throughout the entire way, until they came into the land of Judah54And they ascended to mount Zion with joy and gladness, and they offered holocausts, because not one of them had fallen, until they had returned in peace55Now in the days that Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother was in Galilee against the face of Ptolemais56Joseph, the son of Zachariah, and Azariah, the leader of the army, heard good things about the battles that were fought57And he said, "Let us also make a name for ourselves, and let us go to fight against the Gentiles that are all around us.58And he gave orders to those who were in his army, and they went out towards Jamnia59And Gorgias and his men exited the city, to meet them in the fight60And Joseph and Azariah were forced to flee, even to the borders of Judea. And there fell on that day, from the people of Israel, up to two thousand men, and it was a great defeat for the people61For they did not listen to Judas and his brothers, supposing that they should act boldly62But these were not of the offspring of those men by whom salvation was brought to Israel63And the men of Judah were magnified greatly in the sight of all Israel and of all the nations where their name was heard64And the people gathered to them with favorable acclamations65And so Judas and his brothers went out and assailed the sons of Esau, in the land that is toward the south, and he struck Hebron and her sister cities, and he burned its walls and the towers all around it with fire66And he moved his camp to go into the land of the foreigners, and he traveled through Samaria67In that day, some priests fell in battle. Since they desired to act boldly, they went out, without counsel, into the battle68And Judas turned aside to Azotus, into the land of the foreigners, and he destroyed their altars, and he burned the statues of their gods with fire. And he seized the spoils of the cities, and he returned to the land of Judah
1And king Antiochus was traveling through the upper regions, and he heard that the city of Elymais in Persia was very noble and abundant in silver and gold2and that the temple in it was very opulent, and that there were, in that place, coverings of gold, and breastplates and shields, which Alexander, the son of Philip, king of Macedonia, who reigned first in Greece, had left behind3So he came and sought to seize the city and to pillage it. And he was not able, because this plan became known to those who were in the city4And they rose up in battle, and he fled away from there, and he departed with great sadness, and he returned into Babylon5And someone arrived to report to him in Persia, that those who were in the land of Judah were forced to flee the camp6and that Lysias went forth with a particularly strong army, and he was forced to flee before the face of the Jews, and that they were strengthened by the weapons, and resources, and many spoils which they seized from the camps they demolished7and that they had destroyed the abomination, which he had established on the altar that was in Jerusalem, and that the sanctuary, just as before, had been encircled with high walls, along with Bethzur, his city8And it happened that, when the king heard these words, he was terrified and very moved. And he fell down on his bed, and he fell into feebleness out of grief. For it had not happened to him as he had intended9And he was in that place through many days. For a great grief was renewed in him, and he concluded that he would die10And he called all his friends, and he said to them: "Sleep has withdrawn from my eyes, and I am declining, and my heart has collapsed out of anxiety11And I said in my heart: How much trouble has come to me, and what floods of sorrow there are, where I am now! I used to be cheerful and beloved in my power12Truly, now, I remember the evils that I did in Jerusalem, from which place I also took away all the spoils of gold and silver that were in it, and I sent to carry away the inhabitants of Judah without cause13Therefore, I know that it is because of this that these evils have found me. And behold, I perish with great sorrow in a foreign land.14Then he called Philip, one of his friends, and he placed him first over all his kingdom15And he gave him the diadem, and his robe, and his ring, so that he would guide Antiochus, his son, and raise him, and so that he would reign16And king Antiochus died there, in the one hundred and forty-ninth year17And Lysias knew that the king was dead, and he appointed Antiochus, his son, to reign, whom he had raised from adolescence. And he called his name Eupator18And those who were in the stronghold had enclosed the Israelites by surrounding the holy places. And they continually sought to do evil to them and to support the Gentiles19And Judas intended to disperse them. And he called together all the people, in order to besiege them20And they came together and besieged them in the one hundred and fiftieth year, and they made catapults and other machines21And certain ones of these, who were besieged, escaped. And some of the impious out of Israel joined themselves to them22And they went to the king, and they said: "How long will you not act with judgment and vindicate our brothers23We resolved to serve your father, and to walk according to his precepts, and to obey his edicts24And because of this, the sons of our people have alienated themselves from us, and they have put to death as many of us as they could find, and they have torn apart our inheritances25And they have not extended their hand against us only, but also against all within our borders26And behold, this day they have taken a position near the stronghold of Jerusalem to occupy it, and they have fortified the stronghold of Bethzur27And, unless you quickly act to prevent them, they will do greater things than these, and you will not be able to subdue them.28And the king was angry when he heard this. And he called together all his friends, and the leaders of his army, and those who were over the horsemen29But there even came to him mercenary armies from other kingdoms and from the islands of the sea30And the number of his army was one hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants trained for battle31And they traveled through Idumea, and they took a position near Bethzur. And they fought for many days, and they made machines of war. But they came out and burnt them with fire, and they fought manfully32And Judas departed from the stronghold, and he moved the camp to Bethzechariah, opposite the camp of the king33And the king rose up, before it was light, and he forced his troops to march toward the way of Bethzechariah. And the armies prepared themselves for battle, and they sounded the trumpets34And they showed the elephants the blood of grapes and mulberries, to provoke them to fight35And they divided the beasts by the legions, and there stood by every elephant a thousand men, with shields joined together and with brass helmets on their heads. And five hundred well-ordered horsemen were chosen for every beast36These were ready beforehand, and wherever the beast was, they were there; and whenever it moved, they moved, and they did not depart from it37Moreover, upon them there were strong wooden turrets, watching over every beast, with machines upon them, and on them were thirty-two valiant men, who fought from above, and an Indian to rule each beast38And the rest of the horsemen, he stationed here and there, in two parts, with trumpets to stir up the army and to urge on those who were slow to move within its legions39And so, when the sun reflected off the shields of gold and of brass, the mountains were resplendent from them, and they glowed like lamps of fire40And part of the king’s army was divided to the high mountains, and the other part to the low places. And they went forth with order and caution41And all the inhabitants of the land were shaken at the voice of their multitude, and at the advance of the company, and at the clash of the armor. For the army was very great and strong42And Judas and his army drew near for battle. And there fell of the king’s army six hundred men43And Eleazar, the son of Saura, saw one of the beasts shielded with the king’s shield, and it was higher than the other beasts. So it seemed to him that the king must be on it44And he gave himself for the freedom of his people, and to obtain for himself a name in eternity45And he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on the right and on the left, and they fell down before him on this side and that46And he went between the feet of the elephant, and put himself under it, and he killed it. And it fell to the ground upon him, and he died there47And, seeing the strength of the king and the forcefulness of his army, they turned themselves away from them48But the king’s camp went up against them in Jerusalem. And the king’s camp took up a position near Judea and Mount Zion49And he made peace with those who were in Bethzur. And they went out of the city, because they had no provisions in their confinement, for it was the Sabbath of the land50And the king captured Bethzur, and he stationed a garrison there to keep it51And he turned his camp against the place of sanctification for many days. And he stationed there catapults and other machines: machines to cast fire, and windlasses to cast stones and darts, and small catapults to cast arrows and metal52But they also made machines against their machines, and they fought for many days53But there were no foods in the city, because it was the seventh year. And those who had remained in Judea were from the Gentiles, so they consumed all that they had left from what had been stored up54And there remained in the holy places a few men, for the famine had prevailed over them. And they were scattered, each one to his own place55Then Lysias heard that Philip, whom king Antiochus had appointed, when he was still alive, to raise his son, Antiochus, and to reign56had returned from Persia and Media, with the army that went with him, and that he sought to take upon himself the affairs of the kingdom57He hurried to go and to say to the king and the commanders of the army: "We are weakened everyday, and our food is limited, and the place that we besiege is strong, and it is incumbent upon us to put the kingdom in order58And so now, let us bestow a pledge to these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation59And let us establish for them that they may walk according to their own laws, just as before. For, because of their laws, which we despised, they have become angry and have done all these things.60And the idea was pleasing in the sight of the king and the leaders. And he sent to them to make peace. And they accepted it61And the king and the leaders swore to them. And they went out of the stronghold62Then the king entered into Mount Zion, and saw the fortifications of the place, and so he abruptly broke the oath that he had sworn, and he commanded the surrounding wall to be destroyed63And he departed in haste and returned to Antioch, where he found Philip ruling the city. And he fought against him and occupied the city