1 his factis pactionibus Lysias pergebat ad regem
Iudaei autem agriculturae operam dabant
2 sed hii qui resederant
Timotheus et Apollonius gehennae filius
sed et Hieronimus et Demofon
super hos et Nicanor cypriarches
non sinebant eos in silentio agere et quiete
3 Ioppitae vero tale quoddam flagitium perpetrarunt
rogaverunt Iudaeos cum quibus habitabant
ascendere scaphas quas paraverant cum uxoribus et filiis
quasi nullis inimicitiis inter eos subiacentibus
4 secundum communem itaque decretum civitatis
et ipsis adquiescentibus
pacisque causa nihil suspectum habentibus
cum in altum processissent submerserunt non minus ducentos
5 quam crudelitatem Iudas in suae gentis homines factam ut cognovit
praecepit viris qui erant cum ipso
et invocato iusto iudice Deo
6 venit adversus interfectores fratrum
et portum quidem noctu succendit scaphas exusit
eos autem qui ab igne refugerant gladio peremit
7 et cum haec ita egisset
discessit quasi iterum reversurus et universos Ioppitas eradicaturus
8 sed cum cognovisset
et eos qui erant Iamniae velle pari modo facere habitantibus secum
Iudaeis
9 Iamnitis quoque nocte supervenit et portum cum navibus succendit
ita ut lumen ignis pareret Hierosolymis
ab stadiis ducentis quadraginta
10 inde cum abissent novem stadiis
et iter facerent ad Timotheum
commiserunt cum eo Arabes quinque milia viri et equites quingenti
11 cumque pugna valida fieret
et auxilio Dei prospere cessisset
residui victi Arabes petebant a Iuda dextras sibi dari
promittentes pascua daturos et in ceteris profuturos
12 Iudas autem arbitratus vere in multis eos utiles promisit pacem
dextrisque acceptis discessere ad tabernacula sua
13 adgressus est autem et civitatem quandam firmam
pontibus murisque circumseptam
quae a turbis habitabatur gentium promiscuarum cui nomen Caspin
14 hii vero qui intus erant
confidentes in stabilitate murorum et adparatu alimoniarum
remissius agebant maledictis lacessentes Iudam
ac blasphemantes et loquentes quae fas
non est
15 Macchabeus autem invocato magno mundi principe
qui sine arietibus et machinis temporibus Iesu praecipitavit Hiericho
inruit ferociter muris
16 et capta civitate per Domini voluntatem
inenarrabiles caedes fecit
ita ut adiacens stagnum stadiorum duo
latitudinis
sanguine infectum fluere videretur
17 inde discesserunt stadia septingenta quinquaginta
et venerunt in Characa ad eos qui dicuntur Tubianei Iudaeos
18 et Timotheum quidem in illis locis conprehenderunt
nulloque negotio perfecto regressus est
relicto in quodam loco firmissimo praesidio
19 Dositheus autem et Sosipater
qui erant duces cum Macchabeo
peremerunt a Timotheo relictos in praesidio decem milia viros
20 at Macchabeus ordinatis circum se sex milibus
et constitutis per cohortes
adversus Timotheum processit
habentem secum centum viginti milia peditum
equitumque duo milia quingentos
21 cognito autem Iudae adventu
Timotheus praemisit mulieres et filios et reliquum adparatum
in praesidium quod Carnion dicitur
erat enim inexpugnabile et accessu difficile propter locorum angustias
22 cumque cohors Iudae prima apparuisset
timor hostibus incussus est ex praesentia Dei qui universa conspicit
et in fugam versi sunt alius alio
ita ut magis a suis deicerentur
et gladiorum suorum ictibus debilitarentur
23 Iudas autem vehementer instabat puniens profanos
et prostravit ex eis triginta milia virorum
24 ipse vero Timotheus incidit in partes Dosithei et Sosipatri
et multis precibus postulabat ut vivus dimitteretur
eo quod multorum ex Iudaeis parentes haberet ac fratres
quos morte eius decipi eveniret
25 et cum fidem dedisset restituturum se eos secundum constitutum
inlaesum eum dimiserunt propter fratrum salutem
26 Iudas autem egressus est a Carnio
interfectis viginti quinque milibus
27 post horum fugam et necem movit exercitum ad Efron
civitatem munitam in qua multitudo diversarum gentium habitabat
et robusti iuvenes pro muris consistentes fortiter repugnabant
in hac autem machinae multae et telorum erat adparatus
28 sed cum Omnipotentem invocassent
qui potestate vires hostium confregit
ceperunt civitatem
et ex eis qui intus erant viginti quinque milia prostraverunt
29 inde ad civitatem Scytarum abierunt
quae ab Hierosolymis sescentis stadiis aberat
30 contestantibus autem his qui apud Scytopolitas erant Iudaeis
quod benigne ab eis haberentur etiam temporibus infelicitatis
quod modeste secum egerint
31 gratias agentes eis
exhortati etiam de cetero erga genus suum benignos esse
venerunt Hierosolymam
die sollemni septimanarum instante
32 et post pentecosten abierunt contra Gorgiam praepositum Idumeae
33 exivit autem cum peditibus tribus milibus et equitibus quadringentis
34 quibus congressis contigit paucos ruere Iudaeorum
35 Dositheus vero quidam de Bachenoris eques vir fortis Gorgiam tenebat
et cum vellet illum capere vivum
eques quidam de Thracibus inruit in eum umerumque eius amputavit
atque ita Gorgias effugit in Marisa
36 at illis qui cum Esdrin erant diutius pugnantibus et fatigatis
invocavit Dominum Iudas adiutorem et ducem belli fieri
37 incipiens voce patria et cum hymnis clamorem extollens
fugam Gorgiae militibus incussit
38 Iudas autem collecto exercitu
venit in civitatem Odollam
et cum septima dies superveniret
secundum consuetudinem purificati
in eodem loco sabbatum egerunt
39 et sequenti die venit cum suis Iudas ut corpora prostratorum tolleret
et cum parentibus poneret in sepulchris paternis
40 invenerunt autem sub tunicis interfectorum de donariis idolorum
quae apud Iamnian fuerunt
a quibus lex prohibet Iudaeos
omnibus ergo manifestum factum est
ob hanc causam eos corruisse
41 omnes itaque benedixerunt iustum iudicium Domini
qui occulta fecerit manifesta
42 atque ita ad preces conversi rogaverunt
ut id quod factum erat delictum obliteraretur
at vero fortissimus Iudas hortabatur populum
conservare se sine peccato
sub oculis videntes quae facta sint
pro peccato eorum qui prostrati sunt
43 et facta conlatione
duodecim milia dragmas argenti misit Hierosolymam
offerri pro peccato sacrificium
bene et religiose de resurrectione cogitans
44 nisi enim eos qui ceciderant resurrecturos speraret
superfluum videretur et vanum orare pro mortuis
45 et quia considerabat quod hii qui cum pietate dormitionem acceperant
optimam haberent repositam gratiam
46 sancta ergo et salubris cogitatio
pro defunctis exorare ut a peccato solverentur
1 When these covenants were made, Lysias went unto the king, and the Jews were about their husbandry.
2 But of the governours of several places, Timotheus, and Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and beside them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to be quiet and live in peace.
3 The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.
4 Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city, as being desirous to live in peace, and suspecting nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred of them.
5 When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen, he commanded those that were with him to make them ready.
6 And calling upon God the righteous Judge, he came against those murderers of his brethren, and burnt the haven by night, and set the boats on fire, and those that fled thither he slew.
7 And when the town was shut up, he went backward, as if he would return to root out all them of the city of Joppa.
8 But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them,
9 He came upon the Jamnites also by night, and set fire on the haven and the navy, so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off.
10 Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their journey toward Timotheus, no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him.
11 Whereupon there was a very sore battle; but Judas’ side by the help of God got the victory; so that the Nomades of Arabia, being overcome, besought Judas for peace, promising both to give him cattle, and to pleasure him otherwise.
12 Then Judas, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things, granted them peace: whereupon they shook hands, and so they departed to their tents.
13 He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city, which was fenced about with walls, and inhabited by people of divers countries; and the name of it was Caspis.
14 But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and provision of victuals, that they behaved themselves rudely toward them that were with Judas, railing and blaspheming, and uttering such words as were not to be spoken.
15 Wherefore Judas with his company, calling upon the great Lord of the world, who without rams or engines of war did cast down Jericho in the time of Joshua, gave a fierce assault against the walls,
16 And took the city by the will of God, and made unspeakable slaughters, insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near adjoining thereunto, being filled full, was seen running with blood.
17 Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs, and came to Characa unto the Jews that are called Tubieni.
18 But as for Timotheus, they found him not in the places: for before he had dispatched any thing, he departed from thence, having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold.
19 Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabeus’ captains, went forth, and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress, above ten thousand men.
20 And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands, and set them over the bands, and went against Timotheus, who had about him an hundred and twenty thousand men of foot, and two thousand and five hundred horsemen.
21 Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas’ coming, he sent the women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress called Carnion: for the town was hard to besiege, and uneasy to come unto, by reason of the straitness of all the places.
22 But when Judas his first band came in sight, the enemies, being smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of him who seeth all things, fled amain, one running into this way, another that way, so as that they were often hurt of their own men, and wounded with the points of their own swords.
23 Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those wicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty thousand men.
24 Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater, whom he besought with much craft to let him go with his life, because he had many of the Jews’ parents, and the brethren of some of them, who, if they put him to death, should not be regarded.
25 So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore them without hurt, according to the agreement, they let him go for the saving of their brethren.
26 Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion, and to the temple of Atargatis, and there he slew five and twenty thousand persons.
27 And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Judas removed the host toward Ephron, a strong city, wherein Lysias abode, and a great multitude of divers nations, and the strong young men kept the walls, and defended them mightily: wherein also was great provision of engines and darts.
28 But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God, who with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies, they won the city, and slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within,
29 From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem,
30 But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them, and entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity;
31 They gave them thanks, desiring them to be friendly still unto them: and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks approaching.
32 And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea,
33 Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred horsemen.
34 And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Jews were slain.
35 At which time Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s company, who was on horseback, and a strong man, was still upon Gorgias, and taking hold of his coat drew him by force; and when he would have taken that cursed man alive, a horseman of Thracia coming upon him smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa.
36 Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord, that he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle.
37 And with that he began in his own language, and sung psalms with a loud voice, and rushing unawares upon Gorgias’ men, he put them to flight.
38 So Judas gathered his host, and came into the city of Odollam, And when the seventh day came, they purified themselves, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath in the same place.
39 And upon the day following, as the use had been, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers’ graves.
40 Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites, which is forbidden the Jews by the law. Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain.
41 All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid,
42 Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain.
43 And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the resurrection:
44 For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead.
45 And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly, it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.