I Maccabees
6 The death of Alexander the King of Macedonia. 11 Antiochus takes the kingdom. 12 Many of the children of Israel make covenant with the Gentiles. 21 Antiochus subdues Egypt and Jerusalem unto his dominion. 50 Anticochus sets up idols.
AFTER that Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philippe, went forth of the land of Chettiim, and slew Darius King of the Persians and Medes, and reigned for him as he had before in Grecia,
He took great wars in hand, and won stronghold, and slew the Kings of the earth.
So went he through to the ends of the world, and took spoils of many nations, in so much that the world stood in awe of him: therefore his heart was puffed up and was haughty.
Now when he had gathered a mighty strong host,
And had reigned over regions, nations and kingdoms, they became tributaries unto him.
After these things he fell sick, and knew that he should die.
Then he called for the chief of his servants, which had been brought up with him of children, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.
So Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.
And his servants reigned every one in his room.
And they all caused themselves to be crowned after his death, and so did their children after them many years, and much wickedness increased in the world.
For out of these came the wicked root, even Antiochus Ephiphanes the son of King Antiochus, which had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundredth and seven and thirtieth year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, which enticed many, saying, Let us go, and make a covenant with the heathen, that are round about us: for since we departed from them, we have had much sorrow.
So this device pleased them well.
And certain of the people were ready, and went to the King which gave them license to do after the ordinance of the heathen.
Then set they up a place of exercise at Jerusalem, according to the fashion of the heathen,
And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.
So when Antiochus’ kingdom was set in order, he went about to reign over Egypt, that he might have the dominion of two realms.
Therefore he entered into Egypt with a mighty company, with chariots, and elephants, and with horsemen, and with a great navy,
And moved war against Ptolemeus King of Egypt: but Ptolemeus was afraid of him, and fled, and many were wounded to death.
Thus Antiochus won many strong cities in the land of Egypt, and took away the spoils of the land of Egypt.
And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he turned again in the hundredth, forty and three years,
And went up toward Israel and Jerusalem with a mighty people.
And entered proudly into the Sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick for the light, and all the instruments thereof, and the table of the show bread and the pouring vessels, and the bowls, and the golden basins, and the vail, and the crowns, and the golden apparel, which was before the Temple, and brake all in pieces.
He took also the silver and gold, and the precious jewels, and he took the secret treasures that he found, and when he had taken away all, he departed into his own land,
After he had murdered many men, and spoken very proudly.
Therefore there was a great lamentation in every place of Israel.
For the princes and the Elders mourned: the young women, and the young men were made feeble, and the beauty of the women was changed.
Every bridegroom took him to mourning, and she that sat in the marriage chamber, was in heaviness.
The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof: for all the house of Iacob was covered with confusion.
After two years the King sent his chief tax master into the cities of Juda, which came to Jerusalem with a great multitude.
Who spake peaceable words unto them in deceit, and they gave credit unto him.
Then he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it with a great plague, and destroyed much people of Israel.
And when he had spoiled the city, he set fire on it, cating down the houses thereof, and walls thereof on every side.
The women and their children took they captive, and led away the cattle.
Then fortified they the city of David with a great and thick wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them.
Moreover they set wicked people there, and ungodly persons, and fortified themselves there in.
And they stored it with weapons and vittles, and gathered the spoil of Jerusalem, and laid it up there.
Thus became they a sore snare and were in ambushment for the Sanctuary, and were wicked enemies evermore unto Israel.
For they shed innocent blood on every side of the Sanctuary and defiled the Sanctuary,
In so much that the citizens of Jerusalem fled away because of them, and it became an habitation of strangers, being desolate of them whom she had born: for her own children did leave her.
Her Sanctuary was left waste as a wilderness: her holy days were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, and her honor brought to naught.
As her glory had been great, so was her dishonor, and her excellency was turned into sorrow.
Also the King wrote unto all his kingdom, that all the people should be as one, and that every man should leave his laws.
And all the heathen agreed to the commandment of the King.
Yea, many of the Israelites consented to his religion, offering unto idols, and defiling the Sabbath.
So the King sent letters by the messengers unto Jerusalem, and to the cities of Juda, that they should follow the strange laws of the country,
And that they should forbid the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the offerings in the Sanctuary,
and that they should defile the Sabbaths and the feasts,
And pollute the Sanctuary and the holy men,
And to set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and offer up swines flesh, and unclean beasts,
And that they should leave their children uncircumcised, and defile their souls with uncleanness, and pollute themselves, that they might forget the Law, and change all the ordinances,
And that whatsoever would not do according to the commandment of the King, should suffer death.
In like manner wrote he throughout all his kingdoms, and set overseers over all the people, for to compel them to do these things.
And he commanded the cities of Juda to do sacrifice, city by city.
Then went many of the people unto them by heaps, every one that forsook the Law, and so they committed evil in the land.
And they drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succor.
The fifteenth day of Casleu, in the hundredth and five and fortieth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and they built altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side.
And before the doors of the houses, and in the streets they burnt incense.
And the books of the Law, which they found, they burnt in the fire, and cut in pieces.
Whosoever had a book of the Testament found by him, or whosoever consented unto the Law, the King’s commandment was, that they should put him to death by their authority,
And they executed these things every month, they did sacrifice upon the altar, which was in the stead of the altar of sacrifices.
And according to the commandment, they put certain women to death, which had caused their children to be circumcised,
And they hanged up the children at their necks, and they spoiled their houses, and slew the circumcisers of them.
Yet were there many in Israel, which were of courage, and determined in themselves, that they would not eat unclean things,
But chose rather to suffer death, then to be defiled with those meats: so because they would not break the holy covenant, they were put to death.
And this tyranny was very sore upon the people of Israel.
warriorprincess4yeshua.blog 