THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES 5

Maccabees 5

3 Judas vanquished the heath that go about to destroy Israel, and is holpen of his brethren Simon and Jonathan. 30 He overthrows the city of Ephron, because they denied him passage through it.

NOW when the nations round about heard, that the altar was built, and the Sanctuary renewed, as afore, they were sore grieved.

Therefore they thought to destroy the generation of Iacob that was among them, and began to slay and destroy the people.

Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at Arrabathene, because they besieged the Israelites, and he smote them with a great plague, and drove them to straits, and took their spoils.

He thought also upon the malice of the children of Bean, which had been a snare and an hindrance unto the people, when they laid in wait for them in the highway.

Wherefore he shut them up in towers, and beseiged them, and destroyed them utterly, and burnt their towers with fire, with all that were in them.

Afterward, went he against the children of Ammon, where he found a mighty power, and a great multitude with Timotheus their captain..

So he had many battles with them, but they were destroyed before him, and so he discomfited them,

And took Gazer with the towns thereof, and so turned again unto judea.

Then the heathens that were in Galaad, gathered them together against the Israelites that were in their quarters, to slay them: but they fled to the castle of Datheman,

And sent letters to Judas, and to his brethren, saying, The heathen that are about us, are gathered against us, to destroy us,

And they make them ready for to come, and to take the fortress, whereunto we are fled, and Timotheus is captain of their host.

Come now therefore, and deliver us out of their hands: for many of us are slain:

And all our brethren that were at Tubin, are slain, and they have taken away their wives, and their children, and their goods, and destroyed their almost a thousand men.

While these letters were yet a reading, behold, there came other messengers from Galilee with their clothes rent, which told the same tidings,

And said, that they of Ptolemais, and of Tyrus, and of Sidon, and of all Galilee of the Gentiles were gathered against them to destroy them.

When Judas, and the people heard these words, a great Congregation came together, to consult what they might do for their brethren, that were in trouble, and whom they besieged.

Then said Judas to Simon his brother, Choose thee out men, and go and deliver thy brethren to Galilee, and I and my brother Ionathan, will go into the country of Galaad.

So he left Iosephus the son of Zacharias, and Azarias to be captains of the people, and to keep the remnant of the host in Judea,

And command them, saying, Take the oversight of this people, and make no war against the heathen, until we come again.

And unto Simon were given three thousand men to go into Galilee, and to Judas eight thousand men for the country of Galaad.

Then went Simon into Galilee, and gave divers battles to the heathen, and the heathen were discomfited by him.

And he pursued them unto the gates of Ptolemais: and there were slain of the heathen almost three thousand men: so he took their spoils.

Thus they rescued them that were in Galilee and in Arbattis with their wives, and their children, and all that they had, and brought them into Judea with great joy.

Judas Maccabeus also, and his brother Ionathan went over Iorden, and travailed three days journey in the wilderness.

Where they met with the Nabathites, who received them lovingly, and told them every thing that was done unto their brethren in the country of Galaad,

And how that many of them were besieged in Bosorra, and Bosor, in Alemis, Chasbon, Maged and Carnaim (all these cities are strong, and great)

And that they were kept in other cities of Galaad, and tomorrow they are appointed to bring their host unto these forts, and to take them, and to destroy them all in one day.

So Judas and his host turned in all haste by the way of the wilderness toward Bosorra, and won the city, and slew all the males with the edge of the sword, and took all their spoil, and set fire upon the city.

And in the night he removed from thence, and went toward the fortress.

And betimes in the morning when they looked up, behold, there was an innumerable people bearing ladders, and instruments of war, to take the fort, and had assaulted them.

When Judas saw that the battle was begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven with trumpets, and a great sound,

Then he said unto the army, Fight this day for your brethren.

So he went forth behind them with three companies, and blew the trumpets, and cried with prayer.

Then the host of Timotheus knew, that it was Maccabeus, and they fled from him, and he smote them with a great slaughter, so that there was killed of them the same day, almost eight thousand men.

Then departed Judas unto Maspha, and laid siege unto it, and won it, and slew all the males thereof, and spoiled it, and set fire upon it.

From thence went he and took Casbon, Maged, Bosor, and the other cities in Galaad.

After these things gathered Timotheus another host and he camped before Raphon beyond the flood.

Now Judas had sent to spy the host, and they brought him word again, saying, All the heathen that be round about us, and gathered unto him, and the host is very great,

And he hath hired the Arabians to help them, and they have pitched their tents beyond the flood, and are ready to come and fight against thee. So Judas went to meet them.

Then Timotheus said unto the captains of his host, When Judas and his host come near the flood, if he passed over first unto us, we shall not be able to withstand him: for he will be too strong for us.

But if he be afraid, and camp beyond the flood, we will go over unto him, and shall prevail against him.

Now when Judas came near to the flood, he caused the governors of the people to remain by the flood, and commanded them, saying, Suffer none to pitch a tent, but let every man come to the battle.

So he went first over toward them, and all people after him: and all the heathen were discomfited before him, and cast away their weapons, and fled into the temple that was at Carnaim.

Which city Judas gathered all the Israelites that were in the country of Galaad, from the least unto the most, with their wives and their children, and their baggage, a very great host, to come into the land of Juda.

So they came unto Ephron, which was a great city by the way, and strongly defensed: they could not pass, neither at the right hand nor at the left, but must go through it.

But they that were in the city, shut themselves in, and stopped up the gates with stones: and Judas sent unto them with peaceable words, saying,

Let us pass through your land, that we may go into our own country, and none shall hurt you: we will be only go through on foot: but they would not open unto him.

Wherefore Judas commanded a proclamation to be made through out the host, that every man should assault it according to his standing.

So the valiant men set upon it, and assaulted the city all that day, and all that night, and the city was given over into his hands:

Who fles all the males with the edge of the sword, and destroyed it, and took the spoil thereof, and went through the city over them that were slain.

Then went they over Jorden into the great plain before Bethsan.

And Judas gathered together those that were behind, and gave the people good exhortation al the way through, til they were come into the land of Juda.

Thus they went up with joy, and gladness unto mount Sion, where they offered burnt offerings, because there were none of them slain, but came home again in safety.

Now whiles Judas and Ionathan were in the land of Galaad, and Simon their brother in Galilee before Ptolemais,

Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias the captains, hearing of the valiant acts, and battles which they had achieved, said,

Let us get us a name also, and go fight against the heathen that are round about us.

So they gave their host a commandment and went toward Iamnia.

But Gorgias and his men came out of the city to fight against them.

And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight and pursued unto the borders of Judea: and there were slain that day of the people of Israel about two thousand men: so that there was a great overthrow among the people of Israel,

Because they were not obedient unto Judas, and his brethren, but thought to do some valiant thing.

Also they came not of the stock of these men, by whose hands deliverance was given to Israel.

But the man Judas, and his brethren were greatly commended in the sight of all Israel, and of all the heathen, wheresoever their name was heard of.

And the people came unto them, bidding them welcome.

Afterward went Judas forth with his brethren, and fought against the children of Esau in the land toward the South, where he wanna Hebron, and the towns thereof, and he destroyed the castle thereof, and burnt the towers thereof round about.

Then removed he to go into the land of the strangers, and went through Samaria.

At the same time were the Priests of the cities slain in the battle, which would show their valiantness, and went forth to battle without counsel: and when Judas came to Azotus in the stranger land, he broke down their altars, and burnt with fire the images of their gods, and took away the spoils of the cities, and came again into the land of Juda.