I Maccabees 6

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 gold,

²and 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 behind.

³So 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 city.

⁴And they rose up in battle, and he fled away from there, and he departed with great sadness, and he returned into Babylon.

⁵And someone arrived to report to him in Persia, that those who were in the land of Judah were forced to flee the camp,

⁶and 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 demolished,

⁷and 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 city.

⁸And 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 intended.

⁹And he was in that place through many days. For a great grief was renewed in him, and he concluded that he would die.

¹⁰And he called all his friends, and he said to them: “Sleep has withdrawn from my eyes, and I am declining, and my heart has collapsed out of anxiety.

¹¹And 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 power!

¹²Truly, 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 cause.

¹³Therefore, 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 kingdom.

¹⁵And 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 reign.

¹⁶And king Antiochus died there, in the one hundred and forty-ninth year.

¹⁷And 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 Eupator.

¹⁸And 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 Gentiles.

¹⁹And Judas intended to disperse them. And he called together all the people, in order to besiege them.

²⁰And they came together and besieged them in the one hundred and fiftieth year, and they made catapults and other machines.

²¹And certain ones of these, who were besieged, escaped. And some of the impious out of Israel joined themselves to them.

²²And they went to the king, and they said: “How long will you not act with judgment and vindicate our brothers?

²³We resolved to serve your father, and to walk according to his precepts, and to obey his edicts.

²⁴And 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 inheritances.

²⁵And they have not extended their hand against us only, but also against all within our borders.

²⁶And behold, this day they have taken a position near the stronghold of Jerusalem to occupy it, and they have fortified the stronghold of Bethzur.

²⁷And, 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 horsemen.

²⁹But there even came to him mercenary armies from other kingdoms and from the islands of the sea.

³⁰And the number of his army was one hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants trained for battle.

³¹And 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 manfully.

³²And Judas departed from the stronghold, and he moved the camp to Bethzechariah, opposite the camp of the king.

³³And 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 trumpets.

³⁴And they showed the elephants the blood of grapes and mulberries, to provoke them to fight.

³⁵And 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 beast.

³⁶These were ready beforehand, and wherever the beast was, they were there; and whenever it moved, they moved, and they did not depart from it.

³⁷Moreover, 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 beast.

³⁸And 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 legions.

³⁹And 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 fire.

⁴⁰And 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 caution.

⁴¹And 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 strong.

⁴²And Judas and his army drew near for battle. And there fell of the king’s army six hundred men.

⁴³And 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 it.

⁴⁴And he gave himself for the freedom of his people, and to obtain for himself a name in eternity.

⁴⁵And 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 that.

⁴⁶And 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 there.

⁴⁷And, seeing the strength of the king and the forcefulness of his army, they turned themselves away from them.

⁴⁸But the king’s camp went up against them in Jerusalem. And the king’s camp took up a position near Judea and Mount Zion.

⁴⁹And 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 land.

⁵⁰And the king captured Bethzur, and he stationed a garrison there to keep it.

⁵¹And 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 metal.

⁵²But they also made machines against their machines, and they fought for many days.

⁵³But 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 up.

⁵⁴And 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 place.

⁵⁵Then Lysias heard that Philip, whom king Antiochus had appointed, when he was still alive, to raise his son, Antiochus, and to reign,

⁵⁶had returned from Persia and Media, with the army that went with him, and that he sought to take upon himself the affairs of the kingdom.

⁵⁷He hurried to go and to say to the king and the commanders of the army: “We are weakened every day, and our food is limited, and the place that we besiege is strong, and it is incumbent upon us to put the kingdom in order.

⁵⁸And so now, let us bestow a pledge to these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation.

⁵⁹And 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 it.

⁶¹And the king and the leaders swore to them. And they went out of the stronghold.

⁶²Then 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 destroyed.

⁶³And he departed in haste and returned to Antioch, where he found Philip ruling the city. And he fought against him and occupied the city.

I Maccabees 6

¹Now king Antiochus was going through the higher countries, and he heard that the city of Elymais in Persia, was greatly renowned, and abounding in silver and gold,

²And that there was in it a temple exceeding rich; and coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which king Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian, that reigned first in Greece, had left there.

³So he came, and sought to take the city and to pillage it; but he was not able, because the design was known to them that were in the city.

⁴And they rose up against him in battle, and he fled away from thence, and departed with great sadness, and returned towards Babylonia.

⁵And whilst he was in Persia there came one that told him how the armies that were in the land of Juda were put to flight:

⁶And that Lysias went with a very great power, and was put to flight before the face of the Jews, and that they were grown strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils which they had gotten out of the camps which they had destroyed:

⁷And that they had thrown down the abomination which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls as before, and Bethsura also, his city.

⁸And it came to pass, when the king heard these words, that he was struck with fear, and exceedingly moved: and he laid himself down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not fallen out to him as he imagined.

⁹And he remained there many days: for great grief came more and more upon him, and he made account that he should die.

¹⁰And he called for all his friends, and said to them: Sleep is gone from my eyes, and I am fallen away, and my heart is cast down for anxiety:

¹¹And I said in my heart: Into how much tribulation am I come, and into what floods of sorrow wherein now I am: I that was pleasant and beloved in my power!

¹²But now I remember the evils that I did in Jerusalem, from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver, that were in it, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without cause.

¹³I know, therefore, that for this cause these evils have found me: and behold I perish with great grief in a strange land.

¹⁴Then he called Philip, one of his friends, and he made him regent over all his kingdom.

¹⁵And he gave him the crown, and his robe, and his ring, that he should go to Antiochus, his son, and should bring him up for the kingdom.

¹⁶So king Antiochus died there in the year one hundred and forty-nine.

¹⁷And Lysias understood that the king was dead, and he set up Antiochus, his son, to reign, whom he had brought up young: and he called his name Eupator.

¹⁸Now they that were in the castle, had shut up the Israelites round about the holy places: and they were continually seeking their hurt, and to strengthen the Gentiles.

¹⁹And Judas purposed to destroy them: and he called together all the people, to besiege them.

²⁰And they came together, and besieged them in the year one hundred and fifty, and they made battering slings and engines.

²¹And some of the besieged got out: and some wicked men of Israel joined themselves unto them.

²²And they went to the king, and said: How long dost thou delay to execute judgment, and to revenge our brethren?

²³We determined to serve thy father, and to do according to his orders, and obey his edicts:

²⁴And for this they of our nation are alienated from us, and have slain as many of us as they could find, and have spoiled our inheritances.

²⁵Neither have they put forth their hand against us only, but also against all our borders.

²⁶And behold they have approached this day to the castle of Jerusalem to take it, and they have fortified the strong hold of Bethsura:

²⁷And unless thou speedily prevent them, they will do greater things than these, and thou shalt not be able to subdue them.

²⁸Now when the king heard this, he was angry: and he called together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and them that were over the horsemen.

²⁹There came also to him from other realms, and from the islands of the sea, hired troops.

³⁰And the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants trained to battle.

³¹And they went through Idumea, and approached to Bethsura, and fought many days, and they made engines: but they sallied forth, and burnt them with fire, and fought manfully.

³²And Judas departed from the castle, and removed the camp to Bethzacharam, over against the king's camp.

³³And the king rose before it was light, and made his troops march on fiercely towards the way of Bethzacharam: and the armies made themselves ready for the battle, and they sounded the trumpets:

³⁴And they shewed the elephants the blood of grapes, and mulberries, to provoke them to fight.

³⁵And they distributed the beasts by the legions: and there stood by every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads: and five hundred horsemen set in order were chosen for every beast.

³⁶These before the time wheresoever the beast was they were there: and whithersoever it went, they went, and they departed not from it.

³⁷And upon the beast, there were strong wooden towers which covered every one of them: and engines upon them, and upon every one thirty-two valiant men, who fought from above: and an Indian to rule the beast.

³⁸And the rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that side, at the two wings, with trumpets to stir up the army, and to hasten them forward that stood thick together in the legions thereof.

³⁹Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold, and of brass, the mountains glittered therewith, and they shone like lamps of fire.

⁴⁰And part of the king's army was distinguished by the high mountains, and the other part by the low places: and they marched on warily and orderly.

⁴¹And all the inhabitants of the land were moved at the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the armour, for the army was exceeding great and strong.

⁴²And Judas and his army drew near for battle: and there fell of the king's army six hundred men.

⁴³And Eleazar, the son of Saura, saw one of the beasts harnessed with the king's harness: and it was higher than the other beasts; and it seemed to him that the king was on it:

⁴⁴And he exposed himself to deliver his people, and to get himself an everlasting name.

⁴⁵And he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on the right hand, and on the left, and they fell by him on this side and that side.

⁴⁶And he went between the feet of the elephant, and put himself under it: and slew it, and it fell to the ground upon him, and he died there.

⁴⁷Then they seeing the strength of the king and the fierceness of his army, turned away from them.

⁴⁸But the king's army went up against them to Jerusalem: and the king's army pitched their tents against Judea and Mount Sion.

⁴⁹And he made peace with them that were in Bethsura: and they came forth out of the city, because they had no victuals, being shut up there, for it was the year of rest to the land.

⁵⁰And the king took Bethsura: and he placed there a garrison to keep it.

⁵¹And he turned his army against the sanctuary for many days: and he set up there battering slings, and engines, and instruments to cast fire, and engines to cast stones and javelins, and pieces to shoot arrows, and slings.

⁵²And they also made engines against their engines, and they fought for many days.

⁵³But there were no victuals in the city, because it was the seventh year: and such as had stayed in Judea of them that came from among the nations, had eaten the residue of all that which had been stored up.

⁵⁴And there remained in the holy places but a few, for the famine had prevailed over them: and they were dispersed every man to his own place.

⁵⁵Now Lysias heard that Philip; whom king Antiochus while he lived had appointed to bring up his son, Antiochus, and to reign,

⁵⁶Was returned from Persia, and Media, with the army that went with him and that he sought to take upon him the affairs of the kingdom:

⁵⁷Wherefore he made haste to go, and say to the king and to the captains of the army: We decay daily, and our provision of victuals is small, and the place that we lay siege to is strong, and it lieth upon us to take order for the affairs of the kingdom.

⁵⁸Now, therefore, let us come to an agreement with these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation.

⁵⁹And let us covenant with them, that they may live according to their own laws, as before. For because of our despising their laws, they have been provoked, and have done all these things.

⁶⁰And the proposal was acceptable in the sight of the king, and of the princes: and he sent to them to make peace: and they accepted of it.

⁶¹And the king and the princes swore to them: and they came out of the strong hold.

⁶²Then the king entered into Mount Sion, and saw the strength of the place: and he quickly broke the oath that he had taken, and gave commandment to throw down the wall round about.

⁶³And he departed in haste and returned to Antioch, where he found Philip master of the city: and he fought against him, and took the city.