1 Then his son Judas, called Machabeus, rose up in his stead.
2 And all his brethren helped him, and all they that had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
3 And he got his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike armour about him in battles, and protected the camp with his sword.
4 In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey.
5 And he pursued the wicked and sought them out, and them that troubled his people he burnt with fire:
6 And his enemies were driven away for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled: and salvation prospered in his hand.
7 And he grieved many kings, and made Jacob glad with his works, and his memory is blessed for ever.
8 And he went through the cities of Juda, and destroyed the wicked out of them, and turned away wrath from Israel.
9 And he was renowned even to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered them that were perishing.
10 And Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, and a numerous and great army from Samaria, to make war against Israel.
11 And Judas understood it, and went forth to meet him: and he overthrew him, and killed him: and many fell down slain, the rest fled away.
12 And he took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime.
13 And Seron captain of the army of Syria heard that Judas had assembled a company of the faithful, and a congregation with him,
14 And he said: I will get me a name, and will be glorified in the kingdom, and will overthrow Judas, and those that are with him, that have despised the edict of the king.
15 And he made himself ready: and the host of the wicked went up with him, strong succours, to be revenged of the children of Israel.
16 And they approached even as far as Bethoron: and Judas went forth to meet him, with a small company.
17 But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas: How shall we, being few, be able to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, and we are ready to faint with fasting today?
18 And Judas said: It is an easy matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few: and there is no difference in the sight of the God of heaven to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small company:
19 For the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven.
20 They come against us with an insolent multitude, and with pride, to destroy us, and our wives, and our children, and to take our spoils.
21 But we will fight for our lives and our laws:
22 And the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: but as for you, fear them not.
23 And as soon as he had made an end of speaking, he rushed suddenly upon them: and Seron and his host were overthrown before him:
24 And he pursued him by the descent of Bethoron even to the plain, and there fell of them eight hundred men, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.
25 And the fear of Judas and of his brethren, and the dread of them fell upon all the nations round about them.
26 And his fame came to the king, and all nations told of the battles of Judas.
27 Now when king Antiochus heard these words, he was angry in his mind: and he sent and gathered the forces of all his kingdom, an exceeding strong army.
28 And he opened his treasury, and gave out pay to the army for a year: and he commanded them, that they should be ready for all things.
29 And he perceived that the money of his treasures failed, and that the tributes of the country were small because of the dissension, and the evil that he had brought upon the land, that he might take away the laws of old times:
30 And he feared that he should not have as formerly enough, for charges and gifts, which he had given before with a liberal hand: for he had abounded more than the kings that had been before him.
31 And he was greatly perplexed in mind, and purposed to go into Persia, and to take tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.
32 And he left Lysias, a nobleman of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the kingdom, from the river Euphrates even to the river of Egypt:
33 And to bring up his son Antiochus, till he came again.
34 And he delivered to him half the army, and the elephants: and he gave him charge concerning all that he would have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea, and Jerusalem:
35 And that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place:
36 And that he should settle strangers to dwell in all their coasts, and divide their land by lot.
37 So the king took the half of the army that remained, and went forth from Antioch the chief city of his kingdom, in the hundred and forty-seventh year: and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went through the higher countries.
38 Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenus, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends.
39 And he sent with them forty thousand men, and seven thousand horsemen: to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it according to the king's orders.
40 So they went forth with all their power, and came, and pitched near Emmaus in the plain country.
41 And the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them: and they took silver and gold in abundance, and servants: and they came into the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves: and there were joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the strangers.
42 And Judas and his brethren saw that evils were multiplied, and that the armies approached to their borders: and they knew the orders the king had given to destroy the people and utterly abolish them.
43 And they said every man to his neighbour: Let us raise up the low condition of our people, and let us fight for our people, and our sanctuary.
44 And the assembly was gathered that they might be ready for battle: and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.
45 Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert: there was none of her children that went in or out: and the sanctuary was trodden down: and the children of strangers were in the castle, there was the habitation of the Gentiles: and joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and harp ceased there.
46 And they assembled together, and came to Maspha over against Jerusalem: for in Maspha was a place of prayer heretofore in Israel.
47 And they fasted that day, and put on haircloth, and put ashes upon their heads: and they rent their garments:
48 And they laid open the books of the law, in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols:
49 And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the firstfruits and tithes, and stirred up the Nazarites that had fulfilled their days:
50 And they cried with a loud voice toward heaven, saying: What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them?
51 For thy holies are trodden down, and are profaned, and thy priests are in mourning, and are brought low.
52 And behold the nations are come together against us to destroy us: thou knowest what they intend against us.
53 How shall we be able to stand before their face, unless thou, O God, help us?
54 Then they sounded with trumpets, and cried out with a loud voice.
55 And after this Judas appointed captains over the people, over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
56 And he said to them that were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, that they should return every man to his house, according to the law.
57 So they removed the camp, and pitched on the south side of Emmaus.
58 And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready against the morning, that you may fight with these nations that are assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.
59 For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see the evils of our nation, and of the holies:
60 Nevertheless as it shall be the will of God in heaven so be it done.
1 Now when the holy city was inhabited with all peace, and the laws were kept very well, because of the godliness of Onias the high priest, and his hatred of wickedness,
2 It came to pass that even the kings themselves did honour the place, and magnify the temple with their best gifts;
3 Insomuch that Seleucus of Asia of his own revenues bare all the costs belonging to the service of the sacrifices.
4 But one Simon of the tribe of Benjamin, who was made governor of the temple, fell out with the high priest about disorder in the city.
5 And when he could not overcome Onias, he gat him to Apollonius the son of Thraseas, who then was governor of Celosyria and Phenice,
6 And told him that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of infinite sums of money, so that the multitude of their riches, which did not pertain to the account of the sacrifices, was innumerable, and that it was possible to bring all into the king’s hand.
7 Now when Apollonius came to the king, and had shewed him of the money whereof he was told, the king chose out Heliodorus his treasurer, and sent him with a commandment to bring him the foresaid money.
8 So forthwith Heliodorus took his journey; under a colour of visiting the cities of Celosyria and Phenice, but indeed to fulfil the king’s purpose.
9 And when he was come to Jerusalem, and had been courteously received of the high priest of the city, he told him what intelligence was given of the money, and declared wherefore he came, and asked if these things were so indeed.
10 Then the high priest told him that there was such money laid up for the relief of widows and fatherless children:
11 And that some of it belonged to Hircanus son of Tobias, a man of great dignity, and not as that wicked Simon had misinformed: the sum whereof in all was four hundred talents of silver, and two hundred of gold:
12 And that it was altogether impossible that such wrongs should be done unto them, that had committed it to the holiness of the place, and to the majesty and inviolable sanctity of the temple, honoured over all the world.
13 But Heliodorus, because of the king’s commandment given him, said, That in any wise it must be brought into the king’s treasury.
14 So at the day which he appointed he entered in to order this matter: wherefore there was no small agony throughout the whole city.
15 But the priests, prostrating themselves before the altar in their priests’ vestments, called unto heaven upon him that made a law concerning things given to he kept, that they should safely be preserved for such as had committed them to be kept.
16 Then whoso had looked the high priest in the face, it would have wounded his heart: for his countenance and the changing of his colour declared the inward agony of his mind.
17 For the man was so compassed with fear and horror of the body, that it was manifest to them that looked upon him, what sorrow he had now in his heart.
18 Others ran flocking out of their houses to the general supplication, because the place was like to come into contempt.
19 And the women, girt with sackcloth under their breasts, abounded in the streets, and the virgins that were kept in ran, some to the gates, and some to the walls, and others looked out of the windows.
20 And all, holding their hands toward heaven, made supplication.
21 Then it would have pitied a man to see the falling down of the multitude of all sorts, and the fear of the high priest being in such an agony.
22 They then called upon the Almighty Lord to keep the things committed of trust safe and sure for those that had committed them.
23 Nevertheless Heliodorus executed that which was decreed.
24 Now as he was there present himself with his guard about the treasury, the Lord of spirits, and the Prince of all power, caused a great apparition, so that all that presumed to come in with him were astonished at the power of God, and fainted, and were sore afraid.
25 For there appeared unto them an horse with a terrible rider upon him, and adorned with a very fair covering, and he ran fiercely, and smote at Heliodorus with his forefeet, and it seemed that he that sat upon the horse had complete harness of gold.
26 Moreover two other young men appeared before him, notable in strength, excellent in beauty, and comely in apparel, who stood by him on either side; and scourged him continually, and gave him many sore stripes.
27 And Heliodorus fell suddenly unto the ground, and was compassed with great darkness: but they that were with him took him up, and put him into a litter.
28 Thus him, that lately came with a great train and with all his guard into the said treasury, they carried out, being unable to help himself with his weapons: and manifestly they acknowledged the power of God.
29 For he by the hand of God was cast down, and lay speechless without all hope of life.
30 But they praised the Lord, that had miraculously honoured his own place: for the temple; which a little afore was full of fear and trouble, when the Almighty Lord appeared, was filled with joy and gladness.
31 Then straightways certain of Heliodorus’ friends prayed Onias, that he would call upon the most High to grant him his life, who lay ready to give up the ghost.
32 So the high priest, suspecting lest the king should misconceive that some treachery had been done to Heliodorus by the Jews, offered a sacrifice for the health of the man.
33 Now as the high priest was making an atonement, the same young men in the same clothing appeared and stood beside Heliodorus, saying, Give Onias the high priest great thanks, insomuch as for his sake the Lord hath granted thee life:
34 And seeing that thou hast been scourged from heaven, declare unto all men the mighty power of God. And when they had spoken these words, they appeared no more.
35 So Heliodorus, after he had offered sacrifice unto the Lord, and made great vows unto him that had saved his life, and saluted Onias, returned with his host to the king.
36 Then testified he to all men the works of the great God, which he had seen with his eyes.
37 And when the king Heliodorus, who might be a fit man to be sent yet once again to Jerusalem, he said,
38 If thou hast any enemy or traitor, send him thither, and thou shalt receive him well scourged, if he escape with his life: for in that place, no doubt; there is an especial power of God.
39 For he that dwelleth in heaven hath his eye on that place, and defendeth it; and he beateth and destroyeth them that come to hurt it.
40 And the things concerning Heliodorus, and the keeping of the treasury, fell out on this sort.