THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES 4

Maccabees 4

2 Judas gives against Gorgias which lies in wait. 14 He puts Gorgias and his host to flight. 28 Lysias invadeth Judea. 29 But Judas drove him out. 43 Judas purifies the Temple and dedicates the altar.

THEN took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of the best horsemen, and departed out of the camp by night,

To invade the camp of the Jews, and to slay them suddenly: and the men of the fortress were his guides.

Now when Judas hear it, he removed, and they that were valiant men to smite the King’s army which was at Emmaus,

Whiles yet the army was dispersed from the camp.

In the mean season came Gorgias by night into Judas camp: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the mountains: for said he, They flee from us.

But as soon as it was day, Judas showed himself in the field with three thousand men, which had neither harnes [body armor]* nor swords to their minds.

And they saw that the armies of the heathen were strong and well armed, and their horsemen about them, and that these were expert men of war.

Then said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not their multitude, neither be afraid of their assault.

Remember, how our fathers were delivered in the Red Sea, when Pharoah pursued them with an army.

Therefore now let us cry unto heaven, and the Lord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this host before our face this day:

So shall all the heathen know, that there is one, which delivers and saves Israel.

Then the strangers lift up their eyes, and saw them coming against them,

And they went out of their tents into the battle, and they that were with Judas, blew the trumpets.

So they joined together, and the heathen were discomfited and fled by the plain.

But the hindmost of them fell by the sword, and they pursued them unto Gazeron, and into the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Iamnia,, so that there were slain of them about three thousand men.

So Judas turned again with his host from pursuing them,

And said unto the people, Be not greedy of the spoils: for there is a battle before us.

And Gorgias and the army is here by us in the mountain: but stand ye now fast against your enemies, and overcome them: then may ye safely take the spoils.

As Judas was speaking these words, there appeared one part which looked from the mountains.

But when Gorgias saw that his were fled, and that Judas soldiers burnt the tents: (for the smoke that was seen, declared what was done.)

When they saw these things, they were sore afraid, and when they saw also that Judas and his host were in the field ready to set themselves in array,

They fled every one into the land of strangers.

So Judas turned again to spoil the tents, where he got much gold and silver, and precious stones, and purple of the sea, and great riches.

Thus they went home, and sang psalms, and praised toward the heaven: for he is gracious, and his mercy endures forever.

And so Israel had a great victory in that day.

Now all the strangers that escaped, came, and told Lysias all the things that were done.

Who when he heard these things, was sore afraid, and discouraged, because such things came not upon Israel as he would, neither such thing as the King had commanded him, came to pass.

Therefore the next year following, gathered Lysias three score thousand chosen footmen, and five thousand horsemen to fight against Jerusalem.

So they came also Idumea, and pitched their tents at Beth-sura, where Judas came against them with ten thousand men.

And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed be thou, o Savior of Israel, which did destroy the assault of the mighty men by the hand of thy servant David, and gave the host of the strangers into the hand of Ionathan, the son of Saul, and of his armour bearer:

Shut up this army in the hand of thy people of Israel, and let them be confounded with their power, and with their horsemen.

Make them afraid, and consume their boldness and strength, that they may be astonished at their destruction.

Cast them down by the sword of them that love thee: then shall all they that know thy Name, praise thee with songs.

So they joined together, and there were slain in Lysias host, five thousand men, and they fell before them.

Then Lysias, seeing his army put to flight and the man lines of Judas soldiers, and that they were ready to either live or die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered strangers, and when he had furnished his army, he thought again (being prepared) to come against Judea.

Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are discomfited: let us now go up to cleanse, and to repair the Sanctuary.

So all the hosts gathered them together, and went up into the mountains of Sion.

Now when they saw the Sanctuary laid waste, and the altar defiled, and the doors burnt up, and the shrubs growing in the courts, as in a forest, or as on one of the mountains, and that the Priests chambers were broken down,

Then rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads,

And fell down to the ground on their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.

Then Judas commanded certain of the men to fight against those which were in the castle, til he had cleansed the Sanctuary.

So he chose Priests that were undefiled, such as delight in the Law,

And they cleansed the Sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place,

And consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was polluted.

So they thought it was best to destroy it, lest it should be a reproach unto them, because the heathen had defiled it: therefore they destroyed the altar,

And laid up the stones upon the mountain of the Temple in a convenient place, til there should come a Prophet, to show what should be done with them.

So they took whole stones according to the Law, and built a new altar according to the former,

And made up the Sanctuary, and the things that were within the Temple, and the courts, and all things.

They made also new holy vessels, and brought into the Temple the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense and table.

And they burnt incense upon the altar, and lighted the lamps which were upon the candlestick, that they might burn in the Temple.

They set also the showbread upon the table, and hanged up the vails, and finished all the works that they had begun to make.

And upon the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the moneth of chaslu, in the hundredth and eight and fortieth year they rose up betimes in the morning,

And offered sacrifice according to the Law, upon the new altar of burnt offerings, that they had made.

According to the time, and according to the day, that the heathen had defiled it, in the same day was it made new with songs, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals.

And all the people fell upon their faces, worshiping and praising toward the heaven him that had given them good success.

So they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, offering burnt offerings with gladness, and offered sacrifices of deliverance and praise,

And decked the forefront of the Temple with crowns of gold and shields, and dedicated the gates and chambers, and hanged doors upon them.

Thus there was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the heathen was put away.

So Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained that the days of dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year, by the space of eight days, from the five and twenty day of the month chasleu, with mirth and gladness.

And at the same time built they up mount Sion with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should come, and tread it down, as they had done afore.

Therefore they set a garrison there to keep it, and fortified Beth-sura to keep it, that the people might have a defense against Idumea.