- 1 Maccabees
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1 And it came to pass, when the Gentiles round about heard that the altar was built, and the sanctuary dedicated as aforetime, they were exceeding wroth. 2 And they took counsel to destroy the race of Jacob that was in the midst of them, and they began to slay and destroy among the people. 3 And Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at Akrabattene, because they besieged Israel: and he smote them with a great slaughter, and brought down their pride, and took their spoils. 4 And he remembered the wickedness of the children of Baean, who were unto the people a snare and a stumbling block, lying in wait for them in the ways. 5 And they were shut up by him in the towers; and he encamped against them, and destroyed them utterly, and burned with fire the towers of the place, with all that were therein. 6 And he passed over to the children of Ammon, and found a mighty band, and much people, with Timothy for their leader. 7 And he fought many battles with them, and they were discomfited before his face; and he smote them, 8 and gat possession of Jazer, and the villages thereof, and returned again into Judea.
9 And the Gentiles that were in Gilead gathered themselves together against the Israelites that were on their borders, to destroy them. And they fled to the stronghold of Dathema, 10 and sent letters unto Judas and his brethren, saying, The Gentiles that are round about us are gathered together against us to destroy us: 11 and they are preparing to come and get possession of the stronghold whereunto we are fled for refuge, and Timothy is the leader of their host. 12 Now therefore come and deliver us from their hand, for many of us are fallen. 13 And all our brethren that were in the land of Tob have been put to death; and they have carried into captivity their wives and their children and their stuff; and they destroyed there about a thousand men. 14 While the letters were yet reading, behold, there came other messengers from Galilee with their clothes rent, bringing a report after this wise, 15 saying, That there were gathered together against them those of Ptolemais, and of Tyre, and of Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles to consume them. 16 Now when Judas and the people heard these words, there assembled together a great congregation, to consult what they should do for their brethren, that were in tribulation, and were assaulted of them. 17 And Judas said unto Simon his brother, Choose thee out men, and go and deliver thy brethren that are in Galilee, but I and Jonathan my brother will go into the land of Gilead. 18 And he left Joseph the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, as leaders of the people, with the remnant of the host, in Judea, to keep it. 19 And he gave commandment unto them, saying, Take ye the charge of this people, and fight no battle with the Gentiles until that we come again. 20 And unto Simon were divided three thousand men to go into Galilee, but unto Judas eight thousand men to go into the land of Gilead.
21 And Simon went into Galilee, and fought many battles with the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were discomfited before him. 22 And he pursued them unto the gate of Ptolemais; and there fell of the Gentiles about three thousand men, and he took their spoils. 23 And they took to them those that were in Galilee, and in Arbatta, with their wives and their children, and all that they had, and brought them into Judea with great gladness. 24 And Judas Maccabeus and his brother Jonathan passed over Jordan, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness; 25 and they met with the Nabateans, and these met them in a peaceable manner, and told them all things that had befallen their brethren in the land of Gilead: 26 and how that many of them were shut up in Bozrah, and Bosor, and Alema, Chaspho, Maked, and Carnaim; all these cities are strong and great: 27 and how that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the land of Gilead, and that tomorrow they have appointed to encamp against the strongholds, and to take them, and to destroy all these men in one day. 28 And Judas and his army turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness unto Bozrah; and he took the city, and slew all the males with the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned the city with fire. 29 And he removed from thence by night, and went till he came to the stronghold. 30 And the morning came, and they lifted up their eyes, and, behold, much people which could not be numbered, bearing ladders and engines of war, to take the stronghold; and they were fighting against them. 31 And Judas saw that the battle was begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven, with trumpets and a great sound, 32 and he said unto the men of his host, Fight this day for your brethren. 33 And he went forth behind them in three companies, and they sounded with their trumpets, and cried out in prayer. 34 And the army of Timothy perceived that it was Maccabeus, and they fled from before him: and he smote them with a great slaughter; and there fell of them on that day about eight thousand men. 35 And he turned aside to Alema and fought against it, and took it, and slew all the males thereof, and took the spoils thereof, and burned it with fire. 36 From thence he removed, and took Chaspho, Maked, Bosor, and the other cities of the land of Gilead.
37 Now after these things Timothy gathered another army, and encamped over against Raphon beyond the brook. 38 And Judas sent men to spy the army; and they brought him word, saying, All the Gentiles that are round about us are gathered together unto them, an exceeding great host. 39 And they have hired Arabians to help them, and are encamping beyond the brook, ready to come against thee to battle. And Judas went to meet them. 40 And Timothy said unto the captains of his host, when Judas and his army drew nigh unto the brook of water, If he pass over first unto us, we shall not be able to withstand him; for he will mightily prevail against us: 41 but if he be afraid, and encamp beyond the river, we will cross over unto him, and prevail against him. 42 Now when Judas came nigh unto the brook of water, he caused the scribes of the people to remain by the brook, and gave commandment unto them, saying, Suffer no man to encamp, but let all come to the battle. 43 And he crossed over the first against them, and all the people after him: and all the Gentiles were discomfited before his face, and cast away their arms, and fled unto the temple at Carnaim. 44 And they took the city, and burned the temple with fire, together with all that were therein. And Carnaim was subdued, neither could they stand any longer before the face of Judas.
45 And Judas gathered together all Israel, them that were in the land of Gilead, from the least unto the greatest, and their wives, and their children, and their stuff, an exceeding great army, that they might come into the land of Judah. 46 And they came as far as Ephron, and this same city was great, and it was in the way as they should go, exceeding strong: they could not turn aside from it on the right hand or on the left, but must needs pass through the midst of it. 47 And they of the city shut them out, and stopped up the gates with stones. 48 And Judas sent unto them with words of peace, saying, We will pass through thy land to go into our own land, and none shall do you any hurt, we will only pass by on our feet. And they would not open unto him. 49 And Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the army, that each man should encamp in the place where he was. 50 And the men of the host encamped, and fought against the city all that day and all that night, and the city was delivered into his hands; 51 and he destroyed all the males with the edge of the sword, and razed the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through the city over them that were slain. 52 And they went over Jordan into the great plain over against Beth-shan. 53 And Judas gathered together those that lagged behind, and encouraged the people all the way through, until he came into the land of Judah. 54 And they went up to mount Zion with gladness and joy, and offered whole burnt offerings, because not so much as one of them was slain until they returned in peace.
55 And in the days when Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais, 56 Joseph the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, rulers of the host, heard of their exploits and of the war, what things they had done; 57 and they said, Let us also get us a name, and let us go fight against the Gentiles that are round about us. 58 And they gave charge unto the men of the host that was with them, and went toward Jamnia. 59 And Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle. 60 And Joseph and Azariah were put to flight, and were pursued unto the borders of Judea; and there fell on that day of the people of Israel about two thousand men. 61 And there was a great overthrow among the people, because they hearkened not unto Judas and his brethren, thinking to do some exploit. 62 But they were not of the seed of those men, by whose hand deliverance was given unto Israel.
63 And the man Judas and his brethren were glorified exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and of all the Gentiles, wheresoever their name was heard of; 64 and men gathered together unto them, acclaiming them.
65 And Judas and his brethren went forth, and fought against the children of Esau in the land toward the south; and he smote Hebron and the villages thereof, and pulled down the strongholds thereof, and burned the towers thereof round about. 66 And he removed to go into the land of the Philistines, and he went through Samaria. 67 In that day certain priests, desiring to do exploits there, were slain in battle, when as he went out to battle unadvisedly. 68 And Judas turned aside to Azotus, to the land of the Philistines, and pulled down their altars, and burned the carved images of their gods with fire, and took the spoil of their cities, and returned into the land of Judah.

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