1 Maccabees 7 — GMV

7 Verse 1 In the hundred and one and fiftieth year Demetrius the son of Seleucus departed from Rome, and came up with a few men unto a city of the sea coast, and reigned there. ^{Verse 2} And as he entered into the palace of his ancestors, so it was, that his forces had taken Antiochus and Lysias, to bring them unto him. ^{Verse 3} Wherefore, when he knew it, he said, Let me not see their faces. ^{Verse 4} So his host slew them. Now when Demetrius was set upon the throne of his kingdom, ^{Verse 5} there came unto him all the wicked and ungodly men of Israel, having Alcimus, who was desirous to be high priest, for their captain: ^{Verse 6} and they accused the people to the king, saying, Judas and his brethren have slain all thy friends, and driven us out of our own land. ^{Verse 7} Now therefore send some man whom thou trustest, and let him go and see what havoc he hath made among us, and in the king’s land, and let him punish them with all them that aid them. ^{Verse 8} Then the king chose Bacchides, a friend of the king, who ruled beyond the river, and was a great man in the kingdom, and faithful to the king. ^{Verse 9} And him he sent with that wicked Alcimus, whom he made high priest, and commanded that he should take vengeance of the children of Israel. ^{Verse 10} So they departed, and came with a great power into the land of Judah, where they sent messengers to Judas and his brethren with peaceable words deceitfully. ^{Verse 11} But they gave no heed to their words; for they saw that they were come with great power. ^{Verse 12} Then did there assemble unto Alcimus and Bacchides a company of scribes, to require justice. ^{Verse 13} Now the Hasideans were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace of them: ^{Verse 14} for said they, One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come with this army, and he will do us no wrong. ^{Verse 15} So he spoke unto them peaceably, and swore unto them, saying, We will procure the harm neither of you nor your friends. ^{Verse 16} Whereupon they believed him: howbeit he took of them threescore men, and slew them in one day, according to the words which he wrote, ^{Verse 17} The flesh of thy saints have they cast out, and their blood have they shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them. ^{Verse 18} Wherefore the fear and dread of them fell upon all the people, who said, There is neither truth nor righteousness in them; for they have broken the covenant and oath that they made. ^{Verse 19} After this removed Bacchides from Jerusalem, and pitched his tents in Beth-zaith, where he sent and took many of the men that had forsaken him, and certain of the people also, and when he had slain them, he cast them into the great pit. ^{Verse 20} Then committed he the country to Alcimus, and left with him a power to aid him: so Bacchides went to the king. ^{Verse 21} But Alcimus contended for the high priesthood. ^{Verse 22} And unto him resorted all such as troubled the people, who, after they had gotten the land of Judah into their power, did much hurt in Israel. ^{Verse 23} Now when Judas saw all the mischief that Alcimus and his company had done among the Israelites, even above the heathen, ^{Verse 24} he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and took vengeance of them that had revolted from him, so that they durst no more go forth into the country. ^{Verse 25} On the other side, when Alcimus saw that Judas and his company had gotten the upper hand, and knew that he was not able to abide their force, he went again to the king, and said evil things against them. ^{Verse 26} Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honorable princes, a man that bare deadly hate unto Israel, with commandment to destroy the people. ^{Verse 27} So Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great force: and sent unto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with friendly words, saying, ^{Verse 28} Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a few men, that I may see you in peace. ^{Verse 29} He came therefore to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. Howbeit the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by violence. ^{Verse 30} Which thing after it was known to Judas, to wit, that he came unto him with deceit, he was sore afraid of him, and would see his face no more. ^{Verse 31} Nicanor also, when he saw that his counsel was discovered, went out to fight against Judas beside Caphar-salama: ^{Verse 32} and there were slain of Nicanor’s side about five thousand men, and the rest fled into the city of David. ^{Verse 33} After this went Nicanor up to Mount Zion, and there came out of the sanctuary certain of the priests and certain of the elders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to show him the burnt sacrifice that was offered for the king. ^{Verse 34} But he mocked them, and laughed at them, and abused them shamefully, and spoke proudly, ^{Verse 35} and swore in his wrath, saying, Unless Judas and his host be now delivered into my hands, if ever I come again in safety, I will burn up this house: and with that he went out in a great rage. ^{Verse 36} Then the priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple, weeping, and saying, ^{Verse 37} Thou, O Lord, didst choose this house to be called by thy name, and to be a house of prayer and petition for thy people: ^{Verse 38} be avenged of this man and his host, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue any longer. ^{Verse 39} So Nicanor went out of Jerusalem, and pitched his tents in Beth-horon, where a host out of Syria met him. ^{Verse 40} But Judas pitched in Adasa with three thousand men, and there he prayed, saying, ^{Verse 41} O Lord, when they that were sent from the king of the Assyrians blasphemed, thine angel went out and smote a hundred fourscore and five thousand of them. ^{Verse 42} Even so destroy thou this host before us this day, that the rest may know that he hath spoken blasphemously against thy sanctuary, and judge thou him according to his wickedness. ^{Verse 43} So the thirteenth day of the month Adar the hosts joined battle: but Nicanor’s host was discomfited, and he himself was first slain in the battle. ^{Verse 44} Now when Nicanor’s host saw that he was slain, they cast away their weapons, and fled. ^{Verse 45} Then they pursued after them a day’s journey, from Adasa unto Gazara, sounding an alarm after them with their trumpets. ^{Verse 46} Whereupon they came forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and closed them in; so that they, turning back upon them that pursued them, were all slain with the sword, and not one of them was left. ^{Verse 47} Afterward they took the spoils, and the prey, and smote off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so proudly, and brought them away, and hanged them up toward Jerusalem. ^{Verse 48} For this cause the people rejoiced greatly, and kept that day as a day of great gladness. ^{Verse 49} Moreover they ordained to keep yearly this day, being the thirteenth of Adar. ^{Verse 50} Thus the land of Judah was in rest a little while.