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¹⁰And he called all his friends, and he said to them: “Sleep has withdrawn from my eyes, and I am declining, and my heart has collapsed out of anxiety.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

¹About that time king Antiochus travelling through the high countries heard say, that Elymais in the country of Persia was a city greatly renowned for riches, silver, and gold;

²And that there was in it a very rich temple, wherein were coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Grecians, had left there.

³Wherefore he came and sought to take the city, and to spoil it; but he was not able, because they of the city, having had warning thereof,

⁴Rose up against him in battle: so he fled, and departed thence with great heaviness, and returned to Babylon.

⁵Moreover there came one who brought him tidings into Persia, that the armies, which went against the land of Judea, were put to flight:

⁶And that Lysias, who went forth first with a great power was driven away of the Jews; and that they were made strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten of the armies, whom they had destroyed:

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

⁸Now when the king heard these words, he was astonished and sore moved: whereupon he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not befallen him as he looked for.

⁹And there he continued many days: for his grief was ever more and more, and he made account that he should die.

¹⁰Wherefore he called for all his friends, and said unto them, The sleep is gone from mine eyes, and my heart faileth for very care.

¹¹And I thought with myself, Into what tribulation am I come, and how great a flood of misery is it, wherein now I am! for I was bountiful and beloved in my power.

¹²But now I remember the evils that I did at Jerusalem, and that I took all the vessels of gold and silver that were therein, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judea without a cause.

¹³I perceive therefore that for this cause these troubles are come upon me, and, behold, I perish through great grief in a strange land.

¹⁴Then called he for Philip, one of his friends, who he made ruler over all his realm,

¹⁵And gave him the crown, and his robe, and his signet, to the end he should bring up his son Antiochus, and nourish him up for the kingdom.

¹⁶So king Antiochus died there in the hundred forty and ninth year.

¹⁷Now when Lysias knew that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus his son, whom he had brought up being young, to reign in his stead, and his name he called Eupator.

¹⁸About this time they that were in the tower shut up the Israelites round about the sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the heathen.

¹⁹Wherefore Judas, purposing to destroy them, called all the people together to besiege them.

²⁰So they came together, and besieged them in the hundred and fiftieth year, and he made mounts for shot against them, and other engines.

²¹Howbeit certain of them that were besieged got forth, unto whom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves:

²²And they went unto the king, and said, How long will it be ere thou execute judgment, and avenge our brethren?

²³We have been willing to serve thy father, and to do as he would have us, and to obey his commandments;

²⁴For which cause they of our nation besiege the tower, and are alienated from us: moreover as many of us as they could light on they slew, and spoiled our inheritance.

²⁵Neither have they stretched out their hand against us only, but also against their borders.

²⁶And, behold, this day are they besieging the tower at Jerusalem, to take it: the sanctuary also and Bethsura have they fortified.

²⁷Wherefore if thou dost not prevent them quickly, they will do the greater things than these, neither shalt thou be able to rule them.

²⁸Now when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and those that had charge of the horse.

²⁹There came also unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles of the sea, bands of hired soldiers.

³⁰So that the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle.

³¹These went through Idumea, and pitched against Bethsura, which they assaulted many days, making engines of war; but they of Bethsura came out, and burned them with fire, and fought valiantly.

³²Upon this Judas removed from the tower, and pitched in Bathzacharias, over against the king’s camp.

³³Then the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets.

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

³⁵Moreover they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best.

³⁶These were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him.

³⁷And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.

³⁸As for the remnant of the horsemen, they set them on this side and that side at the two parts of the host giving them signs what to do, and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.

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

⁴⁰So part of the king’s army being spread upon the high mountains, and part on the valleys below, they marched on safely and in order.

⁴¹Wherefore all that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harness, were moved: for the army was very great and mighty.

⁴²Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king’s army six hundred men.

⁴³Eleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him,

⁴⁴Put himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name:

⁴⁵Wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides.

⁴⁶Which done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died.

⁴⁷Howbeit the rest of the Jews seeing the strength of the king, and the violence of his forces, turned away from them.

⁴⁸Then the king’s army went up to Jerusalem to meet them, and the king pitched his tents against Judea, and against mount Sion.

⁴⁹But with them that were in Bethsura he made peace: for they came out of the city, because they had no victuals there to endure the siege, it being a year of rest to the land.

⁵⁰So the king took Bethsura, and set a garrison there to keep it.

⁵¹As for the sanctuary, he besieged it many days: and set there artillery with engines and instruments to cast fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.

⁵²Whereupon they also made engines against their engines, and held them battle a long season.

⁵³Yet at the last, their vessels being without victuals, (for that it was the seventh year, and they in Judea that were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store;)

⁵⁴There were but a few left in the sanctuary, because the famine did so prevail against them, that they were fain to disperse themselves, every man to his own place.

⁵⁵At that time Lysias heard say, that Philip, whom Antiochus the king, whiles he lived, had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, that he might be king,

⁵⁶Was returned out of Persia and Media, and the king’s host also that went with him, and that he sought to take unto him the ruling of the affairs.

⁵⁷Wherefore he went in all haste, and said to the king and the captains of the host and the company, We decay daily, and our victuals are but small, and the place we lay siege unto is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom lie upon us:

⁵⁸Now therefore let us be friends with these men, and make peace with them, and with all their nation;

⁵⁹And covenant with them, that they shall live after their laws, as they did before: for they are therefore displeased, and have done all these things, because we abolished their laws.

⁶⁰So the king and the princes were content: wherefore he sent unto them to make peace; and they accepted thereof.

⁶¹Also the king and the princes made an oath unto them: whereupon they went out of the strong hold.

⁶²Then the king entered into mount Sion; but when he saw the strength of the place, he broke his oath that he had made, and gave commandment to pull down the wall round about.

⁶³Afterward departed he in all haste, and returned unto Antiochia, where he found Philip to be master of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.