- 1st Maccabees [Hammers]
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9
1 And Demetrius heard that Nicanor was fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah [Praised] a second time, and the right wing of his army with them: 2 and they went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and got possession of it, and destroyed much people. 3 And the first month Nissan ·Miracles (in Aramaic), 1· of *circa B.C.E 161 the one hundred fifty second year they encamped against Jerusalem [City of peace]: 4 and they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horse. 5 And Judas [Praised] was encamped at Elasa, and three thousand chosen men with him: 6 and they saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they feared exceedingly: and many slipped away out of the army; there were not left of them more than eight hundred men. 7 And Judas [Praised] saw that his army slipped away, and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was sore troubled in heart, for that he had no time to gather them together, and he waxed faint. 8 And he said to them that were left, Let us arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them. 9 And they would have dissuaded him, saying, We shall in no wise be able: but let us rather save our lives now: let us return again, we and our brethren, and fight against them: but we are few. 10 And Judas [Praised] said, let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them: and if our time is come, let us die manfully for our brethren’s sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our glory. 11 And the host removed from the camp, and stood to encounter them, and the horse was parted into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the host, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle. 12 But Bacchides was in the right wing; and the heavy infantry armed with spears drew near on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets. 13 And the men of Judas [Praised]’ side, even they sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening. 14 And Judas [Praised] saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and there went with him all that were brave in heart, 15 and the right wing was embarrassed by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotus. 16 And they that were on the left wing saw that the right wing was embarrassed, and they turned and followed upon the footsteps of Judas [Praised] and of those that were with him: 17 and the battle waxed sore, and many on both parts fell wounded to death. 18 And Judas [Praised] fell, and the rest fled. 19 And Jonathan [Yah has given] and Simeon [Hearing] took Judas [Praised] their brother, and buried him in the sepulcher of his fathers at Modin. 20 And they bewailed him, and all Israel [God prevails] made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said, 21 How is the mighty fallen, the savior of Israel [God prevails]! 22 And the rest of the acts of Judas [Praised], and his wars, and the valiant deeds which he did, and his greatness, they are not written; for they were exceeding many.
23 And it came to pass after the death of Judas [Praised], that those departing from Torah ·Teaching· put forth their heads in all the coasts of Israel [God prevails], and all they that wrought iniquity rose up 24 (in those days there was an exceeding great famine), and the country went over with them. 25 And Bacchides chose out the ungodly men, and made them lords of the country. 26 And they sought out and searched for the friends of Judas [Praised], and brought them to Bacchides, and he took vengeance on them, and used them despitefully. 27 And there was great tribulation in Israel [God prevails], such as was not since the time that no prophet appeared to them. 28 And all the friends of Judas [Praised] were gathered together, and they said to Jonathan [Yah has given], 29 Since your brother Judas [Praised] has died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies and Bacchides, and among them of our nation that hate us. 30 Now therefore we have chosen you this day to be our prince and leader in his stead, that you may fight our battles. 31 And Jonathan [Yah has given] took the governance upon him at that time, and rose up in the stead of his brother Judas [Praised].
32 And Bacchides knew it, and he sought to kill him. 33 And Jonathan [Yah has given], and Simeon [Hearing] his brother, and all that were with him, knew it; and they fled into the wilderness of Tekoah, and encamped by the water of the pool Asphar. 34 And Bacchides knew it on the Sabbath ·To cease· day, and came, he and all his army, over Jordan [Descender]. 35 And Jonathan [Yah has given] sent his brother, a leader of the multitude, and implored his friends the Nabathaeans, that they might leave with them their baggage, which was much. 36 And the children of Jambri came out of Medaba, and took John [Yah is gracious], and all that he had, and went their way with it.
37 But after these things they brought word to Jonathan [Yah has given] and Simeon [Hearing] his brother, that the children of Jambri were making a great marriage, and were bringing the bride from Nadabath with a great train, a daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan [Humbled]. 38 And they remembered John [Yah is gracious] their brother, and went up, and hid themselves under the cover of the mountain: 39 and they lifted up their eyes, and saw, and, behold, a great fuss and much baggage: and the bridegroom came forth, and his friends and his brethren, to meet them with timbrels, and minstrels, and many weapons. 40 And they rose up against them from their ambush, and killed them, and many fell wounded to death, and the remnant fled into the mountain, and they took all their spoils. 41 And the marriage was turned into mourning, and the voice of their minstrels into lamentation. 42 And they avenged fully the blood of their brother, and turned back to the marsh of Jordan [Descender].
43 And Bacchides heard it, and he came on the Sabbath ·To cease· day to the banks of Jordan [Descender] with a great host. 44 And Jonathan [Yah has given] said to his company, Let us stand up now and fight for our lives, for it is not with us today, as yesterday and the day before. 45 For, behold, the battle is before us and behind us; moreover the water of the Jordan [Descender] is on this side and on that side, and marsh and wood; and there is no place to turn aside. 46 Now therefore cry to heaven (God), that you may be delivered out of the hand of your enemies. 47 And the battle was joined, and Jonathan [Yah has given] stretched forth his hand to strike Bacchides, and he turned away back from him. 48 And Jonathan [Yah has given] and they that were with him leapt into the Jordan [Descender], and swam over to the other side: and they did not pass over Jordan [Descender] against them. 49 And there fell of Bacchides’ company that day about a thousand men; 50 and he returned to Jerusalem [City of peace]. And they built strong cities in Judea [Praise], the stronghold that was in Jericho [Fragrant, Moon], and Emmaus, and Bethhoron, and Beth-el [House of God], and Timnath, Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars. 51 And in them he set a garrison, to vex Israel [God prevails]. 52 And he fortified the city Bethsura, and Gazara, and the fortress, and put forces in them, and store of food. 53 And he took the sons of the chief men of the country for hostages, and put them in ward in the fortress at Jerusalem [City of peace].
54 And in †circa B.C.E 160 the one hundred fifty third year, in the second month (Iyar ·Light / I Am God your healer, 2·), Alcimus commanded to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary; he pulled down also the works of the prophets; 55 and he began to pull down. At that time was Alcimus stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give order concerning his house. 56 And Alcimus died at that time with great torment. 57 And Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, and he returned to the king: and the land of Judah [Praised] had rest two years.
58 And all those men departing from Torah ·Teaching· took counsel, saying, Behold, Jonathan [Yah has given] and they of his part are dwelling at ease, and in security: now therefore we will bring Bacchides, and he shall lay hands on them all in one night. 59 And they went and consulted with him. 60 And he removed, and came with a great host, and sent letters privily to all his confederates that were in Judea [Praise], that they should lay hands on Jonathan [Yah has given] and those that were with him: and they could not, because their counsel was known to them. 61 And they that were of Jonathan [Yah has given]’s part laid hands on about fifty of the men of the country, that were authors of the wickedness, and he killed them. 62 And Jonathan [Yah has given], and Simeon [Hearing], and they that were with him, got them away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down thereof, and they made it strong. 63 And Bacchides knew it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent word to them that were of Judea [Praise]. 64 And he went and encamped against Bethbasi, and fought against it many days, and made engines of war. 65 And Jonathan [Yah has given] left his brother Simeon [Hearing] in the city, and went forth into the country, and he went with a few men. 66 And he struck Odomera and his brethren, and the children of Phasiron in their tent. 67 And they began to strike them, and to go up with their forces. And Simeon [Hearing] and they that were with him went out of the city, and set on fire the engines of war, 68 and fought against Bacchides, and he was embarrassed by them, and they afflicted him sore; for his counsel was in vain, and his inroad. 69 And they were very angry with those men departing from Torah ·Teaching· that gave him counsel to come into the country, and they killed many of them. And he took counsel to depart into his own land. 70 And Jonathan [Yah has given] had knowledge thereof, and sent ambassadors to him, to the end that they should make peace with him, and that he should restore to them the captives. 71 And he accepted the thing, and did according to his words, and swore to him that he would not seek his hurt all the days of his life. 72 And he restored to him the captives which he had taken aforetime out of the land of Judah [Praised], and he returned and departed into his own land, and came not any more into their borders. 73 And the sword ceased from Israel [God prevails]. And Jonathan [Yah has given] lived at Michmash; and Jonathan [Yah has given] began to judge the people; and he destroyed the ungodly out of Israel [God prevails].

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*9:3 circa B.C.E 161

†9:54 circa B.C.E 160

© 2016,2019 Thomas Robinson