THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES 6

1 Maccabees 6

2 Antiochus, willing to take the city of Elimais, is driven away of the citizens. 8 He falls into sickness, and dies. 17 His son Antiochus is made King. 34 The manner is to provoke elephants to fight. 43 Eleazarus valiant act. 49 The siege of Simon.

NOW when King Antiochus travails through the high countries, he heard that Elimais in the country of Peersia was a city greatly renowned for riches, silver and gold,

And that there was in it a very rich temple, where as were coverings of gold, coat armoures, and harnes [body armor]*, which Alexander King of Macedonia the son of Philippe (that reigned first in Grecia) had left thee.

Wherefore he went about to take the city, and to spoil it, but he was not able: for the citizens were warned of the matter,

And rose up against him in battle, and he fled and departed thence with great heaviness, and came again into Babylon.

Moreover, there came one which brought him tidings in the country of Persia, that the armies that went against the land of Juda, were driven away,

And that Lysias, which went forth first with a great power, was driven away of the Jews, and that they were made strong by the armor, and power, and divers spoils which they had gotten of the armies whom they had destroyed,

And that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had set up upon the altar of Jerusalem, and fenced the Sanctuary with high walls, as it was afore, and Beth-sura his city.

So when the King had heard these words, he was astonished, and sore moved: therefore he laid him down upon his bed, and fell sick for very sorrow, because it was not come to pass, as he had thought.

And there continued he many days: for his grief was ever more and more, so that he saw he must needs die.

Therefore he sent for all his friends, and said unto them, The sleep is gone from mine eyes, and mine heart fails for very care.

And I think within myself, Into what adversity am I come? and into what floods of misery am I fallen now, where as afore time I was in prosperity, and greatly set by, by reason of my power?

And now do I remember the evils that I have done at Jerusalem: for I took all the vessels of gold and of silver that were in it, and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without cause.

I know that these troubles are come upon me for the same cause, and behold, I must die with great sorrow in a strange land..

Then called he for Philippe, one of his friends, whom he made ruler of all his realm,

And gave him the crown, and his robe, and the ring, that he should instruct his son Antiochus, and bring him up, til he might reign himself.

So King Antiochus died there in the hundredth, and forty and ninth year.

When Lysias knew, that the King was dead, he ordained Antiochus his son (whom he had brought up) to reign in his father’s stead, and called him Eopator.

Now they that were in the castle at Jerusalem, kept in the Israelites round about the Sanctuary, and sought always their hurt, and the strengthening of the heathen.

Therefore Judas thought to destroy them, and called all the people together to besiege them.

So they came together, and besieged them in the hundredth and fifty year, and made instruments to shoot and other engines of war.

But certain of them that were besieged, got forth, (unto whom some ungodly men of Israel joined themselves.)

And they went unto the King, saying, How long wilt thou cease from executing judgment, and avenge our brethren?

We have been ready to serve thy father, and to go forward in those things, that he appointed, and to obey his commandments.

Therefore they of our nations fell from us for this cause, and wheresoever they found any of us, they slew them, and spoiled our inheritance.

And they have not only laid hand upon us, but upon all about their borders.

And behold, this day are they besieging the castle at Jerusalem to take it, and have fortified the Sanctuary, and Beth-sura.

And if thou do not prevent them quickly, they will do greater things than these, and thou shalt not be able to overcome them.

When the King heard this, he was very angry, and called all his friends, the captains of his army, and his horsemen,

And bands that were hired, came unto him from the Kings, that were confederate, and from the isles of the sea.

So the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle.

These came through Idumea and drew near to Beth-sura, and besieged it a long season, and made engines of war: but they came out, and burnt them with fire, and fought valiantly.

Then departed Judas from the castle, and removed the host toward Beth-zacarias over against the King’s camp.

So the King arose very early, and brought the army and his power toward the way of Beth-zacarias, where the armies set themselves in array to the battle, and blew the trumpets.

And to provoke the elephants for to fight, they showed them the blood of grapes and mulberries,

And they set the beasts according to the ranges: so that by every elephant there stood a thousand men armed with coats of mail and helmets of brass upon their heads, and unto every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best,

Which were ready at all times wheresoever the beast was: and whethersoever the beast went, they went also, and departed not from him.

And upon them were strong towers of wood that covered every beast, which were fastened thereon with instruments, and upon every one was two and thirty men, that sought in them, and the Indian that ruled him.

They set also the remnant of the horsemen upon both the sides in two wings of the host to stir them up, and to keep them in the valleys.

And when the sun shone upon the golden shields, the mountains glistened therewith, and gave light as lamps of fire.

Thus part of the King’s army was spread upon the high mountains, and part beneath: so they marched forward warely [watchfully, with caution]* and in order.

And all they that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the harnes [body armor]*, were astonished: for the army was very great and mighty.

Then Judas and his host entered into the battle, and they slew six hundred men of the King’s army.

Now when Eleazar, the son of Abaron, saw one of the elephants armed with royal harnes, and was more excellent then all the other beasts, he thought that the King should be upon him.

Wherefore he jeopardized himself to deliver his people, and to get him a perpetual name,

And ran boldly unto him through the midst of the host, slaying on the right hand, and on the left, so that they departed away on both sides.

So went he to the elephant’s feet, and got him under him, and slew him: then fell the elephant down upon him, and there he died.

But the other, seeing the power of the King and the fierceness of his army, departed from them.

And the King’s army went up to meet them toward Jerusalem, and the King pitched his tents in Judea toward mount Sion.

Moreover, the King took truce with them that were in Beth-sura: but when they came out of the city, because they had no vittles there, and were shut up therein, and the land had rested,

The King took Beth-sura, and set there a garrison to keep it,

And besieged the Sanctuary many days, and made instruments to shoot, and other engines of war, and instruments to call fire and stones, and pieces to cast darts and slings.

Then also made engines against their engines, and fought a long season.

But in the garners there were no vittles: for it was the seventh year, and then they that were in Judea, and were delivered from the Gentiles, had eaten up the residue of the store,

So that in the Sanctuary were few men left: for the famine came so upon them, that they were scattered every man to his own place.

Now when Lysias heard that Philippe (whom Antiochus the King, whilst he lived, had ordained to bring up Antiochus his son, that he might be King)

Was come again out of Persia, and media, and the King’s host with him, and thought to take unto him the rule of things,

He and his hasted, and were stirred forward by them in the castle to go and tell the King, and the captains of the host, and to others, saying, We decrease daily, and our vittles are but small: and the place that we lay siege unto, is strong, and the affairs of the realm depend upon us.

Now therefore let us agree with these men, and take truce with them, and with all their nation,

And grant them to live after their Law, as they did afore: for they be grieved, and do all these things, because we have broken their Laws.

So the King and the princes were content, and sent unto them to make peace, and they received it.

When the King went up to mount Sion: but when he saw that the place was well defensed, he brake his oath that he had made, and commanded to break down the wall round about.

Then departed he in all haste, and returned unto Antiochia where he found Philippe having dominion of the city: so he fought against him, and took the city by force.

*WP4Y