The Second Book of Maccabees

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

Antiochus and Lysias again invade Judea. Menelaus is put to death. The king’s great army is worsted twice. The peace is renewed.

In the one hundred and forty-ninth year, Judas realized that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a multitude against Judea.

And with him was Lysias, the procurator, who was in charge of the government, having with him one hundred and ten thousand foot soldiers, five thousand horsemen, and twenty-two elephants, and three hundred swift chariots with curved blades.(a)

Menelaus also joined himself to them, and with many lies he pleaded with Antiochus, not for the welfare of his country, but hoping that he would be appointed as first ruler.

But the King of kings awakened the mind of Antiochus against the sinner. And when Lysias was suggesting this to be the cause of all the evils, he ordered (as is the custom with them) that he should be apprehended and killed in the same place.

Now there was, in the same place, a tower of fifty cubits, having a pile of ashes on every side. This had a lookout over a precipice.

From there, he ordered this sacrilegious one to be thrown down into the ashes, with all propelling him into the afterlife.

And by such a law, it turned out that the betrayer of the law, Menelaus, died, not having so much as a burial in the earth.

And indeed, this satisfied justice, for just as he had committed many offenses toward the altar of God, the fire and ashes of which are holy, so was he condemned to die in ashes.

But the king, with his mind being unbridled, came to reveal himself as more wicked to the Jews than his father was.

When Judas understood this, he instructed the people to call upon the Lord day and night, so that, just as always, now also he would help them.

Of course, they were afraid to be deprived of their law and their country, and of the holy temple, and also that he might allow the people, who had recently taken a breath for a little while, to be again subdued by blasphemous nations.

And so, having together done all these things, and having sought mercy from the Lord with weeping and fasting, lying prostrate on the ground continually for three days, Judas exhorted them to prepare themselves.

In truth, with the elders he decided that, before the king could move his army into Judea and obtain the city, they would go out and commit the outcome of the event to the judgment of the Lord.

And so, giving everything to God, the Creator of the world, and having exhorted his own to contend with fortitude and to stand up, even unto death, for the laws, the temple, the city, their country and the citizens: he positioned his army around Modin.

And having given his own a sign of the victory of God, he attacked the quarters of the king by night, with the strongest chosen young men, and he slew four thousand men in the camp, and the greatest of the elephants, along with those who would have been positioned on them.

And so, having filled the camp of their enemies with the greatest fear and disturbance, they went away with good success.

Now this was done at the first light of day, with the Lord assisting and protecting them.

But the king, having received a taste of the audacity of the Jews, attempted to take the difficult places by craftiness.(b)

And so, he moved his camp to Bethzur, which was a fortified garrison of the Jews. But as he struck, he was put to flight and reduced in number.

Then Judas sent necessities to those who were inside.

But Rhodocus, a certain one from the Jewish army, reported the secrets to the enemies, so he was sought out, apprehended, and imprisoned.

Again, the king held talks with those who were in Bethzur. He gave his right hand as a pledge, and accepted theirs, and he went away.

He joined battle with Judas; he was overcome. But when he realized that Philip, who had been left out of these events, had rebelled at Antioch, he was in a consternation of mind, and, begging the Jews, and being submissive to them, he swore to all things that seemed just. And, being reconciled, he offered sacrifice, honored the temple, and left gifts.

He embraced Maccabeus, and he made him commander and leader from Ptolemais all the way to the Gerrenians.

But when he arrived at Ptolemais, the Ptolemaians considered the conditions of the alliance burdensome, being indignant lest perhaps they might break the pact.

Then Lysias went up to the tribunal, and explained the reasons, and calmed the people, and so he returned to Antioch. And this is the way things went concerning the journey and return of the king.

Footnotes

(a)13:2 A hundred and ten thousand, etc:The difference between the numbers here set down, and those recorded, 1 Mac. 4, is easily accounted for; if we consider that such armies as these are liable to be at one time more numerous than at another; either by sending away large detachments, or being diminished by sickness; or increased by receiving fresh supplies of troops, according to different exigencies or occurrences.(Challoner)

(b)13:18 The king attempts to win without a major battle, by deceitful negotiations, ‘arte,’ so as to capture the more difficult places without heavy losses. Such is the tactic used by the Antichrist to obtain power over the world (early 25th century).(Conte)

Antiochus and Lysias again invade Judea. Menelaus is put to death. The king’s great army is worsted twice. The peace is renewed.

In the one hundred forty-ninth year, news was brought to Judas and his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming with multitudes against Judea,

and with him Lysias his guardian and chancellor, each having a Greek force of one hundred ten thousand infantry, five thousand three hundred cavalry, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.

And Menelaus also joined himself with them, and with great hypocrisy encouraged Antiochus, not for the saving of his country, but because he thought that he would be set over the government.

But the King of kings stirred up the anger of Antiochus against the wicked wretch. When Lysias informed him that this man was the cause of all the evils, the king commanded to bring him to Beroea, and to put him to death in the way customary in that place.

Now there is in that place a tower that is fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it had all around it a (a)circular rim sloping steeply on every side into the ashes.

Here one who is guilty of sacrilege or notorious for other crimes is pushed down to destruction.

By such a fate it happened that the breaker of the law, Menelaus, died, without obtaining so much as a grave in the earth, and that justly;

for inasmuch as he had perpetrated many sins (b) against the altar, whose fire and whose ashes were holy, he received his death in ashes.

Now the king,(c) infuriated in spirit, was coming with intent to inflict on the Jews the very worst of the sufferings that had been done in his father’s time.

But when Judas heard of these things, he commanded the multitude to call upon the Lord day and night, if ever at any other time, so now to help those who were at the point of being deprived of the law, their country, and the holy temple,

and not to allow the people who had just begun to be revived to fall into the hands of those profane heathen.

So when they had all done the same thing together, (d) begging the merciful Lord with weeping and fastings and prostration for three days without ceasing, Judas exhorted them and commanded they should join him.

Having consulted privately with the elders, he resolved that before the king’s army entered into Judea and made themselves masters of the city, they should go out and decide the matter by the help of (e)God.

And committing the decision to the (f)Lord of the world, and exhorting those who were with him to contend nobly even to death for laws, temple, city, country, and way of life, he pitched his camp by Modin.

He gave out to his men the watchword, “VICTORY IS GOD’S”, with a chosen force of the bravest young men he attacked by the king’s pavilion by night, and killed of his army as many as two thousand men, and (g)brought down the leading elephant with him who was in the (h)tower on him.

At last they filled the (i)army with terror and alarm, and departed with good success.

This had been accomplished when the day was just dawning, because of the Lord’s protection that gave (j)Judas help.

But the king, having had a taste of the exceeding boldness of the Jews, made strategic attacks on their positions,

and on a strong fortress of the Jews at Bethsura. He advanced, was turned back, failed, and was defeated.

Judas sent the things that were necessary to those who were within.

But Rhodocus, from the Jewish ranks, made secrets known to the enemy. He was sought out, arrested, and shut up in prison.

The king negotiated with them in Bethsura the second time, gave his hand, took theirs, departed, attacked the forces of Judas, was put to the worse,

heard that Philip who had been left as chancellor in Antioch had become reckless, was confounded, made to the Jews an overture of peace, submitted himself and swore to acknowledge all their rights, came to terms with them and offered sacrifice, honored the sanctuary and the place,

showed kindness and graciously received Maccabaeus, left Hegemonides governor from Ptolemais even to the (k) Gerrenians,

and came to Ptolemais. The men of Ptolemais were displeased at the treaty, for they had exceedingly great indignation against the Jews. They desired to annul the articles of the agreement.

Lysias (l)came forward to speak, made the best defense that was possible, persuaded, pacified, gained their good will, and departed to Antioch. This was the issue of the attack and departure of the king.

Footnotes

(a)13:5 Gr. contrivance or machine.

(b)13:8 Gr. about.

(d)13:12 Gr. and implored.

(e)13:13 Some authorities read the Lord.

(f)13:14 Some authorities read Creator.

(g)13:15 The Greek text here is probably corrupt.

(h)13:15 Gr. house.

(i)13:16 Gr. camp.

(j)13:17 Gr. him.

(k)13:24 The form of this word is uncertain. Compare Girzites(or Gizrites), 1 Samuel 27:8 . One manuscript reads Gerarenes.

(l)13:26 Gr. came forward to the tribuneor judgment seat.