May 13 - 2 Maccabees 11-12
2 Maccabees
1But a short time afterwards, Lysias, the procurator of the king and a near relative, who also was in charge of the government, was heavily weighed upon by what had happened2Gathering together eight thousand, along with all the horsemen, he came against the Jews, thinking that the city would certainly be captured, making it a dwelling place for the Gentiles3in truth, also thinking to make a profit in money from the temple, just as from the other shrines of the Gentiles, and to put the priesthood up for sale every year4Never recognizing the power of God, but inflated in mind, he trusted in the multitude of the foot soldiers, and in the thousands of horsemen, and in the eighty elephants5And so, he entered Judea, and, approaching Bethzur, which was in a narrow place, at an interval of five stadia from Jerusalem, he laid siege to that stronghold6But when Maccabeus and those who were with him realized that the strongholds were besieged, they and all the crowd together petitioned the Lord with weeping and tears, that he would send a good Angel to save Israel7And so the leader Maccabeus, taking up arms, exhorted the others, to undergo the peril together with him, and to bring assistance to their brothers8And when they together were going forth with a ready spirit, there appeared at Jerusalem a horseman, preceding them in radiant clothing and with weapons of gold, waving a spear9Then they all together blessed the merciful Lord, and strengthened their souls, being prepared to break through not only men, but also the most ferocious beasts and walls of iron10Thus, they went forth readily, having a helper from heaven, and with the Lord taking pity on them11Then, rushing violently against the enemy, in the manner of lions, they struck down from among them: eleven thousand foot soldiers and one thousand six hundred horsemen12And they turned all the rest to flight. But many of them, being wounded, escaped with nothing. And Lysias himself also escaped, fleeing in disgrace13And because he was not irrational, thinking to himself about the loss that had happened against him, and understanding the Hebrews to be invincible because they depend upon the help of Almighty God, he sent to them14and he promised that he would agree to all things that are just, and that he would persuade the king to be their friend15Then Maccabeus assented to the request of Lysias, considering it useful in every way. And whatever Maccabeus wrote to Lysias, concerning the Jews, the king consented to it16For there were letters written to the Jews from Lysias, which, indeed, were composed in this way: "Lysias, to the people of the Jews: greetings17John and Absalom, who had been sent from you to deliver your writings, requested that I would implement these things that were signified by them18Therefore, whatever things could be brought before the king, I have presented them. And he has conceded to those things that are permitted19If, therefore, you will keep yourselves faithful in these matters, then, from now on, I will endeavor to be a cause of your good20But as for other particulars, I have given orders by word, both to these, and to those who have been sent by me, to confer with you21Farewell. In the one hundred forty-eighth year, on the twenty-fourth day of the month of Dioscorus.22But the letter of the king contained this: "King Antiochus to Lysias, his brother: greetings23Since our father has been transferred among the gods, we are willing that those who are in our kingdom should act without tumult, and should attend diligently to their own concerns24We have heard that the Jews would not consent to my father to convert to the rites of the Greeks, but that they chose to keep to their own institutions, and, because of this, that they ask of us to leave them to their own laws25Therefore, wanting this nation, likewise, to be at rest, we have reached a judgment that the temple should be restored to them, so that they may act according to the custom of their ancestors26You will do well, therefore, if you send to them and grant them a pledge, so that our will becomes known, and they may be of good courage, and may look after their own needs.27Truly, the letter of the king to the Jews was such as this: "King Antiochus to the senate of the Jews, and to the rest of the Jews: greetings28If you are well, such is what we desire. But we ourselves are also well29Menelaus came to us, saying that you wished to come down to your own, who are among us30Therefore, we grant a pledge of security to those who come and go, even until the thirtieth day of the month of Xanthicus31so that the Jews may make use of their own foods and laws, just as also before, and so that none of them should endure any kind of trouble for things which have been done by ignorance32And so, we have also sent Menelaus, who will talk with you33Farewell. In the one hundred forty-eighth year, on the fifteenth day of the month of Xanthicus.34But the Romans also now sent a letter, having this in it: "Quintus Memmius and Titus Manilius, ambassadors of the Romans, to the people of the Jews: greetings35Concerning these things that Lysias, the relative of the king, has conceded to you, we also have conceded36But about such things as he judged should be referred to the king, send someone, as soon as you have diligently conferred among yourselves, so that we may make a decree, just as it is agreeable to you. For we are going to Antioch37And, therefore, make haste to write back, so that we may know whatever your will may be38Farewell. In the one hundred forty-eighth year, on the fifteenth day of the month of Xanthicus.
1After these pacts were made, Lysias proceeded on to the king, but the Jews undertook the work of agriculture2However, those who had withdrawn: Timothy, and Apollonius, the son of Gennaeus, along with Hieronymus, and Demophon, and, in addition to these, Nicanor, the governor of Cyprus, would not permit them to live in peace and quiet3Truly, those of Joppa were also perpetrators of very shameful acts. They asked the Jews, who lived among them, to go up into small boats, which they had prepared, with their wives and sons, as if no underlying hostility was between them4And so, according to the common decree of the city, they acquiesced to them, having no suspicions and because there was peace. When they had proceeded out into deep water, they drowned no less than two hundred of them5When Judas learned of the cruelty done to the men of his nation, he informed the men who were with him, and, having called upon God, the Just Judge6he went against the executors of his brothers, and he even set the port on fire in the night; he burned the boats, but those who took refuge from the fire, he destroyed with the sword7And when he had done these things in this way, he departed, as if he would return again to eradicate all those of Joppa8But when he also realized those who were of Jamnia wanted to act in a similar way to the Jews living among them9he went against those of Jamnia also by night, and he set the port on fire, along with the ships, so much so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem, two hundred and forty stadia away10When they had now gone from there nine stadia, and were making their way toward Timothy, they met in battle with those of Arabia: five thousand men and five hundred horsemen11And when a strong fight occurred, and, by the help of God, it ceased favorably, the remainder of the Arabians who were overcome petitioned Judas to give them a pledge, promising to give him pastures and to assist him in other things in the future12Then Judas, thinking that they truly might be useful in many ways, promised peace. And after receiving the pledge of his right hand, they withdrew to their tents13Then he also assaulted a certain strong city, surrounded with bridges and walls, which was inhabited by a crowd from many different nations, the name of which is Casphin14In truth, those who were inside, trusting in the strength of the walls and in the preparations of rations, acted irresponsibly, and they challenged Judas with evil words and blaspheming, as well as by speaking what is not lawful15But Maccabeus rushed fiercely to the walls, calling upon the great Leader of the world, who, without battering rams or machines of war, had thrown down the walls of Jericho in the time of Joshua16And, having captured the city through the will of the Lord, he made a slaughter without number, so much so that an adjoining pool, two stadia in width, was seen to flow with the blood of the slain17From there, they withdrew seven hundred and fifty stadia, and they came to Charax, to those Jews who are called Tubianites18And Timothy, indeed, they did not find in those places, for he withdrew before he completed any endeavor, having left behind a very strong garrison in a certain place19But Dositheus and Sosipater, who were commanders with Maccabeus, destroyed those who were left behind by Timothy in the stronghold: ten thousand men20And Maccabeus, having positioned six thousand men around him and having divided them into cohorts, went forth against Timothy, who had with him one hundred twenty thousand foot soldiers, and two thousand five hundred horsemen21But when Timothy learned of the arrival of Judas, he sent ahead the women, and the children, and the remainder of the preparations, into a fortress, which is called Carnion. For it was impregnable and difficult to access because of the narrowness of the places22And when the first cohort of Judas had appeared, the enemies were struck with fear by the presence of God, who beholds all things, and they were turned to flight, one over another, to such an extent that they were being knocked over by one another and were being wounded with the strokes of their own swords23But Judas pursued them vehemently, punishing the profane and striking down thirty thousand of their men24In truth, Timothy himself fell to the group under Dositheus and Sosipater. And with much begging, he pleaded with them to release him alive, because he held the parents and brothers of many of the Jews, who, at his death, might happen to be mistreated25And when he had given his faith that he would restore them according to the agreement, they released him unharmed, for the sake of their brothers’ well-being26Then Judas departed to Carnion, where he slew twenty-five thousand27After having put to flight or killed these, he moved his army to Ephron, a fortified city, in which there lived a multitude of diverse peoples. And hardy young men, standing upon the walls, put up a strong fight. Moreover, in this place, there were many machines of war, and equipment for casting darts28But when they had called upon the Almighty, who with his power breaks the strength of enemies, they seized the city. And they struck down twenty-five thousand of those who were inside29From there, they went to the city of Scythia, which was six hundred stadia away from Jerusalem30But the Jews, those who were among the Scythians, testified that they were treated kindly by them, and that, even in the times of unhappiness, they had treated them mildly31They gave thanks to them, exhorting them to be kind to their people, now and at other times. And they went to Jerusalem, as the solemn days of the seven weeks were underway32And, after Pentecost, they marched against Gorgias, the foremost leader over Idumea33And he went out with three thousand foot soldiers and four hundred horsemen34And when they came together, it happened that a few of the Jews were overthrown35In fact, a certain Dositheus, a horseman of Bacenor, a strong man, took hold of Gorgias. And when he would have captured him alive, a certain horseman of the Thracians rushed upon him and cut off his arm, and so, in this way, Gorgias escaped to Maresa36But when those who were with Esdris had fought all day and were fatigued, Judas called upon the Lord to be their helper and leader in the battle37Beginning in the language of the fathers, and loudly extolling hymns, he inspired the soldiers of Gorgias to take flight38Then Judas, having collected his army, went into the city Adullam. And, when the seventh day came, they purified themselves according to the custom, and they kept the Sabbath in the same place39And the following day, Judas came with his own, in order to take away the bodies of the fallen, and to place them in the sepulchers of their fathers with their ancestors40But they found, under the tunics of the slain, some of the treasures of the idols that were near Jamnia, which were prohibited to Jews by the law. Therefore, it became manifest that it was for this reason that they had been overthrown41And so, they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had made hidden things manifest42So then, turning themselves to prayers, they petitioned him that the offense which had been done would be delivered into oblivion. And truly, the very strong Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves without sin, since they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sins of those who were struck down43And, calling an assembly, he sent twelve thousand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem, to be offered for a sacrifice for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously about the resurrection44(for if he had not hoped that those who had fallen would be resurrected, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,45and because he considered that those who had fallen asleep with piety had great grace stored up for them46Therefore, it is a holy and beneficial thought to pray on behalf of those who have passed away, so that they may be released from sins