1 Maccabees 9 — WBMSE
9Verse 1In the meantime, where (or when) Demetrius heard that Nicanor fell, and his host, in battle, he putted to again for to send Bacchides and Alcimus into Judea, and the right half of the battle array with them.Verse 2And they went the way that leadeth into Gilgal, and they setted (up their) tents in Mesaloth, that is in Arbela; and they occupied it, and slew many persons of men.Verse 3In the first month of the hundred and two and fifty year, they applied the host to Jerusalem (or they pitched their tents near Jerusalem).Verse 4And twenty thousand of men, and two thousand of horsemen, have risen, and went into Berea.Verse 5And Judas setted (up his) tents in Eleasa, and three thousand men chosen [or chosen men] with him.Verse 6And they saw the multitude of the host, that they be many, and they dreaded greatly; and many withdrew them(selves) from (the) tents (or out of the host), and there (were) left not of them no but eight hundred men.Verse 7And Judas saw that his host fled away, and (that the) battle constrained him, and he was broken (al)together in heart, for he had not time to gather them, and he was discomforted.Verse 8And he said to these that were residue, Rise we, and go we to our adversaries, if we shall be able to fight against them.Verse 9And they turned away (from) him, and said, We shall not be able to, but deliver we [now] our own lives, and (re)turn again we to our brethren, and then we shall fight against them; forsooth we be few.Verse 10And Judas said, Far be it for to do this thing, that we flee from them; and if our time hath nighed, die we in virtue (or bravely) for our brethren, and give we not crime to our glory.Verse 11And the host (of Bacchides) moved from (their) tents, and they stood against them. And (the) horsemen were parted into two parts, and slingers and archers went before the host, and the first men of battle (were) all the mighty (men).Verse 12Forsooth Bacchides was in the right horn, or battle array. And the legion of two parts came nigh, and cried with (the) trumps.Verse 13Forsooth and these that were on [or of] the part of Judas, cried also, and the earth was moved (al)together of (or by) the voice (or the noise) of (the) hosts, and (the) battle was joined from the morrowtide till to eventide.Verse 14And Judas saw, that the part of Bacchides’ host was firmer in (or on) the right half, and all (the) steadfast in heart came together with him.Verse 15And the right part was all-broken of (or by) them; and he pursued them unto the hill of Azotus.Verse 16And they that were in the left horn, or battle array, saw, that the right horn, or battle array, was all-broken, and they pursued (or followed) at the back after Judas, and them that were with him.Verse 17And the battle was made grievous, and there fell many wounded of these and of them.Verse 18And Judas fell, and the others fled.Verse 19And Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers, in the city of Modin.Verse 20And all Israel bewept him with great wailing, and mourned (for) many days, and said,Verse 21How fell the mighty (man), that made Israel safe (or who saved Israel).Verse 22And other words of (the) battles of Judas, and of (the) virtues that he did, and of his greatnesses, be not written (here); for those [or they] were full many.Verse 23And it was done, after the death of Judas, all wicked men in all the coasts of Israel rose out (or rose up), and all that wrought wickedness came forth.Verse 24In those days full great hunger was made, and all the country of them betook themselves to Bacchides with them.Verse 25And Bacchides chose unpious men, and ordained them lords of the country.Verse 26And they asked out (or about), and sought the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides; and he avenged on them, and scorned (them).Verse 27And great tribulation was made in Israel, what manner was not from the day in which a prophet was not seen in Israel.Verse 28And all the friends of Judas were gathered, and said to Jonathan,Verse 29Since thy brother Judas is dead, there is no man like him, that shall go out against (our) enemies, Bacchides and them that be (the) enemies of our folk.Verse 30Therefore now we choose thee today for to be prince and duke to us for him, for to fight our battle(s).Verse 31And (so) Jonathan received in that time the princehood, and rose (up) in the place of Judas, his brother.Verse 32And Bacchides knew (this), and sought for to slay him.Verse 33And Jonathan knew (this), and Simon, his brother, and all that were with him, and [they] fled into (the) desert of Tekoa, and sat together at the water of the lake Asphar.Verse 34And Bacchides knew (this), and in the day of sabbath he came, and all his host, over (the) Jordan.Verse 35And Jonathan sent his brother (John), (a) leader of that people, and prayed (the) Nabathites or Nabateans, his friends, that he should betake to them his apparel, that was plenteous.Verse 36And (the) sons of Jambri went out of Medaba, and caught John, and all (the) things that he had, and went away, having (or taking) those things.Verse 37After these words it was told again to Jonathan, and Simon, his brother, that the sons of Jambri make great wed-dings, and wed a wife of Nadabath, the daughter of one of the great princes of Canaan, with great pride and apparel.Verse 38And they bethought on the blood of John, their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under (the) cover-ing of the hill.Verse 39And they raised (up) their eyes, and saw, and lo! noise, and great apparel; and a spouse, or (the) husband, came forth, and his friends, and his brethren, against (or towards) them, with tympans, and musics, and many arms.Verse 40And they rose (up) to (or against) them from (the) ambushments, and slew them, and many wounded fell down, and the residues fled into the hill, and they took all the spoils of them;Verse 41and (the) weddings were converted into mourning, and voice (or the sound) of their musics into wailing.Verse 42And they avenged the vengeance of their brother’s blood, and [they](re)-turned again to the brink of (the) Jordan.Verse 43And Bacchides heard, and came in the day of sabbaths till to the utmost part of (the) Jordan, in great strength.Verse 44And Jonathan said to his (men), Rise we (up), and fight against our enemies; for it is not today as yesterday, and the third day ago.Verse 45For lo! (the) battle is even against (or before us); soothly the water of (the) Jordan is on this half and on that half, and rivers, and marshes, and forests [or wild woods], and there is no place of turning away (or aside).Verse 46Now therefore cry ye into heaven, (so) that ye be delivered from (the) hand of your enemies.Verse 47And (the) battle was joined. And Jonathan straightened out (or stretched forth) his hand, for to smite Bacchides, and he turned away from him behind.Verse 48And Jonathan skipped down, and they that were with him, into (the) Jordan, and swam over (the) Jordan to them.Verse 49And there fell of Bacchides part in that day a thousand men,Verse 50and they, that is, Bacchides and his men, (re)turned again into Jerusalem; and (re)builded (the) strong cities in Judea, the strength (or the stronghold) that was in Jericho, and in Emmaus, and in Bethhoron, and Bethel, and Thamnatha, Pharathoni, and Taphon, with high walls, and gates, and locks.Verse 51And he setted keeping in them, (so) that they should haunt enmities in (or upon) Israel;Verse 52and he strengthened the city (of) Bethsura, and Gazara, and the high tower, and putted in them helps, and apparel of meats (or food).Verse 53And he took the sons of princes of the country in (or for) hostage(s), or pledges, and putted them in the high tower in Jerusalem, in keeping.Verse 54And in the hundred year and three and fifty [or fiftieth], in the second month, Alcimus commanded (that) the walls of the holy inner house for to be destroyed, and the works of (the) prophets for to be destroyed,Verse 55and he began for to destroy (them). In that time Alcimus was smitten, and the works of him were hindered. And his mouth was closed, and he was dissolved, either made feeble, by palsy, neither he might speak more a word, and command of (or to) his house.Verse 56And Alcimus was dead in that time, with great torment.Verse 57And Bacchides saw, that Alcimus was dead, and he (re)turned again to the king, and the land was still two years.Verse 58And all (the) wicked men thought, saying, Lo! Jonathan, and they that be with him, dwell in silence, and trust; now therefore bring we Bacchides, and he shall take them all in one night.Verse 59And they went forth, and gave counsel to him.Verse 60And he rose (up), for to come with much host. And he sent epistles privily to his fellows, that were in Judea, that they should catch Jonathan, and them that were with him; but they might not, for their counsel was known to them.Verse 61And Jonathan caught (those) of men of the country, that were princes of knighthood, fifty men, and slew them.Verse 62And Jonathan and Simon went, and they that were with him, into Bethbasi, that is in (the) desert, and (re)builded the destroyed things there-of, and made it strong.Verse 63And Bacchides knew (this), and gathered all his multitude, and announced to them that were of Judea.Verse 64And he came, and setted (up) tents above Bethbasi, and fought against it many days, and made engines (of war).Verse 65And Jonathan left Simon, his brother, in the city, and went out into the coun-try, and came with (a) number (of men);Verse 66and smote Odomera, and his brethren, and (the) sons of Phasiron, in the tabernacles of them (or tents),Verse 67and [he] began for to smite, and wax in virtues (or increase his forces). Simon soothly, and they that were with him, went out of the city, and burnt (up the) engines (of war).Verse 68And they fought against Bacchides, and he was all-broken of (or by) them; and they tormented him greatly, for his counsel and his assailing was void.Verse 69And he was wroth against wicked men, that gave counsel to him for to come into their country, and slew many of them; forsooth he thought with others for to go into his country.Verse 70And Jonathan knew, and sent legates to him, for to make peace with him, and to yield to him (the) prisoners.Verse 71And willfully he took (or accepted), and did by [or after] his words, and swore that he should not do to him any evil in all the days of his life.Verse 72And he yielded to him the captivity, that is, (the Jewish) prisoners, which he took by prey before (out) of the land of Judea. And he (re)turned, and went into his land, and putted no more for to come into his coasts.Verse 73And (the) sword ceased from Israel. And Jonathan dwelled in Michmash, and there Jonathan began for to deem the people, and he destroyed the un-faithful [or unpious] men (out) of Israel.