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Chapter 10

 

10:1
Now Maccabeus and his company, the Lord guiding them, recovered the temple and
the city: 2 But the altars which the heathen had built in the open street, and
also the chapels, they pulled down.

 

3
And having cleansed the temple they made another altar, and striking stones
they took fire out of them, and offered a sacrifice after two years, and set
forth incense, and lights, and shewbread. 4 When that was done, they fell flat
down, and besought the Lord that they might come no more into such troubles;
but if they sinned any more against him, that he himself would chasten them
with mercy, and that they might not be delivered unto the blasphemous and
barbarous nations.

 

5
Now upon the same day that the strangers profaned the temple, on the very same
day it was cleansed again, even the five and twentieth day of the same month,
which is Casleu.

 

6
And they kept the eight days with gladness, as in the feast of the tabernacles,
remembering that not long afore they had held the feast of the tabernacles,
when as they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts. 7 Therefore they
bare branches, and fair boughs, and palms also, and sang psalms unto him that
had given them good success in cleansing his place. 8 They ordained also by a
common statute and decree, That every year those days should be kept of the
whole nation of the Jews.

 

9
And this was the end of Antiochus, called Epiphanes.

 

10
Now will we declare the acts of Antiochus Eupator, who was the son of this
wicked man, gathering briefly the calamities of the wars. 11 So when he was
come to the crown, he set one Lysias over the affairs of his realm, and
appointed him his chief governor of Celosyria and Phenice.

 

12
For Ptolemeus, that was called Macron, choosing rather to do justice unto the
Jews for the wrong that had been done unto them, endeavoured to continue peace
with them. 13 Whereupon being accused of the king’s friends before Eupator, and
called traitor at every word because he had left Cyprus, that Philometor had
committed unto him, and departed to Antiochus Epiphanes, and seeing that he was
in no honourable place, he was so discouraged, that he poisoned himself and
died.

 

14
But when Gorgias was governor of the holds, he hired soldiers, and nourished
war continually with the Jews: 15 And therewithal the Idumeans, having gotten
into their hands the most commodious holds, kept the Jews occupied, and
receiving those that were banished from Jerusalem, they went about to nourish
war.

 

16
Then they that were with Maccabeus made supplication, and besought God that he
would be their helper; and so they ran with violence upon the strong holds of
the Idumeans, 17 And assaulting them strongly, they won the holds, and kept off
all that fought upon the wall, and slew all that fell into their hands, and
killed no fewer than twenty thousand.

 

18
And because certain, who were no less than nine thousand, were fled together
into two very strong castles, having all manner of things convenient to sustain
the siege, 19 Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zaccheus also, and them that
were with him, who were enough to besiege them, and departed himself unto those
places which more needed his help.

 

20
Now they that were with Simon, being led with covetousness, were persuaded for
money through certain of those that were in the castle, and took seventy
thousand drachms, and let some of them escape. 21 But when it was told
Maccabeus what was done, he called the governors of the people together, and
accused those men, that they had sold their brethren for money, and set their
enemies free to fight against them. 22 So he slew those that were found
traitors, and immediately took the two castles. 23 And having good success with
his weapons in all things he took in hand, he slew in the two holds more than
twenty thousand.

 

24
Now Timotheus, whom the Jews had overcome before, when he had gathered a great
multitude of foreign forces, and horses out of Asia not a few, came as though
he would take Jewry by force of arms. 25 But when he drew near, they that were
with Maccabeus turned themselves to pray unto God, and sprinkled earth upon
their heads, and girded their loins with sackcloth, 26 And fell down at the
foot of the altar, and besought him to be merciful to them, and to be an enemy
to their enemies, and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declareth.
27 So after the prayer they took their weapons, and went on further from the
city: and when they drew near to their enemies, they kept by themselves.

 

28
Now the sun being newly risen, they joined both together; the one part having
together with their virtue their refuge also unto the Lord for a pledge of
their success and victory: the other side making their rage leader of their
battle

 

29
But when the battle waxed strong, there appeared unto the enemies from heaven
five comely men upon horses, with bridles of gold, and two of them led the
Jews, 30 And took Maccabeus betwixt them, and covered him on every side
weapons, and kept him safe, but shot arrows and lightnings against the enemies:
so that being confounded with blindness, and full of trouble, they were killed.
31 And there were slain of footmen twenty thousand and five hundred, and six
hundred horsemen.

 

32
As for Timotheus himself, he fled into a very strong hold, called Gazara, where
Chereas was governor.

 

33
But they that were with Maccabeus laid siege against the fortress courageously
four days. 34 And they that were within, trusting to the strength of the place,
blasphemed exceedingly, and uttered wicked words.

 

35
Nevertheless upon the fifth day early twenty young men of Maccabeus’ company,
inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall manly, and
with a fierce courage killed all that they met withal. 36 Others likewise
ascending after them, whiles they were busied with them that were within, burnt
the towers, and kindling fires burnt the blasphemers alive; and others broke
open the gates, and, having received in the rest of the army, took the city, 37
And killed Timotheus, that was hid in a certain pit, and Chereas his brother,
with Apollophanes.

 

38
When this was done, they praised the Lord with psalms and thanksgiving, who had
done so great things for Israel, and given them the victory.