1 Maccabees 3 — GMV
3
Verse 1
Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.
Verse 2
And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
Verse 3
So he got his people great honor, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girded his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protecting the host with his sword.
Verse 4
In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion’s whelp roaring for his prey.
Verse 5
For he pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burned up those that vexed his people.
Verse 6
Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered in his hand.
Verse 7
He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed forever.
Verse 8
Moreover he went through the cities of Judah, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:
Verse 9
so that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he received unto him such as were ready to perish.
Verse 10
Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.
Verse 11
Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain, but the rest fled.
Verse 12
Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius’ sword also, and therewith he fought all his life long.
Verse 13
Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war;
Verse 14
he said, I will get me a name and honor in the kingdom; for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king’s commandment.
Verse 15
So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.
Verse 16
And when he came near to the going up of Beth-horon, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company:
Verse 17
who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day?
Verse 18
Unto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company;
Verse 19
for the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of a host; but strength cometh from heaven.
Verse 20
They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us:
Verse 21
but we fight for our lives and our laws.
Verse 22
Wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them.
Verse 23
Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leaped suddenly upon them, and so Seron and his host were overthrown before him.
Verse 24
And they pursued them from the going down of Beth-horon unto the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines.
Verse 25
Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them:
Verse 26
insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.
Verse 27
Now when King Antiochus heard these things, he was full of indignation: wherefore he sent and gathered together all the forces of his realm, even a very strong army.
Verse 28
He opened also his treasure, and gave his soldiers pay for a year, commanding them to be ready whensoever he should need them.
Verse 29
Nevertheless, when he saw that the money of his treasures failed, and that the tributes in the country were small, because of the dissension and plague, which he had brought upon the land in taking away the laws which had been of old time;
Verse 30
he feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before: for he had abounded above the kings that were before him.
Verse 31
Wherefore, being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.
Verse 32
So he left Lysias, a nobleman, and one of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the king from the river Euphrates unto the borders of Egypt:
Verse 33
and to bring up his son Antiochus, until he came again.
Verse 34
Moreover he delivered unto him the half of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge of all things that he would have done, as also concerning them that dwelt in Judah and Jerusalem;
Verse 35
to wit, that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away their memorial from that place;
Verse 36
and that he should place strangers in all their quarters, and divide their land by lot.
Verse 37
So the king took the half of the forces that remained, and departed from Antioch, his royal city, the hundred forty and seventh year; and he passed the river Euphrates, and went through the high countries.
Verse 38
Then Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’s friends:
Verse 39
and with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Judah, and to destroy it, as the king commanded.
Verse 40
So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country.
Verse 41
And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.
Verse 42
Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their borders; for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them;
Verse 43
they said one to another, Let us restore the decayed estate of our people, and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary.
Verse 44
Then the congregation gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.
Verse 45
Now Jerusalem was laid void as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and aliens kept the stronghold; the heathen had their habitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased.
Verse 46
Wherefore the Israelites assembled themselves together, and came to Mizpah, over against Jerusalem; for in Mizpah was the place where they prayed aforetime in Israel.
Verse 47
Then they fasted that day, and put on sackcloth, and cast ashes upon their heads, and rent their clothes,
Verse 48
and laid open the book of the law, wherein the heathen had sought to paint the likeness of their images.
Verse 49
They brought also the priest’s garments, and the firstfruits, and the tithes: and the Nazirites they stirred up, who had accomplished their days.
Verse 50
Then cried they with a loud voice toward heaven, saying, What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them away?
Verse 51
For thy sanctuary is trodden down and profaned, and thy priests are in heaviness, and brought low.
Verse 52
And, lo, the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us: what things they imagine against us, thou knowest.
Verse 53
How shall we be able to stand against them, except thou, O God, be our help?
Verse 54
Then sounded they with trumpets, and cried with a loud voice.
Verse 55
And after this Judas ordained captains over the people, even captains over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
Verse 56
But as for such as were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, those he commanded that they should return, every man to his own house, according to the law.
Verse 57
So the camp removed, and pitched upon the south side of Emmaus.
Verse 58
And Judas said, Arm yourselves, and be valiant men, and see that ye be in readiness against the morning, that ye may fight with these nations, that are assembled together against us to destroy us and our sanctuary:
Verse 59
for it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the calamities of our people and our sanctuary.
Verse 60
Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.