THE SECOND BOOK OF MACCABEES 13

2 Maccabees 13

1 The coming of Eupator into Judea. 4 The death of Menelaus. 10 Maccabeus going to fight against Eupator, moves his soldiers unto prayer. 15 He kills fourteen thousand men in the tents of Antiochus. 21 Rhodocus the betrayer of the Jews is taken.

IN the hundredth, forty and nine year it was told Judas, that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great power into Judea,

And Lysias steward and ruler of his affairs with him, having both in their army an hundredth and ten thousand men of foot of the Grecians, and five thousand horsemen, and two and twenty elephants, and three hundredth chariots set with hooks.

Menelaus also joined himself with them and with great deceit encouraged Antiochus, not for the safeguard of the country, but because he thought to have been made the governor.

But the King of Kings moved moved Antiochus’s mind against this wicked man, and Lysias informed the King that this is man was the cause of all mischief, so that the King commanded to bring him to Berea to put him unto death as the manner was in that place.

Now there was in that place a tower of fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had an instrument that turned around, and on every side it rolled down into the ashes.

And there whosoever was condemned of sacrilege, or of any other grievous crime, was cast of all men to the death.

And so it came to pass that this wicked man should die such a death, and it was a most just thing that Menelaus should want burial,

For because he had committed many sins by the altar, whose fire and ashes were holy: he himself also died in the ashes.

Now the King raged in his mind, and came to show himself more cruel unto the Jews then his father.

Which things when Judas perceived, he commanded the people to call upon the Lord night and day, that if ever he had holpen them, he would not help them, when they should be put from their Law, from their country and from the holy Temple:

And that he would not suffer the people, which a little afore began to recover, to be subdued unto the blasphemous nations.

So when they had done this all together, and besought the Lord for mercy with weeping, and fasting, and falling down three days together, Judas exhorted them to make themselves ready.

And he being apart with the Elders, took counsel to go forth, afore the King brought his host into Judea, and should take the city, and commit the matter to the help of the Lord.

So committing the charge to the Lord of the world, he exhorted his shoulders to fight manfully, even unto death for the Laws, the Temple, the city, their country, and the common wealth, and camped by Modin.

And so giving his soldiers for a watch word, The victory of God, he picked out the manliest young men, and went by night into the King’s camp, and slew of the host fourteen thousand men, and all things went prosperously with them, they departed.

This was done in the break of the day, because the protection of the Lord did help them.

Now when the King had tasted the manliness of the Jews, he went about to take the holds by policy,

And marched toward Beth-sura, which was a stronghold of the Jews: but he was chased away, hurt and lost of his men.

For Judas had sent unto them that were in it, such things as were necessary.

But Rhodocus which was in the Jews host, disclosed the secrets to the enemies: therefore he was sought out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in prison.

After this did the King commune with them that were in Beth-sura, and take truce with them, departed, and joined battle with Judas, who overcame him.

But when he understood, that Philippe (whom he had left to be overseer of his business at Antiochia) did rebel against him, he was astonished, so that he yielded himself to the Jews, and made them an oath to do all things that were right, and was appeased toward them, and offered sacrifice and adorned the Temple, and showed great gentleness to the place,

And embraced Maccabeus, and made him captain and governor from Ptolemais unto the Gerreneans.

Nevertheless, when he came to Ptolemais, the people of the city were not content with this agreement: and because they were grieved, they would that he should break the covenants.

Then went Lysias up unto the judgment seat, and excused the fact as well as he could, and persuaded them, and pacified them, and made them well affectioned, and came again unto Antiochia. This is the matter concerning the King’s journey, and his return.