1 Maccabees
5:1 Now when the nations round about heard that the altar was built and the
sanctuary renewed as before, it displeased them very much.
5:2 Wherefore they thought to destroy the generation of Jacob that was among
them, and thereupon they began to slay and destroy the people.
5:3 Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea at Arabattine,
because they besieged Gael: and he gave them a great overthrow, and
abated their courage, and took their spoils.
5:4 Also he remembered the injury of the children of Bean, who had been a
snare and an offence unto the people, in that they lay in wait for them
in the ways.
5:5 He shut them up therefore in the towers, and encamped against them, and
destroyed them utterly, and burned the towers of that place with fire,
and all that were therein.
5:6 Afterward he passed over to the children of Ammon, where he found a
mighty power, and much people, with Timotheus their captain.
5:7 So he fought many battles with them, till at length they were
discomfited before him; and he smote them.
5:8 And when he had taken Jazar, with the towns belonging thereto, he
returned into Judea.
5:9 Then the heathen that were at Galaad assembled themselves together
against the Israelites that were in their quarters, to destroy them; but
they fled to the fortress of Dathema.
5:10 And sent letters unto Judas and his brethren, The heathen that are round
about us are assembled together against us to destroy us:
5:11 And they are preparing to come and take the fortress whereunto we are
fled, Timotheus being captain of their host.
5:12 Come now therefore, and deliver us from their hands, for many of us are
slain:
5:13 Yea, all our brethren that were in the places of Tobie are put to death:
their wives and their children also they have carried away captives, and
borne away their stuff; and they have destroyed there about a thousand
men.
5:14 While these letters were yet reading, behold, there came other
messengers from Galilee with their clothes rent, who reported on this
wise,
5:15 And said, They of Ptolemais, and of Tyrus, and Sidon, and all Galilee of
the Gentiles, are assembled together against us to consume us.
5:16 Now when Judas and the people heard these words, there assembled a great
congregation together, to consult what they should do for their
brethren, that were in trouble, and assaulted of them.
5:17 Then said Judas unto Simon his brother, Choose thee out men, and go and
deliver thy brethren that are in Galilee, for I and Jonathan my brother
will go into the country of Galaad.
5:18 So he left Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captains of the
people, with the remnant of the host in Judea to keep it.
5:19 Unto whom he gave commandment, saying, Take ye the charge of this
people, and see that ye make not war against the heathen until the time
that we come again.
5:20 Now unto Simon were given three thousand men to go into Galilee, and
unto Judas eight thousand men for the country of Galaad.
5:21 Then went Simon into Galilee, where he fought many battles with the
heathen, so that the heathen were discomfited by him.
5:22 And he pursued them unto the gate of Ptolemais; and there were slain of
the heathen about three thousand men, whose spoils he took.
5:23 And those that were in Galilee, and in Arbattis, with their wives and
their children, and all that they had, took he away with him, and
brought them into Judea with great joy.
5:24 Judas Maccabeus also and his brother Jonathan went over Jordan, and
travelled three days' journey in the wilderness,
5:25 Where they met with the Nabathites, who came unto them in a peaceable
manner, and told them every thing that had happened to their brethren in
the land of Galaad:
5:26 And how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Bosor, and Alema,
Casphor, Maked, and Carnaim; all these cities are strong and great:
5:27 And that they were shut up in the rest of the cities of the country of
Galaad, and that against to morrow they had appointed to bring their
host against the forts, and to take them, and to destroy them all in one
day.
5:28 Hereupon Judas and his host turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness
unto Bosora; and when he had won the city, he slew all the males with
the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned the city
with fire,
5:29 From whence he removed by night, and went till he came to the fortress.
5:30 And betimes in the morning they looked up, and, behold, there was an
innumerable people bearing ladders and other engines of war, to take the
fortress: for they assaulted them.
5:31 When Judas therefore saw that the battle was begun, and that the cry of
the city went up to heaven, with trumpets, and a great sound,
5:32 He said unto his host, Fight this day for your brethren.
5:33 So he went forth behind them in three companies, who sounded their
trumpets, and cried with prayer.
5:34 Then the host of Timotheus, knowing that it was Maccabeus, fled from
him: wherefore he smote them with a great slaughter; so that there were
killed of them that day about eight thousand men.
5:35 This done, Judas turned aside to Maspha; and after he had assaulted it
he took and slew all the males therein, and received the spoils thereof
and and burnt it with fire.
5:36 From thence went he, and took Casphon, Maged, Bosor, and the other
cities of the country of Galaad.
5:37 After these things gathered Timotheus another host and encamped against
Raphon beyond the brook.
5:38 So Judas sent men to espy the host, who brought him word, saying, All
the heathen that be round about us are assembled unto them, even a very
great host.
5:39 He hath also hired the Arabians to help them and they have pitched their
tents beyond the brook, ready to come and fight against thee. Upon this
Judas went to meet them.
5:40 Then Timotheus said unto the captains of his host, When Judas and his
host come near the brook, if he pass over first unto us, we shall not be
able to withstand him; for he will mightily prevail against us:
5:41 But if he be afraid, and camp beyond the river, we shall go over unto
him, and prevail against him.
5:42 Now when Judas came near the brook, he caused the scribes of the people
to remain by the brook: unto whom he gave commandment, saying, Suffer no
man to remain in the camp, but let all come to the battle.
5:43 So he went first over unto them, and all the people after him: then all
the heathen, being discomfited before him, cast away their weapons, and
fled unto the temple that was at Carnaim.
5:44 But they took the city, and burned the temple with all that were
therein. Thus was Carnaim subdued, neither could they stand any longer
before Judas.
5:45 Then Judas gathered together all the Israelites that were in the country
of Galaad, from the least unto the greatest, even their wives, and their
children, and their stuff, a very great host, to the end they might come
into the land of Judea.
5:46 Now when they came unto Ephron, (this was a great city in the way as
they should go, very well fortified) they could not turn from it, either
on the right hand or the left, but must needs pass through the midst of
it.
5:47 Then they of the city shut them out, and stopped up the gates with
stones.
5:48 Whereupon Judas sent unto them in peaceable manner, saying, Let us pass
through your land to go into our own country, and none shall do you any
hurt; we will only pass through on foot: howbeit they would not open
unto him.
5:49 Wherefore Judas commanded a proclamation to be made throughout the host,
that every man should pitch his tent in the place where he was.
5:50 So the soldiers pitched, and assaulted the city all that day and all
that night, till at the length the city was delivered into his hands:
5:51 Who then slew all the males with the edge of the sword, and rased the
city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through the city over them
that were slain.
5:52 After this went they over Jordan into the great plain before Bethsan.
5:53 And Judas gathered together those that came behind, and exhorted the
people all the way through, till they came into the land of Judea.
5:54 So they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, where they offered
burnt offerings, because not one of them were slain until they had
returned in peace.
5:55 Now what time as Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Galaad, and
Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais,
5:56 Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, captains of the garrisons,
heard of the valiant acts and warlike deeds which they had done.
5:57 Wherefore they said, Let us also get us a name, and go fight against the
heathen that are round about us.
5:58 So when they had given charge unto the garrison that was with them, they
went toward Jamnia.
5:59 Then came Gorgias and his men out of the city to fight against them.
5:60 And so it was, that Joseph and Azaras 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.
5:61 Thus was there a great overthrow among the children of Israel, because
they were not obedient unto Judas and his brethren, but thought to do
some valiant act.
5:62 Moreover these men came not of the seed of those, by whose hand
deliverance was given unto Israel.
5:63 Howbeit the man Judas and his brethren were greatly renowned in the
sight of all Israel, and of all the heathen, wheresoever their name was
heard of;
5:64 Insomuch as the the people assembled unto them with joyful acclamations.
5:65 Afterward went Judas forth with his brethren, and fought against the
children of Esau in the land toward the south, where he smote Hebron,
and the towns thereof, and pulled down the fortress of it, and burned
the towers thereof round about.
5:66 From thence he removed to go into the land of the Philistines, and
passed through Samaria.
5:67 At that time certain priests, desirous to shew their valour, were slain
in battle, for that they went out to fight unadvisedly.
5:68 So Judas turned to Azotus in the land of the Philistines, and when he
had pulled down their altars, and burned their carved images with fire,
and spoiled their cities, he returned into the land of Judea.
